Theos-Talk Archives (July 1997 Message tl00446)

> I have heard of this before and it makes sense to me. People, by and
> large, are not completely autonomous individuals. We all participate in
> group psychology at many levels; family, school, profession, church,
> community, nation, etc. We share and share alike. We build group thought
> and feeling forms, largely share common cultural values (conflicts
> notwithstanding), and get much of our socialization from these "clouds"
> of knowledge and attitude. Consciously or unconsciously, they impact us
> through our community and broadly through our "civilization". It happens
> subtly. It's one of the major factors that help to form our personality
> in childhood. We have connections with small and large groups of people
> in many different ways.
> 
Cayce said that there were different kinds of group karma.  While there
is personal karma (according to EC), there was also family karma,
national karma, to name a few.

I've been involved with the LCC for 25 odd years now, and am just
beginning to realize the karma I have with that group and with the
the other people involved.  While I may have problems with some
of their old fashioned ways, I also have a deep love and karma
connection.

A. Safron

Keith:  I think that our social or herd instinct is often overlooked in the 
literature.  We all are imprinted with cultural patterns and follow herd like 
out of necessity.  I mean you can't go too slow or the wrong way on American 
freeways for very long - you keep up, you use the right signals or you get 
instant karma -POW!  

Thus we are forced to go along.  I think the third and fifth chakras have a 
lot to do with instinctual social functioning and conscious persona 
manipulation respectively - and thank God for it.  We aren't isolated egos, 
and if we try to give our egos up, the men in white,  will come to take you 
away Ha Ha He He to the funny farm where life is sweet... until you see the 
errors of your ways.

Social functioning is what organizations are about, so maybe the TSA is doing 
the best it can to keep a "normal" face on the movement despite all.  

In order to achieve enlightenment or whatever in the west, I think you must 
have maximal social functioning ( a la computers etc.) rather than retreating 
to caves or sitting under Banyon trees as in the East (and they are so 
Westernized now, are there any true ascetics over there?)

Despite all the bad press, ego and social functioning are the foundation of 
spiritual advancement, without them you can slide down the slope of Mt. Meru 
as fast as you flew up on wax wings.  Take the Golden Stairs, the elevator is 
broken.

Namste
Keith Price