Theos-Talk Archives (September 1999 Message tl00106)

> [responding to JRC]
>
>  > > 2. What was the most interesting service you rendered?
>
>  > I tutor (math and chemistry), but since they pay me for it,
>  > I am not sure it is *theosophical* work.
>
> I'd say that it's "theosophical" or not based upon *how*
> you do it, on how you experience it, on what you make happen
> under the circumstances.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes (in my opinion anyway). To draw a line
between what we do for "gain" and what we do for "spirituality" really is,
in some ways, a sign of a not yet integrated humanity. I think spirituality
is almost entirely a matter of energy radiation, of intent. It was said (in
some theosophical book I think) that the Buddha's powerful aura extended
three miles out from his body ... that people were immensely enriched and
elevated at numerous levels if they even walked through it - even if they
were never actually close enough to see him, or know such a being was in the
neighborhood. Would it make a single bit of difference whether he was doing
something "spiritual" like meditating, as opposed to farming, or shoeing
horses for a bit of coin? Heck no, its irrelevant to the issue. If it is
wrong to think (as everyone from Christian to Buddhist theologians propose)
that material wealth can somehow affect one's spiritual condition, can
assure one a place in "heaven", so I think it equally wrong to believe that
the mere condition of *having* wealth is some sign of spiritual
disqualification, or that because one earns money for a service its not
"theosophical" work. Buddha did spend some time as a renunciant ...
possessing only a beggars bowl, eating only a bit of rice people gave him
... but he still needed to *eat* to accomplish the purpose of that life on
earth. That is, since *he* didn't grow it, *someone* had to labor in a hot,
damp field to grow those grains of rice.

Its another one of those old, fractured models that really has to go ....
the notion that the "many" would somehow labor (and it is implied that they
labor only for their own self-interest), while the few takes various vows,
remain apart and detached from commerce, take vows of "poverty", and busy
themselves with "spiritual service". Its something close to the feudal model
of government applied to the spiritual realm .... a very few possessing the
majority of the "spirituality", while the many suffer from a noticable lack
of it. Balderdash. What would a society look like if it was almost
*entirely* spiritualized? Food would still need to be grown. Houses built. A
fully spiritualized nation would *HAVE* no vows, no people renouncing the
world for the "spiritual", but rather people would need to be *integrating*
it. And the difference would be *immense*.

What if *everyone* doing their job, to earn their living, still did it, but
did it with the intention that what they were doing *was* their spiritual
service? A terrible earthquake hit Turkey not too long ago. Many died ...
and as the news came out of that horrid scene, it became clear that many
*more* died than would have had to ... that for close to a decade corrupt
government officials and builders had built sub-standard housing in places
they knew to be earthquake prone. That building codes had been winked at,
payoffs made, enormous corners cut. Ah but for a few government officials to
be there that looked at their positions as spiritual duty - that would have
said *NO*, this is unacceptable, I will *not* take a bribe, and I will *not*
look the other way. Ah, but for a few builders that might have said "I'll
make less money this year than my competitors, but I'll still make a good
living, and my customers' roofs will *not* collaps on their heads ...". No
profession, I think, cannot be completely transformed by attitude.

Tutoring mathematics? *Mathematics*? Perhaps the single most universal
language? The art that is found as a branch in virtually every esoteric
tradition that has ever been known on the planet? The art that develops and
stabilizes the lower manas in preparation for what may be built on top of
it? The art that at its higher levels is second only to (and indeed
physiologically closely related to) music in its ability to induce states of
being that form almost perfect interfaces for direct perception of interior
worlds? Goodness Katrina, it makes not the slightest bit of difference
whether you earn money doing it ... if you are helping young minds grasp
mathematics, you are engaged in what is really an ancient and universal
teaching tradition, teaching an art that for most of human history was
reserved for the few, that in many cultures was considered "occult", and
that may have enormous effects on your pupils long after you're enjoying
devachan.

I do *not* think the ultimate vision of a spiritualized humanity is a state
in which we *all* voluntarily wander around in rags with beggar's bowls, but
indeed, a society in which we've moved beyond that and *renounced
renunciation*. In which the questions "what was the latest spiritual service
you rendered" and "what did you do at work today darling" elicit an
identical response.

But I ramble. And I have to get up and go to work in the morning (-:)
.... -JRC