Official Social Network of The Theosophical Society in America
The Spirit of this Theosophical Community
I think when we engage in an activity we should have in mind the purpose of it, so I want to share some thoughts about our Theosophical Community.
An online theosophical activity can have different aims. It can be a place to establish social contacts and foster a sense of community. It can be a space to introduce people to Theosophical literature, or to deepen the understanding of Theosophy. It can also be an arena to discuss controversial historical issues, or to examine the working of the Theosophical Society (TS), or to denounce things we think are not being done right, etc. Each activity will tend to attract and engage certain kinds of people and discourage others.
Personally speaking, I think our online community should be focused on the introduction to Theosophical teachings and deepening our understanding, leaving aside the discussion of controversial issues--current or historical--about the TS or theosophical leaders. Let me explain the reasons for this proposal.
The Theosophical Community is a visible, public face of the TS. If we aspire to engage new members and people interested in knowing what Theosophy is, giving predominance to controversial issues is surely not the way to show what Theosophy is.
If new people or members, with no experience in the TS, come to our community and see that controversial issues, denouncements, ill will, etc., occupy a considerable space in our discussions, what will they think about the TS? Let’s suppose you are interested in a philosophy you know nothing about, let us say, Buddhism. You encounter an online “Buddhist Community” and all you see is fellow Buddhists cutting each other’s throat in the name of their love for Buddhism and the sanga; what would you do? Would you be willing to join that sanga? Would you believe their “words of wisdom”?
Am I proposing to show a fake image to the public? Not at all! On the contrary, we are now showing a false image. In our daily theosophical life (the real one, not the online life) controversial issues are usually not a prominent part of our theosophical activity. We spend our time in the study of Theosophy and the attempt to practice it. The fact that our institution is right now going through a stormy time may cover up this reality, but this also shall pass and we will come back to a renewed time of unity, as has happened so many times in the past.
Besides, from an esoteric point of view, I’m sure these discussions become a source of dreadful elementals. We know that everything we think or feel produces a kind of artificial elemental. As one of the Mahatmas wrote to Mr. Hume in his first letter:
“We see a vast difference between the qualities of two equal amounts of energy expended by two men, of whom one, let us suppose, is on his way to his daily quiet work, and another on his way to denounce a fellow creature at the police station, while the men of science see none (...) And why? Because every thought of man upon being evolved passes into the inner world and becomes an active entity by associating itself—coalescing, we might term it—with an elemental; that is to say with one of the semi-intelligent forces of the kingdoms. It survives as an active intelligence, a creature of the mind's begetting, for a longer or shorter period proportionate with the original intensity of the cerebral action which generated it. Thus, a good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive or and nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity. The Buddhist calls this his "Skandha," the Hindu gives it the name of "Karma"; the Adept evolves these shapes consciously, other men throw them off unconsciously.”
When we are discussing controversial issues, or people read those discussions, what are we thinking about? What do we feel? Do we feel love, compassion, inspiration, unity, etc.? What kind of feelings and thoughts are we replicating?
Usually, the online discussion of controversial issues becomes an arena to gossip, lie, and state half-truths, thus fostering conflict, ill-feelings, separateness, and finally deepening differences and keeping them alive. And worst of all, this is not even useful, because this kind of issue cannot be solved through an online discussion.
So, since there are already other online forums where people can discuss all these controversial issues, like the theos-talk, I propose we should redirect the activity of this community and exclude controversial and institutional issues. If people are interested they can join the already existent forums. I don’t think it is necessary to replicate that activity here. Or, as a less drastic alternative, we could start another online community specifically focused on institutional/historic issues (as Chris Richardson did with his blog) for those who feel necessary to have that space.
What do you all think?
An online theosophical activity can have different aims. It can be a place to establish social contacts and foster a sense of community. It can be a space to introduce people to Theosophical literature, or to deepen the understanding of Theosophy. It can also be an arena to discuss controversial historical issues, or to examine the working of the Theosophical Society (TS), or to denounce things we think are not being done right, etc. Each activity will tend to attract and engage certain kinds of people and discourage others.
Personally speaking, I think our online community should be focused on the introduction to Theosophical teachings and deepening our understanding, leaving aside the discussion of controversial issues--current or historical--about the TS or theosophical leaders. Let me explain the reasons for this proposal.
The Theosophical Community is a visible, public face of the TS. If we aspire to engage new members and people interested in knowing what Theosophy is, giving predominance to controversial issues is surely not the way to show what Theosophy is.
If new people or members, with no experience in the TS, come to our community and see that controversial issues, denouncements, ill will, etc., occupy a considerable space in our discussions, what will they think about the TS? Let’s suppose you are interested in a philosophy you know nothing about, let us say, Buddhism. You encounter an online “Buddhist Community” and all you see is fellow Buddhists cutting each other’s throat in the name of their love for Buddhism and the sanga; what would you do? Would you be willing to join that sanga? Would you believe their “words of wisdom”?
Am I proposing to show a fake image to the public? Not at all! On the contrary, we are now showing a false image. In our daily theosophical life (the real one, not the online life) controversial issues are usually not a prominent part of our theosophical activity. We spend our time in the study of Theosophy and the attempt to practice it. The fact that our institution is right now going through a stormy time may cover up this reality, but this also shall pass and we will come back to a renewed time of unity, as has happened so many times in the past.
Besides, from an esoteric point of view, I’m sure these discussions become a source of dreadful elementals. We know that everything we think or feel produces a kind of artificial elemental. As one of the Mahatmas wrote to Mr. Hume in his first letter:
“We see a vast difference between the qualities of two equal amounts of energy expended by two men, of whom one, let us suppose, is on his way to his daily quiet work, and another on his way to denounce a fellow creature at the police station, while the men of science see none (...) And why? Because every thought of man upon being evolved passes into the inner world and becomes an active entity by associating itself—coalescing, we might term it—with an elemental; that is to say with one of the semi-intelligent forces of the kingdoms. It survives as an active intelligence, a creature of the mind's begetting, for a longer or shorter period proportionate with the original intensity of the cerebral action which generated it. Thus, a good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive or and nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity. The Buddhist calls this his "Skandha," the Hindu gives it the name of "Karma"; the Adept evolves these shapes consciously, other men throw them off unconsciously.”
When we are discussing controversial issues, or people read those discussions, what are we thinking about? What do we feel? Do we feel love, compassion, inspiration, unity, etc.? What kind of feelings and thoughts are we replicating?
Usually, the online discussion of controversial issues becomes an arena to gossip, lie, and state half-truths, thus fostering conflict, ill-feelings, separateness, and finally deepening differences and keeping them alive. And worst of all, this is not even useful, because this kind of issue cannot be solved through an online discussion.
So, since there are already other online forums where people can discuss all these controversial issues, like the theos-talk, I propose we should redirect the activity of this community and exclude controversial and institutional issues. If people are interested they can join the already existent forums. I don’t think it is necessary to replicate that activity here. Or, as a less drastic alternative, we could start another online community specifically focused on institutional/historic issues (as Chris Richardson did with his blog) for those who feel necessary to have that space.
What do you all think?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nabil Naser on -
Really, now, whose story is this ? It is really cool.
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Permalink Reply by William Vollrath on -
This story, supposedly relayed by Krishnamurti, can be found along with several other profound insights from him on the Krishnamurti Wikepedia page. Also interesting, is the summary of his rejection of formal spiritual organizations such as TS and the Star of the East and the westernized guru concept, all of which is applicable to the ES debate on this site...
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Permalink Reply by Nabil Naser on
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Thank you Pablo
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