Since us theosophists are supposed to be questioners and ponderers - I have something to ponder for you all: what is your most basic belief, what idea feels like it's part of the core of your existence?

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The core belief I have is that all sentient beings are in and on this planet to help each other reach something better. I believe we are going somewhere, and that we will only get there as a whole.
Sweet.

I guess my most fundamental belief is that the universe is basically a good place. Probably a naive sense, but there it is. It's the basis of my belief in karma - but that's secondary.
im only 17 and not really smart apon this stuff but i know what my insticts have told me since i was little,

I believe the core of my or our existence is based apon an energy originated from some type of source, were here to better ourselves through expirences over various lifetimes until we are purified and released from the body to join the source. And like you said based on a law of cause and effect karma.
We humans need to learn to share. Friendship has no limits. Mahatmas (call them as you like) are simple people: wisdom is not complicated.

This is the way I have come to see Reality.  "Infinite is the number of living beings and all without exception desire happiness." This is the first line of Pandit Sukhlalji's commentary on Umaswami's Tattvartha Sutra; long my favorite quotation from all that I have read. The logical conclusion of this realization is well stated as "Ahimsa paramo dharma",  Noninjury is the highest duty mutually of each conscious being.  Eventually ultimately inevitably consciousness (all conscious beings) will learn to accommodate itself (ourselves) by evolving with the universe toward a state in which no part of it will be uncomfortable (maximally optimally blissful, not manic).  The universe will maintain itself (maha atma) there (nirva ana akshubdha = without the least disturbance) as long as possible and eternally evolve back to that state.  

Meanwhile, we are in an earlier state of evolution.  We are in a primitive cannibal world where life lives on life.  The trick is to learn how to live blissfully as serene non-injurous individuals in a world where we are all vulnerable mutual predators.  We look for this Wisdom to the Masters who might already have and might give this wisdom, and we look everywhere else  that we hope to find it.

this my get a negative outlook, but i fear nothing.

     "Humans are nothing more than cockroaches, we are no different than anyother being on the planet. We are born, we learn, we procreate, we teach, we die. " that being said, i know that many people frown upon this but lets face it, its the truth of PHYSICAL REALITY. the reason that is pronounced is because in our physical reality sex is all that matters. sex so that we can provide the next set of hellacious little demons that we once were, to become what we are now.
    inside of me, my very core? this is much more complex than physical reality. i believe that as a people, a civilization we all cam from one place, and piece of mind. place your fist in front of you, either hand doesn't matter. follow with your eyes from your elbow to your fist... it is a loooong strong line. that is the original society. once you reach your fist, you have the formation, the basis, the beginning, if you will, of the end. spread your fist palm up and stretch your fingers out as far as you can. this is where s*** changed. this was the migration of people. there were too many for the society, and they left... as they left their skin, language, and beliefs all changed... aided and aiding by and in evolution. we as humans traveled all overy the world to find our own niche. when we left the original belief, the core of our inner beings changed... religions formed based on word of mouth from the parents and grand parent of children and grand children leading us to were we are now... a billion different ideas and quests for the after life.

     damn that, the afterlife is coming... thats one answer that will be guaranteed, we just have to wait for it... but to find the truth of who we are, we have to look into our past. essentially we are all so distantly related, but so unrelated as a people. look to our beginnings to find our present, use the knowledge of the present and wisdom of the past to change the future. the future if you only change it for yourself, ripples through all of humanity and nature.

...............................this is how i believe, beliefs are not changed, as you can not change mine. but beliefs are refined, and as now theories come into play then new beliefs form.

get at me

Greetings, Sven, and good wishes.

I enjoyed what you had to say and could not disagree with anything.  Your “arm” metaphor was apt and helpful.  Of course, now it is the “What next?” question which needs to be taken up. 

In this regard, the only “General Theosophy" saying I have displayed anywhere in my house is this:  “Let us pity those who are unable to fictionalize themselves into Mystery and Larger Meaning.”

The purport is that it is valuable to have some sort of “larger picture,” regardless if it is extremely nascent and vague, which challenges the dismal existential realities of scientific evolution etc.

A few books are even starting to be written on this subject.  For example, I always advise beginning Theosophers to forego learning Sanskrit for a while and instead check out THE GOD PART OF THE BRAIN by Matthew Alper.  The author makes a very strong biological case that humans may actually be “hardwired” to accept religious and other transcendental notions without much if any critical evaluation.  Interestingly, he further speculates that this “gullibility feature” may provide a selective advantage for those individuals who have it strongly.  Conversely, those who do not have it may often be forced to live in a depressing, low motivation, meaningless way which could even reduce their sexual opportunities (after all, who wants to go to bed with someone who is always moping around with the “life sucks; then you die" attitude?). 

Perhaps at a certain point in human evolution (and this may or may not include the translifetime development toward higher and higher Degrees of Self-awareness), though, it may become much more difficult to “swallow without chewing” some of the old religious and mythological “life-purpose-providers.” 

This, then, is where a new Theosophy might have to come into to play.  This may be regarded as “new,” since much of the old, party-line Theosophy belongs more to the easy-believer, supposedly-Supernaturally-dispensated material, provided courtesy of Mahatmas and Angels.

In my view, this newer Theosophy will quite possibly emphasize itself as a special type of epistemology which allows, or is at least willing to consider, knowledge or wisdom which is derived non-empirically—primarily by personal intuition  facilitated by meditation or other practices resulting in more and more experience with the “Spiritual” (Buddhi-manas) type of consciousness.  There may really be no fully articulated “belief” as a result; rather, perhaps only an ever–increasing “inclination” toward transcendental possibilities like karma and reincarnation.  Indeed, Theosophy of the future may only become known as “the Religion of Growing Probabilities.”

Nevertheless, it is also my view that even the most inchoate, subtle type of Theosophy may still provide the selective advantage Alper talks about.  This may be especially the case if individuals utilize their Theosophical insights for life-skill Adeptship.

Certainly, it might be objected that the foregoing does not seem to represent what most Theosophical individuals are presently “in to.”  It has to be admitted that a more popular “fictionalization of the moment” does still seem be the ongoing  “Quest Romance” which is sometimes preoccupied with the notion that even the more primitive peoples had  powerful secrets and comprehensive knowledge which easily surpasses, and perhaps should now even substitute for, what 21st century science produces.  That the results of this esoteric scholarship are seldom, if ever, shown to have any pragmatic value for a person’s daily life does not seem to be much of a current issue.  However, I say more power to even this variety of Theosophy—especially if their overly easy faith that something super-important existed in the past results in a less desultory sex life in the present and future. . . .

In short, there is nothing I can possibly disagree with in your delightful post.  One thing to think about, though:  something inclined you toward this website.  Could it have been Theosophy?

 

Whatever the case, your post was refreshing, refreshing, refreshing.




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