Why is Theosophy difficult to understand?
So I was thinking, is Theosophy difficult to understand? Is it that we make it difficult ourselves by the way things are explained, as if trying to explain them in a simple fashion would be taking away the true essence of the meaning of the things that envelope what Theosophy is? Really?
Does esoteric have to mean secret? Does occult have to be an adjective that also means secret? Is Theosophy a mystery? Obviously if these things were to be a true secret they would not have unfurled into what they are today right?.. What is the true essence of Theosophy? Understood by few, and maybe those few are those that carry the torch... but to whom does the torch get passed to? Is there a one size fits all meaning or understanding? What about empirical evidence? Do you need empirical evidence that it exists or do you need empirical evidence that these esoteric 'things' don't?
There are many in the world that can live an entire lifetime without knowing these "secrets", these "esoterics", these divine matters, and their heart does not skip a beat if they were told them, they stare in wonderment as if the sun was something that only gleamed passed their eye at dawn and set at dusk without an inch of question to grasp the light was above them all along... Ah but ignorance is bliss is it not? Or is this the bliss that brings the torrent of chaos? In Faivre's book Theosophy, Imagination Tradition; he posed an excellent question: Is it possible for an observer to draw some major trends from the myriad uses and meanings that the word "theosophy" has been given and how? What are the essential elements? Do I have to study religion or science to be or think like a Theosophist? Do I really have free will or is this destiny? Does a person need to have a mystical experience or strive for one for that enlightenment that we all seek?
When you're a student of Theosophy or the Esoteric nature of things these questions come to mind and many don't want to even ask. Would you care to know or would you care less not to know?
If you want a giggle for giggles sake watch these two videos :D
or how about some Neuroscience?
When we're learning complex things, they can seem to sound just like those videos we just watched. Sometimes it's just the same old video playing over and over and no one stops to say 'ok let's just figure out what the heck their saying instead of just telling everyone verbatim what the videos said', get it?
I've heard the best way to learn Theosophy or almost anything in that matter, is to hold the middle ground, to hold everything in examination and discernment, trusting your instinct and conscious(or subconscious even) until it becomes evident in itself or yourself. What if there is no middle ground, like a win or lose situation?
The well trained mind will tell you where to go even if you don't understand all the gobbledygook floating around. After all we seek truth right? Knock and it shall be opened.
Reminds me of the movie Shrek where he says he's an onion... Just layers and layers until the center where there's an understanding. It's an onion! (or if you watched the video above it's an 'Unwin' lol) As you peel the layers back one by one they might not all make sense... Until of course you reach the center... The center of the onion is You. In my honest opinion; Since in this world we do not have to be linear in thought, why not start with the center (the You) and work your way out? This might be that burning desire that lights your flame. You'll never know unless you try
This post was scored at a Flesch Kincade level of 67% and a SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) @ 7.8 woohoo :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Capt. Anand Kumar on
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Wow! Congratulations PS! This is one of the most brilliant posts on theosophy to have appeared here. The questions you pose should have been asked centuries back. Better late than never.
At some point in time even lighting a fire would have been a great mystery and secret mastered only by a few. Few centuries down the line it became commonplace. Telecommunication is another example. So are several other things that we take for granted today like daily weather forecast.
As the human brain evolves at a more accelerated pace than ever, each of these so called secrets and mysteries will be come common knowledge.
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Permalink Reply by Allan Beveridge on
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A number of great questions, Anand. I will wade in with my thoughts on them and try to keep them brief....
"Is Theosophy difficult to understand?" .... it can be
"Is it that we make it difficult ourselves by the way things are explained, as if trying to explain them in a simple fashion would be taking away the true essence of the meaning of the things that envelope what Theosophy is? Really?"... what is considered simple is relative. The primary reason as I see it is that how people interpret spiritual terminology varies dramatically. It could be likened to trying to grasp multiplication without and understanding what numbers represent."Does esoteric have to mean secret?"... esoteric means hidden designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone. I don't believe most of the knowledge should be hidden in part because in order to do some of the higher order "works" one must have prepared themselves to be able to not only grasp it but to use the knowledge.
"Does occult have to be an adjective that also means secret?"... I don't see that it does now.
"Is Theosophy a mystery?" .... to a great many it is.
"Obviously if these things were to be a true secret they would not have unfurled into what they are today right?"... what's a true secret? And who determines this? What unfolds is what we have enabled, or what has been "given to us" from other sources, nothing more nothing less.
"What is the true essence of Theosophy? Understood by few, and maybe those few are those that carry the torch... but to whom does the torch get passed to?"... I will leave these for Theosophists to answer :)
"as the previous question Is there a one size fits all meaning or understanding?"... I believe their is.
"When you're a student of Theosophy or the Esoteric nature of things these questions come to mind and many don't want to even ask. Would you care to know or would you care less not to know?
"What about empirical evidence? Do you need empirical evidence that it exists or do you need empirical evidence that these esoteric 'things' don't?"... many do, their minds are externally focused and have so many mistaken and false notions that it can take objective "evidence" as well as the opinions of others so as to give them "permission" to learn about such things.
"Ah but ignorance is bliss is it not? Or is this the bliss that brings the torrent of chaos?" ... bliss is not directly related to ignorance.
"In Faivre's book Theosophy, Imagination Tradition; he posed an excellent question: Is it possible for an observer to draw some major trends from the myriad uses and meanings that the word "theosophy" has been given and how?"... different people will always draw different meanings from any term.
"What are the essential elements? Do I have to study religion or science to be or think like a Theosophist?"... I leave this one for Theosophist's to answer as well.
"Do I really have free will or is this destiny?".... for most their minds are the what determines what they are consciously aware of free will is an illusion nor is it destiny. There is only universal will.
"When you're a student of Theosophy or the Esoteric nature of things these questions come to mind and many don't want to even ask. Would you care to know or would you care less not to know?" ... I would but for most their minds are still outwardly focused so I don't believe they are not even aware of the benefits nor understand how they benefit from such knowledge/awareness's.
"When we're learning complex things, they can seem to sound just like those videos we just watched. Sometimes it's just the same old video playing over and over and no one stops to say 'ok let's just figure out what the heck their saying instead of just telling everyone verbatim what the videos said', get it?" ... people over complicate it and that has been the case for a very long time. And the mind doesn't need to be informed, it needs to be trained (which you mention as well).
"After all we seek truth right?"... some do, most do not.
For one thing most "esoteric" teachings seem remote, distant and not applicable to daily life. This speaks to their relevance and is is partially the result of how our cultures have evolved. Also, most schools of thought tend to make things more complicated than they need to be. Combine that with the fact that everyone assigns different definitions to terms and have different levels of awareness depending on what they brought into this lifetime and what they may have enabled so far and you have a recipe for confusion.
This is what I have encountered most of all. I ran into it when I first started to lecture and teach in this area and which I saw more clearly when I was the Pres. of the Psychic Society of Alberta (which has been reinforced every since). People have been indoctrinated in various schools of thought and when they get older and begin to contemplate them (for the few that do) they find so many views that "seem" at odds with each other, so many perspectives where validation is difficult for the uninitiated or the inexperienced have resulted in a form of analysis paralysis. The knowledge is within, and the key to that knowledge is to understand the gatekeeper...our own minds.
just my humble opinions and thoughts for what they are worth.
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Permalink Reply by PuzzleSolver on
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Thank you much for that feedback! Awesomely put.. I begin to wonder if the complexities arise from us not knowing how to evolve or rather communicate the information that is given. Is it that only certain people have the capability or mindset of understanding them? Just a thought to go with that, could it be that normal (for lack of a better word) people that understand basic functions in human life clearly (physical, emotions, thought) but when it comes to things such as spiritual or esoteric matters, they cannot bring their mind to grasp such concepts. Is it a right brain left brain thing, a soul or spirit issue, Logos or bicameral mind, pineal gland, some other connection that we are unaware of, something endowed upon us on birth or a skill set developed?
I'm sure this can sprout a bigger concept of free will/destiny discussions, so anyway, I saw mentioned: Universal Will, from a brief look at the concept (Google not too much info on it) it states that it is a form of detachment and being in unity with a certain desire. Did I summarize that correctly? Detachment from what, ourselves?I really liked the analogy of trying to understand spirituality in the form of understanding multiplication without knowing what numbers represent. In view of that, we would need proper tools to gain ground on the basis of spirituality, esoterica and Theosophy, is reading the only option or meditation even?
What really has me boggled is what do people do to put this knowledge in action? Or lets say use them in daily life.. Is it something that is learned and gradually builds up to manifestation of use for the self, conscious or for the greater good? I liken the principles of chess; where if you read all the books in the world about tactics and game play etc, you still won't know how to play, because you've never played before. There has to be action with all the study in order for you to become a better, well rounded player.. and I want to play :)
I was told when I was younger "Thought without action will always remain a thought, so don't just sit, think, read... DO"
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