What is your most basic belief?

[Katinka Hesselink]

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?

[Richard Ihle]

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 21^st 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.