| Belief and Spirituality General thinking beyond the boundaries of religion and organised belief |
08-22-2007, 12:21 PM
|
#16 (permalink)
|
|
the apostate
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 750
|
Re: Mere humanity
Certainly there has been a tendency to demonize the creative aspect of Nature, and the very Mysteries have been LOST which Roman Catholicism (and other traditions) once guarded, connected with Nature's creative powers - from the nature spirits of the cereals & grasses, on up to the Mighty Archangels Themselves.
But, as a brief excerpt will show, you're a bit mistaken about the perception of fairies, sprites, etc., Thomas ...
The three kingdoms of elementals actually build and form every new planet or world, beginning in serial order with the lowest of the three kingdoms, preparing the globe for the advent of the mineral kingdom, to be followed in turn by the vegetable and higher kingdoms in regular succession. The elementals are not only the matters of nature, but when acting together and used by higher intelligences become the forces or energies of nature, such as electricity, magnetism, light, vitality, etc. Unconsciously, human and other beings use them in the carrying on of all their bodily functions. For example, our bodies cohere through the automatic aid of the elementals of earth; and the elementals of fire give us our bodily heat.
The four kingdoms of elementals, existing in the four elements, are also known under the general designation of fairies and fays in the myths, fables, traditions, and poetry of all nations, ancient and modern. Their names are legion: peris, devs, jinn, sylvans, satyrs, fauns, elves, dwarfs, trolls, nixies, kobolds, brownies, banshees, leprechauns, pixies, moss-people, good people, good neighbors, wild women, men of peace, white ladies, and many more. They have been seen, feared, blessed, banned, and invoked in every quarter of the globe in every age.
-- Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary, Ea-El, Theosophical U Press
Let us not speak in half-truths ...
Has there been fraud, purported `faeries' photographed and the like? Certainly so. Nevertheless, we have enough direct, scientific study, via clairvoyance, on the part of trained and expertly-qualified investigators over the past ~125 years, to put nonsense aside and look at things like the `New Age' recogition of nature spirits quite seriously.
|
|
|
08-22-2007, 05:32 PM
|
#17 (permalink)
|
|
From across the Tiber
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,568
|
Re: Mere humanity
Hi Andrew —
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewX
But, as a brief excerpt will show, you're a bit mistaken about the perception of fairies, sprites, etc., Thomas ...[indent]
|
Precisely me point — you're quoting from a post-Romance text, in this instance of the TS ... I am talking about the original myths of antiquity.
from wiki:
" Much of the folklore about fairies revolves about protection from their malice, by such means as cold iron or charms of rowan and herbs, or avoiding offense by shunning locations known to be theirs. In particular, folklore describes how to prevent the fairies from stealing babies and substituting changelings, and abducting older people as well..."
This latter, the child theft and substitution, is almost global in its reach and representation.
"Wings, while common in Victorian artwork of fairies, are very rare in the folklore; even very small fairies flew with magic, sometimes flying on ragwort stems or the backs of birds..."
Nowadays all faeries have wings ... but the source of this was Victorian fantasy artists.
And as you will know ... or should do ... it's all too easy for clairvoyants or psychics to see what they want to see, or rather interpret what they apprehend according to their prior education and understanding ...
... then there is the whole area of research into faeries and post-partum depression ... and that has lots of scientific evidence behind it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewX
Has there been fraud, purported `faeries' photographed and the like? Certainly so. Nevertheless, we have enough direct, scientific study, via clairvoyance, on the part of trained and expertly-qualified investigators over the past ~125 years, to put nonsense aside and look at things like the `New Age' recogition of nature spirits quite seriously.
|
I think that's over-stating the case, as what constitutes an 'expertly-qualified investigator'? but one's faith in the expert?
The 'psychic sciences', although called that, are in reality an art, as no two psychics every produce precisely the same thing, or the same event exactly, twice, nor under acceptable 'scientific conditions' ... which is an axiom for a scientifically acceptable thesis.
When a Hermeticist, during a reading, I once described someone's character using the analogy of a walled garden ... only to be told after the reading I had given a precise description of the garden where she lived, and that she'd bought the house because she always wanted a walled garden ... she was utterly and 'scientifically convinced' (the description was accurate in every detail) of my psychic powers, but I told her nothing she did not already know ... and watching psychics at work, no-one has yet demonstrated to me otherwise.
I do agree we can 'read' people and things beyond the capacity for normal science to comprehend, there's more to this world than meets the eye, but I do not believe in the necessity of elaborate multidimensional otherworlds to do so ... Ockham's Razor ... and I am only too aware of how such world can be created, and presented, as very real, to the receptive.
On another occasion, after a lecture, I got feedback from someone new to the group, who I knew was a 'seer'. She said" I didn't understand much of what you said, but why did your face keep changing?" "In what way?" I asked.
"Sometimes you looked like a very young boy, almost a child ... other times you looked like someone else entirely, foreign, Asiatic ... other times you looked like you ... but absolutely ancient..."
The spoken word, in percentile terms, is measured in single figures when we total the means of communication at our disposal ... we hardly understand the mundane world we inhabit, and yet often create the most fabulous and intricate constructs to explain it ...
Scientists are observers ... artists are makers ...
Thomas
|
|
|
08-22-2007, 10:49 PM
|
#18 (permalink)
|
|
the apostate
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 750
|
Re: Mere humanity
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas
Scientists are observers ... artists are makers ...
|
And Adepts ... the true Adepts .... are seers. They SEE. And they do so with an objectivity which only the most advanced students may begin to approximate!
We may safely say, Thomas, that you are not one of these. But that does not prevent you from being inspired, even for a short time (as during a lecture), by such Higher abilities as are available to the Adept at all times ... and which Christianity will speak of as some one or another form of Inspiration.
Fortunately, the research, experiences and contributions of the advanced students of the Adepts ( of all Ages) have been made available, and the discerning student can learn by studying such teachings. Drawings have been made, and the sketches of clairvoyant Geoffrey Hodson can be compared with the contributions which others have made ... such as H.K. Challoner (Janet Melanie Ailsa Mills), and the similiarities observed.
Just don't complain to me if you are A) unwilling to even borrow or purchase these books so that you might learn something ... or B) too prejudiced to even consider that you CAN learn something by studying outside of the Roman Catholic Church's officially sanctioned and approved reading list.
I would agree that wings are a feature that is not, per se, a part of the structure of the Angel (or Deva) anatomy, especially as they do not have any need of them to fly, as do the birds of the dense strata. Hodson, and dozens of other qualified clairvoyants, explain things like this early on!
But if you observe the auras of several of the loftier (more spiritually Advanced) devas, you can see for yourself (via the artwork) how the mystical rapture of the UNTRAINED observers of all ages has led to the tendency to portray Angels as if they do indeed have wings.
This link will show some good and accurate depictions of Angels, or Devas, captured in 2 dimensional artwork (vs. their own 4D, 5D, or 6+D native element). More such artwork exists, as for example, this, the work of Arthur Doeut, a NON-Theosophical observer and artist ...
|
|
|
08-23-2007, 10:24 AM
|
#19 (permalink)
|
|
From across the Tiber
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,568
|
Re: Mere humanity
Oh Andrew — I was hoping we could keep insults out of the discussion?
Thomas
|
|
|
08-23-2007, 10:58 AM
|
#20 (permalink)
|
|
the apostate
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 750
|
Re: Mere humanity
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas
Oh Andrew — I was hoping we could keep insults out of the discussion?
Thomas
|
Oh no problem, Thomas. I'm not claiming to be an advanced student or an accomplished seer! Thus I was merely pointing out the obvious! (ahem! you aren't either)
But then, I'm not the one boasting about how great my own psychic abilities are ... with the lecture halls filled to capacity with all of my many fans.
Mere humanity, indeed. And yet we think ourselves to be some sort of gods.
No, Thomas, this is where the Ageless Wisdom will set the record straight with the egoists, no matter under what religious rubric and rhetoric they prefer to hide. Your raiment may be scarlet red, or as white as the Himalayan snows, but it is the man inside that counts.
And you can fool a great many people, sometimes, yet I for one will not hesitate to smile once I see the first piece of humble pie finally begin to slide down rather unpalatably. Sometimes, this is the only way we can progress.
Oh the hubris ...
|
|
|
08-23-2007, 02:07 PM
|
#21 (permalink)
|
|
From across the Tiber
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,568
|
Re: Mere humanity
I politely ask for no more insults, and my reply:
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewX
Oh no problem, Thomas.
|
And then you twist my words, and offer more of the same ...
Thomas
|
|
|
08-24-2007, 05:35 AM
|
#22 (permalink)
|
|
the apostate
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 750
|
Re: Mere humanity
A note on the above post ... (of 2:36pm, 8/23):
These things sometimes become a vicious cycle with me, Thomas, and thus, comments that should be held back or nipped in the bud only snowball, adding insult to injury.
I would ask that any mod who sees this thread please remove the above post ... and apologies, Thomas, for taking things too far.
I will go chill out for awhile.
Respectfully,
~Andrew
|
|
|
09-06-2007, 04:02 PM
|
#23 (permalink)
|
|
The Righteous Man
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 221
|
Re: Mere humanity
Remember, nobody knows anything.
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Rate This Thread |
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:23 AM.
|