[B][I] :)Hi! I'm Allen and am living in San Mateo, CA. I'm new to this sort of thing so if anyone wishes to help out it would much appreciated. I've never posted a message or chatted anywhere, but have observed. The topics you discuss are of much interest to me. I have studied Theosophy, Alice Bailey & The Tibetan, and the Agni Yoga Books. All I believe coming from the Trans Himalayan Lodge. No one has to believe as I do. My experience, study and thought have given me the faith in those things I've yet to experience. I work to keep an open mind, and will consider any idea, concept, philosophy that is harmless in all ways. Even though we choose to call a particular writing or belief by a certain name, I believe all inspired teachings or writings come from the same source. I work at not being fooled by seperation, classification, differentiation, etc. Words and other thngs are symbols helping me to understand this manifestation, all leading to the ultimate truth.
My life is focused on change not only for my benefit but for all. In a feeble way I understand myself and all to be no-thing yet at the same time like to think of all as one, without the great heresy of seperateness. I hope this isn't too long.
I like to ride a bike, study, walk, learn, paint and draw, spend time on the computer, build(I have worked most of my life working as a carpenter), and specially like remodels, appreciate beauty and other things. I am looking forward to meeting and making new friends. Much good to you all!

Welcome Allen!

We are a new, small, not very active group now. But feel free to ask or comment on anything.

Hi, Allen, and welcome to the Theosophy Forum.

You said,

"Hi! I'm Allen and am living in San Mateo, CA."

--> Welcome. I live in El Centro CA and Nicholas lives in Los Angeles CA.

"I'm new to this sort of thing so if anyone wishes to help out it would much appreciated."

--> Being on a Forum for the first time can be spooky. Do you have any questions on how a Forum works?

"No one has to believe as I do."

--> I agree! One of the best things about Theosophy is the lack of dogma. The only thing required is a belief in brotherhood. There are fundamantal ideas like reincarnation and karma, but even people who do not believe in these things are welcome to engage in Theosophical discussions.

"I believe all inspired teachings or writings come from the same source."

--> This is a key Theosophical concept. Theosophy teaches that all religions come from the same source. World religions are always started by a great person, but, as the centuries go by, they always end up becoming tainted. Therefore, what is called the Divine Wisdom must be periodically re-released. Theosophy is the re-release of that information, a release that occured in the late 1800's.

"My life is focused on change not only for my benefit but for all. In a feeble way I understand myself and all to be no-thing yet at the same time like to think of all as one, without the great heresy of separateness."

--> This, too, is a key Theosophical concept. Have you read George Arundale's book, Nirvana — An Occult Experience?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076616646...=books&v=glance

In the book, George talks about his experiences achieving consciousness at the Nirvana level. He says that in Nirvana, there is no sense of separateness at all.

"I am looking forward to meeting and making new friends. Much good to you all!"

--> Thanks for joining us. You will find Theosophy quite different than most philosophies. I am curious to see how familiar you are with the concepts presented in Theosophy. For example, perhaps the first concept we get into is reincarnation. How does reincarnation fit into your belief system?

[B][I]Hi Nick! I believe in reincarnation. It's the only thing that makes sense. Of course at present, in the body, I don't know that to be a fact, but trust and have faith that it is true until I do know. Alot of my beliefs are like that. Some experiences I have had, have proved to me that consciousness exists outside of the body, and that some of the indications pointed out in a book of Helen Roerichs letters, are a fact. That I know. Based on those experiences and reading the great wisdom of the disciples and masters I have come to believe in, I have great trust that the rest revealed through the teachings is true. I feel assured that what I haven't experienced will be verifyable as I apply the discipline. I was raised a Christian in the Presbytarian Church. I am thankful for that, but some of what I was taught didn't make sense. Like, that God could be loving and angry at the same time, that God approved of all the killing going on in the Bible, and that you only got one shot at getting it right and if you didn't, you went to hell and that was it. In 1990 I came across a book written about Edgar Cayce. After reading that book I was sure that reincarnation, karma and past lives was a fact. At least I trusted it was. My life drifted on for a few more years but periodically I would buy another book written about the readings of Edgar Cayce. In 1994 after much sorrow and pain inflicted on myself, I had some time of clear thinking and what came to me was that if I was to have any quality of life I would have to form some kind of spiritual life. I was convinced of that. Also that I was never going to be able to escape from anything. A man told me about a book titled "Sermon On The Mount" by Emmett Fox. In it, he also talked of reincarnation and karma. That book lit a fire in me and since then I have studied Blavatsky, Besant, Leadbeater. Sinnett, T. Subba Roe, Powell, De Purucker, J. Krishnamurti, Hodson, various Theosophical publications, Alice Bailey and the Tibetan, Nickolas and Helen Roerich. I also have studied books on Bhuddism, Hinduism, Exoteric Philosophy, phsychology, sociology, anthropology, the Bible (using interpretations from Theosophy, Bailey & the Tibetan, the Roerichs and Hodson), and some quantum mechanics. If you were to ask me what I know I would say very little. The more I've learned, I've realized, the less I know. Out of manifestation, in spirit, I believe I or we have all knowledge already. But in manifestation, we are hampered on all sides. Yes I believe in reincarnation, and that conscious evolution takes a very long time. I can see that by looking at the changes in my own thinking over my lifetime. For me, changes have been slow and difficult. But I persist. Knowing what I know, I cannot live in the world as I used to, because I know the results of chasing illusions. They will never bring lasting satisfaction or happiness. And I cannot continue to live in ignorance. The more I know, the better able I am to help others and eliminate the illusions that cause pain. I have much to talk about as there have been few around me who understand or care to. Sometimes I feel like an alien in a strange world, unable to help and communicate due to the lack of understanding and apathy. I work at talking on the level of the listener but very rarely does something get through. The desire for things of the world is more important. Such is the nature of materialism. The dream weavers and illusion makers make it even more complicated. This is truely a battle, and requires alot of focus and kindness. There is so much fear in the world. But I have much faith that the forces of light are working nonstop in the world and out, and I see alot of good going on. The plan is working out. The changover from one age to another is in motion and can't be stopped. Sometimes I become disappointed with the caos in the world being focused on through the media, and which is due to the changeover, but I believe we are in good hands with the Heirarchy. Our anchor on Earth. I'll end this here Nick. Thanks for the welcome. :rolleyes:

Allen,

You said,

"I believe in reincarnation. It's the only thing that makes sense."

--> What I like about reincarnation is that it makes absolute, perfect, logical sense to me. I can find no flaw in the concept whatsoever.

"I was raised a Christian in the Presbytarian Church. I am thankful for that, but some of what I was taught didn't make sense."

--> I am also a "collapsed Christian". As the years went by, Christianity just seemed to me to have more and more holes in its belief system.

"Like, that God could be loving and angry at the same time, that God approved of all the killing going on in the Bible...."

--> I have never understood the quickly-angered, revenge-seeking god of the Bible. And the part where God threatens to kill someone's son just to test his faith? Sorry, that will never be a part of my belief system.

" ... and that you only got one shot at getting it right and if you didn't, you went to hell and that was it."

--> This, to me, is the ultimate unfairness. What I like about reincarnation is that it is totally fair.

"In 1990 I came across a book written about Edgar Cayce. After reading that book I was sure that reincarnation, karma and past lives was a fact."

--> Actually, the Cayce books were the first new-age books I read, too.

"In 1994 after much sorrow and pain inflicted on myself...."

--> 1994 was a big year of change for me too, much of it negative. Fascinating!

"I have studied Blavatsky, Besant, Leadbeater. Sinnett, T. Subba Roe, Powell, De Purucker, J. Krishnamurti, Hodson, various Theosophical publications, Alice Bailey and the Tibetan, Nickolas and Helen Roerich...."

--> As you look around this Forum, you will see that there are many different and complicated concepts that make up the system called Theosophy. Have you read The Secret Doctrine? What Theosophical concepts have you come across that have really made you think, or leave you puzzled?

" ... in manifestation, we are hampered on all sides."

--> Here is a key Theosophical concept, the idea that the Absolute (Logos?) allowed part of itself to be veiled in matter, for the purpose of having experiences. As painful as the process of becoming veiled within matter is, there seems to be no other way to do it.

" ... conscious evolution takes a very long time."

--> Zillions of years, I would say. Have you heard of the theory of Emanation, a third choice other than Evolution or Creationism?

"I know the results of chasing illusions. They will never bring lasting satisfaction or happiness."

--> At least moving to the next stage, Nirvana, will remove some of the illusions.

"I have much to talk about as there have been few around me who understand or care to. Sometimes I feel like an alien in a strange world, unable to help and communicate due to the lack of understanding and apathy."

--> This is why all of us are lucky to have the internet, which can bring us together in a Theosophical Forum.

"I work at talking on the level of the listener but very rarely does something get through."

--> Especially when discussing Theosophical concepts. Many people are just not ready to hear them. All we can do is wait until they are ready.

"The desire for things of the world is more important. Such is the nature of materialism. The dream weavers and illusion makers make it even more complicated. This is truely a battle, and requires a lot of focus and kindness."

--> That is why I say the most important word in the English language is Compassion. It is by being compassionate that we can teach by example. It is only by being compassionate that we can completely forget about ourselves.

" .. I have much faith that the forces of light are working nonstop in the world and out, and I see a lot of good going on. The plan is working out."

--> Yes, it is. We must not let the negativity in the news blind us to what good there is going on around us. There is a Plan, and the more we cooperate with it, the better. That is also why I am looking forward to Nirvana. I believe that once I achieve Nirvana, I will be much more able to help the Dhyani Chohan carry out the Plan.

"Sometimes I become disappointed with the chaos in the world being focused on through the media, and which is due to the changeover, but I believe we are in good hands with the Heirarchy."

--> Indeed, we are.