Blavatsky Blogger
Taking Theosophical
ideas
into the 21st
century
This
is a school in which
no pupil ever fails
C
the quest for spiritual perfection through
the
cycle
of death and rebirth, but there’s a catch.
You
can only leave when you have qualified for the higher
examinations
and in evolutionary terms this may mean
the
equivalent of staying at school until you are 37.
Theosophy
can get you out earlier.
Posted
Yes. Everyone will move on to higher levels of development
eventually but it is possible to be caught up in a series of pointless
recurring lives in which nothing is learned. Just being aware of the mechanics
of the system will help you graduate earlier.
In the section on Reincarnation in a “Textbook of Theosophy”, C
“This is the scheme of evolution appointed for man at the
present stage – that he shall develop by descending into grosser matter, and
then ascend to carry back into himself the result of
the experiences so obtained.”
Man cannot gain experience by remaining in spirit form and the
descents into matter must be numerous and continuous. Even those who evolve
quickly still have to live a large number of lives. Leadbeater likens a single
life to a day at school;
“Every one of us has a long line of these physical lives behind
him, and the ordinary man has a fairly long line still in front of him. Each of
such lives is a day at school.”
The analogy of school life continues with the point that school
is not the main event and is only a preparation for real life. In evolutionary
terms this is a more advanced stage of spiritual of evolution;
“when it is over he goes forth fully equipped into the real life
of the higher worlds for which all this is only a preparation.”
Leadbeater also points out that there are no short cuts other
than to harmonize oneself with the schools rules and learn what is taught.
There are clear warnings for those who believe that this physical life is all
there is and an end in itself.
Theosophy pushes you forward
“The ego puts upon himself his garment of flesh and goes forth
into the school of the physical world to learn certain lessons.”
How are these lessons to be learned?
Leadbeater offers the principles of Theosophy as a route to
spiritual progress. He elaborates on this by outlining the head start that is
given simply by understanding the concepts of Reincarnation and Karma.
Simply understanding Reincarnation and Karma would provide a
framework for future development and progressively more understanding of
situations and challenges that arise.
A Cycle of Recurrence
It is logical that failure to make spiritual progress is
equivalent to failing to learn lessons and as a consequence time at school will
become more difficult and frustrating. The extended time at school would be
similar to a pupil marking time until the leaving date with the intention of
getting a job, going on the dole or to college. In this case, for the student,
there is no leaving date without qualifying for the higher examinations and
eventually a point will be reached when the student is forced to confront the
problem. There is no question of standing still indefinitely, the Law of Karma
will teach any of us to move on and even if this only causes us to make an
effort in this life, there will be benefits in the next.
In practical terms this would be like living through a series of
recurrences with no progress or achievement until we learn from Karma that we
need to break the cycle.
If you are not making any spiritual progress or even resisting
it, you can expect a nudge in the right direction.
Can you be expelled from this school?
C W Leadbeater doesn’t cover this here as it is a fairly basic
text but in more esoteric writings H P Blavatsky does refer to a very small
number of irredeemable souls which are lost. The average person need not
concern themselves with this.
Reincarnation From A Textbook of Theosophy
By C W Leadbeater (Complete text)
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