Houston, We Have a Problem
In this case, Houston, is a symbol of the esoteric world.
There is a problem in the land of Ancient Wisdom occupied by students of Alice A. Bailey and H. P. Blavatsky.
And what is that problem? You say.
The problem is that numerous esoteric groups are disregarding admonitions of the teachings they endorse and promote.
And why do I say this?
For one thing they ban many sincere seekers from participating, often leaving them perplexed with no idea as to why they were thrown off. Many are banned not only from posting, but even viewing open sites.
Tell me. What harm can a person do just by viewing posts?
I speak here from experience as that I have been banned from most groups I have joined which are dedicated to the writings of Alice A. Bailey and Blavatsky. And I am not alone. I know of numerous other sincere seekers with much to contribute who have had the same problem.
What is going on here? Are us banned folk a bunch of disrupters elbowing our way in and causing mayhem?
That may happen once in a while, but it has not been the case with me or any of my friends.
I can speak for myself and will say this. I am always willing to abide by the rules of any group I join and if I find myself inadvertently doing something contrary to the wishes of the administrators I will instantly conform and respect the right of group owners to set their own rules. I do expect them to honor their own guidelines though which sometimes does not happen.
I don’t seem to have a problem with groups not related to the ancient wisdom, but particularly the Bailey related groups have an intolerance and exclusive attitude that far exceeds other groups out there.
Since coming on to Facebook I have joined about a dozen Ancient Wisdom related sites and been banished from at least eight that I recall. None of them gave me a warning first, but just pulled my membership out of the blue. I did have a slim idea of the last ban and that was I merely asked the administrator why he deleted one of my posts. I wondered what the problem was with it.
That was enough. I was thrown off without warning.
The strange thing is that I am a very easy person to get along with. I am not a rebel for the sake of rebellion and don’t go looking for trouble. When I am in another’s group or house I try and respect the rules, and this was my approach in all these groups which have banned me. Some have even banned me when I had not even posted for a considerable time.
Here’s the situation with some of these groups as it appears to me. They are controlled by watchers who do not decide who can participate by any guidelines they have, but by their feelings. If they feel some member does not fit they formulate a reason in their mind to ban them.
This demonstrates a very high intolerance for any view, expressed or unexpressed, that doesn’t conform to their views.
In my case I did not post anything in any of the groups that ran contrary to the teachings of the ancient wisdom or the guidelines of the group as I understood them. In most cases I do not know why I was banned without warning. Perhaps part of it is that I am gaining some traction as a spiritual teacher and some may not like what I say on my own web page and groups. Who knows?
Even if this is the case it does not explain why many of my friends have been banned also.
So how does this banning and excluding those who do not pass the smell test fit in to the actual teachings? Are we supposed to have a hair trigger toward exclusion, or lean toward inclusiveness?
Indeed, inclusiveness is a quality often stressed by DK. He sets the tone by stating that the soul’s “nature is inclusive love.” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 221
He further says that:
“The major idea which I would have you bear in mind is the development of Inclusiveness. This inclusiveness is the outstanding characteristic of the soul, or self, whether it is the soul of man, the sensitive nature of the cosmic Christ, or the anima mundi, the soul of the world. This inclusiveness tends to synthesis. Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Page 556
“the Christ and His workers know only the experience of group consciousness. A separative participation and attitude is unknown to Them, for Their state of awareness is inclusive and in no way exclusive.” Reappearance of the Christ, Pages 68-69
Obviously the attitude of Christ, the Masters and our own soul is centered on inclusion. What causes the student to go contrary to this path? Again DK beautifully explains:
“You are, under the glamour of idealism, apt to sacrifice the spirit of love in order to preserve the form of your ideal. Ponder on this for it is basic in its teaching value for you if you grasp rightly the implications. *** Ideals, as usually held, feed pride, lead to stubbornness, and engender a separative superiority; they produce impractical attitudes and negative activities. The one who thus holds them frequently serves only in the limited field, conditioned by his chosen work and coloured by his idealism. He excludes the Whole and thinks in terms of the past and as he wants to think. There is no real understanding of an opposing idealism and often no real attempt to comprehend its basis. His emphasis upon his own ideals (in his own consciousness even when not imposed on others) prevents understanding, and he is so busy upholding them and defending them (oft again to himself) and being conditioned by them that the larger human issues escape his attention. He settles down within the limits of his own beliefs. This makes him immediately a theologian and his usefulness then rapidly evaporates, except in the intimate circle of his fellow idealists. As time goes on, crystallisation takes place. A ‘crystal barrier’ is set up between the personality and the soul. The soul is seen but its influence is insulated. But—because there is a vision of the soul still persisting—the disciple is deeply dissatisfied. The crystallisation eventually affects all aspects of the nature. Emotions settle into ‘grooves of crystal’; the mind becomes set and brittle. The physical body crystallises also and gets old rapidly because there is no free flow of life.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 2, Page 530-531
So, some students are so rigidly set upon ideals within their minds that they miss the big picture that is only seen through maximum inclusion.
Yes, it is true that exclusion does have its place. If someone is rude, abusive or completely out of alignment with group goals then it may be best to send them on their way. On the other hand, groups dedicated to spreading the Ancient Wisdom should have as large of a net as possible to bring in and invoke sincere seekers.
So then, the first major problem with esoteric groups is that too many are exclusive rather than inclusive. They reject students of the Ancient Wisdom who think a little differently from themselves.
A second major problem with many esoteric groups is the limited range of expression allowed. Now it is understandable that if a group is dedicated to a certain subject that they would like members to stay focused on that subject. However, this is not the type of limitation that is the problem. The problem arises when those in control have an ideal in their mind of what is the correct doctrine or approach and all must conform to it or be banned. Many go to extreme to maintain peace and frown upon any arguments (even though civil) between members and especially a disagreement with the leadership.
This rigidity prevents the free flow of ideas and causes groups to create a “crystal barrier” to use a phrase from DK.
After joining a group the student gets a feel as to what he or she can say and what is forbidden. If the thoughts of students are of high quality the group range should be very inclusive to accommodate, but often they are very restrictive instead and students who do not discern the unwritten guidelines will often find themselves banned without warning.
To ban and block a sincere student without warning is a great error, siding with exclusion, not inclusion. If a sincere student’s posts are somewhat out of order and he is warned then there is a good chance he will conform and be a productive member.
Conclusion: Esoteric groups seeking to be in harmony with teachings of inclusion should work with students to integrate and allow for maximum freedom of expression within group guidelines.
There seems to be two illusions that guide many of the groups. The first is an idealized standard of truth that is not to be infringed or challenged and the second is the illusion of peace by suppression. Peace that is obtained by suppression of speech is not true peace at all and not desirable as thought by many. All reach that point of decision as did Arjuna and “when right decision and choice have been made ‘stand up and fight,’ and will find themselves no longer on the Path of Purification but upon the Path of Discipleship.” Glamour, A World Problem, Page 100
The fourth ray governs humanity and it operates on the principle of harmony through conflict, not harmony by avoiding conflict, as many seem to think. Conflict brings forth opposing ideas and their contrast sheds light and the eventual increase of light brings the real harmony and the true peace.
DK says, “entire groups of people are increasingly susceptible to their (ray) influence and this inevitably leads to these groups (responsive to either the sixth or the seventh ray forces) being in opposition to and antagonistic to each other.” Destiny of the Nations, Page 45
So we have those under the Piscean authoritarian sixth ray who seek peace through suppression in conflict with the arriving seventh ray people who and centered on mind and seek harmony through conflict, above that of suppression.
This is a major problem as the ages shift and the new way of thinking begins to overtake the old. The authority of the old church fathers is being replaced by the authority of the soul expressed by individual expression.
Those who are in contact with the soul or the Masters will generate conflict as DK says, “The over-shadowing of all disciples and initiates, and the consequent stimulation of their natures and of their environment, must inevitably produce conflict; the outpouring of the stimulating love of God into the hearts of men must equally and inevitably produce conflict; the line of cleavage between men of goodwill and the unresponsive natures of those uninfluenced by this quality will be made abundantly, usefully and constructively clear. It will be obvious also that when Christ establishes the “centre or focal point of the divine Purpose” in some definite place on Earth, its radiation and implementary potency will also produce the needed conflict which precedes the clarification and the renunciation of obstructions.” Rays and Initiations, Pages 617-618
A higher light and conflict then “precedes the clarification and the renunciation of obstructions.”
Synthesis must be obtained in spite of differences and conflicts for “Only as servers cooperate from the standpoint of an inner subjective linking can a united world be carried forward…. the inner relationships and cooperation Must be established and developed, in spite of the outer divergences of opinion.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Page 106
When the sincere Aquarian open-minded seeker searches out a group related to Ancient Wisdom in which to participate on Facebook or other sources, what does he find?
He finds some dedicated to single subjects. That’s well and good he says, but I want to investigate a wide range of thinking. He searches on and finds others focused on Theosophy or Ancient Wisdom in general and plunges in but soon discovers that the discussion is firmly limited. No disagreement with the authorities is permitted and any argument with a fellow member may get one silenced in one way or another. The student then finds that the groups do not seem to provide an avenue for expansive thinking.
Where can he go to release the light of the soul he has been given?
Where could I go to even post this treatise?
This is a problem I have sought to rectify by creating several outlets for seekers to be able to freely express themselves in alternative spiritual thinking and the Ancient Wisdom within reasonable group guidelines and civility.
First of all, we have my main group, The Keys of Knowledge, (LINK) which allows for an open discussion of on topic subjects. I generally do not take action on members even when they insult me, though I may give them a warning or may delete their posts if they insult others.
Many who are into the Ancient Wisdom who lean to the right have had no place to express themselves. Most esoteric sites lean left and allow expression in that direction, but little or nothing from the right. Several approached me about starting a spiritual political group that welcomes all views.
We started such a site called “Esoteric Politics and Freedom.”
Here is the LINK
Others desire a place they can go to discuss different views concerning the Ancient Wisdom. Now they can discuss different views here on the Keys, but the ancient Wisdom is just one of the sources used here. To fill this void I created a new group (Quotes of Enlightenment and Ancient Wisdom) which focuses on an open and free discussion of Wisdom writings, particularly those from Alice A. Bailey. Here is the LINK
Students are welcome in all three groups and different views are allowed as long as they are on topic and civil.
May 18, 2019
Copyright by J J Dewey
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Excellent article — AND I have personally experienced the types & kinds of “exclusivity” described in this article MANY times — especially on/@/in the (so-called) “spiritual/esoteric” groups found on/@ such social media as Facebook — and is one of the several reasons that I no longer participate.
AND, I cannot say that “I am without ‘sin’,” being “inclusive” is NOT “automatic” for me (grin) — and while I am “better @ it” than I used to be, still more often than not, my “knee-jerk” reaction is “to exclude” versus “to include” as it relates to many, if not most “things.”
Shrug — as with the/a majority of “stuff like this” —it’s just is where I’m @ “along ‘the Path’.”