--- In summa-scientia@..., "Cathy" <SnowyHome@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Loveday,
>
> I found your commentary on the Tao very, very interesting. It reminded me
that there is not only one interpretation to these classic spiritual writings
(and also that there are more than one translation available).
>
> "The Chinese Gnosis" has been perhaps my favorite of JVR's books... more
open and free flowing compared to his other books.I think; but am not sure, that
"The Ghinese Gnosis" is one of his later works.Your commentary opens it up to an
even freer flowing.The Tao, like the Gnosis, cannot be a closed, exclusive
system. It seems that JVR's son, who broke away from the Lectorium, has created
a much more open space in his books in which to follow the Path than his father
and the organization after his father's death created; for example, that no
Temple attendance is required. I notice that the organization itself seems to
"allow" more freedom than when the School was first formed.. more freedom yet
freedom within certain structures

Loveday: This interesting historical event was no doubt rather unfortunate
because insofar as groups split naturally into conservative and radical poles,
to loose the radical liberal arm leaves a group prey to the anal, fixed,
controlling and even paranoid condition of the extreme conservative type. While
the radical liberal tendency may slide towards formlessness and deconstruction,
the conservative element, solid, institutionalized, unmoving,may turn into a
solid block of titanium. Both parts are necessary and together these opposites
transmute. Radicals need reigning in but Conservatives need a hard kick up the
fundament if progress is to be made.If communication fails everything must start
again but of course if all the swaying haruspices and psychopomps in Wizard
Bloodnock's castle are unable to communicate there is not much hope for anything
scuffling about in the hinterland.
There is an easy answer to much of this and future Gnostically working groups
will be provided with a simple and obvious way to open the floodgates of
communication. They will also gradually leave much of the old language,symbols
and myths of the Western Mysteries behind as these are now blown all over the
world,re-packaged,waved aloft and sold off at every street corner which means
they have gone past their use by date quite apart from the fact that most of the
tradition belongs not to the "Magian" world view but to the "Faustian"
weltanschauung of striving ever onwards to heights, out of reach, unattainable
with yearning(didn't that word come out of the German enlightenment?)striving,
questing, and conquering.The new liberal economic order was a last gasp revamp
out of the rag bag of masonic and chivalric left overs and now that that has
fallen splat on its face we can throw the Faustian world view into the museum.
It has finished.
For details on Magian and Faustian world views see Oswald Spengler "The Decline
of the West"
>
>

>
> Cathy: While I realize books cannot take us on the Path. We choose to take the
Path, I have found books to be great "pointers" to Truth (so long as the books
are based in Truth). I also feel a kind of transmission when I read great
spiritual classics. Whitman has said,
>
> I'll close with my favaorite Walt Whitman quote which I take as our True,
Original Self speaking to us:
> "You may not know who I am or what I mean,
> But I will be good health to you nevertheless
> And filter and fiber your bones.
> Failing to fetch me at first,
> Keep encouraged.
> Missing me one place, search another.
> I stop somewhere waiting for you."

Loveday: We go the path in spite of ourselves. For some, books and the discovery
of the origins of ideas are truly important. For others working in groups, the
arts, family or business life supply over and over again experience and
knowledge that is invaluable.
Thanks for the Walt Whitman. In our Gnostic Union meetings we have read his
poetry but not this one yet. If you are interested I could send our current book
list and perhaps a service to show you how simple it is to put one together.

Loveday

>