Theosophical Independence Vol. 8 - 7 September 2009

Fundamental Guide to Living Crisis

  The Chinese word ‘weiji’ presents a wonderful picture of the elements of a crisis. The word crisis in Chinese is formed from the characters for danger (wei) and incipient moment (ji), when something begins or changes. A genuine crisis is a dangerous moment when things start to go wrong. It calls for careful judgment and discrimination because of the harm that may come.   It is not a time when one can expect to find favorable opportunity for personal advantage and benefit. In fact, the opposite is likely to be the case. The condition of instability or danger may lead to decisive change that may confer benefits, but it may also lead to further decline. There is nothing opportunistic in the event; the opportunity lies in the attitude of the individual who suffers through the dangerous, traumatic, and painful event. Although the event itself is painful, some might be adversely affected by the event, while others suffer little or no ill effect -they might even become stronger, wiser, and more compassionate as a result of the crisis.

  Nations may face social, economic, political, and environmental crises that are sudden and unexpected or long-brewing and predictable.  The causes for these crises are complex and the distribution of effects among individuals is variable in degree and intensity.  Crises of individuals may relate to situations in their physical circumstances or to inner mental, emotional and moral conflicts. Whatever the state of external danger, people feel like they are in a crisis when they are overwhelmed by insurmountable obstacles goals, or when they meet failure in one of their previously reliable problem -solving approaches. The underlying perception of a person in crisis is that the event is intolerably difficult and exceeds their coping abilities. Like Arjuna, faced with a seemingly hopeless situation, the individual is full of despondency.

  The first chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita depicts the archetype of human crisis. There can be no more dangerous crisis for Arjuna than the start of the battle. Already the arrows are flying in the air as his chariot is driven to the middle of the battlefield between the two opposing armies. He sees no opportunity here. All he sees is an impossible situation. He will either have to kill former friends and family or be killed by them. He is not brought to his knees by lack of courage, but by grief and the fear of doing wrong. The opportunity is not in the battle, but in fighting the battle and performing  his duty with the right attitude. The opportunity begins when he is willing to listen to the counsel of Krishna - his charioteer, mentor and friend.
 
  The message of Krishna in the midst of that crisis is an echo of the fundamental principles of what He calls the “secret eternal doctrine” and the teachings of Theosophy refer to as the “ancient wisdom-religion.” The first idea that we and Arjuna have to carry into a crisis is that no event, no matter how dangerous or painful to the personality, can harm or destroy the Higher Self.  The Higher Self is one with Deity and both are represented by Krishna. The Self is eternal and unaffected by circumstances, yet it is the enduring perceiver of all conditions. As Krishna says: “I myself never was not, nor thou, nor all the princes of the earth; nor shall we ever hereafter cease to be.”

  A crisis, as a dangerous incipient moment of change, is subject to the process that guides all change. That process is the law of periodicity or cycles. In this case, the cycle is the returning of a dangerous condition or circumstance, the result of previously established causes. The enduring perceiver is also subject to the law of cycles through the process of reincarnation.  “ As the Lord of this mortal frame experienceth therein infancy, youth, and old age, so in future incarnations will it meet the same.”  The personality may become invulnerable to painful circumstances, just as the immortal perceiver is the undisturbed witness of all pleasure and pain which is brief and changeable.  “One who is confirmed in this belief is undisturbed by anything that may come to pass.”  Emulating the Higher Self which is unaffected by conditions, the personal self may become equal-minded.  “Make pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, the same to thee, and then prepare for battle, for thus alone shalt thou in action be free from sin.”

  The third idea is that human evolution is only possible by self-induced and self-devised effort.  The law of karma is not separate from the pilgrim soul, for there is no karma without a being to make it and feel its effect.  Until the karmic debts are exhausted, human progress in wisdom and happiness will always be checked by the karmic effects of previous erroneous actions.
These apparently insurmountable check-points are the crises in our lives.  All that can be done is to have hope in the ideal and fact of human perfectibility and trust in the law of karma to eventually bring about the just results in the future.  Krishna’s final message to Arjuna is the key to every crisis.
Abandoning desire for personal reward and concern for self, perform your natural duties for the benefit of all, “as seemeth best unto thee.”  As Krishna promises, the Higher Self bears the burden of responsibility for the happiness of such devotees.

Quotes on Danger

  The less experienced need guidance, not leadership. Student- workers, if they would follow the one safe, true and royal road, have to forget persons and leaders and attend to principles, and show loyalty to those who gave them. If we are loyal to H.P. Blavatsky and W.Q.Judge and what they stand for we shall not run after leaders. Warnings, where we see danger, are always in order and it is part of our duty to warn--not in antagonism to anything but those errors and wrong practices which bring injurious results. We can set the example of examining anything on its merits, and then presenting in contrast the Theosophical view, which accords with Nature as a whole.
The Nature and Work of ULT,  ultindia.org

Psychism, with all its allurements and all its dangers is necessarily developing among you, and you must beware lest the Psychic outruns the manasic and spiritual development.  Psychic capacities held perfectly under control, checked and directed by the manasic principle, are valuable aids in development.  But these capacities running riot, controlling instead of being controlled, using instead of being used, lead the student into the most dangerous delusions and the certainty of moral destruction. Five Messages

The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world.
  Georgia Harkness  
      
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.   Michelangelo
 
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.    Martin Luther King, Jr.
      
Between the great things we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing.   Adolph Monod

    “Theosophical Independence”  is produced monthly by Associates of The United Lodge of Theosophists in Philadelphia located at 1917 Walnut Street,   Philadelphia, PA  19103.   The contents of this newsletter are provided freely and anonymously.  It may be reproduced without permission.