ESOTERIC LIFE VIEW
”The life view shows us that the meaning of life is consciousness development and how we can develop. As the knowledge of material reality unceasingly increases our world view changes continually. As the knowledge of life increases also our life view must change.”
World view is a summation of the knowledge of material reality and furnishes the basis of the life view. Through the esoteric world view we can receive knowledge of a reality that is as yet inaccessible to us.
Life view is a summation of man’s more or less rational attitude to life – its meaning and goal – and to men and human matters. Life view includes the conception of right, that is, that which people vaguely call morality. From his life view man takes norms for his valuation and standpoints for his action. Through esoteric life view we can receive knowledge of the laws of life we must apply ourselves for our development. But it is up to everyone to apply the laws himself.
The world view should preferably be built on the firm facts and unbiassed results of research. Moreover, the construction must not conflict with the direct conception of reality by sense. Like each new scientific hypothesis, each new system must be able to afford better explanations than the old explanations. Where the life view is concerned, it must be possible to claim freedom of thought, feeling, and action within the limits set by the right of others to that same inviolable freedom.
What makes the esoteric life view superior to other life views is the knowledge of the laws of life and the realization that the Law is the one true basis of the life view. The Law alone is the absolute guarantee against arbitrariness, be it human or “divine”.
Esoterics is any world view and life view based exclusively on facts received from the planetary hierarchy. Esoterics has nothing in common with exoteric views (generally accepted/available, see KofR 5.9.14). It is a matter of two totally different mental spheres.
The life view is the essential study, the knowledge of the laws of life, the laws of consciousness development of all life. This knowledge is not primarily intended to help yourself to develop individually, as the egoist always thinks, but to help everybody to develop. We develop the most quickly by forgetting our own development and living for that of others, for unity in which we have a share. To live and to realize is the meaning of life, not to make up theories and to speculate.
The life view shows us that the meaning of life is consciousness development and how we can develop. As the knowledge of material reality unceasingly increases our world view changes continually. As the knowledge of life increases also our life view must change.
The mental system of Pythagorean hylozoics [Länk: Introduktion/En första förklaring/ Pytagoras skola] is quite sufficient as a world view, in all its simplicity all we need to live right. What is important for man is not to solve the problems of world view but those of life view, the problems of the art of living, the art of right thinking for right living, of acquiring the ability to understand everybody with love. We must acquire that ability ourselves by tireless, purposeful work.
The life view includes what concerns the consciousness aspect and man as a social being: conception of right, state, society, etc. All life views must start from some sort of world view. If the world view is untenable, the whole of the life view is in the air.
The esoteric world view can never, of course, be anything else for mankind but a working hypothesis. But the further mankind develops, the more evident the incomparable superiority of this hypothesis will become.
Esoteric life views satisfy legitimate demands of intellectuality and ideality. Sooner or later the individual must form his own view, one suited to his understanding of life. Everybody is responsible himself for his own vision of life. The individual must himself develop his concepts of right, must himself seek his ideals. The wise man refrains from constructing concepts of right for others. Everybody is somewhere on the gamut of development, and has the conception of right that corresponds to his level. That day will come in some life when the individual is brought face to face with the necessity of making his own view clear to himself.
The planetary hierarchy is not interested in esoteric knowledge being taught to those to whom it must remain a “blind faith”. There exist life views that are quite useful for those who have not acquired perspective consciousness. It is more important that people lead useful physical lives, benefiting civilization and culture, and above all lives in harmony and without friction with their fellow human beings, in right human relations. In so doing, they automatically develop all the qualities and abilities that will in due time enable them to pass to the fifth natural kingdom. The most useful teachings are those that develop common sense, appeal to human experience and prospect of understanding, above all are proclaimed in freedom of all restraint and entail a striving to unity.
Henry T. Laurency, The Philosopher’s Stone, Life View, Mental Culture; The Knowledge of Reality, The Three Questions of The Sphinx: Whence? How? Whither?; Knowledge of Life Two, Laws of Life, Esoteric Education, Hylozoics, Terminology; The Way of Man, Laws of Life, www.laurency.com