Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00106)

May 4th 1998

RE:  suggestions on Web- Site

Many thanks to Dick Slusser and Pam Giese.

What is (as I see it) is a site which will attract interested
inquirers, and then direct them regardless of "organization" to
sources where Theosophical material is available, either for
reading, or downloading -- the general idea being that enlarging
the availability, an opportunity for many to sample or partake is
given.

A primary concept is:

1.    Theosophy is not restrictive.  As HPB exposed it to us, it
is a fragment of the records that the Adepts have and use.  It is
Wisdom, but it is also discriminative.

2.    Theosophy is logical and coherent.  It covers observed
events and facts.  It may appear doctrinaire to some, but on
close investigation it resolves itself into
information, which like a flower shows its many petals interiorly
to those who discover the key to penetrating deeper than the
surface appearance and th odor.

3.    Theosophy is no one's property and cannot be put up for
sale.

4.    As students of Theosophy we have been asked to promulgate
it and make it
more generally available.  Apparently Internet can be made one of
those channels.  If we take as an example the method that Judge
and the early members of the TS in America ( 1885-96 ) used in
the free  "Tract Mailing Scheme"  we could make available to a
greater range of inquirers  a view of what the Philosophy of
Theosophy offers.

========================================

One great problem remains:  Accuracy of detail.  Presentation of
Theosophy as a coherent philosophy.

5.    Members of various T Ses or other bodies that originated
with Theosophical ideas, have developed second and third level
opinions of Theosophy.  These are not found to agree wholly with
the "original" or "core" teachings of Theosophy as published by
H.P.Blavatsky or the Masters' letters.  This is a verifiable
fact.

It would be a pity to find the same problem arising in regard to
a Web-site directory.  However that is a problem that we all
face.now, and it is a great pity.

================================================

"Authority"

HPB did state that there were no "authorities" in theosophy --
she said this in many ways.  She also said that the student would
have to labor on his own to determine for himself exactly what it
was that had value.  In other words, the "path" to Wisdom was one
that was to be constructed each by and for himself.  At certain
points one is able to secure assistance by considering the labors
and "gems" of truth that others have secured.  So without being
"judgmental" how can one proceed in the delicate task of
winnowing the pure grain from vast amounts of chaff ?

====================================================

Here is an example:

There is a small book (103 pages) issued since 1948) by the Adyar
TPH, it is attributed to H.P.Blavatsky, and is titled:  PRACTICAL
THEOSOPHY.

Much of it is not written by HPB.  And what is included of her
writings had been edited without explanation by the Editors.  It
includes material from other authors, including Mr. Judge's
LETTERS THAT HAVE HELPED ME.  Also, certain Brahmanical rituals
and recommendations and the use of "prayer" are included there
which were never endorsed by HPB.

The title and the authorship are almost entirely at variance
 details of  research are available).  The booklet as now
presented, is neither "practical occultism," nor is it by H.P.B.
Details of this research went to Adyar years back.  They have not
answered.  The book is still offered.

Briefly:

to p. 64 are heavily edited extracts from two of HPB's articles
published in LUCIFER in 1888.  Thereafter one finds:

pp. 65 - 66  Not by HPB -- source " Theosophical Siftings"
(Hartmann ? )

pp. 67 on    Article is form Vol. 10, THEOSOPHIST, Aug. 1889, p.
647,  It is written by Iswar Nisra, and is entitled: " A
Mumukshu's Daily Life."

    [ Note:-- from the beginning of the 10th Vol. of THEOSOPHIST,
Col. Olcott had Mme. Blavatsky's name removed as co-editor with
him.  He assumed sole responsibility thereafter.]

pp. 72     Extract from J.K.Daji's article "Self-Knowledge and
Self-Culture."

pp. 72    - 73  From Harman's "Theosophical Siftings"

pp. 73 - 103   Selections from PATH  Aug. 1889, etc., etc., and
further extracts from Path,   Lucifer,   Light on the Path
Commentaries,   L. K. Daji in Theosophist,   Patanjali's Yoga
Aphorisms, J.D.Buck, etc., etc.,  (details available in full).

        Dallas

> From: "Dick Slusser" <dslusser@indra.com>
> Date: Monday, May 04, 1998 9:05 AM
> Subject: Re: Topics for WWW

>Hi folks;
>
>Here's the list -- sorted, cleaned of redundants with a few
addditions:
>
>Adepts
>Adeptship
>Alchemy
>apparitions,
>Apportation
>Astral body
>Astral Plane,
>Automatic writing,
>Brain
>Chakras
>channeling,
>Chaos
>Chelas
>Clairaudience,
>clairvoyance,
>Cohesion/dispersion of materials by mental willing
>Consciousness,
>Contemplation
>Cosmic consciousness
>Cosmos,
>Cycles
>Death
>Deities
>Divination,
>dowsing,
>Dreams
>Duties
>Environment
>Esoteric
>Ethics
>Evil entities,
>Evolution
>Fancy
>Ghosts,
>God
>Gods
>Hatha Yoga
>Heaven
>Hell,
>Higher Self,
>Holy
>hypnotism
>Imagination
>Initiation, the 3 planes of
>Initiation
>Intuitions
>Knowledge,
>Levitation
>Life
>Magic
>Mahatmas
>Masters
>Materialization
>Mdiumship
>Meditation,
>Mesmerism
>Messages from  the Dead,
>Mind
>Morality
>Near death experience
>Occult
>Occult laws,
>Occult powers
>Origin man
>Origin Cosmos
>Out of Body experience
>Paradise
>Phenomena
>Philosophies
>precipitation of letters, etc.
>Prophecy,
>Psychic
>Psychology
>Pyramid power
>Raja Yoga
>Religion
>Religions
>Revelation
>Sacred
>Saviours
>second sight
>Self Knowledge
>Solar System
>Sorcery
>Soul
>Spirit
>Spiritual visions
>Spiritualism
>trance
>Truth
>Visions,
>Wisdom
>Witches,
>wizards
>
>
>dslusser ed. HCT