Theos-Talk Archives (November 1998 Message tt00015)

Nov 3 1998

Dear Alan:

I think your several questions are best answered if you will
secure and read a copy of Mme. Blavatsky's THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY.

It is a basic text and gives you an over-view of THEOSOPHICAL
DOCTRINES, and will answer several of your questions.

Mme. Blavatsky was a pupil of the Great Sages.  She studied "face
to face."  She also received from them when writing ISIS UNVEILED
and THE SECRET DOCTRINE many pages of material for inclusion in
those books.  She was NOT a "medium," or a "channeler."  She was
an Adept and had the ability (as several of her close
associates -- Olcott, Wachmeister, Judge, Keightley, Mead,
Besant, etc... -- wrote and said) to see in the "Astral Light" at
will, as she needed, and when needed.  I mention these names as
they give independent witness to those events.  In the magazine
PATH, Vol. 9 p. 265-270 for December 1894, Mr. Judge a close
pupil of HPB published some of her letters written to her family.
There she describes the event.

Theosophy is the ancient science of facts in nature and includes
all aspects of knowledge such as we include in Science, religion
and philosophy.  As I said, it is antique and therefore it is a
record of history, which can be verified by going to the many
thousands of references she quotes from in her writings (books
and articles).

This ancient philosophy considers that SPIRIT envelops the whole
of the manifested Universe and therefore all beings are (at their
root) aspects of, and one with that ONE SPIRIT.  It can be called
the Unknown, indescribable and Universal Deity.

In our highest level of thinking we can perceive that we are one
with IT.

The whole of manifestation and all its vast varieties of beings
show the progressive advances in the development of
intelligence - it gradually becomes more sensitive and universal.

In the human kingdom it becomes "Individualized."  That it (as
the mind) is lit up to the fact that it is itself a unit of that
One Spirit - and it begins to say I.  From that beginning
develops (as its curiosity leads it into many adventures) the
stage of a conscious directing of its advance through many stages
of knowledge.  Because of this we can conceive of Beings, once
Men, such as we are, but much more fully developed and
knowledgeable - such as those whom Mme. Blavatsky called her
"Masters," or the "Mahatmas" (meaning "Great Souls").

They are the custodians of wisdom and knowledge and from them
comes the information we call "Theosophy."  One of the important
aspects of this information is that which draws our attention to
the brotherhood of all Beings of whatever degree - since we are
derived from that ONE SPIRIT.  The Object of starting a "nucleus
of Universal Brotherhood" was thus made the first objet of the
Theosophical Movement.

This ONE and COMMON SOURCE is the first "Fundamental proposition"
The 2nd is that the whole Universe, and every aspect of our World
and living is run by LAW (called in Sanskrit KARMA).
It is universal fairness and justice.  It is a sameness of
response from all aspects of Nature.
It therefore provides a just and fair response for every decision
and act we do.  None can "escape" from this by "prayer," or
asking for "forgiveness," or by claiming "ignorance."
The idea is that nothing comes to us which we were not the
originators of - both "good," and "evil."  Hence the idea of
cycles of civilization and the cycle of rebirth which brings the
mind-soul back into a new life to reap those effects which were
not adjusted or settled in the past life or lives.

The 3rd great Fundamental proposition is the idea that all Beings
evolve together.  We see all around us a vast interactive whole -
a cooperative World and Universe - where law rules, and where
Science has discerned through experiment the existence of a
rigorous relationship of action and reaction.

Here is where Theosophy offers us something to consider, for it
states that we are never "alone."  Even our sense of "I-ness"
does not totally isolate us from others - as our actions, words
and thoughts continually each out and touch others.  This touch
is KARMA - specifically our Karma - and in turn we are affected
by the KARMA of others.

We are considered to be essentially FREE men and women, and
direct our own lives and make our own karma as we advance in
living our personal lives.

It is considered that there is a "mysterious" CENTRAL SPIRITUAL
SUN.  If you grasp the idea that there is the ONE UNIVERSAL AND
UNDIVIDED SPIRIT, then you may compare that to this CENTRAL
SPIRITUAL SUN - which is NOT an objective Sun, but has all its
many qualities.  Its "ray" in each of us is "our SUN" and in
discussing  the idea of the 7 "principles" of nature and of Man,

The ATMAN ( UNIVERSAL SPIRIT) is considered as that CENTRAL
SPIRITUAL SUN.

ATMA by itself HPB calls the HIGHER SELF.  [ see KEY p. 175-6,
SD II 167 ]

ATMA needs BUDDHI in order to manifest in evolution.  To this is
joined MANAS the Mind as this permits (as the THEE IN ONE) the
Higher Mind, to contact the embodied, personal "Lower Mind" in
the personality (mask) which we wear in life (and which changes
from life to life).

LOWER MANAS is the point where this "ray" from Higher Manas
impacts the physical sensitive brain stuff that gives Human
intelligence to the personality we each are.

Buddhi is the accumulated record and memory of all past
experiences. Since it serves as a record of our past, it carries
a memory of all the RESULTS of our choices.  It speaks to us as
"The Voice of Conscience," and tries to warn us before we act, if
that which we are about to do may prove harmful and attract "bad
Karma" to us.  Another way in which it speaks is through the
Intuition.  But, as the Intuition is transmitted through the
filter of our "lower mind" we ought to always consult common
sense and our knowledge of Theosophical doctrine before
implementing what we think is an "Intuition."

ATMA-BUDDHI is technically called the IMMORTAL MONAD (as ATMA
alone cannot contact "matter" but needs a bridge - and this is
supplied by BUDDHI).  These two as ONE are the HUMAN monad.

The CAUSELESS CAUSE cannot be defined as it resides in the
ABSOLUTE which is the ETERNAL BACKGROUND and from which emanates
the infinite series of Universes of which ours is the latest, and
in which we have a karmic relationship and bond.  It precedes the
FIRST CAUSE.  [see SD I 27-29 in the Stanzas for the series of
steps towards Evolution.]

Prior to any Manifestation there is a philosophical FIRST CAUSE
which on the metaphysical plane is a precursor to the formation
of the many details of a developing and evolving Universe.  The
1st Vol. of the SECRET DOCTRINE, from p. 152 gives details about
that.

Thinking about these things and trying to sort them out in one's
understanding as items if correlated fact is a type of
meditation.  All true meditation is active, not passive. (like
making our minds "blank," - personally I don't see how this is
possible, because "I" am the one who tells "my mind"  "Be
BLANK" - so I ought to be awake to what it is doing at my command
! )  There is some uncertainty here which is confusing and not
logical - and yet trances, visions, and automatic writing, etc.
occur.  But, see KEY TO THEOSOPHY - it is most helpful.

The light of reason and common sense illumines our minds as we
seek to learn and acquire this marvelous legacy of wisdom.  So
this is not achieved by "channeling," if by the word "channeling"
you mean mediumship trances, and going to seances - there is a
vast difference between mediumship and Adeptship.

The condition of the "ghost" - the "astral body" and the lower
mind after the death of the physical body - produces a kind of
semi-conscious being which has a brief life on the astral plane,
and not being supported by the life-force of the Spirit-Soul it
gradually dissipates.  The "eidolon" is sometimes contacted at
"seances" and some of its memories may be channeled. Theosophy
states that this is unhealthy both for the "channeler" and the
"ghost."  More details and reasons are given in THE KEY TO
THEOSOPHY by HPB , and in THE OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY by W.Q.Judge -
which is also a valuable book to consult.

The KEY TO THEOSOPHY or the OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY will help to clear
this up if you consult them.

I hope that this may prove to be of some help, and if there are
more questions ask again.

There exists  written by Mme. Blavatsky A THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY.
This gives many answers to questions on doctrinal points as well
as translations of foreign and ancient philosophical and
religious words.  Do you have a copy to consult ?

Best wishes to you,

Dallas

> From: Al
> Sent:	Monday, November 02, 1998 4:47 PM
> Subject: Questions On Atma and Light

Hi everyone

I'm making progress in finding a local Theosophy Teacher/Group!
It shouldn't
be long before I can join a group.

During that time I've been read some Articles by W.Q.Judge, and
have a few
questions which I hope you could help me with...again.

1. How did Madam Blavatsky receive her teaching? Was it by face
to face
contact with the Adepts, or by Channeling?

2. (I'm only grasping here). As the Higher Self is called a True
Sun which
radiates light - am I right in thinking that it 'always' shines
and that the
light possess the same quality and nature of the Source? And if
so...

3. Partaking of the light leads us to seek the Source of the
Light. Is this
our True Self and True Will?

4. If Atma comes (I don't know how) from the First Cause, does it
possess a
personality, attributes or/and character? If so, is it our aim to
become one
with the personality &c.?

5. Is Atma and Buddhi already merged together, or is this also
part of the
Great Work as in the merging of Manas and Buddhi?

And last but not least...

6.  Is channeling the art of concentrating a beam of the light
from the
"Sun" into the Mind?

I would be really grateful for any help,

Alan