Theos-Talk Archives (February 2001 Message tt00208)

Dallas wrote:

>Yes there are differences between ORIGINAL THEOSOPHY and
>Pseudo-theosophy which has arisen AFTER THE DEATH OF H.P.B.
>The problem is to distinguish between the two.


Daniel comments:

As far as I know, H.P. Blavatsky was the
first person in modern times to claim contact
with the Theosophical Adepts, especially the Masters Morya and
Koot Hoomi. She claimed that in her writings
she was giving out the teachings of the Adept
Brotherhood.

Whether one is inclined to believe her
claims or not, whether one ultimately comes to accept
or reject what she wrote about, we do have available
HPB's major books, more than 1000 of her articles, hundreds of
her personal letters to correspondents, more than a hundred
Mahatma letters received during HPB's lifetime,
and voluminous historical accounts of people who meet and knew
HPB and her Teachers. Some of these latter accounts I
have compiled in my book ESOTERIC WORLD OF MADAME BLAVATSKY. 

Here is a link to what HPB/Mahatma writings are online: http://blavatskyarchives.com/hpbwritings.htm

I've spent more than 30 years trying to collect all of this
primary source material [it has been quite a challenge!!] and also trying
to
understand BOTH the historical side of HPB's life as well as the teachings
found in her writings and in the letters of her Teachers [an even greater
challenge!!!!].

Whether one should label HPB's teachings as ORIGINAL THEOSOPHY and
everything written by many other Theosophical writers after her death as
PSEUDO-THEOSOPHY, I will leave for others to debate. What I do
know is that in HPB's writings and in the letters of the Mahatmas
we have enough material for several lifetimes of study and meditation.
Who of us can claim to have read all of this above mentioned material and
to
have understood all of it? I think I've read all of it but I certainly
don't understand it all!

I've always encouraged interested students, inquirers, etc. to carefully
read and study all of this original material. I don't ask anyone to believe
or disbelieve what is written but simply to try to gain UNDERSTANDING of
what is being conveyed in all this material from the pens of HPB and the
Mahatmas. It
seems to me that far too many people don't take the time and effort to try
to understand what HPB is attempting to convey in her many writings. Far
too often we interject our own thoughts & understanding on to the subject.
Nothing is wrong with that approach but I prefer to try to ascertain FIRST
OF ALL what HPB's and the Mahatmas' views are on these many subjects. This
can be a challenge in itself but it can be done. In other words, do I
really understand what HPB and the Mahatmas are trying to convey in their
writings? I try to always keep in mind that I usually have only a partial
understanding of any given subject. I try my best to give HPB the lectern
and allow her to speak. My initial goal is always to try to "listen" to
her, to try to understand her view, her take on the subject. I'm not saying
she is always right or anything like that. I don't believe she was infallible.
But I do believe she was very knowledgeable. I'm simply saying I try to
understand HER views, HER points, HER theories, etc. on the many theosophical
subjects. The same with the letters of the Masters.

And I always try to keep in mind the following words of HPB:

"Every reader will inevitably judge the statements made from the stand-point
of his own knowledge, experience, and consciousness, based on what he has
already learnt."

How limited is our OWN knowledge, experience and consciousness? I try to
keep my own limitations upper most in my mind as I try to grapple with all
of this.

In a later post I will give my reflections on what has been claimed and
written about Theosophy after HPB's death.

Daniel

---------------------------------------
Daniel H. Caldwell
info@blavatskyarchives.com
---------------------------------------
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http://blavatskyarchives.com/esotericworld.htm
This new book contains a unique collection of 
rare reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky's life.
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