Theos-Talk Archives (March 2001 Message tt00133)

Sunday, March 25, 2001


Thanks K-----a:

Re: "THEOSOPHY" in history


If you wish to add to the information on the origin and use of
the word "THEOSOPHY," you might secure a copy of Dr. J. L.
Siemons (LUT, Paris) pamphlet in which he traces historically the
origin of the word back to Pythagoras.

See also the first 2 articles in THEOSOPHIST Vol. 1, pp. 1, 5
(1879-80) WHAT IS THEOSOPHY? and WHAT ARE THE THEOSOPHISTS?
Reprinted in FIVE YEARS OF THEOSOPHY, p. 429. [ULT H.P.B.
Articles I 40, 93]

H.P.B. in the early pages of THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY (1889) gives us
additional information concerning the use of "THEOSOPHY" starting
with the footnotes on p. 3 on to p. 17, 39-40. More will be
found on this and the T.S. (by H.P.B.) in THEOSOPHIST Vol. I, pp.
1, 5, 180 (1879-80 )..

In the THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY (H.P.B.) see p. 328, 370 and 273

In MAHATMA LETTERS (Barker) pp. 209, 245, 473, 483.

See also LUCIFER Vol. 6, pp. 421-32, 520, 390; and, in LUCIFER,
Vol. 7, pp. 7, 77, 272-5, 451, 518-9.

Theosophy in Medieval Germany: ISIS vol. II, p. 20.

See also HPB's article: PRACTICAL OCCULTISM ( I mean the
original article, and not the small pamphlet published by the
T.S. in Adyar, which is heavily altered (edited) from the
original (without any editorial comment), so as to be almost
unrecognizable, and to which a number of writers (from p. 66 to
the end) are made to contribute, all without identification, nd
including some sectarian material, not Theosophical, from
THEOSOHIST, vol. 10, after H.P.B.'s name had been removed from
the declared Editorship of that magazine --I have all the
details.) The ORIGINAL ARTICLE by H.P.B. will be found in
LUCIFER, in the issue for April 1888. (ULT H.P.B. Articles,
Vol. II, p. 91)

See also H.P.B.'s article, THE NEW CYCLE, published in the March
21, 1889 edition of LA REVUE THEOSOPHIQUE, Paris (see BCW Vol.
11, pp 108, 123; ULT H.P.B.'s Articles, Vol. I, p. 397)

There is so much for us to learn, if we really wish to.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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-----Original Message-----
From: Katinka Hesselink
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 12:57 AM
To:
Subject: the term THEOSOPHY IN SCIENCE


Hi all,

I found this in a book on sufism, thought I would share it, and
my
thoughts on the matter:

Many theosophists don't realize that the term theosophy is not
used solely
for the movement H.P. Blavatsky started.
In fact, some seem to think she almost invented the term, however
much she herself denied that.
The term was in use by followers of Boehme before the founding of
the Theosophical
Society. But even to this day it is used in the circles of
investigators
of Sufism (the mysticism of the Islam) to denote those people who
have an
interest in metaphysical systems, within the mystical movement,
or in the
words of J. Spencer Trimingham in his "The Sufi Orders in Islam",
1971, (p.138):

"We need to define the sense in which we are using the term
'theosophy',
for this word too can mean many different things. Whilst
mysticism is a
responsive movement of the soul towards God which involves
grappling with
reality on interior levels, theosophy is that sacred philosophy
which
springs from such inward illumination; it is the mysticism of the
mind as
distinguished from mysticism of the heart. "

All through the book he uses Ibn al Arabi as an example of a Sufi
Theosophist. Needless to say that Ibn Al Arabi lived before the
foundation
of the Theosophical Society. Trimingham goes on to say:

>> Mysticism and theosophy are, therefore, the personal
experience and
expression of the mystery which lies within the religions, the
testimony
of the realities which lie beyond empirical experience. ... The
tragedy of
the higher theosophist in the realm of expression arises from the
fact
that he has to reduce intense personal experience to the level of
abstract
thought at which level communication with the non-initiate
becomes
impossible. >>

For those who think this writer may be an exception to the rule,
I found
the same usage of this term in another book on Sufism. This book
was in
German though, so I won't repeat it here.

K-----a

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