Theos-Talk Archives (December 2001 Message tt00198)

This shall be my last comment on Blavatsky's motto,
"Rule, Botanica!" Below find the story posted by
Daniel Caldwell, edited so as to show only those
portions which indicate that herbs were involved in
the experience:

"We took cigars. ... I was stupefied. ... They sat
there and quietly smoked their cigars. ... I just sat
and looked at them in a sort of stupid daze. They
seemed to enjoy my surprise. ... Then the elder man
took out of his pocket a painted lacquered case. ...
The box exhaled a strong spicy aromatic odor much like
sandal wood but still not just that. Whatever I
wished to see, he said I need simply think of. ...
When I seemed to be growing inquisitive, some power
prevented my seeing anything. ... I stood transfixed
looking from one to another in dumb amazement. ...
Madam said, ... 'What's the matter? You must be
crazy.' ... Madam said they had been with her for more
than an hour. ... In a half hour from the time the two
men left, there was not a drop of moisture in the room
nor a shade of dampness to indicate that there had
been a shower."

In this quote we see evidence of herbs burning, herbs
contained within a lacquered case which was held to
Olcott's nose, visual hallucinations, tactile
hallucinations (the room was wet), profuse sweating,
time distortion, loss of consciousness, cognitive
impairment, and stupefaction. Can any reasonable
person read this story and believe that there were no
botanical products involved in this wonder? 
Especially interesting is that these drugs are the
means of "the production of flowers as the adepts do
it." That clearly indicates that they used these
substances to produce visual hallucinations and
presumably insights.

True Believers will of course not draw the obvious
conclusions, nor will they believe Blavatsky's own
comments (mere hearsay) nor will they believe the
comments of eyewitnesses (slander) unless they find it
blessed by Sylvia Cranston. They will also continue
defending Blavatsky against the charge that she was a
drunk, knowing very well that nobody has ever said she
touched alcohol. It is also absurd to say that nobody
can comment on this because the individuals in
question are dead, and yet that Cranston can say
whatever she wishes. I will leave them to Cranston's
toadying "biography" and I shall follow the evidence.

PB Randolph himself admitted to using botanical
substances and offered them for sale. It was legal at
the time to do so. There is no question about this. 
His advertisements still exist. Let True Believers
truly believe what they will.

Steve

--- dalval14@earthlink.net wrote:
> Wednesday, December 12, 2001
> 
> 
> Dear Steve:
> 
> 
> Those are not proof, but hearsay and opinion. At
> best they are
> SECONDARY sources -- "hearsay." Also in Sylvia
> Cranston's H P B
> they are refuted in full.
> 
> I meant PRIMARY sources,. and not the secondary ones
> you provide
> me with.
> 
> I am well aware of these. I want eye-witness
> testimony if
> available.
> 
> P B Randolph was never one of H P B's "teachers." 
> where did you
> get that opinion?
> 
> H.P.Blavatsky wrote in ISIS UNVEILED and in her
> articles about
> "botanical stimulants" but does not recommend their
> use. Nor
> does she recommend alcohol -- also a drug. So why
> say she either
> used or recommended stimulants or drugs, when she
> DID NOT ?
> 
> Hearsay is NOT proof. It is prejudice. Also H P B
> is not able
> to refute this, she being "dead"
> 
> Dallas
> 
> =========================
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Stubbs [mailto:stevestubbs@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 6:09 PM
> To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: Theos-World Fumes, fumes, fumes! The
> botanical
> lapidation of HS Olcott
> 
> Nobody has accused Blavatsky of using alcohol or
> being
> "a deranged inebriate"
> 
> There is some evidence that during the New York
> period
> there was some experimenting with botanical
> substances.
> 
> Pls. refer to the quotes from Joscelyn Godwin and
> Patrick Devenbey and Emma Hardinge-Britten posted by
> Brigitte Muhlegger for definitive proof.
> 
> Please refer to the references posted by me to the
> writings of Olcott, Rawson, and Blavatsky for more
> proof.
> 
> Please refer to the anecdote posted by Daniel
> Caldwell
> for still more proof.
> 
> One of her teachers was PB Randolph, and he was into
> all sorts of botanical stimulants as has been well
> documented.
> 
> Blavatsk insisted there was something "secret" about
> her movement, and it is likely this was the secret.
> 
> Whether this experimenting went on after 1879 is
> problematic.
> 
> --- dalval14@earthlink.net wrote:
> > Tuesday, December 11, 2001
> >
> > Re: Me. Blavatsky -- teacher of
> THEOSOPHY.
> >
> > Dear Friend:
> >
> >
> > As you see I am for the truth, and not for opinion
> > in any way.
> > Not am I a friend of gossip.
> >
> > That is why I do not meddle in the past opinions
> > concerning
> > people, but rather, go to what they have written,
> so
> > as t see
> > what they had to say. I would trust that rather
> > than any
> > intermediary or interpreter.
> >
> CUT
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> 
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Check out Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Auctions for all of
your unique holiday gifts! Buy at http://shopping.yahoo.com
or bid at http://auctions.yahoo.com