Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00003)

In the following passages from THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY,
H.P. Blavatsky makes some astute observations that are
still true and relevant today (maybe even more so!). I
would suggest that students of her writings might take
to heart the major points she offers for our
consideration.

"While two-thirds of civilized society ridicule the
mere notion that there is anything in Theosophy,
Occultism, Spiritualism, or in the Kabala, the other
third is composed of the most heterogeneous and
opposite elements. Some believe in the mystical, and
even in the supernatural (!), but each believes in his
own way. Others will rush single-handed into the study
of the Kabala, Psychism, Mesmerism, Spiritualism, or
some form or another of Mysticism. Result: no two men
think alike, no two are agreed upon any fundamental
occult principles, though many are those who claim for
themselves the ultima thule of knowledge, and would
make outsiders believe that they are full-blown
adepts. Not only is there no scientific and accurate
knowledge of Occultism accessible in the West -- not
even of true astrology, the only branch of Occultism
which, in its exoteric teachings, has definite laws
and a definite system -- but no one has any idea of
what real Occultism means. Some limit ancient wisdom
to the Kabala and the Jewish Zohar, which each
interprets in his own way according to the dead-letter
of the Rabbinical methods. Others regard Swedenborg or
Boehme as the ultimate expression of the highest
wisdom; while others again see in mesmerism the great
secret of ancient magic. One and all of those who put
their theory into practice are rapidly drifting,
through ignorance, into black magic. Happy are those
who escape from it, as they have neither test nor
criterion by which they can distinguish between the
true and the false. . . . A portion of the true
sciences is better than a mass of undigested and
misunderstood learning. An ounce of gold is worth a
ton of dust." THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY, Section 2.

What do you believe are Mme. Blavatsky's major
observations in these quoted passages above and what
is the relevance of these points as one seriously
studies Theosophy and related subjects? 

Daniel

=====
Daniel H. Caldwell
info@blavatskyarchives.com
BLAVATSKY ARCHIVES
http://blavatskyarchives.com
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