Theos-Talk Archives (February 2002 Message tt00269)

Dear Brigitte,

I took your suggestion and went through the archives searching for 
some primary source information to support Steve's statement that HPB 
said she and the Masters used "botanical substances." I didn't find 
any. There are quotes from people like Deveney, Godwin, and Rawson, 
but nowhere do I find such a statement from HPB herself, as Steve 
maintains exists. 

Steve has not responded to my request, but you have been very 
responsive, so I may as well ask you, is this the only reference you 
have to support this theory, the statements about HPB by others, the 
reports of others about what she said and did? That is not quite the 
same thing as being able to produce something she wrote on the 
subject that supports your theory. 

You offered the paragraph from Isis Unveiled in support of your 
theory, and it is the only primary material provided so far by you 
that has a page number included so I could look it up for myself. 

You of course are welcome to entertain any theory you like, and if 
you are satisfied to hold such a theory without any solid evidence to 
back it up, that is your affair. But I have a different theory, which 
may as well be stated as well.

We all know that anyone can say anything. Sometimes people have an 
agenda so strong that they actually manufacture evidence to "prove" 
their point. This has been the case all along with HPB, as is 
documented very well, for instance, in Cranston's book about HPB, and 
it is not surprising that she was treated in this way, since she 
unselfishly devoted her life to helping others, us, in fact. People 
who behave like that have the power to infuriate almost everyone. She 
was not the first and I don't suppose she will be the last. 

HPB wrote about a great many things, including mystical practices of 
ancient civilizations, but that does not mean that she used drugs. 
Drug use is a pretty potent subject nowadays with a negative 
connotation, when we use these substances for recreation. But in 
ancient times, such things were used for religious purposes. Even 
tobacco is viewed by Native Americans as a sacred plant. But 
theosophy does not recommend the use of stimulants and narcotics 
because they have a debilitating effect upon the centers of the body 
which will be needed when our evolution proceeds further. This is not 
to condemn others for using these substances. If you are to be free 
to entertain and carry on with your very odd opinions and theories 
about theosophy, I don't see why someone else should be condemned for 
his preferences. But so far I haven't seen any primary evidence that 
HPB said that she or the Masters used drugs, and I am assuming that 
is what Steve was referring to by the term "botanical substances."

Adelasie

On 10 Feb 2002 at 1:06, bri_mue wrote:

> Adelasie,what you qoute below is only a small fraction from what I
> send,including the responses of Steve.
> 
> I do not know why you selectivly and out of context quote only this
> small portion , but if you are willing to go back and add together 
> what I posted on this matter on theos-talk , I'l be glad to have a
> discussion with you about it. The way you choose to present it now
> however is a distortion, since it is only a fraction of the quotes and
> the remarks from first Steve (who started it on Daniel Caldwells
> invitation) added to by me, also on Daniel's invitation or schall we
> call chalenge.
> 
> All these mails can be viewed and copied at: 
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/
> 
> by clicking the end Nov.and early Dec. posts.
> Brigitte