Theos-Talk Archives (July 2002 Message tt00226)

July 27 2002

Dear Friend:

Sorry you have had troubles, see if the following helps:
Lets start with a question: THEOSOPHY -- What Is It ?


Our present day knowledge of Theosophy is derived from the
writings of
Mme. H. P. Blavatsky. She lived between 1831 and 1891. Her
providing
of Theosophy as a philosophy, science and religious
compendium began
around 1875.

In 1875, the Theosophical Society was launched to promote
and sustain
three objects:

1.	To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood, without
distinction
of race, color, or creed.

2.	To promote the study of Aryan [noble] and other
scriptures, of the
World's religion and sciences, and to vindicate the
importance of old
Asiatic literature, namely of the Brahmanical, Buddhist, and
Zoroastrian philosophies, and

3.	To investigate the hidden mysteries of nature under every
aspect
possible, and the psychic and spiritual powers latent in
man...
KEY TO THEOSOPHY, p. 39 ]


Today a number of fraternally affiliated yet, independent
Theosophical
societies flourish and a United Lodge of Theosophists exists
which
offers all students of whatever affiliation a free forum for
the study
of the original literature of Theosophy and cooperative
work.

One may say that Theosophy in our modern World is aimed to
demonstrate
the validity of "Universal Brotherhood," a recognition of
the "Family
of Man.," and encouraging cooperative work on an impartial,
non-sectarian basis.

In 1877 Madame Blavatsky, published the book: ISIS
UNVEILED. It was
a sensation. It went through many editions in rapid
succession. In
this she reviewed the history of Science and Theology in
respect to
the invisible and hidden side of Nature. In response to
questions
and further demands, she founded and edited, along with Col.
H. S.
Olcott the magazines The THEOSOPHIST (India) in 1879, and
later
LUCIFER (London) in 1887.

In 1888 she published The SECRET DOCTRINE . Another
sensation. In
this book, she provided a survey (as a summary taken from
the secret
libraries and records of the age-old College of Adepts) [see
Isis,
Vol. II, pp 98 - 103] of creation -- COSMOGENESIS, and of
Man's
evolution, not only as a physical form, but psychologically
and
spiritually -- ANTHROPOGENESIS.

In this she takes the reader through the metaphysics that
form the
basic concept of Universal Evolution, and with their help,
she
explains how it is the Spiritual Essence which informs and
energizes
"material forms" with intelligence and consciousness.
Evolution, is
therefore considered to be three-fold.

1. material in our bodies,

2. psychologically in our desires and thoughts, and

3. spiritually in our aspirations and virtuous urges.

In this she demonstrates the view held by the ancient Sage
Patanjali :
"The Universe exists for the Soul's experience."

Theosophy, in brief, deals with the "causes" for our
existence, and
the presence of the invisible Spiritual and psychological
universe
that underlies, as energic Force, as the "causal
motivation," of the
visible Universe we are familiar with.

It posits the concept that every atom of matter ( "monad")
is alive
and is aware in its own way. As an individuality it is
continuous,
and never "dies." It has a spiritual, and immortal center
of energy,
a "Force," which is the "cause" of its existence. No event,
no
experience, is ever "lost," but all are indelibly impressed
on the
living consciousness of these innumerable "Monads." These,
when
condensed out of invisible matter, make up the material
"forms" we
deal with daily. The concept of "invisible" matter ("dark
matter") is
an old one to Theosophy.

The "monads" are held, metaphysically, to be indissoluble
compounds of
two "poles" of variance. These are held united by the bond
of
interactive intelligence (Mind). They are "Spirit" (as
perfection and
wisdom), and "Matter" (as limitation and ever shifting form)
bonded
together for eternity as living units by the unitary
consciousness
that gives them their permanent individuality and
immortality. Each
of these three-fold Units are said to be, as a "Force,"
inextinguishable.

Theosophy holds that it is these eternal "Pilgrims" that
form all the
components of evolution. These provide in a regulated
manner, and
through a vast process of planned evolution, the individual
development of that increasing Intelligence that is innate
to each of
them. These increments and experience, lead to
self-conscious
individualization. Expressed in various ways, but
essentially: "I AM
I" It is held that evidence for this lies in the existence
of
humanity. "I think, therefore I am," said Descartes.

But the progress of the vast army of thinking and individual
Monads is
held to proceed, from the level of intelligence we might
designate as
the "Man-Mind," to a perception of, and an understanding
of the
entire universe. [ "The Universe grows I." is one way of
expressing
this.]

Since this course of learning would be impossible to achieve
in a
single life-time, the process of "reincarnation" is said to
exist,
both as a process and as a law of development. It is
averred that
there is an ultimate goal of individual perfection to be
attained.
This "ultimate goal" is expressed mystically, as " Supreme
Perfection," or "Universal Wisdom." It is a concept that
has long
been held by ancient Brahmanism, Buddhism and Zorastrianism.

It will be seen, on reflection, that these concepts provide,
the
interactive basis, that every choice or change at any level
has
ethical / moral consequences. Ancient Hinduism speaks of
this as
"karma" or, the effects that are consequent upon any
"choice." For
it is held that the "Mind-Man" is a free agent and his
decisions cause
the progress of evolution for the whole Universe to advance
or slow
down. [ It is for this reason that Patanjali offered his
observation
quoted above. ] Karma provides for the exact return of
moral and any
other impressions to whoever generated any cause.

Our human physical forms are observed to become
incapacitated and grow
incapable and obsolete over time. This leads to the
dissolution we
call "death." But Theosophy posits that the experiences of
a
life-time, as "memories," survive the death of the physical
form.
They are the continued basis for every increment of
knowledge and
wisdom. These memory-impressions are said to be impacted in
the
imperishable spiritual aspect of every Monad. From this,
the remote
Goal is posited as : Sublime and Universal Perfection for
each
individual Monad.

With this in view, the reader is invited to look at the
following
expressions abstracted from Theosophical literature.

================


"Theosophy is Divine Knowledge, or Science, "Divine Wisdom"
(Theo-Sophia) -- the term is many thousand years old."
KEY TO THEOSOPHY , p. 1.


"Theosophy is synonymous with everlasting Truth."
KEY TO THEOSOPHY, p. 302.


"We have no two beliefs or hypotheses on the same subject."
KEY TO THEOSOPHY , p. 72.


"Theosophy is the substratum and basis of all the
world-religions and
philosophies taught and practised by a few elect ever since
man became
a thinking being." The THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY p. 328.


"The "Wisdom Religion" is the inheritance of all the
nations, the
world over." S D I xviii


"Theosophy [is]...the one bond of unity which is so
universal and
all-embracing that no man, as no speck -- from gods and
mortals down
to animals, the blade of grass and atom -- can be outside of
its
light. Therefore any organization or body of that name
[Theosophical]
must necessarily be a Universal Brotherhood."
H P B: IS THEOSOPHY A RELIGION ? H P B Articles, (U L T),
Vol. I, p 59,
[ LUCIFER Nov. 1888.]


Theosophy is Not New


This suggests that THEOSOPHY is not a new fangled system of
collated
ideas drawn from many sources. In fact, if it were even
that, then the
marvel is of HPB's mind and capacity in drawing such a vast
diversity
together and showing how the many pieces fit together to
form a
seamless whole in the world of ideas and concepts. In our
experience
and wide reading, there is no one who has written such a
comprehensive
view of our world, universe and the important part that
Mankind plays
in that.


Who was H. P. Blavatsky?


HPB does not claim "authority." She claims to be a
"messenger."
Specifically a messenger from the Great and Ancient Lodge of
ADEPTS.
She offers the teachings of the Great Ones, the Elder
Brothers of
humanity as a bouquet of "culled flowers" for us to
appraise.

In both ISIS UNVEILED and The SECRET DOCTRINE she disclaims
any
personal authority and gives the credit for the records she
transmits
to the Real Authors, the Mahatmas. [ see certificate of
authorship,
by H P B and the two Mahatmas, PATH, Vol. VIII, p. 1 ]

Since she was well aware that Theosophical theories and
hypotheses
would be received with various degrees of incredulity from
the
academies, she was careful to make it clear that the
information was
in reality taken from the HISTORY that the Adepts and their
disciples
(chelas) had recorded down the ages. All that she requested
was
"equal time" and an open-minded consideration of what
Theosophy had to
offer.

She wrote in ISIS UNVEILED :

"When, years ago, we first traveled over the East, exploring
the
penetralia of its deserted sanctuaries, two saddening and
ever-recurring questions oppressed our thoughts: Where, who
what is
GOD ? Who ever saw the IMMORTAL SPIRIT of man, so as to be
able to
assure himself of man's immorality?

It was while most anxious to solve those perplexing problems
that we
came into contact with certain men, endowed with such
mysterious
powers and such profound knowledge that we may truly
designate them as
the sages of the Orient. To their instructions we lent a
ready ear.
They showed us that by combining science with religion, the
existence
of God and immortality of man's spirit may be demonstrated
like a
problem of Euclid. For the first time we receive the
assurance that
the Oriental philosophy has room for no other faith than an
absolute
and immovable faith in the omnipotence of man's own immortal
self. We
were taught that this omnipotence comes from the kinship of
man's
spirit with the Universal Soul--God ! The latter, they
said, can
never be demonstrated but by the former. Man-spirit proves
God-spirit, as the one drop of water proves a source from
which it
must have come...all the rest may be inferred...Blind faith
would no
longer be necessary, he would have supplanted it by
KNOWLEDGE....prove the soul of man by its wondrous
powers--you have
proved God !" I U , Vol. I , p. vi

"The essence of Theosophy is the perfect harmonizing of the
divine
with the human in man."
H P B -- FIVE MESSAGES TO AMERICAN THEOSOPHISTS , p. 6.


What does Theosophy teach?


The immortality of man's Spirit/Soul and the "God-Spirit,"
being
present in every "life-atom" of our living universe are
fundamental
concepts. Everything in Nature may be seen to trend in its
life-experience towards a higher degree of knowledge,
wisdom,
perfection.

Each life-cycle (incarnation) is like a separate day at
school and all
are drawn together by the uniting thread of the immortal,
and eternal
spiritual Self which is at their core. In fact she shows
how
Theosophy traces the evolution of the "consciousness and
intelligence"
of the SPIRITUAL SOUL or Monad, through many forms -- from
the atom to
the human condition of independent free-will.

This sweep and concept is one that can be traced in every
one of the
great religions and philosophies of the world. It is the
record of
their existence and of our participation, again and again,
in those
processes.


"Her main teachings can be reduced to the following
propositions:

That Morals have a basis in Law and in fact.

That Moral law is Natural Law.

That Evolution makes for Righteousness.

That the "fundamental identity of all souls with the
Oversoul" renders
moral contagion possible through the subtle psychic medium.

That the Spiritual Identity of all Being renders Universal
brotherhood the only possible path for the truth-seeking
man."
[ H P B Articles (U L T ) Vol. I p. 115. From: SHE
BEING DEAD
YET SPEAKETH -- PATH, July 1892 ; Vol 7, p. 121 ]


"True Theosophy is everything that aids or elevates mankind;
and our
chief object is not so much to gratify individual
aspirations, as to
serve our fellow men." PATH, Vol. IV, p., 96


Theosophy the Root of All Religions


Currently there is debate as to whether Theosophy has its
roots in
Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, etc... It is understood that
scholars
who are familiar with those systems and their development
can trace
similarities. However HPB claims that all those were
derived from the
"Sanatana Dharma," the "Perennial Philosophy." which is an
ancient and
universal record of Life's development and history.

As such, it claims to be at the root and at the origin of
all the
great ancient religio-philosophical systems and provides a
reason for
their development, as systems of practice, leading to that
kind of
"initiation" which develops Wisdom in thought and mind as
well as,
simultaneously, the application of compassion and
harmlessness in
motive.

"...the Wisdom-Religion was ever one, and being the last
word of
possible human knowledge, was therefore, carefully
preserved. It
preceded by long ages the Alexandrian Theosophists [ 1st
Cent.] ,
reached the modern, and will survive every other religion
and
philosophy."	KEY TO THEOSOPHY , p. 7.


Thus, Theosophy is not exclusively religion, or philosophy
but also
includes science -- as the power to investigate and record
the
workings of NATURE (Life as a whole) in every stage,
visible or
invisible, and in every department of the world and our
Universe.

The sweep of the ever-present immortal Life, through cycles
of
evolution lead each Monad at last to a "goal," the
"all-Knowingness"
of the PERFECTED MAN. The designation Mahatma (Great Soul)
is one
that includes all such self-developed men of superior
knowledge and
nature.

The SECRET DOCTRINE therefore speaks of those as the
intelligent
guides {Dhyan Chohans, and Dhyani Buddhas], and
Self-conscious
assistants that Nature employs to recreate and supervise a
fresh
evolutionary effort, a "new Day," of evolutionary progress
for all
beings.


Encourages Independent Inquiry


If this is grasped, as a working and actual concept, the
minute
details and studies of specialists, while respected, as
continuing
proof of the inclusive nature of Theosophy, are also shown
to be but
the outer covering, or, to be but some one way selected to
approach to
the interior mystery of man's own immortal Mind, and of
Nature's
infinite capacities to assist that Mind to grow. The
process Nature
employs is reincarnation. It is reembodiment under the
exacting Law of
universal Karma.

If this infinite capacity of the human mind to grow and to
understand
the most simple, as well as the most complex subjects is
granted, the
more learned will continually encourage those who now are at
various
stages of learning to investigate and prove for themselves
all
avenues, however diverse, of information, tradition and
lore. And
that is the always growing tip of the self-enlightening
Mind. It
always widens out to that which is permanent and universal,
when given
a chance to emerge from ignorance, doubt, skepticism and
lethargy of
authoritarianism.

"[ THEOSOPHY ] Its creed is Loyalty to Truth, and its ritual
"To honor
every Truth by use." KEY


"The true Theosophist is a philanthropist -- "not for
himself, but for
the world he lives." This and philosophy, the right
comprehension of
life and its mysteries will give the "missing basis" and
show the
right path to purse." -- Mahatma K. H.


Universal Science, Religion and Philosophy


In regard to the prevalence and diffusion of theosophy as a
science
and a philosophical religion, it has been expressed :--


"Proofs of its diffusion, authentic records of its history,
a complete
chain of documents, showing its character and presence in
every land,
together with the teaching of all its great Adepts exists to
this day
in the secret crypts of libraries belonging to the Occult
Fraternity." S D I xxxiv.


"The members of several esoteric schools...claim to have in
their
possession the sum total of sacred and philosophical works
in MSS and
type; all the works, in fact, that have ever been written,
in
whatever language or character since the art of writing
began; from
the ideographic hieroglyphics down to the alphabet of Cadmus
and
Devanagri." S D I xxiii


"The work [ISIS UNVEILED ] now submitted to public judgment
is the
fruit of a somewhat intimate acquaintance with Eastern
adepts and
study of their science....It is an attempt to aid the
student to
detect the vital principles which underlie the philosophical
systems
of old....We believe in no Magic which transcends the scope
and
capacity of the human mind, nor in "miracles." I U I
p. i


"Our work, then, is a plea for the recognition of the
hermetic
philosophy, the anciently universal Wisdom-Religion, as the
only
possible key to the Absolute in science and theology." I U
I p vii


"The SECRET DOCTRINE is not a treatise, or a series of
vague
theories, but contains all that an be given out to the world
in this
century." S D I xxxviii


"The aim of this work [ The SECRET DOCTRINE ] may be thus
stated: --

1. To show that Nature is not "a fortuitous concurrence
of atoms,"

2. and to assign to man his rightful place in the scheme of
the
Universe;

3. to rescue from degradation the archaic truths which are
the basis
of all religions;

4. and to uncover, to some extent, the fundamental unity
from which
all spring

5. finally to show that the Occult side of Nature has never
been
approached by the Science of modern civilization." S D
I viii


The Future


"The problem of true Theosophy and its great mission are,
first, the
working out of clear unequivocal conceptions of ethic ideas
and
duties, such as shall best and most fully satisfy the right
and
altruistic feeling in men; and second, the modeling of
these
conceptions for their adaptation into such forms of daily
life, as
shall offer a field where they may be applied with most
equitableness.
Such is the common work placed before all who are willing to
act on
these principles."	THE GREAT MASTER'S LETTER, LUCIFER,
January, 1888, Vol. I p. 344. U L T Pamphlet No. 22, p. 13


"Theosophy alone can gradually create a mankind as
harmonious and as
simple-souled as Kosmos itself; but to effect this
theosophists have
to act as such... [helping] to awaken the spirit in many a
man" H P
B Articles (U L T) , Vol. I, p. 105
-- THE TIDAL WAVE. [LUCIFER, Nov. 1889.]

===============================



========================

-----Original Message-----
From: scionaut
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 8:35 AM
To:
Subject: Please help me anyone?

I am new to Theosophy and this group-first day in fact-Hello
Everyone!:-)

For months now, I have unsuccessfully attempted to sign up
for
the "Online Study Group" and "Quote of the Day" to be
delivered to
my inbox. I have written Carson@BN at least seven times-no
response. I have reworked my original application at BN
many times
as well.;-)

I am happy to be in yet another exploration ~CLUSTER~ into
the "ALL
THAT IS/ALL THAT IS NOT and BEYOND to *HOME*".

My grandmother was a metaphysician and astrologer, and I was
indeed
fortunate to have been left in her care in my 'mind full of
mush
years=2-5 to be introduced to 'Purusha'and many 'underground
amazements' at a very early age coming to believe/KNOW that
there
are no miracles or mysteries any where/any when...the trick
is
accessing the entry point.

I am an Avatar Master (Harry Palmer's Avatar Course), and
have
completed the Scientology 'Bridge'to present my 'favs'. But
this
incarnation has predominantly been to explore each and every
facet
of the various belief systems, and continue in the
space/time
continuum 'going beyond'. This IS my passion and certainly
a most
exhilarating impetus!

Best of the Best To You ALL!

N