Theos-Talk Archives (July 2002 Message tt00250)

July 29 2002

Re White and Black Magic

Dear Jeff and friends:

You ask about a very important, in fact a root matter. It
needs some preliminary explanation, so if you will bear with
me, I will try to briefly outlay (as I understand Theosophy
and H P B teach) the various aspects that provide, as a
group, the answers to your questions:

I assume that you may be unfamiliar with Theosophical
philosophy, and so, I have tried to present basic concepts
and their derivations clearly. There may be many more
questions, -- ask away.

Let me offer a few comments on this:


The Science of MAGIC is an intimate knowledge of the laws
and operations of Nature.


This science considers (Theosophy teaches) the following to
be facts:


1. The Universe and all the beings in it are of a
seven-fold nature. This extends from the purest SPIRIT to
the grossest MATTER. Hence we have SPIRIT, Wisdom, Mind,
Embodied Consciousness, Desire, Life energy, the "Astral
Body" (this is an electro-magnetic lattice like form on
which the physical atoms and molecules align themselves --
it forms the pattern for the various structures of our
physical body made up of "gross matter."

2. Each being is considered to be an intertwined (not
to be divided) mixture of the polar opposites called in
their unity in manifestation, a MONAD. {These opposites are
SPIRIT and MATTER.] Its qualities are immortality, and the
whole range of knowledge and experience it has acquired over
an immensity of time is embodied within it -- its potentials
(for each individual) are identical with every other Monad
and with the UNIVERSE as THE MONAD.

3. Harmony in diversity describes the condition of the
Universe. It is universally sensitive, and its tendency is
towards the continual and irreversible harmonizing of the
temporary diversities created by the free-will of every
monad, (wise and compassionate, or foolish, selfish and
ignorant).

4. The Universe the Galaxies, the Planets and Suns are
all alive, So too are the "life-atoms" (Monads). Large or
small, new or old, near or distant -- all these are
limitations that our embodiment in matter created by, and
for us (by our selves) as mental mages --

5. Imagination is the creative faculty in the Mind.
Mind is the faculty of life and development in every human.

6. Free choice is the method all human minds use to
advance and progress.

7. Choice implies diversified opportunities. and
divergent "paths" available.

8. The Universe (being infinitely sensitive) has Laws
and Rules whereby all being are enabled to live (in their
many diversities) together. Broadly expressed, these laws
promote brotherhood, unity, cooperation, generosity,
compassion, unselfishness, and a constant willingness to
serve others -- we term them broadly, virtues. When
practised these provide us with "good Karma." In no case
can Karma be avoided or somehow "excused" or "pardoned." It
is said we imprint our motives on every atom we use or
influence. Being thus modified by us, they attach
themselves to us, and through them we receive the results of
our choices, good or bad.

9. Their opposite (to "good") is ("bad," or "evil")
this includes selfishness, isolation, abuse of laws and
powers known to an individual, arrogance, greed, and all the
vices that can be thought of or described. These conditions
so created last for a lifetime. Death terminates them as an
offense against Nature and Man, but the tendency to repeat
this error is carried forward by the law of Karma with that
Ego (Mind-being) to the next life-time, under the law of
reincarnation, and the universal demand that iniquities be
remedied by the individual who created them. We call those
results that hang over and oppress us "bad Karma."

10. Reincarnation is the process whereby experience is
forever acquired progressively. It provides, as in a School
lives of study, experience and self-learning. It is
entirely regulated by the free choice of every individual.
Such free choice is of course compared by Nature (the
UNIVERSE), moment by moment, with the eternal harmony of
creative life for the whole. Theology represents this as
the three qualities of the GODHEAD: Omnipotence,
Omnipresence, and Omnipotence. Theosophy recognizes their
existence as the impartial and universal qualities of its
educational progression.

11. The Goal of every Monad is eventually a
reunification with the ONE SOURCE -- UNIVERSAL DEITY or
SPIRIT. It is termed by some" the goal of Supreme
Perfection.


Your inquiry about White or Black magic then becomes a
question of our motive. Why do we choose to use the powers
and forces of nature in and through ourselves to do wrong?
It is the continual battle between selfishness and
unselfishness, evil and good. The outcome is then defined
by the knowledge of the individual -- if the points made
above are correct. The sets of priests are then give
reference to (in the allegories) as Solar (righteous) and
Lunar (unrighteous).

The Adepts promulgate the knowledge of theosophy so that the
mysteries and the blinds in and behind the Kaballah may be
resolved in logical and universal terms.

The Yava-Alheim (Chief of the ADEPTS -- the Sodales) will be
found referred to in ISIS UNVEILED II pp. 98 - 103. In The
SECRET DOCTRINE Vol. I he is referred to under another
"name" between pages 207 - 210.

The various judgments have to be reconciled by impartiality
and universality in all cases. Prejudice and
misinterpretation of ancient scriptures forms the basis for
all disputes - Theosophy in The SECRET DOCTRINE by providing
us with the HISTORY of the past (even if very condensed),
gives us a basis for understanding the divisions between the
"Right Hand", and the "Left-Hand" sides.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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


-----Original Message-----
From: jeffkingplace
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 8:45 AM
To:
Subject: MAGIC -- black and white

Hello Everyone,

Ok, we are trying to tie together some ideas in the Secret
Doctrine, and knowing that there are some folks on this line
that are really expert in the study of Theosophy, I am
asking for your help.

HPB seems to indicate that the dispute between the two
schools of magic, the right and left path, is shown in
Western scripture as the approach of the Prophets on the one
hand, and the Levites, or clergy, on the other. She is
clear that there is a definite "demarcation between the
Sodales (Mysteries) of the Right Path and those of the
Left." We have a tendency here to add the element of
morality and to make this dispute a moral one - a good vs.
evil conflict.

Here is the quote from Secret Doctrine, and perhaps it can
be interpreted that way: "Of Simeon and Levi the patriarch
(Jacob) remarks that they '...are brethren, instruments of
cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou
into their secret; unto their assembly.' Now the original
words 'their secret' are really 'their Sod.' And Sod was
the name of the great mysteries of Baal, Adonis, and
Bacchus, who were all sun-gods and had serpents for symbols.
The Kabalists explain the allegory of the fiery serpents by
saying that this was the name given to the tribe of Levi, to
all the Levites, in short, and that Moses was the chief of
the Sodales. It is to the mysteries that the original
meaning of the 'Dragon-Slayers' has to be traced..." (v. II,
p. 211-121).

Now we had already been told in ISIS, and again in the
Secret Doctrine, that the members of the priest-colleges
were called Sodales, and the colleges were headed by one
Yave Alhim (Yahweh Elohim), who was the Person who stood
for - in some respect (perhaps "vicar") - to the demiurge or
Creator. What we seem to be dealing with here is a division
at that level - rather than solar or cosmic. Now what gave
rise to the solar religions was not a matter of morality,
but the matter of a calendar dispute - a recognition that
time could be reckoned differently and more accurately.

My question has to do with just how fundamental to this
subject the matter of calendars and time is. Is that in
fact the real issue being debated, and we are only supposing
a moral conflict that was the result of later ranging
between two sets of priests - on Lunar and the other
Solar-lunar.

This seems to be supported in the Secret Doctrine where HPB
tells us the "Chnouphis, or Agathodeamon, is the Christos of
the Gnostics." We can conclude then that Chnouphis is the
spiritual sun (Wisdom), and that the wisdom or enlightenment
that is here meant is not a moral position at all, but
rather a matter of adapting a wise system for calculating
time.

If this is true, then we need to read the myths and
allegories with this fact in mind - and perhaps not
superimpose a lot of moral judgments that were only assumed
later.

Anyway, we have been trying to determine what this ancient
dispute really was in its most basic form - and just how it
is significant for us. Any ideas?

Jeff