Theos-Talk Archives (February 2003 Message tt00069)

Hi Dallas, 

Thanks for actually getting into details (or broad outlines) of what 
she wrote. Sometimes it is far easier to just reply to the emotional 
stuff and let the content of a discussion go to waste. 
> I see no need to enter any meditative or contemplative "state," from
> which there is "no return" -- and I would add: that is NOT
> "spirituality," or any other kind of sound recommendation. Where 
in H
> P B's writings did you encounter this?
....

> Are you referring to the reports that many mystics have made of
> experiencing "God?" Or something like that? Because, if so, this is
> known as a world-wide phenomena and quite frequent.
> 
> Usually it is the experiencers who invariably return to ordinary 
life
> consciousness, and then they speak of their mysterious experiences 
and
> encounters. They also sound and speak as though they were 
overwhelmed
> with confusion -- and have met an (whether psychic, mystical, or
> spiritual) event that they are not quite equipped to handle 
rationally
> as a memory.
> 
> H P B cannot be isolated in this regard -- or do you have some
> references ?
> 
> As far as I have been able to find, she never recommended "samadhi,"
> nor did she ever recommend anything but straightforward thinking 
about
> anything offered.
Well, she also hoped that we would activate our intuition in this 
study.  
> She did describe Samadhi in the same manner as the Hindus, 
Buddhists,
> Tibetans, Chinese, Japanese, and other systems of philosophy and
> religion described some of the practices used by some of their
> aspirants for spiritual knowledge.
> 
> But H P B did not recommend them. In fact she sought to deter most 
of
> those who might apply for information about practical disciplines.
Yes, but as a goal for the higher initiates, I do think samadhi or 
something of the sort does come in. She wrote about this in The Key 
to Theosophy:

>> † Eclectic Theosophy was divided under three heads: (1) Belief in 
one absolute, incomprehensible and supreme Deity, or infinite 
essence, which is the root of all nature, and of all that is, visible 
and invisible. (2) Belief in man's eternal immortal nature, because, 
being a radiation of the Universal Soul, it is of an identical 
essence with it. (3) Theurgy, or "divine work," or producing a work 
of gods; from theoi, "gods," and ergein, "to work." The term is very 
old, but, as it belongs to the vocabulary of the MYSTERIES, was not 
in popular use. It was a mystic belief — practically proven by 
initiated adepts and priests — that, by making oneself as pure as 
the incorporeal beings — i.e., by returning to one's pristine 
purity of nature — man could move the gods to impart to him Divine 
mysteries, and even cause them to become occasionally visible, either 
subjectively or objectively. It was the transcendental aspect of what 
is now called Spiritualism; but having been abused and misconceived 
by the populace, it had come to be regarded by some as necromancy, 
and was generally forbidden. A travestied practice of the theurgy of 
Iamblichus lingers still in the ceremonial magic of some modern 
Kabalists. Modern Theosophy avoids and rejects both these kinds of 
magic and "necromancy" as being very dangerous. Real divine theurgy 
requires an almost superhuman purity and holiness of life; otherwise 
it degenerates into mediumship or black magic. The immediate 
disciples of Ammonius Saccas, who was called Theodidaktos, "god-
taught" — such as Plotinus and his follower Porphyry — rejected 
theurgy at first, but were finally reconciled to it through 
Iamblichus, who wrote a work to that effect entitled "De Mysteriis," 
under the name of his own master, a famous Egyptian priest called 
Abammon. Ammonius Saccas was the son of Christian parents, and, 
having been repelled by dogmatic spiritualistic Christianity from his 
childhood, became a Neo-Platonist, and like J. Boehme and other great 
seers and mystics, is said to have had divine wisdom revealed to him 
in dreams and visions. Hence his name of Theodidaktos. He resolved to 
reconcile every system of religion, and by demonstrating their 
identical origin to establish one universal creed based on ethics. 
His life was so blameless and pure, his learning so profound and 
vast, that several Church Fathers were his secret disciples. Clemens 
Alexandrinus speaks very highly of him. Plotinus, the "St. John" of 
Ammonius, was also a man universally respected and esteemed, and of 
the most profound learning and integrity. When thirty-nine years of 
age he accompanied the Roman Emperor Gordian and his army to the 
East, to be instructed by the sages of Bactria and India. He had a 
School of Philosophy in Rome. Porphyry, his disciple, whose real name 
was Malek (a Hellenized Jew), collected all the writings of his 
master. Porphyry was himself a great author, and gave an allegorical 
interpretation to some parts of Homer's writings. The system of 
meditation the Philaletheians resorted to was ecstacy, a system akin 
to Indian Yoga practice. What is known of the Eclectic School is due 
to Origen, Longinus, and Plotinus, the immediate disciples of 
Ammonius — (Vide Eclectic Philos., by A. Wilder.) >> The Key to 
Theosophy, p. 2-3 footnote) see: 
http://theosophy.org/tlobooks/key/KeySection1.htm

Especially read the part on theurgy. I think the message is that 
inner purity is necessary, but if that purity is reached (in 
whichever way) then extatic states can have their place in the order 
of things. 

Katinka