Theos-Talk Archives (May 2003 Message tt00118)

Frank, you wrote in part:

"BTW, Daniel, since your have several times critiziced alterations in 
HPB book from ULT and others and now - from a review from FOHAT 
magazine - it turns out that there are hidden alterations in your own 
book 'The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky' will you APOLOGIZE for 
that?"

"And now where it turns out that the German edition of this your book 
will be printed by Dr. Peter Michel's Aquamarin Publ. and as it is 
well known that he prints books making Leadbeater the biggest 
Theosophist, a pupil of HPB (!!!) who allegedly dedicated her VOS to 
him (!!) and that Febr, 17th 1847 is still his correct birth date - 
connected with an 'occult mystery' (which?) and also he spreads a 
twisted, misleading if not faked pseudo-edition of HPB's SD, will
you publicly APOLOGIZE for being buddy of such people who are also 
BLACK MAGICIANS?"

"This actions of yours (as a few examples, more could be given), my 
dear theosophical policeman, is something what offends me in the 
extreme."

"And before I forget: Your pseudo-occult superiors ex GS and now Int. 
Vice Pres. John Algeo and your Int. Pres. Radha Burnier are black 
magicians, too - because of all their tries to wreck down Theosophy, 
among that for example that they try do undermine the publication of 
the 600 Blavatsky letters. Do you apologize for being a member of 
such an organization? Or does this TRUTH offend you, too?"

Dear Frank,

To answer your latest email fully would take at least a dozen pages.

I will instead focus on just a few points and let the rest go to a 
later time.

Yes, I would like to know what your definition of a "black magician" 
is. 

Paul Johnson and Brigitte Muehlegger might be somewhat surprised that 
you also include them with John Algeo, Radha Burnier and Peter 
Michel. All of them black magicians! I'm surprised I'm not also 
included. :) I'm somewhat puzzled as to why they are ALL black 
magicians. And no doubt, you have other names on this list, too. :)

How do you think the FOHAT reviewer knew about what you call 
the "hidden alterations" in my book??

I would think the reviewer knew BECAUSE I tell the reader in the 
introduction of EWOMB about it.

In the FIRST (1991) edition of my book with the title THE OCCULT 
WORLD OF MADAME BLAVATSKY, I tell the reader:

"The narratives have been transcribed verbatim from the original 
sources. Material not relevant to the narratives has been deleted; 
all deletions are indicated with ellipses (...). Explanatory notes 
added by the editor are enclosed within brackets. For consistency 
and readability, the spelling of people's names and geographical 
locations has been standardized. . . " etc. etc.

But many of my co-workers and many readers of this first edition 
wrote me that although they really liked my book they found that all 
those ellipses were distracting and irritating while reading the 
book. 

When TPH Wheaton wanted to do a second and enlarged edition under the 
new title of THE ESOTERIC WORLD OF MADAME BLAVATSKY, the publisher 
ALSO wanted to eliminate all of those ... for the same reason: 
readability.

It was a difficult decision to make since I like (!!) those ellipses 
but I finally decided that since I primarily designed my book for 
inquirers and new students of Theosophy, I had to take into serious 
consideration the readability issue. 

In the new edition, there are enough brackets in places without ALSO 
having all of those ... to clutter up the page!

So in the preface to the new edition, I wrote:

"The narratives have been transcribed from the original sources with 
spelling and punctuation modernized. . . Material not relevant to the 
immediate narrative has been silently deleted. The original texts, 
however, can be found from the bibliographical references. . . ."

But I was UPFRONT with readers about this issue.

In fact, many of the abridged & edited narratives found in the 2nd 
edition can be found in their entirety (and unedited)on my website at:

http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/

Although I still have mixed emotions about that decision, I think 
that my objective was achieved: to give to interested seekers, 
inquirers and new students a fascinating AND readable portrait of H P 
Blavatsky in the words of those who knew her using MANY rare and hard 
to find sources. I have received scores of emails and letters from 
thankful readers. Serious students and scholars can go to the 
original sources for the complete articles and narratives (many of 
which are on my website.)

As far as me "being buddy of such people" as Peter Michel, I know 
next to nothing about either Peter Michel or his publishing company. 
I was simply glad that a German publisher wanted to publish a German 
translation of my book for the German public to read. The little I 
know about Michel is from what Gregory Tillett (I believe it was 
Tillett) has written about Michel's bio on Leadbeater.

What publisher in Germany should have published my book?

OBTW, if someone defends Leadbeater then is he or she automatically 
a "black magician"?

There used to be a nice couple in Tucson (they are dead now) who knew 
Leadbeater and thought highly of him. They appeared to me to be very 
loving and caring as human beings although I had a different view 
from theirs about Leadbeater. Are you telling me that I should have 
known that they were actually "black magicians" when they defended 
him?

Then you mention that Algeo and Burnier are MY "pseudo-occult 
superiors." Personally I have never met or corresponded with 
Burnier. 

I have corresponded with Algeo and he has always been very helpful in 
providing me with info and material on Blavatsky. 

I never knew that they were my "superiors" even of the pseudo-occult 
variety! Now you tell me that they are black magicians, too!

I'm also unclear as to what you mean using the word TRUTH when you 
write that Burnier and Algeo have undermined "the publication of the 
600 Blavatsky letters." What do you actually KNOW about that matter?

Frank, you also write:

"This actions of yours (as a few examples, more could be given), my 
dear theosophical policeman, is something what offends me in the 
extreme."

More could be given? Please give some more examples!!! :) 

Maybe soon I too will be elevated to the ranks of the black 
magicians. So far I am ONLY a "heretic slayer" (Johnson's label for 
me) and a "Theosophical fundamentalist" (Muehlegger's label)!! :(

Instead of trying to view anyone as a black magician, I try to follow 
the advice in HPB's VOICE:

-----------------------------------------

Of teachers there are many; the MASTER-SOUL is one, Alaya, the 
Universal Soul. Live in that MASTER as ITS ray in thee. Live in thy 
fellows as they live in IT. 

All is impermanent in man except the pure bright essence of Alaya. 
Man is its crystal ray; a beam of light immaculate within, a form of 
clay material upon the lower surface. That beam is thy life-guide and 
thy true Self, the Watcher and the silent Thinker.

Thou hast to learn to part thy body from thy mind, to dissipate the 
shadow, and to live in the eternal. For this, thou hast to live and 
breathe in all, as all that thou perceivest breathes in thee; to feel 
thyself abiding in all things, all things in SELF. 

Thou shalt not separate thy being from BEING, and the rest, but merge 
the Ocean in the drop, the drop within the Ocean. 

So shalt thou be in full accord with all that lives; bear love to men 
as though they were thy brother-pupils, disciples of one Teacher, the 
sons of one sweet mother. 

----------------------------------------------------

More later.

Daniel H. Caldwell
BLAVATSKY STUDY CENTER/BLAVATSKY ARCHIVES
http://blavatskyarchives.com