Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00328)

It is a fact that Alice Bailey's books have inspired
many people in the world. A reading of her "Unfinished
Autobiography" shows that she was well read and
eclectic in her approach to spirituality. But many of
her claims contradict important principles of
Theosophy as presented by HPB and her Teachers. What
follows is a bird's eye view on the question: was the
source of her teaching the one known in early
theosophical literature as Djual Khool?

In a paper dated August, 1943, entitled "My Work" by
The Tibetan, the following statements, among many, are
made. Comments and relevant quotations are in
brackets.

"Initiation, Human and Solar was intended to bring the
fact of the Hierarchy to public attention." 

(KH in his letter to Annie Besant (1900), wrote: "How
few are they who can know anything about us. ...The
cant about ‘Masters’ must be silently but firmly put
down. Let the devotion and service be to that Supreme
Spirit alone of which each one is a part. Namelessly
and silently we work and the continual references to
ourselves and the repetition of our names raises up a
confused aura that hinders our work…" Why on earth
would the Brotherhood of Adepts need to attract
attention? If Bailey's "Tibetan" was indeed a disciple
of KH, wouldn't he know this?)

"The average psychic and medium is not usually of a
high grade intelligence, and A.A.B. desired to prove
(for the aiding of the work of the future) that one
could do definitely psychic work and be of a real
intelligence." 

(This seems to indicate that hers was indeed a psychic
work, and with all the risks that such a work entails,
including unconscious projections of both mental and
emotional contents.)

"Then followed A Treatise on White Magic. This was
written years ago and as it was written it went out,
chapter by chapter, to the senior students of the
Arcane School as reading matter only. It is the first
book ever given out upon the training and control of
the astral or emotional body." 

(The preposterous nature and tone of the above
statement speak for themselves. What about the
Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, the Lamrin Chenmo, the
Tao-te-ching, the Cloud of Unknowing, etc, etc? Every
great classic of world spirituality has addressed the
very core of emotional self-culture. Would a Tibetan
blatantly ignore his own cultural and religious
heritage?!?)

"A.A.B. started such a school in 1923 with the aid of
F.B. and certain students of vision and spiritual
understanding. She made it a condition that I should
have nothing to do with the Arcane School and that I
should have no control over its policies and
curriculum. In this she was wise and right and I fully
endorse her position."

(Is it not surprising that a "Master of Wisdom" would
submit himself to conditions determined by a disciple?
Compare the above statement with the one by HPB when
she launched the Esoteric Section (1888):

"The real Head of the Esoteric Section is a Master, of
whom H. P. Blavatsky is the mouthpiece for this
Section. He is one of those Adepts referred to in
theosophical literature, and concerned in the
formation of the Theosophical Society. It is through
H. P. Blavatsky that each member of this Section will
be brought more closely than hitherto under His
influence and care if found worthy of it. No student,
however, need inquire which of the Masters it is. For
it does not matter in reality; nor is there any
necessity for creating one more chance for
indiscretion. Suffice to say, such is the law in the
East." 

In her "Unfinished Autobiography", AAB makes not a few
startling claims:

"Another revolutionary thing that the Tibetan did was
when He dictated the contents of A Treatise on Cosmic
Fire. In this book He gave what H.P.B. prophesied He
would give, the psychological key to cosmic creation.
H.P.B. stated that in the 20th century a disciple
would come who would give information concerning the
three fires with which The Secret Doctrine deals:
electric fire, solar fire and fire by friction. This
prophecy was fulfiled when A Treatise on Cosmic Fire
was given out to the public." (chapter 6)

(Where in HPB's writings is the "prophecy" by HPB that
"the Tibetan" would give the psychological key to "The
Secret Doctrine" and/or info on the "three fires"? Has
anyone found it?) 

"...we were a school for training people to be
"accepted disciples" - that is, those on the last
stages of the probationary path and that our emphasis
was impersonality and mental development. I added that
we made our work deliberately eliminative, only
keeping those who would really work hard and who
showed signs of true mental culture. I told him that
we dropped hundreds of the emotional, devotional
type..." (chapter 5)

(If "esoteric" means that which concerns the inner
realities of life and the human being, it is curious
to find out by its founder herself, that the Arcane
School (AS) focuses on mental development, inspite of
its claim to be a initiatory school. But it is
disturbing to know from AAB's own pen that the AS was
in the business of "dropping" people off because they
were "emotional, devotional" types! The Raja Yoga
method applied by HPB to her esoteric students seems
much more balanced, safe and effective. And unlike
AAB, HPB didn't drop her students. On the contrary,
some of her students dropped her! This last statement
by Bailey is evidence enough for me that no real
Master of the Wisdom and Compassion was associated
with her writings.) 


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