Theos-Talk Archives (November 2004 Message tt00343)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel H. Caldwell" 
<danielhcaldwell@y...> wrote:


> do you believe
> many of Leadbeater's teachings and claims
> contradict important principles of Theosophy
> as presented by HPB and her Teachers?
> 
> Or will you avoid discussion of this matter as you
> did the material about Leadbeater's conflicting 
> birthdates???


Daniel:

This is my tentative view: Leadbeater's writings are based on the 
fundamental principles of Theosophy as presented by HPB, i.e., the 
unity of all existence, the cyclicity and lawfulness of the universe 
and the essential identity between the human consciousness and the 
universal Spirit.

But CWL was not just a writer, he was also an investigator of the 
unseen dimensions of existence. Like every clairvoyant, whatever 
he "saw" he did it through the filter of his own cultural and 
intellectual background. He said numerous times that he did not 
expect his readers to believe him, but that he only reported what he 
had "saw".

Some of the things he "saw" apparently were corroborated later on: he 
did see a great spiritual teacher in Krishnamurti, although he was 
probably mistaken as to the form in which he expected the "teacher" 
would express himself later on. He did describe, in 1910, something 
similar to the European Union taking place at the end of the 
twentieth century and of people reading their newspapers in a "small 
box" at home, connected to a central "box" in the city, which 
probably was a very rudimentary description of the Internet! He even 
said that one of the popular programmes of that "box" system was 
called "The Community Chat Show"!

Of course, many of his clairvoyant descriptions were not 
corroborated, like the existence of a humanity in Mars, the lives of 
Alcyone, Mars and Mercury as belonguing to the earth chain, etc, etc.

There are very clear and striking differences between Theosophy as 
presented in HPB's writings and in the Mahatma Letters and CWL's 
presentation. If I may say so with bated breath, the original 
presentation is utterly impersonal and profoundly metaphysical. It 
is, as the Mahatmas and HPB again and again mentioned, a SYSTEM, 
which is logical, consistent and based on fundamental premises.

In CWL's case, his presentation was bound to be personal since most 
of it consists of descriptions of clairvoyant investigations which he 
undertook. He was bound to differ in some instances from the original 
teaching because he was describing things that HE HIMSELF HAD SEEN as 
an independent researcher, and he recognised, more than once, that 
there were many pitfalls on the path of the investigator. But he 
always, in his writings, recognised "The Secret Doctrine", as the 
source of the theosophical teaching.

What continues to seem remarkable to me is that his books have helped 
a hell of lot of people for the past 100 years, including myself. 
Many, in many countries, have proceeded to study the original 
literature, may not quote him anymore in their books and articles, 
but in their hearts are grateful for the contribution of a man that 
helped to bring the light of Theosophy to dozens of thousands in this 
world.

His writings may contradict a number of ideas of the original 
literature, but I feel they are imbued with the same altruistic 
spirit which was inculcated by the Founders of the Theosophical 
Movement.

Birthdate later. It is too late in Sydney.


Pedro