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Re: Theos-World Re: : HPB, Authority and Theosophy

Feb 09, 2005 06:55 PM
by Jerry Hejka-Ekins


John,
You write:

However, I have seen Photographs of Madame Blavatsky, CWL. Annie Besant individually dressed wearing their emblatures of office and certification in Masonic Lodge, and notwithstanding the fact that Madame Blavatsky spoke of the three invisible ancient Masonic Lodges of the World I often wonder how the two disimilar practices can have maintained seperation without interleaving of activities. Masonry utilizes Ritual and has teaching variant from what I read as Theosophy. While Theosophy has over many decades now been the bully pulpit of it's many adversaries where is the co-responsibility of the Masonic Lodge exampled, in particular as regards CWL? Surely they must have also made a Committee of Inquiry for the same actions Theosophy has been bloodied over all these years due to CWL et al, but I have read no published articles that deal with this type of matter.

I've seen photos of AB and CWL in masonic clothing, but not HPB. However, there is a "Masonic Diploma," issued to HPB and signed by John Yarker, I believe. But Yarker represented a radical branch of Masonry and the diploma was completely honorary. Olcott was indeed a Mason before and after he helped to found the TS. In the early days his organization of the TS, the use of Masonic devices i.e. secret handshakes; passwords etc. suggests that Olcott was clearly influenced by the Masons.
It was around 1912, during Besant's Presidency that the co-Masonic organization was brought into the TS. Actually, the ES documents of that period show that this was supposed to have been under the orders of the Masters.
Hope this helps a little.

--j




samblo@cs.com wrote:

Jerry,
Thanks for your comments they are a value to all here and we can all learn new things from them. I have not direct experience to speak from with Lodges so my consideration is almost always pinned to Blavatsky in the beginning in New York. Some where I have a copy of that Charter. It is interesting that some were Chartered to special activities, I was not aware of that but I am now thanks to your mention that is informative. BTW, a Member on another forum I mainly read, the "ORME Spirit Forum" just this morning posted mention of Alan Leo and Astrology in Theosophy, but he seemed to have also been one that began with CWL and continued to Alice Bailey in New York UN reading Center, he displayed no affection for CWL. .

Just my own induction about the premise of activity that I generated when first reading about Madame Blavatsky and the original formers of the New York Lodge that much interested me was the gathering together of many individuals all having varied sincere interests in many area's to mutually sift, discuss, test, exchange POV, publish, lecture, teach and instruct with freedom and mutual respect. The receiving of all the possible contents of the contributions Madame Blavatsky wrote about in her works. The "sources" she mentions and lists in her able surveys. I think she expected people would incline to look into themselves, and arrive to a adapted view however varied it might be, it is still growth and expansion comparative to before inquiry and change then has occurred to some degree unique to each and expresses the beauty of beings and the source that ultimately expresses through them all.

It seems also to me that the seven-fold economy of each person, though a general motif ,is a particularized differentiation in each person expressing through the conditioned state in unlimited variations uniquely, a strict homogeneity cannot be found that can satisfy those who desire limiting communication of subject or topic confined to any rigid agenda. My view is Madame Blavatsky seemd to advocate a broad interpretation under the Three Objects that was pretty holistic perhaps with the exception of Magic and Ritual as a practice itself. I, long ago, 1999, stated my personal opinions that she pointed to the Eastern Noble Spiritual Teaching as the dominent thrust and purpose of her writtings, as well as her severe warning against the dangers of Psychical and Astral Complexes that individuals may tend to generate a detoured path as their primary interest or goal instead. So, baseline it strikes me as she wanted the Lodges to be a place of Philosophical Renewal for the Western Culture specifically. However, I have seen Photographs of Madame Blavatsky, CWL. Annie Besant individually dressed wearing their emblatures of office and certification in Masonic Lodge, and notwithstanding the fact that Madame Blavatsky spoke of the three invisible ancient Masonic Lodges of the World I often wonder how the two disimilar practices can have maintained seperation without interleaving of activities. Masonry utilizes Ritual and has teaching variant from what I read as Theosophy. While Theosophy has over many decades now been the bully pulpit of it's many adversaries where is the co-responsibility of the Masonic Lodge exampled, in particular as regards CWL? Surely they must have also made a Committee of Inquiry for the same actions Theosophy has been bloodied over all these years due to CWL et al, but I have read no published articles that deal with this type of matter. Suffrage is a concept Madame Blavatsky also encouraged members to have. I always was remarkably impressed when I was able to see the old photographs of the Theosophical Members assembled in different places all over the world. Looking at all the different Fakirs, Yogins, Priests, Brahamins, Dervishes, Sufi's, Christians, all sitting together was quite radical to the norm I had read of in non Theosophical sources.

Being a complete organizational outsider as I am I apoligize for any indescresion I might have committed in this reply and do not mean to offend or devalue any one.

John


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