Theos-Talk Archives (March 2005 Message tt00073)

March 4 2005

Dear Alaya and Friends:


Please consider this:

There exists for the past 94 years (since 1909) a vigorous, unrestricted and
unsupervised association of students of THEOSOPHY . It has been called: 

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



THE UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS 


It has only a single document named the DECLARATION as a basis for all
activity; 

This says:


THE UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS 

DECLARATION


The policy of this Lodge is independent devotion to the cause of Theosophy,
without professing attachment to any Theosophical organization. It is loyal
to the great Founders of the Theosophical Movement, but does not concern
itself with dissensions or differences of individual opinion. 

The work it has on hand and the end it keeps in view are too absorbing and
too lofty to leave it the time or inclination to take part in side issues.
That work and that end is the dissemination of the Fundamental Principles of
the Philosophy of Theosophy, and the exemplification in practice of those
principles, through a truer realization of the SELF; a profounder conviction
of Universal Brotherhood. 

It holds that the unassailable basis for union among Theosophists, wherever
and however situated, is "similarity of aim, purpose and teaching," and
therefore has neither Constitution, By-Laws nor Officers, the sole bond
between its Associates being that basis. And it aims to disseminate this
idea among Theosophists in the furtherance of Unity. 

It regards as Theosophists all who are engaged in the true service of
Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, condition or
organization, and 

It welcomes to its Association all those who are in accord with its declared
purposes and who desire to fit themselves, by study and otherwise, to be the
better able to help and teach others. 

"The true Theosophist belongs to no cult or sect, yet belongs to each and
all." 

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


And for any who desire to associate themselves (but this is not mandatory)
there is an:


ASSOCIATE CARD, U L T.


The ASSOCIATE CARD reads:


"Being in sympathy with the purposes of this Lodge, as set forth in its
"Declaration," I hereby record my desire to be enrolled as an Associate, it
being understood that such association calls for no obligation on my part,
other than that which I, myself, determine."


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

Historically:

When Mr. Robert Crosbie and several others launched in 1909 the UNITED LODGE
OF THEOSOPHISTS, they tried to minimize the problem of "leadership" and
"authority" by doing away with "Constitution, By-laws, and Officers."  

In other words, it was "without walls."

The "Associate Card" reads as above, (and what was said, on this "Card" and
in the "Declaration" attracted much serious attention from students of
THEOSOPHY everywhere.)

It was determined that there would be no fees, no dues, and no questions
asked of anyone desiring to become an "associate."  

Becoming an "associate" of the U L T would in no way affect any existing
memberships or associations. Nor would it require any obligations other
than those which each individual chose for themselves in the interest of
cooperation and mutual assistance. 

It will be noticed that: 

Societies or associations exist only for 

(1)	mutual help between students, and 

(2)	for the promulgation of the ORIGINAL TEACHINGS of THEOSOPHY.
 
 
The inner Master [ATMA - the HIGHER SELF] is found within every human
being, and as one studies the original writings --- especially THE VOICE OF
THE SILENCE and The SECRET DOCTRINE, there is a constant echo from and
within one's heart - often this has been expressed as: How am I to change
and improve this personal being I call "myself"?  

These words from LIGHT ON THE PATH (pp 49-51) put it well:  

 
"Intuitive knowledge is an entirely different thing.  

It is not acquired in any way, but is, so to speak, a faculty of the soul;
not the animal soul, that which becomes a ghost after death, when lust or
liking or the memory of ill-deeds holds it to the neighbourhood of human
beings, but the divine soul which animates all the external forms of the
individualized being.

This is, of course, a faculty which indwells in that soul, which is
inherent.  

The would-be disciple has to arouse himself to the consciousness of it by a
fierce and resolute and indomitable effort of will. I use the word
indomitable for a special reason.  

Only he who is untameable, who cannot be dominated, who knows he has to play
the lord over men, over facts, over all things save his own divinity, can
arouse this faculty.  

"With faith all things are possible." The sceptical laugh at faith and pride
themselves on its absence from their own minds.  

The truth is that faith is a great engine, an enormous power, which in fact
can accomplish all things. For it is the covenant or engagement between
man's divine part and his lesser self.

The use of this engine is quite necessary in order to obtain intuitive,
knowledge; for unless a man believes such knowledge exists within himself
how can he claim and use it?

Without it he is more helpless than any drift wood or wreckage on the great
tides of the ocean. They are cast hither and thither indeed; so may a man
be by the chances of fortune. But such adventures are purely external and
of very small account.  

A slave may be dragged through the streets in chains, and yet retain the
quiet soul of a philosopher, as was well seen in the person of Epictetus. A
man may have every worldly prize in his possession, and stand absolute
master of his personal fate, to all appearance, and yet he knows no peace,
no certainty, because he is shaken within himself by every tide of thought
that he touches on. And these changing tides do not merely sweep the man
bodily hither 'and thither like drift-wood on the water; that would be
nothing. They enter into the gateways of his soul, and wash over that soul
and make it blind and blank and void of all permanent intelligence, so that
passing impressions affect it."  
(LIGHT ON THE PATH, pp. 49-51)
		
--------------------------------------

Best wishes, 

Dallas

===============================================
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Alaya 
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 10:21 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: is every one a member?



"Can you explain me the mistakes you have found."

Are you asking on this life or the previous one? He, he, he .... just
kidding


Chris wrote:

"I don't think they have to do with the material(words are written)
lectures of HPB. But more with the materialists in the TS, have not?"



No Chris, I don't have any problem related to H.P.B... in fact I adore her
=) 

And you are right, there are some materialists in the TS and this definitely
doesn't fit for me and the purposes of the Society

But there are many little things who made me left... I couldn't possibly
explain all of them..

but i saw little interest in HPB in comparison to 'neo-theosophy' 

And a great amount of little interest relating to everything long meetings
that never get anywhere of discussing the first volume of the S, D. .... for
example

Most member didn't seem to want to get anywhere... it turned into a
'discussion club' a club!

if they were discussing Nietzsche (anything!) or HPB it didn't seem to
matter..

Many people going to meetings just to fulfill the empty space of the
chairs... (i.e - to show to others that they go)

Many people participating on the discussions just to show the know
something, and give 'long lectures' of technicism like if they were saying
to the group 'see, i know'...

Many talks on chakras and this 'esotericism' of nowadays, which wasn't the
guideline of Theosophy and HPB

Little respect when talking about the Masters

Some people trying to get attention to themselves trying to show that the
'masters are with him/her'

I didn't see real interest on spiritual life... (with few exceptions)

too much superficiality...just people meeting like they were somehow trying
to prove themselves that they are doing something for their spirituality...

but what happened in the meetings was reading the book... never going
deep... and I can read at home...

And if you want to go deeper, claim for something more... some say you are
being over-critic 

... "still" people.. you know

sometimes I felt like if the members were killing HPB...

The same I felt years and years ago...

Well... this may seem over-criticism..

But I don't deny the good things...like reprints of the old books and some
or other lecture on matters of importance...

But many of the people I liked there also left so...

But it is much better to go to the T.S than to be caught in any of the many
traps one may find in the spiritual way...'pseudo-groups' misleading
teachings...

I see the T.S weak... but not destroying at least, the potential of people,
just stopping it 

some other groups are extremely dangerous, so if someone asks me where to go
i first try to stimulate the person to see that she has on our days all the
media she needs to go by her own.. but if she still wants a group I would
suggest the T.S..