Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00057)

>From a letter to -------

Dear companion:

You, yourself, have taken a step by your own internal determination to know
the truth for the sake of the truth. Your real self is by your trend of
thought finding a channel for expression, and this will grow. 

Right thought must precede right speech and right action, as you know. This
has been stated in many ways, the most familiar of which is, perhaps, “Seek
ye first the kingdom of heaven (which is within you) and all other things
will be added unto you.” 

Do not let conditions which surround you, contrasted with what you can see,
weigh upon you. Of course you know that whatever conditions exist were
produced by you—so far as they affect you—and whatever conditions are to be
will be in accordance with your own determination. 

All that is necessary is for each one to do his duty by every duty. None is
small or unimportant.

You know, of course, that attachment to things or results comes by thinking
about them. You can have no attachment for a thing you do not think about;
neither can you have any dislike for a thing you do not think about. 

While doing the best you know in every act and present duty, do not attach
yourself to any particular form of result. Leave results to the law—they
will surely come in accordance with it. Having done your duty as you see it,
resign all personal interest in the results. Whatever the results, take them
as that which your true self really desired.

Surely, for the individual, it is the motive alone that marks the line
between black and white. But what is needed in the world is knowledge .
Good motive may save the moral character, but it does not ensure those
thoughts and deeds which make for the highest good of humanity. Good motive
without knowledge makes sorry work sometimes. 

All down the ages there is a record of good motive, but power and zeal
misused, for want of knowledge. Theosophy is the path of knowledge. It was
given out in order, among other things, that good motive and wisdom might go
hand in hand.

If it is remembered that the purpose of life is to learn and that it is all
made up of learning, the ordinary duties of everyday existence are seen to
be the means by which we learn many things. “Do thy duty by every duty
leaving results to the law.” 

Theosophy was once happily stated to be “sanctified common-sense,” and I am
glad that you perceive it.

The Theosophical Movement is greater than any society or organization. The
latter are but temporal, changing with the nature and understanding of those
who constitute them and influence their policies and ideals; they correspond
to our physical bodies, whereas the Movement corresponds to the Soul. 

There are many kinds of bodies, and work has to be done in each, in
accordance with the possibilities afforded by its nature. Those who pin
their faith to any body are choosing a transitory guide, a frail support;
most of them are looking for “authority.” The human weakness that makes
priestly domination possible leads to spiritual darkness in course of time.

The Theosophical Society was founded by Masters as an organization for the
promulgation of the Wisdom Religion. That organization has split into
fragments. Of course, in all the Theosophical societies the message brought
by H. P. B. to the Western world is the basis of their existence. 

The average person makes much of organization, form, method, authority—what
not, and crystallization of idea defeats understanding. Thus the attacks,
splits, controversies and other follies that have been perpetrated during
the history of the Movement in this generation. You must have noticed that
all the difficulties that have arisen in the T. S. raged around
personalities, rather than over doctrinal differences. This is significant.

The T. S. represents the world. In it, in embryo, are fought the battles of
the world. Ignorance, superstition, selfishness, ambition—all are there.
There are other dangers menacing such a body as the T. S. besides the
“personal-following” one. 

Sometimes self-appointed conservators of the body arise, with hard and fast
conclusions as to men, things and methods. These seek to impose their ideas
as the only true ones—in reality, endeavoring to make a personal following
under the name of a policy—forgetting that no method is the true method;
that the true method must be a combination of all methods. 

All these things are lessons—initiations in occultism—if we read them
aright. The T. S. presents such lessons as can be had nowhere else in the
world of men.

Into each fragment of the original T. S., there have entered many attracted
by the philosophy. The right or wrong of the splits does not affect them. In
each fragment there must be those who are good and true disciples of
Masters. 

As far as my knowledge goes, I would say that Masters are working in many
ways, and through many organizations as well as with individuals. There are
no barriers to Their assistance, except such as personalities impose upon
themselves. Their work is universal; let our view be as much in that
direction as possible. So shall we best serve and know.

H. P. Blavatsky was the Messenger from the Great Lodge to the western world.
William Q. Judge was a co-founder and co-worker with H. P. B. from the
beginning. It is well to remember that H. P. B. and W. Q. J. were not
accorded the positions They held through any authority, but through
recognition of Their knowledge and power. They were sui generis; all others
are but students. Those who belittle Judge will be found belittling H. P. B.
An ancient saying has it, “Accursed by karmic action will find himself he,
who spits back in the face of his Teacher.” Not an elegant saying, perhaps,
to our ideas, but it conveys a fact of most grave import in occultism. “By
their fruits ye shall know them.”

To those who know H. P. B. and W. Q. J., attacks are worthy of consideration
from only one point of view—that they turn the attention of many who would
otherwise learn the great truths of Man and Nature. Theosophists cannot but
take the position expressed in the words, “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do.”

 As ever, 

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ASTRONOMOS (Gr.). The title given to the Initiate in the Seventh Degree of
the reception of the Mysteries. 

In days of old, Astronomy was synonymous with Astrology; and the great
Astrological Initiation took place in Egypt at Thebes, where the priests
perfected, if they did not wholly invent the science. 

Having passed through the degrees of Pastophoros, Neocoros, Melanophoros,
Kistophoros, and Balahala (the degree of Chemistry of the Stars), the
neophyte was taught the mystic signs of the Zodiac, in a circle dance
representing the course of the planets (the dance of Krishna and the Gopis,
celebrated to this day in Rajputana); after which he received a cross, the
Tau (or Tat), becoming an Astronomos and a Healer. (See Isis Unveiled. Vol.
II. 365). 

Astronomy and Chemistry were inseparable in these studies. 

“Hippocrates had so lively a faith in the influence of the stars on animated
beings, and on their diseases, that he expressly recommends not to trust to
physicians who are ignorant of astronomy.’ (Arago.) 

Unfortunately the key to the final door of Astrology or Astronomy is lost by
the modern Astrologer; and without it, how can he ever be able to answer the
pertinent remark made by the author of Mazzaroth, who writes: “people are
said to be born under one sign, while in reality they are born under
another, because the sun is now seen among different stars at the equinox ”?


Nevertheless, even the few truths he does know brought to his science such
eminent and scientific believers as Sir Isaac Newton, Bishops Jeremy and
Hall, Archbishop Usher, Dryden, Flamstead, Ashmole, John Milton, Steele, and
a host of noted Rosicrucians.”
THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY 39-40 

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