Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00111)

May 3 2005

Dear Friend Mark and others:

Re: SORCERY vs. ADEPTSHIP

TELEPATHY, ASTRAL TRAVEL, etc.


I find that THEOSOPHY teaches that the dividing line between sorcery and
adeptship lies in motive. 

Broadly: The occult powers and forces are all present in Nature, they are
the same. Like the Laws of nature, they exist and are invariable, but the
reason for using them by an individual who has Knowledge depends on motive
and therefore the results will differ.

The question is of selfishness and isolation, vs cooperation and mutual
assistance.  

In other words: The individual who has such Knowledge is faced with the
basic question:  

We either live in a Universe of invariable laws, or we do not. 

We either receive the exact effect for any cause we generate, or we do not. 

The problem revolves around consciousness, and particularly of
self-consciousness. 

It then proceeds to ask us: Are you considering your ultimate future? 

Some may ask: Can we, in hiding, perform acts that may bring harm to others
and somehow avoid the recoil of Nature upon ourselves? Intuitively, we
always know we will have to either receive "good" or "bad" Karma from all
our choices. We all have some intuitive sense of Nature's just and fair
response. We accept our independence, but many do not realize that
"responsibility" is entailed thereby. 

This condition of perception, anticipation, choice, is defined by some as a
portion of the innate Monadic mental faculty. And, of the powers of the
Mind, this includes the capacity to (in mental reflection and consideration)
perceive ones' self as a "unit," and also, as a member of a host, or mass of
similar units. The Monad (conjoined SPIRIT-MATTER) is deemed to be an
IMMORTAL and lives associated with many more of its kind. 

The need of the mass is also deemed to be superior to any one unit, and
thus, the concept of cooperative self-sacrifice arises. [ Is this true? ]  

But the Unit, being immortal, has only a portion of its life-span to offer
for this purpose, as an exercise of its own "free-will."  

As NATURE (the UNIVERSE and our Earth) is seen to be graded into several
effective levels of awareness, consciousness and action, we consider:
(1) Mineral, (2) vegetable, (3) animal and (4) human to be known examples of
these categories.  

A fifth category appears to exist: (5) the "super-human " -- where it is
apparent that there exists a group of "graduates from the 'School of Life'
(gifted by study and self-effort) with various degrees of an advanced
knowledge of Nature's laws.  

This, if correct, then permits such individuals to act in harmony and
equilibrium with their peers, so as to act with what appears to the average
man, as extraordinary powers. [ We find a parallel to this in our advanced
educational academies all over the world, such as Universities -- there the
professors and their staff, not only embody Knowledge as memory, and an urge
to discover more, but use and diffuse it by teaching, coordinating
discoveries and actions, and, finally, by applying it for the general good
of people around them. ]

This field of deeper and superior knowledge [ of which some aspects -- such
as telepathy, clairvoyance, apportation, and seership -- are examples ] has
been given by some the designation: the fields of "occultism," or of
"esotericism."  

The literature of THEOSOPHY points to these facts and offers explanations in
line with universal Laws.  

One may trace the presentation of THEOSOPHY, starting with H. P. Blavatsky's
ISIS UNVEILED (1877). There psychic, and religious phenomena, were
considered with the Science of that time.  

Study and questions arising therefrom brought monthly magazines such as
THEOSOPHIST, PATH and LUCIFER into being. These contained additional
explanations.  

Finally, eleven years later, the SECRET DOCTRINE (1888) was issued so as to
expose an outline of the lore and records preserved by the Adept Brotherhood
of Mankind. There one may trace logic and philosophy, aspects of the occult
esoteric Science, along with the history of Earth's "creation" -- the
evolution of individual intelligence, its successes and dangers; all this,
over immense periods of time, leading to the establishing and seating of the
individual MIND in each member of our mankind, and thereafter, educational
efforts to bring it into our present time. 

It necessitated the presentation of the facts (reposing in the secret
libraries of the Ancient Occult School) concerning the "creation,"
re-awakening and guidance of evolutionary trends in three distinct areas on
our Earth (physical, psychic and spiritual -- S D I, 181-2), and, by
analogy, implied to be featured similarly on many worlds. Finally, there is
demonstrated a process of a progressive development of Intelligence in the
kingdoms of nature, culminating in Man where the gift of the Mind has made
him individually independent. 

These are all areas THEOSOPHY covers and explains to be the actual progress
of humanity seen and recorded by these deathless Sages. 

Returning to application.

If one considers primarily that one is entitled to use any advantage solely
for ones' self -- and usually at the expense of others, then morally it is
vicious and, "bad" Karma inevitably results. As we are deathless Monads,
the "memory" of similar failures, previously made, remains impacted in our
Buddhi (Pure Matter), and it warns us (via the Voice of Conscience) prior
to decision making, if we are likely to repeat an error of choice. 

Nature is essentially and spiritually cooperative and works, as eternally
life-supporting, for the general assistance of mankind and all beings
involved in evolution. It considers that the smallest life- unit involved is
a "life-atom" or a "monad" in which is conjoined SPIRIT and MATTER. 

"MIND" (sometimes called "Soul") is that medial faculty within the Monad
that enables the perception of these polar attitudes of life and living.
Every human is considered to be an immortal Mind-soul in evolution. 

Since each of these life-atoms is an immortal entity and cannot be killed or
destroyed. [Science recognizes this intuitively, and as an actual necessity
for explaining the invariable laws of physical nature], it is a faculty of
every "atom," as an entity in perpetual motion and capable of receiving and
recording impressions at many levels.

It is posited that the universal purpose of all manifestation is the
elevating of each such monadic unit to a full knowledge and understanding of
its environment -- the UNIVERSE and its laws and purposes. The "Goal" has
been called by some: "Supreme Perfection," or, "All Knowingness."

These are the basic conditions of each living Soul-mind that make it evident
that virtuous living is the only sure, certain and secure method and an
attitude of careful attention to every detail of life is to be maintained.


Best wishes,

Dallas
 
========================
-----Original Message-----

From: Mark Hamilton Jr.
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 10:10 AM
To: Theosophy
Subject: Question for Occultists

Was telepathy ever considered an act of sorcery if not properly
learned? For instance, if someone found they were naturally telepathic
and they attempted to delve into it further without first attuning
their senses, would that be considered sorcery?

The reason I ask is because I know this was true for other "gifts"
that people indulged upon, such as astral travel, and was not
tolerated by the masters unless it was properly learned.

Usually there is a two-fold path when you train in occultism; a lower
method that achieves a similar result, and a higher method that's much
more effective and reliable. So I'm going to make an educated guess
and say that it would be the lower path, and not generally tolerated
by the Masters.

-Mark H.