Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00315)

May 10 2005



The 3 societies -- STUDYING THEOSOPHY



" A Universal Brotherhood of Humanity."




"There is no religion higher than Truth."





Dear Friends:





Of necessity this is addressed to individual students. It presents my
opinions only.



As I see it: The organizations and societies can at best provide the
necessary study material and the places where sincere, interested and
persistent students can meet and discuss 



1 What is THEOSOPHY ?



2 Is it reasonable enough that it can it be applied?



3 What has been its impact on our world civilization during the
last 130 years? 



4 How is it likely to continue to affect the world?



5 What can I contribute?





In my opinion: it is vital that the "original teachings" [HPB, Masters, W
Q Judge] be our conjoint focus, as writings by many students later than the
Masters, HPB and Judge tend to be filtered and altered by their
personalities and interests.



It is my observation that most of us are unfamiliar, critically, of the
"original teachings" of THEOSOPHY -- particularly of what HPB and the
Masters actually wrote.



Without that as the personal base of our own study, how can we make any kind
of independent valuation of THEOSOPHY ?



If I were asked what course to follow, I would recommend: first to carefully
study HPB's The KEY TO THEOSOPHY (1889), its nomenclature and definitions. 



Then move to a careful study and evaluation of ISIS UNVEILED (1877), The
VOICE OF THE SILENCE (1889) , the SECRET DOCTRINE (1888)' and the MAHATMA
LETTERS.



We have an advantage over the students who participated in the early
studies, inasmuch as The KEY TO THEOSOPHY (1889) and the SECRET DOCTRINE
(1888) established and corrected some of the early variants of technical
designations used in ISIS UNVEILED (1877) and early articles in THEOSOPHIST
(1879 - 1891) magazine. 



LUCIFER and The PATH (1886 - 1896) magazine articles are clear and definite,
and provide more clearly defined practical applications of THEOSOPHICAL
tenets and fundamental bases. 



The THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY (1892) and TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE
(1890) are of great help to the earnest student.



Mr Judge's one of the original founders of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY in New
York wrote several books and many articles. 



Mr. Judge's works include: The OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY, The BHAGAVAD GITA , The
EPITOME OF THEOSOPHY, The ECHOES FROM THE ORIENT, NOTES ON THE BHAGAVAD
GITA, and PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS, these have been found to be most helpful,
and also his articles: such as the series CONVERSATIONS ON OCCULTISM, and
LETTERS THAT HAVE HELPED ME. Both HPB and the Masters have praised his
writings and his work and have repeatedly called him their "colleague." 



There is enough in this short list to keep a group of students busy for
several years if this kind of work if undertaken sincerely and with
persistence. 



The real questions each student has to answer to themselves are:



1 Do I want to really learn what THEOSOPHY teaches?



2 Do I want to see if any practical application of use can be
derived from that study for myself? 



One has to admit - so that this may function -- that there can be no
enforcement, nor any criticism of members, or of each others' applications.
No organization or society has any rights or powers over the work or lives
of their members. In other words, "authority" of any kind must be and is
abolished. ] 



"Theosophist is, who Theosophy does." 





Best wishes,



Dallas



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



-----Original Message-----
From: Anton Rozman
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 1:51 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: The 3 societies





Dear friends,



Let me add a word or two to this discussion.



I believe that theosophists (and people in general) have 

individually grown enough to become active participants in 

theosophical activities and not just mere observers and listeners; 

that in general they don't accept anymore a role of ignorant pupils 

behind the school-bench without any responsibility and without any 

sense of being actively involved in some process. And some positive 

experiences you are talking about prove that the response is 

positive when the activities are organized in a way that anyone 

involved feels that he/she is active part of the group; that he/she 

can make a difference.



And I also believe that internet is wonderful media which 

facilitates the possibility to create various theosophical 

activities, to start various theosophical projects and to establish 

fruitful collaboration and not being limited only to a place for 

discussion and learning. These latter are good and necessary but, in 

my opinion, they should be viewed as necessary tools in 

accomplishment of some sort of promulgation of the knowledge of 

Theosophy.



What is needed, are some creative theosophical projects which will 

offer the opportunities for the theosophical work to independent, 

responsible and now disappointed theosophists.



Thanks and kind regards,



Anton







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