Theos-Talk Archives (December 2005 Message tt00245)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Jerry Hejka-Ekins <jjhe@c...> 
wrote:
>
> 
> Dear Anand,
 

> Like it or not, this is the policy of TSA. To understand it, you 
need 
> to go back to the administration of George Arundale (1934-1945).  
By the 
> time of his presidency, Besant had passed away, and Leadbeater, 
six 
> months after. Krishnamurti has already resigned from the TS and 
closed 
> the Order of the Star in the East. To use an American expression, 
> Arundale had a hard act to follow. He had to find a new 
strategy. He 
> pushed very hard to increase membership by publishing many 
pamphlets and 
> magazines that were designed to appeal to the wider public and did 
not 
> directly address Theosophy (i.e. Advance Australia, The New 
Citizen, 
> Conscience etc.). He tried to make Theosophy as a mirror--that 
is, to 
> be anything anyone wanted it to be. It was not until one joined 
the ES, 
> that they were shown Theosophy to be a very precise thing.  
Arundale's 
> plan did not achieve his objective. Rather, membership fell to the 
> lowest levels than it has ever been since. In TSA, the late Emily 
> Sellon is often quoted as saying "Theosophy is everything, but 
> everything is not Theosophy." I don't know the context in which 
she 
> made that statement, so I am not certain of her precise meaning. 
> However, now it seems to be taken and quoted as a reflection of 
the 
> present policy of publishing on any subject that seems to be 
germane to 
> Theosophy. The decisions as to which titles are published is done 
by a 
> committee. The membership has no input into this process. So, it 
> appears that TSA has taken on a modification of Arundale's plan:  
> Publish books on many different popular subjects (that appear to 
be 
> germane to Theosophy) and try to pull in new members in through 
them. 

Your opinion that G.S. Arundale made everything Theosophy, is 
interesting. Maybe other members would like to comment on whether 
this is correct or not. Few books which are written by Arundale and 
printed by TPH are on Theosophy. However I think President is 
allowed to adopt certain strategies temporarily depending upon 
situation. As you know any, organization and government has 
continuously changing plans to be successful in continously changing 
environment. If he found that plan as suitable tempararily, it is 
OK. But in the long run TS should focus on publishing writing done 
by occultists like AB, CWL, Hodson, Clara Codd, Arundale himself and 
Taimni. Also TS should direct it's members to study these books. TS 
should not say everything is Theosophy and so members should study 
everything. This is practically wrong. After suggesting these books, 
they should give freedom to members to accpet or reject. Also 
members should be told that TS has unique literature written by 
occultists. All sciences, philosophies and religions and also 
knowledge given by these occultists constitute Theosophy. But as 
other organizations are already providing other literature, TS is 
providing and promoting study of writing done by it's occultists. So 
TS literature is part of total knowledge available to mankind. And 
as other organizations are providing knowledge on other subjects, TS 
should concentrate on providing and promoting study of writing done 
by occultists in TS. So all knowledge available to mankind is 
Theosophy. But work of TS is to make available and promote study of 
writing done by it's occultists. So definition of Theosophy is one 
thing and what TS should practically is different issue. Definition 
of Theosophy and what TS should do practically are two different 
things. 
Actions of TS are to be guided not by just definition of Theosophy 
but also by taking into account other factors mentioned above.

There are also economic considerations. Writing of Besant, CWL etc. 
is in public domain and being printed by many publishers. So TS and 
TSA don't have exclusive copyright and so can't make much profit in 
competition by selling their books. Whereas new books, if written, 
published and sold, they get income and have exclusive right to 
publish and make profit. I am not accusing TSA for doing this but 
this is one consideration that would go into decision making of any 
section and TS. TS in India does not face competition in printing 
and selling books of AB, CWL as there are no other publishers who 
print Theosophical books even if many are in public domain. 



> Perhaps the effects are from causes that were put into motion by 
the 
> past leaders. 


I don't think they are following G.S. Arundale's plan. If they are 
doing so, it is because of other reasons, some of which are 
mentioned above. I know, to many members it is hard to understand 
what to do when everything is Theosophy. 

Best regards.
Anand Gholap