Theos-Talk Archives (May 2006 Message tt00257)

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HOW  H.P.B. SAID  ‘FAREWELL’  IN HER LAST WEEKS
 
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Dear Friends,
 
 
Three weeks  before her death, there was something like a  farewell,  in H.P. Blavatsky’s last message to the American Theosophists.
 
Dated 15 April 1891, the letter is radically different from the one sent by her in the previous year. In April 1890, her message had plenty of good news, much optimism and even some positive prophecies about the work’s future.  
 
Now, only six days away from getting ill with the infuenza that would  kill her body, something must have gone wrong.  
 
The  E.S. Inner Group meetings had been suspended “by order” in September 1890. The meetings started again only in November – but with a new Pledge;  and that meant a  renewed commitment  –  perhaps a last attempt, one final chance to keep that inner work going which was the basis for any outer work. 
 
Efforts probably did not succeeed.  HPB had a remarkably emotional nature in her lower levels of consciousness. That was an inevitable result of her great sensitivity for higher rates of vibration. Hence her fragile health depended directly on the occult “climate”  and thoughts/emotions about  her. 
 
Other and powerful stumbling blocks may have  emerged, as it can hardly be a mere coincidence that in the last three of her Inner Group Meetings (April 1, April 15 and April 22, 1891), the dominant theme discussed was – after-death states.   She was certainly preparing  herself.  
 
Therefore there was scarce optimism in her Message dated April 15.  She announced difficult  times for  those who would remain: 
 
“The period which we have now reached in the cycle that will close between 1897-98 is, and will continue to be,  of great conflict and continued strain. If the T.S. can hold through it, good ; if not, while Theosophy will  remain unscathed, the Society will perish – perchance most ingloriously – and the World will suffer.” 
 
Note here the direct occult relation she establishes between  the state of the Theosophical movement and the state of the world. And then comes the personal hint:
 
“I fervently hope that I may not see such a disaster in my present body.” 
 
She also describes the action of those who would try to destroy the movement from the  inside, infiltrating before attacking, and  then attacking in disguised, subliminal ways: 
 
“The critical nature of the stage on which we have entered is as well known to the forces that fight against us as to those that fight on our  side. No opportunity will be lost of sowing dissension, of taking advantage of mistaken and false moves, of instilling doubt, of augmenting difficulties, of breathing suspicions, so that by  any  and every means the unity of the Society may be broken and the ranks of our Fellows thinned and thrown into disarray.” (1)  
 
In the first paragraph of  this farewell message, she had said:  
 
“Suffering in body as I am, the only consolation that remains to me is to hear of the progress of the Holy Cause to which my health and strength have been given ; but to which now that these are going, I can only offer my passionate devotion and never-weakening good wishes...”
 
And now she closed her message  thus:
 
“May the blessings of the past and present Teachers rest upon you. From myself accept collectively the assurance of my true never wavering fraternal feelings, and the sincere, heartfelt thanks for the work done by all the  workers.” 
 
This was April 15th.  
 
Her very last words to theosophists were said to Mrs. Cooper-Oakley by 3 a.m.,  May 7 th,  some 36 hours before her body was completely abandoned:     
 
“Isabel, Isabel, keep the link unbroken ; do not let my last incarnation be a  failure.” (2)  
 
It is up to us all,  as to the next generations of students,  to help keep the inner link alive and expanding –  the great Jacob’s ladder, the bridge between Alpha and Omega, between the higher and the lower. 
 
Yet, what of the work’s future? 
 
H.P.B. announced that the great victory will come “before the end 21st century” (3) , and if we look at the work with a long-term perspective we need not be dismayed by present-day difficulties. 
 
Only  – it is better to remember that the real work is independent from,  and beyond,  dead-letter, bureaucracy and all outer forms. 
 
Best regards,   Carlos Cardoso Aveline, May 8th, 2006  
 
 
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(1) “Five Messages to the American Theosophists”, H.P. Blavatsky, The Theosophy Co., Los Angeles, 1922, pp. 27-28.  Or, Pasadena T.S. edition, “H.P. Blavatsky to the American Conventions, 1888-1891” , T.U.P., 1979,  pp. 33-34.  
 
(2) “The Path”, New York , monthly magazine edited by W. Q. Judge, July 1894, p. 124. 
 
(3) “Collected Writings of HPB”, TPH, India, Volume VIII, p. 174, footnote.    
 


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