Theos-Talk Archives (January 2008 Message tt00020)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Frank Reitemeyer" <dzyan@...> wrote:
>
> > Its well known that HPB was a chain smoker and addicted to
> > nicotine and possibly hash.
> 
> Richard, WHO says that she used hash?
> As far as I know, this rumour comes only from a New York reporter and 
HPB 
> has contradicted.
> Frank

All we know about the personal lives of the founders is hearsay or 
snatches in the letters they wrote to each other. I read somewhere that 
HPB had to stop her carriage periodically on long trips to have a 
cigarette and she rolled her own. 

You have to wonder if these numerous smoke breaks were engendered from 
a simple nicotine habit or if it wasnt a stronger addiction that drove 
her to these constant interruptions. 

Whatever it was, it was an addiction of some sort that was in control 
of her when self control is the basic tenet of progress on the Path. 
Now if the Masters were merely using her to convey their message than 
that is a different matter and in that case HPB was only a messenger 
and not a saint or even a chela. 

I like the comment someone made about her dying in Italy at one point 
whereupon a Master resusitated her and kept her going after that with 
cigarettes. Never let it be said that Theosophists are not resourceful 
in trying to protect their leader!

The letters to Sinnett were also suspected in certain Theosophical 
circles of being written by HPB posing as a Master. 

I would be happy to research any of this if needed but its a known fact 
that HPB was a heavy smoker with a dependence on tobacco and this was 
probably the reason that schisms formed in the movement.