Theos-Talk Archives (February 2008 Message tt00022)

Allow me to repeat a short exerpt from the below with words by HPB:

"The Secret 
Doctrine, original edition, Vol. I, p. viii. Italics added. 

"... A new and rapidly growing danger...is threatening...the spread 
of the pure Esoteric Philosophy and knowledge....I allude to those 
charlatanesque imitations of Occultism and Theosophy....By pandering 
to the prejudices of people, and especially by adopting the false 
ideas of a personal God and a personal, carnalized Saviour, as the 
groundwork of their teaching, the leaders of this 'swindle' (for such 
it is) are endeavoring to draw men to them and in particular to turn 
Theosophists from the true path." E.S. Instruction No. I., 1890 
edition, p. 2. Italics added."



Eureka! Let the fanatics, Krishnamurti followers and similar saviour-worshippers listen to that one.



M. Sufilight

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nhcareyta 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 6:39 AM
  Subject: Theos-World Theosophical Traditions & New Students of Theosophy


  There are at least a dozen different Theosophical "traditions" 
  or "schools" based on the claims of various prominent individuals in 
  the modern Theosophical Movement. 

  H.P. Blavatsky (1831-1891) was the first person in modern times to 
  write about the Theosophical Adepts, especially the Masters Morya and 
  Koot Hoomi. 

  Madame Blavatsky wrote:

  " . . . I was the first in the United States to bring the existence 
  of our Masters into publicity; and . . . exposed the holy names of 
  two members of a Brotherhood hitherto unknown to Europe and America 
  (save to a few mystics and Initiates of every age), yet sacred and 
  revered throughout the East, and especially India . . . . " "The 
  Theosophical Mahatmas." The Path, December, 1886.

  But after H.P.B.'s death in 1891, we find numerous claims of contact 
  with the same Adepts. See a list of persons making such claims.

  These various claims are dependent on Mme. Blavatsky's original 
  statements and testimony. 

  For example, if H.P.B. was a fraud, her Masters fictional characters, 
  and her teachings false or simply made up and/or borrowed from 
  genuine previously existing religious and esoteric beliefs, then all 
  the later claims based on hers would also be false. 

  "You cannot acquire psychic power until the causes of psychic 
  debility are removed. . . . You have scarcely learned the elements of 
  self-control in psychism. . . . "

  "Your vivid creative fancy [imagination] evokes illusive Gurus and 
  chelas, and puts into their mouths words coined the instant before in 
  the mint of your mind, unknown to yourself." 

  "The false appears as real, as the true, and you have no exact method 
  of detection, since you are yet prone to force your communications to 
  agree with your preconceptions." 
  Master Koot Hoomi, 
  Mrs. Holloway and the Mahatmas,
  Letter 17 Bold added.
  But if H.P.B.'s claims and teachings are true and genuine, that is 
  no guarantee that any of the later claims are therefore true and 
  genuine, too. All later claims might be false.
  Or only one or only some of the later claims might be true but the 
  rest might be false. Etc. 

  Looking briefly at Theosophical history, we find that in the 1890s, 
  William Q. Judge and Annie Besant (both students of H.P.B.) claimed 
  to be in contact with H.P.B.'s Master Morya. But each of them 
  reported opposite and contradictory statements as coming from Master 
  M. (1)

  Some Theosophists sided with Mr. Judge; others with Mrs. Besant. 
  This "division" led eventually to the breakup of the original 
  Theosophical Society into two separate and competing organizations. 

  The contradictory claims by Judge and Besant apparently were the 
  beginning of the various lineage claims concerning "esoteric" 
  successors to Madame Blavatsky.


  In the Adyar Theosophical Society, we find the following lineage of 
  succession: 

  H.P. Blavatsky > Annie Besant & Charles W. Leadbeater > the next 
  successor ??

  In the Point Loma Theosophical Society: 

  H.P. Blavatsky > William Q. Judge > Katherine A. Tingley > G. 
  de Purucker > the next successor ??

  In the United Lodge of Theosophists: 

  H.P. Blavatsky > William Q. Judge > Robert Crosbie > the next 
  successor ??

  In the Arcane School: 

  H.P. Blavatsky > Alice A. Bailey > the next successor ??

  And, of course, there are also many other lineage claims (e.g. those 
  of Helena Roerich, Elizabeth Prophet, etc.). 

  The end result is a confusing morass of claims and counterclaims and 
  various contradictory and conflicting teachings.

  But should we really be surprised that all of this has happened?

  Even during her own lifetime, Mme. Blavatsky wrote about bogus claims 
  of contact with her Masters, about "wild and fanciful speculation" 
  concerning the Theosophical teachings and even about "charlatanesque 
  imitations" of Theosophy:

  "Great are the desecrations to which the names of two of the Masters 
  have been subjected. There is hardly a medium who has not claimed to 
  have seen them. Every bogus swindling Society, for commercial 
  purposes, now claims to be guided and directed by 'Masters' often 
  supposed to be far higher than ours!...." The Key to Theosophy, 
  original edition, p. 301. Italics added.

  "The publication of many of the facts herein stated has been rendered 
  necessary by the wild and fanciful speculation in which many 
  Theosophists and students of mysticism have indulged...." The Secret 
  Doctrine, original edition, Vol. I, p. viii. Italics added. 

  "... A new and rapidly growing danger...is threatening...the spread 
  of the pure Esoteric Philosophy and knowledge....I allude to those 
  charlatanesque imitations of Occultism and Theosophy....By pandering 
  to the prejudices of people, and especially by adopting the false 
  ideas of a personal God and a personal, carnalized Saviour, as the 
  groundwork of their teaching, the leaders of this 'swindle' (for such 
  it is) are endeavoring to draw men to them and in particular to turn 
  Theosophists from the true path." E.S. Instruction No. I., 1890 
  edition, p. 2. Italics added.

  Therefore how should inquirers approach all these claims? What 
  should new students to Theosophy "believe" or think about all these 
  claims? 

  First of all, students of Theosophy might seriously consider the 
  implications of what H.P.B. and her Masters wrote about these false 
  claims and pseudo-Theosophical teachings when they are evaluating the 
  validity of the later claims occurring after 1891. 

  In addition to the extracts by H.P. Blavatsky given above, see:

  . On Pseudo-Theosophy and Pseudo-Adepts
  . Confusion and Bogus Claims among some Theosophical and Occult 
  Students
  . A.P. Sinnett's Mistaken Belief and Confusion
  . Psychic versus Initiate Visions & Knowledge
  . "Mistakes have now to be checked by the original teachings and 
  corrected."

  But some may ask: who actually has the time, energy, resources, 
  inclination, etc. to:

  (1) examine and study all the various claims, all the historical 
  material pro and con related to the claims, as well as the hundreds 
  of books on Theosophical teachings written by these claimants; 

  and then to:

  (2) try to determine what is what, whose claim or teaching is valid, 
  true or false, etc.?? 

  Of course, some Theosophical students say that they don't need to do 
  such a laborious task as outlined in the last paragraph. They say 
  they have "intuitions" and those intuitions are all they need to find 
  the truth in these matters. 

  Others apparently don't even care what is "true" or "false" or may 
  even question the labels "true" and "false". 

  Other seekers may simply "pick and choose" what they "feel" is 
  appropriate for them. 

  And there are, no doubt, other approaches.

  But some (especially those new to Theosophical teachings) may still 
  ask: 

  what theosophical books and literature should I read and study? 

  In light of this morass of claims and teachings, interested inquirers 
  and new students of Theosophy would do well to read and study 
  firsthand the original writings of H.P. Blavatsky and her Masters. 

  This original Theosophical literature includes H.P.B.'s 10,000 + 
  pages of writings and the letters of H.P.B.'s Masters received during 
  her lifetime. Some students would also include in this category the 
  historical material relating to H.P.B.'s life, the Masters and the 
  early Theosophical Society/Movement covering the years 1874 through 
  1891.

  These writings as described in the last paragraph contain a wealth of 
  valuable material on Theosophy, metaphysics, esoteric lore/knowledge, 
  occult laws/processes in nature, ethical, spiritual and devotional 
  material, history (Theosophical and otherwise) and much more. 

  For additional information on some of the issues discussed above, see:

  . The Fountain Source of Modern Theosophy.

  . Madame Blavatsky's Occult Status and the Claims of Latter-Day 
  Messengers of the Masters.

  . Theosophical Claims & Controversies After H.P.B.'s Death 

  For recommended introductory reading plus listings of the writings of 
  Blavatsky and the Mahatmas, see:

  . H.P. Blavatsky, the Mahatmas and Theosophy: 21 Highly Recommended 
  Titles

  . H.P. Blavatsky, the Mahatmas & Theosophy: Introductory & Other 
  Recommended Online & Inprint Material

  . H.P. Blavatsky, the Mahatmas and Theosophy: Online and Printed 
  Sources

  . Online Writings of H.P. Blavatsky & the Mahatmas: A Comprehensive 
  Listing

  . In the Blavatsky Tradition: Major Online Books, Pamphlets & Other 
  Material on H.P. Blavatsky, the Mahatmas & Theosophy 

  ----------------------------------------------------------
  ----------

  Endnotes

  (1) In Nov. 1894, Mr. Judge declared (based on what he claimed were 
  the directions of Master M.) that Mrs. Besant was no longer joint 
  outer head with him of the esoteric school. See Judge's Order of 
  1894. See also Mrs. Besant's reply to Mr. Judge's order.

  9/18/07

  http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/theosophicaltraditions.htm



   

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