Theos-Talk Archives (January 2010 Message tt00033)

Hi Brad,

Oh, I'm just wondering what images and symbols Theosophists use, and how they employ them, when spiritually aligning themselves to the teachings in ways other than reading and thinking about them, or adopting a certain lifestyle.  In Martinism, there are a few very simple but direct symbols possibly displayed in a tableau that allow one to sanctify a space for meditation and study, for prayer, spiritual healing and...I don't know the word for it, but something like conversation with the Masters in the Invisible.  There are a few very simple rites one can do solo, but for the most part it doesn't have to be a very ritualistic tradition, at least as far as I've gone with it.  Some variants of Martinism have more complicated rituals than others; the tradition I know is very simple and direct, not a lot of "stuff" to do, not a lot of pages of text to recite or anything.
My understanding of S.M.'s teachings are that they are something like Quakerism--Inner Light, etc.--combined with a simplified, Gnosticized Catholicism.  Ritual and "magic", in a Martinist group, is more "devotional" in feel, with "Sacramentaries", prayers and the like, instead of the more Work or "scientific" feel of, say, Golden Dawn and other almost "laboratory" feeling practices.  From what I know of Sufism, it is nearly a twin of Martinism, just wearing a different Mantle.  There is an element of the Chivalrous too, but the Order in which I was initiated makes less of this than some others, esp. Martinistic Masonry like the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City.
I see a lot of Pure Land in Martinism too, in the sense that the Invisible is always reaching for us, and it is better to not overdo  Theurgy and Operative Ritual, for all this is almost getting in the way of the Work of the Light on Its Own.  Tis more useful to those of us with Martinist leanings to Soften the Heart rather than Sharpen the Mind, or harden the Will.
As for a comparison of HPB and LCSM, I am not yet acquainted enough with HPB to go into a whole discussion, but I'm here to learn.  

--Clint

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Brad Crawford <thot369@...> wrote:

> I recently began studying some of St. Martins works. I've just received a book by him, I ordered online. I'm interested in his lack of desire to practice
> "Theurgy", in which he was initiated into the school of Pasqually but, prefered " the inward way". Would you talk about your understanding of his,
> sort-of Rosicrucian type of beliefs and practices, and the teachings of HPB's similarity of "inward-way" teachings,with Martinism?How they may be
> similarly considered?
> 
> in L.V.X.
> 
> brad