The All
Getting Started in Theosophy
(And it’s all
Free Stuff )
People outside
Wales may also find this guide useful
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
1831 – 1891
____________________
The Theosophical Mahatmas
By
H P Blavatsky
IT is with sincere and profound regret-though with no
surprise, prepared as I am for years for such declarations-that I have read in
the Rochester Occult Word, edited by Mrs. J. Cables, the devoted president of
the T.S. of that place, her joint editorial with Mr. W. T. Brown. This sudden
revulsion of feeling is perhaps quite natural in the lady, for she has never
bad the opportunities given her as Mr. Brown has; and her feeling when she
writes that after "a great desire . . . to be put into communication with
the Theosophical Mahatmas we (they) have come to the conclusion that it is
useless to strain the Psychical eyes towards the Himalayas . . . is undeniably
shared by many theosophists. Whether the complaints are justified, and also
whether it is the "Mahatmas" or theosophists themselves who are to
blame for it is a question that remains to be settled.
It has been a pending case for several years and will
have to be now decided, as the two complainants declare over their signatures
that "we (they) need not run after Oriental mystics, who deny their
ability to help us." The last sentence, in italics, has to be seriously
examined. I ask the privilege to make a few remarks thereon.
To begin with, the tone of the whole article is that
of a true manifesto. Condensed and weeded of its exuberance of Biblical
expressions it comes to this paraphrastical declaration: "We have knocked
at their door, and they have not answered us; we have prayed for bread, they
have denied us even a stone." The charge is quite serious; nevertheless,
that it is neither just nor fair-is what I propose to show.
As I was the first in the United States to bring the
existence of our Masters into publicity; and, having 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, causing vulgar speculation and curiosity to grow
around those blessed names, and finally leading to a public rebuke, I believe
it my duty to contradict the fitness of the latter by explaining the whole
situation, as I feel myself the chief culprit. It may do good to some,
perchance, and will interest some others.
Let no one think withal, that I come out as a champion
or a defender of those who most assuredly need no defense. What I intend, is to
present simple facts, and let after this the situation be judged on its own
merits. To the plain statement of our brothers and sisters that they have been
"living on husks," "hunting after strange gods" without
receiving admittance, I would ask in my turn, as plainly: "Are you sure of
having knocked at the right door? Do you feel certain that you have not lost
your way by stopping so often on your journey at strange doors, behind which
lie in wait the fiercest enemies of those you were searching for?" Our
MASTERS are not a jealous god"; they are simply holy mortals,
nevertheless, however, higher than any in this world, morally, intellectually
and spiritually. However holy and advanced in the science of the Mysteries
-they are still men, members of a Brotherhood, who are the first in it to show
themselves subservient to its time-honored laws and rules. And one of the first
rules in it demands that those who start on their journey Eastward, as
candidates to the notice and favors of those who are the custodians of those
Mysteries, should proceed by the straight road, without stopping on every
side-way and path, seeking to join other "Masters" and professors
often of the Left Hand Science; that they should have confidence and show trust
and patience, besides several other conditions to fulfill. Failing in all of
this from first to last, what right has any man or woman to complain of the
liability of the
Masters to help them?
Truly " 'The Dwellers of the threshold' are
within!"
Once that a theosophist would become a candidate for
either chelaship or favors, he must be aware of the mutual pledge, tacitly, if
not formally offered and accepted between the two parties, and, that such a
pledge is sacred. It is a bond of seven years of probation. If during that
time, notwithstanding the many human shortcomings and mistakes of the candidate
(save two which it is needless to specify in print) he remains throughout every
temptation true to the chosen Master, or Masters (in the case of lay
candidates), and as faithful to the Society founded at their wish and under
their orders, then the theosophist will be initiated into ______thence-forward
allowed to communicate with his guru unreservedly, all his failings, save this
one, as specified, may be overlooked: they belong to his future Karma, but are left
for the present, to the discretion and judgment of the Master. He alone has the
power of judging whether even during those long seven years the chela will be
favoured regardless of his mistakes and sins, with occasional communications
with, and from, the guru.
The latter thoroughly posted as to the causes and
motives that led the candidate into sins of omission and commission is the only
one to judge of the advisability or inadvisability of bestowing encouragement;
as he alone is entitled to it, seeing that he is himself under the inexorable
law of Karma, which no one from the Zulu savage up to the highest archangel can
avoid--and that he has to assume the great responsibility of the causes created
by himself.
Thus, the chief and the only indispensable condition
required in the candidate or chela on probation, is simply unswerving fidelity
to the chosen Master and his purposes. This is a condition sine qua non; not as
I have said, on account of any jealous feeling, but simply because the magnetic
rapport between the two once broken, it becomes at each time doubly difficult
to re-establish it again; and that it is neither just nor fair, that the
Masters should strain their powers for those whose future course and final
desertion they very often can plainly foresee. Yet, how many of those who,
expecting as I would call it "favours by anticipation," and being
disappointed, instead of humbly repeating mea culpa, tax the Masters with
selfishness and injustice? They will deliberately break the thread of connection
ten times in one year, and yet expect each time to be taken back on the old
lines! I know of one theosophist-let him be nameless though it is hoped he will
recognize himself--a quiet, intelligent young gentleman, a mystic by nature,
who, in his ill-advised enthusiasm and impatience, changed Masters and his
ideas about half a dozen times in less than three years. First he offered
himself, was accepted on probation and took the vow of chelaship; about a year
later, he suddenly got the idea of getting married, though he had several
proofs of the corporeal presence of his Master, and had several favours
bestowed upon him. Projects of marriage, failing, he sought "Masters"
under other climes, and became an enthusiastic Rosicrucian; then be returned to
theosophy as a Christian mystic; then again sought to enliven his austerities
with a wife; then gave up the idea and turned a spiritualist. And now having
applied once more "to be taken back as a chela" (I have his letter)
and his Master remaining silent-he renounced him altogether, to seek in he
words of the above manifesto-his old "Essenian Master and to test the
spirits in his name."
The able and respected editor of the Occult Word and
her Secretary are right, and have chosen the only true path in which with a
very small dose of blind faith, they are sure to encounter no deceptions or
disappointments. "It is pleasant for some of us," they say, "to
obey the call of the 'Man of Sorrows' who will not turn any away, because they
are unworthy or have not scored up a certain percentage of personal
merit." How do they know? unless they accept the cynically awful and
pernicious dogma of the Protestant Church, that teaches the forgiveness of the
blackest crime, provided the murderer believes sincerely that the blood of his
"Redeemer" has saved him at the last hour-what is it but blind
unphilosophical faith? Emotionalism is not philosophy; and Buddha devoted his
long self-sacrificing life to tear people away precisely from that evil
breeding superstition. Why speak of Buddha then, in the same breath? The
doctrine of salvation by personal merit, and self-forgetfulness is the
comer-stone of the teaching of the Lord Buddha. Both the writers may have and
very likely they did" hunt after strange gods"; but these were not
our MASTERS. They have "denied Him thrice" and now propose "with
bleeding feet and prostrate spirit" to "pray that He (Jesus) may take
us (them) once more under his wing," etc. The "Nazarene Master"
is sure to oblige them so far. Still they will be "living on husks"
plus "blind faith." But in this they are the best judges, and no one
has a Tight to meddle with their private beliefs in our Society; and heaven
grant that they should not in their fresh disappointment turn our bitterest
enemies one day.
Yet, to those Theosophists, who are displeased with
the Society in general, no one has ever made to you any rash promises; least of
all, has either the Society or its founders ever offered their
"Masters" as a chromo-premium to the best-behaved. For years every
new member has been told that he was promised nothing, but bad everything to
expect only from his own personal merit.
The Theosophist is left free and untrammeled in his
actions. Whenever displeased--alia tentanda via est--no harm in trying
elsewhere; unless, indeed one has offered himself and is decided to win the
Masters' favors. To such especially, I now address myself and ask: Have you
fulfilled your obligations and pledges? Have you, who would fain lay all the
blame on the Society and the Masters-the latter the embodiment of charity,
tolerance, justice and universal love-have you led the life requisite, and the
conditions required from one who becomes a candidate? Let him who feels in his
heart and conscience that he has,--that he has never once failed seriously,
never doubted his Master's wisdom, never sought other Master or Masters in his
impatience to become an Occultist with powers; and that he has never betrayed
his theosophical duty in thought or deed,-let him, I say, rise and protest. He
can do so fearlessly; there is no penalty attached to it, and he will not even
receive a reproach, let alone be excluded from the Society-the broadest and
most liberal in its views, the most catholic of all the Societies known or
unknown. I am afraid my invitation will remain unanswered.
During the eleven years of the existence of the
Theosophical Society I have known, out of the seventy-two regularly accepted
chelas on probation and the hundreds of lay candidates-only three who have not
hitherto failed, and one only who had a full success. No one forces anyone into
chelaship; no promises are uttered, none except the mutual pledge between
Master and the would-be chela. Verily, Verily, many are the called but few are
chosen-or rather few who have the patience of going to the bitter end, if
bitter we can call simple perseverance and singleness of purpose.
What about the Society, in general, outside of India?
Who among the many thousands of members does lead the life? Shall anyone say
because be is a strict vegetarian-elephants and cows are that or happens to
lead a celibate life, after a stormy youth in the opposite direction; or
because he studies the Bhagavad-Gita or the "Yoga philosophy" upside
down, that he is a theosophist according to the Masters' hearts? As it is not
the cowl that makes the monk, so, no long hair with a poetical vacancy on the
brow are sufficient to make of one a faithful follower of divine Wisdom. Look
around you, and behold our UNIVERSAL Brotherhood so called! The Society founded
to remedy the glaring evils of Christianity, to shun bigotry and intolerance,
cant and superstition and to cultivate real universal love extending even to
the dumb brute, what has it become in
selfishness--with kicks and scandals? Truly we are an
example to the world, and fit companions for the holy ascetics of the snowy
Range!
And now a few words more before I close. I will be
asked: "And who are you to find fault with us? Are you, who claim
nevertheless communion with the Masters and receive daily favors from Them; Are
you so holy, faultless, and so worthy?"
To this I answer: I AM NOT. Imperfect and faulty is my
nature; many and glaring are my shortcomings--and for this my Karma is heavier
than that of any other Theosophist. It is--and must be so--since for so many
years I stand set in the pillory, a target for my enemies and some friends
also. Yet I accept the trial cheerfully. Why? Because I know that I have, all
my faults notwithstanding, Master's protection extended over me. And if I have
it, the reason for it is simply this: for thirty-five years and more, ever
since 1851 that I saw any Master bodily and personally for the first time, I
have never once denied or even doubted Him, not even in thought. Never a
reproach or a murmur against Him has escaped my lips, or entered even my brain
for one instant under the heaviest trials. From the first I knew what I had to
expect, for I was told that, which I have never ceased repeating to others: as
soon as one steps on the Path leading to the Ashrum of the blessed Masters--the
last and only custodians of primitive Wisdom and Truth--his Karma, instead of
having to be distributed throughout his long life, falls upon him in a block
and crushes him with its whole weight.
He who believes in what he professes and in his
Master, will stand it and come out of the trial victorious; he who doubts, the
coward who fears to receive his just dues and tries to avoid justice being
done--FAILS. He will not escape Karma just the same, but he will only lose that
for which he has risked its untimely visits. This is why, having been so
constantly, so mercilessly slashed by my Karma using my enemies as unconscious
weapons, that I have stood it all. I felt sure that Master would not permit
that I should perish; that he would always appear at the eleventh hour--and so
he did. Three times I was saved from death by Him, the last time almost against
my will; when I went again into the cold, wicked world out of love for Him, who
has taught me what I know and made me what I am. Therefore, I do His work and
bidding, and this is what has given me the lion's strength to support
shocks--physical and mental, one of which would have killed any theosophist who
would go on doubting of the mighty protection.
Unswerving devotion to Him who embodies the duty
traced for me, and belief in the Wisdom--collectively, of that grand,
mysterious, yet actual Brotherhood of holy men--is my only merit, and the cause
of my success in Occult philosophy.
And now repeating after the Paraguru--my Master's
MASTER--the words He had sent as a message to those who wanted to make of the
Society a "miracle club" instead of a Brotherhood of Peace, Love and
mutual assistance--"Perish rather, the Theosophical Society and its
hapless Founders," I say perish their twelve years' labour and their very
lives rather than that I should see what I do today: theosophists, outvying
political "rings" in their search for personal power and authority;
theosophists slandering and criticizing each other as two rival Christian sects
might do; finally theosophists refusing to lead the life and then criticizing
and throwing slurs on the grandest and noblest of men, because tied by their
wise laws--hoary with age and based on an experience of human nature millenniums
old--those Masters refuse to interfere with Karma and to play second fiddle to
every theosophist who calls upon Them and whether he deserves it or not.
Unless radical reforms in our American and European
Societies are speedily resorted to--I fear that before long there will remain
but one centre of Theosophical Societies and Theosophy in the whole
world--namely, in
H P BLAVATSKY
______________________
The All
Guide to
Getting Started in Theosophy
_______________________
Find out more about
Theosophy with these links
Independent Theosophical Blog
One liners and quick explanations
About aspects of Theosophy
H P Blavatsky is usually the only
Theosophist that most people have ever
heard of. Let’s put that right
The Voice of the Silence Website
An Independent Theosophical Republic
Links to Free Online Theosophy
Study Resources; Courses, Writings,
Selection of H P Blavatsky’s Writings
Quick Explanations with Links to More Detailed Info
What is Theosophy ? Theosophy Defined (More Detail)
Three Fundamental Propositions Key Concepts of Theosophy
Cosmogenesis Anthropogenesis Root Races
Ascended Masters After Death States
The Seven Principles of Man Karma
Reincarnation Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott William Quan Judge
The Start of the Theosophical
Society
History of the Theosophical
Society
Theosophical Society Presidents
History of the Theosophical
Society in Wales
The Three Objectives of the
Theosophical Society
Explanation of the Theosophical Society
Emblem
The Theosophical Order of
Service (TOS)
Glossaries of Theosophical Terms
Index of Searchable
Full Text Versions of
Definitive
Theosophical Works
H P Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine
Isis Unveiled by H P Blavatsky
H P Blavatsky’s Esoteric Glossary
Mahatma Letters to A P Sinnett 1 - 25
A Modern Revival of Ancient Wisdom
(Selection of Articles by H P Blavatsky)
The Secret Doctrine – Volume 3
A compilation of H P Blavatsky’s
writings published after her death
Esoteric Christianity or the Lesser Mysteries
The Early Teachings of The Masters
A Collection of Fugitive Fragments
Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy
Mystical,
Philosophical, Theosophical, Historical
and Scientific
Essays Selected from "The Theosophist"
Edited by George
Robert Stow Mead
From Talks on the Path of Occultism - Vol. II
In the Twilight”
Series of Articles
The In the Twilight”
series appeared during
1898 in The
Theosophical Review and
from 1909-1913 in The Theosophist.
compiled from
information supplied by
her relatives and friends and edited by A P Sinnett
Letters and
Talks on Theosophy and the Theosophical Life
Obras Teosoficas En Espanol
Theosophische Schriften Auf Deutsch
Try these if you don’t live in
and are looking for a local group
UK Listing of Theosophical Groups
____________________________
Cardiff
Theosophical Society
Mission
Statement
The dominant
and core activity of Cardiff Theosophical Society
is to
promote and assist the study of Theosophical Teachings
as
defined by the writings of Helena
Petrovna Blavatsky,
William Quan Judge, Alfred Percy Sinnett and
their lineage.
This
Mission Statement does not preclude non Theosophical
activities
but these must be of a spiritual nature
and/or
compatible with the Objects of the Society.
____________________________
कार्डिफ थियोसोफिकल सोसायटी
मिशन स्टेटमेंट
कार्डिफ थियोसोफिकल सोसायटी के प्रमुख और मुख्य गतिविधि
थियोसोफिकल शिक्षाओं का अध्ययन को बढ़ावा देने के लिए और सहायता के लिए है
के रूप में Helena Petrovna Blavatsky के लेखन से परिभाषित,
William Quan Judge, Alfred Percy Sinnett और उनके वंश.
इस मिशन स्टेटमेंट बाधा नहीं थियोसोफिकल गैर
गतिविधियों लेकिन ये एक आध्यात्मिक प्रकृति की होनी चाहिए
और / या सोसायटी की वस्तुओं के साथ संगत.
Kārḍipha
thiyōsōphikala sōsāyaṭī
Miśana sṭēṭamēṇṭa
Kārḍipha thiyōsōphikala
sōsāyaṭī kē pramukha aura mukhya
gatividhiThiyōsōphikala
śikṣā'ōṁ kā adhyayana kō
baṛhāvā dēnē
kē li'ē aura sahāyatā
kē li'ē haiKē rūpa mēṁ
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky kē
lēkhanasē paribhāṣita
William Quan Judge, Alfred Percy
Sinnett, Aura unakē vanśa.
Isa miśana sṭēṭamēṇṭa bādhā
nahīṁ thiyōsōphikala gaira
Gatividhiyōṁ lēkina yē ēka ādhyātmika
prakr̥ti kī hōnī cāhi'ē
Aura/ yā sōsāyaṭī kī vastu'ōṁ kē
sātha saṅgata.
____________________________
___________________________
Cardiff Theosophical
Society in Wales
Cardiff, Wales, UK. CF24 – 1DL
_____________________________
Cardiff Picture Gallery
The Hayes Cafe
Outside
Royal
The Original Norman Castle which stands
inside
the Grounds of the later
Inside the Grounds at
Cardiff
Theosophical Society in Wales