The
Writings of C
What
Theosophy Is
From
A Textbook of
Theosophy
By
C
“ There is a school of philosophy still in existence
of which modernculture has lost sight.” In these words Mr. A. P. Sinnett began
his1881 book, The Occult World, the first popular exposition of Theosophy,
published thirty years ago. During the years that have passed since then, many
thousands have
learned
wisdom in that school, yet to the majority its teachings are still unknown, and
they can give only the vaguest of replies to the query, “What is Theosophy?”
Two
books already exist which answer that question: Mr. Sinnett’s Esoteric Buddhism
and Mrs. Besant’s The Ancient Wisdom. I have no thought of entering into
competition with those standard works; what I desire is to present a statement,
as clear and simple as I can make it, which may be regarded as introductory to
them.
We
often speak of Theosophy as not in itself a religion, but the truth which lies
behind all religions alike. That is so; yet, from another point of view, we may
surely say that it is at once a philosophy, because it puts plainly before us
an explanation of the scheme of evolution of both the souls and the bodies
contained, in our solar system. It is a religion in so far as, having
shown
us the course of ordinary evolution, it also puts before us and advises a
method of shortening that course, so that by conscious effort we may progress
more directly towards the goal.
It
is a science, because it treats both these subjects as matters not of
theological belief but of direct knowledge obtainable
by
study and investigation. It asserts that man has no need to trust to blind faith,
because he has within him latent powers which, when aroused, enable him to see
and examine for himself, and it proceeds to prove its case by showing how those
powers may be awakened. It is itself a result of the awakening of such powers
by men, for the teachings which it puts before us are founded upon direct
observations made in the past, and rendered possible only by such development.
As
a philosophy, it explains to us that the solar system is a carefully - ordered
mechanism, a manifestation of a magnificent life, of which man is but a small
part. Nevertheless, it takes up that small part which immediately concerns us,
and treats it exhaustively under three heads – present, past and future.
It
deals with the present by describing what man really is, as seen by means of
developed faculties. It is customary to speak of man as having a soul.
Theosophy,
as the result of direct investigation, reverses that dictum, and states that
man is a soul, and has a body – in fact several bodies, which are his vehicles
and instruments in various worlds. These worlds are not separate in space; they
are simultaneously present with us, here and now, and can be examined; they are
the divisions of the material side of Nature –
different
degrees of density in the aggregation of matter, as will presently be explained
in detail. Man has an existence in several of these, but is normally conscious
only of the lowest, though sometimes in dreams and trances he has glimpses of
some of the others. What is called death is the laying aside of the vehicle
belonging to this lowest world, but the soul or real man in a higher world is
no more changed or affected by this than the physical man is changed or
affected when he removes his overcoat. All this is a matter, not of
speculation, but of observation and experiment.
Theosophy
has much to tell us of the past history of man – of how in the course of
evolution he has come to what he now is. This also is a matter of observation,
because of the fact that there exists an indelible record of all that has taken
place – a sort of memory of Nature – by examining which the scenes of earlier
evolution may be made to pass before the eyes of the investigator as though
they were happening at this moment. By thus studying the past we learn that man
is divine in origin and that he has a long evolution behind him – a double
evolution, that of the life or soul within, and that of the outer form. We
learn, too, that the life of man as a soul is of what to us
seems
enormous length, and that what we have been in the habit of calling his life is
in reality only one day of his real existence.
He
has already lived through many such days, and has many more of them yet before
him; and if we wish to understand the real life and its object, we must
consider it in relation not only to this one day of it, which begins with birth
and ends with death, but also to the days which have gone before and those
which are yet to come.
Of
those that are yet to come there is also much to be said, and on this subject
too a great deal of definite information is available. Such information is
obtainable, first, from men who have already passed much further along the road
of evolution than we, and have consequently direct experience of it; and,
secondly,
from inferences drawn from the obvious direction of the steps which we seem to
have been previously taken. The goal of this particular cycle, is in sight,
though still far above us but it would seem that, even when that has been
attained, an infinity of progress still lies before everyone who is willing to
undertake it.
One
of the most striking advantages of Theosophy is that the light which it brings
to us at once solves many of our problems, clears away many difficulties,
accounts for the apparent injustices of life, and in all directions brings
order out of seeming chaos. Thus while some of its teaching is based upon the
observation of forces whose direct working is somewhat beyond the ken of the
ordinary man of the world, if the latter will accept it as a hypothesis he will
very soon come to see that it must be a correct one, because it, and it alone,
furnishes a coherent and reasonable explanation of the drama of life which is
being played before him.
The
existence of Perfected Men, and the possibility of coming into touch with Them
and being taught by Them, are prominent
among the great new truths which Theosophy brings to the Western World. Another
of them is the stupendous fact that the world is not drifting blindly into
anarchy, but that its progress is under the control of a perfectly organized
Hierarchy, so that
final
failure even for the tiniest of its units is of all
impossibilities
the most impossible. A glimpse of the working of that Hierarchy inevitably
engenders the desire to co-operate with it, to serve under it, in however
humble a capacity, and some time in the far-distant future to be worthy to join
the outer
fringes
of its ranks.
This
brings us to that aspect of Theosophy which we have called religious. Those who
come to know and to understand these things are dissatisfied with the slow
aeons of evolution; they yearn to become more immediately useful, and so they
demand and obtain knowledge of the shorter but steeper Path. There is no
possibility of escaping the amount of work that has to be done. It is like
carrying a load up a mountain; whether one carries it straight up a steep path
or more gradually by a road of gentle slope, precisely the same number of
foot-pounds must be exerted. Therefore to do the same work in a small fraction
of
the time means determined effort. It can be done, however, for it has been
done; and those who have done it agree that it far more than repays the
trouble.
The
limitations of the various vehicles are thereby gradually transcended, and the
liberated man becomes an intelligent co-worker in the mighty plan for the
evolution of all beings.
In
its capacity as a religion, too, Theosophy gives (Page 6) its followers a rule
of life, based not on alleged commands delivered at some remote period of the
past, but on plain common sense as indicated by observed facts. The attitude of
the student of Theosophy towards the rules which it prescribes resembles rather
that which we adopt to hygienic regulations than obedience to religious
commandments. We may say, if we wish, that this thing or that is in accordance
with the divine Will, for the divine Will is expressed in what we know as the
laws of nature. Because that Will wisely ordereth all things, to infringe its
laws means to disturb the smooth working of the scheme, to hold back for a
moment that fragment or tiny part of evolution, and consequently to bring
discomfort upon ourselves and others. It is for that reason that the wise man
avoids infringing them – not to escape the imaginary wrath of some offended
deity.
But
if from a certain point of view we may think of Theosophy as a religion, we
must note two great points of difference between it and what is ordinarily
called religion in the West. First, it neither demands belief from its
followers, nor does it even speak of belief in the sense in which that word is
usually employed. The student of occult science either knows a thing or
suspends his judgment about it; there is no place in his scheme for blind
faith.
Naturally,
beginners in the study cannot yet know for
themselves,
so they are asked to read the results of the various observations and to deal
with them as probable hypothesis – provisionally to accept and act upon them,
until such time
as
they can prove for themselves.
Secondly,
Theosophy never endeavours to convert any man from whatever religion he already
holds. On the contrary, it explains his religion to him, and enables him to see
in it deeper meanings than he has ever known before. It teaches him to
understand it and live it better than he did, and in many cases it gives back
to him, on a higher and more intelligent level, the faith in it which he had
previously all but lost.
Theosophy
has its aspect as a science also; it is in very truth a science of life, a
science of the soul. It applies to everything the scientific method of
oft-repeated, painstaking observation, and then tabulates the results and makes
deductions from them. In this way it has investigated the various planes of nature,
the conditions of man’s consciousness during life and after what is
commonly
called death. It cannot be too often repeated that its statements on all these
matters are not vague guesses or tenets of faith, but are based upon direct and
oft-repeated observation of what happens. Its investigators have dealt also to
a certain extent with subjects more in the range of ordinary science, as may be
seen by those who read the recently issued book on Occult
Chemistry.
Thus
we see that Theosophy combines within itself some of the characteristics of
philosophy, religion and science. What, it
might
be asked, is its gospel for this weary world? What are the main points which
emerge from its investigations?
What
are the great facts which it has to lay before humanity?
They
have been well summed up under three main heads.
“There
are three truths which are absolute, and which cannot be lost, but yet may
remain silent for lack of speech.
“The
soul of man is immortal, and its future is the future of a thing whose growth
and splendour has no limit.
“The
principle which gives life dwells in us and without us, is undying and
eternally beneficent, is not heard or seen or smelt, but is perceived by the
man who desires perception
“Each
man is his own absolute lawgiver; the dispenser of glory or gloom to himself;
the decreer of his life, his reward, his punishment.
“These
truths, which are as great as is life itself, are as simple as the simplest
mind of man”.
Put
shortly, and in the language of the man of the street, this means that God is
good, that man is immortal, and that as we sow so we must reap. There is a
definite scheme of things; it is under intelligent direction and works under
immutable laws. Man has his place in this scheme and is living under these
laws.
If
he understands them and co-operates with
them, he will advance rapidly and will be happy; if he does not understand them
– if wittingly or unwittingly, he breaks them, he will delay his progress and
be miserable. These are not theories, but proved facts. Let him who doubts read
on, and he will see.
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Tekels Park to be Sold to a
Developer
Concerns are
raised about the fate of the wildlife as
The Spiritual
Retreat, Tekels Park in Camberley,
Surrey, England is to be sold to a developer
Tekels Park is a
50 acre woodland park, purchased
for the Adyar Theosophical Society in England
in 1929.
In addition to
concern about the park, many are
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Deer
as they are not a protected species.
Many feel that
the sale of a sanctuary
for wildlife to a developer can
only mean
disaster for the park’s animals
Confusion as the
Theoversity moves out of
Tekels Park to Southampton,
Glastonbury &
Chorley in Lancashire while the
leadership claim
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developer
Future of Tekels Park Badgers
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Tekels Park & the Loch
Ness Monster
A Satirical view of
the sale of Tekels Park
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Surrey to a developer
The Toff’s Guide to the Sale
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What the men in
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__________________________
Classic Introductory Theosophy Text
A Text Book of Theosophy
By C
What Theosophy Is From the Absolute to Man
The Formation of a Solar System The Evolution of Life
The Constitution of Man After Death Reincarnation
The Purpose of Life The Planetary Chains
The Result of Theosophical Study
An Outstanding
Introduction to Theosophy
By a student of
Katherine Tingley
Elementary Theosophy Who is the Man? Body and Soul
Body, Soul and Spirit Reincarnation Karma
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