Aquarian Theospophist Vol-5-4

The Aquarian Theosophist
Volume V, No. 4 February 17, 2005

e-mail: ultinla@juno.com Archive: http://teosofia.com/AT.html
Motive and Intent

For it is the motive, and the motive
alone, which makes any exercise of power
become black, malignant, or white, be-
neficent Magic. It is impossible to employ
Everything in nature is bad or good ac-
spiritual forces if there is the slightest
cording to the nature and motive of man;
tinge of selfishness remaining in the op-
at each moment of life, man can choose
erator. For, unless the intention is entirely
the Left or Right. (HPB Commentary on
unalloyed, the spiritual will transform it-
Pistis Sophia)
self into the psychic, act on the astral
plane, and dire results may be produced
by it. (“Practical Occultism”)
People are very apt to use terms which

they do not understand, and to pass judg-
ments on prima facie evidence. The dif-
In reality, there is no such thing as
ference between White and Black Magic
"Separateness"; and the nearest ap-
is very difficult to realize fully, as both
proach to that selfish state, which the
have to be judged by their motive, upon
laws of life permit, is in the intent or
which their ultimate, though not their im-
motive. (The Key to Theosophy, p. 203)
mediate, effects depend, even though
these may not come for years. (Collected
Writings, vol. Xiv, p. 106)
[“. . . Oriental Wisdom teaches us that The Art of Peace, is a book with pres-
the Hindu Yogi who isolates himself in an entations by nine Nobel Peace Laureates
impenetrable forest, like the Christian discussing Human Rights, Conflict and Rec-
hermit who, as was common in former onciliation. As is usually the case with the
times, retires to the desert, are both of Dalai Lama, he begins his presentation with
them but accomplished egoists. The one
acts with the sole idea of finding in the
TABLE OF CONTENTS
One essence of Nirvâna refuge against re-
incarnation; the other acts with the unique
Motive and Intent 1
idea of saving his soul—both of them
think only of themselves. Their motive is The Global Village 4
altogether personal; for, even supposing The Return of the Gods 7
they attain their end, are they not like
cowardly soldiers, who desert the regi- The Time of Stay in Devachan 19
ment when it goes into action, in order to The Coffee Klatch 20
protect themselves from the bullets? In
isolating themselves as they do, neither Collecting the Mind 22
the Yogi nor the “saint” helps anyone but Correspondence 25
himself; on the contrary, both show them-
selves profoundly indifferent to the fate of The Meaning of a Pledge 28
mankind whom they fly from and desert.
(“World Improvement or World Deliverance.”)
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #4 February 17, 2005 Page 2
Motive or Intent as the necessary root out any motivation, so we call them natu-
Cause: ral disasters. These we can’t avoid. But
in the other type of violence, which is
I believe that in human actions, the created by humans ourselves, motivation
prime mover is motivation. On the spot, is involved. Those kinds of violence can
it is important to tackle the symptoms of be changed — we can reduce them, and
problems, but in the long run, it is neces- there is even a possibility to eliminate
sary to look at the motivation and them. Therefore, we need to try to
whether there is a possibility to change it. change our attitude to cultivate the right
For the long run, this is crucial. As long kind of motivation.
as the negative motivation is not changed,
then although there might be certain rules Through what methods? I feel that
and methods to stop counterproductive prayer or religious belief is to some ex-
actions, human beings have the ability tent useful and can be helpful. But basi-
through various ways to express their cally, simple awareness — knowledge of
negative feeling. Thus, for the long run, long-term and short-term consequences
we need to look at our motivation and try — brings great help. If we make clear to
to change it. This means that we must try people the negative long-term conse-
to cultivate the right kind of motivation quences, eventually they can develop
and try to reduce the negative motivation. clear realization that these negative, vio-
lent activities are bad, because of induc-
Basically, the concept of “I” is key. ing painful experience and unhappiness.
The things that surround you, all these ul-
Again, what is violence and non-
timately are designated, so the designator,
violence? We can’t make a clear demar-
the self, is supreme. That’s why, in many
cation between violence and non-violence
countries, one’s own country is the center
on a superficial basis, since it is related
of the universe. Then, within the coun-
with motivation. Out of sincere motiva-
try, ultimately the person himself or her-
tion, certain verbal actions, as well as
self is the center of the whole universe.
physical actions, may look more wrathful,
Now, this self wants happiness and does
more violent, harsher, but in essence, be-
not want suffering. Generally speaking,
cause these activities come out of a sin-
violence produces suffering; compassion
cere motivation of compassion, or a sense
or non-violence brings us happiness.
of caring, they are essentially non-
Therefore, violence we consider to be
violent. On the other hand, with negative
negative, and non-violence we consider
motivation, trying to cheat, trying to ex-
to be positive. Violent things like Hurri-
ploit, trying to deceive, and using nice
cane Mitch1 in Central America are with-
words — although with a big artificial
smile and with a gift — might look like a
friendly gesture, but because of motiva-
1
Hurricane Mitch grew to become the Atlantic tion, it is the worst kind of violence. So I
basin's fourth strongest hurricane ever with feel that in certain cases volence can be
sustained winds of 180 mph October 26 into said to be a manifestation or expression
early October 27, 1998. It was the strongest
storm in the western Caribbean since Hurricane of compassion. Nevertheless, non-
Gilbert in 1988. Mitch stalled off the coast of violence is the basic expression of com-
Honduras from late on Oct. 27 until the evening passion; therefore, the concepts of non-
of Oct. 29 before moving slowly inland. As the
storm's winds weakened it continued dumping
violence and compassion are very, very
heavy rain on Central America, causing floods close.
and mudslides that had been blamed for at
least 10,000 deaths by Nov. 2. On Nov. 3, In order to promote non-violence
Mitch's ghostly remains entered the southern
Gulf of Mexico and warm waters rejuvenated
and reduce violence, ultimately we have
the system into a tropical storm. Mitch then to address motivation through education,
barreled through southern Florida early Nov. 5 through awareness. Here, I want to share
before finally becoming extratropical at 4 p.m. with you a few thoughts about the con-
EST, Nov. 5.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/huricane/19 cept of war. In ancient times, when peo-
98/wmitch.htm ple remained separately, more or less in-
dependently, there was no need for other We need a method, a technique, to

people’s cooperation. You could survive, overcome these contradictions. That is
you could live, completely independently. compromise. …
Under those circumstances, the conept of
war, destruction of your enemy, and the But while reality is much changed,
victory of your side were a real possibil- our perception, our way of thinking, re-
ity. Today’s world is no longer that kind mains behind. We retain an attitude that
of reality. Your survival, your success, is essentially outmoded — “my nation,”
your progress, are very much related with “their nation,” “my religion,” “another’s
other’s well being. Therefore, under religion,” and sometimes the beautiful
these circumstances even your enemies name “patriotism” is used with too much
— for whatever reason you categorize narrow-minded nationalism, sometimes
them as an enemy in the economic field even making people mad.
and in some other fields — and you are
still very much interdependent. In such a Since the situation in which we
situation, destruction of your enemy is live is much changed but the attitude of
actually destruction of yourself. Judging the people who are in that situation is at
from that viewpoint, the concept of “we” variance with the times, this is one of the
and “they” no longer applies. Thus the causes of unnecessary pain, unnecessary
concept of war, destruction of the other problems. Therefore, education is needed
side, is not relevant to today’s situation. to communicate that the concept of vio-
Therefore, I think it is very important to lence is counterproductive, that it is not a
make it clear that the concept of war not realistic way to solve problems, and that
only is a painful experience but also is compromise is the only realistic way to
self-destructive. solve problems. Right from the begin-
ning we have to make this reality clear to
Non-violence and peace do not a child’s mind — the new generation, in
mean that we remain indifferent, passive. this way, the whole attitude towards one-
Problems and contradictions always re- self, towards the world, towards others,
main. I believe that as long as human be- can become more healthy. I usually call
ings remain, as long as human intelli- this “inner disarmament.” Without inner
gence is present, some kind of conflict, disarmament, it is very difficult to
some kind of contradiction, always re- achieve genuine, lasting world peace.
mains. If we look at contradictory or dif-
ferent ideas, they are not necessarily So, it is extremely important to
negative. Even if we consider our body, look inward and try to promote the right
many elements co-exist. These elements kind of attitude, which is based on
oppose one another — they are contradic- awareness of reality. A sense of caring
tory. Forces that contradict one another for others is crucial. And it is actually
are the basis of further development; the best way of caring for oneself. (The Art
of Peace, Nobel Peace Laureates discuss Human Rights,
things stay more balanced, and that is Conflict and Reconciliation, p. 211-214, edited by Jef-
healthy. Therefore, as long as this smart frey Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications,
Ithaca, NY 2000 [available at www.amazon.com ])
human brain remains, some kind of con-
tradiction is always there. Even within
one single person — because of the power
of imagination, the power of vision, you
get different ideas: in the morning,
something different, and in the evening,
something different. There are big dif-
ferences, contradictions. Sometimes
these are so great that, if one lacks the
ability to overcome them, even suicide
sometimes can occur.
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Den TEOSOFISKA THE SECRET DOCTRINE by H.P. Blavatsky

Ursprungliga Undervisningen
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TEOSOFISKA FÖREDRAG London, Ontario N5Y 2L8
Hela höstterminen 2004 CANADA
den 6 oktober Manligt och kvinnligt ur Wednesday Evening 7:30 to 8:45 PM
ett andligt perspektiv ____________________________________
den 13 oktober I Mästarnas fotspår December Discussions
facilitated by the articles of
den 20 oktober Den globala karman Robert Crosbie and H.P. Blavatsky
den 27 oktober Sufismen och teosofin The Recognition of Law

What Reincarnates
What Survives after Death
den 3 november Regression, Hypnos & Christmas Then and Christmas Now
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H. P. Blavatsky
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den 8 december Intuition och
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den 15 december Shakti - Ljustes gudinna
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PROGRAM - 2004―2005 Act II

SUNDAY EVENINGS On Delos, an island in the Aegean Sea, Agathon and
7:00 - 7:45 P.M. Helen discuss with Diotima and Apollodorus the
Universal Theosophy by Robert Crosbie recent rise of interest in dreams.
8:00 — 8:45 P.M. Agathon:

Study, read, question, discuss, discover, Everyday there are festivals and rituals
the Teaching and somewhere on this Earth;
Philosophy of Theosophy there are Temples for virgins,
some temples for heterophobics,
there are sanctuaries for Nuns Agathon:

and some for Monks. I know no one like you.
There are stadiums to honor sports, You'll even find patterns
and pilgrimages to honor rodents and ducks. in the entrails of a duck.
So what did you see and hear
None are so creative, however, when dreamers babble
as our new Festival for Dreams. about their dreams?
I take some pride in having contributed
to making our Festival the awakening event. Helen:
Even though I had plenty of support No random babble comes up in dreams.
it still was very challenging to get it right. The themes that are repeated
My son, Apollodorus, even had to take on a variety of forms like the circle of fifths;
halt his travels to give me a helping hand. I tell you these dreams have done the impossible.
They have awakened the many to ponder and reflect.
Look around and see what we have done.
Songs fill the day and dances go on all night. Who would have thought
What none ever thought possible a dream could awaken
is happening tonight: those slumbering minds that
there are talks about dreams and had been asleep so long.
I don't even know what all else. Some dreams are so vivid and some vivacious
It may transform our ancient city that they seem to carry great weight,
from obscurity to the center so the dreamers are drawn to talk to one another,
of this dawning light. or else their silence seals their fate.
Helen: Some wonder if they are chained or free,

Strange as that is, Agathon, son of Cephalos, since their dreams repeatedly reveal that
something else is more strange. they are fettered like prisoners and
We were discussing how other such festivals left in a world of shadows to confront their fears.
have jumped into being
all at once and all over the place. Some speak of being amazed
Say one or two and at their dreams because
that's accident enough, but what they hear in them are echoes
with so many and all at once of nurses’ tales still ringing in their ears.
I wonder more deeply why and
how this could have been done. Others glimpse terrible images
Of death and destruction
Agathon: in their boldest dreams
You've been repeating that and through out it all
question these several days, there are furious thundering shouts
just what has all this stirred up in you? from solemn faced preachers and
Is it some new market that heavily robed priests.
is opening up for you and The cries they hear from them proclaim that
you wonder how to respond to it? all are destined to fall into a tortuous hell
I could be way off, but is it possible that more terrible than can be imagined.
some insight or prophecy is coming to you?
It’s not like you to keep all that to yourself. Consider, if messages in dreams
are what we need to hear then
Helen: they must be challenging
Not all prophecy is from heaven; the messages of doom that we have often hear. .
I’ve seen that at certain times Could the tales of inevitable doom be
reason alone can foresee deep enough into our own indifference to an approaching calamity?
the seeds of conflicts and troubles to come. Perhaps, we have been the best students
Some festivals have presented similar themes of a teaching as foul as
as we have in our own Festival of Dreams. the worest stench that can be.
I’ve been told by several that
the dreams reported are troubled in the extreme. Agathon:
I examined a good number that Well, from what you have seen
were recorded with care and at our Festivals of Dreams
I found myself dwelling on them it is certainly clear that
and wonder about what they portend. dreams bring with them
not only smiles and laughter and you know it too.

but much sorrow and tears. The many guard themselves
Parents, priests, and all others against bewildering fright, and
bring a teaching more strange than dreams. just beneath their surface of politeness
a terror permeates their soul.
Helen: I have learned to be cautious among them
Yes, we have said that because behind all this
for all mankind it is one's parents lies a bitter rage ready to erupt into flames.
who are the child’ foremost teachers and
somewhere in all this Dreams dregs up the past that
are the tales of priests. most had hoped would be buried.
As we know, they never stop What family or church or
trying to preach and teach. country or man can endure after
After parents, all society drums in the themes facing the weight of their past deeds?
that support and mold the child All these kinds of people you’ll find are
to be images just like them. simply putting it all aside
Unknowingly, we beget monsters so that they can sleep the night
from monsters in an unbroken chain. under covers of illusions that
keep them warm and tight.
Well, I know you also believe that Dreams may be pleasant but
you should let sleeping dogs lie, but they also bring fright.
why do you think these are so furious
when the spell of their deep sleep is broken? Agathon:
I believe it is abundantly clear
Helen: from what I’ve seen that
I believe these intense dreams the most of mankind is too flawed
have surfaced anger and revenge. even to be helped.
Will what you see grow As you well know, their darkest secret
into an overwhelming wave? they keep from themselves and
Who will deal with this flood as sure as hell they want to keep it that way.
of deep seated feelings of rage? Listen with care to what I say,
Should we be cautious before “Don't disturb sleeping dogs, for
we open our doors to the many? they'll growl and they'll bite.”
Ours has been a small circle of friends and
friends of friends and now what? Alas, in my own dark moments
Shall we try to help those we do not understand? I slip into these views myself
when I can't answer someone's bold stand.
Agathon: The door you open up through dreams
I’ll tell you the truth I have learned the hard way. can come back to haunt you.
Know the many and get to use what you know of them,
being careful to keep ahead and out of their reach Helen:
while you feed their desires and reap the rewards. We have shared our secrets
I know the many out there. so I'll tell you the thoughts
They become furious at anyone I've been coming to.
who rejects their solemn screams: These dreams seem to have opened up
"Who can say what is right or wrong” another level for us to reflect upon.
“Each judges like the wayward wind” Some have awakened to confront
“What seems true to any one the puzzle of their dreams and
is true to him to whom it seems so.” have recognized the strange power of their dreams.
“Find the evil and crush it with all your might.” I have seen that it has humbled
“Kill them all, God knows his own” some of the most proud.
“Pick up the banner and march into war”
and, “All you need to believe is that might is right.” These are the some who now talk
Each of these is formidable, together it is maddness. more sincerely about facing the unknown and
Each needs to be deflated, a few of those are hearing
but you should be careful a distinctly different voice
if it is your turn to pull the plug on them. than they have ever heard
is coming out of that silence that
Helen: runs very deep.
Yes, I’ve learned the bitter lesson,
Now, I'll share a troubling worry that I began seeing much clearer
I expressed to Diotima just a short while ago. and that brings a clarity and
There is something moving us from a distance, depth to what I had ignored.
yet not far off, but strange are its moorings and Curious, is it not, that when you see that
stranger still its call. you can make that kind of distinction,
However, this gloom I have seen before it permits seeing other things, too.
seems now to be contrasted by For, shortly after I saw that, I could see
something else that just might be. an order in what before I had thought had none.
A possibility I dimly see could
for all that I know So you see that these talks with these few dreamers
become a reality. have made me see that dreamers
are not an indiscriminate many at all,
Agathon: but they are, in truth, four and, perhaps, five.
Tell me, truly, what is it that
bends you to this view? At first the massive confusion of these dreams
It's quite unlike you to keep appeared to me as if they were all the same,
silent for long. but now I can see their differences
while seeing that there is something
Helen: common that runs through them all.
Both images in art and in the images in dreams Each of the four have a different way
there are clues about the future. of shielding from themselves the fact
They anticipate the future and that they cannot risk being real.
in the past I just reconciled myself to this doom,
but there may be something emerging that could Agathon:
change Tell me the four from what you've heard.
even this dread that consumes me about our fate. I’d like to see what you thought
makes each one of them one of a special four.
There is so much destruction and nihilism
growing about us that Helen:
it made me think that this time None of the four could be at all
we may be facing a long dark age and that if they were not in conflict
nothing will ever emerge from the ashes. with what they deny they know.
Now, I wonder if there might be something else. The shadows they cling to as real
are only what someone
Agathon: convinced them to fear.
Might it be that with those few It is out of the fear they seek
you just mentioned that their cruel revenge on
you were working with what they secretly envy.
might have changed your vision
about what may be? Now, if you listen to the four
you’ll hear several beliefs about Gods that
To move from believing that have been passed on through
there is no room even for hope, the generations of man and
to believing there might be a glimmer of hope they are believed as if
is indeed jumping across an enormous gap. they have been vouched for from the Gods.
The first in my list is screamed aloud,
Helen: “Vengeance Alone Is Mine,” and
Yes, it is but while it may be a little thing, as it sweeps its way in history
yet it might offer some hope. what havoc it makes;
I had thought it all another sneers that children and
as an undifferentiated mass of confusion, those who cannot grasp
but, recently, I began seeing signs that the enormity of the concept of sin
within it there are divisions that can be made. will be sent into a fearsome hell
and eternally suffer for their ignorance,
Agathon: a punishment as enormously tragic as it is,
Well, we know that with divisions there must be far beyond all reason.
some features of design and intelligence at play.
And, still with those is that other belief
Helen: shouted from housetops that
What I had ignored before is no less strange since
they plead for holy wars, and the nihilist, the last of the four,
those slaughtered in their vicious battles has given up all such hope.
are sent to eternal pleasure Since he is empty of caring,
in the brothels of heaven, devoid of all hope,
leaving nothing but desolation and he would rather destroy all
fear in their wake. believing there is nothing that cares.
Unable to glimpse even the appearance
What binds such as these all together of a one, they believe nothingness triumphs.
is the belief that the God Here you have the four;
from which all this proceeds it all comes down to this,
takes on various transformations and that we can only learn to see
acts with much less justice after we have seen through
than either you or I would dare to display. each of these four.
The second of these four is another delusion. Agathon:

They cry it aloud in unison that Interesting diagnosis.
their mythology is true since So, you can see these dreams
it has been acted out on the stage of history. fall into each of these four.
Unable to live in a state of doubt or If those are the natural divisions of the many,
cultivate an understanding of things divine if that is all there is to the fabric of Man,
they seek certainty let each of them wear the garments
in what they believe and that can be torn from such cloth.
try to find in history I would like to see
what is nowhere in sight. how dreams fall into each class,
The belief that the One, but that will await another time.
awesome beyond Being in both dignity and power,
cannot be, is also the source of the other three. However, dismal your report you do believe
They seep out of one another there is actually a way to get out of these terrible four
like pus from an open infected wound. since you say you have seen
a few grow beyond these four.
For, the third of the four shout aloud that If so, since there is a fifth class of men,
since their God is dead they now place their faith these must be those you and Diotima have worked with.
in what they believe cannot be denied, Why do you think it succeeded with these
“there can be nothing more real and not with the others that you worked with?
than what I can hold in my hands.”
Yet they know that what they call real Helen:
can be broken and vanishes in the air and thus We both try to do our best with those we work with,
learn nothing at all but sadness and despair. but it is a difficult art to master.
With a sneer, they pronounce their folly Diotima went further than I did in dream work and
that “whatever works is true even though she dropped out of the training
for him to whom it seems so”. she learned enough to be somewhat effective.
They never ask how long one should wait
before judging the consequences of their work Agathon:
because they know that time My son, Apollodorus, mentioned to me that
would make a mockery of their work. Diotima has recently voiced regrets that
she hadn’t finished her studies and
They are the ones in whom has come to regret having abandoned her studies.
anger stirs because they are deep
in their disillusionment; Tell me, is your work, or practice, an art?
they’ve been made to believe Is the whole of dream work an art?
that they have been abandoned to chance
in a cold and indifferent universe. Helen:
They experience a pain in believing Your words have a way of resounding
they are locked out of through out my very being, for
participation in what is real. you’re asking if I know enough
to call what I do an Art
While the anarchist still has hope and you want to know if
that after burning it all down dream work really is an Art.
something new and Well, I have asked those questions myself, too.
fresh might come from its ashes, Take the art of medicine, seamanship, or husbandry
each one has a different knowledge that Helen:

in benefiting Man’s condition makes him more ideal. Your question is well aimed.
Why hasn’t dream-work, you ask, Some of those who come to me
become like the others, Arts? benefit in some way but
For each of them can be taught I often ask why so with these
to nearly anyone, but that rather than those others?
is not so with dream work. So I settle for modest changes and nothing more.
I have often wondered why some Each of those four groups have a fearsome depth and
have grasped it and others not. each a formidable power but
why some can escape and others not,
Our legends have told us that I have no answer for that.
the Arts were a gift to Man and
they saved him from extinction. Agathon:
However, when I consider that tale It may be that
I wonder if the application of each of these Arts when hope sprung forth from Pandora’s box
has really made Man’s condition more ideal? she distributed the cruel hope that
The most vicious tyrant dreams offer a key to our survival.
can be made healthy by medicine but Here comes Diotima.
no one can say that medicine Hello there, please join us.
can make him a better man. We have been discussing themes that
Seamanship does bring safe voyages you are very familiar with so join us here.
but it has made pirates more deadly, and The dream festival is bringing in new people
while husbandry has domesticated and and we were going over some old problems
trained animals to shoulder Man’s work, about dream work like why do some people
is he better for the leisure he has gained? gain by it and others not.
We will have to face the fact that Diotima:

even if dream-work is an Art Thanks for the invite.
it may very well do no better Good questions you have there.
than the other Arts in transforming Man. I’d say that skill is never
equally distributed in any art.
We know that our work reduces worry and fear,
It let’s people reflect on their lives, Agathon:
It gives them a chance to discuss things I know you have studied dreams and
that are associated with their dreams. some philosophy in the old city of Taxila and
True we are doing better work now Apollodorus tells me that you had studied
than before but there with the masters of your craft.
doing better is not best, is it? Have they really gone further in this study
than what you and Helen do here?
Perhaps the truth is that there is no art that
can bring Man into an Ideal state. Diotima:
I believe they have gone further, Agathon,
Either Man cannot become Ideal or however, it is not at all easy to say how much
if it does happen that someone became ideal Since I left before I should have.
would you really expect they should give a I studied there with Pausanius, son of Er,
rational account of it? who was one of the masters there.
Some say such transformations come I learned the hard way that the sign over the door,
incomprehensibly to those to whom it comes? “Nothing Left Unexamined” applied to me too.
Again, it just might be that
each person finds their own way and Agathon:
that none can tread another’s path. Consider the need, yours and ours and
decide who among us will test the limits of dreams.
Agathon:
Even if you have helped a few Diotima:
you must know that the many What I know now I didn’t know then.
will remain out of reach and I should have seen just how far
they are the ones who make up dream work and philosophy can go.
the wave of humanity, right? On my return I talked this over with you and
What do you make of that, Helen? others without going into
it as deeply as I should have.
you cannot escape being amazed.

And now, what do I hear from you, Agathon? In your dream you behold an image of Zeus
I find it most curious laughing at his own prophetic realization
that you mention Taxila. that Prometheus will join in laughing
It has come up as a subject in my dreams. at his own ignorance once he sees the futility in
I wanted to share the dream and having stolen for Mankind what they couldn’t use.
waited for a chance to tell it.
Does it seem an appropriate time to tell it?. Most dreams apply to everyday events and
Helen: For most, that is enough.
I would be much pleased to hear it. Look at this one.
Should you deal with it as if it is any dream
Diotima: and only search for its personal meaning
Good. when the theme is so clearly mythological?
I would love to share it with you both. Now, from what you have shared
this dream must have had an intensity and clarity to it,
In the dream I was once again in Taxila and but for all that I have no idea as to its meaning.
a priestess in regal robes
opened a sacred manuscript for me to read. Again, say it has a deep meaning and
As soon as I opened it up say its meaning adds to the meaning of the myth,
the illustrated pages came to life’ would that not make the dreamer a seer?
the words glowed with a luminosity that No, she would not be a seer since
was difficult to behold, her dream was doing the seeing.
and I beheld how an image of Zeus, Could it be that if the meaning was grasped
the Great Far Seeing One, we would awaken our own sense of prophecy?
who had created Gods and men, Could such dreams be dreamt by the makers
laughed outrageously when he realized of our mythology?
that Prometheus had shared
a gift with mankind that they couldn’t use. You say your dream brought you
For he knew that one day to a state of rare clarity and you experienced
Prometheus would come to realize his folly. a sense of simple majesty without grasping its meaning.
Then mightier chains than those that once fettered What shall we say but that all those states of mind that
him you experienced in the dream were significant to you
to that rock on the highest peak of the Caucasian even though you are unable to
Mountains grasp the meaning of the dream?
would be broken and in his new found freedom Significance without meaning,
he too would laugh aloud at his own foolishness. glowing luminosity amid darkest ignorance,
This scene burst upon me with rare clarity pages coming to life without any words to read,
and in recalling it right now all this is enough to baffle a sage.
I am overwhelmed again by its simple majesty.
Still, I’m unable to grasp its meaning. Agathon:
If this dream can be unraveled
Helen: and its meaning be made for all to see
I am more confused by this dream I wonder what kind of benefit
than any I have ever heard. there would be for you and for us here?
The laughter of Zeus is the strangest of signs,
his realization astonished himself, and Helen
what has been called tragic Actually, this reflection raises
he, prophetically, sees as comic. a most important issue for me.
Could it be that dreams like this
For this dream to be true means bring intense experiences that
that the themes of our myths are forever beyond our comprehension?
are flawed and barely reveal a bit of light. So that without what we desperately need,
If we can see what this means then we feel good for awhile and
our tales are capable of growth and development then return to our cave-like existence
and are not tales frozen in time but no better than we were before.
can be added to and transformed
from the dream world. Allegorical and anagogic levels of meaning
Always leave me in doubt.
Now, that is something I have never heard before. That doubt leads me to wonder
Just look at it again and If we need some new art,
one more simple and more powerful that working on allegorical dreams.
would go beyond what I have experienced. Not many people have them, so
I, too, have little experience with them.
Now, if that dream is pure as you would like it to be, I believe you know what you have to do.
you are duty bound to explore it, for Can you delay going back to Taxila
there is no one here that has the mind to match it. to finish the work you started there?
I only know one man, Plethon, son of Pausanius, Surely we both know that
whose mind could match this dream and unfolding the meaning of allegorical dreams
he is no stranger to dialogue and philosophy. is no easy thing nor is it easy to see
how each of the themes in these dreams
Diotima: is a thread that weaves a tapestry of meaning,
The dream is pure. for that is the task for contemplation.
I wrote the dream down as soon as I awoke. As you know, this dream of yours
The dream was so vivid and real that may not benefit you alone.
I’d say it is as pure as dreams can get. Can our understanding of these myths
Dreams like these trouble me bring us to a greater sense of the profound?
for reasons I cannot fully grasp. Can your return to Taxila and
They leave me with a sense of dread and doubt see if an ancient way of understanding can be
for I agree that everyday dreams brought back to us?
reveal the practical affairs of Man, and These are no small issues you face.
to go beyond that may or may not be folly. If it awakens us to what we have ignored,
I have a skill for the one but what alternative is there for you,
of the other I cannot say. but to go?
So I am led to wonder Surely, that is no simple decision to make.
how I can understand a dream that My own decisions have been plagued by self doubt.
goes beyond my own comprehension. Don’t let doubt undermine your journey,
Doubt leaves my soul troubled and as it has done to mine, nor let your efforts
I wonder if it reveals my own lack. be stalled by frightful indecision.
My doubts about myself always seems It has been some years since I was there
to separate me from everything but I do recall that Plethon was said to have helped
so I often stand dejected and alone. others with what you are struggling with and
that goes beyond dreams.
It could be that I need another art
one that can go along with our dream work Apollodorus:
because as it is I wonder where the fault lies. I share some of that concern, Diotima.
However, if there is an art that perfects dream work We have talked about it before and
it is likely it would be known in Taxila. gotten nowhere so, you know,
as I do, that you have no alternative.
However, if this dream turns out to be true
I can only say my work has been shallow. Now, I know Taxila.
A thought keeps nagging at me and It is not known to many but
it comes as a challenge that won’t let me go. to those who do know of her she is a jewel.
Actually, it is a question that hangs over me, The myth of Prometheus and
“Could it be that you have backed out of the the ancient city of Taxila are intertwined
profound in both dream work and philosophy as they are in your dream.
before you tested how far it goes?”
Consider, Taxila is not very far
Helen: from that mountain in the Caucuses,
Very good question you have there. the desolate land of the Sythians,
where Prometheus was said
The dream you have been given is a gift to have been chained.
and what you do with it is yours to decide.
The dream challenges your own practice I have heard that
And maybe the limits and depth of your philosophy. it has been the home to many sages and
It may make you face what you have ignored. has given birth to many holy traditions.
Can you take the challenge of seeing What do you know of it, Helen?
just how far and deep dream work goes?
You and I both know that Helen:
your own level of dream work passes as fair It is not as well known as it should be that
since you yourself have admitted you avoid a single sacred stream flowed
into the lands of the Hellenes that

became so strong that After belief systems are fused with Hellenism
it overflowed into distant lands and I have heard that they develop a spiritual side,
nourished many spiritual systems. as with Sufism, the Kabbalah, and Pseudo-Dionysius.
In the conquests of Alexander the Great I am told that when they are stripped of this legacy
he brought along with him they return to their simple primitive systems of belief.
those who shared this stream of wisdom and
they nourished what had been growing in these native I have read that the similarities
lands between the Madhyamika Buddhism
into what had been called the Gardens of Zeus. and Upanishad-Vedantic philosophy and
Alexander the Great that of the Platonic tradition
founded a center of learning there in Taxila have been so well established that
and part of it has survived in the hills the distinctions between
having escaped the periodic destruction Eastern and Western thought
by various barbarian hordes. are mostly nothing more than
Nagarjuna’s school of Buddhism, ways of insisting on the exclusive claims
Kashmir Shivaism, and Advaita Vedantic teachings of the Judaic-Christian-Islamic tradition.
each had their source in Taxila.
The great ruler and King, Asoka, Apollodorus:
also had his capital there and I have heard some these ideas discussed
he was a student of a profound Greek sage. around here from Diotima.
However, the way you put it now is much stronger.
Since the center is in the hills above Taxila it Are you not saying that there is only one philosophy,
escaped pillage and destruction and one spiritual system, with many diverse forms.
it still continues the ways of the ancients. Are you planning on going
Some say that they continue the mysteries of Eleusis, to study this, once again?
at least for those they see fit to initiate.
Helen:
Apollodorus:: It is easy to talk about it and think about it
Sure it might be as you say, but it is not easy to understand it all.
but the gardens is full of weeds and Still, as they say, it is easy to see it
the streams that once nourished it if you put work into seeing it.
are now a mere trickle of water. Well, I have told you before, I talk
A dark age has begun to fall across the Earth, a good talk without mastering it at all
so enjoy what you can before the idiots control it all. so I stay here and dream about it.
Now there are other spiritual systems and You asked me about my going there and
they bind their members by enforced belief. you wonder whether I plan
Really, can people be coerced into spirituality? to enter into that study again.
I know that the fear of hell Well, I would love to be there during
brings many to doors of their temples and churches. the next winter Solstice and
Don’t you have to scare the hell out of them participate in their celebration of Light.
before you can sell them on the saving grace? For that always was the most memorable festival.
I guess fear will bind many together
yet wasn’t there some role that But for me as old as I am the journey
was played by your philosophy in all these systems? would be too difficult and arduous.
I should have gone earlier but I didn’t.
Helen: So, now I must leave that journey for others.
You ask good questions and I do wonder The way and the proper time is there for you
if they are the other side of Diotima’s plight. Diotima, and for you, Apollodorus.
Let us consider it this way:
Enforced belief binds people together. Diotima:
But spiritual systems cultivate We have talked about it before and
the individual’s spirituality. I know that travelling with Apollodorus has its merits.
It is for this reason that one can be religious He enjoys reciting Homer at camp grounds and
without having developed a spiritual life and singing around the open fire and his laughter is good
have a spiritual life without too.
being a member of a religion. I have seen many enthralled by his performances.
When it is thought that belief alone is sufficient, Then, of course, his presence scares off some suitors,
there is no further need for a spiritual life. and on the other hand we argue a lot more
than we should about philosophy and dreams and the knoweldgeable arts for his benefit.
but there are those times Could it be that there was one among the arts,
when I won't be sleeping alone. a most divine one, that wasn’t given?
It simply couldn’t have been withheld or
Why put off the decision any longer, could it?
the need is clear as is the challenge,
so, what do you say, Apollodorus?. Hephaestus:
Stolen it was and given to Man and
Apollodorus: along with fire and husbandry.
Good we’ll go. All the arts were given,
I have something I would like to do there and not some, not just a few, all.
I have a bunch of questions I would like to ask
so let’s pack up and go, Diotima. After all, what can you expect?
You can’t blame the blind for not seeing
anymore than you can expect
Voices from the Heavens: those who can’t understand
Hermes: to be brought to knowing.
Is there something wrong
with what we know to be true? Hermes:
What a strange dream you sent, Hephaestus. I wonder if Helen is right
but not in the way that she thinks;
Hephaestus: for the one thing most needed they’ll never find,
Clearly, as you should know for they are simply too dull
that is not of my doing, to discover the obvious.
I only added wonder. Curious it is and more curious
I thought that was your clever work. it would be, if their fundamental problem
is the very thing that tears them apart and
Hermes: blocks their entrance into understanding.
What do we have here?
Just look there and there and
Hephaestus: you'll find Man torn into pieces
It is more than curious, isn’t it. over unsatisfied love and hateful crimes.
Is it or isn’t it enough to say that
Hermes: what they wouldn’t use
I am curious about the whole thing. seals their fate?
I think it best if we review
what we know about the how and why Hephaestus:
of Zeus’s punishment of Prometheus. It is inconceivable that
I’d say he was punished for stealing the highest would be kept from Man
the arts and fire to ensure Man’s survival. by him who sacrificed so much for Man.
So, Prometheus sacrificed for mankind and Rather we both must ask
he suffered severely for it. why the obvious wasn’t seen?
But we must ask if all the suffering he endured, For mankind to believe that Prometheus
fettered for thousands of years himself held back a gift
to the highest of peaks, as being far too dangerous an art
having his liver made the feast for an Eagle, for Man is absurd.
who gnawed away on it on alternate nights, Surely, that belief would make a mockery and
to awaken on one day the slim chance of hope a lie of what we have all accepted as true.
only to dash any hope of reprieve on the next,
did all that merely delay Still, those distinctions
Man’s extinction for a day? are not without merit and they
Is it not folly to perpetuate a race suggest man has some degree of promise.
incapable of genuine growth? Actually, they caused me to reflect and wonder
Sadistic in design it all must be or for what do you say to this,
there is something we ignored and if there are really divisions
that we haven’t seen. on Earth, might there be divisions
How could this be? in the heavens, among the Gods, that
Prometheus gave Man the arts for his survival. we might not fully understand as well?
Husbandry to lighten his chores,
fire for warmth and for making, Hermes:
We have raised questions not tolerated in our Heaven?

that are difficult to resolve. What if we are able to help those on Earth
What do you say, Hephaestus, overcome their perilous plight
which has the power and only to discover on our return to the heavens
which runs deepest, love or hate? that we are in no less a plight
for doing what was never asked of us?
Hephaestus:
Both love and hate fix Reflecting in this way
one fully on its object. it is becoming clear to me
Devoted are both to the presence of their objects that we need to be as clear as we can be
and with its loss it slips into non-existence, about just what stratagem
lonely and empty of purpose. is on mighty Zeus’s mind.
But, hate is more powerful, it binds Share with me your guess.
more tightly than love by far; for
love has conditions that set it apart, Hermes:
while hate thrives on without limit. What do we know?
It thrives on its passion and Far seeing Zeus sees through
excites the force of one's being. schemes and the plots against him.
Hell bent on revenge, hate rages on. He even allows them
With bitterness, anger, and wrath, to play themselves out and
the hate is kept alive and later shows his superiority by turning
it burns with a fury, the trickster into a tragic state.
Man nourishes it,
its delicious consuming passion Shall I be the one to give our report and
is savored by them shall I say that man should become extinct?
just like they enjoy the taste We could in no way avoid the conclusions that
of each drop of slow dripping honey. the stolen gifts of Prometheus were in vain,
unnecessary was his terrible punishment,
Hermes: foolish was the sacrifice of Chiron,
These reflections awaken me the physician to the Gods?
to our own dilemma. Shall we announce to all the gods that
It is not without some reluctance that for all the cleverness of Zeus and
I have to admit that these issues for all Prometheus’s far reaching intellect
are not strangers to Heaven. that they both failed to comprehend
For we both know the tales told about what we have come to see?
those in our Heaven Shall we say if Man wouldn’t use
who are not indifferent what he most needs then blame
to issues of Love and Hate falls on him alone?
whether or not they appear
on Earth or Heaven. Will you seek some way
to avoid the conclusion that
Hephaestus: Zeus and Prometheus’ understanding of themselves
True, our journey here is and much else is sadly compromised?
not without its mystery. Not I.
We sought an answer
about them and now Hephaestus:
we are seeing that maybe Applause will not rain down on us, will it?
we will have to question ourselves. So you and I had better look
Might these weaklings who live for a day for something to hide behind
be directly facing something when Zeus’ mighty thunderbolts
that we should, but don’t know? come crashing down around us.
Could it be that there is a troubling question
that lies behind all this that we are not seeing? Let me try another way to look at this.
Are we here to see what we haven’t seen? Zeus, the mighty storm gatherer and
I'd rather retreat into work source of all that flashes in the sky,
than follow these thoughts. does say he is far above the Gods
in power and comprehension.
Consider just this, It would be good for us to weigh more carefully
what will we face, Hermes, what it is we are here to do or
if we return victorious with a victory else we too may fall victim
to what we fail to comprehend. for among the Gods and man the range and boundary
of our comprehension is a continuing puzzle.
Let me set out a couple of questions Each of us Gods possesses a power and unity.
for us to ponder well. Each functions within a hierarchical structure
What have we here that puzzles us? through which we play out our divine roles,
Why were we selected for this task? so that an intelligibility pervades unevenly
Consider, were we not both involved through our realm not unlike the way
in all this from the beginning? understanding varies among Man.
It was I that groaned at Prometheus’ sufferings yet
I hammered with all my power Hermes:
the piercing fetters that bound him to that rock. But when we reflect on the meaning of it all,
Neither hands nor limbs escaped the chains hasn’t our previous confidence and
I forged with cunning skill. spirit also been shaken?
Let us admit it.
Hermes: We are on the edge of a disaster.
Your doing is one thing, I added another. What could be worse is worse,
Madness is what I accused him of, because none can say Zeus
for I thought he was blind to what he was doing. is the mightiest and wisest
A great distance there is between if fallible he is shown to be.
the knowing of the what and the why.
I need no teacher to tell me what I know. Shall we be so bold and
He made it clear that he had found Man living fearless as to utter aloud,
in caves and many were like ants swarming “What if truth is beyond
from the holes they called their homes. the reach of Zeus?”
He said he placed in them blind hope and
now I wonder if that hope was believing that Hephaestus:
the development of those arts If this be fated,
would save them from extinction. terrible are the consequences;
Has their building houses of stone, for then both the Gods and Man
learning astronomy, and anticipating the seasons, need some goodness beyond us both,
made Man any better able something that can uplift
to see what must be seen? the Gods in the Heaven and Man on Earth.
Has the enhancement of their thought Should I dare say we may be in need
through writing and calculation of a savior God more powerful than Zeus?
made them wise, or merely clever? Blindness is better than seeing all this.
They learned husbandry and horsemanship,
and even sailing, but have they benefited? Hermes:
Have they become any wiser, any nobler, Can we count on Hera,
any bit better by these arts? will she stand behind us?
Hephaestus: Hephaestus:
A few of them have more wealth Hera, my mother, the illustrious one,
than millions of their own people will not abandon Man or us.
but no one thinks them better for their greed. Mighty Zeus would have ended
After they polluted most rivers and streams the race of man long ago
they buy up pure streams and but for Hera's loyalty to all that is Earth.
sell their pure water to the fools that It is not folly to consider that Zeus,
let them pollute their own land. the power of Heaven itself,
They grasp all they can steal and may have designed a perfect way
call it their private property. to pacify lovely Hera,
and sent us here to confirm his verdict that
Hermes: the existence of Man must come to an end.
True, however, with all the corruption
there may be some few that have become better, It might be that Zeus
though they might not know what better means. wants to teach a new Prometheus
a lesson to curb any future threat he might make.
Hephaestus: There is no way
Actually, they are a puzzle and in another way so are he will share his most lofty throne.
we. So, we might supply the justification
We could name something similar about us, for a decision that he has already made,
condemning Man as a murderer spent many weeks with her in the Rue
who has wantonly destroyed Notre Dame des Champs in Paris, sitting
all other creatures and
made a barren waste of lovely Earth.
beside her day after day and evening after
Is this our own destiny, evening; later still, in 1888, being with her
to play the fool for Zeus? in London, at Holland Park, I had a few
more opportunities. Some of what she
Hermes: said I publish here for the good of those
It would do us both good
to proceed with caution.
who can benefit by her words. Certainly
I am reminded that Hera no greater practical occultist is known to
bore you without a conception; this century: from that point of view what
what she decided to do alone out of defiance she said will have a certain useful weight
left you without a share of the mystery we all share. with some.
For a union brings us all into existence,
the unity of differences into a oneness.
ON DEVACHAN
The union continues the archetypal pattern
between the bound and the infinite for
that brought Being itself into existence.
This term was not in use at this time.
For surely in these communions The conversation was about steps on the
we enact similar functions Path and returning here again. In answer
as that which the One unfolded to a question:
through that divine luminosity.
Surely, while you may perform similar functions, "Yes, you have been here and at this
it is not a part of your nature to do so. before. You were born with this tendency,
Thus, it may be that an unpaid debt
is owed to you since she deprived you of and in other lives have met these persons
the father of all fathers (supposed Adept influences], and they are
in the essence of your Being. here to see you for that reason."
So, she may seek to protect and defend
what she alone cultivated. Later, when definite terms had come
into use, the question raised was whether
Hephaestus:
or not all stayed 1500 years in Devachan.
There is more to this than
I had at first imagined and
it might be wise to proceed with caution
"Well, Judge, you must know well
and hope that we find clarity along the way that under the philosophy we don't all stay
[TO BE CONTINUED] there so long. It varies with the character
of each. A thoroughly material thinker
will emerge sooner than one who is a
spiritual philosopher and good. Besides,
Time of Stay in
recollect that all workers for the Lodge,
no matter of what degree, are helped out
Devachan of Devachan if they themselves permit
I
it.1 Your own idea which you have stated,
N 1875, '76, '77 and '78 my intimacy that 1500 years had not elapsed since you
with H.P.B. gave me many oppor- went into Devachan, is correct, and that I
tunities for conversing with her on tell is what Master himself tells me. So
what we then called "Magic." These there you are."
useful, and for me very wonderful,
occasions came about late at night, and PRECIPITATIONS BY MASTERS
sometimes during the day. I was then in
the habit of calling on her in the daytime 1
In the January installment of Point out the Way, I
whenever I could get away from my referred the reader to a page in which the refer-
office. Many times I stayed in her flat for ence about persons being helped out of Devachan
the purpose of hearing as much and seeing was printed. It did not happen — I forgot it!!
However, the bolded portion above contains it. —
as much as I could. Later on, in 1884, I ED., A.T.
In reply to a question on this she remember what it means for a Master to use
said: occult force. If you explode gunpowder to split
a rock you may knock down a house. There is
"If you think Master is going to be a law that if a White Magician uses his occult
always precipitating things, you mistake. power an equal amount of power may be used
Yes, He can do it. But most of the by the Black one. Chemists invent powders for
precipitations are by chelas who would explosives and wicked men may use them.
seem to you almost Masters. I see His You force yourself into Master's presence and
orders, and the thoughts and words He you take the consequences of the immense
wishes used, and I precipitate them in that forces around him playing on yourself. If you
form; so does and one or two more." are weak in character anywhere, the Black ones
will use the disturbance by directing the forces
"Well, what of Their handwritings?"
engendered to that spot and may compass your
"Anything you write is your ruin. It is so always. Pass the boundary that
handwriting, but it is not your personal hedges in the occult realm, and quick forces,
handwriting, generally used and first new ones, dreadful ones, must be met. Then if
learned if you assume or adopt some form. you are not strong you may become a wreck
Now you know that Masters' handwritings, for that life. This is the danger. This is one
peculiar and personal to Themselves, are reason why Masters do not appear and do not
foreign both as to sound and form — act directly very often, but nearly always by
Indian sorts, in fact. So They adopted a intermediate degrees. What do you say, ‘t h e
form in English, and in that form I dual forces in nature’? Precisely, that's just it;
precipitate Their messages at Their and Theosophists should remember it." (From
direction. Why B----- almost caught me Conversations on Occultism, W. Q. Judge)
one day and nearly made a mess of it by
shocking me. The message has to be seen
in the astral light in facsimile, and through
that astral matrix I precipitate the whole of
it. It's different, though, if Master sends THE Coffee
me the paper and the message already Klatch
done. That's why I call these things
`psychological tricks. The sign of an Coffee-Maker: Lots happen-
objective wonder seemed to be required, ing this month. The customers
although a moment's thought will show it stack their questions at the
is not proof of anything but occult ability. door, but unfortunately it is not
Many a medium has had precipitations permanent. At first opportunity
before my miserable self was heard of. they rush back and grab their favorite
But blessed is the one who wants no sign. incendiary seed and ignite a great bro-ha-ha
You have seen plenty of these things. Why — all in the name of gentleness and
do you want to ask me? Can't you use your brotherhood. The lady in the center Booth is
brain and intuition? I've sampled almost the distraught that Hephaestus declares love as
whole possible range of wonders for you. Let not so powerful and enduring as hate.
them use their brains and intuition with the Perhaps Student will console her as he’s a
known facts and the theories given." Greek-o-phile.
IF WHITE MAGICIANS ACT, WHAT Student: I shall, I shall. Dear “Lady-in-the
THEN? Center-Booth” you must remember that
Pantheons all over the world are invariably
"Look here; here's a man who wants to dual — and once they descend into
know why the Masters don't interpose at once popularity, the lower pole of their sevenfold
and save his business. They don't seem to
meaning begins to dominate. Of the dual love, which is recommended by all the sa-
meaning in the epithet Zeus, The Secret cred books of the East and the West; be-
Doctrine states that: — cause as soon as we begin to love one thing
or one being more than another, we not
The translators of the drama wonder only detract from the rest an amount of love
how Æeschylur could become guilty of such which the rest may rightfully claim; but we
“discrepancy between the character of Zeus also become attached to the object of our
as portrayed in the “Prometheus Bound’ and love, a fate against which we are seriously
warned in various pages of these books.
that depicted in the remaining dramas.” …
Between Zeus, the abstract deity of Grecian The Bhagavad-Gita teaches that we
thought, and the Olympic Zeus, there was an should not love or hate any object of sense
abyss. The latter represented during the whatsoever, nor be attached to any object or
mysteries no higher a principle than the thing, but renounce all projects and fix our
lower aspect of human physical intelligence thoughts solely on It, the Eternal, which is
— Manas wedded to Kama; Prometheus — no-thing and no object of cognition for us,
its divine aspect merging into and aspiring but whose presence can be only subjec-
tively experienced by, and within ourselves.
to Buddhi — the divine Souo. Zeus was the
…
human soul and nothing more, whenever
shown yielding to his lower passions, — the What can all this mean, but that love
jealous God, revengeful and cruel in its itself is the legitimate object of love? It is a
egotism or I-AM-NESS. Hence, Zeus is divine, eternal, and infinite power, a light,
represented as a serpent — the intellectual which reflects itself in every object while it
seeks not the object, but merely its own re-
tempter of man — which, nevertheless,
flection therein. It is an indestructible fire
begets in the course of cyclic evolution the and the brighter it burns, the stronger will
“Man Saviour,” the solar Bacchus or be the light and the clearer will its own im-
“Dionysos,” more than a man. age appear. Love falls in love with nothing
but its own self, it is free from all other at-
After the flood of Deukalion, Zeus it tractions. A love which becomes attached
was taught, had commanded Prometheus to objects of sense, ceases to be free, ceases
and Athena to call forth a new race of men to be love, and becomes mere desire. Pure
from the mire left by the waters of the and eternal love asks for nothing, but gives
deluge. … On several archaic monuments freely to all who are willing to take.
one still sees Prometheus modeling a human Earthly love is attached to persons and
body, either alone or with Athena’s help.” things, but Divine spiritual love seeks only
that which is divine in everything, and this
Cain is Mars, the god of power and can be nothing else but love, for love is the
generation, and of the first (sexual) supreme power of all. It holds together the
bloodshet. Tubal-Cain is a Kabir, “an worlds in space, it clothes the earth in
instructor of every artificer in brass and bright and beautiful colors, it guides the in-
stincts of animals and links together the
iron;” or — if this will please better — he is
hearts of human beings. Acting upon the
one with Hephæstos or Vulcan… (II, 390) lower planes of existence it causes terres-
Fohat, in his capacity of Universal trial things to cling to each other with fond
embrace; but love on the spiritual plane is
Love is beyond both love and hate on the
free. Spiritual love is a goddess, who con-
lower plane, or as remarked in “Love With tinually sacrifices herself for herself and
an Object”: who accepts no other sacrifice but her own
self, giving for whatever she may receive,
A love which is directed towards all
herself in return. Therefore the Bhagavad-
things alike, an universal love, is beyond
Gita says: “Nourish ye the gods by this and
the conception of the mortal mind, and yet
let the gods nourish you. Thus nourishing
this kind of love, which bestows no favors
each other ye shall obtain the highest
upon any one thing, seems to be that eternal
good13;” and the Bible says: “To him who
has still more shall be given, and from him the other powers by which the universe was
who has not, even what he has shall be evolved. It is the germ of divinity which
taken away14.” exists in the heart of man, and which may
develop into a live-giving sun, illuminating
Love is an universal power and there- the mind and sending its rays to the center
fore immortal, it can never die. We cannot of the universe; for it originates from that
believe that even the smallest particle of center and to that center it will ultimately
love ever died, only the instruments return.
through which it becomes manifest change
their form; nor will it ever be born, for it
exists from eternity, only the bodies into
which it shines are born and die and are
born again. A Love which is not manifest
is non-existent for us, to come into exis- Collecting the Mind
tence means to become manifest. How then
could we possibly imagine a human being The moment the mind is restrained in
possessed of a love which never becomes concentration for the purpose of meditation,
manifest; how can we possibly conceive of that moment the images, the impressions,
a light which never shines and of a fire the sensations of the past begin to troop
which does not give any heat? through the brain and tend to instantly and
constantly disturb the concentration. Hence
But “as the sun shines upon the lands the need for less selfishness, less
of the just and the unjust and as the rain de- personality, less dwelling on objects and
scends upon the acres of the evil-minded as
desiring them — or sensation. If the mind
well as upon those of the good;” likewise
divine love manifesting itself in a perfect be full of impressions, there is also a self-
man is distributed alike to every one with- reproductive power in it which takes hold of
out favor or partiality. Wherever a good these seeds of thought and enlivens them.
and perfect human being exists, there is di- Recollection is the collecting together of
vine love manifest; and the degree of man's impressions, and so it constitutes the first
perfection will depend on the degree of his and the greatest obstruction to meditation.
capacity to serve as an instrument for the (U.L.T. Pamphlet No. 12. Forward)
manifestation of divine love. The more
perfect he is, the more will his love descend However, there is a higher and over-
upon and penetrate all who come within his arching re-collecting — yuyuje — that is,
divine influence. To ask favors of God is to the collecting together of our purpose in life
conceive of Him as an imperfect being, our priorities. This “collecting” is also
whose love is not free, but subject to the creative, but in a higher way than the merely
guidance of, and preference to, mortals. To
reproductive. It gives rebirth to the One
expect favours of a Mahatma is to conceive
him as an imperfect man. practicing it. When Brahmâ did it, he
created the Universe!
True, “prayer,” i.e, the elevation and
aspiration of the soul “in spirit and in The first step and the underlying step
truth15,” is useful, not because it will per- all along the way seems to be self-
suade the light to come nearer to us, but be- forgetfulness. Putting Theosophy first and
cause it will assist us to open our eyes for humans second is a rocky path, for
the purpose of seeing the light that was al- Theosophy — as the Wisdom Religion — is
ready there. in the human heart, in great nature. Study
can be dominated by a keynote of service,
Love — divine love — is the source of
life, of light, and happiness. It is the crea- but how rare it is!
tive principle in the Macrocosm and in the
Motive, intent, attitude decide whether
Microcosm of man. It is Venus, the mother
of all the gods, because from her alone the Three Fundamental are heartbeats or
originates Will and Imagination and all flags in our repetoire. It is usual for the flag
to display itself as a heartbeat, while the understand how to serve. It solves the
heartbeat is a throb felt along the way — problem of how to practice and fully
something you recognize — but can’t shake participate in our lives at the same time.2 It
hands with. says that service is not a burden; rather, it
defines service as that which feeds our
Rodney Smith, a ULT Associate of aliveness. "Helping" was always a weight to
long ago has found his stride. Let’s hearken me. It was like forced Christmas shopping:
to some of his comments: I really was not into it, but I thought I should
be, and people expected me to do it. When I
In my search to learn how to serve, I
understood that service springs from
have come upon a quotation by a writer
generosity, not self-discipline, I began to tap
named Harold Thurman Whitman that has
the wellspring of energy from which
been extremely helpful. I keep it on my
generosity arises. This energy cannot be
desk and reflect on it often. It keeps
depleted as long as it is connected with my
pulling me deeper and deeper into the
heart's interests. The vital understanding for
meaning. It reads:
me was that if it felt like a burden, it was.3
Do not ask yourself what the If service comes out of a "should," it cannot
world needs. Ask yourself what be anything but an obligation. If it is a
makes you come alive, and then go responsibility, it is helping, not serving.
and do that. Because what the world
needs is people who have come alive.1 The Attitude of Service
Often the shift from "helping" to
Holding this in mind, let us see if we "serving" is only a shift in attitude. I have a
can understand service in light of waking up friend who worked as a waitress to put
and becoming alive. herself through college. She disliked the
work and complained about it often. One
Coming Alive
day I asked her what she wanted to do after
Aliveness is our birthright. To come
she received her degree. She said she
alive, we must align ourselves with our
wanted to serve people. We both laughed
heart's desire. We just have to rediscover
because it instantly became obvious that in
how to do that. The word aliveness implies
essence, waiting tables is service work. We
wakefulness, awareness, and a connected
talked about what needed to change in order
passion for life. We may notice that the
for her to truly serve her customers. For the
essence of aliveness is a pure quality distinct
next two weeks she attempted to bring a
from the actions that spring from it, such as
service attitude to her work by making eye
following our desires or avoiding our fears.
contact with her patrons and working from
No matter where we start with our
the relationship. She served food rather than
understanding of aliveness, however,
filling orders. She said it totally changed the
through investigation we penetrate to new
way she perceived her job.
and deeper meanings of this word. We need
to keep redefining the idea, allowing it to
evolve beyond what we think it means. In
this way, it will always be fresh and new, as 2
This reminds on of Joseph Campbells”s famous
our aliveness itself. advice: “Follow your bliss.” — ED., A.T.
3
There are those who use the word “helping” to
Exploring Whitman's observation define their activity, and yet have the same alive-
takes away the enormous tension in trying to ness which Rodney has found, and describes by
the word, “service.” If it feels like a burden it is!
no matter what word we use to describe it. Uni-
versal love attuned to our plastic potency begins to
1
The quote is certainly pertinent and to the point. define the mind itself. But, to walk the walk, we
Whether a person named Harold Thurman Whit- have to start with the first step, and withal, there
man ever lived or not, or was the person who are stumbles and skinned knees along the way! —
penned those lines remains undecided. — ED., A.T. Ed., A.T.
Genuine warmth cannot exist unless narrowly defined that it no longer feeds the
there is equality. Love sets no limits and spirit. …
harbors no judgment. When we serve, we
The one agreed upon form, which
are meeting and connecting through a
seems to have a universal basis in all
reciprocal affection, not through comparison
traditions, is serving others. Service work
and evaluation. …
cuts through all those artificial divisions.2
I was once visiting Mother Teresa’s Most forms of spiritual practice can be
Dying Center in Calcutta. There were long discovered within the broad term of service.
rows of wooden beds with dying people If we understand the intention rather than
lying side by side. The patients were warm adhere strictly to the form, service can
and clean, and the room, though modest and actually be an expression of paryer, metta,
simple, was filled with caring nuns and or, like Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, an ongoing
volunteers. One of the nums was mopping engaged meditation as well. Service seeks
up vomit from the floor. I pulled her aside its commonality from the lives it serves and
when she had finished and asked what not from the confines of religious
sustained her through her work. She looked traditions.3 …
at me and said, “What work?” I was about Aliveness has no definitive
to reply, “You are standing here cleaning up expression. Anything we do with passion
vomit, and you ask, ‘What work?’” — when can be done in a spirit of service. If it feeds
I noticed the expression in her eyes: they us, it will feed the world. We sometimes
were so clear and radiant. I thought to feel we are not deserving of being fed. We
myself, This woman is alive. She seemed to may feel we are selfishly following our
catrch my initial reaction and said, “When interests, as if we should be out there where
you change the diapers of your child, is that the action is, where the problems are, not
work?”1 hunching over a microscope or gazing at the
stars. But the world is more connected than
We sometimes hold ourselves back that. The world is crying out for aliveness,
from service because we define our spiritual not for a specific activity. Opening our
practices in a narrow way. We may think to hearts, through whatever means, serves the
ourselves, “My path is not the path of greater good.
service. I am a bhakti [devotional] yogi, not
a karma [action] yogi.” We become tied to The simple question is. What interests
the terminology rather than what feeds our us? It does not matter what it is; if it
hearts. We limit the definition of our interests us, there is focus and absorption in
spiritual practices to a particular set of the activity. If we are also willing to learn
circumstances — it is always done alone in a while we are engaged, then all of the
quiet environment. The form may be so ingredients of spiritual growth are present.
…
1
Remembering the 49 fires should give us a clue to
the process of “adapting our thoughts” to our plas-
tic potency. JG was a kind of financial wet-nurse 2
True, provided we give the word Service a broad
to the ULT both in money and “voice” as he was
definition. Socrates was in a program of service.
the sole Sunday night lecturer for 21 years. In
Madame Blavatsky’s life was pure sacrifice and
time, the wheel began to roll and others found
service. Yes, “service work” if rooted in enthusi-
their enthusiasm. Many fell into the ditch of com-
asm “cuts through all those artificial divisions. —
parison and contrast — the journey became a pro-
ED., A.T.
ject rather than a love affair. Each one’s heart has
3
a keynote for that cycle in the flesh, and it is the It is a hallmark of alive people that they adapt their
private property of the unit so engaged. He is the work to your needs, not to any preconceived plan.
Manu for that short cycle. When the heart catches The Dalai Lama is a standing genius in this prac-
fire gratitude begins to reverberate in the temple. tice, as the diversity of his “listeners” from country
— ED., A.T. to country is enormous! — ED., A.T.
We may first have to understand

where our interests lie within our chosen CORRESPONDENCE
lifestyle. Think for a moment why you
chose to do whatever work you are now An Interesting Exchange of Letters---
Henry Holt & Company
doing. Think back before financial One Park Avenue
incentives, prestige, and social status New York, NY
became a primary focus. If you are a December 23, 1930
physician or carpenter, why did you choose Dear Sir:
that profession? If you are a lawyer or Please return to us, at our expense, and
psychologist, what was it that originally as promptly as you can, all unsold copies of
excited you? For some of us, the expression THEOSOPHY: A Modern Revival of
of service work may not be directly Ancient Wisdom by Alvin B. Kuhn. A few
connected with people at all. We might be a corrections must be made in this book
computer programmer or an artist. before it is released for sale.
Whatever our work or hobby, if we can
rekindle that passion, our meditation and our
life will begin coming together.
Before we can hope to prevent any particular
Service moves us from an attitude of state of mind or events reaching us in this or in
another life, we must in fact be detached from
self-defense to inclusion of others. We these things. Now we are not our bodies or
begin to see life not in terms of getting and mere minds, but the real part of us in which
achieving, but as a living experience. Karma inheres.
Relationships, not objects, become the … The finite mind is accustomed to attach
one or other idea to certain expressions, and it
focus. Service then feeds us because we are is therefore possible to circumvent the separa-
always growing in our relationship to what tive tendency of the mind by dwelling on those
expressions that convey the idea of co-
is being served. This can only occur when operation rather than of opposition.
we hold ourselves in as high esteem as those
Saunaka asks in [the Mundaka] Upanishad a
who we are serving. It is work among natural question, propounced by nearly every
equals. This understanding begins to break thinking man, especially by students of occult-
ism who are continually seeking a royal road to
down the boundaries between self and other. the accomplishment of their objects. He wishes
Soon we begin to recognize that a life of to be told what may be the great solvent of all
knowledge. The reply of Angiras points out two
grasping and avoiding is circular and great roads, which include all others. The lower
meaningless1…(“Service: Expressing our practice,” road is the one of hard work for countless
by Rodney Smith, Bodhi, Vol. 6, #4, p.12 et seq.) births, during which we acquire knowledge
slowly in all directions, and of course, when
that is possessed, one rises to the higher
road....
In the journey along this road we will encounter
1
Just as Light and Darkness, Spirit and Matter, great differences in the powers of our fellow travel-
are not distinct and separate, so also good and lers. Some go haltingly and others quickly; some
evil. No one can point to the existence of good with eyes bent on the ground, a few with gaze
per se in Nature; nor can evil be shown to have fixed on the great goal. Those who halt or look
a separate independent existence. Reality is down will not reach the end, because they refuse
neither good nor evil, as Life is neither Spirit to take the assistance to be found in the constant
nor Matter. aspiration to the light. But we are not to blame
Archaic philosophy, recognizing neither Good them: they have not yet been often enough initi-
nor Evil as a fundamental or independent ated to understand their error. Nature is kind and
power, but starting from the Absolute ALL (Uni- will wait for them much longer than their human
versal Perfection eternally), traced both fellows would if they were permitted to be their
through the course of natural evolution to pure judges. This ought to give us a lesson in charity, in
Light condensing gradually into form, hence be- universal brotherhood. Very often we meet those
coming Matter or Evil. ( S.D., I, 73) who show an utter inability to appreciate some
spiritual ideas which we quite understand. It is be-
In human nature, evil denotes only the po- cause they have not, so far, been able to trans-
larity of matter and Spirit, a struggle for life mute into a part of themselves, that which we
between the two manifested Principles in Space have been so fortunate as to become possessed of,
and Time, which principles are one per se, in- and so they seem devoted to things that to us ap-
asmuch as they are rooted in the Absolute. … pear to be of small value. (W.Q. Judge)
It is Important that no further sales of I am writing you, therefore, for

this book be made until a corrected edition is various reasons: One is, that as a
put in your hands. Theosophist of no Society or party, I am
interested that the truth shall be known to all
We shall appreciate your co-operation who may desire. Moreover I am interested
in this matter. in the protection of any decent writer or
Faithfully yours, decent publisher who may deal with facts
Gilbert Loveland related to persons still living. I may state
that in the year 1925, on behalf of the
Theosophy Company, I negotiated with
John Garrigues, President of Theosophy Company, Messrs E. P. Dutton & Company, your
answered like this: neighbors, for the publication of the book
entitled “The Theosophical Movement”
245 West 33rd Street
which was brought out by Messrs Dutton &
January 13, 1931 Company under their own copyright in
1925. On pages 5491 and 6851 of that work
Henry Holt and Company
1 Park Avenue
New York, NY 1
[page 549 reads:] This Mr. Leadbeater was
originally a curate in a rural parish of the Church
Gentleman: of England. He had been interested in Spiritualism
for many years when he read Mr. Sinnett's two
earliest books. Thereafter he held seances with
As one of the purchasers of the book Mr. W. Eglinton, a famous medium of the time
“Theosophy” by Alvin B. Kuhn, published who had been at Adyar while H.P.B. was there.
Eglinton, like Mr. W. Stainton Moses (M.A.
by yourselves I have received a copy of your Oxon) had been helped by H.P.B. and had re-
circular letters of December 22nd and ceived various evidences through her of the ex-
December 23rd, 1930, both these circulars istence of Masters, and joined the London
Lodge in 1884. In a séance with Mr. Eglinton
being signed by your Mr. Gilbert Loveland. early in 1884, Mr. Leadbeater endeavored
For you information I would state that the through the latter's "control," "Ernest," to get
in "communication with the Masters." This is
author of the book, Mr. Kuhn, is very well referred to in Letter VII of "Letters from the
acquainted with the present writer Masters of the Wisdom," a Letter received by
personally. On reading the above mentioned Leadbeater through H.P.B. many months later,
after he had avowed his desire to return with
circular letters from you I inferred that sharp her to India.
objections had been found, and perhaps Accordingly Mr. Leadbeater went to India
direct or indirect threats made to proceed with H.P.B. late in 1884 and was at Adyar dur-
against you for libel because of certain ing the time of Mr. Hodgson's investigations
there, and became acquainted with the various
statements in Mr. Kuhn’s book. I have read Hindus at headquarters, notably with Subba
Mr. Kuhn’s book through carefully. On Row. From Adyar Mr. Leadbeater was sent to
Ceylon by Col. Olcott and while there began his career
matters of inference and opinion I myself, as of infatuation with boys, his first relation of
well as no doubt many others readers, would that kind being with C. Jinarajadasa, now Vice-
disagree with some of Mr. Kuhn’s President of Mrs. Besant's theosophical society.
arguments and deductions. This is but Mr. Leadbeater returned to England in 1889,
natural and to be expected of any book and taking the boy with him. From then on he was
intimate with' Mr. Sinnett for whose son he served
of any writer, but with respect to facts as tutor, and for Mr. Sinnett himself as the "psy-
mentioned by Mr. Kuhn, which carry with chic" through whom Mr. Sinnett kept up his sup-
posed communications with the "Masters of H.P.B."
them of necessity more or less reflection on
various persons named, there can be no Mr. Leadbeater was never at any time a
member of the E.S.T.S., nor in any way con-
question on the part of anyone who is nected with H.P.B., after his return to England. Mr.
informed that the facts as given by Mr. Sinnett made him Secretary of the London Lodge
after his return to England in 1889. The course
Kuhn are accurate. and practices, public and private, of the London
Lodge were wholly at variance with the Occult
discipline taught by H.P.B. — were, in fact,
you will find some very distressing facts distributed. A little later Messrs Dutton &
indeed, very plainly recited, with respect to Company received a cable message from
Mr. C. W. Leadbeater and Mr. C. Mr. C. Jinarajadasa, and very urgent, not to
Jinarajadasa, both now living and both very say threatening, letters from a lawyer in
prominent members of the Theosophical New York City, denouncing the book and
Society, whose President is Mrs. Annie threatening libel. Messrs Dutton &
Besant. Company were naturally interested only as
publishers; they neither desired to wrong
Immediately upon the publication of any dead or living person, nor to be involved
“The Theosophical Movement,” very in unpleasant litigation. They, therefore,
strenuous efforts and very vigorous communicated with me and I assured them
denunciations and threat of libel proceedings from direct knowledge that there was in
were made to Messrs Dutton & Company, possession of the Theosophy Company, the
and it was demanded that they suppress the direct indisputable documentary evidence to
further sale of “The Theosophical prove to the hilt every statement of fact
Movement” and recall all copies already made in “The Theosophical Movement.”
Upon this assurance, and my guarantee to
see them harmless from the results of any
identical with mediumism, psychical research, and libel proceedings, Messrs Dutton &
Hatha Yoga. Company went right ahead with the sale of
1
[page 685 reads:] The dissensions which almost at the book, and have been selling it ever since.
once sprang up among the survivors of the Ameri- So soon as these various parties found that
can fragment and the speedy collapse of the spec-
tacular performances staged by Mrs. Tingley and Messrs Dutton & Company could not be
her competitors for the mantle of Mr. Judge, left coerced, they relapsed into silence, and have
the Besant-Olcott combination with no real rival in
the "successorship" role. In the summer of 1899, remained in that admirable state ever since.
Mrs. Besant withdrew the pledge, memorandum,
and instructions of H.P.B. and substituted a new I have no doubt whatever that if you
"pledge" for her "esoteric" students. This was fol-
lowed by "studies" and "instructions" of her own,
would call on Mr. McRae of Messrs Dutton
and by the circulation in her "School" of the "clair- & Company, or Mr. Acklom (if Mr. Acklom
voyant investigations" of Mr. Leadbeater and her- is still connected with the firm) Messrs
self which were later published as Occult Chemis-
try. Mrs. Besant, Mr. Leadbeater, and Mr. Sinnett, Dutton & Company will be glad, as a
along with a host of lesser lights, fed and fostered friendly act, to let you read the entire
that hunger for the mysterious, the abnormal, and
the "occult" which H.P.B. and Mr. Judge had so
correspondence in connection with the
resolutely and so continually opposed and warned threatened libel suit against themselves.
against. The "E.S.T.," which controlled absolutely
the exoteric Society, speedily became a "hail of
Occultism" and a "factory for the manufacture of
I am venturing to submit the foregoing
initiates"—the very thing that the veritable Mahat- information to you in justice to Mr. Kuhn
mas had so insistently discountenanced in Their and to yourselves. As a matter of fact we
letters to Mr. Sinnett in 1880-82; letters whose
complete text is now available to all students in possess documentary evidence, which
"The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett." cannot be disputed because it is over the
In 1906 charges of infamous conduct and teaching to signature of the various parties, for any and
boys confided to his care were brought against Mr. every fact recited by Mr. Kuhn in his book
Leadbeater. An inquiry into the matter was held by
Col. Olcott at London. Mr. Leadbeater admitted the that might for any reason be regarded as
charges and resigned from the Society. Colonel Olcott, offensive or derogatory.
who had meantime come to distrust Mrs. Besant, had
regarded Mr. Leadbeater as the "agent of the Masters,"
and the disclosures made undoubtedly hastened his
death, which occurred early in 1907. Mr. Chakravarti
and others had endeavored to procure the endorse- Mr. Loveland answered like this:
ment by Col. Olcott of Bertram Keightley to succeed to Henry Holt & Company
the Presidency, while those devoted to Mrs. Besant had One Park Avenue
done the same in her behalf. The mentally enfeebled New York, NY
and physically dying President-Founder was beset in
January 28, 1931
this way till his parting moment.(p.685)
My dear Mr. Garrigues: “3. I pledge myself never to listen

Thank you for your letter of the without protest to any evil thing
thirteenth. spoken of a Brother Theosophist
and to abstain from condemning
We cannot now report what we shall others.
finally do with Mr. Kuhn’s twelfth chapter.
It is likely that we shall make a few “4. I pledge myself to maintain a
corrections in the interest of accuracy. The constant struggle against my
whole matter has been referred to Professor lower nature, and to be charitable
Herbert W. Schneider, of Columbia to the weaknesses of others.
University, since he is general editor of the
series, STUDIES IN RELIGION AND “5. I pledge myself to do all in my
CULTURE, of which Mr. Kuhn’s book is a power, by study or otherwise, to
part. fit myself to help and teach
others.
We are not to be frightened by threats
of the kind that have been made. We were “6. I pledge myself to give what
almost sure that the same kind were made support I can to the movement in
against you and your publishers in 1925. time, money, and work.
Our only concern is to certify that the book,
“So Help Me, My Higher Self.”
once it is released, shall represent the facts
concerning the growth of American
Theosophy. It is at once plain that this is not a
Faithfully yours, general Pledge like that which is taken so
Gilbert Loveland lightly by members of the Theosophical
Society; but that it is a specific undertaking
to do and to endeavour to do certain things.
Also that it is given under an invocation: —
THE MEANING OF A PLEDGE “So help me, my Higher Self.”
(Lucifer, Vol. iii, September, 1888, pp. 63-67)
The term “Higher Self” has recently
It has been thought advisable that come into considerable use — at any rate so
members of a certain Occult Lodge of the far as the Theosophical Society is
T.S. should have the meaning of the Pledge concerned. To those who have studied the
they are about to take laid before them as meaning of the words it is at once evident
plainly as possible. At any rate, that those that to “take an oath” in the ordinary fashion
who have previously signed the Pledge shall of Christians is much less serious than a
lay before those who are about to do so all Pledge in presence of the “Higher Self.”
that they understand this Pledge to mean and
what its signature involves. The “Higher Self,” moreover, is not a
sort of sublimated essence of any one man; a
The Pledge runs as follows: sort of spiritualised “personality.” It is
universal and secondless and in such a sense
“1. I pledge myself to endeavour to the term “my Higher Self” seems misplaced.
make Theosophy a living factor But every man, however dimly, is a
in my life. manifestation of the Higher Self, and it is by
the connection of the J…va, the Monad, with
“2. I pledge myself to support, before
the secondless “Higher Self” that it is
the world, the Theosophical
possible to use the term. What then does the
movement, its leaders and its
invocation mean?
members.
The man who takes this Pledge in the consciously in this manner, and others
right spirit calls upon It, and calls every help because they are driven to such conscious
and blessing from It to his assistance. By an action, but without any knowledge of the
intense desire to be under Its protection he reason or force which drives them thereto.
(though It per se is latent and passive) places
himself under the protection of the active We are to endeavor to “make
and beneficent powers that are the direct Theosophy a living factor in our lives.”
rays of the Absolute Higher Secondless Self. Before we can endeavor to do this, much
less do it effectually, we must first
But if a man takes this Pledge and understand what Theosophy is, and actually
betrays his Higher Self, he risks every evil define to ourselves what we individually
and brings it upon himself. Thus then, he mean by Theosophy. Now it is exactly this
who remains true to the Pledge has nothing definition, its want, and our ignorance
to fear; but he who has no confidence in generally which hitherto has prevented us
himself to keep the Pledge when taken, had from carrying out this endeavor. Nothing
better leave it and, much more, leave need here be said of the Theosophical
Occultism alone. Society and the benefit which would come
to it by even a small section of its members
Breaking this Pledge cannot, then, actually making Theosophy the living factor
involve penalty on the “Higher Self,” but it in their lives. Very few do so, and it is only
can affect the individual man. The “Higher too true that a member of the Theosophical
Self” is immortal, but the Monad exists as a Society is not necessarily a Theosophist.
separate individual only during the But those who take this Pledge are not
Manvantaras, and around it various content to remain nominally members of the
personalities are formed. This incarnates at Society, but aspire to be Theosophists
every new birth, and not only can be, but is, indeed. And therefore it is so necessary that
punished if such a Pledge is broken. Once all should learn what a Theosophist is, and
that it has progressed far enough to what any man must do to make Theosophy a
recognize the glorious light of the Higher living factor in his life.
Self and desire to live in it, the breaking of
the Pledge tends towards a condition which As a negative definition nothing could
would preclude the possibility of that light be better than the definition in Lucifer, Vol.
not only benefitting the Monad, but even I, November, 1887, p. 169:
reaching it.
“He who does not practice altruism;
Thus all men are in the presence of he who is not prepared to share his last
two forces in nature. One of them active morsel with a weaker or poorer than
and beneficent, whose aid and assistance is himself; he who neglects to help his brother
directly invoked by the Pledge; the other man, of whatever race, nation, or creed,
active, but maleficent, which is represented whenever and wherever he meets suffering,
by beings who have a distinct interest in and who turns a deaf ear to the cry of human
preventing the operation of the Pledge, and misery; he who hears an innocent person
in hindering the work of the Theosophical slandered, whether a brother Theosophist or
Society. We see this more clearly when we not, and does not undertake his defence as
know that we Pledge ourselves to be active, he would undertake his own — is no
and not merely to endeavor to be. Theosophist.”
Further, there are powers on the earth But this definition also contains the
and in the flesh, as well as in the astral light, positive side. It is not sufficient merely to
who desire to prevent and hinder the Pledge abstain from doing that which is condemned
from taking effect. Some of these act in this definition. The negative side alone is
useless to those who take this Pledge — and
not merely useless, for it involves practically objects of the Theosophical Society, so far
the breaking of the Pledge. The Pledge as they understand them, but also be in
demands not only that the man who takes it complete disagreement with the leaders of
shall abstain from evil doing but, more, that the Society and their method of work. Not
he shall positively work altruistically and only may they disagree but also be in either
defend any innocent person as he would open or concealed hostility to those leaders
himself. and many of the members. It is of no use to
disguise from ourselves the fact that this has
Many men may be so colorless as not
been the case, and unfortunately may be so
to offend against the negative clauses of the
again. We work for “Universal
Pledge and definition; but few are they who
Brotherhood” and we are at enmity with our
are sufficiently positive in their own
immediate neighbours. This then we pledge
character as not only not to offend against
ourselves to put a stop to, and to excise the
these clauses but also work in the opposite
tendency from our natures. Thus Clause 2
direction. For the greatest importance does
has a special reference to certain persons,
not consist in “I will not” but in the “I will
arising out of the general circumstances.
do.” Thus some strength is needed for
impersonality. This impersonality is of two The question naturally arises: “Of
kinds, negative and positive. For the what use is a Theosophical Society with
negative, strength is needed to fight against such aims, when it is composed of such
the forces of heredity and education, and diverse elements?” And again: “Has the
prevent obedience to the instincts and Society any coherence and purpose which
acquired habits of this and other shall make it a living power in the society by
incarnations. But greater strength is needed which it is surrounded?” For an analogy
to cross the zero-point and create new exists; and the Society is an individual
instincts and habits in the midst of among societies, just as men and women are
conditions of life and habits of thought individuals. And it may here be
which are violently opposed to the new emphatically stated that the power and force
creation. And it would seem that strength is of any given body is not the total force of its
required so that it would be possible to component units, but that the body has an
conquer the tendencies of a devil and grow individual force and power of its own apart
up into divinity. And if we regard the from them. One has but to turn to the
Pledge generally it would seem to be an chemistry of “alloys” to see that this is true.
admirable instrument, in view of the above If then we regard the Society, it does not
quoted definition, for finding out and seem that any of its strength is due to the
assailing everybody on their weak points. united purpose and action of its individual
As men and women the Pledge compels us members. But it has a great purpose, and to
to refrain from acting and thinking in our this a certain number of devoted individuals
daily life as our education has hitherto have sacrificed all that lay in their power.
compelled us to do. If we do not so refrain, Among these the founders and present
we do not make Theosophy a living factor in leaders of the Society are notable examples.
our lives. And more, while we are engaged The result is that the Society continues to
in this difficult task, the positive side exist exoterically. But the continued
appears and we are told that we have to do existence of the Society is not due to these
other things as difficult — otherwise we are few individual efforts alone but to the
not Theosophists. underlying influence of those under whose
direction the Society was founded by its
The second clause of the Pledge will
present leaders, and to the fostering care of
prove a stumbling block to many lukewarm
those Masters in Wisdom, after it was
members of the Theosophical Society.
founded.
Many may be in complete accord with the
Clause 3 opens out to many, as the all that militates against Theosophy and
Society is at present constituted, a good deal against its forming a living factor in men’s
of casuistical reasoning. It has been said, lives. In this sense Clause 6 is a completion
and it would seem truly said, that it is also. But the power to help and teach others
perfectly open to those who are true can only be found in the united spirit of life,
Theosophists to condemn an act but not the which is a spirit of absolute equality and in
actor. But this will be found to be a the sense that to the Theosophist every man
distinction which is very subtle and difficult is a teacher.
to make in life. Light on the Path, too, Clause 6 is a ratification of all that has
warns the aspirant against self-righteousness gone before, but places it in more definite
of a like character, “for the soiled garment terms.
you shrink from touching may have been
yours yesterday, may be yours tomorrow.” Thus then before this Pledge is taken it
Thus those who take this Pledge are about to is necessary for all who aspire to take it to
meet a very subtle difficulty (for in life the carefully ascertain, before pledging
act and the actor are indissolubly themselves to work and activity for
connected), unless they have attained the Theosophy, what Theosophy really is. Is
power of observing and reading on a plane Theosophy identical with the practice of the
which is at present beyond the reach of the Theosophical Society? If it is not, ought it
majority of mankind. However, even if this to be? Shall I endeavor to make it so? In
power is beyond reach at present, it is at all pledging myself to work for it, am I in the
events right for those who aspire to be near or distant future, in this or in some
Theosophists to try. We can at least put a succeeding incarnation, looking for a
bridle on our physical lips and endeavor to reward? It would then seem that one of the
do so on our mind, and thus abstain from first requisites is to endeavor to “Know
“condemning others.” For the silent Thyself.”
condemnation of the mind would seem more Such a Pledge must not be taken
“vicious” than physical speech, for, at any lightly nor in a spirit of mere emotionalism.
rate in the “judge,” it is a form of moral It has to be taken with a stern resolution to
cowardice. And herein lies the casuistry. ever and ever more fully carry out its
For apart from the definition in Lucifer, it requirements, even at all costs to the man
has been open to those who take the Pledge who takes it. It is taken at the risk of the
to consider that their human brothers are not man who takes it in a thoughtless spirit
“Brother Theosophists,” and therefore that it without examining what it really means and
is legal to judge and condemn. Thus if it without the intention of making its
could be clearly proven that any man or fulfillment the supreme object of his life.
woman has erred against the said definition
it might be possible to receive absolution It is necessary “to read, mark, learn,
from the pledge “never to listen without and inwardly digest” the truths which exist
protest to any evil thing spoken” of them. in Theosophy and then perhaps there may
But the definition stops this with its dawn upon the world the day when all men
“whether a brother Theosophist or not,” and shall be as brothers, and Universal
agrees with the legal maxim which is so Brotherhood shall be a reality and the guide
seldom acted upon — always to consider a of all existence.
man innocent until proved guilty. Suspicion
is a dangerous guest to harbour, and we are ONE WHO IS PLEDGED.
[Dr. Archibald Keightley]
finally brought back to the fact that it is best
to “judge not that ye be not judged.”
Clauses 4 and 5 are the completion of
resolutions which go straight to the centre of

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The Aquarian Theosophist

Volume V, No. 4 February 17, 2005

Motive and Intent

People are very apt to use terms which

dependently, there was no need for other We need a method, a technique, to

The Global Village

Contact: Aspasia Papadomichelaki Theosophical Book Center Wednesdays — 11a.m.-1p.m.

Fridays: 7p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Basic Theosophy

“TODO ESTUDIOS Y PARTICIPATIÓN SON GRATUITOS”

United Lodge of Theosophists

62 Queens Gardens • Correspondence Course – by post or

Dec 5 Cosmic and Human Hierarchies (talk)

Universal Brotherhood means unity through diversity

Discussion — Multi-Media Sunday 10:30am - 12:00

THEOSOPHY HALL Tel: 40-76-72

THE United Lodge of Theosophists 4865 Cordell Avenue, Suite 4

Secret Doctrine Classes Meetings: Sundays 11 a.m. to 12 noon

(Lectures followed by questions and answers, or group discussions.)

Den TEOSOFISKA THE SECRET DOCTRINE by H.P. Blavatsky

den 27 oktober Sufismen och teosofin The Recognition of Law

+46 (0)709 26 2212

PROGRAM - 2004―2005 Act II

8:00 — 8:45 P.M. Agathon:

there are sanctuaries for Nuns Agathon:

Helen: Some wonder if they are chained or free,

not only smiles and laughter and you know it too.

The second of these four is another delusion. Agathon:

each one has a different knowledge that Helen:

We will have to face the fact that Diotima:

you cannot escape being amazed.

into the lands of the Hellenes that

We have raised questions not tolerated in our Heaven?

We may first have to understand

It is Important that no further sales of I am writing you, therefore, for

My dear Mr. Garrigues: “3. I pledge myself never to listen

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