The Key to Theosophy: Being a Clear Exposition, in the Form of Question and Answer, of the Ethics, Science and Philosophy for the Study of Which the Theosophical Society Has Been FoundedBlavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna)
Religion
The Key to Theosophy: Being a Clear Exposition, in the Form of Question and Answer, of the Ethics, Science and Philosophy for the Study of Which the Theosophical Society Has Been Founded
Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna)
Theosophy
When one comes to deal with this magnificent person in a practical
way, what is the result? Very curious and very disappointing. He
is so sure of his ground that he takes no trouble to ascertain
the interpretation which others put upon his facts. The wisdom
of the ages has concerned itself with the explanation of what he
rightly regards as proven; but he does not turn a passing glance
on its researches. He does not even agree altogether with his
brother Spiritualist. It is the story over again of the old Scotch
body who, together with her husband, formed a “kirk.” They had
exclusive keys to Heaven, or, rather, she had, for she was “na
certain aboot Jamie.” So the infinitely divided and subdivided
and resubdivided sects of Spiritualists shake their heads,
and are “na certain aboot” one another. Again, the collective
experience of mankind is solid and unvarying on this point that
union is strength, and disunion a source of weakness and failure.
Shoulder to shoulder, drilled and disciplined, a rabble becomes
an army, each man a match for a hundred of the untrained men that
may be brought against it. Organization in every department of
man’s work means success, saving of time and labour, profit and
development. Want of method, want of plan, haphazard work, fitful
energy, undisciplined effort—these mean bungling failure. The
voice of humanity attests the truth. Does the Spiritualist accept
the verdict and act on the conclusion? Verily, no. He refuses to
organize. He is a law unto himself, and a thorn in the side of his
neighbours.—_Light_, June 22, 1889.
ENQ. I was told that the Theosophical Society was originally founded to
crush Spiritualism and belief in the survival of the individuality
in man?
THEO. You are misinformed. Our beliefs are all founded on that immortal
individuality. But then, like so many others, you confuse
_personality_ with individuality. Your Western psychologists do
not seem to have established any clear distinction between the
two. Yet it is precisely that difference which gives the key-note
to the understanding of Eastern philosophy, and which lies at the
root of the divergence between the Theosophical and Spiritualistic
teachings. And though it may draw upon us still more the hostility
of some Spiritualists, yet I must state here that it is Theosophy
which is the _true_ and unalloyed Spiritualism, while the modern
scheme of that name is, as now practised by the masses, simply
transcendental materialism.
ENQ. Please explain your idea more clearly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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