Report of a
Theosophical Meeting in London
Helena P. Blavatsky
Helena P. Blavatsky
Helena P. Blavatsky (1831-1891)
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An Editorial Note:
The
following transcription was published by
Boris
de Zirkoff in the “Collected Writings”
of
Helena
P. Blavatsky, TPH, USA, 1982, volume
XIII, pp. 364-365.
It also appeared at the June 2014
edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, pp. 10-12.
As to
the terminology used in the text, readers
should
take into consideration the fact that the Sanskrit
word Manas
means “mental principle”, and Buddhi
corresponds
to the spiritual soul or spiritual intelligence.
Kama is the center of animal desire. Kama-loka is
the
“place of desires”, one of the first phases in the
after-death
cycle. As to Kama-rupa, it is the subtle
after-death
principle which inhabits kama-loka.
The
higher and spiritual phase of the cycle
between
two incarnations is called Devachan. The
sixth
principle is the buddhic principle or spiritual
soul;
the seventh principle is the Atmic
and supreme
principle in the microcosm of human aura. Mahatma
is an
individual who attained perfection from the point
of
view of the present stage in human evolution.
(Carlos
Cardoso Aveline)
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At a meeting held
at Maycot, June 16, 1887, a discussion arose as to the aura and magnetism of
any individual.
Magnetism, it was stated, is an
emanation which arises from all things, the earth, animal and vegetable life;
it is a physiological thing and arises from prana; which is the individual life
principle. The aura is an individualization of a Universal Life Principle
(Jiva) and endures with a man in spite of his periodical changes of state and
planes.
The aura is the origin of the
feeling of sympathy and antipathy; it is a magnetic emanation of prana but in combination with manas and
buddhi. In this connection it may be noted that memory is the effect of buddhi
upon manas. The process of “psychologizing” is performed by will-power and is
effected by and affects the aura.
A discussion arose as to the
distinction between will and desire. Desire has to do with a man’s success but
less than will or karma. Outside the animal kingdom desire ought only to have
concern with one of the higher principles. Desire is a Kamic principle, it is
Typhonic [1], a disturbing power and
is opposed to will, which latter is an emanation from the seventh and sixth
principles. Desire is an energy which ought to be repressed; when repressed the
energy is scattered and goes to the universal energy but is not lost. It is got
rid of by the man himself when repressed, but if given effect hangs round his
neck like a mill-stone in the form of Karma.
After death a man exists in Kama-loka
encased in the Kama-rupa or bundle of desires which restrains the higher
principles from passing entirely into Devachan. On his return thence man finds
the Karma of unrepressed Desire waiting for him at the threshold. Hence the
real punishment of Karma arises from the presence of desires which have to be
repressed. This is done by the effort of will; which is not infinite and has a
beginning and an end. But will is the manifestation of an eternal law which is
appreciable only in its effects and in this place it was said that absolute
will is not the same as Kosmic Will.
Thus Man as the microcosmos is
gifted with freewill; but is limited by the action of other free wills under
the law of universal harmony which is Karma. The real function of willpower is
to produce harmony between the law and man. Thus the Mahatma being without
desire is outside of the sphere of action of Karma; His real condition is in
harmony with nature and is Karma and its agent and hence is outside its action.
[2] His physical body is however still within its limits of
action. Thus the direction of will should be towards realizing one’s
aspirations which are Buddhic, when the intellectual fifth principle is nearly
merged in buddhi the sixth. These aspirations may be called “glimpses into the
eternal”.
The lower consciousness mirrors
aspirations unconsciously to itself and then itself aspires and is elevated if
things are in accord. Such an aspiration would be a tendency towards Theosophy;
this instinct if developed becomes a conscious aspiration.
A distinction was drawn between
obstinacy, firmness and will. Obstinacy results from an obscuration of the
reason and may be compared to the two halves of the brain acting in opposition
when the work is obstructed. Firmness may be said to result from equilibration
of these two. Upon this firmness will is based and starts from this
equilibration to work.
NOTES:
[1] Typhonic - a reference to Typhon,
the deadliest monster of Greek mythology. (CCA)
[2] “Outside its action”, according to the available transcription
of HPB’s words, made by her students. A
Mahatma is indeed outside the field of action of that portion of the Law of
Karma that can be perceived by average human beings. However, he is entirely within the field of action of the Law of
Karma. A Mahatma learns. He makes
mistakes and corrects them. He has his own source of inspiration. He expands his consciousness. He is an agent of the Law of Karma, as
HPB says in this paragraph, but he is
not the law himself. Precisely because Mahatmas act under the Law of Karma, the two Masters who inspired the
creation of the modern theosophical movement worked under the severe
supervision of a higher Initiate, whom they called “the Chohan”. As a matter of
fact, every aspect of cosmic intelligence humbly obeys the One Law. (CCA)
000
In September 2016, after a careful analysis of the state of the
esoteric movement worldwide, a group of students decided to form the Independent Lodge of Theosophists,
whose priorities include the building of a better future in the different
dimensions of life.
000
