An Inner Dimension
in the
History of the
Theosophical Movement
Carlos Cardoso
Aveline
The theosophical
movement is a pioneer nucleus of the future universal brotherhood of humanity, and
was created by Helena Blavatsky in 1875 under the inspiration of a few Masters
of Wisdom who live in remote areas of the Himalayas.
For these sages,
geographical distances have little importance, because clairvoyance and
telepathy are among the yogic resources which they use. They silently help
individuals of good will from different countries, philosophies, religions and
social classes. Once a citizen has the ability to think by himself about
philosophical topics, and if he has a broad mental horizon and a tendency to
act with altruism, he naturally comes to be within the general field of
observation of the masters. There is a constant and living interaction between the
Immortal Sages and mankind. However, it unfolds in ways that are more complex
and more subtle than most people think.
This is one of the
central topics of investigation for the Independent Lodge of Theosophists.
The researcher who
looks at the history of the theosophical movement sees that the story of
contacts with Masters has four main phases or aspects, and each phase presents its
own challenges and obstacles.
One of the possibilities
is sheer disbelief in the occurrence of contacts, or even in the existence of
Masters. Despondency and skepticism are two kinds of illusions that the
movement must identify and get rid of, as it seeks for truth and builds an
affinity with the true Teachers.
There is a
“successive factor” among the four historical phases regarding contacts with
Masters: each phase tends to succeed the other.
However, some of them are into a large extent simultaneous and overlap
each other.
Let us examine
them.
1) During
the first phase in the story of contacts with Masters, contacts occurred which
were Authentic and which took place including the Outer Planes of Reality. In this phase, Masters are sometimes seen. They
send letters. They help HPB make phenomena as the famous materialization of
cups, and many others. The period in which there was a relative predominance of
this kind of contact goes up to 1884-1885, and it completely ceases in 1900. In this first phase, the Masters never say
commonplace things. They often criticize disciples, showing their weak points so
that they can correct themselves. The discipleship emerging from such contacts
- as recorded in the Mahatma Letters - is a stern path to be followed by the
Few.
2) The
second phase in the story of contacts with Masters is still very much dominant
in the “esoteric movement” at large in this first part of 21st century. It is
the phase of imaginary contacts. Here the Masters can only say commonplace
things, and they say almost everything the “disciples” want to hear. This has
to occur for a very simple reason: such “Masters” are the sub-conscious
invention of would-be disciples. It seems the first best-known example of such
a phase happened in England through Alfred Sinnett, who, while HPB still lived,
had mesmeric and mediumistic sessions of dialogue with imaginary Adepts, in the
“inner circle” of his London Lodge. HPB writes about false contacts with
Masters in the closing pages of “The Key to Theosophy”. It was in that “inner
circle” that both Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater started developing their
imaginary contacts with false Masters, as can be seen in the Autobiography of
Mr. Alfred Sinnett (published by “Theosophical History Centre”, London, 1986,
65 pp.).
3) The
third phase in the story of contacts with Masters is the karmic result of phase
two. In it, skepticism and despondency dominate and all contacts are seen as
unreal. Sometimes, in order to fight
despondency, some sincere student will fall back into phase two and invent “brilliant”
artificial fireworks to keep things going.
This only makes the problem become deeper. The dilemma between the
illusion of false contacts and the illusion that “all is false” creates a deadly
trap for many who abandon the common sense approach taught by H.P. Blavatsky. The third or “non-contact” phase also opens
some minor doors of the movement to the work of scholars, some of whom are but false
scholars, and who try to describe the movement as if it were innerly dead.
4) The fourth
phase in the story of contacts with Masters is essentially formulated in the
text of the “1900 Letter”. The complete
text of this letter can be found at our associated websites under the title of “The
1900 Letter From a Mahatma”, and with the subtitle “The Document Which
Warned that the Adyar Society Had Abandoned Real Theosophy”. In the 1900 letter
we see these words [1]:
“The crest wave of
intellectual advancement must be taken hold of and guided into spirituality. It
cannot be forced into beliefs and emotional worship. The essence of the higher
thoughts of the members in their collectivity must guide all action in the T.S.
AND E.S. We never try to subject to ourselves the will of another. At favourable
times we let loose elevating influences which strike various persons in various
ways. It is the collective aspect of many such thoughts that can give the
correct note of action.”
The lines above seem
to contain key information as to contacts between Masters and the movement after
the year 1900. This is the year when the Aquarius Age began, according to a
clear and documented statement made by H.P. Blavatsky (“Collected Writings”, TPH, volume
VIII, p. 174, fn).
The contact
exists, then, as a possibility. It is also
real. It is not verbal. It is not visual. It is not personal. No one has therefore
the possibility to derive any kind of personal pride out of it. Anyone who thoroughly
realizes such a process will only become less and less subject to feelings of
personal ambition. The key sentences in the letter are:
“At favourable
times we let loose elevating influences which strike various persons in various
ways. It is the collective aspect of many such thoughts that can give the
correct note of action.”
This correct inner
process has never ceased and it will never cease to occur, wherever and
whenever there is a Soul ready for it in any continent or country. Yet, looking at it from the viewpoint of the
modern theosophical movement, this specific teaching was predominantly
understood - and acted upon - only since February 1909. It was understood and realized by theosophists
who had not read the 1900 Letter, for the Letter was only published - with an
incomplete text - several years after 1909. The starting point for reorganizing
the movement on the sane basis of this common sense teaching on contacts with
Masters was the foundation of the United Lodge of Theosophists.
We should examine
now an excerpt from John Garrigues’ book “Point Out the Way”. It
describes interesting aspects of this fourth phase of contacts with Masters:
the phase which is free from outer “phenomena” both true and false, and which
brings about an impersonal, non-verbal, non-visual, higher and inner level process
of communion with the true sources of universal wisdom.
Mr. Garrigues, an
associate of the United Lodge of Theosophists and one of its founders, said in
the 1930s:
“….
We might think behind the meaning of Chelaship, and perhaps that will open our
eyes to some things. Here we have, as a body, some kind of a relation with the
Masters of Wisdom, haven’t we? [2] We are interested in the same Cause
that They labour for in full, continuous consciousness. We are struggling to
travel in the same direction; that is, we are trying to study and to apply the
same teaching that guides Their lives. So, we have a relation with Them as a
mass, as a body, having a common aim and a common purpose and a common
teaching. However remote that relation is, it is a contact. Suppose a man, an
individual here and there, realizes that? Just as the sense of touch, when more
concentrated, becomes the sense of hearing without the sense of touch being
lost, and the sense of hearing, when more concentrated, becomes the sense of
sight without either hearing or touch being lost - if there are Masters of
Wisdom, if there are such Beings and They do labour for all men, They must take
a special interest in those men and women who are striving to fit themselves in
every way open to them to become the better able to help and teach others.” [3]
John Garrigues’
words make a valuable contribution to anyone who wants to understand the inner
aspects of the theosophical effort in the 21st century and beyond.
Other important
hints can be found through a thorough study of the original theosophical
literature.
Some of the books
with realistic information as to how the student can start investigating the silent
process of communion with higher orders of intelligence are:
* “The
Mahatma Letters”, edited by A. Trevor Barker;
* “Letters
From the Masters of the Wisdom”, first and second series, edited by C.
Jinarajadasa;
* “Light
on the Path”, written down by M.C.;
* “The
Voice of the Silence”, by H.P. Blavatsky; and
* “The
Key to Theosophy”, by HPB. [4]
Such an
investigation is multidimensional and usually takes a few lifetimes, but it
should become easier as time passes. Each effort made in the right direction is
valid and worthwhile, and bear fruits even in the short term.
The first step in
the path is to get in touch with one’s own higher self or immortal soul. It is
only through one’s own higher dimensions that one can get in syntony
with more elevated orders of life. At
this point it might be asked: “And how can one do that?”
Paradoxically, one
excellent way for the student to expand contact with his own higher self is by
being at the same time independent and altruistic. It is important to study the
universal wisdom, to develop a respect for all beings and to try serve mankind
as a whole. At the same time, autonomy and self-responsibility are of the
essence.
From the point of
view of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists, the path to wisdom is steep and
narrow, and demands an undivided attention. However, as the Eastern tradition
says, “there is no other path to go”.
NOTES:
[1] The words in capital letters “AND E.S.” were suppressed by the Adyar editors until
the full text of the letter was obtained and published by an HPB student in
1987. “E.S.” refers to the Esoteric Section of the movement, created by H.P.
Blavatsky in the late 1880s.
[2] Here the
author refers to a group of earnest students of the original teachings of
Theosophy, who work with altruism and in a long term perspective.
[3] These lines
are transcribed from page 198 of “Point Out the Way”. This is a typewritten and
mimeographed / photocopied book which reproduces stenographic notes taken at informal talks on the book “The Ocean of
Theosophy” by W.Q. Judge. The talks were delivered in the early 1930s at the
Los Angeles Lodge of the United Lodge of Theosophists. In this first edition, “Point
Out the Way” has 211 pages.
[4] See
also the more recent book “The Fire and Light of Theosophical Literature”, by Carlos
Cardoso Aveline, The Aquarian Theosophist, 2013, 255 pages, and especially its
chapter 21, entitled “The Seven Principles of the Movement”.
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The
article “On Contacts With Masters”
was first published in 2010. A few
months after publication, while it was being translated into Spanish, its
English version was revised and somewhat shortened by the author, finally
taking its present form.
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
