Theosophical Movement Is Not Alone

Why, and How, Masters of the

Wisdom Observe Human Efforts

Carlos Cardoso Aveline

“Man is the Microcosm. As he is so, then all

the Hierarchies of the Heaven exist within him.”

(H.P. Blavatsky, in “The Secret Doctrine and Its

Study”, by Robert Bowen, Theosophy Co., p. 4, item C.)

“Though separated from your world of

action we are not yet entirely severed from it so

long as the Theosophical … [Movement] exists.”

(A Master, in “The Mahatma Letters”, TUP, p. 378.)

Perhaps the idea that the theosophical movement is under direct observation of Adept-Teachers may provoke an uncomfortable feeling in some students of theosophy. This is, of course, understandable.  But the notion should not come as a complete surprise, for there is no separation in the Universe, and our little planet is no exception to the rule.  

During the 1880s, one of the Himalayan Raja-Yogis explained to a Western lay-disciple:

“Nature has linked all parts of her Empire together by subtle threads of magnetic sympathy, and, there is a mutual correlation even between a star and a man; thought runs swifter than the electric fluid, and your thought will find me if projected by a pure impulse, as mine will find, has found, and often impressed your mind. We may move in cycles of activity divided - not entirely separated from each other.”

Every theosophist is part of an “occult landscape” which remains under the observation of Arhats and Initiates. The Master wrote in the same letter:

“Like the light in the sombre valley seen by the mountaineer from his peaks, every bright thought in your mind, my Brother, will sparkle and attract the attention of your distant friend and correspondent. If thus we discover our natural Allies in the Shadow-world - your world and ours outside the precincts - and it is our law to approach every such an one if even there be but the feeblest glimmer of the true ‘Tathagata’ light within him - then how far easier for you to attract us.” [1]

How then does that observation occur? In one of the Mahatma Letters, there is a hint about the procedure.  A Raja Yogi says, referring to a lady who was anxious about her child’s health:

“…My attention was drawn to her by the ‘Disinherited’ who was on the watch.” [2]

The Masters called “Disinherited” one of his advanced disciples.  

Robert Crosbie, the main founder of the United Lodge of Theosophists, was perfectly aware of this subtle form of inner inspiration.  Writing between 1909 and 1919, Mr. Crosbie clarified:  

“There is no need to grope, nor stagger, nor stray, for the chart that has led many to the goal is in your hands in the philosophy of Theosophy. And let me say here to you: do not be too anxious; abide the time when your own inner demands shall open the doors, for those Great Ones who I know exist see every pure-hearted earnest disciple, and are ready to give a turn to the key of knowledge when the time in the disciple’s progress is ripe.”

And Crosbie went on in the same letter:

“No one who strives to tread the path is left unhelped; the Great Ones see his ‘light,’ and he is given what is needed for his better development. That light is not mere poetical imagery, but is actual, and its character denotes one’s spiritual condition; there are no veils on that plane of seeing. The help must be of that nature which leaves perfect freedom of thought and action; otherwise, the lessons would not be learned. Mistakes will occur, perhaps many of them, but, as is said, ‘twenty failures are not irremediable if followed by as many undaunted struggles up-ward’. The help will come for the most part in ordinary ways and from one or another of the companions with whom you were possibly connected in other lives, and whom your soul will recognize.”

There is therefore nothing “strange” or “extraordinary” in the occult ( id est, not verbal nor visual) contact between Masters and our humanity. Mr. Crosbie explains:

“The Great White Lodge exists for the service of humanity; They need and welcome workers in the world. Is it strange, then, that the light of souls attracted toward the path of unselfishness should receive Their cognition, and when deserved - when needed such succor as Karma permits? They, Themselves, have written, ‘Ingratitude is not one of our vices’; and while we may not claim gratitude from Them, yet we may be sure that compassion absolute is there, and with it the understanding of the nature and needs of each aspirant. There may, and there often does come a time when one feels, as you say, like ‘standing on nothing, in nothing and about to topple over.’ The center of consciousness has been changed; old landmarks are slipping away, and sometimes black doubt ensues. Doubt and fear belong only to the - personal consciousness; the real Perceiver, the Higher Ego has neither.” [3]

                                                                   

In 1888 H. P. Blavatsky wrote in a private letter to William Judge:

“Night before last I was shown a bird’s-eye view of the Theosophical Societies. I saw a few earnest, reliable Theosophists in a death-struggle with the world in general, and with other - nominal but ambitious - Theosophists.” [4]

Henry S. Olcott - one of the main founders of the movement - gives us further evidence of the observation of the movement by Initiates.  He writes in an essay entitled “Asceticism”:

“Years ago - when we first came to Bombay - I was told by H. P. B. that several of the Mahatmas, being met together, caused to drift by them in the astral light the psychical reflections of all the then Indian members of the Theosophical Society.[5] She asked me to guess which one’s image was brightest.” [6]

The practice of observing the inner nature of students is not new. In the ancient precepts published under the title of “Light on the Path”, one can see these words of advice to aspirants to discipleship:

“It is easy to say, ‘I will not be ambitious’: it is not so easy to say, ‘When the Master reads my heart he will find it clean utterly’.” [7]

For every practical purpose, a “Master” is one’s own higher self, awakened.  The task of getting ready for such a “reading” of one’s consciousness must be accomplished by “shortening the distance” between oneself and the Wisdom. This is perfectly within our possibilities, if the right effort is made. 

The way to do that is outlined in simple words in the Mahatma Letters:

“Look around you, my friend: see the ‘three poisons’ raging within the heart of men - anger, greed, delusion, and the five obscurities - envy, passion, vacillation, sloth, and unbelief - ever preventing them seeing truth. They will never get rid of the pollution of their vain, wicked hearts, nor perceive the spiritual portion of themselves. Will you not try - for the sake of shortening the distance between us - to disentangle yourself from the net of life and death in which they are all caught …..?” [8]

The distance from the Masters is the distance from one’s own higher self.  It may be shorter or longer, but it does not mean separation. Among the Pythagorean sentences of Sextus one finds this one:

“You will not be concealed from divinity when you act unjustly, nor even when you think of acting so.” [9]  

Demophilus, another ancient Pythagorean, says:

“If you are always careful to remember that in whatever place either your soul or body accomplishes any deed, Divinity is present as an inspector of your conduct; in all your words and actions you will venerate the presence of an inspector from whom nothing can be concealed, and will, at the same time, possess Divinity as an intimate associate.” [10]

Discipleship is no modern invention, and Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher in Ancient Rome, wrote about the ability to hear one’s own “daimon”, id est, one’s “attendant spirit” [11] or higher self.  He noted in his “Meditations”, which he never meant for publication:

“Live with the gods. And he does live with the gods who constantly shows to them that his own soul is satisfied with that which is assigned to him, and that it does all that the daimon wishes, which Zeus has given to every man for his guardian and guide, a portion of himself. And this is every man’s understanding and reason.” [12]

NOTES:

[1] “The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett”, Theosophical University Press, Pasadena, California, 1992, 493 pp., see Letter XLV, pp. 267-268.

[2] “The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett”, Theosophical University Press, Pasadena, Letter CXVIII, p. 451.

[3] “The Friendly Philosopher”, Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Company, 1946 / 2008, 416 pp., see pp. 7-8.

[4] These words are quoted by William Q. Judge in his article “Yours Till Death and After, HPB”, first published at “Lucifer” magazine, London, in its June 1891 edition, pp. 290-292.  The name of the magazine deserves a clarification. The world “Lucifer” means “light-bearer”: it is the ancient name for the planet Venus, the “older sister” of our Earth. The meaning of the word was distorted in the Middle Ages by Christian fanatics interested in justifying their own crimes against humanity.  S to the “bird’s-eye view” quotation, it was later reproduced by Robert Crosbie in at least two occasions: see pp. 109 and 389 at “The Friendly Philosopher”, R. Crosbie, Theosophy Co., Los Angeles. The letter of HPB to William Judge from which these words come was written in August 12, 1887 (HPB’s birthday).  The complete letter is published verbatim at “Theosophical History” magazine, volume V, January 1995 edition. See the quotation at p. 164.

[5] At this point H. S. Olcott added in a footnote: “Everything in physical nature is reflected, as in a mirror, in reversed images, in the Astral Light.”

[6] “Applied Theosophy and Other Essays”, Henry Olcott, TPH, India, 1975, 280 pp., see pp. 202-203.   

[7] “Light on the Path”, Written Down by M.C., Theosophy Co., India, 90 pp., 1991,  Notes,  see Note 1, p. 15. 

[8] “The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett”, Theosophical University Press, Pasadena, Letter XLV, p. 265.

[9] “The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library”, compiled and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie, introduced and edited by David R. Fideler, Phanes Press, Michigan, USA, 1987, 362 pp., see p. 268, aphorism 17.

[10] “The Golden Verses of Pythagoras and Other Pythagorean Fragments”,  Selected by Florence M. Firth,  Kessinger Publishing, LLC, Kila, Montana, USA, 82 pp., see p. 25.

[11] See “Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language”, 1989 edition, for the word “Daemon” or “Daimon”.

[12] “Meditations”, by Marcus Aurelius, included in the volume 12 of “Great Books of the Western World”, which is dedicated to works by Lucretius, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., Chicago, London, Toronto, Geneva, Sydney, Tokyo, Manila, copyright 1952, 1978 printing, 310 pp., see Book V, paragraph 27, p. 272.

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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.  

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