The
Process of
Alchemical
Fever in Esoteric Groups
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
As the path to
wisdom is made of challenges and opportunities, humbleness is of the essence.
One must see the mistakes, before correcting them. And
it is inevitable to correct mistakes before one can ever get rid of the defeats
they cause.
The apparent death of ethics in significant circles of
esotericism is not an isolated fact. [1]
It also does not occur by chance.
Facing the opposite of spiritual intelligence
constitutes the price to pay for evoking the highest levels in human nature. To
believe that “all is nice” about the path to wisdom is the surest way to
failure: the alchemy of the search for wisdom cannot be done except in a high
temperature. In groups, as in individuals, ignorance must undergo a sort of
fever. It has to keep boiling for some time for its liquid form to evaporate,
and then become lessons in wisdom that people can learn.
The fever caused by the presence of sacred teachings
in the lower nature of esoteric circles can cure the disease of ignorance; it
can also kill the groups whose metabolism can’t resist the fever.
Competition, open or disguised, produces active envy,
ill-will, falsehood, backbiting, treason and disloyalty in esoteric circles.
And whence comes competition?
Naive students of theosophy, misguided by a
superficial Pedagogy and false teachings, may have in their hearts a vague
goodwill towards mankind.
Their admiration for wise beings or sacred teachers
(sometimes imaginary) is mixed with an expectation that they themselves will be
guided into the condition of sages, and be loved and admired by many. As they
are pressed by facts to see that such personal illusions do not make sense,
they get bitter regarding their fellows’ progress; and they start to secretly
celebrate their brothers’ difficulties or failures. [2]
The antidote to such a mortal venom for theosophical
groups is the creation of a cultural environment where ceremonialism, love for
power-positions, politicking, money-manipulation and subtle forms of
illegitimate power are calmly but severely exposed.
Just like the Medusa of ancient Greek mythology, the
practice of posturing and make-believe adopts many new forms, which must be
identified, unmasked, and defeated a hundred times until one destroys the
root-cause of ignorance.
The individual task of building Antahkarana, the
“bridge” to one’s own spiritual soul, is among the main sources of legitimacy
in any theosophical association.
Envy, competition and related forms of ill-will are
deadly antahkarana-extinguishers. They destroy theosophical associations from
within, leaving only psychological masks and material buildings intact.
Therefore subconscious and semi-conscious mechanisms of hatred and envy must be
identified from the start. They constitute severe obstacles to fools and close
before them the Doors of true Knowledge.
Envy implies a desire to steal from the other, or to
deny his progress. It is a sure sign of problems in the connection to one’s own
higher self. A feeling of competition comes from the negative aspects of the
animal world: brotherliness, on the other hand, proceeds from the positive
aspects and is also divine in nature.
If one is in inner contact with anything sacred, one
suffers by seeing the faults of others, and rejoices in seeing the victory of
his fellow humans. Someone who is interested in learning will try to be friends
with those who may know better than him, and will be grateful to them. A humble
admiration leads one to devotion and powerfully expands his ability to
understand life.
The health of a theosophical group and of every group
of idealists depends on the individual combination of altruism and realism; of
generosity and vigilance; of optimism and rigor.
An effective knowledge of the divine world works
together with a knowledge of the selfish impulses and an understanding of their
ability to disguise themselves as if they were noble. Thus the worst aspects of
the probationary fever are defeated.
When the right alchemical combination of the sky and
the earth takes place on an individual plane, its creative equilibrium can be
shared with others while the inevitable process of karmic tests goes on. Such a
vigilant harmony gradually becomes a cultural element and a living factor in
the building of a better and stronger theosophical movement, which as time
passes will be ever more useful to mankind.
NOTES:
[1] In the first half of 21st century, many theosophical associations face serious ethical difficulties.
[2] The final stage in the road to failure is the
practice of intentionally placing obstacles along the path of those whom one
has a duty to help.
000
The above text was first published at the
April 2015 edition of “The Aquarian
Theosophist”, pp. 4-6. It had no indication as to the name of the author.
000
On the role of the esoteric movement in the ethical awakening of mankind during
the 21st century, see the book “The Fire and Light of Theosophical Literature”, by
Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
Published in
2013 by The Aquarian Theosophist,
the volume has 255 pages and can be obtained through Amazon Books.
000