A Fragment of Conversation
With Helena P. Blavatsky in
1888
William Q. Judge
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The following was
written by me
at the dictation of
H.P.B. in 1888 with
the purpose of
printing it at that time.
But it was not used
then, and as I brought
it home with me it
is now of interest.
W.Q. Judge
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Q. - It has struck me while thinking over the difference
between ordinary people and an adept or even a partly developed student, that
the rate of vibration of the brain molecules, as well as the coordination of
those with the vibrations of the higher brain, may lie at the bottom of the
difference and also might explain many other problems.
H.P.B. - So they do. They
make differences and also cause many curious phenomena; and the differences
among all persons are greatly due to vibrations of all kinds.
Q. - In reading the
article [“Aum!”] in the PATH of April, 1886, this idea was again suggested. I
open at p. 6, Vol. I.:
“The divine Resonance spoken
of above is not the Divine Light itself. The Resonance is only the outbreathing
of the first sound of the entire Aum.... It manifests itself not only as the
power which stirs up and animates the particles of the universe, but also in
the evolution and dissolution of man, of the animal and mineral kingdoms, and
the Solar system. Among the Aryans it was represented by the planet Mercury,
who has always been said to govern the intellectual faculties and to be the
universal stimulator.”
What of this?
H.P.B. - Mercury was
always known as the god of secret wisdom. He is Hermes as well as Budha the son
of Soma. Speaking of matters on the lower plane, I would call the “Divine
Resonance” you read of in the PATH “vibrations” and the originator, or that
which gives the impulse to every kind of phenomena in the astral plane.
Q. - The differences
found in human brains and natures must, then, have their root in differences of
vibration?
H.P.B. - Most assuredly
so.
Q. - Speaking of
mankind as a whole, is it true that all have one key or rate of vibration to
which they respond?
H.P.B. - Human beings in
general are like so many keys on the piano, each having its own sound, and the
combination of which produces other sounds in endless variety. Like inanimate
nature they have a key-note from which all the varieties of character and
constitution proceed by endless changes. Remember what was said in Isis Unveiled at p. 16, Vol. I, “The
Universe is the combination of a thousand elements, and yet the expression of a
single spirit, - a chaos to the sense (physical), a cosmos to the reason” (manas).
Q. - So far this
applies generally to nature. Does it explain the difference between the adept
and ordinary people?
H.P.B. - Yes. This
difference is that an adept may be compared to that one key which contains all
the keys in the great harmony of nature. He has the synthesis of all keys in
his thoughts, whereas ordinary man has the same key as a basis, but only acts
and thinks on one or a few changes of this great key, producing with his brain
only a few chords out of the whole great possible harmony.
Q. - Has this
something to do with the fact that a disciple may hear the voice of his master
through the astral spaces, while another man cannot hear or communicate with
the adepts?
H.P.B. - This is because
the brain of a chela is attuned by training to the brain of the Master. His
vibrations synchronize with those of the Adept, and the untrained brain is not
so attuned. So the chela’s brain is abnormal, looking at it from the standpoint
of ordinary life, while that of the ordinary man is normal for worldly
purposes. The latter person may be compared to those who are color-blind.
Q. - How am I to
understand this?
H.P.B. - What is
considered normal from the view of the physician is considered abnormal from
the view of occultism, and vice versa.
The difference between a color-blind signal man who mistakes the lamps and the
adept who sees is that the one takes one color for another, while the adept sees
all the colors in every color and yet does not confuse them together.
Q. - Has the adept,
then, raised his vibrations so as to have them the same as those of nature as a
whole?
H.P.B. - Yes; the highest
adepts. But there are other adepts who, while vastly in advance of all men, are
still unable to vibrate to such a degree.
Q. - Can the adept
produce at his will a vibration which will change one color to another?
H.P.B. - He can produce a
sound which will alter a color. It is the sound which produces the color, and
not the other or opposite. By correlating the vibrations of a sound in the
proper way a new color is made.
Q. - Is it true that
on the astral plane every sound always produces a color?
H.P.B. - Yes; but these
are invisible because not yet correlated by the human brain so as to become
visible on the earth plane. Read Galton, who gives experiments with colors and
sounds as seen by psychics and sensitives, showing that many sensitive people
always see a color for every sound. The color-blind man has coming to him the
same vibrations as will show red, but not being able to sense these he alters
the amount, so to say, and then sees a color corresponding to the vibrations he
can perceive out of the whole quantity. His astral senses may see the true
color, but the physical eye has its own vibrations, and these, being on the
outer plane, overcome the others for the time, and the astral man is compelled
to report to the brain that it saw correctly. For in each case the outer
stimulus is sent to the inner man, who then is forced, as it were, to accept
the message and to confirm it for the time so far as it goes. But there are
cases where the inner man is able to even then overcome the outer defect and to
make the brain see the difference. In many cases of lunacy the confusion among
the vibrations of all kinds is so enormous that there is not correlation
between the inner and the outer man, and we have then a case of aberration. But
even in some of these unfortunate cases the person inside is all the time aware
that he is not insane but cannot make himself be understood. Thus often persons
are driven really insane by wrong treatment.
Q. - By what manner
of vibrations do the elementals make colors and lights of variety?
H.P.B. - That is a
question I cannot reply to though it is well known to me. Did I not tell you
that secrets might be revealed too soon?
Path, June, 1893
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Reproduced from “Theosophical
Articles”, William Q. Judge, Theosophy Co., Los Angeles, 1981, Volume I, pp.
423-426.
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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.
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