Theosophy
May Be a Branch
Of
the Universal Music of the Spheres
Carlos Cardoso
Aveline
“… In our sight an honest boot-black [ is ] as
good as an honest king, and an immoral sweeper far
higher and more excusable than an immoral Emperor…”
(A Master, in “Mahatma Letters”)
For someone who worked for a
long time with public policies regarding law enforcement in environmental
issues, the degree of institutional precariousness everyone can see in the
modern theosophical movement, since 1875, is not irrelevant.
One may
ask oneself: “Is there a direct relationship between altruism and lack of
organizational skills? Is the policy of
the heart impossible to harmonize with the policy of institutions?” The question
may also emerge: “What is the degree of impersonality people need, in order to effectively
manage an institution whose goal is universal brotherhood?”
And
someone might say that as long as there is generosity, ethics is present and
one is guided by a universal view of life, flexibility should be our rule in
bureaucratic issues. The policy of inflexibility leads to failure: the
destruction of esoteric poperies is welcome. The institutional life of the
theosophical movement must be flexible for it is probationary and subject to a
variety of karmic tests.
Groups and
individuals should carefully calculate their forces in every aspect of life,
and have clear priorities. Prudence is as necessary as courage. Independent
action is the best method. Each individual and group must be responsible for
what he or it does. Compassion can be combined with rigor: severity is most
important for ourselves, and compassion, mainly for others. It is the mark
of an idiot to look for personal and formal positions of power. One should look
for self-improvement, instead, and a Mahatma of the Himalayas wrote:
“… In our sight an honest boot-black [ is ] as good as an honest king,
and an immoral sweeper far higher and
more excusable than an immoral
Emperor…”. [1]
The theosophical
movement is about understanding the laws of the universe. It is about research
and sharing. It evolves by learning from its mistakes. Theosophists should
be encouraged to talk about the lessons they need to learn as a movement, and
as individuals. Outer diversity is part of their strength. Unity is inner and non-bureaucratic.
The use of
common sense is as necessary as the practice of listening to one’s own
individual conscience.
The
individual world is not separate from collective life. It is possible to act in
unison as a group, preserving due respect for individualities. The very concept
of unison, in music, combines diversity and harmony, and someone might
say that modern Theosophy is an earthly branch of the universal music of the
spheres.
NOTE:
[1] “The Mahatma Letters”, TUP, Pasadena, California, 1992, 494 pp., see Letter
XXIX, p. 223.
000
An initial
version of the above text was published in the May 2012 edition of “The
Aquarian Theosophist”.
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
