By Honestly Facing Our Failures, We
Develop a Sense of Self-Responsibility
Political ideologies and other systems of “organized opinion” offer us a false feeling that “we know everything” and that we “can explain each and every event”. This would be done simply by placing all facts or situations within our ideological set of references, or simplified view of the world.
In reality, fixed ideology and opinions separate us from facts. They take us away from actual reality. They isolate us from our own intuition, from our natural ability to learn, and from each other.
Instead of trying to spread an ideology - or, worse, trying to impose ideas on others - we should try to learn wisdom through study, dialogue and cooperation.
It is wise to remember that ideologies feed on propaganda and are used to “organize” human minds in herds of believers.
Real theosophy, on the other hand, invites us to seek for truth by our own means and to think by ourselves. Ideological thinking is automatic thinking, and automatic thinking is not thinking at all.
The difference between philosophy and ideology is in the fact that in philosophy you must think with independence and help others think by themselves. An ideology tries to “provide the thinking” for everyone. A true teacher of theosophy will not tell you WHAT to think. He may help you observe the way you think, and help you see how to improve and expand your thinking.
Classical philosophy and theosophy invite us to be thoroughly responsible for our actions, our feelings and our thoughts.
The process of self-responsibility shows us our mistakes. By honestly facing our failures and defeats, we cease to attribute our limitations to others and to external circumstances. We then start to heal ourselves, improving our lives and learning some real wisdom.
Instead of fighting others or merely struggling with circumstances, the pilgrim who listens to classical theosophy in his heart chooses to daily build his own character.
He transcends the illusion of self-importance. He observes and educates himself all the time. He constantly practices the exercise of divine presence. He knows that his own spiritual soul is sacred, and that he is continuously side by side with Eternity, whether he remembers it, or not.
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The article “Theosophy Needs Freedom From Propaganda” is available on the websites of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists since 22 November 2025. An initial version of it is part of the March 2021 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, page 7, which has no indication as to the name of the author. Original title: “Freedom from Propaganda”.
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Helena Blavatsky (photo) wrote these words: “Deserve, then desire”.
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