Theosophy

Dara Rittenhouse (Dara Eklund) – USA

Dara loved gardening and frequented gardens such as the Huntington Garden in San Marino, CA. On the photo a flower grown there

The idea of Karma initiates into our lives a sense of conscious responsibility. While we do not always see in every action its ultimate conclusion, while we fail to use every moment or event as a new inroad to truth, the idea has taken hold enough to change, in a great way, our acceptance of all that comes our way. It is the beginning of a larger faith in Law - affirmation of a time when the intricacies of life and action will be understood.

I have often wondered why we look to some outside person (perhaps deeply respected), Teacher or even abstract Law, with the question: “Am I forgiven?” Granted we have denied an anthropomorphic God who rewards and punishes, or "vicarious atonement" through priest or self-constituted authority. But why this feeling of a need to be forgiven? Are our fellow-men so callous, so imperviously critical of our weaknesses and shortcomings? Are we ourselves so sensitive yet in outside condemnation that we cannot rely on Law, as the great Adjuster? Or, perhaps, the unforeseen effects, once recognized, seem too overwhelming to undergo.

Nevertheless, we find they must be undergone, no matter how favorable or unfavorable our action appears to those around us. We have to say: “l set this cause in motion - I alone can accept that responsibility for sure. I alone can forgive my action.”

Dara Eklund – USA

A flower grown at the Huntington Garden in San Marino, CA. Dara frequented this and other gardens

In this scientific age we moderns assume we are free from superstition. Yet we hold an abiding trust in technology which amounts to blind faith in hedonistic experimentation. Is not this a current day Superstition? While genetic engineers are trying to develop unicorns from goats, have we not witnessed a deepening cleft in basic wisdom and perception? Our kids “mouse” around computer screens for pre-packaged information with not a clue in how to synthesize it. We have faith that more children will learn to read, blind to any of the supposed founts of values they unconsciously tap into!

One of the most pervading superstitions today is that man is all-powerful over nature. Until recently DDT and pesticides were designed to produce great harvests, with little thought as to the atmosphere or the table health of the consumer. Now scientists have genetically altered tomatoes and other produce for long-lasting and “attractive” market value. Aside from the obvious results of Alar poisoning and contamination of feed, we see the imbalance wrought from generations of such experimentation in the nemesis of devastating storms, droughts and newly detected viruses. Great forests have been denuded and scientists began warning a decade ago about earth's depleted ozone layer. Now we find skin cancer risk at all-time highs in certain geographical zones.

Dara Eklund – USA

Dara had a green thumb for her own garden but also frequented gardens such as the Huntington Garden in San Marino, CA. The wonderful flower on the photo was grown there

Theosophical Visionists are those who perceive the pure and timeless stream of Theosophy as the impetus to an ever – ascending spiral of spiritual development.

Theosophical Revisionists seem to be those students giving ear to the outer trends of world development, who would like to reconstruct the channel for the stream of Truth; perhaps even building ducts and tributaries to suit some temporary fancy of the passing age. Perchance they feel a need to draw some of its precious water off to an experimental scientific garden or two. Forgetting that Truth is ever One, they would divert its nurturing tributaries to suit their own particular scholastic specialties or theories.

Such revisionism seems present in a statement by Stephan Hoeller in The American Theosophist of September/October 1988, in which it was proclaimed that one should regard reincarnation and karma as metaphors. Our occult teachers have stated that these two doctrines are facts in Nature. Mr. Hoeller writes:

“The final question is: Are we able, and. more importantly, willing to interpret what we hitherto considered to be fact and metaphysical truth as a set of psychological keys to transformation? Can we stand up and proclaim that The Secret Doctrine is myth; that its cosmology is a psychological model of reality; that reincarnation and karma are metaphors; that Atlantis may be a symbol of our consciousness submerged in the ocean of unconscious forgetfulness?” (p. 191)

Dara Eklund – USA

The author, Dara Eklund, loved gardening and flowers. She frequented gardens such as the Huntington Garden in San Marino, CA. This flower was cultivated and grown there

Even with a common slate of Theosophical teachings students of Theosophy express doubt concerning their ability to recognize a true teacher should he suddenly appear. Have we established, then, as "Pure" Theosophy a certain set of books, or perhaps doctrines, without examining them for the future guidance of our Movement? Surely the Masters who fashioned a craft designed to negotiate the cyclical tides of centuries ahead, would provide enough ballast to carry it over the rough shoals it has met with from the very beginning. We have not only been given direct warnings, but devotional texts to fortify the heart-life and subdue the darker currents of our human personality. We have emphasis on motive and equanimity in the Bhagavad-Gita, a text so universal as to be adopted by the Western man as one of the World's great literary pieces. We have allegories too, which warn of the degradation of the Esoteric schools into centers of black magic. They often show how the purity of One disciple can help keep a link unbroken.

Take for instance the opening chapter of The Idyll of the White Lotus, where the boy Sensa enters the temple for the first time, conscious that the gate is locked behind him. For some reason he does not mind being a prisoner in that awesome place, for he is made aware of a curious seclusion which does not seem like imprisonment to him. A subtle separateness from the city beyond does not impair his innocent nature from perceiving a duality at work within the temple itself. He is immediately drawn into a conflict of the priestly forces which would use his native seership for development of their own ominous ends, against his own intuitive reverence for the pure lady of the Lotus, Truth herself. This he must preserve within, with the aid of the gardener of the temple grounds: INTUITION. How will Sensa keep to the Pure is his test!

Barbara Herbert – USA

The author

The mere thought of children being victimized in any way is repugnant and abhorrent to all of us. If news stories bring these situations to our attention, we may wipe the thoughts quickly from our minds, replacing them with thoughts of peace and unity for all beings. As Theosophists, we know that thoughts are things, and we may choose not to dwell on the horrors that abound in this physical existence, especially in relation to children. We don’t want to give that thought any energy; we don’t want it to grow. For many of us, we can quickly wipe the thought from our mind and feel very comfortable that we are living theosophically.

On the other hand, is this truly Theosophical living? Don’t we have an obligation to humanity to see the world as it truly is? If we don’t see it, how can we change it? If we don’t recognize that children are mistreated the world over, nothing will end the mistreatment. Humanity will remain “stuck” in this mode of averting our eyes and allowing mistreatment to continue. As Jung pointed out “We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.” Therefore, how do we find balance between seeing the truth, accepting the truth of the victimization of children but not dwelling on those thoughts and thus sending thought-forms of pity and sadness which only potentially complicate the plight of these little ones?

Boris de Zirkoff – USA

Although not of a good quality, a historical photo of significance: Dara Eklund (second from left) and Boris de Zirkoff, Dara's Aunt Kay (to Boris' left) and a few other Theosophists. This was taken in front of Dara's Studio City house in 1977. (i.e. a suburb of Los Angeles)

Periodic inventories are essential to good business.

When did you last take stock of your mental assets, and Surveyed your list of emotional liabilities? In the ancient era of the pre-Hiroshima mankind?

If so, you had better start right now balancing your books, lest you find yourself bankrupt and out of business.

For you see, my friend, You and I stand today on the threshold of an open door. Beyond it is Tomorrow ... and a playful breeze is blowing from Tomorrow, right through the open door ....

Radha Burnier – India

[Recognizing regeneration as the kernel of all Theosophical work, the International Theosophical Centre at Naarden, the Netherlands, jointly with the Federation of Theosophical Societies in Europe, organized two seminars in July 1990, with a number of office bearers, workers and members of the Society from different countries as participants. Proceedings of the seminar were published as a book under the title Human Regeneration: Lectures and Discussion (Amsterdam: Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland, 1990). This chapter (discussions) is here slightly revised.]

Radha Burnier

When we talk about a fundamental change, do we imply an immediate, total change, or is it a process?

RB: None of us can give an authoritative answer on this or any such subject. Let us explore. Are there many different changes culminating in a fundamental change? Is there a process in the sense that whenever the self expresses itself, one is aware of it? To use the imagery of The Voice of the Silence, whenever dust falls on the mirror, it is wiped away. When there is no dust at all, it may be a totally different kind of change. Perhaps there are dimensional changes, like the leap from animal consciousness to the self-consciousness of man. There may be a similar fundamental change, which takes the human being, into quite a different sphere. There may not be a contradiction, for the dimensional change as well as the process consisting of many little changes might be part of the scheme.

CB: As I see it, what happens in a process and in a greater change is the same thing. We see something, we eliminate it and free the way for something that comes from within. That may happen in small things continuously, or it may happen in a much more spectacular or bigger way. What happens in the process, is that we suddenly become aware of what we are doing, how we are; that is itself a change which comes from within, because something is eliminated. If it is a small thing coming now and then, we call it a process; if it comes very suddenly and to a very great extent, we may call it a big change.

By the editors of Lucifer – the Netherlands

[This is a reprint from Lucifer – the Messenger of Light, an original publication of I.S.I.S. Foundation, i.e. International Study-centre for Independent Search for truth. The editor is grateful for the permission given to make this important paper available for all readers of Theosophy Forward.]

In simple words, the Theosophical vision on life could be described as ‘Unity in Diversity’. The boundless Unity, outlined in the article about the three propositions, expresses itself in an equally boundless variety. The fourth Jewel of Wisdom, ‘self-becoming’, refers to the fact that each being is unique. And just like the previous three Jewels, we can draw inspiring lessons from it for our daily life.

Each one of us is different. Everybody observes and experiences things differently. We look at things and situations with a different view, we have different experiences. We organize our life in our way, set our own goals and find our own ways to achieve these goals. No two people have the same character.

When we look around us with an open mind, then we discover that every being in the Cosmos has its own unique characteristics. These differences in characteristics are more easy to recognize among higher evolved beings, such as a star, planet, or man. Each star has a unique spectrum of wavelengths. But the situation is not different in the lower Kingdoms of Nature. Each dog or cat has its own character, as we all know very well. You will not find two identical leaves in a wood. And chemical molecules of one type sometimes show a behavior quite different from each other. ⁽¹⁾ In fact, if two beings in the Cosmos would be completely identical in character, they would not be two beings but one.

Dreams

[This article appeared in the January 2017 issue of The Theosophical Movement. For more articles published in this excellent magazine follow this link: [http://www.ultindia.org/previous_issues.html ]

When interpreted correctly, dreams can give us major insights into our life and situations. Most dreams are forgotten but some dreams leave a vivid impact on our minds, lingering even after waking up. There are recurring dreams and nightmares, which compel people to look for their meaning and message. While most ancient cultures had their own theories of nature, function and meaning of dreams, modern experimental psychology ignored everything beyond the waking consciousness, including dreams. However, with the emergence of psychoanalysis it was beginning to be recognized that a large part of our mind is mostly unconscious, and that it contains all the wishes, desires, fears, hopes, traits and potentialities that we push out of awareness, either because they are too threatening to confront or because they are socially unacceptable. These influence our waking consciousness and often lead to conflicts. Dreams are a bridge between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis referred to dreams as “the royal road to the unconscious,” as dreams allow us to work with and understand the unconscious.

It is believed that during sleep the unconscious mind is predominant, and yet, the conscious mind is a witness and therefore dreams are often a mix of both these minds. The contents of the unconscious mind are often expressed symbolically. Likewise, in the process of condensation, several unconscious feelings, wishes, conflicts are fused together and represented as a single image. For instance, a person who had lost his mother dreamt that an old woman wearing his wife’s bridal dress was running away, which depicted that person’s fear of losing his wife as he did his mother. Then there are dreams in which the dreamer projects his feelings and impulses onto another person.

H. P. Blavatsky

Now, since the metaphysics of Occult physiology and psychology postulate within mortal man an immortal entity, “divine Mind,” or Nous, whose pale and too often distorted reflection is that which we call "Mind" and intellect in men — virtually an entity apart from the former during the period of incarnation — we say that the two sources of "memory" are in these two "principles." These two we distinguish as the Higher Manas (Mind or Ego), and the Kama-Manas, i.e., the rational, but earthly or physical intellect of man, incased in, and bound by, matter, therefore subject to the influence of the latter: the all-conscious SELF, that which reincarnates periodically — verily the WORD made flesh! — and which is always the same, while its reflected “Double,” changing with every new incarnation and personality, is, therefore, conscious but for a life-period. The latter “principle” is the Lower Self, or that, which manifesting through our organic system, acting on this plane of illusion, imagines itself the Ego Sum, and thus falls into what Buddhist philosophy brands as the “heresy of separateness.” The former, we term INDIVIDUALITY, the latter Personality. From the first proceeds all the noetic element, from the second, the psychic, i.e., “terrestrial wisdom” at best, as it is influenced by all the chaotic stimuli of the human or rather animal passions of the living body.

Tim Boyd – USA

Tim Boyd in action during a talk in San Rafael, Argentina

The other day while visiting with my mother in New York City I found myself following one of my habits. When traveling, if I have some spare time, I invariably end up at some comfortable coffee shop. When weather permits, I will sit outside, but if not, I sit by the window people watching. So many stories pass by written in the walk, or the set of the jaw, or the eyes of the people passing by. On most occasions, even in bustling New York, I will end up engaged in conversation with some stranger. On this particular afternoon I was noticing the flow of people walking by in gym shoes, loose fitting casual clothing, and carrying a yoga mat under their arm or slung across their backs. They were mostly women in their late twenties to mid-thirties headed for a neighborhood yoga studio. I found myself musing on the explosive growth of “yoga” in the US, and the variety of things that word has come to mean.

We remember John H. Drais (1940 – 2014)

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

In previous issues of Theosophy Forward we’ve honored Theosophists such as Dr. Richard Brooks, Ianthe Hoskins, Einar Adalsteinsson, Shirley Nicholson, Paul Zwollo and Dora van Gelder. In this issue we will remember John Drais.

John H. Drais

Goodbye to a friend (written in 2015)

Sometimes, often unexpectedly, you meet people who make a lasting impression. John Drais was such a person. I met him for the first time in Julian during the ITC (International Theosophy Conferences Inc.) in 2011 and one year later, in 2012, at Olcott – Wheaton during the annual ITC event there. In Julian when I was shooting photos for the Julian photo gallery I “caught” him in between two talks sleeping in the grass under a big tree with a huge white hat covering his head and in Wheaton we had to chance to talk.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

John H. Drais. I am a Californian and joined the TS in 1973. I am not currently a member of any of the Theosophical Societies, but am active in Theosophical work through The Paracelsian Order, a Theosophical monastic order.

2. Are you active in your Lodge/Section and if so, what do you do?

I am Abbot of The Paracelsian Order and a monk of Madre Grande Monastery. I teach all levels of Theosophy, loving-kindness and mindfulness meditation, Reiki, and Kabbalah. I also help others to adjust to communal life and work to set up Theosophical monasteries in the United States and other countries. My life revolves around making Theosophy practical so that it becomes a living power in my life and the life of those I come in contact with.

John H. Drais – USA

Just 20 years ago I published an article in Theosophical History: A Quarterly Journal of Research on The Paracelsian Order and why we consider ourselves a theosophical organization. [1] This same article, "The Paracelsian Order is a Theosophical Organization" is available on the front page of the website of The Paracelsian Order (http://www.madregrande.org ).  You are cordially invited to download, translate, and disseminate it as you will. For further information on our founding, please see “The Roots of Madre Grande”, in the Hall of Learning on the same web site. Reading all three of these articles will give a much clearer picture of our Theosophical work.

Establishing a Theosophical, religious organization is admittedly controversial, however, it is the express intent of the Mahatma KH and the Maha Chohan that their labors should result in a "…needed universal religious philosophy “[2] and be"…the cornerstone, the foundation of the future religion of humanity."[3] It was with the hope for their sanction and spiritual support that this endeavor was and is attempted. While freely admitting our own inadequacy for this task, it is by such humble beginnings that all great edifices are grown. We are but a seed that has barely begun to sprout. Nonetheless, there are signs that this seed is viable and its roots are starting to spread. We are now forming our second monastic, theosophical community in Central California.

John H. Drais – USA

Once upon a time, in the long, long ago,

Not only long by the measure of men,

But long by the races and ages of elves,

There was a planet, by name called Sin.

This planet had fled through vast spread of time

The clutches of Sol, with whom she's entwined.

There was among her lives a race of men that she loved most,

Who dared approach the being of the starry host.

As their planet faded into night,

Their collective consciousness receded out of sight,

And slipped into the shining sea,

Into supernal bliss of parasamadhi.

John H. Drais – USA

In 1877 HPB shocked the western world out of its dogmatic stagnation with the publication of Isis Unveiled. She presented and discussed, not only openly, but openmindedly, many subjects held sacrosanct for centuries by worldly priestcraft. Many pages were devoted to an exposé of Jehovah as one of a long succession of lunar deities. She clearly shows that this recently concocted name stems from the mystery god IOA. Jehovah* as a word-form results from improperly placing the Hebrew masoretic vowel points (themselves an invention of the era of the Masora, c. 600-1000 C.E.) of the word Adonai (Lord, Master, Sir) with the ineffable, (sic.) four-lettered name of the Creator, the tetragrammaton, YHVH.

Blavatskv's candor was not intended merely to point up this orthographic discrediting of Jehovah, but rather the importance of Jehovah as a lunar-creative deity, made necessary by the Christian insistence of attributing ubiquity to Jehovah. Thus the identity of Jehovah with IAO through its intermediate form YHVH is labored over to point up the essential distinction between the lunar and solar pitris. Part of her argument depends on the pronunciation of YHVH. Theodoret, an anti-Nicene Church Father (c. 386-385 C.E.). is paraphrased in this respect:

“Theodoret savs that the Samaritans pronounced it Iabè (Yahva), and the Jews Yaho; ...” (Isis Unveiled ii, 301; original edition)

John H. Drais – USA

Understanding cycles and how they affect our lives will greatly enhance your meditation experience. When we take on a new practice things go smoothly at first, but then become more difficult as old habits assert their way. It is likely that most people wanting to take up a new practice, such as meditation or yoga, will give up as soon as the sailing is not smooth. Upon realizing that this is part of the process, and there are benefits for perseverance, it is easier to get through these low times as well as to keep the practice in the high times, too.

Once upon a time, when there was nothing at all, every point was exactly like every other point. Therefore, no distinctions could be made between one point and another. The nature of this state is absolute Motion, Life without any thing alive, motion with no thing to move. Then came the Big Bang! Suddenly every point within the great Ocean of Life began to oscillate between two poles, positive and negative, being and not being. With this breath existence began again.

Radha Burnier – India

[Recognizing regeneration as the kernel of all Theosophical work, the International Theosophical Centre at Naarden, the Netherlands, jointly with the Federation of Theosophical Societies in Europe, organized two seminars in July 1990, with a number of office bearers, workers and members of the Society from different countries as participants. Proceedings of the seminar were published as a book under the title Human Regeneration: Lectures and Discussion (Amsterdam: Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland, 1990). This chapter (discussions) is here slightly revised.]

Radha Burnier at her quarters in Adyar with Elisabeth Trumpler, who was the Head Librarian of the Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library, in Wheation

Discussion – continued

How can one simultaneously perceive oneself and forget one­self?

CB-W: Maybe when one perceives oneself one cannot forget oneself.

CB: Perhaps if we can see ourselves and the things we do as part of the play of life, as an example of how Life expresses itself, then we see that it is of no importance that we are here. What we see is something that is happening in the universe and is part of the universe.

By the editors of Lucifer – the Netherlands

[This is a reprint from Lucifer – the Messenger of Light, an original publication of I.S.I.S. Foundation, i.e. International Study-centre for Independent Search for truth. The editor is grateful for the permission given to make this important paper available for all readers of Theosophy Forward.]

“Through Theosophy I have become aware that the inhabitants of all planes in nature are part of an eternal process of evolution – with all its subsequent, increasing responsibility – in this breathtaking play of billions of solar systems, which are part of one enormous living entity in the boundless and eternal Universal Space. The vast and intertwined cooperation throughout all this Universal Space made me realize that there is no room for feelings of separation. It has transformed me to a co-worker of Nature.” These words were written by an 85-year-old man to the editors of Lucifer. It is a beautiful example of the doctrine of hierarchies, the third Jewel of Wisdom.

Ed Abdill – USA

In her letter to the second convention of the American section, H. P. Blavatsky wrote:

“[There are those] among us who realize intuitionally that the recognition of pure Theosophy – the philosophy of the rational explanation of things and not the tenets – is of the most vital importance in the Society, inasmuch as it alone can furnish the beacon-light needed to guide humanity on its true path.
This should never be forgotten, nor should the following fact be overlooked. On the day when Theosophy will have accomplished its most holy and most important mission – namely, to unite firmly a body of men of all nations in brotherly love and bent on a pure altruistic work, not on a labor with selfish motives – on that day only will Theosophy become higher than any nominal brotherhood of man.”

In that short paragraph, H.P.B. summarized the principal objective of the Theosophical Society. Yet, the ideas contained in that paragraph need to be explored and meditated upon if we are to fully grasp what is meant by Theosophy and what the Theosophical Society was meant to do. We might begin our exploration by considering the evolution of the objectives (objects) of the Society. The objectives and their changes were formulated in the 19^th century when “man” was used for the species, not the male, and brotherhood included all human beings.

This article appeared in the October 2016 issue of The Theosophical Movement. For more articles published in this excellent magazine follow this ink: http://www.ultindia.org/previous_issues.html  ]

Once upon a time the inmates of an Ashram who were devoted to spiritual practices, assembled in a place to discuss about the utility of occult powers. There was a great controversy over the topic of discussion. At the outset, there was a division amongst the spiritual practitioners. One party held that the “Ashta Siddhis”—eight occult powers—viz., becoming (1) the smallest of the small, (2) the largest of the large, (3) the heaviest of the heavy, (4) the lightest of the light, (5) attaining overlordship, (6) getting anything and everything at will, (7) bringing everything under subjugation, (8) obtaining the power to pervade, etc., are but divine expressions and as such they are not negligible things. The opposite party held that these powers do not contribute to the unfoldment of spiritual life of the owner in the least; but, on the other hand, they drift farther and farther away from the real moorings of the spiritual life and therefore they are abominable.

Pavel Malakhov – Russia

The book Gems from the East was published in 1890 in London and New York¹ . Since then it has been republished many times and has been translated into many languages. The book has a subtitle “A Birthday Book of Precepts and Axioms,” or as pointed on the second subtitle, “Theosophical Birthday-Book...,” and by reading it we get proof that it is really Theosophical, for it contains the wisdom of different nations and ages.

It is interesting that Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (HPB) used the word “gem” (not “pearl” for example), because it also has another meaning of “engraved gemstone” – a peace of human artwork which saves the ideas of authors for centuries.