Boris de Zirkoff – USA
[Original cover-photo]
The far-flung scene of the organized Theosophical Movement is astir with a new life, and the old stage setting is giving way to a new.
Gradual in some places, rather rapid in others, the change is welcome. If continued and expanded, it might spell life for the Movement as a whole, as opposed to suspended animation, lethargy and final death.
As is the case with all changes in nature, those in the organized Movement are connected with much soul-searching and attendant suffering and confusion. Wherever leadership is absent, the confusion is greater, and the outcome uncertain. Emotions may for a while take the place of reason, but will eventually resolve themselves into a new pattern of thought.
The organized Movement, solidly established in well-worn grooves, has never been too impressive as a Mausoleum, and might, perhaps, do better and get farther afield as a madhouse. The psychological and mental ferment going on within its structure at present manifests itself in considerable effervescence, with new ideas taking the place of worn out concepts, and with unorthodox methods displacing established routines.
What the Movement needs above everything else are men and women who can step forward with courage and enthusiasm, and assert in no uncertain terms the enduring worth of the original Theosophical traditions, and the unalterable foundation-principles of the Movement as a whole. We do not mean any “Back to Blavatsky” idea! Far be it from us to go “back” to anything or anywhere! What we need to do is to go forward in the Blavatsky tradition; and if we do so intelligently and honestly, we will find ourselves going forward with all the other Messengers of Truth. We will be going forward with Plato and Pythagoras, with Buddha and Confucius, with Hermes and Krishna , with Christ and Orpheus, and with a score of other Torchbearers whose precepts and teachings resound even today through the vast corridors of time, beckoning mankind to come up higher and become conscious of its spiritual heritage.
But in order to march forward in the light of this enduring message, and feel oneself upon an enduring foundation of universality, it is paramount for the organized Theosophical Movement to abandon once for all - and to do so with a will and a purpose - the pseudo-teachings of deluded psychics, the shimmering visions of self-appointed visionaries, and throw overboard as useless ballast the accumulated dross of many years, during which the original teachings were displaced by all sorts of psychic vagaries, and the spiritual principles of the Esoteric tradition were allowed to gather dust on forgotten shelves, while empty ceremonialism, gaudy ritualism and phantastic nonsense of all kind cluttered the stage and bewildered the audience at captandum vulgus.
In order to do it, men and women of moral strength are needed, individuals who will be willing to accept some degree of martyrdom and be prepared to be mauled upon occasion by “old-timers,” misrepresented by the “faithful” and opposed, traduced and besmirched by those whose sole endeavor in life is to keep inviolate entrenched customs, well worn ruts and the general climate of inertia which has often spelled early death to other similar movements.
The struggle between the contending forces within the organized Theosophical Movement has begun, and its symptoms are as dearly outlined as one would wish them to be - at least for those who are not willfully blind. We watch this struggle with interest, and with no surprise. It had to come sooner or later; it is here to stay, until the stage setting has been wholly changed and a closer and more vital rapport is established between the actors and the audience.
An objective of imperative importance for the Movement is to attract the attention and interest of young people everywhere. This can be done only if Theosophy is presented to them as a scientific philosophy of life; with emphasis on philosophy and not on science, and with no tendency to make it appear as some sort of religious fad; a philosophy based on solid scientific foundations, not a science of some sort or other, with philosophical and religious aspects here and there; nor as a religion, with scientific and philosophical implications. Theosophy as a Philosophy of Life, a world-conception - what the German calls Weltanschauung - based upon such unshakable foundations of thought that the best there is in man, the deepest there is in him, immediately responds to its appeal and recognizes intuitively the worth and value of the ideas presented. Conviction brought to the mind from within man himself. It would be sheer folly to imagine that psychic wonders, visions and delusions would have the slightest appeal to intelligent people, or that church ritualism would bring young people into the sphere of the Movement and satisfy their hunger for knowledge. This has been tried by some unwise but well intentioned people, and has resulted in the obvious fact that the organized Movement throughout the world has very few young people in it. More than that: the Movement seems to have but very few people who have any solid and clear understanding of what the teachings of Theosophy really are, and still fewer who can explain them in a definite and convincing manner to those who ask. How did this come about?
Is it not the result of an absence of individual thinking to the advantage of accepting other people’s ideas on authority? Is it not the result of following personalities with their personal glamour, as contrasted with a living search for Truth by means of self-devised effort and study? And is it not the natural outcome of being befuddled and confused by various psychic vagaries, so that the Light of true Theosophy is obscured by thick veils of illusions, and the mind of the seeker is fascinated by wonders and tales the spell of which he is unable to throw off? Let’s think this matter over! it is well worth the time we may spend on doing so.
The process of purification has now started. It will expand and become worldwide before long. Its end-result can hardly be foretold, but its aim is self-evident - a rejuvenation of the Movement along traditional lines!
The weather ahead is stormy ... the flight will be rough ... tighten your belts! ...
Well, anyway, happy landings!