The Aquarian Theosophist Volume V, #1 SUPPLEMENT November 17, 2004 Email: [email protected] ARCHIVE: http://www.teosofia.com/AT.html

Violence is not a Solution Claude Anshin Thomas will manifest, we can know that Claude Anshin Thomas, a Zen monk violence leads to more violence. A look and teacher, has made many pilgrimages to war-ravaged parts of the globe to at history confirms this: we see an promote nonviolence. But his mission endless succession of wars, all justified hasn’t always been peaceful. At eighteen, with the rationale that war is Thomas was a U.S. soldier in Vietnam. necessary to bring an end to conflict. Thomas served his full tour of duty But it never has. and received a Purple Heart and numerous combat decorations, but he later suffered from memories of the fighting and guilt At speaking and teaching over the people he had killed. He became engagements, when I make the addicted to alcohol and drugs, and for a time lived on the street. When he began pronouncement that violence is never recovering from his addictions, Thomas a solution, I am often asked what I found that the pain and guilt he’d been refer to as the "Hitler questions." numbing with substances were still there. It wasn’t until he encountered Vietnamese These include: If by killing one person monk Thich Nhat Hanh that he found a way you could save one hundred lives, to confront and accept his own suffering. wouldn't you kill that person? If In his book, At Hell’s Gate, Thomas someone broke into your home and was tells his entire story, from his violent childhood, to his wartime experiences, to intent on killing everyone in your his ordination as a Zen monk and current family, wouldn't you use force to stop life of nonviolent activism. him? If we hadn't taken aggressive The Sun Magazine printed a portion action against Hitler, what would have of the book in its October 2004 issue. The following is a quote on nonviolence. At been the consequences? Hell’s Gate is published by Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston, MA; 2004 These questions are legitimate. Hwww.shambhala.comH And they are also inherently rhetorical. I don't know what I would do if I were confronted with the sort of situations that they pose. The Second I BELIEVE THAT violence is World War appears to have been never a solution. TABLE OF CONTENTS I have been led to this view by Violence is not a Solution 1 my own experience, by our collective Point out the Way — LVII 3 history, and by the truth of cause and effect. Every action brings an equal Dnyaneshvari — LVI 10 and opposite reaction, says Newton's Correspondence 12 third law of physics. This holds true Let the Reader Beware! .... 19 for our actions in life, as well. Though Madame Blavatsky to her we cannot predict with certainty when Favorite Aunt 26 the reaction will take place or how it The Judge Case 30 The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 2 successful, but is the world a safer consciously choosing not to do so. place for it? Have those who aspire to Nonviolence is not succumbing to the gain power through the use of violence sense of helplessness that has us and aggression been deterred? decide, again and again, either Without a doubt, the answer is no. actively or passively, to support the While it is true that Germany's defeat use of violence as an effective form of stopped the Holocaust, for me there conflict resolution. Nonviolence still exists the nagging question: Did means standing up for truth and this bring an end to genocide? Many compassion in the midst of people believe that, in certain confrontation — and doing so without circumstances, we should kill to aggression. prevent further killing. My hope is to help people discover what a terribly As a soldier trained and seasoned dangerous argument this is. This in the savagery of war, I make a argument has been used to justify concerted effort, when talking and preemptive strikes, to maintain a writing about war and violence, to be nuclear arsenal that could destroy the direct and succinct. Contrary to planet a hundred times over, and to pessimistic or fatalistic opinion, war is uphold the death penalty. It is being not inevitable. Conflict is inevitable, used as a rationale for the current but the degeneration of conflict into occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan slaughter, mayhem, and the abject — and it was used by the Fascists and abandonment of truth is not. the Nazis to justify their agenda in We do not need war to stave off Europe. As we can clearly see, this our boredom or give us meaning and argument can be used to justify definition as a people. It is not our almost anything. human nature but rather our I know, unwaveringly, that unhealed, unaddressed suffering that violence is never the solution to propels us to industrialized killing. humanity's problems, and that the Killing at this level is the consequence real solution resides in the ethic and of a fear-based philosophy that drives value of nonviolence. Nonviolence is us to seek safety by attempting the not to be confused, however, with being impossible: to control everything and passive or complacent. Passivity like everyone around us. its opposite, aggression — is a behavior of those controlled and dominated by fear. I also know that a

commitment to nonviolence requires

an almost complete overhaul of our Nothing in nature springs into existence suddenly, all being subjected to the same law of gradual evolution. Realize but once the conditioned nature. It requires us to process of the maha cycle, of one sphere and you have realized them all. live differently. One man is born like another man, one race evolves, develops, and declines like another and all other races. Nature follows the same groove from the “creation” of a universe down to that of a mosquito. In studying Ultimately, all responsibility and esoteric cosmogony, keep a spiritual eye upon the physiological process of human birth; proceed from cause to effect establishing as you go along, all action begin with the individual, analogies between the birth of a man and that of a world. In our doctrine you will find necessary the synthetic method; you will have to embrace and so it is here that we must start. the whole — that is to say to blend the macrocosm and microcosm together — before you are enabled to study the parts separately or analyze In its simplest form, nonviolence is them with profit to your understanding. Cosmology is the physiology of rooted in knowing that we have the the universe spiritualized, for there is but one law. (ML#13) capacity to act violently and The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 3 section of Chapter XI gives a recapitulation from a more elevated plane. Have we noticed that? Remember that Mr. Judge says he writes the book so as to be understood by the ordinary man, but it is most interesting to observe the true occultism of Mr. Judge. He begins his chapters speaking from our human, personal, every — day standpoint of

things, and then in the concluding portion of the chapter he gives a re-capitulation POINT OUT THE WAY and summary from a higher point of view. Throughout the writing, he proceeds in a LVII general way, but, at the end of a given chapter, he uses the methods of occultism Chapter XI and so approaches the subject from the standpoint of the reincarnating Ego, the II. — Equilibrium and Liberation higher man. ANSWER: — [This was ending paragraph of a The whole story of Karma is really long answer which was inadvertently omitted in last issue. The “closing section” it refers to contained in Mr. Judge’s Aphorism No. is here inserted as a footnote.1] The closing 30 on Karma: “Karma operates to produce cataclysms of nature by concatenation through the mental and psychic planes of 1 Nor would the ways of Karma be inscrutable being.” When we come to think about it were men to work in union and harmony, instead of disunion and strife. For our — since we look from within outward — ignorance of those ways — which one portion of Karma insensibly and inevitably presents mankind calls the ways of Providence, dark and intricate; while another sees in them the action to us the appearance always of something of blind Fatalism; and a third, simple chance, happening to us from sources and causes with neither gods nor devils to guide them — would surely disappear, if we would but attribute all these to their correct cause. With right knowledge, or at any rate with a confident need not accuse Heaven and the gods, Fates conviction that our neighbours will no more and Providence, of the apparent injustice that work to hurt us than we would think of harming reigns in the midst of humanity. But let him them, the two-thirds of the World’s evil would rather remember and repeat this bit of Grecian vanish into thin air. Were no man to hurt his wisdom, which warns man to forbear accusing brother, Karma-Nemesis would have neither That which — cause to work for, nor weapons to act through...... We cut these numerous windings in our “Just, though mysterious, leads us on unerring destinies daily with our own hands, while we Through ways unmark’d from guilt to punishment . . .” imagine that we are pursuing a track on the royal high road of respectability and duty, and —which are now the ways and the high road on then complain of those ways being so intricate which move onward the great European and so dark. We stand bewildered before the nations. The Western Aryans had, every nation mystery of our own making, and the riddles of and tribe, like their Eastern brethren of the life that we will not solve, and then accuse the Fifth Race, their Golden and their Iron ages, great Sphinx of devouring us. But verily there their period of comparative irresponsibility, or is not an accident in our lives, not a misshapen the Satya age of purity, while now, several of day, or a misfortune, that could not be traced them have reached their Iron Age, the Kali- back to our own doings in this or in another Yuga, an age black with horrors. [SDI, 643-45] life. . . . Knowledge of Karma gives the This state will last . . . until we begin acting conviction that if— from within, instead of ever following impulses from without . . . Until then the only palliative “. . . . virtue in distress, and vice in triumph to the evils of life is union and harmony — a Make atheists of mankind,” Brotherhood in actu, and altruism not simply in name. [Ibid., 644] it is only because that mankind has ever shut its eyes to the great truth that man is himself his own saviour as his own destroyer. That he The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 4 outside ourselves, while the whole theme Every being, down to the minutest of the chapter is that Karma inheres in in his time and cycle, becomes the cause ourselves, that there is no cause for any or fulcrum upon which the whole of life being unless he makes it, nor any effect revolves; if that fulcrum breaks, there is a for any being save as he feels it. catastrophe. Aphorism 30 speaks of Karma at large, every kind, and we may ask: How can QUESTION: — If calamities, such as the dynamic power of human thought cyclones and earthquakes, are caused by cause a flood or an earthquake or a man’s thinking, why doesn’t the result of cyclone? Where is this terrific power those calamities always affect man? stored until it reaches the exploding There are a great many calamities which point? occur where nobody is, nobody exists.

In the section on Karma in the first ANSWER: — That is Nature’s prevision. volume of The Secret Doctrine H.P.B. Why is it that in an assassination makes a curious statement that bears somebody else is killed than the assassin, directly on this subject. She says: — and when people die from poisoning, those who die are not the poisoners? It is a law of occult dynamics that “a Man, because of his dynamic powers, is given amount of energy expended on the forever visiting on those weaker than spiritual or astral plane is productive of far himself the results of his own actions. greater results than the same amount We affect the matter of our bodies we expended on the physical objective plane of affect the astral matter which is powerless existence.” (I. 614) to resist our impact — and it is a good Let’s see if we can’t get an deal better for us to have our diseases illustration. Our body is our earth, isn’t physically than to have them mentally it? What are diseases? In disease, the and morally. body is used as a dumb, blind instrument. What are diseases but another kind of There is, however, another side to cyclones, floods, storms? How are they the question. If the questioner will look produced? Are they not produced in the at the quotation from Buckle’s History of first instance by a flash of feeling in us Civilization given in the first volume of The Secret Doctrine (p. 298, he will find which explodes the vital energy inside 1 and results in a physical earthquake? that the subject of Karmic prevision is That is, our body becomes immediately an instrument. 1 How profoundly true are the words of H. T. Buckle, in his admirable “History of Civilizati on” Suppose the atmosphere gets (Vol. I., p. 256), when he says:— surcharged with a mixture of air and “Owing to circumstances still unknown (Karmic provision, H.P.B.)there appear from time to time water, vapour and gasoline. Nothing great thinkers, who, devoting their lives to a single happens unless someone strikes a match, purpose, are able to anticipate the progress of but, one flash of fire, and there is a truly mankind, and to produce a religion or a philosophy by which important effects are eventually brought frightful explosion. Earth and air and about. But if we look into history we shall clearly water are all lives which our thoughts and see that, although the origin of a new opinion may be thus due to a single man, the result which the feelings affect; the elements of nature are new opinion produces will depend on the condition the carriers, the storehouse of these of the people among whom it is propagated. If human energies we expend. Then a flash either a religion or a philosophy is too much in advance of a nation it can do no present service of Manasic feeling explodes the situation. but must bide its time until the minds of men are That’s the answer to the question here. ripe for its reception. . . . Every science, every creed has had its martyrs. According to the ordinary course of affairs, a few generations pass The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 5 treated; and also there are various hints Chapter XII by H.P.B. as to the work actually I.—Death and the Death Vision performed by those beings called Nirmanakayas. We shall then understand QUESTION: — It is said that after the that in so far as the Karma of the race physician has pronounced the body dead, permits, these violent forces are the real man is busy in the brain. Is it the discharged where they do the least harm, physical brain that is here referred to, and and, if man does not learn, then sooner or if so, what about those Egos, taken in war later he will be involved in those or by accidental death, whose physical catastrophes. We have to remember that bodies are blown to pieces? the time will come when whole continents NSWER will be destroyed by a natural catastrophe A : — There is more than one view — fire, earthquake and subsidence in the of the brain. To us the brain is a mass of sea. These things are cumulative. pulpy matter, but to the dead man it is not a mass of pulpy matter but a film of QUESTION: — What is the explanation of impressions. Since those impressions are the statement by Mr. Judge in Letters stored in the molecular structure of the That Have Helped Me that when there is physical brain, it follows that the real an earthquake some new Great Soul has brain cannot be blown to pieces. It would come into the world? not make a bit of difference if the physical head were shattered into ten ANSWER: — Mr. Judge didn’t say what he million fragments — every molecule is meant; he only made the statement. One there, undisturbed, after the explosion. of the Masters once wrote that the method We can see how that is. A great battle of occultism is to arouse or provoke goes on, and yet Nature registers the curiosity — which means mental interest vibrations just exactly as if they were so and inquiry — provoke it, but not gratify many rays of the sun; the exploding shells it. The Ocean itself is an illustration of and the terrors of war don’t interrupt that all the way through. All kinds of Nature’s processes for a moment. shocking or provocative statements are made; the answers aren’t there, because in Remembering that death is the us is the power to solve the question separation of the principles, not only from raised. So whatever Mr. Judge may have each other but in themselves, can’t we see meant by the statement — “Earthquakes that in such an instantaneous death only here yesterday: these signify some souls the body has been torn loose from the of use have come into the world other principles? So the inner astral man somewhere” — it is in the same category is still alive “on the other side.” A man as the statement in the Bhagavad-Gita, may suffer a severe brain concussion and that “rain comes from sacrifice.” There is lie unconscious for many days, but his the statement; Krishna didn’t explain the body is not separated from the other how, when, why or wherefore of it; but it principles. The man himself is on another is something for people to think about — plane of consciousness than the physical, and no doubt they have been thinking until he wakes up in his body again. In about it for 5,OOO years! the case of death by violence; there is no body to return to, and death must be

away, and then there comes a period when these completed in a state of semi—lethargy, very truths are looked upon as commonplace facts, which is perhaps neither in Kama Loka and a little later there comes another period in which they are declared to be necessary, and even nor on earth, until the period of the the dullest int e l lec t wonders how they could ever natural term of life is ended. have been denied.” (S.D.I, 298) The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 6

Just as the drowning man has part of Ego back to the body — which is in effect his death vision before he is resuscitated, a new incarnation in the same body — and must complete it when his natural and, in those cases of drowning where the “hour” has come, can we not imagine that actual death vision takes place, it stands the shock of death by violence must bring to reason that the man is dead and then is with it some part of the death vision? brought back. H.P.B. says in The Key to Theosophy that this vision is for every man, without any QUESTION: — How about the man in the exception even when death is sudden. So, airplane who had a death vision? it stands to reason that when the natural ANSWER: — He was dead, because, to the life term has ended, the Ego must Ego, death means a separation from the complete its review on the threshold of body. Devachan. Memory has remained intact

in the astral brain. If this review were not QUESTION: — Would you say it was the completed, where would be the material finishing of one life and the beginning of from his last life on earth to afford him another? his Devachanic bliss? ANSWER: — Yes. All we know is that The accounts given by those saved there are innumerable records, principally from drowning seem never to include the in cases of asphyxiation such as drowning seeing of causes in the events of their produces, where the man had seemed to lives. The same holds true with those be dead but was brought back and then who are within a split second of dying in said that, at the moment of drowning, all an air crash. The seeing of causes is part the past events of his life had passed of the spiritual death vision, since then before his eyes. the Ego knows the justice of all that has befallen him, and sees himself as he is in QUESTION: — It has been said that many the whole chain of cause and effect. This Theosophists would have no Kama Loka is the kind of vision that means the real or Devachan. Where would these elect be completion of one’s last life on earth. after death?

When death has occurred by ANSWER: — Such a remark must have violence, there must be many occult been made in connection with other adjustments that take place for the statements and circumstances; that is to averagely good man during the period of say, with qualifications. Those who have his semi-lethargy before Devachan; but no Devachan are busy, whether in a body the Teachers have not dealt with these or out of a body. We have but to look at matters in any detail. How could they, the various statements in respect to those since every man has his own particular beings who are called Nirmanakayas. after death states, not to be “lumped” with But, for the average Theosophist, we can those of others? very easily answer the question as to whether he will have a Kama Loka and a QUESTION: — Would one kind of violent Devachan. Do we dream at night good death affect the subtle brain, so to speak, dreams and bad dreams? Do we get so more than another? happy while we are awake that we forget the woes of other people? Do we get so ANSWER: — I don’t recall any statement wretched, downcast and miserable that we on that subject to that effect. Isis forget even our own happiness? If so, we Unveiled says that even after actual death certainly will go into Devachan and Kama has supervened, it is possible to call the Loka. There is no doubt, however, that The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 7 those who desire to work, who have the principle than the body; we go out in the good of their fellows at heart and whose sun for the sake of some other principle will is set in that direction, are helped out than the body. of Devachan. That is the statement in the teachings. Further, a frozen body will last a good deal longer than a living one, QUESTION: — Some think that during the whereas death by drowning takes place in last Great War there was a great deal of a few minutes, and violently ruptures the communication with the astral bodies of connection between the three pairs of deceased soldiers. Is there any truth in principles. With anybody who dies a this idea? natural death, the body gradually turns cold, so that death by freezing is an ANSWER: — The statement of the acceleration of the natural process — philosophy is that only those beings are except that the body turns cold artificially conscious and able to communicate on the while the man is still living. Therefore, astral plane who are one of two things: we can imagine that death by freezing, Adepts or sorcerers. once the initial pains are past, approximates simply an accelerated QUESTION: — The drowning man is said natural death. to review his past life during the short

space of time consumed in the process of QUESTION: — To revert once more to that his complete suffocation, while with the period of unconsciousness between the man who is slowly freezing to death, after dream state and the deep-sleep state — is the first painful stages are passed, his there such a period between all the states? condition becomes purely subjective and he seems to have passed directly into a ANSWER: — Of necessity we are all the condition of Devachanic bliss. Will you time moving from state to state, and these please comment on these strange states exist in alternating order. Thus, no phenomena? matter what state we are in, when we pass to another state, we are in the position of ANSWER: — The only comments that can a man traveling in one particular direction be made merely remind us of what — before he can travel in the opposite everybody can see for himself. First, a direction, he has to come to a dead stop. frozen man is seldom restored to life; There are intervening states of many drowned men are. So we do not unconsciousness, but they are know so much about what happens to a “unconscious” only in our sense, and man who loses his life by freezing. because we associate consciousness with the idea of something to be conscious of. The next thing to consider is that death by drowning is an extremely violent Patanjali says that there are death, brought about by the fact that air is conditions in which the soul exists, but instantly cut off from the man. Now, air exists in the state of a spectator without a has a direct relation to what we may call spectacle. Now, there is a moment of the connecting sheath of the seven non-vision in passing from one state into principles of the living man; it another. We can visualize this: Come corresponds to Buddhi. What do we out of darkness into bright light; for a breathe for? We don't breathe for the moment you can’t see. Go out of bright sake of our body; we breathe for the sake light into darkness, and for a moment you of some other principle than the body. can’t see. Yet in a little while, coming We drink water for the sake of some other The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 8 from bright light into darkness, or from universe here and now as we see it and dense blackness into light, you can see. experience it, and this identical universe as an animal sees and experiences it, or as QUESTION: —.Since the Ego is always a plant sees and experiences or as a conscious on some plane of being, what is mineral sees and experiences it — or as a meant by the term “unconsciousness”? genuine chela sees and experiences it.

ANSWER: — Where is the Ego during a QUESTION: — Must not the blind man condition of coma? If he is not here, he have some idea of Space if he reaches out is in some other state; he may be in and spans distances? any one of a hundred extra-physical states, higher than our consciousness ANSWER: — Of course, if we consider the or lower, as the case may be. case of the blind man or of one with his eyes shut, we shall realize that when we QUESTION: — Would a prolonged period say “Space,” we do not even think what of coma just preceding death tend to make we mean. Space to us is the impression the separation of the lower principles that the sense of sight brings to us; Space easier after death actually supervenes? ceases if we close that sense of sight. Our sight is through the eye, which is the ANSWER: — If we take a simple statement active or positive pole of what passively in the philosophy, we can answer that and externally we call Space. Our ideas question, each one for himself. The internally are the active aspect of what, moment death supervenes, the being is on externally, we call matter. the plane of effects; he can set up no new causes until after he emerges from There are three ways of regarding Devachan prior to the next incarnation. If Life. Look in the religious books, in the that is the case, no matter what he does encyclopedia or in the dictionary for the after death, it is reflex, it is involuntary. three “hypostases” of God, or what the Coma, in any case, simply means Hindus call the three Avasthas. The unconsciousness here. Where he is Indians called them the three Laws of conscious, how he is conscious, depends Men, and a Greek thinker once called upon his interest on the other plane and in them the three principles of the lever. the other states to which he has gone. Theosophists speak of body, soul and Spirit, or the “Three Fundamentals.” QUESTION: — If the Perceiver, as said by Patanjali, looks directly on ideas, how These terms all refer to the same thing. could we see anything save as we see it in The universe can be regarded as Self, and idea? In external sight, wouldn’t we have when so regarded, and then only, is the whole universe Life to us. The universe to have an idea in regard to things seen to can be regarded as external to oneself, as see them actually? internal to oneself, or as a mixture of the

ANSWER: — What do we see? Space? two — these are the Three Hypostases. No. We see something in idea and we When we regard the whole universe as name that idea “Space.” Do we see Self, we are Brahms, we are God; when matter? No; we perceive forms with our we regard the universe as matter, we are physical senses, and we see them in idea, animals; when we regard the universe and then we name them “matter.” To any mentally, we are lower Mamas; when we being the entire universe is his idea of it. regard the universe as the field of Life, its In fact, our idea of the universe is what is actions — that is, its expressions and meant by the term “human being.” There impressions — we can see that there is is no relation whatever between the nothing outside of Life. So, we have to The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 9

understand our Fundamentals in a vital ANSWER: — It simply means the sense. operation of conflicting forces. During this Black Age, the usual limit of earth Q.—Since the real man is in life for any one — not you or me or this Devachan, can you really say that he one or that one in particular — is said to exists in Kama Loka? be 70 to 100 years. Now, if interfering Ans.—If the real man is in Devachan, forces set up by any individual in can he be said to exist in Kama Loka? connection with others cut short his normal span, then he spends it in the No, of course not. That entity which after-death states before he can go to exists in Kama Loka when the Ego is Devachan. The natural coherence of the in Devachan is no more the man than principles is for a given length of time. the dead body left on earth is the man. At any given age, any one of us may If the Ego is in Devachan, then that interrupt that coherence and throw which is in Kama Loka cannot be the himself out of the body, but, if he does, man. he doesn’t disrupt the coherence of the

QUESTION: — How do executed criminals rest of the principles and he simply has to inject thoughts of murder and crime into remain suspended, so to say, until the sensitive living people? natural time of dissolution comes.

ANSWER: — They don’t inject them QUESTION: — How long does the average consciously, unless they are waked up by man stay in Kama Loka after death? mediumistic practices, but they inject them in the same way as a wire which is ANSWER: — Remember, we are speaking connected with the cells of a charged about the Ego — the answer is, from a battery; that wire will transmit a current few minutes to a few hours; sometimes a of electricity just as soon as the charge is few days, sometimes a few years; but, in in the battery. Any one whose nature is the case of ordinary humanity, the man open to ill will and bad feeling comes at does not stay in Kama Loka very long. If once into magnetic relation with these we look deeply, we can see the reason for “charged batteries” of hate that the that. There again is the force of the inner executed criminals or murderers conviction of good and evil. Suppose that represent; a magnetic rapport is set up, a man had thought murder, thought and that person becomes a receiver for cruelty, thought all sorts of abominations their villainous content of thought in during his life; that, whenever his mind precisely the same way as you turn on a was free, he dwelt upon iniquity. In radio and get whatever is in the air thought he slew his enemies, he robbed according to the rate of vibration to which and plundered and betrayed; that was a your radio is tuned. A study of the radio favorite subject of cogitation with him. affords a perfect analogy for innumerable This man dies. His consciousness is on things that go on between thinking men the plane of Kama Loka where there is no and astral entities, elemental entities, impediment to the vision of desire on the black side. Now he sees murders he does entities in Devachan — in every state. not change his thinking; he sees crime,

QUESTION: — How can it be a man’s gluttony, iniquity, lust of every kind, as it Karma to be murdered or to die in an does not shock him at all; he is used to it. accident if his natural life span is not How long would he stay there? He might finished? stay there for many years. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 10 But the average man, no matter if been broken, so that it will no longer obey occasional thoughts of murder, or rage, or his will. The man is not insane; the hand wickedness, flash into his mind, is or the arm is paralyzed or out of control. revolted by them; he throws them out. He Apply the same thing to the bodily dies and goes to Kama Loka, and the instrument as a whole. The Ego can’t go same field of vision, of desire, of the insane; the Ego is wisdom itself, but its black side of nature is open to him. He instrument may become deranged through sees and participates in that murder or misuse. those crimes to the extent that he had [TO BE CONTINUED] thought about them while alive. The moral shock to him is such that it wakes him up; he is out of there right away. It is the same proposition as when we are asleep at night. No matter what kind of dream we are having, if there is something in the dream that actually revolts our moral sense, we are awake in a moment. There is probably not a person who hasn’t had some shocking dream — call it a nightmare — and almost invariably he wakes up; the more horrid the nightmare, the more promptly does he wake up. That is the average state of mind after death. The nightmare side of DNYANESHVARI life is open to one and the shock of it LVI throws him out. [The Dnyaneshvari is mentioned many QUESTION: — What is the cause of times by Madame Blavatsky, always in insanity, arid what becomes of the glowing terms. The following rendition is extracted from Manu Subedar’s translation. Manasic principle when a man is insane? The great Sage, Dnaneshwara Maharaj sang this work to his people when he was quite ANSWER: — Insanity is the condition in young. He did it in their native language, which the Ego has lost all control over the Marathi, about 700 years ago. It is his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.] psycho — physiological side of his body without losing the body itself; there is the fact. What caused it? Abuse while in the CHAPTER THIRTEEN body of the principles now deranged. What becomes of Manas in the case of Shri Krishna says to Arjuna: insanity? Manas sees and knows, but is What is to be known as ‘Dneya’ is unable to remedy the difficulty; in other Brahman, unattainable by any means words, Manas in case of insanity is no except those of wisdom (Dnyana), after longer in the body — the body is attached knowing whom no duties survive. . . . to the man and he can’t get rid of it. He Thoughts cannot cross that region where is not seated in the body; the body no these questions can be decided. Just as longer responds to his thinking will. It’s earth in the form of a vessel made of clay like a man who has the palsy or any kind (and yet distinct fro it), so is Brahman in of a nervous disease or nervous paralysis; everything and comprising everything (and he knows what is the matter with him, but yet distinct). At all times and places with- the connection between his will, the brain out being identified with time and place, and the hand that he desires to use has Brahman actuates the movable and the The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 11 immovable. . . . All these discussions of Though He pervades everything in the the Supreme Self are merely a means of world, yet the universe is not Brahman. A describing His all-pervading character. bracelet gets its name because of its shape Otherwise, all this talk of hands, feet, and but in reality it is gold. Brahman has eyes, etc., would be absurd where, neither name nor form, nor correlation, nor properly speaking, there is complete non- species, nor action, nor differentiation. existence. When a wave meets another Brahman has no characteristics (Gunas), wave and breaks it up, is there any though He may appear to reside in the difference between the attacker and the Gunas. The unwise attribute qualities to attacked? They are both water. So Him, but that is wrong. The clouds cannot Brahman is one and all these descriptions be called the sky. Nor can one wear as are merely to indicate that whatever is ornament that is only seen in the looking differentiated into two, is really One. glass. The reflection of the sun in a pool Even when zero is indicated, it is noted of water is not the sun and there is no down as a point. Thus, unity has to be water in the mirage. It is an error to described by means of duality. If these conceive the three-fold characteristics in forms of speech were altogether Brahman. Brahman may appear to pass prohibited, unity itself would be lost through the three qualities, but this is as except by such description in the unreal as the enthronement of a beggar in a continuous link between preceptor and dream. Brahman is without qualities pupil. Now listen, how everything that is (Nirguna), Brahman pervades everything known by human mind, is enveloped by alike, just as heat is the same, though the Brahman. fire may be in a different form. Brahman is indestructible and minutely pervades Brahman is all pervading in all everything. He is the supreme object of things in the same manner as space knowledge inside and outside the body, constitutes the sky, thread becomes cloth, near and far. He is One and there is liquidity is water, light is the flame of the nothing beyond Him. He is perfect lamp, the smell of camphor and activity is everywhere, just as sweetness in the milky visible only in the body (or the action of ocean is alike in all its parts. He is the the body). A bead of gold is liked by us, same towards all existence including the but it is nothing but gold. A stream may meanest. Being One, He is in them all, go zigzag, but the water in it is running just as the moon is reflected in a thousand straight. Iron, when it becomes red hot is vessels of water. The taste of salt is the still iron. Space looks circular in a vessel same, though there may be different and square in a monastery, but the shapes grains. The quality of sweetness is the do not affect the condition or quality of same, though there may be thousands of space. So Brahman is constant, thought pieces of sugar cane. Brahman, while He may appear changing. He may appear pervading everything in this uniform in the form of the mind or the senses and manner, is also the source of universe. As the spiritual qualities, but just as the waves come out of the ocean and as the sweetness of molasses is not restricted ocean itself is the cause of the waves, so when it is made into a lump, so Brahman all life finds its support in Him. Just as the is not confined to the functions or body is the same, though it passes through characteristics of the senses. Butter is the three ages, that is childhood, manhood concealed in milk, but milk is not called and old age, so Brahman is one and butter. It continues to be called milk. unbroken through origin, existence and The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 12 end. Just as the sky does not change in the of The Letters of H.P. Blavatsky proved to morning, mid-day and evening, so as be no different a case. Due to the death creator He acquires the name of of John Cooper and, for some, the Brahmadeva, as supporter, He gets the consequent nullifying of certain name of Vishnu, and as destroyer He gets agreements, battle lines were being drawn the name Shankar, and beyond these three- with various parties lining up on one side fold qualities he remains quality-less or another. John Patrick Deveney makes (Nirguna). mention of this in his book review in Theosophical History, XI, no.3. Deveney In this way … I have indicated the writes: graded method of reaching Me. Steps are The editor [John Algeo] in his preface wanted to reach such a height. Scaffolding acknowledges the Herculean labors of the late has to be put up to go towards the sky. A John Cooper in adding to the corpus of boat has to be used in crossing waters. letters and in preparing them for publication, Hence, this minute description. Otherwise but states that, for unspecified reasons, none the Soul is everywhere. It is in order to of Cooper's work could be used "directly," adjust these ideas to your intelligence that and that even his transcriptions of texts were not used because they were "not accurate." I have given the four-fold description, as This is a surprising charge, directed as it is when a child is to be fed, one mouthful is toward a person known for his meticulous divided into little portions. I have told you work and now unavailable to defend himself, about these four, that is existence, wisdom, and concealed behind the editor's comment object of knowledge and non-wisdom. undoubtedly lies the dissention [sic] that arose after Cooper's death over the use of [TO BE CONTINUED] his research. (p. 31) To put it less diplomatically, this excuse by John Algeo is pure politics and to the average member of the Theo- sophical Society, incomprehensible. The CORRESPONDENCE average member of the Theosophical Society is somewhat bewildered as to why We give below the review of Vol. I, of The the members of a Society dedicated to Letters of H. P. Blavatsky which appeared in the Fall Universal Brotherhood cannot just put issue of Fohat, the magazine of The Edmonton aside their differences and get along. The Theosophical Society. Following that is the historians know, and it is not a mystery to controversy that arose around this editorial. The material is self-explanatory and makes clear the them. Until the average member makes an effort to learn their Society's ugly dangers of allowing “form” — be they societies, history, they will forever be uncompre- religions, or even the human body — to supersede the needs of the Soul. One is the horse and the hending pawns in the power plays of their other the Rider. Beware of inverting the equation: respective leaderships. Fohat received three letters wondering exactly the same thing: why did John Algeo include in this work a letter that for many is a certain fraud, in What a brotherly organization the which Blavatsky describes herself as a Theosophical Society has turned out to political animal and psychic fraud looking be. In projects big and small, it is nearly to serve her Russian homeland as a spy — impossible to get theosophists to work an occupation that the Russian nobility cooperatively with others. The compiling The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 13 looked upon with great contempt. Also, why did he reprint letters from Vsevolod Solovyov, a known enemy of Madame Adyar and Wheaton have to believe, Blavatsky whose lies were thoroughly and the y have to ensure that their members exposed in a series of articles by Beatrice believe in the sainthood of at least Besant. Hastings printed in the Canadian This sainthood cannot be guaranteed if Theosophist earlier this century. (These Blavatsky, Judge, and their interpretations articles were collected and re-printed of the Masters are not made suspect. The under the title Solovyov's Fraud by easiest way to accomplish this is to attack Edmonton Theosophical Society and will the reputations of these two founders of soon appear on the ETS website the society and attribute to them base, www.theosophycanada.com.) If there are political motives, to make them as ethical any originals to these letters, they have as a Jesuit. Adyar and Wheaton obviously not been made available and inspected by want these letters included in these any reputable theosophical historians. collections and you can be sure that they will not be the last of their type. There There are very good political will be other letters of the same ilk in reasons for including those letters. Adyar future volumes. If you are members of and Wheaton embrace a brand of these organizations, do not let your "theosophy" that is built upon the work of leadership get away with this. Annie Besant, Charles Leadbeater, and their worshipping followers. There were Finally, on the side of light and times during the lives of each when they truth, Ernest Pelletier is now releasing his were committed to ideas that were perver- book, The Judge Case.2 This book will be sions and in direct opposition to the principles instrumental in identifying the early as laid down by H. P. Blavatsky, William deceptions that led finally to the necessity Q. Judge, and their Masters. What makes of having to destroy the reputations of this even more reprehensible is that the both Judge and Blavatsky. If they avail excuse for adopting these perverse ideas themselves of no other historical inves- was laid at the feet of these very same tigation, the student of Theosophy should Masters. Learn your history!1 Read the buy and study this book. It is a masterful Krotona of Old Hollywood collections work that allows the misguided villains of and read HPB's Collected Writings and our early history to hang themselves with the Mahatma Letters and ask yourself, if their own words. To understand the all the nonsense espoused by Besant and demise of the Theosophical Society as a Leadbeater were not sanctioned by the true vehicle for the dissemination of the Masters, would it still be believable in Ancient Wisdom Tradition, this book is a light of the earlier teachings? No! must read. Certainly not. The three letters received by Fohat follow. [These letters have been included in the 1 Read “The Theosophical Movement 1875-1925, A History and a Survey. (Jake Jaqua at article “Let the Reader Beware…”] [email protected] could probably point you in the right direction to get a copy. A second choice would be The Theosophical Movement, 1875-1950 which can be purchased from 2 This volume will be available from The Aquarian rd Theosophy Company, 245 West 33 Street, Los Theosophist approximately November 15th. The Angeles, CA 90007-4108; U.S.A. Neither of Price is $95 U.S. The Aquarian Theosophist these histories are pleasant reading, but they subscribers may purchase it from the A.T. at a

do show why the various stakeholders to the 30% discount — and with free shipping. Those name “Theosophy” are so different in their wishing the volume by a transit faster than ground

aims, their methods, their teaching, etc. or seamail will be charged extra. — ED., A.T. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 14 "There are very good political reasons for including those letters. Adyar and Wheaton embrace a brand of `theosophy' that is built In answer to the above Daniel Caldwell wrote upon the work of Annie Besant, Charles in the Supplement to the Fall Issue of Fohat: Leadbeater, and their worshipping followers."

As a member of the editorial board "Adyar and Wheaton have to believe, for the letters [The Letters of H.P. and they have to ensure that their members Blavatsky], I could not disagree more believe in the sainthood of at least Besant. This with the view of these writers [Roos, sainthood can-not be guaranteed if Smith, & Sordo Letters, see Fohat VIII, Blavatsky, Judge and their interpretations of 3] to, in effect, censor1 these specific the Masters are not made suspect. The easiest letters and not publish them. way to accomplish this is to attack the reputations of these two founders of the society Readers should have easy access to and attribute to them base, political these letters. A reader can then decide motives, to make them as ethical as a Jesuit. whether he/she believes a certain letter is Adyar and Wheaton obviously want these letters included in these collections and you can a forgery or not. be sure that they will not be the last of their As far as I know, all of the type. There will be other letters of the same Blavatsky-Coulomb letters will be ilk in future volumes. If you are members of these organizations, do not let your included in future volumes, and IF they leadership get away with this." were excluded I would not want to be a member of the editorial team. All I can say is "Flapdoodle"! Jean Overton-Fuller in her In light of this kind of "reasoning", I ask Blavatsky biography believes OTHER the editor of FOHAT: do you therefore ascribe Blavatsky letters are forgeries. Should the same base motives to the late John we therefore exclude those too from Cooper? I ask you this question because future volumes??? Cooper ALSO included these "fraudulent" letters in his "edition" of the letters. See I also strongly disagree with the Cooper's dissertation for proof of my following editorial comments: statement. "One could conclude...that the powers And I must also have the same base of Wheaton and Adyar are trying to introduce a perverted understanding of Blavatsky into motive since I agreed with both Algeo and the world...." Cooper that these letters should be included in the published volume. Daniel Caldwell 1 Mixing fraudulent material in with known genuine letters is “censoring” the reader’s ability to know what is dependable and what isn’t in the volume. Annie Besant in altering Madame Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine and yet leaving the Blavatsky Another View name on it — with no footnotes are explanations, was indulging the dangerous habit of trying to Having two appendices: destroy the original material. When Boris de Zirkoff does the same thing — e.g., pp. 177-79, 1. Of known fraudulent letters Vol. I, of The Secret Doctrine, he destroys HPB’s 2. Of suspected fraudulent letters editing of her own earlier material and removes from the student the opportunity to study what HPB actually wrote. If you go and compare the is one thing, MIXING THEM IN WITH two versions it is easy to see that HPB is making LETTERS KNOWN TO BE GENUINE more readable and clear her original statement! — ED., A.T. IS DISHONEST. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 15 Even now I am puzzled at such an with many secrets to hide (hence the approach. If you were collecting the inaccessible archives many researchers letters of George Washington, would you complain about), and this culture is self- include items that are known to be protective. Their fear is that if the secrets fraudulent???!!! get out, their organizations could face de- struction. This is the base motive referred What canon of editorial ethics are to (the Societies' self-preservation) that you following Daniel??? members of these organizations have to Jerome Wheeler battle with if they are to do any good. Unfortunately, secrets are poisonous and will ultimately destroy any good that can be done by these organizations. We can The Answer from the editors of Fohat: see how John Algeo could be in a no-win situation. On the one hand he might A challenge has been put forward by desperately be trying to do good by HPB Daniel Caldwell, a respected colleague, to while on the other the organization is come clean on some editorial comments trying to limit any information that might written in the Fall 2004 issue of Fohat. The get out shedding further light on its challenge was at first perplexing as it was unsavory past. The solution to his uncertain why Daniel was presenting the dilemma is radical and clear: open the magazine with a series of straw men to archives wide and weather the storm. The knock down, but when another respected first thing that might be asked of John colleague made a few comments (unfortu- Algeo then is why he does not do this? If this nately off the record), it all became clear were done, The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky as to what was wanted and why. Fohat would have been handled much differently can only appeal to all that is sacred that it and this debate would not be occurring. is up to the challenge as the principles that are to be examined are crucial for the To give some basis to the above future of the Theosophical Cause. claims concerning Adyar and Wheaton, consider the following. In his latest book, First on Daniel's trail of breadcrumbs is Krotona of Old Hollywood Volume II, the question as to whether base motives Joseph Ross points to the inaccessibility have been attributed to John Algeo for the of certain archives at Adyar and Wheaton: printing of the questionable letters. How can anyone know what motivates John Lesser depositories such as major Algeo? The human condition is one in public libraries, for example the Huntington which motivations are often very obscure. Library, University of California, The The motives of others lie in the dark Philosophical Research Society, and State recesses of their own minds and are for Library of Victoria, the British Library, them alone to figure out. For all anyone the Theosophical Society Library in knows, John Algeo could be the greatest ally Pasadena, California Historical Society, and Edmonton Theosophical Society contain a that Theosophy has from within the remarkable amount of material that is institution that is based in Wheaton. Why accessible. E.S. material in The Olcott Library should there be any attempt to alienate and Research Center, Wheaton, Illinois, is not him? currently available. The Adyar Esoteric Archives are also closed to research. Some The editorial clearly identifies Adyar lesser information can be found at the Adyar and Wheaton as the problem. Over the last Library of the Theosophical Society. (p.502) century an organizational culture has grown up in these Theosophical Societies The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 16 Why do Adyar and Wheaton feel woman believes and openly declares compelled to close off parts of their herself to be bound by indissoluble and archives? It is because of these types of age-long ties. actions that Edmonton Theosophical (c) That in adopting and conniving at Society has made such an effort to collect the promulgation of the teachings of rare material and republish it — so that it this man, and allowing him virtually to is not lost to future generations. There control her Society, Mrs. Besant most has been at least one member of the inner impiously gives out that she is acting circle of the above Adyar-Wheaton under the orders of the Trans- connection who has criticized the Himalayan Masters of Wisdom, and president of ETS for this very thing. H.P. Blavatsky's directions. (pp.5-6) What are they hiding you might ask? Besant has a lot to answer for in Let us look to Beatrice Hastings in allowing the Society to be used in the way her periodical publication, New Universe: that it was. Read the Society's history "Try" where she quotes a reviewer from and learn its ‘glorious’ past! the Adyar Theosophist, who signs as Next, on this trail of breadcrumbs is "J.R.", concerning her Defence of the point that John Cooper published Madame Blavatsky series. The reviewer these controversial letters in his makes several snooty comments dissertation, and would have printed them concerning her efforts and then in an in his publicly offered "Letters." If John offhand manner states, "Mrs. Hastings has Cooper, a non-member of any no access to the many private documents Theosophical Society, published the exact at Adyar" (No.3 pp.3-4). Are the august same volume through a private publishing members of Adyar trying to say that their company, it would be much less archives have the material that we need to upsetting. John, for all of his sympathies clear up some or all of the charges, once to the Society, was an outside academic and for all, against HPB? If so, why don't motivated by the concerns of the academic; they come forward with them? The only from him this volume would be conclusion that can be drawn is that it excusable. However, John Cooper visited does not serve their purpose to do so. Edmonton Theosophical Society, and a Then what purpose does the Theosophical kinder and fairer man there never was. Society at Adyar serve? If not the His dissertation, it can be quite certain, program of Theosophy set forth by HPB, contained a strong editorial line that then it must have some other purpose that would have given a fair perspective to the it parades about in the clothing of letters in question. Theosophy. Perhaps that purpose is the continuation or evolution of the purpose The next breadcrumb is left at the that Alice Cleather identified in her work, doorstep of Boris de Zirkoff, a H.P. Blavatsky: A Great Betrayal. theosophist who it is claimed was also Cleather's aim in the book was to show: intent on printing the letters. First of all, Fohat's (a) That under Mrs. Besant's guidance the although some of readers seemed to T.S. has long ceased to represent H.P. indicate the letters should not have been Blavatsky's teaching, or the thought of included in this volume, I suspect they its Founders. meant that the letters should not have been included in the way that they were. (b) That it is now completely dominated by The letters must be dealt with, as Paul the deluded, impure, and poisonous Johnson points out, but it is obvious in ideas of an acknowledged sex pervert, this case that they were not handled very to whom this unhappy and misguided The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 17 prudently. It would have been expected promoter of Theosophy, he is an aca- that Boris would have included a strong demic, and as such it is better for him and editorial line with these letters explaining the his world to have the letters without problems that many have with them. The attachments. The last thing an academic executor of Boris de Zirkoff's literary wants to do is try to undermine arguments estate, Dara Eklund, who provided many before using the material, especially weak of the letters in question to the Society could and suspect material. An academic would possibly shine more light on this issue. rather waltz in, accept John Algeo's tacit The Collected Writings provide evidence assent of their authenticity and then use that this would be the case. An example them to further muddy the waters. By not can be found in the Fall 2004 issue of Fohat appending poison pills to these letters where an article ("Letter to the Archbishop of (and there is no better poison than the Canter-bury and Its Connection to The truth), John Algeo has opened up Theosophical Publication Society") looks Blavatsky to a whole new round of at an editorial line that was taken by attacks. Is it any wonder people are up in Boris, and then argues against it. That arms? Boris may have been wrong only shows that no-one is perfect. Think of all the work that Daniel Caldwell has done in putting together his The question then that Daniel has web site, and all the work that others have been leading us all to is: Why did the done in putting together works of Theo- president of one of the major Theosophical sophical literature. They are hoping that bodies publish through a Theosophical the Letters might attract some more people publisher a series of dubious letters to their work and instead they open the without commentary that reflect poorly on pages and read a work that is only going the spiritual corner-stone and Founder of to lead to the further character assassi- the Society that he is elected to represent? nation of HPB. Daniel, as a member of Political arguments aside, how does this the editorial board, must have been both represent the best interests of the embarrassed by and deeply upset at the Theosophical Cause? Remember, lack of editorial comment. It is little Theosophists are publishing these letters, wonder that he had such a quick reaction not academics. Cannot Theosophists to Fohat's editorial. Caldwell's plead their own case through their own "Blavatsky Archives" are dedicated to representatives through their own publishing vindicating HPB in the eyes of her companies? By not doing so, are they not detractors and yet here comes another giving tacit assent to the authenticity of volume published by the Theosophical these letters to the entire world? What Society that can only make matters worse. was John Algeo, or the forces behind From the Blavatsky Archives web page John Algeo, thinking? There are much we read: worse letters coming up. Are they going to be exhibited in the same way? It was inevitable that H.P.B. should make enemies on every hand who published Do not be fooled by Paul Johnson's slanderous untruths as to her dishonesty, the line that the honest thing to do is to print fraudulence of her psychic phenomena, the the letters as they are, and allow people to non-existence of her Masters, and the worthlessness of Theosophy. But how much make up their own minds as to their of truth is there in these accusations? authenticity (Naturally, the fact that 20 Careful, detailed research into the primary different academics will create 20 source documents clearly shows that the different truths with these letters shouldn't attacks on H.P.B. lack a solid basis. alarm Theosophists). Johnson is not a The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 18 Now here comes the Letters you do anything to help on the Society?", apparently sanctioning all these Master M. responded: questionable letters as primary source ma- terial. What a let down! Want me to speak frankly? Well, I say No: neither yourself nor the Lord Sang- There have been people muttering Yias Himself — so long as the equivocal about a lack of brotherhood in the society position of the Founders is not proved due to and Fohat would like to second that. fiendish malice and systematic intrigue — could help it on. (p.254) Think of the very few people who now enjoy the bright light that shines through There you have it very clearly from works such as The Secret Doctrine, The a Master. Only after the Founders' names Mahatma Letters, The Voice of the are cleared will the Society once again Silence, and Echoes of the Orient. The move forward. Even for those who doubt only thing between these bright spiritual the existence of the Masters, the plain lights and the mass of humanity is the common-sense truth of the statement sullied reputations of Judge, HPB, and the rings out. It does not need the Masters. People look at Theosophy and verification of the Mahatma to be what they see first is a dark fog that understood as true. consists of all the crap hurled at the aforementioned over the years. They see Sadly, this is only a sparse outline this ugly haze, turn away in disgust and of what has to be said. It is hoped that look for purer sources. Can anyone this supplement to Fohat will aid in filling blame them? The unfortunate thing is in some further details and arguments. In that in order to clear away this haze and the meantime, before another volume is allow a suffering humanity in, we are going released, we should all give Daniel Caldwell to have to ruffle each other's feathers in and the rest of the editorial board our proxies an ungentlemanly manner.1 Who lacks to call on the editor of the Letters and brotherhood: those fighting for the benefit demand an explanation for this ill-advised of all humanity, or those quietly and release. What was the hurry? We have selfishly accepting the fruits of these waited many years for this; a few more great works without concern for others? I would not have killed us if it meant that the know which party is in need of a coura- job would have been done right. May I be geous heart, and heart is what we need the first to offer him my proxy so that he now most of all. Our intellects should be can undergo this task on behalf of clear now as to what the duty is that lies "Blavatsky Archives" and all theosophists before us. still loyal to the Cause. To be fair, my "off the record" source has indicated that Again, Beatrice Hastings points to a it is the intent of John Algeo to expand quotation in The Mahatma Letters, to give the commentary in future editions of this credence to the above. When asked "Can first volume and in future volumes. We must aid the board in ensuring there is 1 It’s true that we should state our position loud and more than intent, that intent results in clear at least once. Beyond that it seems that a redoubling of our efforts to spread the literature action, and that that action is the right known to have come from Madame Blavatsky and action. We need strong editorial Mr. Judge; a redoubling of our efforts to live the life they indicate will bring a source of energy and arguments clearly stating the support to our efforts not available in the treadmill Theosophical position on these letters. of those tied to the formalities of structure and Much of the work is already done, by the scholarship. The Masters, the adepts, the chelas, all have a say in this. Their work is outside the likes of Beatrice Hastings, K.F. Vania, ken of those who have no eyes for process. — ED., and others. These arguments need only A.T. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 19 be collected, assembled together and then Fraud. (available as a digital tightened for delivery. The heart of all transcription from [email protected] ) theosophists should go out to suffering humanity and we should all be working Making a mistake in transcription is feverishly to clear the Founders' names. one thing, but arrogantly mixing of fraudulent material with valid documents Dallas TenBroeck, Michael Gomes, is quite another matter. We reprint three Jerome Wheeler, and all others who are letters from the Fall Issue of Fohat to within earshot of this plea, send in your give our subscriber’s the views of other proxies to arm Daniel, and call on others serious Blavatsky students regarding this within your e-mail directories to do the volume: same. Fohat will contact who it can through e-mail and subscription. Give Letters to the Editor: Daniel and the board the means with Thank you very much for your last which to breach this thickening fog, and I for Fohat, Summer 2004, which I received a one will be at the head of the wave that couple of weeks ago. It has as usual very rushes by these courageous souls to interesting articles. The only thing that disperse and keep dispersing this was a little disappointing for me was the unwholesome fog until it is gone forever. Book Review of The Letters of H. P. Lead on Daniel, LEAD ON! Blavatsky, vol. I, by Ted G. Davy, in which there is no mention at all of the inclusion within this book of the Solovyov letters. The Review is rather a description of the book, and of course the reviewer has the right to his own opinion. LET THE READER BEWARE!.... The Solovyov letters included in the [The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky, Vol. I, 1861-1879, HPB Letters — due to its contents, its The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, origin and the absence of the original MS Illinois, U.S.A.] — are suspect. Some of them clearly show unmistaken signs of being partial Friend, if you buy the book beware! fabrications, especially letters No. 12, 17, It is not what the cover says it is! The 53, 69 and 76. Its source as we know is long history of fabricated books published the book A Modern Priestess of Isis with Madame Blavatsky’s name on them written by Vsevolod S. Solovyov, one of is legion. In this volume you will find a the bitterest enemies of HPB, and one mixed, polluted, and changed version of who started the most foul calumnies Madame Blavatsky’s letters offered to the against her. public as if it were actually a faithful testament, a best-effort product. On the other hand, letter No. 7, seems to be a cunning fabrication done by The Solovyoff letters are included, someone who knew many details of the product of a bitter enemy of HPB’s life, although not enough (one of Theosophy, and an unscrupulous liar. He her many enemies, known or unknown to became such because Madame Blavatsky us). refused to teach him how to produce occult phenomena. Beatrice Hastings did The content of this letter shows to a thorough job of unveiling his lies and have the aim to support the Russian-spy- contradictions in her book Solovyoff’s theory of Richard Hodgson-Coulomb conspiracy. The whole tenor and The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 20 language used in the letter is so un- Madame Coulomb, among the authentic Blavatsky! It is addressed to an almost letters of HPB, giving simply as a matter anonymous entity: “The Director of the of course the references to the Christian Third Department”, signed in Odessa in College Magazine of Madras? Dec. 1872, when HPB was really in transit from the Ashram of her Master in The whole effort to publish [these] the Himalayas to her important mission in letters is laudable and has involved the America for the formation of the Parent cooperation of the best workers in the Theosophical Society, in New York. The field. The Editor has done a fine job, his whole thing is so ridiculous and out of intentions are good, but the inclusion of place. Whoever wrote this letter was letter No. 7 — before ascertain[ing] unable to give it a clear aim other than a scientifically if it was written by HPB self exposé. The whole text is a mass of herself — and the Solovyov letters — for disjointed and unconnected ramblings. In which there are no originals extant, and the Introduction of the Letter No. 7, p.23, [their] source is one of the worse enemies it says that “The genuineness of this letter of HPB — will create bad results. I think that these letters should be taken out of has been questioned by a number of nd researchers. Several attempts to obtain a the collection, and produce a 2 edition copy of the original, in order to compare free from this extraneous material. This the handwriting have not been could be done very easily, thanks to the successful.” Thus if the Editor was not present electronic technology of book sure that the letter was authentic, and the making. It could take several weeks, but content shows unmistaken signs of being the effort would be worth while. a forgery, why publish it with the rest? Let us not put in the mouth of HPB Under what criterion? What is the hurry? words that we are not certain she uttered. The whole thing is out of place. But most people have no idea of the history of the Ramon Sordo Theosophical Movement and HPB, and Tepoztlan, Mexico these few letters are like rotten apples in a barrel of good ones, their presence pollutes the image of HPB. To the Editors of Fohat: What disturbs me the more is the Probably many Theosophists, Editor’s little Jewish tale in his Preface, myself included, had been looking p.xv, where he says: forward to see[ing] the first volume of The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky published. There is an old tale that Jewish Not only on account of our interest in her scribes, when copying manuscripts, life, but also because her Collected ALWAYS DELIBERATELY left Writings would not have been complete something out or INTRODUCED AN without her large correspondence. So I ERROR — to show that only God is ordered my copy with great expectations perfect [ergo, as HPB is not God, she is and with very little preparation to be imperfect]. In that respect, all of us who disappointed. Some of the letters were work with texts are Jewish scribes, just what we expected of H.P.B., however perhaps not in our intention, but in our there were many others that surprised me RESULTS. [Capitals mine] considerably and left me wondering if I had understood them correctly. Also, Following this train of thought, are scattered here and there among her letters we to expect published in the next were statements so foreign to everything volumes the forgeries of Monsieur et we know about H.P.B. that one could not The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 21 help doubting their authenticity. Even contradicts itself when it alleges that Mr. Algeo, the editor of this book, H.P.B. had accepted a payment of 2000 mentions, specifically with reference to francs for some service she had rendered Letter 7, that to a Russian military man (p.28) and “5 thousand francs from the Papal envoy for the genuiness of this letter has been the time spent with him” discusing affairs questioned by a number of researchers. related to the Papal Government to whom Several attempts to obtain a photocopy of she made many promises for the future the original, in order to compare the which she never intended to fulfil (p.26). handwriting, have not been successful. In short, if we are to believe in the (p.23) authenticity of Letter 7, then we have also to believe that H.P.B. had accepted bribes But since regardless of this fact Mr. and had offered her services for the rest Algeo decided to publish this Letter, we of her life to work as a Russian spy by must conclude that he personally did not taking advantage of her occult powers in much question its authenticity and that its seances that were often frequented by contents must not have disturbed him. high government officials. She is shown This is a rather alarming situation, for as boasting that she “can find out there are still more volumes of The everything through spirits and by other Letters of H. P. Blavatsky pending, and means, and can extract the truth from the one wonders what other questionable most secretive person” (p.27) by which letters — even more discreditable to she meant government officials who H.P.B. than this one — might he not be carried state secrets, thereby being able to tempted to publish. render great service to her country. In my opinion Letter 7 must have This letter, of which there is no been fabricated and should never have original, is addressed to the Director of been published. It is the most offensive the Third Department, a Russian secret of the 136 letters included in this volume, police of the mid 19th century responsible and unless we deny H.P.B. consistency in for political security, and is dated her way of acting, teaching and writing, December 26, 1872. Its source is the such dishonourable thoughts as are Central State Archive of the October revealed in this letter could hardly have Revolution. I now intend to quote a few been the outcome of her pen. Regretfully more of its spurious declarations and this infamous letter will now only serve to disprove them with H.P.B.’s own words. perpetuate the calumnies against H.P.B. and give her enemies a new weapon of On page 24 of The Letters of H. P. attack. Blavatsky it states — in the alleged words of H.P.B. — that “I have been living It is not enough, however, to state abroad almost continuously. During how I personally feel about the those 20 years . . . I zealously watched authenticity of this letter (and of others in current politics . . .”; on page 25 she is this volume too). I will also have to said to have written that while in Cairo, provide some arguments to uphold my and availing herself of “spirits,” “I found feelings, and if factual evidence is lacking out about the secret acquisition of a huge there is still internal evidence to support quantity of arms left behind by the us. Upon analyzing the letter one finds Turkish Government; I found out about that its purpose is clearly political. It all the intrigues of Nubar-Pasha [a even specifically states that her “aim is Turkish prime minister], and of his talks not profit” (p.27). But then the letter with the German Consul General . . .”; The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 22 and again on page 28 H.P.B. supposedly Also that the Theosophical Society said that “love of struggle and perhaps for is not a political organization and “as a intrigues is in my [H.P.B.’s] character.” society it takes absolutely no part in any And so in a similar vein she keeps on national or party politics.” And finally on boasting in that Letter of all her political the same page she expresses the knowledge, abilities and cunning. worthlessness of meddling in politics because “no lasting political reform can Now, what has H.P.B. to say about be ever achieved with the same selfish politics in her writings? In C.W. X-294 men at the head of affairs as of old.” If she wrote: “it so happens that I have such statements as these, together with never meddled in politics, am innocent of the whole arsenal of Ethical teachings any knowledge of political intrigues, given to us by H.P.B. in her writings do never bothered myself with this special not convince Mr. Algeo that such science at any time of my long life,” and contemptible Letter as number 7 could in C.W. X-293 she declares that never have been written by H.P.B., then I really do not know what will! I have never written in all my life on politics, of which I know nothing. I Out of 136 letters published in this take no interest in political intrigues, volume, 19 of them have no Russian regarding them as the greatest nuisance original available and were thus and a bore, the most false of all systems translated by Boris de Zirkoff from in the code of ethics. I feel the sincerest Solovyov’s book on H.P.B. entitled pity for those diplomats who, being Souvremennaya zhritza Isidi. Concerning honourable men, are nevertheless obliged the latter Sylvia Cranston writes in her to deceive all their lives, and to embody a biography of H.P.B., page 298: living, walking LIE. Solovyov’s version of his These quotations refer specifically association with H.P.B. was first recorded to H.P.B.’s personal feelings about in a series of articles in Russky Vyestnik politics, but there are in addition the in 1892 and was published as a book the policies of the Theosophical Society and following year. In 1895 an edited English its Journals. In C.W. X-82 H.P.B. wrote translation by Walter Leaf was published that “politics does not enter into the on behalf of the Society for Psychical programme of our magazine’s activity.” Research in London under the title A Then in C.W. IV-454 she adds: Modern Priestess of Isis. feeling an innate and holy horror for Both of these versions, the Russian everything connected with it [i.e., and the English, were meant to expose politics], we have avoided the subject H.P.B. as a “charlatan” and to offer most strenuously. “some explanation of the remarkable success of her imposture” (Cranston, In The Key to Theosophy, pages 299). However, according to Sylvia 231-32, it is stated that Cranston, when carefully analyzed “most the whole present system of politics of Solovyov’s facts turned out to be is built on the oblivion of such rights [as fiction” (Cranston, 301). justice, kindness, consideration or mercy], If we only consider the following and [on] the most fierce assertion of three facts, namely: national selfishness. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 23 1) that this book was requested by the those letters. I am aware that perhaps Society for Psychical Research which nothing can be proven, and I would say was already totally prejudiced against that, most likely, that is a fact. But my H.P.B.; question is, shouldn’t the editors be more faithful to H.P.B., and not include those 2) that from a great admirer and “friend” letters where their truth and authenticity of H.P.B. Solovyov “became her bitter is doubtful? enemy,” the reasons being that H.P.B. refused to teach him practical Boris de Zirkoff translated the occultism and that “all his prayers to letters from Solovyov’s works, and I truly be taken as a Chela were utterly wonder how much one can trust Solovyov rejected” by her (Cranston, 307), and since he became such a bitter enemy of lastly, H.P.B. We can compare what those letters say, to most of the others and see 3) that Solovyov wrote these articles some discrepancies in her character. after her death when H.P.B. no longer could defend herself, then we may I would have my fortune secured if I rightfully ask how trustworthy such wasn’t carrying unfortunately my source of information can possibly accursed name of Blavatsky. . . . These be? How authentic are these 19 letters are the bitter fruits of my youth devoted in this volume of The Letters of H.P. to Satan, his pomps and works! (Letter Blavatsky? 12, p. 49) Much more could be refuted in these And then on page 194: Letters, but it would take a volume to do so. Hopefully the few examples given I am ready to sell my soul for above will serve as a warning sign to all spiritualism, but nobody will buy it, and I Theosophists who have acquired this am living from hand to mouth and earning book, or intend to do so in the near future. from $10 to $15 when necessity arises. But even more importantly, let us trust Compare it to a previous letter that Mr. Algeo will use a little more (#37): understanding of H.P.B.’s nature in his subsequent volumes of The Letters of I am ready to give my life for the H.P. Blavatsky, and take to heart the wise spread of the sacred truth. (p. 143) words of Mahatma K.H. when He stated that “so long as one has not developed a These are not only discrepancies, perfect sense of justice, he should prefer but exactly two totally opposite views. In to err rather on the side of mercy than let. 11 she quotes from something commit the slightest act of injustice.” Aksakoff said to A.J. Davis: (Letters from the Masters of Wisdom, II- 143.) I have heard of Madame Blavatsky from one of her parents, who spoke of her Elinor Roos as a rather strong medium. Unfortunately Victoria, BC, Canada her communications reflect her morals, which have not been very strict. (p. 44) To the editors of Fohat, Isn’t it strange that it is in those I have read the latest compilation of letters taken out of Solovyov’s work the Letters of H.P.B, volume 1, and have where HPB specifically speaks about her had some doubts as to the truth in some of lack of morals, her sins, etc. and her materialistic views. Is there anything The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 24 anywhere which supports that she actually deal only with Madame Blavatsky, the thief did write those letters, and if not, of souls, who was trying to steal my soul shouldn’t the reader be warned of their too. She was duping me under the veil of probable inauthenticity, or even better not personal friendship and devotion; she was include them at all? trying to entangle and exploit me; and so my hands were free. (pp. 304-305) Quoting Boris de Zirkoff, Collected Writings XII, p. 334, he says: Mrs. Cranston’s accounts on Solovyov are extant, and shows rather V.S. Solovyov (1853-1900), who clearly the type of man he was. There reviewed H.P.B.’s The Key to Theosophy, will be many who upon reading these was an outstanding Russian philosopher letters will be ignorant as to who the and writer, most of whose writings have Solovyov brothers were. I truly hope that never yet been translated into English. He John Algeo and the editors will be more was the brother of Vsevolod S. Solovyov, careful in their choice of material the novelist, who, after a brief association with H.P.B. and the Theosophical especially when they come to the era of Movement, became a bitter enemy. the Coulombs.

What did this “outstanding” In letter #7, the editor did write that philosopher do, when he reviewed The “the genuineness of this letter has been Key? In the words of HPB: questioned by a number of researchers”, and we still can question it. No one who the review by Mr. [Vladimir] has read the life of H.P.B. can imagine Solovyov is no review at all, and not even her setting traps on people to elicit their ordinary criticism, but simply a wholesale secrets, hopes and plans for the so called distortion of the book from the first paragraph to the last, as much of its good of Mother Russia. This goes entirety as of the few and skillfully chosen completely against her character and points which have appeared to the critic as morals, for she was, decidedly, not a “especially curious.” (CW XII, p. 335 deceitful person. Here we are told that “Neo-Buddhism”) the original is in the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, but it Obviously the two brothers were also seems that no one has read it. Are against her. we to believe that she was using her In Sylvia Cranston’s book, The “powers” to obtain secrets? Is this the Extraordinary Life and Influence of same woman who worked for truth all her Helena Blavatsky, [she] quotes the life? following paragraph from a letter of Vs. Quoting from Jean O. Fuller’s book Solovyov: Blavatsky and her Teachers, she says: “In This absolute blindness on the part of it [i.e. A Modern Priestess of Isis], people who were perfectly rational in Solovioff claims it was Madame everything but the question of “Madame’s” Blavatsky who offered him her services impeccability, forced me finally to adhere as a spy for Russia” (p. 187) while to my original plan. Whatever came I previous to this, Ms. Fuller quotes from a would collect such proofs of all these letter of Sinnett saying what HPB told deceptions as should be sufficient not only him: for me but for all these blind dupes. I would no longer give way to the Solovioff is either crazy or acts so involuntary sympathy and pity, which in because having compromised himself with spite of everything, still attracted me to his offer of espionage to me he is now Helena Petrovna. I would in the first place The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 25 afraid I should speak and compromise him of Mother and Father, one who teaches at St. Petersburg . . . you and I from Within-Without so that we may obtain and awaken the inner faculties Solovioff will not forgive me for for the acquisition of the eternal wisdom. rejecting his proposition. (British Museum, Additional MSS.45287, LXXX; Letters, p. 193) (p. 186) The proof is in the pudding, the work is in the walking. Here we have again further discrepancies between what allegedly Those who belittle and obscure the H.P.B. wrote according to Solovyov, and Path opened up for us by the Mediator those of other people, including herself to are, by their acts, by their choices, Sinnett. running loose and astray into the Lunar Path. They are our Brothers, Yes, but we Perhaps we will never know the cannot ignore the area mapped out by truth, but what do we, as Theosophists, their choices — the underground triangle gain in bringing out the dirt and lies of the of the One Tree of Experience. promoted by others to bring down H.P.B. and possibly the movement. Don’t we Volume I of the Letters of Madame have a duty to our readers and fellow Blavatsky exhibits such a series of Theosophists to search for the truth, and choices, for it contains spurious material if not available, then to ignore those calculated to throw the mud of suspicion letters, consider them inauthentic, and and contradiction upon the character of therefore not include them in HER the Teacher. collected letters? There is already so This could be expected from an much controversy about these letters, that enemy, but from friends and fellow I feel one shouldn’t add any more. theosophists!!?? Karin D. Smith Letter 7 is so patently a fraud that Toronto, ON, Canada one would have to be unaware of proven facts in Theosophical history to include it In the above three letters one gets a in a volume of letters claiming to fair sampling of what serious students originate from Madame Blavatsky. think. The entire series of Solovyoff letters Brotherhood, that fabled nucleus to are fraudulent, originating as they do which we all aspire is entered as one from a rejected supplicant for occult climbs a RAY, as one walks up the powers, a proven liar, and one who turned Sunbeam to the World Soul. This journey from soi disant friendship to bitter 1 to the Land of Truth is not made alone enemy. anymore than our physical Self can be Brotherhood is a word capable of achieved without a Parent. much misuse, for “He who wipeth not “Seek for Him who is to give thee away the filth with which the parent’s birth in the Hall of Wisdom.” To do this body may have been defiled by an enemy we must attune ourself to the Upadhya’s neither loves the parent nor honours Mind. That attunement to the Master’s himself.” Mind is done through the good offices of the Mediator — H. P. Blavatsky. 1 Beatrice Hastings in Solovyoff’s Fr aud, takes this man’s career up point-by-point. Sylvia Cranston in Therefore it is quite dangerous for the H.P.B. Biography gives more information. The first is available from The Aquarian Theosophist, the aspirant to spit back in the face of the second from Theosophy Company, 245 West one’s Teacher — one who takes the place 33rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007-4108. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 26 In due time friends of Madame legs. I also send you Turgenyeff's poem Blavatsky will publish reliable texts. It on "the game of croquet at Windsor."3 I was friends of HPB who originally have translated it and received printed a facsimile edition of The Secret compliments for it. Note please that your Doctrine — something Adyar and relative is called "an accomplished lady" in Wheaton do not have even today. The the editorial note. . . . Life in this country same can be done with the Letters. is pleasant, just because you can abuse anybody with perfect immunity, not merely the Pope, but even the Editor of the Presidential organ, the New York Herald. Yet he is an untold power here. However, print will stand anything! . . . Madame Blavatsky to her Do not ask me, friend, what I Favorite Aunt experience, and how these things come about, for I cannot explain anything To N de Fadeyev June 8, 18771 clearly to you. I do not understand it all myself. One thing I do know: that toward I have finished my article on my old age, I have become a bric-a-brac Nirvana and the conceptions of the store for the accumulation of various ancient Buddhists concerning God, the disused objects of antiquity. Somebody immortality of the soul, and cosmogony, comes, winding around me like a misty as compared to the modern decadence of 2 cloud, and then, in one turn sends me out religious ideas. The Editor seems to be of my body, and I am no more Helena very pleased. . . . To be sure, my Master Petrovna, General Blavatsky's faithful helped me to write it, yet it took me only spouse, but somebody else, born in a two evenings. I shall send it to you to different part of the world, strong and look at; possibly someone will translate it mighty; as to me, it seems as if I were for you. I wish Vera would translate it for sleeping meanwhile, or at least dozed; not the Russian press. The article is a good in my body, but beside it, as if there was one. Its learning is so great that all the some kind of a thread only binding me to Orientalists will have tremblings in their my body and not letting me go more than two paces from it. At other times I see

1 “Some Letters of ‘H. P. B.’,” Theosophical Quarterly clearly everything done by my body and I Vol. 5, #1, July, 1907; pp. 11-15. Translated by understand and remember what it says: I Vera Jelihovsky, a niece of Madame Blavatsky who later married Charles Johnston — both being very see awe, devotion, and fear in the faces actively involved with the Theosophical Quarterly. of Olcott and others, and observe how — ED., A.T. the Master looks condescendingly at 2 While this letter is dated June 1877 and “Madame them out of my eyes, and speaks to them Blavatsky on the Views of the Theosophists,” appears in Feb. 1878, The Spiritualist, London, with my physical tongue, yet not with Feb. 1878, p. 68-69 (To be reprinted in December my brain but his own, which enwraps my issue.), much of the subject matter is similar and brain like a cloud. I cannot tell you all, does speak of man’s progress toward nirvana. Also HPB had the help of a Master in writing it, or Nadya, and just because, though you are in the words of K.H.: “It was H.P.B. who, acting the best, most honest, and noblest of hu- under the orders of Atrya … was the first to explain in the Spiritualist the difference there was between man beings, you are very religious, and psyche and nous, nefesh and ruach — Soul and you hold to the holy faith of your Spirit. She had to bring the whole arsenal of proofs with her, quotations from Paul and Plato, forefathers; as to me, though God sees from Plutarch and James, etc. before the Spiritualist admitted that the theosophists were right . . .” (The Mahatma Letters, p. 289). 3 Reprinted in Collected Works, Vol. I, p. 253-54 The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 27 that in reality I believe in the same every grain of dust, before it reached its things that you do, — yet I believe in my present aspect, was pure spirit, its own own way. You are accustomed to believe essence, so to speak. It is not in the crude in the interpretations accepted by the material evolution of the physical world, as Church, and the dogmas of orthodoxy, Darwin teaches it, that I believe, but in the and though I feel that I know them double evolution, the spiritual walking correctly, and firmly, I do not hand in hand, and having always so understand them from the human point of walked, with the physical. In this I view, but from the spiritual point of believe completely, just because I believe view, metaphysically, so to speak. For in the one Universal God, and the me, all the symbols, great and holy as immutable logic and necessarianism of His they are in the eyes of the Christians, are laws, established once for all. This is still merely symbols invented by erring why I do not believe in the creation of the humanity for the sake of a surer and world ex nihilo, nor in miracles, as the more universal comprehensibility. But I foundation of which we have to accept a look through them — not at them — at temporary stoppage of these immutable laws. their very spiritual significance, and in Do not be angry, but understand me. I order to come nearer to this meaning, I believe in the miracles, the so-called do not even notice that often do I miracles of both Christ and the Apostles, overturn the objective in order to reach but I do not believe that the Supreme the subjective the sooner. In my ideal, Power in Its own person, brought natural Christ has incarnated, not in Jesus only, laws to a stoppage for their sake. These but in humanity in its totality; and as His laws I do not understand in the sense of our flesh was crucified, so must all human foolish learned folk; for they have not yet flesh be crucified, before man—the dreamed of a tenth part of them, and it is not inner man, the Ego, — gets a chance to of natural, physical law I am speaking, become the real man, the Adam but of spiritual laws which become Kadmon, the Heavenly man, of the manifest in all their power only when Chaldean Kabbala. Christ is the symbol man, having become like unto bodiless of the highest spirit of man, not of the spirits, has reached, like some miracle- soul. The soul is one thing, the spirit is workers, the divine point of his individality. another. There is a soul (anima) in It is because of this that their own spirit, rid every animal, in every infusoria; but the of every trace of the flesh and the devil, human spirit is a direct emanation of the acquires the faculty apparently to work Universal, Boundless, Endless Spirit of miracles. Can't you see that the basis for God, about which we sinful creatures the springing up of all kinds of heresies ought not even to think, unless it be in consisted exactly in the fact of the the depth of our hearts, locking ourselves Fathers of the Church having anathema- in solitude in the inner chamber, pronouncing tised the ancient philosophical con- His Name mentally, and by no means aloud. ception of the triple individuality of (Matthew VI, 5-23). The flesh is the devil, man, and the emanation of the Spirit of the only devil in the world. There can be man from the essence of Divinity itself. no other objective devils of any kind; and This triple individuality was upheld and the whole world — not our planet alone, believed in by Origen, for which he was but the universe, — is divided into three exiled, and even Irenaeus, in 178 A.D. parts: first, pure spirit; second, half-spirit, Perchance it may be said that Origen was half-matter; third, gross matter, our flesh. once upon a time a Neo-platonist, but Every atom of matter (flesh) whether it is Irenaeus hated this school, and for him earthly, or belongs to the human body, the philosophers and Eclectics of The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 28 Alexandria were even worse than the triumphed, and the soul is carried downward, Gnostics themselves, whom he so not upward. persistently fought. Yet what does he say? — "Carne, anima, spiritu, alteri And so not all of us human beings quidam figurant, spiritu altero quod are immortal. As Jesus expresses it, we formatur, carne. Id vero quod inter haec must take the Kingdom of Heaven by est duo est anima, quae aliquando violence. Alas, my dear Madam, there are subsequens spiritum elevatur ab eo, not many of the great parables of Christ aliquando autem consentiens carni in which have been understood. Read in terrenos concupiscentias" (Irenceus V. I.) Matt. xiii, the parable of the seed, some of In other words, the altogether perfect which fell by the wayside and the birds man consists of body, soul and immoral devoured them, and some brought forth a spirit; the Soul stands as intermediary hundredfold, because their roots struck deep between them; ‘Soul’ in the Old into their own spirit. As to the grains that Testament is Nephesh, which word, were lost forever, they are human souls. without either choice or sense is Have you never met people who have long translated indifferently, ‘Soul, life, ago parted with their souls — people who blood’ and various other terms; and when have nothing left but their animal souls, and this soul, by the power of its own highest of whose spirit there is no more trace? I have aspirations, holds more to its Supreme met such. When their bodies die, these Spirit, well and good; but when it is more people will die forever. No resurrection for in sympathy with the flesh, the latter them, no future life, and not the strongest absorbs it in itself, and will ultimately mediums could call them back any more, bring it to perdition. Per se, the soul is because they are nowhere to be found any not immortal. The soul outlives the more. Origen says the same thing. man's body only for as long as is Consequently we are all trinities. Plato, necessary for it to get rid of everything Pythagoras and Plutarch all taught this; earthly and fleshly; then, as it is but so far these philosophers have been so gradually purified, its essence comes into little understood, that all their terminology progressively closer union with the Spirit, is dreadfully mixed up. Both nous which alone is immortal. The tie between (immortal spirit) and psyche (soul), have them becomes more and more indissoluble. been rendered by the same word, "soul;" in When the last atom of the earthly is the Acts of the Apostles you will find the evaporated, then this duality becomes a unity, same thing. St. Paul clearly speaks of and the Ego of the former man becomes two principles; the soul and the spirit, but forever immortal. But if whilst still in the the translators have distorted everything. flesh, the man has failed to prepare Look up the epistle of James, Our Lord's himself to part with joy from his perishable brother (Ch. iii. 15). body, if the man has lived only his earthly I do not know how it is translated in life, and the fleshly thoughts have strangled Russian, but in the Greek text you will find all trace of spiritual life in him, he will not be that James points out directly the kind of born again; he will not see God (John iii, 3). thing our soul is, by the following words: Like a still-born child, he will leave the this wisdom descendeth not from above, womb of earthly life, his mother, and but is earthly, psychical, devilish. The after the death of his flesh he will be born human spirit (man's spiritual not into a better world, but into the region individuality) lights up the earthly man, of eternal death, because his Soul has the Adam of the second chapter of ruined itself for ever, having destroyed its Genesis, from above, touching more or connection with the Spirit. The flesh has less his head only, and the soul (Nephesh) The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 29 has its seat in the blood and bones, they cannot all be enumerated in a letter. throughout the body. The soul is the All the ancient philosophers knew this, spiritual man, merely in the physiological and shunned mediumism to such an extent sense. When the soul is imprisoned in a that it was strictly forbidden to admit sinning body, it is as if in jail, and in order to mediums to the Eleusinian and other get rid of its chains, it has progressively to Mysteries: those who had a "familiar aspire upward toward its spirit. The soul is spirit." Socrates was higher and purer a chameleon. It becomes a copy either of than Plato; yet the latter was initiated into the spirit or of the body. In the first case, the Mysteries, while Socrates was it acquires the faculty of separating itself rejected, and in the course of time he was from the body with ease,1 and of setting even doomed to die, because, though not forth, traveling all over the wide world, initiated into the Mysteries, he revealed a having left in the body a provision of vital part of them to the world through the forces, or animal, instinctive mental agency of his daimonion, of which he movements. himself was not consciously aware. For it, there are no obstacles of The Egyptians also divided man in either distance or matter. In the measure the same way, and gave the name of Nut2 of its union with the spirit it becomes to the one Spirit of God. It would seem more or less clairvoyant. It may even become that Anaxagoras was the first to borrow all-seeing and omniscient for a few earthly this name from them, and gave to the moments, or even hours. This is the secret omnipotent spirit (Archê tês Kenêseôs) of somnambulism and certain kinds of the name of Nous,3 or as he puts it, Nous mediumism. But in the second case it is Autokrates: "At the beginning of merely an animal soul. In it there is no Creation," he says, "everything was in clairvoyance, not even any glimpse of chaos; then appeared Nous and intro- prescience; yet mediumism is by no duced order into this chaos." In his idea, means an indication of a man's holiness. Nous was the Spirit of God. The Logos It is merely a physiological phenomenon. was man, an emanation of Nous. The Usually, the better the medium, the more exterior senses could cognize phenomena, delicate he is; yet it is not disease that but Nous alone was capable of a mental comes as a result of mediumism, but the contemplation of noumena, or subjective latter as the result of bodily weakness, of objects. shattered nerves. The walls of the prison being down, the soul will find it easier to But you are probably tired of all tear itself away and go forth into free this. I do not know how to write space. A man may be a blackguard, like Russian, and cannot express everything I H---, and be the greatest of mediums; but should like to, but, dear soul, please do in this case his soul will be obsessed by not imagine that I have become even other souls, more or less sinful, in accord worse than I used to be in regard to with the quality of his own; as is the religious matters. Now there is more pastor, so is the parish. But there are religion in me than ever before. Master is thousands of shades of mediumism, and teaching me, and I am irresistibly drawn to study, to know, to learn....

1 The purified Kama-rupa becomes Mayavi-Rupa, a vehicle in which man can live and move and have 2 In the Glossary, p. 234, this is spelled Nout. Nous, his being. The purpose of philosophy is to learn the Higher Mind, the self-moving Mind. how to die ahead of time — that is, purify the Kama-rupa. No light of Spirit can dispel the 3 “The Mind or Spirit self-potent;” this creative darkness of the nether soul unless all sense-of-self Principle being of course the primum mobile of hath fled therefrom. — ED. A.T. everything in the Universe — its Soul and Ideation. The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. V, #1 Supplement November 17, 2004 Page 30

Edmonton Theosophical Society • Material from Judge’s “Diaries” is pleased to announce the concerning the post “Judge Case” controversy publication of • Western and Vedic astrological charts and interpretations of W.Q. Judge The Judge Case A Conspiracy Which Ruined the ======Theosophical Cause Single Volume Smythe Sewn Hardcover, By Ernest E. Pelletier 8½" x 11" x 2¼", 984 pages + 71 ------B &W Photographs, Every serious student of Theosophy must have access to this book. This is also ISBN 0-9681602-3-9. an important tool for any historian doing work on William Q. Judge or on the early $95.00 US + $7.00 US postage*; Overseas, Theosophical Society. A detailed $95.00 US + postage bibliographical time-line, biographies on many of the key players, and appendices with hard to find archival material all contribute to making this work exhaustive in scope. In addition, the author offers a compelling argument to vindicate William Q. Judge and show him to be key in the development of theosophy in the Western World.

======In Part I you will find:

• a detailed bibliographical chronology of the events of the “Judge Case” • over 40 biographical sketches of the key players • the author’s analysis of events with a compelling presentation of Judge’s innocence

• AND published for the first time, Exhibit ‘A’: the letter that triggered the Judge Case ======

In Part II look for: • a reprint of Annie Besant’s prosecutor’s brief and the reply by W.Q. Judge • a collection of letters of W.Q. Judge to E. T. Hargrove