The Theosophical Society in Australia
What is Theosophy?
|
|
|
|
© copyright
2003
Theosophical Society |
Theosophy is the essence of the great religions and philosophies of the world. Its principles have been restated in different ways by seers and sages throughout human history. They were present in teachings such as those of ancient India and China, the Egyptian Thoth or the Greek Hermes, the neo-Platonists, and Gnostics of the early Christian era.
The word Theosophy comes from the Greek ‘theosophia’ meaning ‘Divine Wisdom’. This Divine Wisdom has various aspects and is more than just a teaching. If you ask members of The Theosophical Society, ‘What is Theosophy?’, a variety of answers will be given. Some will say that it is a world-view which gives meaning and purpose to life. Others will say it is a spiritual philosophy which has been with us since time immemorial. Still others will stress that it is a way of life, a path that leads to peace and understanding through selfless service. Theosophy is all these and more. Hence, Theosophy has been called by different names such as the Ancient or Ageless Wisdom, the Wisdom Religion, the Wisdom Tradition and the Perennial Philosophy. The most important principle of Theosophy is its presentation of a holistic world-view which emphasises the unity and interconnectedness of all life, the basic oneness of all peoples and all species of life on earth. Theosophical teachings point to a spark in each of us that is always part of the Divine Life or Source from which all arises, and affirm that all life is ultimately One. Madame Blavatsky, who gave the world Theosophy in its modern form in the latter part of the nineteenth century, drew together teachings from sources which included Plato, Confucius, the Vedas, Gautama Buddha, Jesus, the Kabbala, philosophers, scientists and other contemporary thinkers of her day. Her teachings weave a tapestry which depict the Cosmos as permeated with Spirit and Intelligence and divinely guided from within. She portrayed human beings as both earthly and divine, with vast potential still to be unfolded throughout future cycles of evolution. She also described the human being as sevenfold, with a capacity to develop increasingly higher expressions of emotion, concrete and abstract thought, intuitive insight, compassion, realisation of unity and Spiritual Will. Furthermore, she described superphysical worlds or fields around and within us, from which intelligences and energies play upon us and all of Nature. Theosophical teachings throughout history have explained life’s seeming inequalities as consequences of Karma, the Law of Balance and Harmony. This Law, or reharmonising process, gives us feedback on our actions and provides learning experiences. It expands our perspective to the possibility of many lifetimes through which we grow toward spiritual maturity. But perhaps most importantly, a way of life is implicit in Theosophy. It implies a regard for all life and actions based on an increasing realisation of our oneness with all others. Theosophical teachings also imply a life which allows our greatest human qualities to unfold such as intuition, understanding, insight, love, compassion and creativity. Anyone can begin to live a theosophical life at any time by seeking to live in harmony with all life, as the growing ecological awareness today demonstrates. It was mentioned that Madame Blavatsky gave the world Theosophy in its modern form. Just as Theosophy has been taught by many before her, since her death in 1891 others have sought to explore and interpret theosophical teachings in their own way. Members of The Theosophical Society and members of the public attending lectures or seminars are encouraged to question, ponder and consider ideas put forward by various theosophical presenters. Certain teachings will appeal more to some than to others. The Theosophical Society does not claim to have conclusive answers to life’s deeper purpose, but does provide an environment for free enquiry and exploration. A Balanced Approach: It is sometimes said that we need to balance our lives with study, meditation and service. Too much of any of these can create an imbalance. A truly theosophical way of life is one in which basic principles of the Wisdom tradition are studied in an open-minded way, absorbed in moments of quiet, and put into practice. Not a Religion, Not a Dogma, Not a Sect: Theosophy is not a religion, although many of its concepts and ideas are found in all the major world religions. It has been said that in one sense Theosophy is religion itself, or the essence of true religion, as has already been mentioned. The theosophical teachings do not encourage dogmatism nor sectarianism as they are based on universal principles. Shallows and Depths: The basics of Theosophy are reasonable and easy to grasp, but there are also depths that can challenge and can provide a lifetime of study for those inclined to seriously pursue these teachings. It is suggested that the spiritual Path, towards which Theosophy points the way, can help us reach heights beyond ordinary human conception as it leads to the unfolding of our higher spiritual potential. Theosophy offers a philosophy which allows us to grow without limits while living effectively in our day to day circumstances. What subjects are studied at meetings of the Theosophical Society?A considerable range of subjects is presented at meetings of The Theosophical Society. Topics include various aspects of theosophical teachings such as ethical living, modern science and Theosophy, reincarnation, karma, teachings from various religious and philosophical traditions, meditation and practical aspects of spiritual living, to name a few. Although speakers from outside groups may be invited to give presentations at TS centres on various topics, it is important to remember that The Theosophical Society is independent, as already mentioned. “Theosophy is the wisdom arising from the study of the evolution of life and form. This wisdom already exists, because the study has been pursued for long ages by properly equipped investigators into nature’s mysteries. The investigators, who are called the Masters of the Wisdom, are souls who in the evolutionary processes have passed beyond the stage of man to that next higher, that of the “Adept”. As man evolves to Adept, he gains knowledge by investigation and experiment. The knowledge so far gained by an unbroken line of Adepts is Theosophy, the Ancient Wisdom. ... It [Theosophy] cannot but be a hypothesis at first to whomsoever it is offered; it can become one’s own personal knowledge only by experiment and experience. In Theosophy to-day, we have not the fullness of knowledge of all facts. Only a few main facts and laws have been told us, sufficient to spur us on to study and discovery; but innumerable gaps remain to be filled. They are being filled in by individual workers in our midst, but what we have of knowledge is as a drop in the ocean to what lies undiscovered or unrevealed. Nevertheless, the little we have is of wonderful fascination, and it reveals new inspiration and beauty everywhere.” (From the Introduction of “First
Principles of Theosophy” “Theosophy, as the word indicates, is the Divine Wisdom, and we can have some conception of that Wisdom only in so far as it comes within our purview. For our purposes, then , it may be defined as the Wisdom declared in all things in Nature, a Wisdom which must have a relation to the things we observe, to our practical experience of life. ... Our knowledge of the Divine Wisdom must be necessarily partial and limited. Our horizon, from any eminence we can command, must be a tiny segment of an infinite sphere. Yet the view we obtain can be for us a complete, making a rounded outline. That outline has been given the name of Theosophy, and into it we can paint whatever details or knowledge may come to us. It puts all our knowledge into a certain order, giving us an ever fuller idea of the meaning of the processes in which we are involved. This comprehension has to be of both life and form. For life or Spirit is the synthesising agent. And knowledge of life can come only through awareness of others, a sensitive, sympathetic and imaginative understanding free from bondage to one’s limited and separated self.” (From “Theosophy, A Comprehensive Synthesis” in “An Approach to Reality” by N. Sri Ram, 1951 ed., TPH Adyar) “A great deal has been written, directly or indirectly, by the leaders of the Theosophical Society on this subject and many people in the Society are inclined to think that it is unnecessary to give any further thought to it. If we want to know what Theosophy is, all we have to do is to read what H. P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant, C. W. Leadbeater and others have written on the subject. This attitude is based on the misconception that Theosophy is a set of ideas which can be acquired by reading books or hearing lectures and assimilated by deep thought and reflection on them. A little careful consideration of the nature of man, the universe and the Reality which underlies both will show that this kind of approach to the problem of understanding Theosophy is quite unsatisfactory and inadequate. It cannot by its very nature lead us to a through knowledge of Theosophy. On the other hand, by producing confusion and complacence in our minds it will tend to prevent us from adopting those means which alone can lead us to true knowledge. The first step in acquiring true knowledge is to know that we do not know. ... It hardly needs pointing out that this question [what is Theosophy?] should never be considered as closed, and if there are any members who are inclined to consider it as such, they should think over the problem deeply and see whether it is not possible to adopt a more flexible attitude towards it. In fact, it is the duty of the Theosophical Society as a whole to keep this question open and maintain an atmosphere which will encourage every member to answer this question himself, not once for all, in a purely academic spirit, but in an unending series of inner illuminations.” (I. K. Taimni, “What is Theosophy?”, The Theosophist, November 1963)
“The broad ideas must be assimilated first, and they must be realized as facts in Nature. The most important thing about Theosophy is its effect upon practical life; and to obtain that, a man must put himself into the Theosophical attitude towards his surroundings and should learn to look at everything from the Theosophical point of view.” (From a letter by C. W. Leadbeater, written in January 1923, as an answer to an enquirer as to how to undertake the study of Theosophy. Published in The Theosophist, October 1967.) |
