A FREE INTRO TO THEOSOPHY
An Outline
of Theosophy
By
Charles
Webster Leadbeater
Death
One of the most important practical results of a thorough comprehension
of Theosophical truth is the entire change which is necessary brings about in
our attitude towards death. It is impossible for us to calculate the vast
amount of utterly unnecessary sorrow and terror and misery which mankind in the
aggregate has suffered simply from its ignorance and superstition with regard
to this one matter of death. There is among us a mass of false and foolish
belief along this line which has worked untold evil in the past and is causing
indescribable suffering in the present, and its eradication would be one of the
greatest benefits that could be conferred upon the human race.
This benefit the Theosophical teaching at once confers on those who,
from their study of philosophy in past lives, now find themselves able to
accept it. It robs death forthwith of all its terror and much of its sorrow,
and enables us to see it in its true proportions and to understand its place in
the scheme of our evolution.
While death is considered as the end of life, as the gateway into a dim
but fearful unknown country, it is not unnaturally regarded with much
misgiving, if
not with positive terror. Since, in spite of all religious teaching to
the contrary this has been the view universally taken in the western world,
many
grisly horrors have sprung up around it, and have become matters of
custom, thoughtlessly obeyed by many who should know better.
All the ghastly paraphernalia of woe the mutes, the plumes, the black
velvet, the crape, the mourning garments, the black-edged note paper all these
are nothing more than advertisements of ignorance on the part of those who
employ
them. The man who begins to understand what death is at once puts aside
all this masquerade as childish folly, seeing that to mourn over the good
fortune of his friend merely because it involves for himself the pain of
apparent separation from that friend, becomes, as soon as it is recognised, a
display of selfishness.
He cannot avoid feeling the wrench of the temporary separation, but he
can avoid allowing his own pain to become a hindrance to the friend who has
passed on. He knows that there can be no need to fear or to mourn over death,
whether it comes to himself or to those whom he loves. It has come to them all
often before, so that there is nothing unfamiliar about it. Instead of
representing it as a ghastly king of terrors, it would be more accurate and
more sensible to symbolise it as an angel bearing a golden key to admit us to
the glorious realms of the higher life.
He realises very definitely that life is continuous, and that the loss
of the physical body is nothing more than the casting aside of a garment which
in no way changes the real man who is the wearer of the garment. He sees that
death is simply a promotion from a life which is more than half-physical to one
which is wholly astral, and therefore very much superior.
So, for himself he unfeignedly welcomes it, and when it comes to those
whom he loves, he recognises at once the great advantage for them, even though
he cannot feel a certain amount of selfish regret that he should be temporarily
separated from them.
But he knows also that this separation is in fact only apparent, and not
real. He knows that the so-called dead are near him still, and that he has only
to cast off temporarily his physical body in sleep, in order to stand side by
side with them and commune with them as before.
He sees clearly that the world is one and that the same Divine laws rule
the whole of it, whether it be visible or invisible to the physical sight.
Consequently he has no feeling of nervousness or strangeness in passing from
one part of it to the other, and no sort of uncertainty as to what he will find
on the other side of the veil.
The whole of the unseen world is so clearly and fully mapped out for
himthrough the work of the Theosophical investigators that it is well known to
him as the physical life, and thus he is prepared to enter upon it without
hesitation whenever it may be best for his evolution. For full details of the
various stages of this higher life we must refer the reader to the books
specially devoted to this subject. It is sufficient here to say that the
conditions into which the man passes are precisely those which the man passes
are precisely those which he has made for himself. The thoughts and desires
which he has encouraged within himself during earth-life take form as definite
living entities hovering round him and reacting upon him until the energy which
he poured into them is exhausted.
When such thoughts and desires have been powerful and persistently evil,
the companions so created may indeed be terrible; but happily such cases form a
very small minority among the dwellers in the astral world. The worst that the
ordinary man of the world usually provides for himself after death is a
useless and unutterably wearisome existence, void of all rational interests
the natural sequence of a life wasted in self-indulgence, triviality, and
gossip here on earth.
To this weariness active suffering may under certain conditions be
added. If a man during earth-life has allowed strong physical desire to obtain
a mastery over him if, for example, he has become a slave to such a vice as
avarice, sensuality, or drunkenness he has laid up for himself much
purgatorial suffering after death. For in losing the physical body he in no way
loses these desires and passions; they remain as vivid as ever nay, they are
even more active when they have no longer the heavy particles of dense matter
to set in motion.
What he does lose is the power to gratify these passions; so that they
remain as torturing, gnawing desires, unsatisfied and unsatisfiable. It will be
seen that this makes a very real hell for the unfortunate man, though of
course only a temporary one, since in process of time such desires must burn
themselves out, expending their energy in the very suffering which they
produce.
A terrible fate, truly; yet there are two points which we should bear in
mind with regard to it. First, that the man has not only brought it on himself,
but has determined its intensity and it duration for himself. He has allowed
this
desire to reach a certain strength during earth-life, and now he has to
meet it and control it.
If during physical life he has made efforts to repress or check it, he
will have just so much the less difficulty in conquering it now. He has
created for himself the monster with which now he has to struggle;
whatever strength his antagonist possesses is just what he has given it.
Therefore, his fate is not imposed upon him from without, but is simply of his
own making.
Secondly, the suffering which he thus brings upon himself is the only
way of escape for him. If it were possible for him to avoid it, and to pass
through the astral life without this gradual wearing away of the lower desires,
what would be the result?
Obviously that he would enter upon his next physical life entirely under
the domination of these passions. He would be a born drunkard, a sensualist, a
miser; and long before it would be possible to teach him that he ought to try
to control such passions they would have grown far too strong for control
they would have enslaved him, body and soul, and so another life would be thrown
away, another opportunity would be lost. He would enter thus upon a vicious
circle from which there appears no escape, and his evolution would be
indefinitely delayed.
The Divine scheme is not thus defective.
The passion exhausts itself during the astral life, and the man returns
to physical existence without it. True, the weakness of mind which allowed
passion to dominate him is still there; true also, he has made for himself for
this new life an astral body capable of expressing exactly the same passions as
before, so that it would not be difficult for him to resume his old evil life.
But the ego, the real man, has had a terrible lesson, and assuredly he will
make every effort to prevent his lower manifestation from repeating that
mistake, from falling again under the sway of that passion.
He has still the germs of it within him, but if he has deserved good and
wise parents they will help to develop the good in him and check the evil, the
germs will remain unfructified and will atrophy, and so in the next life after
that they will not appear at all. So by
slow degrees man conquers his evil qualities, and evolves virtues to replace
them.
On the other hand, the man who is intelligent and helpful, who
understands the conditions of this non-physical existence and takes the rouble
to adapt himself to them and make the most of them, opening before him a
splendid vista of
opportunities both for acquiring fresh knowledge and for doing useful
work. He discovers that life away from this dense body has a vividness and
brilliancy to which all earthly enjoyment is as moonlight unto sunlight, and
that through his
clear knowledge and calm confidence the power of the endless life shines
out upon all those around him.
He may become a centre of peace and joy unspeakable to hundreds of his
fellow men, and may do more good in a few years of that astral existence than
ever he could have done in the longest physical life. He is well aware too, that there lies before
him another and still grander stage of this wonderful post-mortem life. Just as
by his desires and his lower thoughts he has made for himself the surroundings
of his astral life, so has he by his higher thought and his nobler aspirations
made for himself a life in the heaven-world.
For heaven is not a dream, but a living and glorious reality. Not a city
far away beyond the stars, with gates of pearl and streets of gold, reserved
for the habitation of a favoured few, but a state of consciousness into which
every man
will pass during the interval between lives on earth. Not an eternal
abiding-place truly, but a condition of
bliss indescribable lasting through many centuries. Not even that alone. For
although it contains the reality which underlies all the best and most spiritual
ideas of heaven which have been propounded
in various religions, yet it must by no means be considered from that view
only.
It is a realm of nature which is of exceeding importance to us a vast
and splendid world of vivid life in which we are living now, as well as in the
periods intervening between physical incarnations. It is only our lack of
development , only the limitation imposed upon us by this robe of flesh, that
prevents us from fully realising that all glory of the brightest heaven is
about us here and now, and that influences flowing from that world are ever
playing upon us, if we will only understand and receive them.
Impossible as this may seem to the man of the world, it is the plainest
of realities to the occultist; and to
those who have not yet grasped this
fundamental truth we can but repeat the advice given by the Buddhist
teacher: - Do not complain and cry and pray, but open your eyes and see. The
light is all about you, if you would only cast the bandage from your eyes and
look. It is so
wonderful, so beautiful, so far beyond what any man has dreamt of or
prayed for, and it is for ever and ever. (The Soul of the People , p. 163).
When the astral body, which is the vehicle of the lower thought and
desire, has gradually been worn away and left behind, the man finds himself
inhabiting that higher vehicle of finer matter which we have called the mental
body. In this vehicle he is able to respond to the vibrations which reach him
from the corresponding matter in the external world the matter of the mental
plane.
His time of purgatory is over, the lower part of his nature has burnt
itself away, and now there remain only the higher thoughts and aspirations
which he has poured forth during earth-life.
These cluster round him, through the medium of which he is able to
respond to certain types of vibration in this refined matter. These thoughts which surround him are
the powers by which he draws upon the wealth of the heaven world. This mental
plane is a reflection of the Divine Mind a storehouse of infinite extent from
which the person enjoying heaven is able to draw just according to the power of
his own thoughts and aspirations generated during the physical and astral life.
All religions have spoken of the bliss of Heaven, yet few of them have
put before us with sufficient clearness this leading idea which alone explains
rationally how for all alike such bliss is possible which is, the
keynote of the conception the fact that each man makes his own heaven by
selection from the ineffable splendours of the Thought of God Himself. A man
decides for himself both the length and the character of his heaven-life by the
causes which he himself generates during his earth-life; therefore, he cannot
but have exactly the amount which he has
deserved and exactly the quality of joy which is best suited to his
idiosyncrasies.
This is a world in which every being must, from the very fact of his
consciousness there, be enjoying the highest spiritual bliss of which he is
capable a world whose power of response to his aspirations is limited only by
his capacity to aspire. Further details as to the astral life will be found in
the Astral Plane; the heaven life is described in The Devachanic Plane, and
information about both is also given in Death and After, and in The Other Side of Death.
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Ten Benefits of Studying the Blavatskyan
Theosophical Teachings
Studying
the Blavatskyan Theosophical teachings offers numerous benefits that can
greatly enrich one's understanding of spirituality, philosophy, and the nature
of reality. Theosophy, as defined by the
writings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, has had a profound impact on the
spiritual and philosophical landscape of the modern world. Blavatsky's teachings
draw from a wide range of religious and philosophical traditions, including
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Western esotericism, and present a comprehensive
worldview that addresses fundamental questions about existence, consciousness,
and the cosmos.
Here
are ten benefits of studying the Blavatskyan Theosophical Teachings
1.
Exploration of Esoteric Wisdom
One
of the primary benefits of studying the Blavatskyan Theosophical teachings is the
opportunity to explore esoteric wisdom that is often not readily accessible in
mainstream religious or philosophical traditions. Blavatsky's writings delve
into the esoteric teachings of ancient cultures and mystery schools, shedding
light on profound spiritual truths that have been passed down through the ages.
By delving into these esoteric teachings, students of Theosophy can gain
insights into the nature of consciousness, the structure of the cosmos, and the
evolution of the soul or immortal self.
2.
Synthesis of Eastern and Western Philosophy
Blavatsky's
Theosophical teachings synthesize elements of Eastern and Western philosophy,
offering a comprehensive framework that integrates concepts from diverse
cultural and religious traditions. This synthesis provides students with a
broader perspective on philosophical and spiritual thought, allowing them to
see the underlying unity of seemingly disparate belief systems. By studying
Theosophy, individuals can gain a deeper appreciation for the universal principles
that underlie all wisdom traditions, fostering a sense of unity and
interconnectedness with the world's spiritual heritage.
3.
Understanding of Universal Brotherhood
Central
to Blavatsky's Theosophical teachings is the principle of universal brotherhood,
which emphasizes the essential unity of all beings and the interconnectedness
of life. By studying Theosophy, individuals can develop a profound
understanding of the interconnected nature of existence, recognizing that all
living beings are fundamentally linked and that compassion and empathy are
essential for the evolution of humanity. This understanding can lead to a
greater sense of empathy, kindness, and social responsibility, fostering a more
harmonious and compassionate society.
4.
Insight into the Nature of Reality
The
Blavatskyan Theosophical teachings offer profound insights into the nature of
reality, consciousness, and the unseen dimensions of existence. Through the
study of Theosophy, individuals can explore concepts such as the multi-dimensional
nature of the universe, the existence of subtle energy realms, and the
interconnectedness of the material and spiritual planes. This exploration can
lead to a deeper understanding of the nature of reality beyond the limitations
of the physical senses, opening up new vistas of perception and understanding.
5.
Personal Spiritual Growth
Studying
the Theosophical teachings can be a transformative journey that facilitates
personal spiritual growth and self-discovery. Blavatsky's writings offer practical
guidance for inner development, including meditation practices, ethical
principles, and the cultivation of spiritual virtues. By applying these
teachings to their lives, individuals can experience profound personal
transformation, leading to greater self-awareness, inner peace, and a sense of
purpose and meaning.
6.
Ethical and Moral Guidance
The
Theosophical teachings provide a comprehensive ethical and moral framework that
can guide individuals in their personal and social interactions. Blavatsky emphasizes
the importance of ethical conduct, altruism, and the pursuit of wisdom,
offering practical guidance for leading a virtuous and meaningful life. By
studying Theosophy, individuals can gain clarity on moral issues, cultivate a
sense of ethical responsibility, and contribute to the greater good of
humanity.
7.
Appreciation of Comparative Religion
The
study of Theosophy encourages an appreciation of comparative religion and the
underlying unity of religious and spiritual traditions. Blavatsky's writings
explore the common threads that run through the world's religions, highlighting
universal spiritual principles that transcend cultural and historical
boundaries. By gaining a deeper understanding of comparative religion through
Theosophy, individuals can develop a more inclusive and pluralistic
perspective, fostering interfaith harmony and mutual respect.
8.
Intellectual Stimulation
The
Theosophical teachings offer a rich and intellectually stimulating framework
for exploring profound philosophical and metaphysical concepts. Blavatsky's
writings encompass a wide range of subjects, including cosmology, metaphysics,
ancient wisdom, and the evolution of consciousness, providing ample material
for intellectual inquiry and contemplation. By engaging with these teachings,
individuals can expand their intellectual horizons, develop critical thinking
skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental questions that have
intrigued philosophers and mystics throughout history.
9.
Healing and Reconciliation
The
Theosophical teachings offer insights into the nature of healing and
reconciliation, both on a personal and collective level. Blavatsky's writings
delve into the esoteric principles of healing, the nature of disease, and the
interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. By studying Theosophy,
individuals can gain a deeper understanding of holistic healing modalities, the
power of the mind in influencing health, and the potential for spiritual
transformation through the healing process. Furthermore, the Theosophical
emphasis on universal brotherhood and compassion can contribute to the
reconciliation of divisions and conflicts within society, fostering a more
harmonious and peaceful world.
10.
Contribution to Global Transformation
Finally,
studying the Blavatskyan Theosophical teachings can empower individuals to
contribute to the ongoing global transformation towards a more enlightened and
compassionate world. Blavatsky's vision of a spiritually awakened humanity,
working towards the betterment of all beings, inspires individuals to engage in
positive action and service to humanity. By embodying the principles of
Theosophy in their lives, individuals can become agents of positive change,
working towards the realization of a more just, peaceful, and sustainable
world.
In
summary, the study of the Blavatskyan Theosophical teachings offers a wide
range of benefits, ranging from personal spiritual growth to the potential for
global transformation. By delving into the esoteric wisdom, ethical principles,
and philosophical insights of Theosophy, individuals can expand their
understanding of the nature of reality, cultivate compassion and empathy, and
contribute to the evolution of humanity towards a more harmonious and
enlightened future. As the Theosophical teachings continue to inspire and guide
seekers of truth and wisdom, their profound impact on individuals and society
is likely to endure for generations to come.
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Theosophy Cardiffs Instant Guide to Theosophy
General pages about Wales, Welsh History
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One Liners & Quick Explanations
The Most Basic Theosophy Website in the Universe
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South of Heaven Guide to
Theosophy and Devachan
The preparation of this Website
The Spiritual Home of Urban Theosophy
The Earth Base for Evolutionary Theosophy
Classic Introductory Theosophy Text
A Text Book of Theosophy By C
What Theosophy Is From the Absolute to Man
The Formation of a Solar System The Evolution of Life
The Constitution of Man After Death Reincarnation
The Purpose of Life The Planetary Chains
The Result of Theosophical Study
An Outstanding
Introduction to Theosophy
By a student of Katherine
Tingley
Elementary Theosophy Who is the Man? Body and Soul
Body, Soul and Spirit Reincarnation Karma
Preface to the American Edition Introduction
Occultism and its Adepts The Theosophical Society
First Occult Experiences Teachings of Occult Philosophy
Later Occult Phenomena Appendix
Newcastle Emlyn (Castell Newydd Emlyn) is on the
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Newcastle Emlyn (Castell Newydd Emlyn) is on the
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Preface
Theosophy and the Masters General Principles
The Earth Chain Body and Astral Body Kama Desire
Manas Of Reincarnation Reincarnation Continued
Karma Kama Loka
Devachan
Cycles
Arguments Supporting Reincarnation
Differentiation Of Species Missing Links
Psychic Laws, Forces, and Phenomena
Psychic Phenomena and Spiritualism
Karma Fundamental Principles Laws: Natural and Man-Made The Law of Laws
The Eternal Now
Succession
Causation The Laws of Nature A Lesson of The Law
Karma Does Not Crush Apply This Law
Man in The Three Worlds Understand The Truth
Man and His Surroundings The Three Fates
The Pair of Triplets Thought, The Builder
Practical Meditation Will and Desire
The Mastery of Desire Two Other Points
The Third Thread Perfect Justice
Our Environment
Our Kith and Kin Our Nation
The Light for a Good Man Knowledge of Law The Opposing Schools
The More Modern View Self-Examination Out of the Past
Old Friendships
We Grow By Giving Collective Karma Family Karma
National Karma
Indias Karma
National Disasters
Wales Theosophy Links Summary
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General pages
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Wales is a
Principality within the United Kingdom
and has an eastern
border with England. The land
area is just over
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The coastline is
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