Theos-Talk Archives (October 1993 Message tl00014)

Eldon,  your description of "original Theosophy" is
very good.  Actually, it is the way Pasadena still is
today.  Even though Blavatsky had psychic abilities,
she discouraged its development in her students, probably
because it continually got her into trouble.  The fear
of magic and psychism is still strong in today's TSs.
I have already written about the dangers, and yes,
maddness or death are possibilities.  However, the
probabilities of serious problems are small simply
because most dabblers don't get into it far enough to
be in any real danger.  Only a few are serious enough
to keep at it, and it is those who are in danger.  But
then again, to "dare" has always been a trademark of
the Adept.  I use the concept of karma to keep me in
line, but I pracatice a form of yogic magic more than
any ritual magic as such.  But I correspond with several
serious magicians, who keep me up to date on their
development.  My own opinion is that there is a real
danger to the unwary, and I agree that ethical and
spiritual development should be encouraged as well, but
I still would prefer to let each individual decide for
themselves rather than having it "forbidden" as you said.

I am rather between Don, who thinks its safe enough for
anyone to try (as do my publishers from Llewellyn) and the
TSs who would avoid it altogether.  I think that it is safe,
provided you know what you are doing.

In theory I agree with your "dual purpose to the T.S." but
I have to ask, Are our current TSs ready and able to provide
"the door to the Mysteries?"  I am not so sure.  The reason
that I say this is that only an Adept or near-Adept can
open such a door for a student, and since the TSs discourage
practice leading to Adepthood, how can members qualify to
open the Mysteries to anyone?  To be honest, the Pasadena
TS comes across to me as rather spiritual, and Long did, in
fact, help me a lot.  Grace has also given me more than a
few good kicks in the spiritual direction, but can this
kind of leadership continue?  Can the TSs continue to
discourage 'practice' and still provide Adept-like
leadership?  I hope so, but I have reservations.  The
problem is, Blavatsky herself told us not to make the TS
into a "Hall of Magic" and discouraged any kind of psychic
practice.  So, the TSs today can help develop spiritual
and moral character, which to be sure is a good and positive
thing.  But they cannot and will not help develop psychic
ability/control, and so their leadership tends to be one-
sided.  How many Adepts have you read about that did not
have some amount of psychic development?  Jesus, if not
the Son of God, was at least a fine magician and probably
would be excommunicated from today's TSs (as would HPB
herself).

                       Jerry S.