Theos-Talk Archives (December 1995 Message tl00451)

Hi Patrick

>In my own lodge of late some of the members have begun to ask
>"What is this theosophy thing that gives us our name? Can
>someone tell us please?" Come the Spring we intend to do just
>that. With them I feel it is absurd to have a society with a
>description in its name theosophical with lodges branches
>which are not theosophical. Common sense?

You have perhaps touched upon *the* critical question which may have to get
answered before the Theosophical Society can go forward. Will you forgive me
for jumping in?

THE NEW LEXICON WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ENCYCLOPEDIC
EDITION gives two definitions--one for *theosophy* one for *Theosophy*:

1. *theosophy*: "any philosophical and religious system [add *and fact*]
based on intuitive knowledge of [add *or transcendental approach toward*] the
divine."

2. *Theosophy*: "a system of thought and practice derived from esp.
Buddhist and Brahminical religious mysticism by Madame Blavatsky in 1875 in
the U.S.A. and propagated by the Theosophical Society which she founded. It
claims to be a synthesis of those elements in all religions which result from
divine revalation and to enable its followers to establish personal
communion with God."

Now while perhaps both definitions leave something to be desired they do
provide a clean way to ask the important question: Does the *Theosophical*
in *The Theosophical Society* stand for something closer to definition #1 or
#2? In my mind I find it hard to believe that the Founders meant it to
stand for both--however I don't know.

Because I came to the Society from a philosophical background and seeing THE
THREE OBJECTS etc. I naturally assumed that the first definition was the
operative one. Indeed for most of my years of membership the wide variety
of subjects explored by individuals etc. gave me every reason to believe that
it *was* the operative one. For me *theosophy* will principally continue to
be the word for the epistemology which allows for the validity of knowledge
which does not come from strict empirical observation or science--the
knowledge which is associated with religions astrology mysticism esoteric
writers not necessarily named Blavatsky etc.

But also within the Theosophical Society we have the definition-#2 people.
They are strong and getting stronger as the membership declines. They
would like to firmly establish as a fact that the *Theosophical* in the
Theosophical Society means definition #2.

To counter that possibility my answer to members who might ask "What is
this theosophy thing that gives us our name?" would be something like this:

"It is the method by which you personally and transcendentally accumulate
little nuggets of unsupported-but-absolute certainty about subjects
impervious to other methods. Come Spring we're going to dig around one
theosophist's mother lode--THE SECRET DOCTRINE."

What do you think?

Best wishes

Richard Ihle