Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00615)

Just sharing information...

If we agree that practical theosophy is about 
making contact with the 
Higher Self (and with the Masters via the Self), then search for a yoga 
labeled a'TS yoga' may be misguided--any yoga offering means of 
contacting the Self will work.

However, it is meaningful to ask whether theosophy offers new and novel 
means of making the contact. (For the purposes of this discussion, I will 
mean by 'theosophy' any teaching belonging to the same tradition as HPB, 
i.e. given out or directly inspired by the Masters.) I think the answer 
is "yes." I can see at least two such systems:

1. Agni Yoga, given out by Master M., (14 vols. published by Roerichs) is 
an INTENSELY PRACTICAL system. It may be called 'yoga of energy,' or more 
exactly 'yoga of mind-controlled energy." These two terms--mind (mental 
development) and energy (subtle energies)--are key words of the new yoga.
(Un)fortunately it is so refined compared with other similar systems 
(e.g. raja yoga) that most people apparently get in trouble trying to 
discern in it some kind of yoga at all. 

2. Alice Bailey books--I mean those channeled from Master D.K.--promise 
essentially the same way. I say 'promise,' because--unlike Agni 
Yoga--AB's books are VERY heavy on theory and contain rather little 
'exercises.' But then again, the source of trouble is reader's mentality 
and his expectations, since the AB material is very practical in some sense.
Fortunately for those interested, Arcane School founded by AB offers a 
complete correspondence course of studies and practice spanning over at 
least 10 years.

Other novel approaches along similar lines include:

1. Sri Aurobindo's integral yoga. It is essentially identical with 
theosophy. I possess a valuable text on integral yoga which I hope to 
post in a few days.

2. Sufi teachings as they  have leaked through Gourdjieff.

Less known to a Western seeker are some other systems. Although 
not new and novel, they may offer valuable insights to a theosophical seeker:

1. Eastern Christian yoga: Philokalia, Starets Siluan (not translated 
into English), hesychasm,...

2. Kashmir Shaivism (see recent books by Mark Dyczkowski, Andre Padoux, 
and other SUNY publications). This is pure esoterism offering what may be 
called a 'phonetic key to Secret Doctrine.' 

3. Tibetan Yoga should be very important to a theosophical seeker, and 
this is for several reasons. However, I believe it is unusable by 
Westerners, at least as it is offered now by Tibetan lamas. This is 
mostly because of a very specific guru-disciple relationship model 
imposed by the lamas on their Western students--the model being 
completely out of tune with the western mentality.

 4. And, of course, such classics as Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, 
Bhagavadgita, Shankara, and so forth. 

To sum it up, there is some good choice for someone who wants to study 
and practice in the spirit of theosophy. Just a reminder: if theosophy is 
really a universal Wisdom-Religion, it is OK to freely borrow useful 
stuff from all the systems acknowledging spiritual evolution.

Max