Theos-Talk Archives (November 1996 Message tl00013)

Dear Mark,

First, I think it important to note that many of the deceptions
and power plays were never admitted, and many if not most
Theosophists continue to deny them (or admit them for some
early Theosophists but not others, more likely.)  But as
someone who believes that HPB, Olcott, Judge, Besant and
Leadbeater ALL behaved in ways that are not exemplary, yet
values the writings of most of them, I'll respond as an
individual.

No one before or since HPB has carried out a spiritual search
that was as world-embracing, as audacious, as open-minded, as
vigorous, to the best of my knowledge.  And yet, in some ways I
agree with Hodgson's description of her as one of the most
ingenious impostors in history-- in that she concealed the real
details of her life and promoted a largely self-invented myth.
>From an astrological point of view, the question then can be
seen as "How can you love a Leo?"/"How can you not love
them?"  Leos are notoriously prone to self-invention,
exaggeration, and outright untruth in service of making a story
more interesting or appealing.  They make good actors.  But on
the credit side, Leos are warm-hearted, generous, courageous,
and strong willed.  Since both HPB and Olcott were Leos, I
think the character of early TS history is profoundly marked by
the traits of that sign.  And no matter what sign they were, if
a movement is founded by two people of the same sign it is
likely to show the strengths and weaknesses of that sign.

So I don't really reconcile the good and the bad, but rather
just accept them and don't feel the need to belong to something
which is "all good."  At the present I feel more affiliated
with the ARE than the TS, but I can see the same kind of
dark/light shading in Cayce's Piscean character as in the TS
leaders' Leo traits.  He was self-sacrificing, modest,
nonconfrontational, and devoted to his loved ones in ways that
HPB and Olcott can't touch.  But on the minus side, he was
easily discouraged, easily manipulated, and passively psychic
in a way that makes the TS Founders look good in comparison.

That's the long answer.  The short one is-- as with anyone, you
have to take the good with the bad.