Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00398)

Re: Personal survival:  A QUESTION TO MICHAEL ROGG ABOUT THE THEOSOPHICAL
MASTERS

In a recent posting on Theos-l, Michael Rogg wrote in part:

"I have devoted quite a few pages on my site to the personal survival problem
and more in my book "Dood geen Einde" (Death no End) , particularly the
Spiritualists' point of view. It is my opinion that Theosophists should
acquaint themselves far more with mediumistic phenomena because from that
stable came the movement but severed its connections for various reasons,
although HPB continued to act as a medium. For me the clue to the
communications of the Masters lies in similar inspired writings (Old
Testament). Communicators born out of fantasy  may take on quite a solid
appearance. I have given an example in my summary  of the "Philip"
experiments by Canadian parapsycholgists (see my page on the "presence
phenomenon") of a product of fantasy being  evoked which made itself
physically known."

On Michael's WWW homepage, he says that "proof of their [the Masters']
existence has never been found."

I have a question, Michael.  Have you had a chance to read K. Paul
Johnson's THE MASTERS REVEALED and my critique [HOUSE OF CARDS]
of his thesis on the Masters M. and K.H?  In both his book and my critique
you will find testimony by Henry Olcott and others on their encounters with
these two Masters.  How do you explain these experiences especially in light
of your statement that "communicators born out of fantasy  may take on quite
a solid
appearance"?  I have studied the history of spiritualism for more than
twenty years
and I have never found accounts in the spiritualistic literature that would
parallel
the testimonies concerning the Theosophical Masters.   K. Paul Johnson
and I do not see eye to eye on many things, but we do, I believe, agree that
there
is evidence indicating that at least the Master "Koot Hoomi" was a living flesh 
and blood person and not some ectoplasmic manifestation materialized through
Blavatsky's "mediumship."

Have you read these accounts by Olcott and others?  And how do you explain
these accounts?  You raise good questions but your narratives on Theos-l
and on your homepage about HPB, mediumship, the Masters and spiritualism
are couched in very vague, non-specific language and do not grapple with
the detailed accounts as given by Olcott and other witnesses to HPB's
phenomena and the encounters with the Mahatmas.  Some of this rich,
detailed testimony has been published in my 1991 book titled
THE OCCULT WORLD OF MADAME BLAVATSKY.

In the last year I have been studying the remarkable mediumship of
the Reverend Francis Monck, a contemporary of Blavatsky's.  I may try to
post on Theos-l some of the accounts of his materializations in full light.
I do agree that most Theosophists and even Blavatsky students appear to
be uninformed about the history of spiritualism and its interrelationship with
the history of Theosophy and Blavatsky.  Much of what is written on mediumship
and life after death in THE MAHATMAS LETTERS is not apparently fully appreciated
by students of these letters; I believe one of the reasons is the fact that most
students and readers of these letters do not have a good background
understanding
of spiritualism, its phenomena and teachings.  For example, a careful reading of
LIGHT magazine during the years 1881-1895 is very informative for the student
of Blavatsky and Theosophy.

What books on spiritualism would you (Michael) recommend for interested 
Theos-l readers?  I will try to post in the near future a number of "reference
books" which give good overviews and a great deal of detail on spiritualism,
its phenomena, its teachings, and its history.

Michael, I agree that the book CONJURING UP PHILIP:  An Adventure in
Psychokinesis by Iris M. Owen and Margaret Sparrow is a very important book.
I would suggest any interested Blavatsky student should read CONJURING UP
PHILIP in conjunction with THE OCCULT WORLD (1881) written by A.P. Sinnett.
A comparison of these two books and some of the ideas enunciated in both works
will lead to some interesting insights and conclusions.

Writing this posting reminded me of a work I did in 1989 titled KRIYASHAKTI
CONSCIOUS
AND UNCONSCIOUS:  The Psychology of the Visionary Experience  which gives the
Theosophical perspective as given in the writings of Blavatsky and the
Mahatmas.  I think
I will prepare it for publication on the World Wide Web.

Daniel Caldwell