The Secret Doctrine by H.P Blavatsky

Came across this, thought it would be a great read to share Enjoy its from 1888
www.theosociety.org...

reply to post by srbouska


Thanks! I looked her up and found this:

Early Theosophical Documents Online

A bunch more from her and a lot of others.

Hi,

I don't mean to sound like I am opposing you, okay...

One thing to be learned by everyone is that there is no need for complexity or mystery.. they are the old ways that never served us well.

We would spend years reading all of this stuff.. learning how to understand the speak of the day and the massive concepts being put across.. and in all that time we could have simply practiced and experienced far more bigger picture reality than is offered in most of those old writings.

I know this will upset some people, so be it. Most everyone has Beliefs as the base of their lives, not Beliefs largely built from their own experiences, but Beliefs attached to that have been Followed by thousands of others before us. In all that time, with so many Following, it has Ingrained these Beliefs most are attached to.

Because of this it has created Limitations to what one can experience, because of the Belief attached to about everything and what should be and what can't be, what we are and what we are not, etc.

Growth comes from direct experience outside of our Box or Comfort Zone.. or Belief-System. So if we fill our heads with Information, don't practice simple methods for Real Experience, then we do not Grow.. we only think we do.

reply to post by Tayesin


Great post! But does not wisdom require both knowledge and experience? Being told (or reading) that fire burns, for instance, negates the necessity of having to learn that truth first hand. While I personally value experience more than absorbing knowledge, I think both have their place. Walking randomly through a forest may be enlightening but having a map can help to avoid potential pitfalls and may even, perhaps, guide you somewhere great.

That's a classic. Anyone interested in a good occult education should definitely read that one. It would be in my top 10.

Yip, it should also be noted to take as many drugs as possible all at once, pretend it makes sense, forget everything, but retain some sort of superior attitude concerning the *wink* *wink* "knoweledge" you now have over others.

reply to post by Johnze


Well how do you know none of it makes sense? And yes, if you're reading stuff so that you can justify being a braggart or feigning superiority, I would agree that you're just wasting precious time.

Originally posted by hadriana
That's a classic. Anyone interested in a good occult education should definitely read that one. It would be in my top 10.

Anyone interested in a good occult education needs to stay as far away from Theosophy and its offshoots as far as possible.

They defecated all over Hermeticism and Platonism.

Anyone interested in a good occult education would start with Pythagoras and Plato.

What is that crap?

How does ATS get a spambot as a member?

reply to post by Boreas


Hi,

I heard it said that Wisdom is knowledge from experience, in Action.

The point I was making is that such complexities are not necessary.. at All. The greatest possibilities already lay waiting inside You.. and sure don't need a head filled up with half truths gleaned from Eastern traditions and filled out with the type of Victorian Mystery School jibber-jabber that lead to Theosophy

Don't get me wrong, it's great stuff if one wants to spend their time in mental masturbation. Seeking opportunity to illustrate to others how much we Know, how long it took us to reach that knowing.. and in many cases how much it cost us financially.. all the hallmarks of really great mental masturbation.

The difference is displayed with teachers....

2 kinds of teachers in this world. One type you can spot in a crowd for their Clothing, Speak and Concepts.. these are Teachers. The other will never be spotted in a crowd and are teachers..... these will show you easily how to reach the Real Teacher Within. The first type will fill your head with 'Knowledge' and offer little in the way of real experience for your Unlimited growth.

An ancient Druid Maxim states, "Truth Against the World". Those few words actually tell you everything you need to Know Mentally.

reply to post by Tayesin


Couldn't agree more.

And....

Walking randomly through a forest may be enlightening but having a map can help to avoid potential pitfalls and may even, perhaps, guide you somewhere great.

That's just it. There's the core of the problem: you're relying on A map - someone else's map (that may or may not have served well even that person who charted it).

We all possess the tools to experience directly and personally, and each one's path and goals are individual.
Nobody can be more experienced than you in the matter of your path.
But apparent similarities in goals and paths can be fatally misleading and unproductive.

Good stuff for the seeker! I would also recommend the Alice Bailey books as the next step up from HPB's stuff. www.light-weaver.com...

They are deep reading and may not resonate until one is ready. First time I read any of it, it was like pulling teeth. But I knew there was something important there to learn. Several years later in revisiting it things resonated and made much sense.

I also recommend "The Immortal" here www.freeread.com... The author has written several other books also and does a blog and has a huge archive of posts and has helped make much sense out of HPB and AAB stuff and has also synthesized many of the teachings of the different religions and philosophies both occult and others.

reply to post by AdAstra

Walking through a forest with no map and no idea where you are going will get you lost. Learning from those that have gone before us is the way we all learn whether on the physical plane or higher planes. Or why teach your children anything and not let them learn everything on their own with no map through life or guidance etc?

Originally posted by hawkiye
Walking through a forest with no map and no idea where you are going will get you lost. Learning from those that have gone before us is the way we all learn whether on the physical plane or higher planes. Or why teach your children anything and not let them learn everything on their own with no map through life or guidance etc?

If I may tackle this question...

The Journey is the Adventure in itself, not where one expects to arrive.

We simply cannot compare our spiritual journey with that of raising children, because they are very different things with very different reasonings.

Those who have gone before us have served to ingrain the Beliefs.. which is the exact opposite to experiencing beyond Belief.. hence Following the wide path of so many others will only get you through what they did and nothing more... to repeat the Journey of Thousands is not finding one's own path clearly.

Nor does it lead you to the Teacher Within clearly, or easily enough. You must instead study Complexity for years when the Reality is that Simplicity will lead you to where you need to be/go/experience much more easily.

So, be an Adventurer, be an Explorer in the Realms and learn for yourself, learn your weaknesses so that you may turn them into strengths, shine light into your own Darkness in order to find Wholeness in yourself.. but only if you are ruthlessly honest with yourself.

reply to post by Tayesin


Following a path that others have trodden does not mean blindly walking in there every foot step. It means getting guidance from those who have gone before to the general direction and destination. The correspondence of raising children works perfectly for we are but children compared to the elders of the race who have gone before us and mastered the physical plane. They know not to give us every step but to let us find our own way while shining a light for us to see if we will but look.

The child benefits from his elders guidance but he does not do everything exactly the same as his parent. And he becomes his own person but he needed guidance to head in the right direction and when he is discouraged etc. There is no path that has not already been trodden. Looking into the darkness to find what you call your own light or way is simply looking for the light of the soul that all weary travellers have sought when all earthly pursuits fail to satisfy them anymore.

Many things have to be found on your own yes but none wil be found groping in darkness with no sense of direction, one must find the light within and when he does he will discover he is not alone. The narrow path is your path for no one else can walk your path but you. However many have gone through the same struggles and clawed their way up the mountain to find thier peace. You may not climb the exact same route up the mountain as they but their guidance on how to find your way keep your footing and not fall and which way is up will always be a guiding light.

reply to post by hawkiye

Excellent response, thank you.

You touched on my main point, that of finding the Light within us. Something that does not require study in Complex Belief-Systems.. because anyone who has their own direct experience of the Soul that they are can easily show a person how to reach this Teacher Within in less than half an hour.

And sure, one who does then begin to work with their Inner Teacher may have one or two questions for the person who showed them, but once working with that inner Teacher, you have no need for external answers as all your answers are already within you... the Truth Within recognizes the Truth Without.

Hence my laboured point in this discussion so far.

Be well friend.