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SPIRITUALISM AT SIMLA
[Under the above title, introducing three short narratives of occult experiences based on actual facts, H.P.B. made the following remarks.]
An esteemed young English lady of Simla, interested in Occultism, sends us some interesting narratives of psychological experiences which may safely be copied by our Western contemporaries. Our correspondent is perfectly trustworthy and has a place in the highest social circle. We hope to give from time to time many examples of similar mystical adventure by Europeans in Eastern countries.
Among other papers promised for The Theosophist is one by a British officer, upon a curious phase of bhûta worship among a very primitive Indian tribe; and another upon the same custom, in another locality, by a well-known native scholar. The value of such articles as these latter is that they afford to the psychologist material for comparison with the current Western mediumistic phenomena. Heretofore, there have been, we may say, very few observations upon East Indian spiritualism, of any scientific value. The observers have mainly been incompetent by either bigotry, moral cowardice, or skeptical bias. The exceptions have but proved the rule. Few, indeed, are they who, seeing psychical phenomena, have the moral courage to tell the whole truth about them.