Blavatsky H.P. - Spiritual Progress: Difference between revisions

  | alternatives = [http://www.katinkahesselink.net/blavatsky/articles/v6/y1885_006.htm KH]; [https://universaltheosophy.com/hpb/spiritual-progress/ UT]; [https://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/spiritual-progress B]; [https://theosophytrust.org/1103-spiritual-progress TT]

{{Style P-Poem|poem=Christina Rossetti’s well-known lines:

“Does the road wind up-hill all the way?

From morn till night, my friend.”<ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[Up-Hill, lines 1-4.]}}</ref>}}

{{Style P-No indent|are like an epitome of the life of those who are truly treading the path which leads to higher things. Whatever differences are to be found in the various presentations of the Esoteric Doctrine, as in every age it donned a fresh garment, different both in hue and texture to that which preceded; yet in every one of them we find the fullest agreement upon one point—the road to spiritual development. One only inflexible rule has been ever binding upon the neophyte, as it is binding now—the complete subjugation of the lower nature by the higher. From the Vedas and Upanishads to the recently published Light on the Path, search as we may through the bibles of every race and cult, we find but one only way,—hard, painful, troublesome, by which man can gain the true spiritual insight. And how can it be otherwise since all religions and all philosophies are but the variants of the first teachings of the One Wisdom, imparted to men at the beginning of the cycle by the Planetary Spirit?}}

The true Adept, the developed man, must, we are always told, become—he cannot be made. The process is therefore one of growth through evolution, and this must necessarily involve a certain amount of pain.

In this connection we would warn all our members, and others who are seeking spiritual knowledge, to beware of persons offering to teach them easy methods of acquiring psychic gifts; such gifts (laukika) are indeed comparatively easy of acquirement by artificial means, but fade out as soon as the nerve-stimulus exhausts itself. The real seership and adeptship which is accompanied by true psychic development (lokothra), once reached, is never lost.

To show that some real necessity exists for our protests and warnings, we may mention that we have recently seen, enclosed in a letter from Benares, copies of an advertisement just put forth by a so-called “Mahatma.” He calls for “eight men and women who know English and any of the Indian vernaculars well”; and concludes by saying that “those who want to know particulars of the work and the amount of pay” should apply to his address, with enclosed postage stamps!

Upon the table before us, lies a reprint of The Divine Pymander, published in England last year, and which contains a notice to “. . . Theosophists, who may have been disappointed in their expectations of Sublime Wisdom being {{Page aside|335}}freely dispensed by HINDOO MAHATMAS”; cordially inviting them to send in their names to the Editor who will see them “after a short probation,” admitted into an Occult Brotherhood who teach freely and WITHOUT RESERVE to all they find worthy to receive.” Strangely enough, we find in the very volume in question Hermes Trismegistus saying:

§ 8. “For this only, O Son, is the way to Truth, which our progenitors travelled in; and by which making their journey, they at length attained to the good. It is a venerable way and plain, but hard and difficult for the soul to go in, that is in the body.”

§ 88. “Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people, that being in ignorance they may be less evil for fear of that which is hidden and secret.”<ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[In Dr. Anna Bonus Kingsford’s The Virgin of the World, pp. 120, 124, this passage has received a clearer rendering, and is more complete. It runs as follows:<br>

“The human race is drawn towards evil. Evil is its nature, and pleases it. If men should learn that the world is created, that all is done according to providence and necessity, and that by necessity and destiny all things are governed, they would readily begin to despise all things because they are created; to attribute vice to destiny, and to give the rein to all manner of iniquity. Therefore, abstain from the crowd, so that by means of ignorance the vulgar may be kept within bounds, even through fear of the unknown.”

—Compiler.]}}</ref>

There are others of our branches, besides the one at Bombay, that have done good work in this direction, but there is room for infinitely more to be done than has yet been attempted. And the same is the case in the various other departments of the Society’s work. It would be a good thing if the members of each branch would put their heads together and seriously consult as to what tangible steps they can take to further the declared objects of the Society. In too many cases the members of the Theosophical Society content themselves with a somewhat superficial study of its books, without making any real contribution to its active work. If the Society is to be a power for good in this and other lands, it can only bring about this result by the active co-operation of every one of its members, and we would earnestly appeal to each of them to consider carefully what possibilities of work are within his power, and then to earnestly set about carrying them into effect. Right thought is a good thing, but thought alone does not count for much unless it is translated into action. There is not a single member in the Society who is not able to do something to aid the cause of truth and universal brotherhood; it only depends on his own will, to make that something an accomplished fact.

Above all we would reiterate the fact, that the Society is no nursery for incipient adepts; teachers cannot be provided to go round and give instruction to various branches on the different subjects which come within the Society’s work of investigation; the branches must study for themselves; books are to be had, and the knowledge there put forth must be practically applied by the various members thus will be developed self-reliance, and reasoning powers. We urge this strongly; for appeals have reached us that {{Page aside|337}}any lecturer sent to branches must be practically versed in experimental psychology and clairvoyance (i.e., looking into magic mirrors and reading the future, etc., etc.). Now we consider that such experiments should originate amongst members themselves to be of any value in the development of the individual or to enable him to make progress in his “uphill” path, and therefore earnestly recommend our members to try for themselves.