Theosophy is a name used at the present time to designate a body of knowledge of which humanity stands in sore need. Were the fact of its existence grasped by the powerful minds of the race, their enormous energy, instead of being expended in so many divergent and futile directions, would be applied to lines of true progress, bringing order out of chaos and making human existence a purposeful and happy one compared with what it is now.
That Theosophy has not had a larger acceptance among the leading thinkers of the period may be due to many causes; there is no doubt, however, that students of Theosophy have by all sorts of speculations tended to turn aside serious thinking people from the subject, and that much of the ridicule that has been cast is due to unintelligent, unpractical presentations.
Every student of Theosophy believes in the law of Karma; that the present condition of each is due to past thoughts and deeds; that the relations in which each finds himself are the concrete results of the past. That right conditions and relations can only be brought about by a strict fulfilment of every duty, an adjustment of the balance due to others. He must know that a mere desire to have things different does not provide the necessary conditions; that changes will come about in due course under the law and in accordance with the nature of the causes set in motion by himself. The right position has been declared to be “To suffer or enjoy whatsoever the Higher Self has in store for us by way of discipline or experience;” this is rightful and wise submission to the Law of all beings; no other position will avail us, for it is the very first step towards sowing good seeds for future harvest. We cannot rebel against the decrees of law and expect to benefit by its operation; we must fulfill it; at the same time we may by right thought and deed create a fairer future and acquire the wisdom to make the most of our then opportunity.
Some theosophists have evidently thought otherwise. Having heard of the “astral plane,” they have imagined that they could work better there, unhampered by the obstacles and difficulties of the physical plane. They ignored the fact that the errors of thought and life are in and upon the physical plane, and that the first adjustment has to be made in daily life among our fellow men. Waking consciousness has its place, use and purpose; these have to be known and the knowledge put into operation; if we have learned anything of our nature during waking life, we can best serve our fellows by spreading the knowledge in practical life, that we found good. There is no doubt that every one of us goes into the astral plane and beyond, every night of our lives, but how much of these operations of our consciousness can we bring back into the chaos of selfish desires and separative thoughts that constitute the personality?
Let each one answer for himself. Yet the great work is so to think and act daily as to make the personality a fitting instrument for our higher consciousness and powers. Our work, then, is not on the astral plane; being in the physical world under the law, with a consciousness pertaining to that world, let us learn its highest and best use as visible helpers of mankind; it is certain that if we cannot do this visibly, we cannot do it invisibly; we have to deal with minds; minds made up of erroneous ideas in regard to existence; these can only be reached on the plane where the error lies—in waking conscious life.
Some Theosophists are looking and longing for a “coming Christ,” though how they can do so in the face of the teachings of Theosophy is a mystery. Just what they expect such a being to accomplish is not clear. The records best known to us of such a being show a message delivered and an example set; how humanity has accepted and made use of the message and profited by the example is a matter of history. Would any number of Christs be able to do any more? It is presumed that the expected “Christ” will be in human form; how are we to know him? Will he say so himself? If so, would one be wise or foolish to accept such a claim? Should some other vouch for him and his claim, are we any better off? To accede to any such claim presents no other appearance than the height of superstition, the abnegation of our highest birthright, discrimination. Should such an one come to the world would he make claims? Has any such ever done so? Surely such a being would be wise enough to know that anyone can make claims, as in the past and doubtless in the future. By his works men would come to recognize his knowledge and power; such has been the way in the past, and what else have we to judge by? Hence if claims are made of such a nature, it should be enough for any human being of sound judgment, let alone those who are supposed to know something of the fundamental principles of Theosophy.
There has been one vital point that has been missed in all these speculations and expectations. There has been One here with a world message, the greatness and importance of which has not begun to be perceived by the majority of Theosophical students. Had there been the first basic perception of what that great fact meant, no such misconceptions and follies as those noted could ever have arisen. As before in the world of men, the message has been given, the example set, and as before, history repeats itself.
The writer of the above in thus presenting his convictions based upon many years’ study and application of Theosophy and work in the Theosophical ranks, does not do so with any feeling of arrogance or conceit. Being his sincere convictions, he stands ready to support them by further reasons if called for, or to abandon them should they be shown to be erroneous. They are submitted to the judgment of the reader.
The bane of man for ages has been a reliance upon “authority.” It is true that sometimes the impression has been conveyed by individuals that the final arbiters in matters of belief are the Masters, but at no time has any Master given out such an idea. We are engaged in trying to develop a truer appreciation of the Light of Life which is hidden in every man, and hold the final “authority” to be the man himself.