The Occult Catechism contains the following questions and answers: “What is it that ever is?“ “Space, the eternal Anupadaka.”(1) “What is it that ever was?“ “The Germ in the Root.“ “What is it that is ever coming and going?“ “The Great Breath.“ “Then, there are three Eternals?“ “No, the three are one. That which ever is is one, that which ever was is one, that which is ever being and becoming is also one: and this... Read More
Editor’s note: At the beginning of the class, we again reviewed the concept of the Absolute – being beyond human conception or thinking – the unfolding of evolving impulses with no causality – the causeless cause – the inbreathing and out breathing of the world with no beginning and no end – Manvantara and Pralaya are related to the term “The Great Breath” – dissolution or Pralaya is a very... Read More
Theosophy in Ireland (II:1), January-March, 1932. The “Secret Doctrine” and its Study Being extracts from the notes of personal teachings given by H.P. Blavatsky. to private pupils during the years 1888 to 1891, included in a large MSS volume left to me by my father, who was one of the pupils. — P.G.B. Bowen [1] “H.P. Blavatsky.” was especially interesting upon the matter of “The Secret Doctrine” during the past week. I had... Read More
Editor’s note: At the beginning of the class, we discussed the concept of the absolute – being beyond human conception or thinking – the unfolding of evolving impulses with no causality – the causeless cause – the inbreathing and out breathing of the world with no beginning and no end – It was noted that there is no great “being” behind the scene pulling the strings as in the Wizard... Read More
“What is that which was, is, and will be, whether there is a Universe or not; whether there be gods or none?” asks the esoteric Senzar Catechism. And the answer made is — SPACE. Space is neither a “limitless void,” nor a “conditioned fulness,” but both: being, on the plane of absolute abstraction, the ever-incognisable Deity, which is void only to finite minds,* and on that of mayavic perception, the Plenum,... Read More
Secret Doctrine study class – wk 1.9.25.19 This Secret Doctrine study class is currently being held in the Toronto Theosophical Society , Ontario, Canada by a dedicated core group of students. There has been a long tradition of weekly study of The Secret Doctrine by H.P. Blavatsky, in Toronto, for fifty or more years. It takes approximately 3-4 years to study and work through the complete two volume text of... Read More
However often the true nature of the occult training has been stated and explained, few Western students seem to realize how searching and inexorable are the tests which a candidate must pass before power is entrusted to his hands. Esoteric philosophy, philosophy , the occult hygiene of mind and body, the unlearning of false beliefs, and the acquisition of true habits of thought, are more than sufficient for a student... Read More
Note from the editor: In keeping with the theme of the After Death states (parts 1-9), we thought it might be useful to the student to read the following article written by Jasper Niemand. She has given us a glimpse of what it may be like when the soul experiences the Devachanic state. I let you, the reader, draw your own conclusions. The Sleeping Spheres Jasper Niemand Introduction to The... Read More
The astral body, which in this life is covered by a gross physical envelope, becomes, when relieved of that covering by the process of corporeal death, in its turn the shell of another and more ethereal body. This begins developing from the moment of death, and becomes perfected when the astral body of the earthly form finally separates from it. This process, they say is repeated at every new transition... Read More
Those who believe in Karma, have to believe in Destiny which, from birth to death every man weaves thread by thread around himself, as a spider his web; and this destiny is guided either by his heavenly voice of the invisible prototype outside of us, or by our more intimate, astral, or inner man who is but too often the evil genius of the embodied entity called man. Both of... Read More
Lierre Kieth, (author of The Vegetarian Myth), had a peek moment when she began critically examining mounting evidence against vegetarianism. “Having been a vegan for 20 years, this was a radical change.I was accumulating information that fit into my belief system about how life is. Every time I got information that didn’t fit in, I set that aside; so I ended up with gaps in my consciousness. … One of... Read More
Time is only an illusion produced by the succession of our states of consciousness as we travel through eternal duration, and it does not exist where no consciousness exists in which the illusion can be produced ; but “ lies asleep.” The present is only a mathematical line which divides that part of eternal duration which we call the future, from that part which we call the past. Nothing on... Read More
Some theosophists avoid reading Blavatsky’s monuments work – The Secret Doctrine – citing that it is “too difficult”. Other theosophists have never seen this work or know of its existence. If you decide to undertake a study of this work, you will find it difficult – but not impossible. It’s best to join a discussion group on line or better yet a meeting in your area. Start small, to begin... Read More
To form a nucleus of Universal Brotherhood without distinction of race, sexual orientation, belief, social position, or skin colour.* This is the first object of the Theosophical Society, an organization, formed in New York City, 1875. They were a diverse group of sincere people wishing to meet on a regular basis to discuss the newest discoveries regarding; comparative religion, science, ancient and occult texts and wisdom; the unexplained laws of... Read More
From Gods to men, from Worlds to atoms, from a star to a rush-light, from the Sun to the vital heat of the meanest organic being – the world of Form and Existence is an immense chain, whose links are all connected. The law of Analogy is the first key to the world-problem, and these links have to be studied co-ordinately in their occult relations to each other. — 1:604... Read More
In the first chapter of The Ocean of Theosophy, William Q. Judge, writes that “Theosophy is a scientific religion and a religious science”; and indeed, Theosophy and science can be seen to share a complex, yet complementary, relationship. Both are concerned with the discovery and nature of Truth, though each treads a separate path in the quest for the attainment of this common goal. In Theosophical and scientific investigation alike,... Read More
As you can see we are launching a new format for the New Theosophy Network site. The founders formed a “physical body” – a theosophical organization, as a practical vehicle for the ancient body of works which fall under the umbrella of theosophy – divine wisdom. It was never meant to encourage individual differences, but to serve as a forum for union of those striving for truth and the study... Read More
Welcome to New Theosophy Network and warm regards to all those who supported and contributed to NTN in the past. NTN was started in 2008 as an initiative arising from the apparent need to energize the Theosophical movement by presenting the original teachings in a twenty first century way. NTN was and is intended to be a teaching and learning web site with articles based on truths given out with... Read More
The Sevenfold Spiritual Nature of the Human Being is not a convenient construct invented in order to organize the theories of some recently generated body of psycho-spiritual research and speculation. The spiritual experiences and Initiations that come about as a result of theosophical practice, can be “checked tested and verified” within the context of the great esoteric tradition. – The above quote is from the article Theosophical Experience – by... Read More
We are slowly reading through the Secret Doctrine. It’s not an easy read, as anyone who has studied this work will agree. but there is something that occurs, to the student, as they are reading and persist over time. You come to realize that it isn’t about the literal contents of the work, although that alone is amazing; it is what happens to the mind of the student, as he/she... Read More
I came across the following quote in the Secret Doctrine regarding Christ, Christos and our Spiritual Ego. I think HPB makes it clear that our Higher Self is the union of Buddhi (the vehicle of Atman) and Manas (mind), hence the awakening of the spirit within the physical. Christos is referred to as the seventh principle or Atman. Of course we hear the Christian term, “Christ manifest in you”, or... Read More
Man has existed from the beginning of the formation of the universe. He was there in potential with the first union of spirit into matter. Destined to experience matter, the monadic principal, our spiritual soul, has and will continue, to pass through every form of material existence. Atma, the omnipresent, eternal and boundless One and Buddhi, the representation of that One principle manifested in matter, are said to be... Read More
The essential vision and message of theosophy was not to fill our heads with information about spirituality, but to effect a change in awareness on a global and individual level. Theosophists, if they are sincere, work hard at being good “information gatherers” reading as much of the theosophical teachings and writings as they can. Indeed, many try hard to improve how they are in the world by adopting a regular... Read More
Blavatsky’s Meditation Diagram: Steps across the Bridge. Blavatsky’s Meditation Diagram stands on its own merit as a practical guide to meditation. Our understanding of it can be greatly aided if we have some previous knowledge of the nature of man. The Theosophical tradition describes man as being “sevenfold” and “dual”. It is said that we are the microcosm of the macrocosm; we are a reflection of the universe. When we... Read More
Wisdom Path Meditation: Theosophical Meditation Wisdom Path Jnana Yoga Theosophy is described as Jnana Yoga or Wisdom Path. Spirituality can take many forms and involve many different forms of practice and belief. Theosophy is for people who can think critically or are prepared to learn. You could say ‘no thinking, no theosophy’. But Theosophy isn’t only thinking it is also a practice which involves an extremely intense and effective process... Read More
Wisdom Path Meditation Part Two: The essential and primary aim of Meditation is to bring about self realization, enlightenment and liberation; karma permitting. We need to look more closely into the two foundation states of awareness required to begin Wisdom Meditation. The two states we must address first are; Discrimination and Dispassion, Self Realization is impossible without the deliberate awakening and development of these two states. People often think that... Read More
Wisdom Path Meditation Part Three: No meaningful progress can be made in Theosophy if we only read about it and do not practice it. If we only read about Theosophy we also run the ever increasing danger of forming profound misconceptions about the significance and meaning of the deeper teachings. Many lifelong readers of Theosophical books are under the illusion that they understand Theosophy and often lead new students astray... Read More
Theosophist Jacob Boehme was born in the little village of Alt Seidenburg, near Goerlitz, in 1575. Although his Theosophical co-workers, Giordano Bruno and Robert Fludd, incarnated in families of wealth and distinction, Boehme was the son of poor German peasants. It would be useless to speculate about the complications of Karma which led him into a life filled with such apparent obstacles. The point to be observed is that he... Read More
(1.) The Secret Doctrine is the accumulated Wisdom of the Ages, and its cosmogony alone is the most stupendous and elaborate system: e.g., even in the exotericism of the Puranas. But such is the mysterious power of Occult symbolism, that the facts which have actually occupied countless generations of initiated seers and prophets to marshal, to set down and explain, in the bewildering series of evolutionary progress, are all recorded... Read More
It is necessary to decide certain fundamental things about the quality of the meditative mind and the nature of meditative practice. When the student Theosophist comes to the need for meditative practice, and this should come as soon as possible, certain definite decisions have to be made about how to proceed. There is a wide array of meditation practices with long historical traditions behind them. Theosophical meditation is Wisdom Path... Read More
What Is The Self ? Part One: What is the Self? This question resonates from the earliest beginnings of self conscious human life. Everywhere that man has awoken to the true wonder and terror of existence this question has already been there waiting for him. This question is the same question as arises at the dawn of all human awareness and inquiry: Why is there anything rather than nothing? This... Read More
What Is The Self?: Part Two: In the earlier stages of the development of 1875 Theosophy, it was sometimes called Esoteric Buddhism; partly to distinguish it from the nihilistic forms of Buddhism which deny the existence of the real Self. For Theosophy and Mahayana Buddhism there is a real reincarnating Self that is not reducible to mere skandhas or karmic conditions. Theosophy understands that when awareness is limited to the... Read More
What is the Self Part Three You are outside late in the clear and cloudless night far from the lights of the city; you gaze up into the vast reaches of the star filled night, wonder awe and gratitude well up spontaneously from within you. A heartfelt longing reaches out into the vast light-filled indigo heavens; you know where you really come from and where you will one day return... Read More
The Spiritual Bridge And Life After Death. There is nothing more certain than that you will die out of this world and enter the purely nonphysical after death states, eventually to return to a new physical life here on Earth. Nothing is more psycho-spiritually difficult to do than to fully grasp and comprehend the meaning of death while we yet live in this world. This is as it should be,... Read More
The Rhythm Of Life and Death: All of life is a pulsating vibrating rhythm. The planets orbit and rotate around the Sun. The Earth in seasonal pattern and alternating speed orbits the Sun and we live in a world of dawn , light, twilight, and the star-filled, dark of night. We awaken we live in the day, grow tired, we sleep and live in the world of dreams and the... Read More
From a Theosophical point of view being dead and in the after death states of Kama Loka, the Soul World; isn’t all that different from being alive in this world except of course in a few important respects it is really different. Once released from the Physical-Etheric complex and the Instinctive Entity we find ourselves in the same world we inhabit when asleep and dreaming. It is a familiar world... Read More
The Nature of After Death Experience: Part Four: It is highly recommended that you read these writings in their posted order. After Death Experience: Part One: After Death Experience: Part Two: After Death Experience: Part Three: After Death Experience: Part Four: There are Four main regions of the after death soul worlds of Kama Loka. We have already touched upon the First region which is the Instinctive which we enter... Read More
In the world of the ‘dead’ where you are more alive than worldly life itself you experience light in a new way; this light is called the Astral Light. Everything is illumined from within and appears to be its own light source. Everything is constantly moving animated by its own life force derived from the light shining out from within it. This light also contains the blueprint or information that... Read More
After Death Experience Part Six: Like and Dislike; Sympathy and Antipathy; Love and Hate. These are the emotional boundaries within which all other feeling and emotions take place in Kama Loka Three. Consciousness is a polarity of opposites. Any feeling upon which we repeatedly dwell, for a sufficiently long time, becomes indistinguishable from a self evident idea or ‘truth’.Organized religions are particularly apt at generating these unassailable convictions which set... Read More
After Death States Part Seven: The “second death” is the result of the soul being overwhelmed by feelings of self hate, to the point where it is unable to rise above the polarity of kama loka three and is slowly dissolved in the atmosphere of personal love and hate. This hatred combined with a selfish disregard for others has become a judgment upon the self. Ultimately the fragmented psyche and... Read More
After Death Experience Part Eight: As we cross over from soul world kama loka three into kama loka four and free ourselves from purely personal matters of concern we discover that there is a vast open world stretched out all around us. We are still essentially in kama loka three but now we see its real context and location. We are still involved in the “life review” process involving “bi-location”... Read More
After Death Experience Part Nine In this life we are consciously aware of two distinct worlds of experience: Our internal world of subjective private experience, which is going on inside the physical organism with its senses and natural capacity for cognition, and the external material world with its objects and sentient beings of many kinds. We experience the outer objective material world with its beings, events and relationships; we register... Read More
Akasha and the Astral Light: From the very beginning of Theosophy the crucial task of resolving the apparent rift between spirituality and science has been underway. Theosophy explicates the most profound and deep understanding of the spiritual nature of the Cosmos and the spiritual being of mankind. Because mind [manas] is an eternal principle in the sevenfold nature of the human being, theosophy is intrinsically and fundamentally; science friendly. The... Read More
Theosophy: Literally Wisdom of the Gods has nothing at all to offer as a belief system, and everything to say about how we can gain accurate spiritual knowledge about the nature of the Self and of life. Faith is derived from a growing spiritual knowledge and depth of understanding about the meaning and purpose of existence on its several levels. Theosophy is ancient beyond measure and yet it is vibrant... Read More
Theosophical Spiritual Experience Part One. Everywhere that real theosophy is going on, an atmosphere of cheerful intelligence and serious calm prevails. Theosophists come together to study, meditate and seek guidance about the challenges presented by practicing living Theosophy. The developing Theosophist is taught to pose their question in an objective and impersonal way. Usually the question begins; “is there a teaching on this kind of experience?” Theosophy discourages “excited psychism”... Read More
Theosophy is the ancient wisdom spirituality that has spent most of its history hidden from public view. Known only to the secret brotherhoods of spiritual tradition theosophy has only been made available to the public a few times in the last two thousand years and then only under special social and cultural circumstances. A civilization must accept freedom of religious faith and hold scientific and philosophical truth as ideals in... Read More
Anyone who looks into alternative religions or comparative forms of spirituality will quickly discover the existence of Theosophy. Those individuals who enjoy a critical and discerning intellect will recognize the appeal of Theosophy almost instantly. Combine this enquiring mind with a love of reading and you have yourself a student of Theosophy. This interest by itself still cant turn someone into an actual Theosophist. People who become truly involved in... Read More
The Betrayal Of The First Object: Here we are, many years since the founding of the Theosophical Society in New York in 1875. We started out with three objects: [1] To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste/status or colour. [2] To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. [3] To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers... Read More
As I was waking up, I was dreaming. I was reading a book, many books, they were difficult to read, but full of wisdom, I loved them. I was the small girl, but I could read them and understand all the wisdom, the paradigms of consciousness, I understood it all. This knowledge seemed to be a “steadying force” that was being explained by many people, and there was a strong... Read More
The more you learn about the Buddha the more you realise that he was-is the greatest Spiritual Genius who has ever lived, probably that’s why we are still talking about him over two thousand five hundred years later. Amongst the many brilliant things he realised and taught was the concept of the Skandha. In Pali and other languages at that time a Skandha referred to a bundle or heap or... Read More
As awareness awakens on ever deeper levels through the practice of Wisdom Path Meditation and “living the life” a very significant stage is reached where the individual must pay the closest attention to their motives and actions. Of course we must always temper our motives with wisdom and our actions with compassion, but in the normal run of life we may have ‘normally selfish’ motives and actions based upon enlightened... Read More
It is good to review the Seven Principled Human Being who is at the centre of all our theosophical studies and discoveries. Much has already been written on this subject over the entire history of Theosophy itself. The first thing to understand about the Sevenfold Spiritual nature of the human being is that you are a multiple being to an extent, of which, you are not fully aware. About one... Read More
We are all familiar with the term “Holism” which as we know derives from the Greek word “holos” meaning: all, entire, total. The central insight here is that all the properties of a given system: physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental etc must be taken into account, because no organism or system can be fully understood by referring to its component parts alone. The system as a whole determines in... Read More
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky: Perhaps all of her work can be summed up in one of her maxims: Compassion is the law of laws. She explained that brotherhood is not a mere ideal – it is a fact in nature on the spiritual plane. From that we derive a logical basis and a binding source for morality that can guide and inspire us, even while more traditional religious sources are losing... Read More
Studies In Karma: Neo-Atlantean ‘Magic’: Individuals and nations in definite streams return in regularly recurring periods to the earth, and thus bring back to the globe the arts, the civilization, the very persons who once were on it at work. And as the units in nation and race are connected together by invisible strong threads, large bodies of such units moving slowly but surely all together reunite at different times... Read More
Vaclav Havel President of the Czech Republic Acceptance Speech July 4, 1994. Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA Ladies and Gentlemen, I take this occasion – in front of this historic building, where you have paid me the high honor of awarding me the Philadelphia Liberty Medal – as an invitation to set my own sights equally high. I would like, therefore, to turn my thoughts today to the state of the... Read More
I’m sitting alone in the dark, the aftermath of a day of violent thunderstorms passing over Lake Huron in April. The power has been out for five hours now and the storms continue to surge across in waves. It was okay in the daylight, when I could pick up a book and sit in the overcast light of the window, but the light, even in the daytime is no good... Read More