As the Theosophical Society expanded throughout the world in the 1880s, it had to adapt and adjust to deal with the challenge of international relations in a colonialist geo-political reality; theses experiences were reflected in changes and additions in the charter and the organizational structure of the society. The liberal extracts from Blavatsky's writings below reflect some of the debates and discussions that evolved from the original charter of the Theosophical Society concerning its organization, values and objectives.
1- General Goals
In general, the theosophical perspective has a basic set of goals that is implicit in all its activites. For example keeping spiritual values alive through a critical study of various traditions and beliefs: ‘’Our duty is to keep alive in man his spiritual intuitions. To oppose and counteract — after due investigation and proof of its irrational nature — bigotry in every form, religious, scientific, or social, and cant above all, whether as religious sectarianism or as belief in miracles or anything supernatural‘’ (Key, 48).
Encouraging intellectual, moral and spiritual self-improvement is another prime concern: ‘’Our duty is to encourage and assist individual fellows in self-improvement, intellectual, moral, and spiritual; not to blame or condemn those who fail‘’ (Key 49).
Promoting the cultivation of unbiased and clear judgement, in order to avoid dogmatic sectarianism is another central interest: ‘’I spoke rather of the great need which our successors in the guidance of the Society will have of unbiassed and clear judgment. Every such attempt as the Theosophical Society has hitherto ended in failure, because, sooner or later, it has degenerated into a sect, set up hard-and-fast dogmas of its own, and so lost by imperceptible degrees that vitality which living truth alone can impart ‘’ (Key, 305).
The theosophical project holds an idealistic and optimistic vision of world peace and spiritual renewal: ‘’ It may well be that the beautiful utopia, the philanthropic dream, that sees as if in a vision the triple wish of The Theosophical Society come true, is still far off: entire and complete freedom of human conscience granted to all, brotherhood established between the rich and the poor, and equality between the aristocrat and the plebeian recognized in theory as well as in practice ‘’ (CW11, 283; CW12, 307; CW12, 296).
2- Three Objects
The three objects of the Theosophical Society were established in the original charter in 1875. Even though Blavatsky’s early 1877 work Isis Unveiled broadly covers many different religious and scientific traditions, both ancient and modern, at the time there was a clear side-goal of promoting and reviving eastern philosophies which were suffering under colonialist rule, although they were being seriously studied through Max Muller’s extensive Sacred Books of the East translation project: ‘’ (1.) To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, colour, or creed. (2.) To promote the study of Aryan and other Scriptures, of the World's religion and sciences, and to vindicate the importance of old Asiatic literature, namely, of the Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian philosophies. (3.) To investigate the hidden mysteries of Nature under every aspect possible, and the psychic and spiritual powers latent in man especially‘’ (Key, 39).
Membership requirements were quite basic, adherence to one of the three principles was sufficient: ‘’No member is obliged to feel in full sympathy with all three objects; suffice that he should be in sympathy with one of the three, and be willing not to oppose the two others, to render him eligible to membership in the T. S.‘’ ( CW11, 335; Key, 19).
2a- Universal Brotherhood / Sisterhood
The first object is considered to be the most important (the other two being complementary to the first). It is quite an idealistic outlook, with the object of encouraging tolerance and kindness as a means of promoting world peace and fairness for all in a cosmopolitan spirit of philanthropy, acknowledging the spiritual nature of all: ‘’A true theosophist must be a cosmopolitan in his heart. He must embrace mankind, the whole of humanity in his philanthropic feelings. It is higher and far nobler to be one of those who love their fellow men, without distinction of race, creed, caste or colour, than to be merely a good patriot, or still less, a partisan (CW 10, 74-75; CW 10, 199-200).
Universal Brotherhood is based on the notions of a common origin and nature of Humanity (Key, 41), the fundamental spiritual identity of humanity (Key, 43), the idea of the fundamental unity of humanity (Key, 43-46), the basic inter-connectedness of humanity, like the parts of a plant, if one part is hurt, it affects the whole (Key, 46-47).
2b- Comparative Studies
To develop the theosophical perennialist universalist perspective, the second object aims to foster comparative studies in order to promote free-thinking and non-sectarian, non-dogmatic views: ‘’For it is only by studying the various great religions and philosophies of humanity, by comparing them dispassionately and with an unbiased mind, that men can hope to arrive at the truth. It is especially by finding out and noting their various points of agreement that we may achieve this result‘’(Key, 59); ‘’Hence, as an impersonal Society, we must welcome Truth wherever it may be found, without partiality for any one belief as against another‘’ (CW11, 127).
Necessarily this implies a certain method and organization in research: ‘’For, let it be well understood, theosophy has this in common with ordinary science, that it examines the reverse side of every apparent truth. It tests and analyses every fact put forward by physical science, looking only for the essence and the ultimate and occult constitution in every cosmical or physical manifestation, whether in the domain of ethics, intellect, or matter‘’ (CW11, 253),
2c- Human Potential
The third object is meant to include all questions of spiritual development and esoteric philosophy; with a distinct interest in investigating the question of spiritualism and paranormal phenomena and the question of psychic powers such as clairvoyance telepathy, telekinesis, psychometry, magnetism and hypnotism: ‘’Observe the third declaration, that only a portion of our fellows occupy themselves with the study of the occult properties of matter and the psychical powers of man. The society as a whole, then, is not concerned in this branch of research. And naturally; for out of every ten thousand people one may meet, the chances are that but a very small minority have the time, taste, or ability to take up such delicate and baffling studies.‘’ (CW12, 304); ‘’Now as to the third object on our list. Properly speaking, the term “psychical research” should include the whole of the great movement known as modern spiritualism.‘’ (CW12, 308)
3- Altruism
Despite the general human tendency towards selfishness, the theosophical approach gives major importance to the unselfish altruistic values: ‘’ Nothing of that which is conducive to help man, collectively or individually, to live—not « happily »—but less unhappily in this world, ought to be indifferent to the Theosophist-Occultist. It is no concern of his whether his help benefits a man in his worldly or spiritual progress; his first duty is to be ever ready to help if he can, without stopping to philosophize‘’ (CW11, 465; CW11, 164; CW11, 274; Key, 53; Key, 241).
An extract from a letter from one of Blavatsky’s teachers has become a classic formulation of this idea: ‘He who does not practice altruism; he who is not prepared to share his last morsel with a weaker or a poorer than himself; he who neglects to help his brother man, of whatever race, nation, or creed, whenever and wherever he meets suffering, and who turns a deaf ear to the cry of human misery; he who hears an innocent person slandered, whether a brother Theosophist or not, and does not undertake his defense as he would undertake his own—is no Theosophist‘’ (CW10, 69).
4- Freedom
The universalist perspective entails that freedom of thought is an important value: ‘’ Membership in the Theosophical Society does not expose the "Fellows" to any interference with their religious, irreligious, political, philosophical or scientific views. The Society is not a sectarian nor is it a religious body, but simply a nucleus of men devoted to the search after truth, whencesoever it may come‘’ (CW11, 334; Key, 19; CW11, 432).
A cosmopolitan sense of equality and respect of fundamental human rights for all is part of this perspective: ‘’no Fellow in the Society, whether exoteric or esoteric, has a right to force his personal opinions upon another Fellow. "It is not lawful for any officer of the Parent Society to express in public, by word or act, any hostility to, or preference for, any one section, religious or philosophical, more than another. All have an equal right to have the essential features of their religious belief laid before the tribunal of an impartial world. And no officer of the Society, in his capacity as an officer, has the right to preach his own sectarian views and beliefs to members assembled, except when the meeting consists of his co-religionists‘’ (CW11, 128; Key, 230; Key, 50).
In general, self-reliance, as well as independent and original thinking is encouraged, in a spirit of inclusiveness. The position is one of neutrality, objectivity and open-mindedness:‘’Be what he may, once that a student abandons the old and trodden highway of routine, and enters upon the solitary path of independent thought--Godward--he is a Theosophist; an original thinker, a seeker after the eternal truth with "an inspiration of his own" to solve the universal problems‘’ (CW2, 102; CW11, 124).
5- Tolerance
Tolerance and charity are the key principles in relations among one’s fellow human beings: ‘’Pity and forbearance, charity and long-suffering, ought to be always there to prompt us to excuse our sinning brethren, and to pass the gentlest sentence possible upon those who err. A Theosophist ought never to forget what is due to the shortcomings and infirmities of human nature‘’ (Key, 251).
This principle of tolerance is of course extended to the field of religion, which includes denouncing fanaticism: ‘’These views are his own personal property and have nought to do with the Society. Because Theosophy can be practiced by Christian or Heathen, Jew or Gentile, by Agnostic or Materialist, or even an Atheist, provided that none of these is a bigoted fanatic, who refuses to recognize as his brother any man or woman outside his own special creed or belief ‘’ (CW10, 164)
Freedom, tolerance and equality are considered mutually complementary values: ‘’ We have now, we think, made clear why our members, as individuals, are free to stay outside or inside any creed they please, provided they do not pretend that none but themselves shall enjoy the privilege of conscience, and try to force their opinions upon the others‘’ (CW2, 104).
This spirit of tolerance includes both scientific and religious beliefs: ‘’ In conclusion, we may state that, broader and far more universal in its views than any existing mere scientific Society, it has plus science its belief in every possibility, and determined will to penetrate into those unknown spiritual regions which exact science pretends that its votaries have no business to explore. And, it has one quality more than any religion in that it makes no difference between Gentile, Jew, or Christian. It is in this spirit that the Society has been established upon the footing of a Universal Brotherhood‘’ (CW2, 105).
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