Original Theosophy & Alternative Spirituality 6/6

12-part, 6 short article series on similarities and differences between Blavatskyan theosophy & the alternative spirituality/occulture/new age movement. Informal essay, based on personal observations and experiences.

 

11- Energetic healing

Traditional healing arts and energetic healing have been strongly developed in the alternative spirituality movement, with practices like Reiki, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, massage therapy, etc...

Similarly, original theosophy was interested in these practices as well, but the terms were different. It was mainly mesmerism, magnetic healing or animal magnetism, which were studiously pursued. 

 

Christian Science (which morphed into modern Pentecostal healing practices) started at the same time as Theosophy, and this practice was critiqued in the early Theosophical magazines. It may not be as well known today, but mesmerism and magnetic healing were an important area of interest in the early days.

 

12-Commercialization

We live in a modern world where capitalism is the name of the game. The alternative spirituality movement generally functions within that structure, with some outside alternative models here and there. They seem to do a pretty good job. There are independent teachers who make a living doing what they do. Many have quite a good knack for marketing their goods and services. 

 

The original theosophy model did not avoid the modern marketing systems. They freely placed books in the mainstream market, some did quite well. Some professional authors were theosophists and wrote books with theosophical themes. 

However, they did not produce 'commercial' books. They did not adapt their writings to suit the tastes of the marketplace. They produced what they felt was an accurate presentation of esoteric doctrines, and if a book sold well, then good. 

 

But the actual running of the Theosophical Society was on a non-profit basis, all volunteer work. You could charge money for lectures to cover costs. You could not personally profit for giving extended instruction. Although the question of financing a spiritual project can be complex in modern societies, getting rich from one’s spiritual activities is not an option. 

Original Theosophy & Alternative Spirituality 5/6

12-part, 6 short article series on similarities and differences between Blavatskyan theosophy & the alternative spirituality/occulture/new age movement. Informal essay, based on personal observations and experiences.

9- Freedom and Relativism

One of the nice things about the alternative spirituality scene is the great freedom and tolerance that exists. There’s a wide latitude of beliefs that can gain acceptance, very non-judgmental. 'Hey, cool mix of Celtic religion, Nietzsche, Egyptian Yoga, and Krishnamurti - if that's what works for you, then good on you'. You could call it very relativistic.

 

With original Theosophy, the importance of freedom and tolerance is also there, one is free to adhere to one's own beliefs. Added to that, there is a more critical, analytical aspect. I would say that there is a certain space for discussion and debate about certain theories and philosophies that one brings forth. For example, if there are inconsistencies in one's eclecticism, or contradictions between different ideas one has, or incorrect information is being put forward, then a certain space for respectful, productive, non-violent debate can be facilitated. 

 

Moreover, the comparative study of spiritual traditions did not start from scratch. Blavatsky compassionately and generously offered about 3,000 pages of research into traditional and modern wisdom as a solid base on which to build one's world view and pursue further research, although it is not made obligatory to study, but gently encouraged... If one's eclectic, comparative research is solid, methodical, and well-conceived, then it has a better chance of being considered...

 

10- Individual and collective

My understanding of the alternative spirituality movement as a collectivity is that it's informal, but a social network exists. People meet at various events, and a lot of people attend the same events, so they get to know each other. Maybe they connect on the internet. Maybe people work at some alternative health shop and socialize. There are local new age organizations where people meet, etc. I think that there is a surprisingly consistent culture that exists among them. People seem to share the same values can discuss common notions fairly easily. And it is quite substantial, maybe the third largest religious group in North America, with a financially important new age market of books, products, and services. It's fairly loose, casual, and fluid, although I think people discuss various issues and what not that arise in various circles and communities.... From the personal standpoint, it seems mainly individualistic. Each person mostly constructs their own philosophy and personal spiritual path based on their own discoveries and experiences. There are also professional independent alternative teachers, some with large organizations. People can follow a specific teacher or take just parts of their teaching for their own individual path.

 

With original theosophy, it is more focused, with international societies that have a certain amount of structure, organization, and policies. It probably appeals to those who want something more specific and directed. Any social movement needs to develop a certain amount of planning, regulation and structure for it to grow harmoniously and any socialization process thus entails following certain social norms and codes for a social experience to be fluid and consistent. So these elements are there for those interested in a more formal social experience. On the individual level, it is not quite as individualistic as in the new age, but there is a healthy amount of freedom and room for personal research, indeed, a proactive self-reliance is encouraged. All members are considered to be students in a learning process. A true teacher is considered to be an adept, therefore there are no teachers per se in the society, and so members who write and lecture are considered as teaching-students.

 

Original Theosophy & Alternative Spirituality 4/6

12-part, 6 short article series on similarities and differences between Blavatskyan theosophy & the alternative spirituality/occulture/new age movement. Informal essay, based on personal observations and experiences.

7- Spiritual Practices

Indeed, it seems that the alternative spirituality scene places a strong emphasis on techniques and practices, and they have done a tremendous amount of research into esoteric, magical and ancient traditional practices, which they apply in their own lives. There are even institutes and universities where one can acquire various degrees with many levels of specialization. Moreover, there seems to be a bold, 'just do it', trial and error adventurous approach to discovering these practices.

 

Blavatskyan theosophy does not deny the validity of these practices and promoted an interest in studying and re-discovering these things. The main difference being a more methodical, cautious approach in undertaking such things. So there needs to be a more theoretical phase where information is gathered, compared, analyzed before determining if a practice is feasible. Also, as any sportive undertaking requires the necessary safety equipment and training, so there needs to be an awareness of potential short-term and long-term dangers. 

 

Although there were a small number of very knowledgeable theosophists in the early years who engaged in esoteric practices, nowadays, I think there are less. So I would say that the main difference is that original theosophy is still at a more philosophical, ethical, theoretical, explorational phase and so puts less emphasis on techniques and practices. The practices encouraged are more along the lines of doing one's duty in daily life and developing good ethical behaviour, which admittedly, does not have the exotic appeal of a lot of alternative spirituality practices.

 

8- Individual mystical experience.

Both are concerned with exploring the experiential spiritual possibilities in human potential - in the alternative spirituality scene, it seems that any type of supernatural perception is significant and has a certain determinative finality to it. Quite often, these experiences are then widely communicated and shared in order to make a significant statement or resolve a question, and can subsequently be used to determine plans of action. Much emphasis is given to discussing 'enlightenment' experiences, and many explanations given on how various people have attained enlightenment.

 

With original theosophy, even though there was considerable interest by adepts in certain people with developed psychic faculties in the early days, there is a certain wariness about psychic experience. There is a notion that discrimination is needed to determine the objectivity of psychic communications received. It is explained that a lot of the visions and messages one receives can be quite subjective, coloured by our own mental inclinations and distorted by our own subjective perspective. Still, I think that the importance of being intimately attuned to one's inner perceptions is a notion common to both.

 

Moreover, the exalted spiritual beings that can appear may not always be what they seem to be, as there exist a multitude of different types of elemental beings who enjoy taking on various forms and deceiving people. Additionally, since the model of spiritual progress is based on a multi-modal hierarchical structure as can be noticed with the idea of the 49 mystic fires, it can conceivably require a considerable amount of discrimination to determine the nature of one' s spiritual experience. Also, the rule of silence about one's psychic experiences that exists in the Buddhist monastic rules is applicable as well. Therefore there is considerable reticence enjoined in communicating events in one's inner life. Although in both schools, one can find the insistence of the need for a cautious, methodical, discriminating, analytical process in the context of psychic experimentation. 

Lorenzo Scupoli On Preserving Inner Peace

Francesco Scupoli CR (c. 1530 – 26 November 1610),better known by his religious name Lorenzo Scupoli, was a Neapolitan Catholic priest, most notable for his authorship of The Spiritual Combat (Il combattimento spirituale), an important work in 16th-century Catholic spirituality. While living in Venice, Scupoli published the first edition of The Spiritual Combat in 1589.  It was written as a practical manual for spiritual living. At first, it teaches that the sense of life is incessant fighting against egoistic longings and replacing them with sacrifice and charity. The book was immediately popular, being republished nearly 60 times during Scupoli's lifetime and was translated into dozens of languages, including German, Latin, French, and English within ten years of its original publication. Despite the book's popularity, Scupoli originally published it anonymously, attributing the authorship only to a "servant of God".

On the Means of Preserving Inner Peace

To preserve inner peace:

(1) First of all keep your outer senses in order and flee all licentiousness in your external conduct, – namely, neither look, speak, gesticulate, walk nor do anything else with agitation, but always quietly and decorously. Accustomed to behave with decorous quietness in your external movements and actions, you will easily and without labour acquire peace within yourself, in the heart; for, according to the testimony of the fathers, the inner man takes his tone from the outer man.

(2) Be disposed to love all men and to live in accord with everyone, as St. Paul instructs: ‘If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men’ (Rom. xii. 18).

(3) Keep your conscience unstained, so that it does not gnaw at you or reproach you in anything, but is at peace in relation to God, to yourself, to your neighbours, and to all external things. If your conscience is thus kept clean, it will produce, deepen and strengthen inner peace, as David says: ‘Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them’ (Ps. cxix. 165).

(4) Accustom yourself to bear all unpleasantness and insults without perturbation. It is true that before you acquire this habit you will have to grieve and suffer much in your heart through lack of experience in controlling yourself in such cases. But once this habit is acquired, your soul will find great comfort in the very troubles you meet with. If you are resolute, you will day by day learn to manage yourself better and better and will soon reach a state when you will know how to preserve the peace of your spirit in all storms, both inner and outer.

If at times you are unable to manage your heart and restore peace in it by driving away all stress and griefs, have recourse to prayer and be persistent, imitating our Lord and Saviour, Who prayed three times in the garden of Gethsemane, to show you by His example that prayer should be your refuge in every stress and affliction of the heart and that, no matter how faint-hearted and grieved you may be, you should not abandon it until you reach a state when your will is in complete accord with the will of God and, calmed by this, your heart is filled with courageous daring and is joyfully ready to meet, accept and bear the very thing it feared and wished to avoid; just as our Lord felt fear, sorrow and grief, but, regaining peace through prayer, said calmly: ‘Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me’ (Matt. xxvi. 46).

Lorenzo Scupoli, ‘Spiritual Warfare, Part 2, chap. 15