Practical Theosophy What is Practical Theosophy? This question is the title of the twelfth chapter of “The Key to Theosophy” written by H.P. Blavatsky. Some people, upon hearing or reading the term “Practical Theosophy,” may perhaps jump to the conclusion that it refers to a system of practical spiritual or meditative exercises in order to unfold our latent higher powers or attain to higher levels of spiritual consciousness. Actually they would be RIGHT – but not in the way they had suspected. For although Theosophy does not discountenance the importance of safe and sensible meditation and aspiring to higher levels of inner unfoldment in our quest to attain Yoga (Union) with our Higher Self, which is the ONE Infinite Divine Life, it teaches that altruism, selfless service to humanity, living solely to help and benefit others, and the pursuit of the Bodhisattva ideal, are all just as important for our spiritual evolution and development as these, and at the same time immeasurably more important for humanity at large. Madame Blavatsky once wrote: “ALTRUISM … This is the keynote of Theosophy and the cure for all ills; this it is which the real Founders of the Theosophical Society promote as its first object – UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD.” The “real Founders” of the Theosophical Movement were the Masters of Wisdom, those members of a Great Brotherhood of Eastern Initiates who stood behind both HPB and the Movement which she founded under their direction and inspiration. The first declared object of the Theosophical Movement was, and is, the actualisation of Universal Brotherhood which, according to Theosophy, is actually eternally “a fact in Nature,” because there truly is no separation in the Universe but only the Divine Allness itself. At another time she stated that, “True Theosophical work [is] the endeavour to help others” and was pleased to eventually be able to write regarding the Theosophical Society that “There are signs visible, though only gradually coming into sight, that its members are at last awakening from their apathy and setting to work in earnest to practise the first principle of true Theosophy – UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. Gradually they are becoming alive to the duty of helping others.”
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 15:30:29 +0000