FROM: http://blavatskytheosophy.com/12-things-theosophy-teaches/
THE 12 PRINCIPAL TEACHINGS OF THEOSOPHY
Theosophy teaches – an Absolute Infinite Omnipresent Divine Principle
which is the source and substratum of all. It is the Causeless Cause and
the Rootless Root of all. It is impersonal, immutable, and
unconditioned. It is the “One and Only” eternal Reality. It is really
beyond all definition and description but is THAT which is referred to
in Hinduism as Brahman or Parabrahm, in Buddhism as Adi-Buddhi, and in
the Kabbalah as Ain-Soph. It is not a Person or Being of any kind. It
would be misleading and misrepresentative to speak of It as “God” since
It is not any type of God. It can be better spoken of as the infinite
and eternal ENERGY and CONSCIOUSNESS which is all and in all.
Theosophy teaches – the divinity and unity of all life. Every living
thing is divine and spiritual in its innermost essence, which is its
true Self. In the highermost part of our being, our Higher Self, each
one of us literally is the Brahman referred to above.
Theosophy teaches – that there are many souls but only one spirit. We
are all individual souls, yet in the highermost part of our being we are
all literally one and the same. We do not have individual spirits.
Souls are many but spirit is ONE. “Just as one and the same sun shines
over every body on this earth, so one and the same Spirit shines over
and illumines every soul.” (Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita) This again is
the Brahman mentioned already.
Theosophy teaches – that the
Universe is a cyclic and periodical manifestation. It comes forth into
existence from the Divine Principle by means of evolution (not creation)
and remains and evolves over an incredibly lengthy period of time. Then
it gradually disintegrates and disappears, everything being reabsorbed
into Brahman. Eventually, after the same duration of time for which it
had existed, it is reborn, on a higher level than before.
Theosophy teaches – that the Universe and everything in it is in the
constant process of evolution. The evolution of matter and of objective
forms is undeniable but the most important aspect of evolution is the
evolution and gradual unfoldment, advancement, and development of the
unseen inner entities (or souls) through those material/objective forms
and bodies. Man descended as a “Divine Spark” into matter and has worked
his way up into the human kingdom by passing through the mineral,
vegetable, and animal kingdoms in long ages past. Now he is evolving
back up towards the consciousness of his true spiritual nature.
Theosophy teaches – that human beings actually possess a sevenfold
nature. We are each comprised of seven “principles” or components. Three
of these are immortal and endure from lifetime to lifetime, while the
other four last only for the duration of one lifetime and are new with
each successive birth. The Higher Triad consists of (1) Our Divine Self;
pure eternal Spirit – called Atman in Theosophy (2) Our Spiritual Soul;
the vehicle for the radiation of the light of the Spirit – called
Buddhi in Theosophy, and (3) Our individual human soul, which is the
same thing as the mind; this is our Ego (in the true sense of that
word), our “I” or permanent individuality, the part of us which
reincarnates – called Manas in Theosophy. The Lower Quaternary consists
of (1) Our passional nature; the element of desire figuratively
described as the “animal soul” – called Kama in Theosophy (2) Our vital
nature; the life force or life energy which actually keeps us alive and
in physical incarnation – called Prana in Theosophy (3) Our astral body;
the subtle and unseen blueprint, framework, and mould upon and around
which the physical body is built; it can be described as our “energy
body,” the vehicle through which Prana flows to the physical body –
called Linga Sharira in Theosophy, and (4) Our physical body; which is
really nothing more than our outer shell and the vehicle during life for
the manifestation of all the other principles – called Sthula Sharira
in Theosophy.
Theosophy teaches – that reincarnation is the means
for the evolution of the human soul. The physical body and personality
we have today is only one of many which we have occupied throughout our
long evolutionary journey. In the whole scheme of things, this life we
are living now amounts to only a chapter, or even only a page, in the
whole “book of lives” of our soul. The circumstances, situations, and
conditions of each lifetime were formed by our own previous actions,
whether we were aware of it or not. In the past we created our present
and in the present we are creating our future. No-one can avoid or
escape reincarnation, since it is the Law of Nature. The cycle of birth,
death, and rebirth only comes to an end when the individual has
attained to true spiritual perfection, freedom from all desire, and
conscious reunion with the Divine. This is called Nirvana, Moksha, or
being reabsorbed in Brahman.
Theosophy teaches – that all
of life is governed by the Law of Karma. Everything in the Universe is
under the sway of Karma. This is the unfailing, unerring, incredibly far
reaching Law of cause and effect, action and reaction, sequence and
consequence. What we sow, we will eventually reap. What we reap, we have
previously sown. This is the way, the means, and the method whereby the
Universe maintains its harmony, balance, and equilibrium. Universal
equilibrium would be impossible unless the Great Law was constantly
adjusting action to reaction and reaction to action. It is a perfect and
unalterable Law, impersonal and just. In reality there is no injustice.
Each one of us gets exactly what we deserve, for good or bad. The Law
of Karma is the law of self-created destiny. Karma and reincarnation are
inextricably linked…you can’t have one without the other.
Theosophy teaches – that what we call “death” is actually only a
transition, a change of state. Our true being can never die. When
so-called death occurs, we leave behind on earth our physical body, our
astral body, and the force of Prana. We then enter into what could be
called the “astral plane,” the psychic atmosphere which most closely
surrounds the physical plane. Theosophy calls it Kama Loka. We are
unconscious there, in a type of dazed and sleeping state, and undergo
the process of separation of our lower and mortal nature from our higher
and immortal nature. When this is completed we say that the “second
death” has occurred. The principle of Kama and the lower, earthly, and
sensual elements of Manas remain behind in Kama Loka as a type of
senseless and soulless shell and eventually fade out and disintegrate.
Meanwhile, the soul enters into the “gestation state,” a period of
profound unconsciousness and inaction, before eventually waking into the
Heaven state. This is called Devachan in Theosophy. This is not a place
or location but a state. It is the Heaven of the individual’s dreams,
created unwittingly out of their own consciousness, and perfectly
representing the type of afterlife they had believed in, thought about,
and expected, during life. The Devachanic state lasts in exact
accordance with the amount or force of positive Karma accrued by the
individual during the last lifetime. Then reincarnation inevitably takes
place. Very materialistic and sensually oriented souls often
reincarnate quite quickly but for others the period of Devachan may last
decades, centuries, or even thousands of years.
Theosophy
teaches – that practices such as spiritualism, mediumship, and
channelling are dangerous and detrimental to both the living and the
dead. Departed souls cannot see us. Apart from a very small number of
exceptions, it is impossible for a departed soul to communicate with
those left behind on earth through a medium or even to see or have any
knowledge whatsoever of what is going on here. Devachan would not be a
state of perfect bliss, peace, and joy if the individual there was still
connected with the physical plane in some way. Nature is kind enough to
create an impassable chasm between the heaven state and the earth
state, so that those who have passed on are entirely out of the reach of
physical existence and of individuals on the physical plane. The main
exceptions to this rule are people who have committed suicide, people
who have been murdered, and those who have died a violent death. They
remain in the Kama Loka for the remainder of the duration of the
lifetime they had been destined to live on earth. It is possible for
mediums and channellers to make contact with them but this is
spiritually unlawful and can lead to seriously dire results. They must
be left in peace and allowed to proceed unhindered on their eventual
upward way. It is mainly the senseless and unensouled “shells” left
behind in Kama Loka which are successfully contacted and connected with
in mediumship and channelling. Because the shells retain a degree of
memory, they are able to automatically and blindly recite and repeat
certain details and pieces of information. People are deluded into
thinking they are communicating with the real person whereas in fact it
is only their “psychic corpse,” the cast off remnants of the old
personality. Spiritualism, mediumship, and all forms of psychic
channelling were condemned and opposed by the wise spiritual and
philosophical traditions throughout the ages, most especially in India
and the East.
Theosophy teaches – the vital importance of
altruism, unselfishness, compassion, and living to help and serve
others. It maintains that Universal Brotherhood is not merely a noble
and lofty ideal but is eternally a fact in Nature. All is one because
the ONE is All. Therefore it is selfish if we live unto ourselves alone.
We are all part of the whole and there is no separation in the
Universe. Personal desire, ambition, greed, and lust are all misguided
forms of selfishness and it is selfishness which is the great curse of
humanity and the cause of human suffering. The Bodhisattva ideal –
self-sacrifice and renunciation of eternal bliss in order to always
remain on earth as a selfless and effective server and helper of the
human race, seeking no personal reward – is viewed very highly in
Theosophy.
Theosophy teaches – that all religions are the same in
their esoteric essence. There is one esoteric Teaching, a universal
philosophy, a Secret Doctrine, which underlies all the world’s
religions. It actually predates and transcends all religions. It is THE
TRUTH itself. All religions contain some portion of the Truth, some to a
greater degree than others. Hinduism and Buddhism are the two “truest”
religions, yet even they, in their popular and public form, are
sometimes distorted and misleading. The purpose of the Theosophical
Movement is to teach Truth as it is, free from all limitations and
restrictions of religious dogma, creed, and theology. The unadulterated
universal philosophy has been preserved and guarded throughout the ages
by the Initiates, Adepts, and Masters of certain secret Brotherhoods in
Tibet, India, and the East. The voluminous writings and teachings of
H.P. Blavatsky (founder of the Theosophical Movement) present,
demonstrate, and prove this Teaching, to the full extent that was
permitted by those Masters, who were her Teachers and Instructors. The
“Truth” just mentioned has sometimes been called the Ancient Wisdom, the
Ageless Wisdom, and the Divine Wisdom. The word “Theosophy” is derived
from the Greek word “Theosophia” which literally means “Divine Wisdom.”
Theosophists are perfectly free to belong to any religion but they also
know that it is not actually essential or necessary for them to belong
to, or identify themselves with, any particular religion. The motto of
the Theosophical Movement is “There is no religion higher than Truth.”
H.Schotte
President of "Sentro Teosófiko Curaçao"
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