Theos-Talk Archives (October 2001 Message tt00299)

Jerry: "But how can I know if inner Masters are externally real or 
just my own subjective projections?"
You wrote:"Dream objects are experienced are real external things 
while dreaming, and it is only after waking that we realize that they 
were all subjective projections."
And of course not un-real.
One can do several things, start changing the form of any and all of 
the parts of the dream, as an exercise to master the dream state, in 
other words learn that dream images/experiences are transmutable 
Or/and move beyond that by asking what is the meaning of this, and 
if you have an awakened intuition, you will know, and next (or all 
at once) move beyond that.

Reg.the TS and Astral Projection,
Olcott wrote about the innitial aims of the TS: "Our object was 
to learn, experimentally, whatever was possible about the constitution 
of man, his intelligence, and his place in nature.Especially Mind, 
active as Will, was a great problem for us (TH VI/6:204) Of all the 
practices, the highest possible achievement of magic is the separation 
of the astral body from the physical body (TH III/6:176), becouse with 
this separation the astral body becomes almost omnipotent."

The two meetings at which the Theosophical's society's Preamble and 
Bylaws were adopted and its officers elected, on October 16 and 30, 
1875, were held in Dr. William Britten's reception rooms at the 
Brittens' house on 38th Street, New York.
And they were written at the same time as Emma Hardinge Britten was 
preparing Art Magic for publication, before Blavatsky started writing 
Isis Unveiled.

J. P. Deveney (in; Astral Projection or liberation of the Double and 
the Work of the Early Theosophical Society.,1997)showed that 
originally the Theosophical Society offered its members practical 
training in various occult practices, expecially astral projection, 
and has connected this fact with the pledge of secrecy for the 
society's members that was instituted on January 19, 1876.There 
apparently was a degree system. 

But also in India was there an inner group with nign degrees and a 
pledge of secrecy see: 
http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a7502210/blavletter.html 
And one will remember the remarks of Blavatsky how good Damodar (and 
the other chelas) became with Astral travel. 
And Damodar did not die in the snow of Tibet, becoose Olcott and 
Blavatsky mentioned him in their correspondence later on.

Deveney noted, Emma Harding Britten was particularly familiar 
with the astral projection probably due to her experience already 
as a "flying soul" for the Orphic brotherhood in the 1830s.( Deveney , 
Astral Projection or liberation of the Double and the Work of the 
Early Theosophical Society.,p. 5-11.)

In the TS Circular of May 3.1878, the year the founders moved to 
India, the objects of the Society are listed as follows: "The objects 
of the Society are various. It influences its fellows to acquire an 
intimate knowledge of natural law, especially its occult 
manifestations-He(members) should, therefore, study to develop his 
latent powers, and inform himself respecting the laws of magnetism, 
electricity and all forms of force, wether of the seen or unseen 
universes." 
Brigitte