Theos-Talk Archives (March 2002 Message tt00563)

K.Paul Johnson: "These terms were recently conflated by Daniel in 
response to Brigitte's using the former, and they're two very
different things *Every* author is biased, every book shows bias, and 
until humanity attains the seventh round :) this is how things will be. 
How can one work against this? Trying to recognize one's biases and not 
be carried away by them; acknowledging them; frequently reminding 
the reader that one's interpretation *might* be wrong. But one cannot 
become unbiased.
Theosophical propaganda is a far more serious thing than normal
bias. The propagandist denies that his/her interpretation is just one of
many, and presents it as The Truth, The Only Truth, about the subject 
matter. S/he writes not to investigate evidence and offer a 
tentative explanation, but to prove a preexisting conclusion. S/he 
writes, not as an independent thinker, but as someone beholden to 
institutional interests and serving a paradigm with organizational 
support".

Bri.: As I pointed out in the course of my postings of the last 5
weeks as a whole, is that Theosophy employs an imaginary History and
Sacred Geography, for example we have the Book of Dzyan seen only by 
Blavatsky, the golden tablets by Joseph Smith, the mayan tablets
about Mu recovered by James Churchward, the manuscript about the 
lost years of Jesus supposedly seen by Notovich and so on. As samples 
of the historiography of the occult/esoteric tradition, a habit that can
be seen also among the masonic orders of the 17/18th century. 
Accounts presented by their writers as fiction, for example the
novels by Bulwer-Lytton heavily influenced Blavasky and , indirectly her
post-theosophical successors. 
Rudolf Steiner's meditative exercises, which intend to increase one's 
ability to perceive spiritual realities hidden to the ordinary
observer, include meeting a shadowy figure called the Guardian at the
threshold. 
This figure was introduced to the esoteric tradition by being taken
from Bulwer Lytton's Zanoni, published in 1842. The Dweller on Two 
Planets a work of fiction by Frederik S, Oliver 1886, influenced several
"White Brotherhood" organizations. They taught their members that it 
was true historical nonfiction and confirmation of the lineage of the
Brotherhood, and incorporated it into their teachings. 

There are the stages of appropriation, reduction, there is the
pattern recognition,Syncronymization, the assumed "Perenennial 
Philosophy" and source amnesia as one could call it, and all of this is 
justified by a pseudo-scientism that makes it look all very secure 
somehow. With the 21th century scientists depicted as the dummies and
only-materialists, that haven't re-discovered the ancient pre-Atlantis 
truth yet. There are also the case histories, and in the case of Blavatsky
"miracles".

Ideas where taken often from antiquated sources that had certainly 
noting to do with Mahatmas but could be bought in any bookstore
during Blavatsky's life or for frre in any library including Olcott and
Blavatsky's own 100 books in their New York apartment.

For example quintessence was synonymous with elixir, mercury of the 
Philosophers and etheric. The Quintessence was said to be semi-
material and visible to certain persons. The four elements, the fifth 
element. Quintessence and two other unnamed elements formed the 
Seven Cosmical Elements (relating to the seven planets) and so on. 
Akasha or Akasa was used in occultism and theosophy as an equivalent 
of the ancient term "aether. The word is the Sanskrit term for "all 
pervasive space." Akasha is also called Soniferous Ether. 
Theosophical doctrine links it to Quintessence. Accordmg to 
Blavatsky, the Akasha forms the anima mundi, the soul of the world. 
Through it, divine thought was allowed to manifest in matter. The 
anima mundi constitutes the soul and spirit of mankind. It produces 
mesmeric, magnetic operations of nature."

Bri.