Theos-Talk Archives (December 2007 Message tt00074)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Konstantin Zaitzev" <kay_ziatz@...> wrote:
>
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Marko Manninen wrote:
> 
> > what were the tests and objectives of seven year long apprenticeship 
> > in early Theosophy? I'd like to find references to books handling 
> 
> I don't know which exactly they were but I understood that a candidate 
> was tested during the process of theosophical work. Most of those who 
> proved to be failures finally openly condemned H.P. Blavatsky, so 
> their failure became obvious to all.
> Funny enough that one of them is that author whom I would recommend. 
> It was M. Chatterjee who more than others wrote about qualifications 
> for discipleship in early years of the Theosophical Society.
>

Thanks for your answers. Its logical, if Blavatsky was one of the messangers, no better 
found at her time to materialize masters work. I need to check Chatterjees works then. 
Meanwhile one statement from Letters to Sinnet:

"""ml-65.htm:29: 
I believe I better tell you once more what I would have you remember always. I should be 
glad if every question could be answered as easily as your query about the "distressing 
event." Why is it that doubts and foul suspicions seem to beset every aspirant for 
chelaship? My friend, in the Masonic Lodges of old times the neophyte was subjected to a 
series of frightful tests of his constancy, courage and presence of mind. By psychological 
impressions supplemented by machinery and chemicals, he was made to believe himself 
falling down precipices, crushed by rocks, walking spider-web bridges in mid-air, 
passing through fire, drowned in water and attacked by wild beasts. This was a 
reminiscence of and a programme borrowed from the Egyptian Mysteries. The West having 
lost the secrets of the East, had, as I say, to resort to artifice. But in these days the 
vulgarization of science has rendered such trifling tests obsolete. The aspirant is now 
assailed entirely on the psychological side of his nature. His course of testing -- in Europe 
and India -- is that of Raj-yog and its result is -- as frequently explained -- to develop 
every germ good and bad in him in his temperament. The rule is inflexible, and not one 
escapes whether he but writes to us a letter, or in the privacy of his own heart's thought 
formulates a strong desire for occult communication and knowledge. As the shower 
cannot fructify the rock, so the occult teaching has no effect upon the unreceptive mind; 
and as the water develops the heat of caustic lime so does the teaching bring into fierce 
action every unsuspected potentiality latent in him."""

So nowadays tests are more or less psychological, but they still test our inner elements of 
fire, water, air and earth. I'd also assume, they must be a result of the exact occult science. 
My inner voice says, it has something to do with practicing all classical virtues in everyday 
life and developing buddhi and manas aspects of our soul by devoting life to 
contemplation as described by Damodar, who is said to be the only succeed of around 
seventy canditates on early TS.