Symbolism of ancient Egyptian rite reveals their belief in karma: https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f21n11p481_the-weighing-of-the-heart.htm
It is true that the world is in a saddened and anxious state. But mark you, I think it unwise and spiritually and psychologically unwholesome to emphasize this, for it raises none to higher things but depresses courage, the courage to meet life and carry on in a higher and nobler way. See the beauty in and behind things, see the beauty in your fellow men; see likewise the ignominy and the ugliness in life, although do not let these latter depress you or discourage you. There is no reason to lose our calm, our inner peace, in order to become like unto them of the mobs, passion driven, governed by prejudice. Such an attitude will not help us or those who suffer. But we can send forth into the world thoughts of courage and hope and an optimistic looking into the future, founded on our own blessed God-Wisdom: that no matter what happens through man's folly or infamy or infidelity to his spiritual inner God, to his spiritual Essence, there are always right and justice which will ultimately triumph over all. The only thing is to be sure we are on the side of right and justice - and we cannot always judge by appearances. G. de Purucker, Wind of the Spirit
Theosophy Downunder is a handsomely produced magazine, here is the latest: http://theosophydownunder.org/australiantsnewsletterseptember2020.pdf
A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas That is the title of a new book compiled by Daniel Caldwell. His Blavatsky Study Center is a treasury of Theosophy. Use the ORDER HERE link at his site to order a copy: https://www.blavatskyarchives.com
AE-George Russell was a great mystic, theosophist, artist and worker for brotherhood. Here he praises the value of Theosophy to the Dublin Lodge of the TS in 1894: https://www.teozofija.info/Russell_How.htm
Esoteric philosophers held that everything in nature is but a materialization of spirit. The Eternal First Cause is latent spirit, they said, and matter from the beginning. "In the beginning was the word . . . and the word was God." While conceding the idea of such a God to be an unthinkable abstraction to human reason, they claimed that the unerring human instinct grasped it as a reminiscence of something concrete to it though intangible to our physical senses. With the first idea, which emanated from the double-sexed and hitherto-inactive Deity, the first motion was communicated to the whole universe, and the electric thrill was instantaneously felt throughout the boundless space. Spirit begat force, and force matter; and thus the latent deity manifested itself as a creative energy. When; at what point of the eternity; or how? the question must always remain unanswered, for human reason is unable to grasp the great mystery. But, though spirit-matter was from all eternity, it was in the latent state; the evolution of our visible universe must have had a beginning. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled
Recent video lectures on karma & reincarnation: https://blavatskyhouse.org/lectures/reincarnation-and-karma/
This very large online Glossary is updated regularly, it will answer many questions about Theosophy: https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/etgloss/etg-hp.htm
A PDF of an open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, written in 1887, shows Blavatsky's criticism of "churchianity":
130 years ago, on 8 May 1891 HP Blavatsky, a pioneer for Interfaith work, died. Here is some of her heritage: http://theosophy.wiki/en/H.P.Blavatsky's_heritage_in_the_modern_world
The same question stands open from the days of Socrates and Pilate down to our own age of wholesale negation: is there such a thing as absolute truth in the hands of any one party or man? Reason answers, “there cannot be.” There is no room for absolute truth upon any subject whatsoever, in a world as finite and conditioned as man is himself. But there are relative truths, and we have to make the best we can of them. In every age there have been Sages who had mastered the absolute and yet could teach but relative truths. For none yet, born of mortal woman in our race, has, or could have given out, the whole and the final truth to another man, for every one of us has to find that (to him) final knowledge in himself. As no two minds can be absolutely alike, each has to receive the supreme illumination through itself, according to its capacity, and from no human light. The greatest adept living can reveal of the Universal Truth only so much as the mind he is impressing it upon can assimilate, and no more. Tot homines, quot sententiae [as many men, so many opinions] — is an immortal truism. The sun is one, but its beams are numberless; and the effects produced are beneficent or maleficent, according to the nature and constitution of the objects they shine upon. Polarity is universal, but the polariser lies in our own consciousness. In proportion as our consciousness is elevated towards absolute truth, so do we men assimilate it more or less absolutely. But man’s consciousness again, is only the sunflower of the earth. Longing for the warm ray, the plant can only turn to the sun, and move round and round in following the course of the unreachable luminary: its roots keep it fast to the soil, and half its life is passed in the shadow. . . . From "What is Truth?" article of Blavatsky
What are your thoughts on transferring enlightened insight? I've spoken to a person who explained that it was about the physical presence of the teacher at a specific point in time; the words spoken by the teacher were not very pertinent. My own experience with a teacher was less spectacular, and the passing on of any insight to me was more due to the teacher's day to day example and spoken and written communication than any charismatic vibes. What's your take?
No transfer, yet temporary blessing can happen to a qualified & ready disciple, whether in the physical presence or not. But the more usual progress is made by knowing the exemplar's daily life.
