Occultism in the Theosophical Society

The success of the operation of the Theosophical Movement depended upon those who compose the movement, but many delusions and misunderstandings about that operation existed among the members. The future civilizational development and trajectory of thought depended upon the success of the ideas the Movement sought to impress on the culture. These masters were not concerned with the public’s perception about Occultism, stating to let it remain to be skeptical in their minds as the work of fraud, superstition, or super-natural magic. K.H. states, that the theosophists had not learned to accurately understand what the masters are or the laws of occultism they are guided by. K.H. explains in the end with his correspondent, that theosophists ought to focus against the dishonorable actions and conspiratorial tactics of the Christian missionaries. [Note: ML stands for “Mahatma Letter.” Letter received Late April or Early May during Summer in London 1884]

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“We are not infallible, all-foreseeing “Mahatmas” at every hour of the day, good friend: none of you have even learned to remember so much. And now for Occultism.

We were expected to allow the Occult forces to be treated in the same manner as their rind — physical forces in nature. We are taken to task for not giving out to every man of learning who had joined the T.S. the fruits of the researches of generations of occultists who had all devoted their lives to it, and who had as often lost them in the great struggle of wrenching her secrets from the heart of Nature. Unless we did that — Occultism could not be recognised: it has to remain within the limbo of magic and superstition, spiritualism — in the sight of some — fraud in the opinion of others. Who thought for one instant that an occult law revealed ceased to be occult to become public property, unless it was given to an Occultist who dies before he betrays the secret.

What grumblings, what criticism on Devachan and kindred subjects for their incompleteness and many a seeming contradiction! Oh blind fools! They forget — or never knew that he who holds the keys to the secrets of Death is possessed of the keys of Life? That could everyone become a creative God in this race, acquiring knowledge so easily that there would be no necessity for a 6th and 7th races? And that we, we should have perverted the programme of BEING, garbled the accounts in the Book of Life, defeated in a word the ETERNAL WILL!

My friend, I have little if anything more to say. I regret deeply my inability to satisfy the honest, sincere aspirations of a few chosen ones among your group — not at least, for the present. Could but your L.L. understand, or so much as suspect, that the present crisis that is shaking the T.S. to its foundations is a question of perdition or salvation to thousands; a question of the progress of the human race or its retrogression, of its glory or dishonour, and for the majority of this race — of being or not being, of annihilation, in fact — perchance many of you would look into the very root of evil, and instead of being guided by false appearances and scientific decisions, you would set to work and save the situation by disclosing the dishonourable doings of your missionary world.” (K.H., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett, Letter no. 65, Second & Revised ed.)