Theosophy and Other Mystical Schools
7 Though the main topic of this section is theosophy, a few other related fields will be discussed as well.
2Theosophy is a mystical school of thought and practice that seeks to acquire knowledge of the universe and understand the nature of the Divine in the process. 3In many ways, it's a direct mix of religion, philosophy and New Age thinking that offers a meaningful alternative to typical mainstream religion. 4Though this is the main focus on this chapter, there are many other paths to this end.
5Many of these schools are closely aligned with either Christianity or Judaism, though they are not considered religions. 6They offer an alternative path to spirituality, which is not restricted by the shortcomings of the mainstream.
The Theosophical Society
7This is one of the most influential groups in this field, though certainly not the only one. 8You don t need to be associated with the Society in order to learn more about theosophy or follow its teachings. 9But a historical look at this group can be very helpful in understanding the nature of theosophy.
10This group was founded in 1875 by Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge and Helena Blavatsky. 11The purpose of this group was to study occult and mystical practices that could be used to discover the hidden mysteries of knowledge and the universe.
12Over the years, the society grew and divided into a huge number of similar but distinct groups, though the Theosophical Society still exists today. 13The modern incarnation of the group maintains a mission of encouraging dialogue and enquiry into all world religions as well as branches of philosophy, science and the arts while maintaining a highly ethical standard and acceptance of all people.
Theosophical Principles
14According to Blavatsky, the key purposes to a theosophical path are:
1. To create a harmonious and equal society of mankind, without divisions of religion, race or social standing
2. The study of ancient religions to have a true understanding of all major faiths to produce a sense of universal ethics and morals
3. To understand the inner Divinity in mankind
15She also sums up the nature of the Theosophist very nicely:
“Once a student abandons the old and trodden highway of routine, and enters upon the solitary path of independent thought – towards God – he is a Theosophist; an original thinker, a seeker after the eternal truth with ‘an inspiration of his own to solve the universal problems. (What are the Theosophists, 1879)
16Theosophy is more of a spiritual approach to understanding the Divine, and does not follow specific texts or practices. 17Think of it as more of an outlook than a solid path of its own. 18Having said this, there is a heavy leaning towards a Christian-themed form of God. 190ther systems and practices are also incorporated into theosophy, such as the Kabbalah, astrology, meditation, Tarot and more. 200ne of the main techniques used to gather new wisdom in Theosophy is contact with astral beings known as the ascended masters. 21They are described in more detail shortly.
22For a more detailed study on the nature of theosophy, reading some of Madame Blavatsky s original works on the subject is best. 23The Secret Doctrine and Isis Unveiled are the best for beginners, whilst The Voice of Silence is a text recommended for the more advanced spiritual seeker. 24A Textbook of Theosophy by C.W Leadbeater is another excellent book for beginners, written many years after Blavatsky s work.
250ther schools have sought after knowledge as a spiritual path, a few of them closely related to theosophy but with their own approaches. 26These are covered a little later.
Ascended Masters
27We mentioned ascended masters earlier, but because they are a fundamental part of theosophical teachings, they need to be described in more detail.
28An ascended master is a spiritual being who was once a physical human like the rest of us. 29Their souls are said to have gained enough knowledge and enlightenment to release them from the cycle of bodily reincarnation and they now live as energy or spirit. 30A few examples are said to be Buddha, Jesus, Krishna and Confucius. 310f course, there is no acknowledged set list of such masters and it takes a lot of time and experience in meeting with them in the astral planes to learn who exists there. 32And don t expect all ascended masters to be well-known historical figures either. 33Many are virtually unknown to the modern world. 34In various New Age circles, the master known as Ramtha is well known, though few will have heard of him (he channels through a psychic, J.Z. Knight).
35Working with ascended masters goes beyond the specific path of theosophy, so don t feel that this is something you can only pursue within this framework. 36Any astral work can lead you to these enlightened beings.
37It is within the studies of theosophy that you find the most dedicated approach to learning from these masters. 38In fact, the discovery of these enlightened souls may have come from within the school of theosophy. 39Blavatsky was one of the first Western writers to even mention the concept, as she studied extensively with an ascended master known as Koot Hoomi.
The I Am Movement
40The focus on ascended masters led to an offshoot of the original theosophical movement, creating the I AM Activity founded by Guy Ballard in the 1930s. 41Because of its belief that Jesus is one of the more important masters, the I AM group considers itself to be Christian, though it doesn t adhere to the typical dogma of the faith. 42It was a popular movement in its time and though it does still exists today, it is a much smaller organisation. 43If you have further interest in learning about ascended masters and their collective wisdom, you may want to seek out more on the I AM Activity via their website.
Hermeticism
44We’ve mentioned Hermeticism briefly in the astrology section but there is a much larger belief system than previously discussed. 45Hermeticism is based on the writings of the Greek God, Hermes, though whether or not this is true is very much up for debate. 46As they are said to date to around 250 CE, it's understandable that their origins are a little vague.
47Many early Hermetic writings were lost in the destruction of the Great Library of Alexandria but there are two main works that are still in existence today that form the basis of modern Hermeticism. 48The Corpus Hermeticum is a 14-volume collection of writings containing a large number of dialogues between Hermes and other individuals (including God). 49Concepts such as alchemy, the nature of the Divine, the human mind and astrology are to be found at length.
50The next text is a shorter one named the Emerald Tablet, which is the one discussed in the astrology chapter. 51This document holds many brief statements about the relative nature of the universe, including the well-known occult maxim: As above, so below .
52At the core of Hermeticism is the belief in a single all-powerful creative force, which is not quite the same as the Christian version of God. 53They also believe that there are many other astral beings, such as angels and elemental spirits, who exist around us.
54They believe that the framework of the universe consists of the four classic elements (earth, air, water, fire) and an understanding of them holds a greater understanding of reality. 55This is usually seen in the study of alchemy, as a mystical or occult science. 56Along with alchemy, theurgy is common with Hermetic followers. 57It is a form of magick that works with angels and other deity beings.
58There are many different schools and groups within the larger system of Hermetics. 59The Church of the Rosy Cross is one of them, though many people know them better as the Rosicrucians. 60As a secret philosophical society, there have been many theories and mysteries surrounding the Rosicrucians. 61They were founded in the early 1600s by Christian Rosenkreuz, with the intention to promote a universal reformation of mankind. 62As is common amongst Hermetic groups, they practise many arts such as alchemy, meditation and psychic studies to develop their knowledge.
63As with many other mystical groups, the Church of the Rosy Cross evolved and divided into many small groups over time. 64The Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross, Fraternitas Rosae Crucis and The Rosicrucian Fellowship are just a few examples.
Gnosticism
65Gnostic studies are closely aligned to Christianity, but there is a lot to be learned from their ideas even if you don t care much for their specific religious bias. 66There are also some gnostic branches of Judaism. 67And though, historically, there are strong ties to Christianity, a gnostic path is quite distinct and should not be confused with the spiritual side of Christianity. 68In fact, it is often considered heretical because it holds some ideas that directly conflict with the basic teachings of the Church.
69Though the overall purpose or goal of Gnosticism is gaining knowledge, like the other groups mentioned in this section, it is a path that has a lot of religious dogma attached to it. 70Gnostics believe in a distant God, that the creation of the world was the result of a lesser being called the demiurge. 71Additional divine beings also exist, known as Aeons, thought to be emanations from the single divine being of God itself.
72Much of the gnostic outlook of the universe is guided by ancient Greek philosophy, particularly the views of Plato in regards to the nature of reality. 73The concept that we only perceive a shadow of reality and that there are perfect forms that we cannot directly see is a central one in Gnosticism. 741n many ways, this is a school of thought that mixes Christian religious teaching with ancient classical philosophy. 751t s an alternative way of seeing the world.
76Besides the standard Bible, there are many other texts that serve as gnostic scriptures. 77The apocryphal, Gospel of Judas, is seen by many as a gnostic text because it talks about the spirit coming and going from the physical body, which is in line with gnostic thought about the physical world around us. 780ther apocryphal works such as the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Thomas and the Revelation of Jacob are all filled with gnostic concepts.
79The fact that so many texts containing gnostic teachings were excluded from the canon Bible, even though they were all written in the same era, is indicative of the suppression that pervades the Christian religion.
80Though it is not well known today, there have been many followers and believers of Gnosticism throughout history. 81The recent discovery of the Library at Nag Hammadi in Egypt has uncovered a huge collection of documents attesting to this. 82Dozens of gospels, letters, and treatises were found in their original Greek, revealing a wealth of gnostic knowledge that implies that early Christianity wasn t as simple as most people think, but has been watered down to appeal to a mass audience.
Western Ceremonial Magick
83At this point we are verging into the realm of strictly occult sciences, which are not quite as philosophical as the societies discussed above.
84Names like Aleister Crowley and Eliphas Levi are well known in the world of ceremonial magick. 85The specific school of Enochian Magick would fall into this category as well, though we covered it in the section on angels already.
86Though practitioners of ceremonial magick are interested in acquiring knowledge, they have more interest in the skills and achievements that can come from performing magickal rituals. 871t s a path more associated with practical achievement than abstract knowledge. 881t involves summoning and commanding spirits (including many varieties of angels and demons), performing all forms of divination, and active work in fields such as astrology, kabbalah, alchemy and witchcraft.
89Aleister Crowley is most likely the best-known figure in this group, and he was integral in the creation of several magickal schools and societies. 90He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and was also a member of the Ordo Templi Orientis . 91From there, he was drawn to Egyptian mysticism and founded his own version of it, which was called Thelema. 920verall, Crowley has had a huge impact on many groups in the world of ceremonial magick. 931t was he who devised the unique spelling of magick with a k to differentiate his practices from conventional stage magic.
94Since ritual is a big part of ceremonial magick, there are a number of tools that go along with these practices. 95Pentacles, swords, robes, bells, wands and a mix of talismans and sigils are all part of these magickal arts. 96For anyone looking for a more active path than the others, this would be an interesting choice for further study.
97Unlike schools that see the development of knowledge as a goal, ceremonial magick has a more hands-on intent. 98While you can learn quite a bit from the various books on the subject, this is one area where joining a group or organisation would be much more beneficial to learning the unpublished secrets of magick.
Unique Paths to the Divine
99This may seem like a very unconnected section to the book, but all of these groups and schools represent alternatives to mainstream religious or philosophical teaching. 1OOEach one has its own unique outlook and mix of practices that can lead followers to their own personal discovery of the Divine and the mysteries of the universe.