The Key to Theosophy

 

 

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

1831 -1891

_______________________

 

The Key to Theosophy

By

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

 

Key to Theosophy Index

 

Theosophy and

The Theosophical Society

 

The Meaning of the Name

 

 

Q. Theosophy and its doctrines are often referred to as a newfangled religion.

Is it a religion?

A. It is not. Theosophy is Divine Knowledge or Science.

 

Q. What is the real meaning of the term?

A. "Divine Wisdom," (Theosophia) or Wisdom of the gods, as (theogonia),

genealogy of the gods. The word 'theos' means a god in Greek, one of the divine beings, certainly not "God" in the sense attached in our day to the term.

Therefore, it is not "Wisdom of God," as translated by some, but Divine Wisdom such as that possessed by the gods. The term is many thousand years old.

 

Q. What is the origin of the name?

A. It comes to us from the Alexandrian philosophers, called lovers of truth,

Philaletheians, from (phil) "loving," and (aletheia) "truth." The name Theosophy

dates from the third century of our era, and began with Ammonius Saccas and his disciples, also called Analogeticists, who started the Eclectic Theosophical

system.

 

As explained by Professor Wilder, they were called so because of their practice

of interpreting all sacred legends and narratives, myths and mysteries, by a

rule or principle of analogy and correspondence: so that events which were

related as having occurred in the external world were regarded as expressing

operations and experiences of the human soul. They were also denominated

Neo-Platonists. Though Theosophy, or the Eclectic Theosophical system, is

generally attributed to the third century, yet, if Diogenes Laërtius is to be

credited, its origin is much earlier, as he attributed the system to an Egyptian

priest, Pot-Amun, who lived in the early days of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The same author tells us that the name is Coptic, and signifies one consecrated to Amun, the God of Wisdom. Theosophy is the equivalent of Brahma-Vidya , divine knowledge.

 

Q. What was the object of this system?

A. First of all to inculcate certain great moral truths upon its disciples, and

all those who were "lovers of the truth." Hence the motto adopted by the

Theosophical Society: "There is no religion higher than truth."

Eclectic Theosophy was divided under three heads:

 

1. Belief in one absolute, incomprehensible and supreme Deity, or infinite

essence, which is the root of all nature, and of all that is, visible and

invisible.

 

2. Belief in man's eternal immortal nature, because, being a radiation of the

Universal Soul, it is of an identical essence with it.

 

3. Theurgy, or "divine work," or producing a work of gods; from theoi, "gods,"

and ergein, "to work."

 

The term is very old, but, as it belongs to the vocabulary of the mysteries, was

not in popular use. It was a mystic belief-practically proven by initiated

adepts and priests-that, by making oneself as pure as the incorporeal

beings-i.e., by returning to one's pristine purity of nature-man could move the

gods to impart to him Divine mysteries, and even cause them to become

occasionally visible, either subjectively or objectively. It was the

transcendental aspect of what is now called Spiritualism; but having been abused

and misconceived by the populace, it had come to be regarded by some as

necromancy, and was generally forbidden. A travestied practice of the theurgy of Iamblichus lingers still in the ceremonial magic of some modern Cabalists.

Modern Theosophy avoids and rejects both these kinds of magic and "necromancy" as being very dangerous. Real divine theurgy requires an almost superhuman purity and holiness of life; otherwise it degenerates into mediumship or black magic. The immediate disciples of Ammonius Saccas, who was called Theodidaktos, "god-taught"-such as Plotinus and his follower Porphyry-rejected theurgy at first, but were finally reconciled to it through Iamblichus, who wrote a work to that effect entitled De Mysteriis, under the name of his own master, a famous Egyptian priest called Abammon. Ammonius Saccas was the son of Christian parents, and, having been repelled by dogmatic Spiritualistic Christianity from his childhood, became a Neo-Platonist, and like J. Boëhme and other great seers and mystics, is said to have had divine wisdom revealed to him in dreams and visions. Hence his name of Theodidaktos. He resolved to reconcile every system of religion, and by demonstrating their identical origin to establish one universal creed based on ethics. His life was so blameless and pure, his learning so profound and vast, that several Church Fathers were his secret disciples. Clemens Alexandrinus speaks very highly of him. Plotinus, the "St. John" of Ammonius, was also a man universally respected and esteemed, and of the most profound learning and integrity. When thirty-nine years of age he

accompanied the Roman Emperor Gordian and his army to the East, to be instructed by the sages of Bactria and India. He had a School of Philosophy in Rome. Porphyry, his disciple, whose real name was Malek (a Hellenized Jew), collected all the writings of his master. Porphyry was himself a great author, and gave an allegorical interpretation to some parts of Homer's writings.

 

The system of meditation the Philaletheians resorted to was ecstasy, a system akin to Indian Yoga practice. What is known of the Eclectic School is due to Origen, Longinus, and Plotinus, the immediate disciples of Ammonius.

The chief aim of the Founders of the Eclectic Theosophical School was one of the three objects of its modern successor, the Theosophical Society, namely, to

reconcile all religions, sects, and nations under a common system of ethics,

based on eternal verities.

 

Q. What have you to show that this is not an impossible dream; and that all the

world's religions are based on the one and the same truth?

A. Their comparative study and analysis. The "Wisdom-Religion" was one in

antiquity; and the sameness of primitive religious philosophy is proven to us by

the identical doctrines taught to the Initiates during the mysteries, an

institution once universally diffused.

 

All the old worships indicate the existence of a single Theosophy anterior to

them. The key that is to open one must open all; otherwise it cannot be the

right key.

 

 

 

 

Key to Theosophy Index

 

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Death & How to Get Through It

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present for your consideration, a definitive work on the

subject by a Student of Katherine Tingley entitled

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Theosophy

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The South of Heaven Guide

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The South of Heaven Guide

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The South of Heaven Guide

To Theosophy and Angels

 

Theosophy and Help From

The Universe

 

The Voice of the Silence

 

Feelgood Theosophy

Visit the Feelgood Lodge

 

Theosophy

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The Mornington Crescent

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The Earth Base for Evolutionary Theosophy

 

Classic Introductory Theosophy Text

A Text Book of Theosophy By C W Leadbeater

 

What Theosophy Is  From the Absolute to Man

 

The Formation of a Solar System  The Evolution of Life

 

The Constitution of Man  After Death  Reincarnation

 

The Purpose of Life  The Planetary Chains

 

The Result of Theosophical Study

 

Elementary Theosophy

An Outstanding Introduction to Theosophy

By a student of Katherine Tingley

 

Elementary Theosophy  Who is the Man?  Body and Soul   

 

Body, Soul and Spirit  Reincarnation  Karma

 

The Seven in Man and Nature

 

The Meaning of Death

 

The Ocean of Theosophy

William Quan Judge

 

Preface    Theosophy and the Masters    General Principles

 

The Earth Chain    Body and Astral Body    Kama – Desire

 

Manas    Of Reincarnation    Reincarnation Continued

 

Karma    Kama Loka    Devachan    Cycles

 

Septenary Constitution Of Man

 

Arguments Supporting Reincarnation

 

Differentiation Of Species Missing Links

 

Psychic Laws, Forces, and Phenomena

 

Psychic Phenomena and Spiritualism

 

Instant Guide to Theosophy

Quick Explanations with Links to More Detailed Info

 

What is Theosophy ? Theosophy Defined (More Detail)

 

Three Fundamental Propositions  Key Concepts of Theosophy

 

Cosmogenesis  Anthropogenesis  Root Races  Karma

 

Ascended Masters  After Death States  Reincarnation

 

The Seven Principles of Man  Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

 

  Colonel Henry Steel Olcott William Quan Judge

 

The Start of the Theosophical Society Theosophical Society Presidents

 

History of the Theosophical Society  Glossaries of Theosophical Terms

 

History of the Theosophical Society in Wales

 

The Three Objectives of the Theosophical Society

 

Explanation of the Theosophical Society Emblem

 

 

A Study in Karma

Annie Besant

 

Karma  Fundamental Principles  Laws: Natural and Man-Made  The Law of Laws 

 

The Eternal Now  Succession  Causation The Laws of Nature  A Lesson of The Law

 

  Karma Does Not Crush  Apply This Law  Man in The Three Worlds  Understand The Truth

 

Man and His Surroundings  The Three Fates  The Pair of Triplets  Thought, The Builder

 

  Practical Meditation  Will and Desire  The Mastery of Desire  Two Other Points

 

  The Third Thread  Perfect Justice  Our Environment  Our Kith and Kin  Our Nation

 

The Light for a Good Man  Knowledge of Law  The Opposing Schools

 

The More Modern View  Self-Examination  Out of the Past

 

Old Friendships  We Grow By Giving  Collective Karma  Family Karma

 

National Karma  India’s Karma  National Disasters

 

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