Cross-posted from Esoteric Christianity revisited:
For those who wish to understand the basis of a Christian esotericism based on Theosophical principles and Teachings ...
... consider the continuity between 19th Century Occultism as popularized by H.P. Blavatsky and the 19 volumes of instruction for aspirants, disciples and initiates presented by Alice Bailey between 1919 and 1949.
The aforementioned 19 volumes (
written by Bailey) reach us from the same Tibetan Initiate who was largely responsible for H.P. Blavatsky's
The Secret Doctrine, and many students of both sets of Teachings will recognize this continuity.
I say again,
students of both sets of teachings, because in 99% of the cases where someone of Theosophical background speaks out (usually
against Alice Bailey), you will find that s/he has not actually taken much time to investigate the latter teachings impartially or as sincerely and devotedly as works of a Theosophical nature.
Students of astrology, or the astute Theosopher, may be aware of statements
made by HPB herself wherein a particular Samaritan cycle of interest is mentioned ... in which the Sun precessed into Pisces in 255BC, then into Aquarius in the year 1900AD.
The Tibetan Master himself would seem to allow for the latter
official date to be no later than the end of the second World War [June 1945], when the Christ "definitely and consciously took over His duties and responsibilities as the Teacher and Leader during the Aquarian solar cycle." [
The Reappearance of the Christ, Alice A. Bailey, pp. 82-83]
What this amounts to in simple terms is that many of the same astrological influences and energies which
were available to HPB during the authorship, inspiration and precipitation of writings during the
19th Century would not be and
were not available to Alice Bailey (or perhaps her Teachers?) during the first half of the
20th Century ... when Alice's books were penned.
I share this because I know of
no author during the 20th Century who contributed
so much, so sincerely or so influentially on the Inner Side of life to the true heart and soul, the esoteric
Cause, of Christ's own Christianity ... as Alice Bailey, combined with the true
Heart and Soul of the books which she authored, the Tibetan Teacher DK.
I heartily recommend the book
From Bethlehem to Calvary, written by Alice Bailey *herself* ... and NOT dictated, channeled or otherwise
"inspired directly" by some outside source, Eastern or otherwise.
In this book, Alice tells us in her own words and in *Western terminology* of the five great
crises of spiritual living or points of expansion of consciousness which marked the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and which are symbolic of the same five crises which each human Soul must someday undergo (
John 14:6, John 6:44, John 12:32) ...
... on our long Journey
from the unreal to the Real, from darkness unto Light and from death to Immortality. {
for Theosophists, et al}
~+~
I have run out of steam for the evening, but in a future post I believe I may be able to say a bit more about how
Ariadne's Thread underlies or substands the transition from 19th Century Theosophy to the various related neo-Theosophical Movements of the early 20th Century ... focusing especially on this pressing question (troubling to some) of
WHY so many Neo-Theosophists and modern esotericists are intent or inclined to speak
in the language of Christianity, or using Christian myth and allegory.
In the meantime, I believe the Intuition will serve to tell us much, if we ponder this question ... and I would welcome speculations, discussions or commentary on
precisely this topic if there are those who have an especial interest.
On the one hand, I would be tempted to take it as
no great mystery as to why this is - even if, as students of Alice Bailey recognize, it is precisely the
Restoration of THE Mysteries, Greater and Lesser, which the Christ and Hierarchy will bring.
And yet, aren't we seeing precisely the cautioned-against effort to place
new wine in old vessels ... ?
Watch the responses and reactions of
Christians, even those of some esoteric bent ... with and against those who hearken to
a Perennial Tradition which dates
[as per HPB, et al - even the Vedists themselves] to a time far, far earlier than Judaism, let alone
the Christianity of Christ's day and since.
What can it all mean?
If the answer appears to be clear, just remember:
Christ and the Great Ones [the `Externalization of the Hierarchy'] ever come to UNIFY and to MAKE WHOLE, and the outstanding quality of Love-Wisdom is Inclusivity.
If
this is the case ...