i

40ft *i*

PRACTIcfAC

OCCULTISM
and
Occultism
versus
the

Occult

Arts

1939
THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE
Adyar,

Madras,

India

PRACTICAL OCCULTISM

IMPORTANT TO STUDENTS
HP HERE
in

are

many
It

people

who

are

looking Occultism.

for

practical instruction

becomes necessary,
once for
all
:

therefore, to state
(a)

The
or

essential

difference

be

tween theoretical and practical Oc

cultism
as
;

what

is

generally

known
:

Theosophy on the one hand, and Occult science on the other, and
(6)

The

nature of the difficulties

involved in the study of the latter.

8
It is

PRACTICAL
easy to

become a Theosophist.
capa

Any

person of average intellectual

of pure,

cities,

and a leaning toward the meta

;

physical
finds

unselfish

life,

who

more

joy in helping his

than in receiving help himself

is

neighbour one who

ready to sacrifice his own pleasures for the sake of other people
ever

and who loves Truth, Goodness and

Wisdom
the

for their

own

sake,

not for
is

benefit

they

may

confer

Theosophist.

But
onself

it is

upon

quite another matter to put the path which leads to the

of

knowledge

what

is

good

to do, as to

the right discrimination of good from evil a path which also leads a man to
;

that power through which he can do

OCCULTISM

the good he desires, often without even

apparently lifting a finger. Moreover, there is one important fact

with which the student should be

acquainted.

made

Namely, the enormous, al most limitless, responsibility assumed

by the teacher for the sake of the pupil. From the Gurus of the East who teach
openly or secretly,
Kabalists in

down

to the few

Western lands who under

the

take

to

teach

rudiments of the
those

Sacred Science to their disciples

selves ignorant of the

Western Hierophants being often them

one and
subject
to
all

danger they incur of those Teachers are

"
"

the

same

inviolable

law.

From
teach,

the

moment

they begin really to

from the instant they confer any

10

PRACTICAL
whether
on
psychic,

power

mental

or

physical pupils, they take upon themselves all the sins of that
their
pupil,
in

connection with the Occult

Sciences, whether of omission or

com

mission, until the

tion

moment when

initia

makes the pupil a Master and There is a responsible in his turn.

weird and mystic religious law, greatly reverenced and acted upon in the Greek,
half-forgotten in the

Roman

Catholic,

and absolutely extinct in the Protestant Church. It dates from the earliest days
of Christianity

and has

its

basis in the

law just stated, of which it was a sym bol and an expression. This is the

dogma

of the absolute sacredness of the

relation

between the god-parents

who

OCCULTISM
stand
1

11

These sponsors for a child. the take all themselves tacitly upon
sins

of

the

newly baptized child

(anointed as at the initiation, a

truly
!)

mystery

until the

day when the child

unit,
it

becomes a responsible good and evil. Thus

the
"

knowing
clear

is

why
and

Teachers
"Chelas"

"

are so reticent,

why

seven years
fitness,

are required to serve a probation to prove their

qualities

and develop the

neces

sary to the security of both

pupil.

Master and

So holy is the connection thus formed deemed Greek Church, that a marriage between god-parents of the same child is regarded as the
in the

worst kind of incest,

;

is

considered illegal

and

is

dissolved by laxv and this absolute prohibition extends even to the children of one of the sponsors as regards those of the other.

12
Occultism
paratively
is

PRACTICAL
not magic.
to
It is

com

of easy spells and the methods of using the subtler, but still material, forces of
learn the trick

physical

nature

the powers
are soon

of

the
;

animal soul in

man
call

awakened

the forces which his love, his hate, his

passion,

can

into

operation,
this
is

are

readily developed.

But
For

Black
r

Magic

Sorcery.

it is

the motive,

and

the motive alone,

exercise of

which makes an} become black, malig power

nant, or white, beneficent Magic.

It is
if

impossible to
there
is

employ spiritual forces

the slightest tinge of selfishness remaining in the operator. For, unless

is

the intention
spiritual will

entirely unalloyed,
itself

the

transform

into the

OCCULTISM
psychic, act on the astral plane,
dire results

13
and

may be produced by it. The powers and forces of animal nature can equally be used by the selfish and
revengeful, as
;

by the

unselfish

and the

the powers and forces of all-forgiving spirit lend themselves only to the per
fectly

pure in heart

and

this is

DIVINE

MAGIC.

What

are then the conditions requir

"

ed to become a student of the

"

Divina
that

Sapientia

For

let

it

be

known

no such
given
are

instruction

can possibly be
conditions

unless these certain

complied
is

carried out during

This

rigorously the years of study. No man can a sine qua non.

with,

and

swim unless he enters deep water,

No

14
bird can fly unless

PRACTICAL
its wings are grown, has space before it and courage

and

it

to trust

itself to

the

air.

will wield a

two-edged

A man who sword, must be

weapon ,
himself
at

a thorough master of the blunt

if

he

would
is

not injure
others,

or
first

what

worse

the

attempt.

To give an approximate idea of the conditions under which alone the study
of

Divine

Wisdom
is,

safety,

that

can be pursued with without danger that

"

Divine will give place to Black Magic, a. page is given from the private rules/"

with which every instructor in the East is furnished. The few passages which
follow are chosen from a great

number

and explained

in brackets.

OCCULTISM
1.

15

The
to
"

instruction

place selected for receiving must be a spot calculated

the

not

distract

mind, and
"

filled

with

influence-evolving

(magnetic)

objects.

The

five sacred colours gather

ed in a

circle

other things.

must be there among The place must be free

from any malignant influences hanging about in the air.

[The place must be set apart, and used no other purpose. The five sacred
"
"

for

are the prismatic hues arranged colours in a certain way, as these colours are very malignant influences are magnetic. By
4
"

meant

any disturbances through

strifes,

quarrels, bad feelings, etc., as these are said to impress themselves immediately on the astral light, i.e., in the atmosphere of about in the air." the place, and to hang
"

This

condition seems easy enough to accomplish, yet on further consideration,

first

16
it

PRACTICAL
is

one of the most

difficult

ones to

obtain.]

2.

mitted to study
a select

Before the disciple shall be per face to face," he has

"

to acquire preliminary understanding in

company of other lay upasaka (disciples), the number of whom must

be odd.
["

Face

to

face,"

means

in this instance

a study independent or apart from others, when the disciple gets his instruction face to face either with himself (his higher, Divine Self) or his guru. It is then only that each receives his due of infor mation, according to the use he has made This can happen only of his knowledge. toward the end of the cycle of instruction.]
3.

Before thou

(the

teacher)

shalt

impart to thy

Lanoo

(disciple) the good

OCCULTISM
(holy)

17
of
"

words

permit

him

to

LAMRIN, or make ready

shall
"

for

Dubjed, thou shalt take care that his

thoroughly purified and at peace with all, especially with Ms other Selves. Otherwise the words of Wisdom

mind

is

and of the good

Law

shall scatter

and

be picked up by the winds.

["

Lamrin

"

is

a work of practical

in

structions, by Tson-kha-pa, in two portions, one for ecclesiastical and exoteric purposes,

To make the other for esoteric use. ready" for Dubjed, is to prepare the vessels used for seership, such as mirrors and other selves The refers to crystals. Unless the greatest the fellow* students. harmony reigns among the learners, no It is the teacher who success is possible. makes the selections according to the magnetic and electric natures of the
"

"

"

students, bringing together

and adjusting

18
most
carefully

PRACTICAL
the
positive

and

the

negative elements.]
4.

The upasaka while studying must

take care to be united as the ringers on

one hand.
their

Thou shalt impress upon minds that whatever hurts one should hurt the others and if the re
;

joicing

of

one finds no echo in the

breasts of the others, then the required

conditions are absent, and

to proceed.

it is

useless

[This can hardly happen if the pre liminary choice made was consistent with It is known the magnetic requirements. that chelas otherwise promising and fit for the reception of truth, had to wait for years on account of their temper and the impossibility they felt to put themselves in tnne with their companions. For ]

OCCULTISM
5.

19

The

co-disciples

must be tuned

by the guru as the strings of a lute (vina), each different from the others,
yet each emitting sounds in

with

all.

Collectively they

harmony must form

parts to

a key-board answering in

all its

thy lightest touch

Master).

(the touch of the

Thus

their

minds

shall

open

for the harmonies of

Wisdom,

to vibrate
all,

as

knowledge through each and

in

resulting

effects pleasing to the pre

siding gods

(tutelary or patron-angels)

and useful to the Lanoo.

So
law

shall

Wisdom be impressed
hearts

for ever

on their
shall

and the harmony

of the

never be broken.
6.

Those who

desire to acquire the

knowledge leading to the Siddhis (occult

20
powers) have to renounce
ties

PRACTICAL
all

the vani
fol

of life

and of the world (here

feel

lows enumeration of the Siddhis).

7.

None can
"

the difference be

tween himself and his fellow-students,

such as
I

am

the

"

wisest,"

am

more holy and pleasing to the teacher, or in my community, than my brother," His and remain an upasaka. etc., thoughts must be predominantly fixed
upon
his heart, chasing therefrom every

hostile thought to
(the heart)

any living being. It must be full of the feeling

from the
;

of its non-separateness

rest of

beings as

from

all in

Nature

otherwise

no success can follow.

8.

A Lanoo

(disciple)

has to dread

external living influence alone (magnetic

OCCULTISM

21

emanations from living creatures). For this reason, while at one with all, in
his inner nature,

he must take care to

separate his outer (external) body from

none must every foreign influence drink out of, or eat in his cup but him
:

self.
(i.e.,

He must
being

avoid bodily contact touched or touch) with

human, as with animal being.

[No pet animals are permitted, and it is forbidden even to touch certain trees and plants. disciple has to live, so to say, in his own atmosphere in order to in dividualise it for occult purposes.]

9.
all

The mind must remain

the
"

blunt to

but the universal truths in nature,

lest

Doctrine

of

the ,Hp%t tl
"

should become only the

the
"

D0i^^*ol
.

Eye

(i.e.,

empty exoteri^/^yalism)

22
10.

PRACTICAL

No

animal food of whatever kind,

life

nothing that has

taken

in

it,

should be
wine, no
;

by the
are

disciple.

No

spirits or

opium should be used

like

for
(evil

these

the

Lhamaym

spirits),
the.}

who

fasten

upon the unwary,

devour the understanding. [Wine and Spirits are supposed to contain and preserve the bad magnetism of
the men who helped in their fabrication the meat of each animal, to preserve the psychic characteristics of its kind.]
;

all

11.

Meditation, abstinence, the ob

of

servation

moral

duties,

gentle

thoughts, good deeds and kind words, as goodwill to all and entire oblivion of
Self,

are

the most efficacious means of

obtaining knowledge and preparing for the reception of higher wisdom.

OCCULTISM
12.
It
is

23

only by virtue of a strict observance of the foregoing rules that a

Lanoo can hope

time the

acquire in good Siddhis of the Arhats, the

to

growth which makes him become gradu ally One with the UNIVERSAL ALL.

These 12 extracts are taken from

among some 73

rules,

to

enumerate

which would be useless as they would be meaningless in Europe. But even these
few are enough to show the immensity
of

the difficulties which beset the path

of the

would-be

"

Upasaka,"

who has
lands.
1

been born and bred

1

in

Western

Be

it

remembered

lay disciples,
first initiation,

that all "Chelas," even are called Upasaka until after their

when they become Lanoo-Upasaka.

"

that day, even those who belong to Lamaseries and are set apart, are considered as laymen."

To

24
All

PRACTICAL
Western, and especially English, is instinct with the principle
;

education

of emulation and strife

urged to learn
his

each boy is more quickly, to outstrip companions, and to surpass them in

every possible way.

"
"

What
is

is

mis-called

friendly rivalry

vated, and the same

assiduously culti spirit is fostered

" "

and strengthened in every detail of life. With such ideas educated into him from his childhood, how can a Western bring himself to feel towards
his co-students
"

as the fingers on one

too,

hand

"

Those co-students,

are

not of his own selection, or chosen by himself from personal sympathy and
appreciation. They are chosen by his teacher on far other grounds, and he

OCCULTISM
who would be a
strong enough to
all

25
student must
kill

first

be

out in his heart

feelings

of dislike

and antipathy to

others.

How many

Westerns are ready

even to attempt this in earnest ? And then the details of daily life, the

command
of

not to touch even the

nearest

one

and

dearest.

hand Howhard
to

contrary to Western notions of affection

and good feeling

it

How

cold and

seems.

Egotistical too, people

would
s

say, to abstain from giving pleasure

others

for

the

sake
let

of

one

own

development. Well, so defer till another lifetime the attempt

to
let

those

who think

enter the path in real earnest.

But
only

them not glory

in their

own

fancied

unselfishness.

For, in reality,

it is

26

PRACTICAL

the seeming appearances which they allow to deceive them, the conventional
notions,

based on

emotionalism and

gush, or so-called courtesy, things of the unreal life, not the dictates of

Truth.

But even putting aside these culties, which may be considered

ternal,"

diffi
"

ex
is

though

their

importance

none the
in the

less great,
to
"

how

are students
"

West

attune themselves

to

harmony

as here required of

them

strong has personality grown in Europe and America, that there is no

school of artists even whose

So

members

do not hate and are not jealous of each other. Professional hatred and
"
"

envy have become proverbial

men

seek

OCCULTISM
each to benefit himself at
all

27
costs,
life

and even the so-called courtesies of

are but a

hollow

mask

covering these

demons
In

of hatred

and jealousy.
spirit

the

East the
"

of

"

non-

separateness

is

inculcated as steadily
in the

from childhood up, as

spirit

West the
ambition,
are not

of

rivalry.

Personal

personal feelings and desires,

encouraged

to
soil

grow so rampant there.

is

When

the

naturally good, it

is

cultivated in the right way,

and the child

the habit

grows into a

man

in

whom
s

of subordination of

one

lower to

one

higher Self is strong and powerful. In the West men think that their

own

likes

and

dislikes of

other

men

and things are guiding principles for

28
them
not
lives

PRACTICAL
to act upon, even of

when

they do

make

them the law of their and seek to impose them upon

others.

Let those who complain that they

have learned
little

in the

Theosophical

Society lay to heart the words written in an article in the Path for last
"

February:
the aspirant
fear of
of

The key
himself."

in each degree is
It is
"

not

"

the

God

"

which

Wisdom,"
is

is the beginning but the knowledge of

SELF which

WISDOM

ITSELF.

How
to

grand and true appears, thus, the student of Occultism who has
to
realise

commenced

some

of

the

foregoing truths, the answer given by the Delphic Oracle to all who came

OCCULTISM
seeking after Occult

29

Wisdom
:

words

repeated and enforced again and again MAN KNOW by the wise Socrates

THYSELF.

OCCULTISM

VERSUS

THE

OCCULT ARTS

"I

There

have heard, but ne er believed till now, are, who can by potent magic spells Bend to their crooked purpose Nature s
oft
laws."

MILTON.

TN

this

month

"Correspondence"

several letters testify to the strong

impression

produced on some minds

s

by

our last month

article,

Practi

cal Occultism.

go far to prove and strengthen two logical con

letters

Such

clusions.
(a)

There

are

more well-educated

and thoughtful men who believe in the existence of Occultism and Magic (the
3

34
two

OCCULTISM VE
differing vastly)

than the
;

materialist
(6)

dreams

of

and
ha

That most

of the believers

prising

many

Theosophists)

definite idea of the nature of

ism,

and confuse

it

with the
"

sciences in general, the

Black

included.

it

Their representations of the p confers upon man, and of the

be used to acquire them,
as

to

varied

they are fanciful,

;

imagine

that a master in the

show the way, is all that is become a Zanoni. Others,

nee<

tha

has but to cross the Canal of Sue

go to India to bloom forth as a Bacon or even a Count St. Gei

THE OCCULT ARTS

Many

35

take for their ideal, Margrave with

his ever-renewing youth,

and care

little

for the soul as the price paid for

it.

Not

"

few,

mistaking

Witch-of-Endor-

ism," pure and simple, for Occultism through the yawning Earth from
"

gloom, call up the meagre ghosts to walks of light," and want, on the strength of this feat, to be regarded
Stygian
"

as

full-blown

Adepts.
to

Ceremonial
the rules

Magic,"

according

mock
is

ingly

laid

down by Eliphas

Levi,

another imagined alter ego of the philo sophy of the Arhats of old. In short,
the

prisms through which Occultism appears, to those innocent of the philo

sophy, are as multicoloured and varied as human fancy can make them.

36

OCCULTISM VERSUS
to

Will these candidates

Wisdom and

Power
it

very indignant if told the plain truth ? It is not only useful, but
feel

has now become necessary to dis

it is
in-

abuse most of them, and before too late. This truth may be said

few words
reds

There are not

in the

half-a-dozen

among the
themselves

fervent
"

West hund
"

who

call

Occultists

who have

even an approximately correct idea of the nature of the science they

seek to master.

With a few

exceptions,

they are all on the

highway to Sorcery. Let them restore some order in the chaos that reigns in their minds before
they protest against this statement. Let

them

first

learn

the

true relation in
to

which the Occult Sciences stand

THE OCCULT ARTS

Occultism,

37
difference

and

the

bet

ween
if

the two, and then feel wrathful

still

they

think

themselves

right.

Meanwhile, ism differs from Magic and other

let

them

learn that Occult

secret

Sciences as the glorious sun does from a rush-light, as the immutable and im

mortal Spirit of

Man

the reflection of

the absolute, causeless and unknowable

ALL differs from human body.

the mortal clay

the

In our highly civilised West, where modern languages have been formed,

and words coined, in the wake of ideas and thoughts as happened with every tongue the more the latter became
materialised in the cold atmosphere of

Western

selfishness

and

its

incessant

38

OCCULTISM VERSUS

less

chase after the goods of this world, the was there any need felt for the
production of new terms to express that which was tacitly regarded as
absolute and exploded superstition." Such words could answer only to ideas
"

which
"

cultured

man was

scarcely

supposed
"

to harbour in his mind.

Magic,"

synonym
"

for jugglery

Sorcery/
ignorance
relic
;

an

equivalent
Occultism,"

for

crass

and

the sorry

of crack-brained, mediaeval Fire-

philosophers,

of

the Jacob

Boehmes

and the
cover

St.

Martins, are expressions

believed more than

amply
field

sufficient to
"

the

wjhole

of

thimble-

rigging-"

arid

They are terms of contempt, used generally only yi reference to

THE OCCULT ARTS

39

the dross and residues of the dark ages

and

preceding aeons of paganism. Therefore have we no terms in the

its

tongue to define and shade the difference between such abnormal

English
powers, or the sciences that lead to the acquisitions of them, with the nicety
possible

languages the Sanskrit. What do pre-eminently miracle and enchant the words
"
"

in

the

Eastern

"

ment
after

"

(words identical

in

meaning

all,

as both express the idea of

producing wonderful things by breaking the laws of nature (!!) as explained by

the accepted authorities) convey to the minds of those who hear, or who pro

nounce them

Christian
"

"

breaking

of the laws of nature

notwithstanding

40

OCCULTISM VERSUS

while believing firmly in the miracles, because said to have been produced by

God through Moses,

will either scout

the enchantments performed by Pha raoh s magicians, or attribute them to the devil.
It
is

the latter

whom

our

pious enemies connect with Occultism, while their impious foes, the infidels,

laugh at Moses, Magicians, and Occult and would blush to give one ists,
serious thought to such
"

superstitions."

This, because there

is

no term
;

in exist

ence to show the difference

to

no words

express the lights and shadows, and draw the line of demarcation between
the sublime and the true, the absurd

and the

ridiculous.

The

latter are the

theological interpretations

which teach

THE OCCULT ARTS

the
"

41
"

breaking of the laws of Nature by man, God, or devil the former the miracles and enchantments scientific
;
" "

Moses and the Magicians in accor dance with natural laws, both having been learned in all the Wisdom of the
of

Sanctuaries,
Societies
"

which were the

days This last

"

Royal
in true
is
it

of those

and

OCCULTISM.
certainly

word

misleading,

translated as

stands from the

"

compound word GuptaKnowledge."

Vidya,

Secret

But the

knowledge of what ? Some of the Sanskrit terms may help us. There are four (out of the many
other)

names

of the various kinds of

Esoteric

Knowledge

or Sciences given,

even in the exoteric Puranas.

There

is

42
(1)

OCCULTISM VERSUS
1

knowledge of the occult powers awakened in nature by

Yajna-Vidya,
the

performance of certain religious ceremonies and rites. (2) Mahavidya,

1

"The

Yajna,"

from

eternity,

for
It

Supreme One ...

no beginning.

whom it lay dormant from the key to the TRAIVIDYA, the thrice sacred science contained in the Rig verses, which teaches the Yagus or sacrificial The Yajna exists as an invisible mysteries. thing at all times it is like the latent power of electricity in an electrifying machine, requiring only the operation of a suitable apparatus in
in
is
;

say the Brahmans, "exists it proceeded forth from the

order to be elicited. It is supposed to extend from the Ahayaniya or sacrificial fire to the heavens, forming a bridge or ladder by means of which the sacrificer can communicate with the

Brahmana.
1

world of gods and spirits, and even ascend when alive to their abodes." Martin Haug s Aitareya
This Yajna
;

is

Akasa

istence Priest is the Lost

and the mystic word calling it and pronounced mentally by the

again one of the forms of the into ex

initiated
Intr.

Word
"

WILL

receiving impulse through

vol.
i,

POWER."

Isis Unveiled,"

See Aitareya

Brahmana, Haug,

THE OCCULT ARTS

the the
"

43
the magic of of the Tantrika

great

knowledge,"

Kabalists
often
(3)

and

worship,

Sorcery of the worst

description.

Guhya-Vidya, know

ledge

Sound

powers residing in (Ether), hence in the Mantras (chanted prayers or incantations), and

of the mystic

depending on the rhythm and melody in other words, a magical per used
;

formance based on knowledge of the Forces of Nature and their correlation

;

and

(4)

ATMA-VIDYA,
"

a term which

is

translated simply
true

Knowledge of the Wisdom by the Orientalists, Soul," but which means far more.
only kind of Occult ism that any Theosophist who admires Light on the Path/ and who would

This

last is the

"

44

OCCULTISM VERSUS

be wise and unselfish, ought to strive after. All the rest is some branch of
the
"

Occult

Sciences," i.e.,

arts based

on the knowledge
sence of
all

of the ultimate es

things in the Kingdoms of

such as minerals, plants and animals hence of things pertaining

to the realm of material nature,

Nature

how
and

ever invisible that essence

may

be,

howsoever much

it

has hitherto eluded

the grasp of Science. Alchemy, Astro logy, Occult Physiology, Chiromancy,

exist in Nature,

and the exact Sciences

perhaps so called, because they are

found

this age of paradoxical philo have already dis the reverse sophies covered not a few of the above
in
arts.

But clairvoyance, symbolised

in

THE OCCULT ARTS

India as the.
"

45
of
Siva,"

"

Eye

called in

Infinite Vision," is not Hypno Japan, the tism, illegitimate son of Mesmerism,

and
All

is

the others

not to be acquired by such arts. may be mastered and

obtained,

or

whether good, bad, but indifferent; Atma-Vidya sets It includes them small value on them.
results
all

and may even use them

it

occasionally,

but

does so after purifying them of

their dross, for beneficent purposes,

and

taking care to deprive them of every element of selfish motive. Let us ex

plain
:

Any man

or

woman
"

can

set

himself or herself to study one or

the

all of
"

above

specified

Occult Arts

without any great previous preparation, and even without adopting any tod

46
restraining

OCCULTISM VERSUS
mode
of
life.

One

could

even dispense with any lofty standard of morality. In the last case, of course,
ten to one the student would blossom
into a very decent kind of sorcerer,

and

tumble

down
But

headlong

into

black

what can this matter ? magic. The Voodoos and the Dugpas eat, drink, and are merry over hecatombs
of victims of their infernal arts.

And

so

do the amiable gentlemen vivisectionists and the diploma-ed Hypno"

"

tisers

of the Faculties of Medicine

two the only difference between classes being that the Voodoos and
the

Dugpas are
Richet

conscious^

and the CharcotSorcerers.

crew
since

unconscious,

Thus,

both

have to reap the

THE OCCULT ARTS

fruits of their labours

47
and achievements

in

the black

art,

the Western practi

tioners should not have the

punishment and reputation without the profits and enjoyments they may get therefrom. For

we say
tion

it

again, hypnotism

and

vivisec

as practised in such Schools, are

Sorcery pure and simple, minus a knowl edge that the Voodoos and Dugpas en
joy,

and which no Charcot-Richet can

procure for himself in fifty years of hard study and experimental observa tion. Let, then, those who will dabble
in magic, whether they understand its nature or not, but who find the rules

imposed upon students too hard, and who, therefore, lay Atma-Vidya or Occultism aside go without it. Let

48

OCCULT VERSUS

them become magicians by all means, even though they do become Voodoos
and Dugpas
nations.
for

the next

ten

incar

But the

interest

of our readers will

probably centre on those

who
"

are in

vincibly attracted towards the

Occult,"

yet
of

who

neither realise the true nature

aspire towards, nor
far

what they

have
less,

they

become, passion-proof,

truly unselfish.

How
shall

about these unfortunates,

we

be asked,

who

are thus rent in

twain by conflicting forces ? For it has been said too often to need repetition,

and the

fact

itself

is

observer, that

when once

patent to any the desire for

Occultism has really .awakened in a

THE OCCULT ARTS

man
s

49
him no
and
driven

heart, there remains for

of

peace, hope comfort in all the world.

no

place of rest

He

is

out into the wild and desolate spaces

of
life

cannot quell.
to pass the
find
rest

by an ever-gnawing unrest he His heart is too full of

passion and selfish desire to permit him Golden Gate he cannot

;

or

peace in ordinary

life.

Must he then inevitably fall into sorcery and black magic, and through many in
carnations heap

up

for himself a terrible

Karma
him
?

Is

there

no other road for

Indeed there
aspire to
to

is,

we

answer. Let him

no higher than he feels able Let him not take a accomplish.

for

burden upon himself too heavy

4

him

SO
to
61

OCCULTISM VERSUS
carry.

Without ever becoming a

a Buddha or a Great him study the philosophy and

Mahatma,"

Saint, let

the

"

Science of Soul/ and he can be

of the

come one

modest benefactors
"

of
"

superhuman humanity, without any the Arhat Siddhis (or powers) powers.
are
"

only for those who are able to the life, to comply with the terrible sacrifices required for such a
lead
training,

and

to

the very letter.

comply with them to Let them know at once

true Occult
"

and remember always, that ism or Theosophy is the

nunciation of
SELF,"

Great

Re

unconditionally

and absolutely,
It is
it

thought as in action. ALTRUISM, and it throws him who

in

practises

out of

calculation of the

THE OCCULT ARTS

ranks of the living altogether. for himself, but for the world, he
as soon as
"

51
Not

lives,"

he has pledged himself to

the work.
first

Much

is

forgiven during the

years of probation.
"

But no sooner

than his personality is he accepted must disappear, and he has to become

"

mere

beneficent

force

in

Natiire.

There are two poles for him after that, two paths, and no mid ward place of
rest.
ly,

He

has either to ascend laborious

step by step, often through

numer

ous

incarnations
the

and no Devachanic

break,

golden ladder leading to

Mahatmaship (theArhat*
condition), or

he will

let
first fa^se step,
*
..
,

down
and

the ladder at the

roll

down

into

Dugpash^.^.

.:

6*1

52

OCCULTISM VERSUS
unknown
or left out

All this is either

of sight altogether.
is

Indeed, one

who

able to follow the silent evolution of

the preliminary aspirations of the candi dates often finds strange ideas quietly taking possession of their minds. There are those whose reasoning powers have

been so distorted by foreign influences that they imagine that animal passions

can be so sublimated and elevated that

their fury,
force,

and

fire
;

can, so to

speak, be turned inwards

that they
in

can be stored and shut up

breast,
until

one

their energy is, not ex but turned toward higher and panded,

more holy purposes namely, until their and unexpanded strength collective
:

enables their possessor to enter the true

THE OCCULT ARTS

53

Sanctuary of the Soul and stand therein in the presence of the Master the
will

this purpose they with their passions struggle nor slay them. They will simply, by a

HIGHER SELF. For

not

strong effort of will, put

down
at

the fierce

flames and keep

their

them

bay within
the

fire to allowing smoulder under a thin layer of ashes.

natures,

They submit
of the Spartan

joyfully to the torture of

boy who allowed the fox

!

devour his entrails rather than part with it. Oh, poor blind visionaries
to

As well hope that

their work,

band

of

drunken

chimney-sweeps, hot and greasy from may be shut up in a Sanctu

ary hung with pure white linen, and

that instead of soiling

and turning

it

by

54
their

OCCULTISM VERSUS
presence
into

a heap

of

dirty

shreds, they will

of

become masters in and the sacred recess, and finally emerge

it

from

as immaculate

as that recess.

Why

not

imagine

that

a dozen of

skunks imprisoned in the pure atmos phere of a Dgon-pa (a monastery) can

issue out of
it

impregnated with

all
?
.

the
. .

perfumes

of the incenses used

Strange aberration of the human mind. Can it be so ? Let us argue.

The
divine

"Master"
"

in the

Sanctuary
"

of

our souls

is

the Higher Self

the
is

spirit

whose consciousness

based upon and derived solely (at any rate during the mortal life of the man
in

whom

it

is

captive)

from the Mind,

which we have agreed

to call the

Human

THE OCCULT ARTS

Soul (the
"

55
Soul
In
"

Spiritual

vehicle of the Spirit).

its

being the turn the

soul)

former
is

(the personal or

human

a compound,

in its highest form, of

volitions,

spiritual

aspirations,
;

and

divine love

and

in its lower aspect, of

terrestrial passions

animal desires and

imparted to
its
it

by

its

associations with
all

vehicle,

the seat of

these.

It

thus stands as a link and a

medium be

tween the animal nature of

man which

its higher reason seeks to subdue, and his divine spiritual nature to which it

gravitates,

whenever
struggle

it

hand
"

in

its

has the upper with the inner

the instinctual the hotbed of

animal.

The

latter is

animal

Soul,"

and

is

those passions which, as just shown,

56

OCCULTISM VERSUS
and

are lulled instead of being killed,

locked up in their breasts by

some im
still

prudent enthusiasts.
to turn thereby the

Do

they

hope
of

muddy stream

the animal sewer into the crystalline waters of life ? And where, on what
neutral ground, can they be imprisoned so as not to affect man ? The fierce

passions
alive,

of

love

and

lust

are

still

and they are allowed to still remain in the place of their birth that same animal soul for both the higher
;

and the lower portions of the Human Soul or Mind reject such inmates,
"
"

though they cannot avoid being tainted with them as neighbours. The High
"

er

Self

"

or

Spirit

is

as

unable to

Assimilate such feelings as water to get

THE OCCULT ARTS

mixed with
It is
oil

57

or unclean liquid tallow.

thus the mind alone

the sole link

of earth

and medium between the man

and the Higher Self and which sufferer,
that
that
is

is

the only
incessant

in

danger of being dragged

passions

down by

those

may

be reawakened at
in the abyss
it

any moment, and perish

of matter.
itself

And how can

ever attune

harmony of the highest Principle, when that harmony is destroyed by the mere presence,
to

the divine

within the Sanctuary in preparation, of

such animal passions

How

can har

mony prevail and conquer, when the soul is stained and distracted with the
turmoil of passions and the terrestrial

58

OCCULTISM VERSUS

desires of the bodily senses, or even of

the

"Astral man" ?
"

For
61

this
"

Astral

"

the

double

(in

the animal as in

shadowy man) is

not the companion of the divine Ego but of the earthly body. It is the link

between the personal SELF, the lower

consciousness of

and

is

the Body, the vehicle of transitory, not of

life.

Manas and

immortal
jected

Like the shadow pro

ments

by man, it follows his move and impulses slavishly and

mechanically, and leans therefore to matter without ever ascending to Spirit. It is only when the power of the pas
sions

dead altogether, and when they have been crushed and annihilated in
is
;

the retort of an unflinching will

when

THE OCCULT ARTS

not only
all

59

the lusts and longings of

the flesh are dead, but also the recogni

tion of the

personal Self
"

is

killed out

and the

"

Astral

has been reduced in

consequence to a cipher, that the Union with the Higher Self" can take place.
"

Then when

the

"

Astral

"

reflects only
still

the conquered man, the

living but

no more the longing,

ity,

selfish personal

then the brilliant Augoeides, the

divine
scious
of

SELF,

can

vibrate

in

con
poles
of

harmony with both the

the

human
purified,

Entity

the

man
in

matter
Spiritual

and
and

the

ever

pure
the

Soul
of the

stand

presence

MASTER SELF,

the

Christos of the mystic Gnostic, blended,

60
merged
ever.
1

OCCULTISM VERSUS
into,

and one with IT

for

How,
ble
for
"

then, can

it

be thought possi
"

man

to

enter the

strait

gate

of occultism

when

his daily

and

thoughts worldly things, desires of possession and power, with lust, ambition, and
hourly
duties which,
still

are

bound up with

however honourable, are

earthy
?

of

the earth

Even the
the purest

love for wife and family

1

Those who would feel inclined to see three Egos in one man will show themselves unable to

Man is a perceive the metaphysical meaning. but trinity composed of Body, Soul, and Spirit man is nevertheless one, and is surely not his body. It is the latter which is the property, the The three transitory clothing of the man. are MAN in his three aspects on the Egos astral, intellectual or psychic, and the Spiritual
;

THE OCCULT ARTS

as the

ei
of

most unselfish
is

human

affec

tions

a barrier to real occultism.

For whether we take as an example

the holy love of a mother for her child,
or that of a
in

husband

for his wife, even

these feelings,

when analysed

to the
sifted,

very
there

bottom, and thoroughly

is still

selfishness in the first,

and

an egoisme a deux in the second in stance. What mother would not sacri
fice

without

moment

hesitation
lives for

hundreds and thousands of

that
of

the child of her heart? and

what lover or true husband would not

break the happiness of every other

man
is

and

woman around him

to satisfy the
?

desire of one

whom
we

he loves

This

but natural,

shall be told.

Quite

62
so,

OCCULTISM VERSUS
in

the light of the code of

;

human
is

affections

less

so,

in

that of divine

universal love.
full

For, while the heart

thoughts for a little group of near and dear to us, how shall selves,
of

the rest of

mankind

fare in our souls

What
orphan
small
soul

percentage of love
"

and care
"
"

will

there remain to bestow on the

?

great
still

And how shall the make itself heard voice

"

in a

entirely occupied with

?

its
is

own
there

privileged tenants
left

What room

needs of Humanity en bloc to impress themselves upon, or even receive a speedy response ? And yet, he
for the

who would

profit

by the wisdom
has to reach

of
it

the universal

mind,

through the whole of Humanity without

THE OCCULT ARTS

63

distinction of race, complexion, religion,

or social status.

It

is

altruism,
legal

not

ego-ism even in

its

most

and noble

conception, that can lead the unit to merge its little Self in the Universal
Selves.
It is to these

needs and to this

disciple
of

work

that

the

true

true
if

Occultism has to devote himself

he

would obtain &eo-sophy, divine dom and Knowledge.

Wis

aspirant has to choose absolutely between the life of the world and the
life of

The

occultism.

to endeavour to

and vain unite the two, for no

It is useless

one can serve two masters and satisfy both. No one can serve his body and the
higher Soul, and do his family duty and his universal duty, without depriving

64
either
for
"

OCCULTISM VERSUS
one or the other of
its

rights

he will either lend his ear to the

small voice
"

still

and

fail to

hear the
listen

cries of his little ones, or,

he will

but to

the wants of the

latter

and

remain deaf to the voice of Humanity. It would be a ceaseless, a madderiing

struggle for almost

any married man,

practical Occult
theoretical

who would pursue true

ism,

instead

of

its

philo

sophy.

For he would

find himself ever

hesitating between the voice of the

im

personal divine love of Humanity, and

that
of the

personal,

terrestrial

love.

And

this could only lead

him

to fail in

one or the other, or perhaps in both his duties. Worse than this. For, whoever
indulges,
after having pledged himself

THE OCCULT ARTS

to

65

OCCULTISM,
terrestrial

in the gratification of

love or htst,
result

must

feel

an

almost immediate
irresistibly

that of being

dragged from the impersonal divine state down to the lower plane of
Sensual, or even mental, self-

matter.

gratification involves the

of the

immediate

loss
;

powers

of spiritual discernment

the voice of the

can no longer be distinguished from that of one s pas the sions, or even that of a Dugpa
;

MASTER

right

from wrong

mere casuistry. assumes the most glorious mystic ap pearance, only to turn to ashes on the
lips,

sound morality from The Dead Sea fruit

and to gall
"Depth

in the heart, resulting in

ever
still

deepening,
;

darkness

darkening

66

OCCULTISM VERSUS
Folly for wisdom, guilt for innocence
;

Anguish

for

rapture,

and

for

hope

despair."

And once
acted

being mistaken and having

mistakes,

on

their

most men
and

shrink from realising

their error,

thus descend deeper and deeper into the mire. And, although it is the intention
that decides primarily whether white or

black magic

is

exercised, yet the results

even of involuntary, unconscious sor cery cannot fail to be productive of bad

Karma.

Enough has been

is

said to

show

that sorcery

any kind of

evil influ

ence exercised upon other persons,

suffer, or

who make other persons suffer, in Karma is a heavy stone consequence.

splashed in the quiet waters of Life
;

THE OCCULT ARTS

and
it

67

cles of ripples, carried

must produce ever widening cir wider and wider,

call

almost ad infinitum.

duced have to

forth

Such causes pro effects and

these are evidenced in the just laws of

Retribution.

Much

of

this

may

be avoided

if

people will only abstain

from rushing
nature

into practices neither the

nor

importance of

No
are

one

is

which they understand. expected to carry a burden

beyond
"

his strength

and powers. There

"

natural born magicians

birth,

Mystics
right of

and Occultists by
direct

and by

inheritance from a series of in

carnations
failures.

and aeons

of

suffering

and
so

These are passion-proof,

to say.

No

fires

of earthly origin can

68

OCCULTISM VERSUS
no human voice can find
souls,

fan into a flame any of their senses or

desires
;

res

ponse in their
cry
of

except the great

Humanity.
far

certain of success.

These only may be But they can be

met only

and wide, and they pass through the narrow gates of Occultism because they carry no personal luggage
of

human

transitory sentiments along

with them.
feeling

They have
"

got rid of the

"

of the

lower personality, para

astral animal, and lysed thereby the the golden, but narrow gate is thrown

open before them.

Not so with those

who have

to carry yet for several incar

nations the burden of sins committed

in previous lives,

and even

in their pre

sent existence.

For such, unless they

THE OCCULT ARTS

69

proceed with great caution, the golden gate of Wisdom may get transformed
into

the wide gate and the broad

way
and
the

"that

leadeth unto
"

destruction,"

therefore
thereby."

many
This

be they that enter in

is

the

Gate

of

Occult

arts, practised for selfish motives

and

in

and

beneficent

the absence of the restraining influence of ATMA-

VIDYA.
its

We

are in the Kali

is

Yuga and

fatal

influence

a thousandfold

more powerful in the West than it is in the East hence the easy preys made
;

by the Powers of the Age of Darkness

in

this cyclic

struggle,

and the many

is

delusions under
labouring.
facility

which the world

now

One

of these is the relative

with which

men

fancy they can

70
get at the
"

OCCULTISM VERSUS
Gate
"

and cross the thresh

the*

old

of

Occultism without any great

It
is

sacrifice.

dream

of

most

Theosophists, one inspired by desire for

power and personal

selfishness,

and

it is

not such feelings that can ever lead them to the coveted goal. For, as well
said

by one believed

to

have sacrificed
"

narrow is the Humanity and straitened the way that leadeth gate few unto life eternal, and therefore
himself for
" "

be they that find So strait indeed, that at the bare mention of some of the
it."

preliminary

difficulties

the affrighted

Western

candidates

turn
. . .

back and

retreat with a shudder.

more

Let them stop here and attempt no in their great weakness. For if

THE OCCULT ARTS

while
turning
their

71

backs

on

the
their

narrow

gate, they are dragged

by

desire for the Occult one

step in the
inviting

direction of the broad

and more

Gates of that golden mystery which

glitters

them

the light of illusion, woe to It can lead only to Dugpaship,

in will

and they

be sure

to find

themselves

very soon landed on that Via Fatah of the Inferno, over whose portal Dante
read the words
:

Per tne Per me Per me

si si si

va nella citta dolente va neW eterno dolore va tra la perduta genie.

."

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGES TIONS FOR DAILY LIFE

PREFACE
THE
quotations of which the following is composed were not originally extracted with a view to publication,
article

and may therefore appear somewhat

disjointed.

published as a Theosophical Sifting, in the hope that read ers might take the hint, and make daily

They were

first

books of extracts for themselves, thus

preserving a lasting record of the
read,

books

and rendering

their

reading of

practical value.

By

following this plan,

the reader would concentrate in a brief

76

PREFACE

space whatever has appealed to him as being the essence of the book.
plan of reading a set of quota tions each morning, trying to live up to

The

them during the day, and meditating upon them in leisure moments, is also
suggested
student.
as
helpful
to

the

earnest

O ISE
spiritually

early,

as

soon as you are

in bed,

awake, without lying idly

Then half-waking and half-dreaming. earnestly pray that all mankind may be
regenerated, that those are struggling on the path of truth

who may

be

encouraged by your prayers and

work more earnestly and successfully, and that you may be strengthened and
not
yield
to

the

seductions

of

the

senses.

form

Picture before your mind the of your Master as engaged in

Samadhi,

Fix

it

before you,

fill

in all

78 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

the details, think of him with rever
ence,

and pray that all mistakes of omission and commission may be for
given.

This
more.

will greatly facilitate con

centration,

purify your heart, and do

much
realise

Or
evils

reflect
:

upon the
thoroughly
transient

defects of your
their

character

and

the

pleasures they give you, and firmly will that you shall try your best not to yield

them the next time. This selfand analysis bringing yourself before
to

the bar of your own conscience facili tates, in a degree hitherto undreamt of,

your
bathe,

spiritual

progress.

When

you

exercise during the whole time

will,

your

that your moral impurities

should be washed away with those of

FOR DAILY
your
1.

LIFE

79

In your relations with body. others observe the following rules.

Never do anything which you are not bound to do as your duty that is, any unnecessary thing. Before you do a
;

thing,

think whether
2.

do

it.

word.

it is your duty to Never speak an unnecessary Think of the effects your words

might produce before you give utter ance to them. Never allow yourself to

your principles by the force of 3. Never allow any your company.

violate

unnecessary or vain thought to occupy your mind. This is more easily said
than done.

You cannot make your

all

mind a blank
beginning try

at once.

So
evil

in the

prevent thoughts by occupying your mind with

to

or idle

80

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

own
faults, or

the analysis of your

of

the

contemplation During meals exercise your will, that your food should be properly digested
4.

the

Perfect

Ones.

and build for you a body

create evil passion

in

harmony

with your spiritual aspirations, and not

and wicked thoughts.

Eat only when you are hungry and drink when you are thirsty, and never If some particular prepara otherwise.
tion

attracts your palate,

do not allow
it

yourself to

be seduced into taking

simply to gratify that craving.

ber that the pleasure
it

Remem

you derive from had no existence some seconds be

and that
it

fore,

will

cease to exist
;

some seconds afterwards

that

it is

transient pleasure ? that that

which

is

FOR DAILY
pleasure

LIFE
will turn into pain
;

81
if

now

you

take

it

in large quantities

that

it

gives
if

pleasure only to the tongue^ that

you

are put to a great trouble to get that thing, and if you allow yourself to be

seduced by
at
is

it,

you

will not
it
;

be ashamed

any thing

to get

that while there

another object

that

can give you

eternal bliss, this centering your affec

tions

that

on a transient thing is sheer folly you are neither the body nor the sense, and therefore the pleasure and
;

the pains which these endure can never

affect

you

really,

and so

on.

Practise

the same train of reasoning in the case of every other temptation, and, though

you
a

will often fail, yet

you

will achieve
If

a surer success.

Do

not read much.

82

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

for ten minutes, reflect for as

you read

Habituate yourself to solitude, and to remaining alone with

many

hours.

your thoughts.

Accustom yourself

to the thought that

no one beside yourself can assist you, and wean away your affections from all
things gradually. Before you sleep, pray Review the as you did in the morning.
actions of the day, and see wherein you have failed, and resolve that you will

not

fail in

them to-morrow.
II

THE
1

right
is

motive for seeking

that

self-

knowledge

which pertains
89, p. 647.

to

Theosophist, August

FOR DAILY
knowledge
-knowledge
of
its

LIFE

83
not
to
self.

and
is

Self

worth seeking by virtue

being knowledge,

and not by

virtue

of its pertaining to self.

The

main
ledge

requisite for acquiring self-know

is

pure

love,

pure love. Seek knowledge for and self-knowledge eventually

effort.

crowns the

The
is

fact of a student

proof positive that growing impatient he works for reward, and not for love, and that, in its turn proves that he

does not deserve the great victory in store for those who really work for

pure love.

The

"God"

in

us

that

is to say,

Love and Truth, Justice the and Wisdom, Goodness and Power
Spirit of
1

Theosophist, August 89, p. 663,

84 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

should be our only true and permanent Love, our only reliance in everything,

our only Fa4th, which, standing firm as a rock, can for ever be trusted our
;

only Hope, which will never

all

fail

us

if

other things perish

and the only

to obtain,

object which we must seek

by our Patience, waiting contentedly

until our evil

Karma has been exhausted

Redeemer
will reveal to

and the divine

us his presence within our soul. The door through which he enters is called

Contentment

for

he who
is

is

disconten

ted with himself

discontented with
as he
is
;

the law that

made him such

and as God
not

is

Himself the Law, God will

come

to those that are discontented

FOR DAILY
with Him.
the
1

LIFE
If

8B
that

we admit

we

are in

stream

of

evolution,

then

each

circumstance must be to us quite right. And in our failure to perform set acts
should be our greatest help, for we can in no other way learn that calmness

which Krishna
plans

insists

succeeded,

upon. then no

If all

our

contrasts

would appear

to us.
all

Also those plans

will

we make may

be made ignorantly,

and thus wrongly, and kind Nature not permit us to carry them out.

We

get no blame for the plan, but we may acquire karmic demerit by not accept

ing the impossibility of achieving.

If

you are
1

at

all

cast

down, then by just

8,

Theosophical Sift ings No.

vol.

ii,

p.

9,

Hartmann.

66 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

that

much

are your thoughts lessened in

One could be confined in a power. prison and yet be a worker for the cause. So I pray you to remove from your mind any distaste for present circum
stances. at
ed,
it
1

all

you can succeed in looking as just what you in fact desir

If
it

then

will

act

not only as

strengthener of your thoughts, but will

act reflexly on your
2

body and make

it

stronger.

To
for

act and act wisely

when

the time

action

comes, to wait and wait

it

patiently

when

put
1<f

man
yow"

time for repose, in accord with the rising and

is
Self.

as
2

we make

meaning the Higher

ourselves.
89, p. 131.

We are

Path, August

)AILY LIFE
tides
(of
affairs),

87
so that with

and law

at his back,

and truth

sneficence as his beacon light, he

:complish wonders.

,w results in periods of

Ignorance of unreason-

sion

thusiasm on the one hand, and and even despair on the

Man
tides
.

thus becomes the victim

when he should be

their

e patience, Candidate, as
LO failure,

one who
2

courts no success.

umulated energy cannot be an

ted,
it

must be transferred
or be transformed
of

to

forms,

into

modes
h,

motion

it

cannot

July

89, p. 107.
p. 31.

ce

of the Silence,

88 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

remain for ever inactive and yet continue
to exist.
resist a
trol.

to attempt to we which cannot con passion

It
is

useless

If its

accumulating energy
channels,
it

is

not

led
until

into other
it

will

becomes stronger than

than reason.
lead
it

will,

grow and
it,

stronger

To

control

you

must

into

another and

higher channel.

Thus

a love for

some

thing vulgar may be changed by turning it into a love for something high, and
vice

may

be
its

changed into virtue by

aim-.

changing
safer

Passion
led,

is

blind,
is

it

goes where

it

is

and reason
love)

guide Stored up anger

else

for

it

than the instinct.

(or

will

find
its

some object upon which

fury,
it

to spend

may

produce an explosion

FOR DAILY
destructive to

LIFE
its

89
;

possessor

tranquillity

follows

storm.

The

ancients said that

nature suffers no vacuum.

We
We

cannot

If it is destroy or annihilate a passion. driven away, another elemental influ

ence will take

therefore

its

place.

should

not attempt to destroy the low without putting something in its

place,

but

we
;

should displace the low

by the high
stition

vice

by
1

virtue,

and super

by knowledge.
Ill

LEARN
for the
1

that there

is

no cure for

desire,

no cure for the love of reward, no cure

misery of longing, save in the
p. 126,

Magic,

Hartmann.

90

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

the sight and hearing on that
is invisible

fixing of

which

and soundless.

A man must
power
to

believe in his innate

of progress.

A man

must refuse

be terrified by his greater nature, and must not be drawn back by his
2

lesser or material self.

All the past

is

shows us that

difficulty
less

no excuse
without
3

for dejection,

much

for despair, else the

world would have

been

the

many wonders

of

civilisation.

Strength to step forward is the pri mary need of him who has chosen his
path.
1

Where

is

this

to

be found

Light on the Path, Karma, p. 35. Comments, Light on the Path.

Through

the Gates of Gold, p. 69.

FOR DAILY

LIFE

91

Looking round, it is not hard to see where other men find their strength.
Its source is

profound conviction. Abstain because it is right to ab

not that yourself shall be kept
2

stain,

clean.

The man who wars

against himself

and wins the battle can do it only when he knows that in that war he is doing the one thing which is worth
doing.
"

Resist not
of

evil,"

that

is,

do not

complain
yourself
1

or

feel

anger against the

life.

inevitable disagreeables of
(in

Forget

working
*

for others). If

men

Op.

cit. p. 87,

Light on the Path. Through the Gates of Gold,

p. 118.

92

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

persecute,
or

revile,

wrong

one,

why

resist ?

In

the
1

resistance

we

create

greater evils.

The immediate work, whatever it may be, has the abstract claim of duty,
and
its

relative
is

portance

importance or non-im 2 not to be considered at all.

The
desire,

best

remedy
but

for evil is not the

suppression,

the

elimination

of

and

this can best

be accomplish

ed

by

keeping the mind constantly

in things divine.

The know steeped ledge of the Higher Self is snatched away by engaging the mind in brooding
over or contemplating with pleasure the
1

Path, August

87, p. 151.

Lucifer, Feb. 88, p. 478.

FOR DAILY
sense.
1

LIFE

93

objects which correspond to the unruly

Our own nature ambitious, and so

is

so base, proud,

of its own ap and opinions, that petites, judgments, if temptations restrained it not, it would be undone without remedy therefore are we tempted to the end that we may
full
;

know

ourselves

and be humble.
is

Know
to be

that the greatest temptation

without temptation, wherefore be glad when it assaults thee, and with resig
nation, peace,

and constancy resist it/ Feel that you have nothing to do for
but that certain charges are
Bhagavad
Gita.
(All quotations are

yourself,
1

Page

60,

taken from Mohini

2

s translation.)

Molinos, Spiritual Guide.

94 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

laid

upon you by the Deity, which you fulfil. Desire God, and not any Whatever thing that he can give.
must
1

there

is

to do,

has to be done, but not

for the

sake of enjoying the fruit of

If all full

action.

one

s acts are

performed

with the

conviction that they are of no value to the actor, but are to be

done

done simply because they have to be in other words, because it is in

our nature to act

then the personality

of egotism in us will

weaker

until

it

grow weaker and comes to rest, per

mitting the knowledge revealing the True Self to shine out in all its
splendour.
1

P. 182,

Introduction,

Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad

Gita.

FOR DAILY
One must

LIFE

95

not allow joy or pain to

s fixed
1

shake one from one

purpose.

Until the master chooses you to come to him, be with humanity, and unsel
fishly

work

for its progress

and advance
bring
true

ment.

This
2

alone

can

satisfaction;

Knowledge increases
to its use

in

proportion

that

is,

the

more we teach

the

more we
and

learn.

Therefore, Seeker

after Truth,

child

with the faith of a little the will of an Initiate,

give of

your store to him who hath not wherewithal to comfort him on his
3

journey.
1

Comments, Light on the Path. Path, December 86, p. 279.

96

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGEST]

disciple

fully recognise the very thought of individual rig!

must

only

the

outcome of the veno

quality of the snake of Self.

He
as a p

never regard another

man

who can be
nor

criticised or conder raise

1

may

he

his

voice

in

defence or excuse.

No man
friend.

is

your enemy, no n
longer work for the

All alike are your teat

One must no
of

any

benefit,
fulfil

temporal or
3

spii

but to

the law of being

wh

the righteous will of God.

1

Lucifer, p. 382, Jan.

88.

Light on the Path. p.

25.

Bhagavad

Gita,

Introduction,

FOR DAILY

LIFE

97

IV
LIVE
future,

neither in the present

nor the
giant
;

but in the eternal.

The

weed
blot

(of evil)

cannot flower there

is

this

upon existence
atmosphere
is

wiped out by the

eternal
1

very

Purity of heart
for the

thought. a necessary condition

"

of

attainment of

the

Spirit."

Knowledge of There are two principal

this purification

means by which
be attained.
tently

may

First, drive

away
;

persis

every bad thought secondly, preserve an even mind under all condi

tions,

never be agitated or irritated at It will be found that these anything.

tw o means of purification are best pror

Light on the Path, Rule

7

4.

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

moted by devotion and charity. We must not sit idle and make no attempt
to advance because
selves pure.
let

we do not

feel our

Let everyone aspire, and them work in right earnest, but they
in the right

must work

way, and the

first
1

step of that

way

is

to purify the heart.

The mind

requires purification

when

ever anger is felt or a falsehood is told, or the faults of another needlessly

disclosed
;

whenever anything

is

said or

done
one

for the purpose of flattery, or

is
2

any

deceived by the insincerity of a

act.

speech or an
to
1

Those who wish

avoid
lust,

for salvation

anger
p.

and
44.

ought greed, and

Theosophist, Oct. 88,

Bhagavad

Gita, p. 325.

FOR DAILY
cultivate

LIFE

courageous obedience to the study of Spiritual

its
1

Scriptures,

philo

sophy, and perseverance in

realisation.

practical

He who

is

led

tions cannot enter a

by selfish considera heaven where per

sonal considerations do not exist.

He

who does not

contented

care for Heaven, but is

where he is, is already in while the discontented will in Heaven,

vain clamour for
it.

To

be without

personal desires
"

is

to be free

and happy,

and Heaven can mean nothing else but a state in which freedom and happi ness exist. The man who performs
"

beneficial

acts induced by a hope of

reward
1

is

not happy unless the reward

Gita, p. 240,
-

Bhagavad

100
is

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

if

obtained, and

his

reward

is

ob

tained

his happiness ends.

There can

be no permanent rest and happiness as long as there is some work to be

done, and not accomplished, and the
fulfilment
of

duties

brings

its

own

reward.

He who
another, he

thinks himself holier than

who

has any pride in his

vice or folly, he
wise,
or
in
is

own exemption from who believes himself

way
of

any
in

superior to his fellow-men,

discipleship.

capable

A man

must

become

as

little

child before he can

enter the

Kingdom of Heaven. Virtue and wisdom are sublime things, but if

1

Magic,

Intro., p. 34,

Hartniann.

FOR DAILY

LIFE

101

they create pride and a consciousness the rest of of separateness from

humanity, they are only the snakes of

self

The reappearing in a finer form. of or the surrender heart of sacrifice

man and
rules
;

its

emotions
"

is

the

first of

the

it

involves

equilibrium

which

the attaining of an cannot be shaken

by personal
delay,
tice,

emotion."

Put,

without

your good intentions into prac never leaving a single one to

remain only an intention.

true
for

Our only
motive
itself,

course
action
in

is

to
in

let

the
action

be
its

the
;

never

reward

not

to

be

incited to action
result,

by the hope of the

nor yet indulge a propensity to

inertness.

102

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

1

Through faith the heart is purified from passion and folly from that
;

comes mastery over the body, and,

2

last

of

all,

The
and

subjugation of the senses. characteristics of the illuminated

1st,

sage are,

he

is

free

from

all desires,

knows

that

the

true

Ego

or

Supreme, Spirit alone is bliss, all else is pain. 2nd, that he is free from attach

ment and repulsion towards whatever may befall him, and that he acts with
out determination.

Lastly comes the

senses,

subjugation
useless,
1

of

the

which

is

and frequently

injurious

as

i.e.,

knowledge, and this comes by the practice

or unselfishness and kindness.

* 3

P. 95,

Bhagavad

Gita.

This can best be accomplished by keeping the

nijnd constantly steeped in things divine,

FOR DAILY

LIFE

103

breeding hypocrisy and spiritual pride, without the second, and that again is
not of

much use without the first. He who does not practise altruism, he who is not prepared to share his
last

morsel

with a weaker or poorer

than himself, he
his

who
of

neglects to help

brother

man,

nation, or creed, wherever

whatever race, and whenever

he meets

suffering,

and who turns a

;

deaf ear to the cry of human misery he who hears an innocent person
slandered,

and does not undertake his

defence

as

he would undertake his

own,
1

is

no Theosophist.
-Bhagavad Gita.
its

P. 61,

This must be taken in

widest sense

also,

i.e,, spiritual

knowledge,

etg.

104

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

V
No man
does right

who

gives

up the

unmistakable duties of
Divine command.
duties,

life,

resting on

He who
if

performs
to him,

thinking

that

they are not

performed some

evil will

come

or that their performance will remove difficulties from his path, works for
result.

Duties should simply be done

because
at

commanded by God, who may

any time command their abandon ment. So long as the restlessness of

our nature
is

not reduced to tranquillity

we must work,
Deity
all

fruit

consecrating to the of our action, and

the power to perform
true
life

attribute to

Him

works

rightly.

The

of

man

is

FOR DAILY
This
istence
reality,

LIFE

105

rest in identity
life
is

with the Supreme Spirit.

not brought
of

into
it

ex
is

by any act
"

ours,
is

the

truth,"

and

altogether

independent of us.
the

The
of
all
is

realisation of

non-existence
to this

that

seems

opposed

truth

a new conact.

sciousness

and

not

an

Man

liberation is in
acts.

no way related

to his

.In so far as acts

of

promote the

our utter inability to emancipate ourselves from conditioned existence, they are of use ; after this
realisation

stage

is

realised acts

rather than helps.

become obstacles Those who work in

obedience to Divine commands,

ing that the a gift of God,

know
is

power thus to work

and no part
of

man

106

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

of action.

self-conscious nature, attain to freedom

from the need

heart
is filled

Then
and

the pure
identity

by the truth,
is

with the Deity

perceived.
of

A man
that

must

first

get

rid

the

idea

he himself really does anything, know ing that all actions take place in the
"

three natural qualities/

all.

the soul at
his actions
fice
all

and not in must Then he place all

on devotion.

That

is,

sacri

his actions to the

Supreme and
either
set

not to himself.

He must
God
other
to

himself up
sacrifices,

as the

whom
God

he

or

the
all

real

Ishvara
tions

and

his acts

and aspira

are done either for himself or for

the All.
1

Here comes in the importance

i.e.

the three guna?,

FOR DAILY

LIEE

107

For if he performs great of motive. deeds of valour, or of benefit to man, or

acquires knowledge so as to assist man,

and
he

is

moved

to that merely because

he thus thinks he will attain salvation,

is
is

only acting for his

own

benefit,

and

therefore sacrificing to himself.

Therefore he must be devoted inwardly to the All knowing that he is not the
;

doer of the actions, but the mere wit

ness of them.

As he

is

in a mortal

body

he

is

affected

spring up.

by doubts which will When they do arise, it is

because he

ignorant about something. He should therefore be able to disperse doubt by the sword of knowledge."
is
"

For

if

he has a ready answer to some

doubt

he

disperses that

much,

All

108

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

in

doubts come from the lower nature, and

never
nature.

any case from the higher Therefore as he becomes more

is

and more devoted he

able to

know

more and more

For
"

clearly the

knowledge

residing in his Sattva (goodness) nature.

it

says

in devotion (or

A man who is perfected who persists in its culti

knowledge sponta
in

vation) finds spiritual

neously
time."

in

himself
"

progress

of

Also,

A man

of doubtful

mind

enjoys neither this world nor the other

(the

Deva
if

world), nor final

beatitude."

The
that
will,
ful,

last sentence is to destroy the idea

there
if

is in

even

we

us this Higher Self it are indolent and doubt

triumph over the necessity for knowledge and lead us to final beatitude

FOR DAILY
in

LIFE

109

common
1

with the whole stream of

mankind.

True prayer
all

is

the contemplation of

sacred things, of their application to

ourselves,

our daily life and actions, accompanied by the most heartfelt and
intense desire to

make

their influence

stronger
nobler,

and
that

our

lives

better
of

and

some knowledge
us.

them
such

may

be vouchsafed to

All

thoughts must be closely interwoven with a consciousness of the Supreme

and Divine Essence from which

things have sprung.
Spiritual
2

all

culture
It

is

attained through

concentration.
1 2

must be continued

Path, July Path, Aug.

89, p. 109.
89, p. 159.

110

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

and every moment
to be
"

of use. the Meditation has been defined as

daily

cessation of active external

thought."

Concentration
to a given end.

is

the entire life-tendency

For example, a devoted

mother

is

one who consults the interests

of her children and all branches of their

interests in

and before

all

one

who

sits

down

to

things ; not think fixedly

all

about one branch of their interests

the day.

Thought has a self-reproduc tive power, and when the mind is held
steadily to

one idea

it

becomes coloured
say, all the cor

by

it,

and, as

we may

relates of that

thought arise within the

Hence the mystic obtains know about any object of which he ledge
mind.
thinks constantly in fixed contemplation.

FOR DAILY
Here
words.
is
"

LIFE
of

111
Krishna
of
s
;

the rationale

Think

constantly

me

depend on me alone, and thou shalt Life is the great surely come to me"
teacher
of
:

it

is

the great manifestation

Soul,

and

Soul

manifests

the

Supreme. Hence all methods are good, and all are but parts of the great aim,

which

is

Devotion.
actions,"

"

Devotion

is

success in
Gita.

says the

Bhagavad
as
for

The
must

psychic powers,
also

they they

come,

be used,
their value

reveal laws.

But

must not

be exaggerated, nor must their danger be

ignored.

He who relies on them is like man who gives way to pride and

triumph because he has reached the

112

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

first wayside station on the peaks he 1 has set out to climb,

VI
IT an eternal law that

is

man

cannot be

redeemed by a power external to him Had this been possible, an angel self.
might long ago have visited the
uttered heavenly truths,
festing
earth,

and, by mani
of

the

faculties

spiritual

nature, proved a hundred facts to the

consciousness of
2

man

of

which he

is

ignorant.

Crime

is

committed

in the Spirit as

truly as in the deeds of the body.

1

He

Path, July

89, p. 111.

Spirit of the

New

Testament,

p. 508.

FOR DAiLY
who
for

LIFE

il3

loves revenge,
injury,
is

any cause hates another, who and will not forgive an

full of the spirit of murder, none may know it. He who though bows before false creeds, and crushes

his conscience at
institution,
soul,

the bidding of any

blasphemes his own divine and therefore takes the name of

"
"

God
oath.

in vain

He who

though he never utters an desires and is in sym

pathy with the mere pleasures of sense, either in or out of the married relation,
is

the real adulterer.

of
his

He who
of

any

fellows

the

deprives light, the

good, the help, the assistance he can wisely give them, and lives for the

accumulation of material things, for his

own

personal gratification,

is

the real

114 SOMEiPRACTICALSUGGESTIOlsfg
robber
fellows
;

and he who
the

steals

from

his
of

precious

possession

character by slander, and any sort of misrepresentation, is no less a thief,

and one of the most guilty kind. If men were only honest with them
1

selves

and
a

kindly

disposed towards

others,

tremendous change would

take place in their estimate of the value 3 of life, and of the things of this life,

DEVELOP THOUGHT.

Strive,

by

concentrating the whole force of your soul, to shut the door of your mind to

allowing none to enter but those calculated to reveal to

all

stray

thoughts,

you the unreality of

1

sense-life,

and the

Spirit of the
"

New

Testament,
89, p. 590.

p. 513.

Theosophist, July

FOft

DAILY LIFE

US

Peace of the Inner World. Ponder day and night over the unreality of all your surroundings and of yourself. The
springing
injurious
different

up

of evil thoughts
idle
.

is

less

than that of
ones.

and
to

in
evil

B.ecause

as

thoughts you are always

,on your guard, to fight and determined and, having conquer them, this determination helps

to develop the will power.

-

Indifferent
.dis

thoughts, however, serve merely to

tract

the attention
first

and waste

energy..

The
self

great basic delusion

you have
your Begin to

to get over is the identification of

with the physical body.

body as nothing better than the house you have to live in for a
time,

think of this

and then you

will ne^ver yield to

116
its

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

temptations.

Try
of

also

with con

sistent attempts to

conquer the promi

your
nature by

nent

weaknesses

developing thought in the direction that will kill each particular passion. After

your first efforts you will begin to feel an indescribable vacuum and blankness
i

fear not, but regard this soft the as twilight heralding the rise Sadness of the sun of Spiritual bliss.

n your heart

is

not

an

seem

to

Complain not what be sufferings and obstacles are

evil.
;

often in reality the mysterious efforts of nature to help you in your work if you

can manage them properly. Look upon all circumstances with the gratitude
of a pupil.
l
1

All complaint is a rebellion

3, vol. 2,

Theosophicdl Si/tings, No.

89.

FOR DAILY
be

LIFE

against the law of progress.

is

That which

to

shunned

is

pain not yet come.

The
ed
;

past cannot be changed or amend

that which belongs to the experi ences of the present cannot and should not be shunned ; but alike to be shun

ned are disturbing anticipations or fears

of the future, and every act or impulse that may cause present or future pain
to ourselves or others.
1

VII

THERE
sessed

no more valuable thing pos by any individual than an ex alted ideal towards which he continually
is

aspires,
1

and

after

which he moulds

his

Patanjali s

Yoga Aphorisms.

118 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

thoughts and feelings, and forms, as best he may, his life. If he thus strives
to

become rather than to seem, he can

fail

not
his
this

to continually

approach nearer
however, reach

aim.

He

will not,

point without a struggle, nor will the real progress that he is conscious
of

making

fill

him with conceit

if

or self-

righteousness.; for

his ideal be high,

it real,

and

his progress towards

he

will

be the rather humiliated than puffed up. The possibilities of further advance
ment, and the conception of
planes of being that
will not
still

higher

opea

before him,

dampen his

ardour, though they

It is just

will surely kill his conceit.

this of

human

conception of the vast possibilities life that is needed to kill out

FOR CAIL?
ennui,

LIFE

and

to convert apathy into zest.

its

Life thus becomes worth living for

own
plain,

sake

when
its

its

mission becomes
opportunities
direct

and

splendid

are once appreciated.

The most

and certain way

is

plane of altruism, both in thought and life. Narrow indeed is the sweep of vision
that
all
is

of reaching this higher the cultivation of the principle

limited to

self,

and that measures

.things by the principle of self-inter est, for while the soul is thus self limi

ted

it is

impossible for

it

to conceive of

high ideal, or to approach any The conditions of higher plane of life.

any

such advancement

lie

within rather than

without, and are fortunately made inde pendent of circumstances and condition

120
in

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

The
opportunity therefore
is

life.

offered to everyone of

advancing from

height

to height of being,

and

of thus

working with nature in the accomplish 1

ment
If

of the evident purpose of

life.

we

believe that the object of

life is

simply to render our material self satis

fied,

and

to keep

it

in comfort,

and that

comfort confers the highest state of possible happiness, we mistake

material

the low for the high, and an illusion for the truth.
is

Our

material

mode
"

of life

a consequence- of the material con

stitution of our bodies.

We are
we

worms

of the earth

our
enter
1

cling with all If we can aspirations to earth.

"

because

upon a path
J.

of evolution,

by which

Man,

Buck,

p. 106*

FOR DAILY
we
become

LIFE
less

121
material

and more

ethereal, a very different order of civi

lisation

would be established. Things which now appear indispensable and necessary would cease to be useful if
;

we
with

could transfer our

consciousness

the velocity of thought from one part of the globe to another, the
present

modes

of

communication would

be no longer required. The deeper we sink into matter, the more material

means

for comfort will be

needed
in

the
is

essential

and powerful god

man

not material, and independent of the What restrictions laid upon matter.
are

the real necessities of

life ?

The

answer

to this question depends entirely on what we imagine to be necessary.

122

SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

steamers,
to us,
etc.,
$ et
7

Railways,
necessity

are

now

a
of

and

millions

people have lived long and happily, knowing nothing about them. To one

man

a dozen palaces may appear to be an indispensable necessity, to another a carriage, another a pipe, and so on.

But
as

all

man

such necessities are only such himself has created. They

state in

make the
remain
in

which man now

is

agreeable to

him,

that

and tempt him to state, and to desire

nothing higher. They

his
it.

may

even hinder

development instead of advancing

Everything material must cease to
necessity
if

become a
advance

we would

really

spiritually.

It is the

craving
for

and the wasting of thought

the

FOR DAILY
lower

LIFE

123

augmentation of the pleasures of the

life

which prevent man entering

1

the higher one.

Magic, Hartmann,

p. 61.

Printed by C. Subbarayudu
at the

Vasanta Press, Adyar, Madras.