Blavatsky and neo-theosophy (2/3) (spiritualism)

HBO’s  Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God, Docuseries was the 8^th most watched show on Max in its first of three episodes (and the second episode reached #3) . It is the tragic story of Amy Carlson and an alternative spirituality group with an eclectic mix of beliefs and practices with some questionable elements that have raised eyebrows. The theology of Love Has Won has been described as fluid, combining New Age spirituality, conspiracy theories, and elements from mainstream Abrahamic religions.

 

A striking collage entitled ‘The Galactic A-Team’ featuring modern western pop culture celebrities from film and music and the ascended master version of the Count of Saint-Germain. In reading a few articles on the subject, a few more neo-theosophical elements could be glimpsed among the Christian, millenialist, QAnon and New Age elements. Among this rather baroque appearance, I happened to recognize a few discernible elements, and so I thought it would be feasible to attempt a brief analysis as it could give some insight into how theosophical influences figure in contemporary new religious movements.

Since much of the Galactic A-Team has to do with recently deceased pop culture celebrities, it would seem useful to touch upon the question of spiritualism in new religious movements. I don’t know if there is much awareness of how big a movement spiritualism was in the late 19^th century. The striking phenomena that was occurring was attracting considerable attention, including from the scientific field, there were millions of followers, with various magazines, and mediums giving séances and demonstrations. Theosophical Society founder Henry Olcott had a strong interest in the movement, and was interested in the scientific investigation of the phenomena. His first book, People from the Other World, details his reports on this and recounts his first encounter with H. P. Blavatsky.  A.P. Sinnett  also had a strong interest in studying these phenomena. Although much dismissed today, the accounts of deceased people physically manifesting in front of people garnered a lot of attention, similar to the phenomena of UFOs and crop circles today, perhaps.

 

As well as communication from the deceased, there were also mediumnistic communications from spiritual beings produced via automatic writing, known today as channelling. Theosophist T. Subba Row gave a critique of one such text, from William Oxley, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita from an entity named Busiris, whose interpretations Row was not much impressed with. 

Theosophy and Spiritualism

 

Blavatsky and Olcott began early on writing to spiritualist magazines and eventually began to introduce elements of esoteric philosophy and occultism, which contradicted the spiritualist beliefs. Eventually Blavatsky would introduce theosophical views on reincarnation which explained that communications with departed souls are really with discarded astral bodies of the deceased and not the spiritual essence of the person, which could generally not be contacted. Moreover she considered that attempts to contact the deceased was undesirable and that séances were harmful and problematic. 

 

Moreover, she maintained that various mischievous entities from the astral plane were wont to impersonate famous historical figures, and thus most communications from such beings were false and unreliable. See, for example,Theosophy and Spiritism, 1883. Additionally, early theosophists also pointed out the dangers and pitfalls of psychic practices related to the astral plane. See for example,  Astral Intoxication - William Q. Judge 1887, and a Judge letter concerning the Oahspe writings, November 28, 1890.

 

Also, it is be noted that Blavatsky never claimed to engage in such practices^[a]  and gave comparatively few explanations as to the nature of her own methods of communications with adepts and mahatmas, but explained that the occult training required to do so, makes it differ considerably from spiritualism. Occult communication with living adepts, who are human beings, is a difference process than communication with beings of an astral or spiritual nature. 

 

However, many people in the mainstream, especially those who reject the possibility of living spiritual adepts, don’t care to make the distinctions that Blavatsky proposed and tend to conflate her with spiritualism and call her a medium, taking special pleasure, it would seem, in retroactively attributing the more mediumnistic term of ‘ascended masters’ to her, a term which belongs to a much later time with very different people and organizations.

 

Complications

 

There are, however, some difficulties that could be pointed out in the problem of distinguishing theosophy from spiritualism. In Isis Unveiled, Blavatsky does not totally reject spiritualist practices, making a distinction between mediumship and mediatorship, where one can communicate with more spiritual beings proper. 

Moreover, there were some cases where the adepts did try to use mediumnistic methods to communicate. Four such cases can be cited, William Stainton Moses, Mabel Collins, Anna Bonus Kingsford, and Laura Holloway. Indications are given in the literature about how difficult it was to find a suitable person and how delicate the process was. Despite having produced one text each with Moses, Kingsford, and Holloway, and three texts from Collins, all four attempts ultimately failed and communication had to be broken off. There is also the intriguing case of Emma Hardinge Britten, a prominent spiritualist who was also a founding member of the Theosophical Society, whose book, Art Magic, was favorably mentioned in the Mahatma Letters.

Strangely, there might even be a kind of adept prototype for the Galactic A-Team, with the mysterious beings communicating to William Stainton Moses, who were composed of seven circles of seven spirits, said to be the souls of prominent historical spiritual and philosophical figures, who were related to functions that might be a more accurate depiction of the seven rays, so developed in neo-theosophy. Note that the seven rays doctrine was not so elaborately detailed in Blavatsky’s writing, with T. Subba Row only giving out rough indications, stating that the first two rays could not really be mentioned,  see The Occultism of Southern India.

 

First circle of seven spirits:

1-Imperator Servus Dei, chief of a band of forty-nine spirits ( 7 x 7)

2-Rector, deputy and lieutenant, control manifesting spirits

3- Doctor, the Teacher, superintendence of spirits of wisdom and knowledge

4-5- Two Guardians of the earth

6-7- Two guardians of the spheres

 

Each member of the first circle presiding over one the next six circles:

 

Circle 1- Guardians and inspiring spirits Supervision of the whole band.

Circle 2- Spirits of love. Religion, love to God; charity, love to man; gentleness, tenderness, pity, mercy, friendship, affection.

Circle 3- Intuition, perception, reflection, impression, reasoning and the like.

Circle 4- Knowledge–of men, of things, of life, whose charge is caution and comparison, of causality and eventuality, and the like.

Circle 5- Art, science, literature, culture, refinement, poetry, paintings, music, language.

Circle 6- Mirth, wit, humour, geniality and joyous conversation.

Circle 7- Physical manifestations.

Spiritualism today

Additionally, I think that it would be good to consider that Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, founded in 1875, arrived in an alternative spirituality movement that had already been quite active since about 1850, with the Spiritualism movement being the dominant current, therefore, it would be quite difficult to make a mark in an already effervescent field. Therefore, even though the early theosophical writings discourage spiritualism, many theosophists did pursue such practices. 

A little known part of theosophical history is the relationship of A.P. Sinnett with Maude Boyle-Travers, whom he used as a medium to supposedly contact the Mahatmas after communications were broken off with him, as described in The Mahatma Letters. Considering the major influence that he had on C. W. Leadbeater, one could even consider him the godfather of the new age, in which the little known figure of Maude Boyle-Travers, who later married William Scott-Elliot,  could be considered a more specific godmother of the new age.

Ultimately, I don't think that Blavatsky had much success in changing the beliefs of the spiritualists. However, considering that a program from a local annual spiritualist conference that I've seen was almost entirely comprised of activities based on esoteric practices and world spiritual traditions, one could say that the spirit world has virtually adopted the theosophical charter. Therefore, the new age movement could be better described as the result of the  spiritualist movement absorbing the theosophical world view into their practices, with the related esoteric and new thought philosophies. Personally, I think that many people find the surrounding materialistic society too stifling, and so come to depend on any kind of other-worldly experience for reassurance. Blavatsky was aware of the problem of weird spiritual beliefs.

 

In the case of the Love Has Won group, without having watched the documentary series, I would then say that it seems to be a case of advanced absorption of the theosophical current by spiritualistic practices. One pertinent reason why I consider this historical excursion useful is because I noticed that in more recent works, such as Graham Nicholls' Navigating the Out of Body Experience: Radical New Techniques, which mentions related techniques of astral healing, the author surveys the literature  on astral projection, including theosophical texts, but only goes as far back as CW Leadbeater, and seems unaware of the more cautionary explanations found in the earlier literature.

Part 1 

Still have some backlog for a 3rd post, which I couldn't fit it - more mainstream ramifications of 1st Blavatsky quote, myth theory, philosophy of history, sociology- Stay tuned...

Part 3 

Blavatsky and William Stainton Moses

From The Key to Theosophy, chapter 9:

'ENQUIRER. But "M. A. Oxon" (pen-name of William Stainton Moses) is a Spiritualist?

THEOSOPHIST. Quite so, and the only true Spiritualist I know of, though we may still disagree with him on many a minor question. Apart from this, no Spiritualist comes nearer to the occult truths than he does. Like any one of us he speaks incessantly "of the surface dangers that beset the ill-equipped, feather-headed muddler with the occult, who crosses the threshold without counting the cost."  Our only disagreement rests in the question of "Spirit Identity." Otherwise, I, for one, coincide almost entirely with him, and accept the three propositions he embodied in his address of July, 1884. It is this eminent Spiritualist, rather, who disagrees with us, not we with him.'

The relationship between Theosophy and spiritualism (beside Blavatsky's distinction between mediumship and mediatorship) is complicated by the strong possibility that the adepts associated with the movement were also using similar means to communicate with certain people, such as William Stainton Moses, Mabel Collins, Anna Kingsford, and Laura Holloway. How does one distinguish between possible adept communications and the average spiritualistic fare? One way would be to examine the writings in question and ascertain if their teachings have a consistency among them. According to H. P. Blavatsky: 'The tree is known by its fruits; and as all Theosophists have to be judged by their deeds and not by what they write or say, so all Theosophical books must be accepted on their merits, and not according to any claim to authority which they may put forward.' (Key to Theosophy, ch. 14)

There was a time when Spirit Teachings by William Stainton Moses was considered to be the 'Bible' of spiritualism. In its time, it had a considerable influence on the alternative spiritual movement, but it seems to have gone out of style and been replaced by more modern teachings. His original notebooks are still the prized possession of the psychic research organization that he founded.

Here is what Henry Olcott has written regarding the identity of +Imperator and his band of loyal associates (Old Diary Leaves I, chap. 20):

http://www.theosophy.ph/onlinebooks/odl/odl120.html

“It is now clear to me that one directing Intelligence, pursuing a wide-reaching plan covering all nations and peoples, and acting through many agents besides ourselves, had in hand his development and mine, his body of psychical proofs and those given me by and through H. P. B. Who “Imperator,” its agent, was, I know not–I do not even know who H. P. B. really was—but I have always been inclined to believe that he was either S. M.’s own Higher Self or an adept; and that “Magus” and others of S. M.’s band were adepts likewise. I had my band also—though not of “spirit controls.” S. M. had an Arabian teacher, so had I; he an Italian philosopher, so had I; he had Egyptians, I had a Copt; he had a “Prudens,” “versed in Alexandrian and Indian lore,” so had I—several; he had Dr. Dee, an English mystic, I also had one—the one previously spoken of as “the Platonist;” and between his phenomena and H. P. B.’s there was a striking re-semblance.” (p.320)

“In view of all the above (i.e., the facts and arguments given in the original version of this and the preceding chapter), am I far wrong in suspecting a close connection between the Intelligence behind Stainton Moses and that behind H.P.B.?” (p. 323)

See what Mr. Sinnett’s esteemed correspondent had to say about the identity of this mysterious +Imperator and his relation to Blavatsky (from Mahatma Letters 9):

Here’s an intriguing description of Imperator’s band of indefatigable agents. Notice the conspicuous sevenfold organizational structure:

I, myself, Imperator Servus Dei, am the chief of a band of forty-nine spirits, the presiding and controlling spirit, under whose guidance and direction the others work. I am come from the seventh sphere to work out the will of the Almighty ; and, when my work is complete, I shall return to those spheres of bliss from which none return again to earth. But this will not be till the medium’s work on earth is finished, and his mission on earth exchanged for a wider one in the spheres.

Under me is my deputy and lieutenant, Rector, whose business it is to superintend in my absence, and especially to control the band of physical manifesting spirits. Associated with him is a third high spirit, who is the inspiring spirit, Doctor, the Teacher. He guides the medium’s thoughts, influences his words, directs his pen. Under his general superintendence there are the spirits of wisdom and knowledge, to be hereafter described.

Next come the guardians whose are it is to ward off and modify the baneful influences of earth, to drive away the hurtful, temper the painful, to shed around an influence. The inward yielding to evil can alone destroy their power.

Yet again, there are two guardians whose care it is to ward off the evil influences of the spheres, the allurement of the lower spirits who would draw the medium from his allotted work and divert him from his sacred mission. These four guardians are my personal attendants, and these complete the first circle of seven, the whole band being divided into seven circles of seven spirits; each circle composed of one presiding spirit with six ministers.

The first circle is composed entirely of guardians and inspiring spirits (7)–spirits whose mission is general and concerned with the supervision of the whole band.

The next circle of seven spirits is devoted to the care of love–spirits of love. Religion, love to God; charity, love to man; gentleness, tenderness, pity, mercy, friendship, affection (6); all these are in their charge. They minister to the affections, inspire feelings of gentleness and mercy; love to God, the Universal Father; love to man, the common brother; tenderness for all who grieve; pity for all who suffer; desire to benefit and help all.

Next comes a circle–one presiding, with six spirit ministers–of wisdom. Under their care is intuition, perception, reflection, impression, reasoning and the like (5). They preside over the intuitive faculties and the deductions made from observable facts. They inspire the medium with the spirit of wisdom and drive away influences fallacious and misguiding. They plant intuitive wisdom.

Next in order is a circle which presides over knowledge–of men, of things, of life, whose charge is caution and comparison, of causality and eventuality, and the like (4).  They guide the medium’s steps through the tortuous paths of earth-life, and lead him to practical knowledge, complement to the intuitive wisdom, of what is beneficial and profitable.

To these kindred groups, wisdom and knowledge–which are under the general supervision of Doctor, the inspiring Teacher–succeed: A circle who preside over art, science, literature, culture, refinement, poetry, paintings, music, language (3). They inspire the thought with that which is noble and intellectual, and lead to words of refinement and sublimity. They incline to that which is beautiful, artistic, refined and cultured; which gives the poetic touches to the character and elevates and ennobles it.

Next comes a circle of seven who have charge of mirth, wit, humour, geniality and joyous conversation (2). These give the lighter touches to the character, the sparkling, bright side, which is attractive in social intercourse, which enlivens the word spoken or written with flashes of wit, and relieves the somber dullness of daily toil. They are spirits attractive and genial, kindly and lovable.

Last of all come the spirits who have charge of the physical manifestations (1), which it is thought right at present to associate with the higher message. This circle is composed principally of spirits on their probation under the guardianship of Rector, lieutenant of the band. It is his care to teach them and to allow them, by association with the medium and his circle, to advance from a lower to a higher sphere. These are spirits who from divers causes are earthbound, and who, by the manifestations which they are permitted to work out, are purifying and elevating themselves.

So you see the band divides itself into seven groups, each with its peculiar charge. Spirits of love, of wisdom and knowledge; spirits refined and noble; spirits bright and genial, who shed a ray of that light which is not of your earth on the drudgery of existence in a lower sphere; spirits whose privilege it is to progress from an inferior grade to one higher and nobler through association with you, to whom such manifestations as they furnish are yet necessary.

In all these various circles there are spirits who are progressing, who are giving experience and enlightenment, who are living the medium’s life, and mounting upward as he mounts; learning as they teach, and soaring as they raise him to their sphere. It is a labour of love, this guardianship of ours, a labour which brings its own reward, and blesses us, even as we bestow blessings upon the medium and, through him, upon mankind. May the Almighty Father bless you.” More Spirit Teachings, pp. 4-5

Leslie Price gives some more details (See Mystery #5 Who was Imperator?):

Madame Blavatsky and the Seven Archival Mysteries - part two 

Leslie Price, 15 March 2015

http://www.theosophyforward.com/theosophy/1408-madame-blavatsky-and…

There’s actually an astral photograph of one of +Imperator’s esteemed agents with Moses, taken by the spirit photographer, Aksakov. The following explains the process of that circumstance:

(There are several such photographs available on the internet. I could have included them, but since we are now in a period of strong skepticism regarding spiritualist manifestations, and because the agents in question are not as glamorous and flamboyant as the modern 'ascended masters' portrayals, I fear that these images would be disappointing to many.)

His spirit photographed in Paris.

S. M. writes in Light of a letter received from a French gentleman concerning the spirit photography of his sister and other relatives during their sleep in America, the photo being taken by Buguet in Paris.

Mentally, the Frenchman had asked his sister for her family’s picture; and on one plate she was there with three girls, and on the other with two boys. Another time she, in answer to his request, brought her mother, who was living miles away from her. There were also messages written on a card which she holds in the photo.

As a result, S. M. arranged to have a photo of a friend taken in Paris on a Sunday morning at 11 o’clock, hoping to be there in spirit. He awoke late, heard church bells, then became unconscious till 11.47. The experiment was successful. On the second exposure there was a perfect likeness of S. M.,with eyes closed as in sleep. Also, on the plate, was an old man, a sage well-known to him as one of his band, Prudens (Plotinus).

At a subsequent seance Imperator said that the medium’s spirit had been carefully entranced, and was then transported by its guides from London to Paris, the cord which unites body and soul being extended from one city to the other. More Spirit Teachings, p. 66

Video Lecture: 

Roger Luckhurst: "Negotiating the Public and Private in The Ghost Club”

Aug 23, 2017

The Ghost Club lecture society set up in 1882 by William Stainton Moses & A. A. Watts, William Crookes members & guests Conan Doyle, W. B. Yeats, Sir Harry Johnstone, Sir William Richmond, Arthur Lillie Charles Massey, A. P. Sinnett Dr. Stanhope Speer

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QWUDgyeN7_c

 

A Spirit Explains Ectoplasm  15 August 2022

In the February 1905 issue of “The Annals of Psychical Science,” Ernest Bozzano, an Italian psychical researcher, offers an article titled “A Defence of William Stainton Moses.” http://whitecrowbooks.com/michaeltymn/entry/a_spirit_explains_ectoplasm

 

 

The Blavatsky Scrapbooks

Among her many talents, one of the least known is her keen scrapbooking skills. As Madam Blavatsky did not do things in half measures, there are 24 volumes ranging from 110 to 350 pages. Volume one even has some creative flourishes that one would associate with modern scrapbooking, such as drawings, comments, decorations, and even stickers, with many pithy comments, to be sure. Essentially covering all the considerable press coverage and essential magazine and newspaper writings of the Theosophical Society throughout her lifetime. Currently, the first three volumes have been made available online, with some indexing work in progress:

https://en.teopedia.org/lib/HPB-SB

Vol. 1 covers the period from 1874 to 1876 and has 208 pages. Articles from Daily Graphic, Banner of Light, Spiritual Scientist, London Spiritualist, Spiritualist, N. Y. Sunday Mercury, Pall Mall Gazette, New-York Daily Tribune, Sun, Liberal Christian, Tribune, World, New York Sun, Daily Graphic, Woodhall & Cloflin's Weekly, Baltimore Underwriter, Pall Mall Budget, Standart, World, Commonwealt with authors such as M. A. Oxon,  E. H.Britten, H. S.Olcott, C. C.Massey, Charles Sotheran, G. L. Ditson, Elizabeth D. N. Denton, S. Pancoast, (Lux), Hiram Corson,, A. N.  Aksakoff, and focuses on the very active spiritualism movement. 

 https://en.teopedia.org/lib/HPB-SB-1

Marina Alexandrova, “The Unveiling of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky”, in New Age in Russia, 26/02/2020

https://newageru.hypotheses.org/3350

Check out the various interesting projects teopedia has undertaken of late : 

https://en.teopedia.org/lib/Main_Page

Blavatsky & Alternative Science

Thomas Edison

From Frankenstein to feminism: how electricity powered our imaginations
Naomi Alderman - 20 Feb 2017
Surprisingly perhaps, Bulwer-Lytton’s novel was so popular in Britain at the time that the word “vril” became a synonym for any “life-giving elixir”. It’s still in the language today: Bovril is a portmanteau of “bovine vril” – that thing derived from cows that gives you life and energy. The founder of Theosophy, Madame Blavatsky, was a great fan of vril, and you can still find websites today explaining how Atlanteans mastered gravity via vril energy, capturing it in pyramids.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/20/from-frankenstein-to-feminism-how-electricty-powered-our-imaginations

Weird NJ: Thomas Edison wanted to talk to the dead
Aug. 13, 2017
For example, in 1878 Edison briefly wound up associating with an organization of mystics known as the Aryan Theosophic Society, where he discussed the role of science and technology in mysticism with their leader, Madame Elene Blavatsky. While Edison left the group (and even went on to deny ever associating with them), these experiences got him thinking about different Eastern religious ideas, particularly reincarnation.
https://www.app.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/weird-nj/2017/08/13/weird-nj-thomas-edison-talk-dead/556305001/
Edison’s ‘Spirit Box’ Tried to Determine the Nature of Life, Not Just Talk with the Dead
Matthew Hart - October 20, 2017
https://nerdist.com/thomas-edison-spirit-box-life-death-ghosts/

Materializations.
JAMES GALLANT - 4 November 2015
But facts were facts, and Richet’s list of scientists who had examined the most gifted physical mediums for trickery “not once, but twenty, a hundred, or even a thousand times” — and found none — included Alfred Russel Wallace, a colleague of Darwin’s who wrote on various aspects of evolutionary theory, and physicist-chemist Sir William Crookes.”
http://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2015/11/materializations/

Bhiku Chaman Lal's 'discovery' of Hindu America
S.K. Saksena - 03 April, 2017
Madam Blavatsky wrote: "A daughter of Kauravya, King of the Nagas in Patala ('patal lok'!) was married to Arjuna, the disciple of Krishna, whom every tradition, oral and written, shows travelling five thousand years ago to Patala. The Puranic tale is based on a historical fact. Moreover, Ulupi, as a name, has a Mexican ring in it."
http://www.merinews.com/article/bhiku-chaman-lals-discovery-of-hindu-america/15924183.shtml

Ancient Civilisations: The Theories of Atlantis and Lemuria – May 18, 2017
http://mysteriousearth.net/2017/05/18/ancient-civilizations-the-theories-of-atlantis-and-lemuria/

Blavatsky and Spiritualism

Richard Smoley article - Blavatsky and Spiritualism article in the New Dawn:

“To dismiss these ideas out of hand would, in my view, be foolish. On the other hand, to verify them would require an intense training in esoteric practices that is difficult to come by. For our purposes, though, the essential point is clear. There is a middle ground between the allegations of the skeptics – that all spiritualistic phenomena are simply fraudulent – and the beliefs of the credulous, who take everything at face value. While there have been fraudulent mediums, it would be overhasty to dismiss every spiritualistic experience as a fraud. At least some of the phenomena associated with Spiritualism seem to be the play of forces in the astral realm, that domain of thoughts and images that is as plastic as the figments of our imaginations – and indeed contains them.”
http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/madame-blavatsky-the-spirit-world

A lengthy, well-researched piece on Blavatsky by James Galant in the Fortnightly Review  focusing on supernatural and spiritualistic aspects:

“The Russian Blavatsky, in her forties at the time, had spent most of her mature life traveling the world in exploration of esoteric spiritual practices. She had supposedly studied with both an Egyptian magician and a New Orleans voodoo doctor, and when she left Paris for New York in 1873 it was at the behest of Tibetan monks in the Himalayas. The monks, alarmed by the sway of materialism both East and West, hoped to create a lay society, with chapters worldwide, for the study ancient Asian spirituality. Blavatsky was to be their agent in New York.”
http://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2016/04/madame-blavatsky/

Philadelphia spiritualist travel stop linked to Blavatsky:

https://www.amandalinettemeder.com/blog/mediumship-travel-spots-in-the-us

A nice article on the Fox sisters, the pioneers of American spiritualism:http://www.salon.com/2015/09/14/the_sisters_who_founded_spiritualism_and_punkd_america_partner/


Doukhobors like their Blavatsky (plus an excellent recipe for Doukhobor borscht soup):
"A Doukhobor source claims, “The Bible scriptures can be considered to be inspired of God, but no more so than any other written work of great dedication or inspiration, be it other great religious texts, such as the Tao Te Ching, Bhagavad-Gita, Upanishads, Koran, etc. or the inspiring writings of many great teachers and leaders such as Gibran, Thoreau, Tolstoy, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Helena Blavatsky, Helen Caldicott, Eckhart Tolle and countless others.”
http://www.cdapress.com/news/life_styles/article_9dc0d4a6-7aab-11e5-b43e-c7523d24113b.html