And the Search for the Golden Gate of Truth
 
 
Olga Attovna Fedorova
 
 
 
H.P. Blavatsky and Damodar Mavalankar,
two among the greatest theosophists of all time
 
 
 
The true Theosophical movement is not an “organization”. Although it has to use organizations just as the soul uses the body as its chariot. As the planes of the soul are not limited to one physical body, so the Theosophical movement operates on different levels of reality having its prototype on higher planes. The more clearly it reflects its prototype, the more accurately and clearly it conveys its purpose and, above all, the idea of Universal Brotherhood, which is the basis for the evolution of human consciousness until the man realizes his unity with all beings.
 
As Carlos Cardoso Aveline remarked in a 2024 correspondence, “Helena Blavatsky gave her astral blood, her magnetic fluid, to found the Theosophical movement on the physical plane. She had to act on the physical plane in order to spread the teachings. The Masters needed her on that plane. Therefore, the movement also needs organizations on the earthly plane that remain loyal to the original movement.”
 
The Theosophical movement should serve and be accessible to all interested people, and not to selected intellectuals or esotericists.
 
Blavatsky wrote in her Second Message to the North-American Theosophists:
 
“Men cannot all be Occultists, but they can all be Theosophists. Many who have never heard of the Society are Theosophists without knowing it themselves; for the essence of Theosophy is the perfect harmonizing of the divine with the human in man, the adjustment of his god-like qualities and aspirations, and their sway over the terrestrial or animal passions in him. Kindness, absence of every ill feeling or selfishness, charity, good-will to all beings, and perfect justice to others as to one’s self, are its chief features. He who teaches Theosophy preaches the gospel of good-will; and the converse of this is true also, – he who preaches the gospel of good-will, teaches Theosophy.” (H. P. Blavatsky, Five Messages, pp. 6-7)
 
Is it clear – “they can all be Theosophists”?
 
So, being a theosophist means serving all those who strive for benevolence, compassion and selflessness and “preach the gospel of good-will.”
 
When a person thinks that he is wise enough and his knowledge noticeably exceeds the average level, then his spiritual growth ends. And that’s why many get stuck in some familiar and comfortable groove.
 
As a Mahatma wrote in his first letter to A. O. Hume:
 
“… A man can only think in his worn grooves, and unless he has the courage to fill up these and make new ones for himself he must perforce travel on the old lines.” (First Letter of K.H. to A.O. Hume)
 
Masters of Wisdom often write in their Letters, “Try”. To move forward on the path of improvement, we need to do our best.
 
Perfection in the absolute sense is unattainable in an infinite universe. And if relative perfection has been achieved for our plane, then a vague feeling tells us about the existence of much greater perfection in other worlds and on other planes, which should instill in us a sense of humbleness while maintaining a sense of self-respect.
 
In this case, it is good to recall one popular Hasidic aphorism: “I am nothing, and my name is nothing.”
 
Theosophical Movement in Russia
 
According to the article by E. F. Pisareva [1] entitled “The History of the Russian Theosophical Movement”:
 
“N.K. Gernet should be considered the first pioneer of theosophy in Russia. She traveled abroad every year, attended most European theosophical congresses, met Annie Besant and, at great risk to herself, smuggled theosophical literature banned in Russia. The main warehouse of this literature was preserved in St. Petersburg, in the premises of her childhood friend Anna Alekseevna Kamenskaya, with whom they attended high school together in Geneva… I will give another example: despite the fact that our theosophical section had no financial support from the outside, and we had neither a basic fund nor subsidies, almost simultaneously with its emergence it was decided to publish its own monthly magazine ‘Bulletin of Theosophy’, which existed without interruption for 10 years in format and size (110 pages), similar to the Adyar The Theosophist.” [2]
 
There is this popular saying in Russia: “Tell me what you are reading, and I will tell you who you are.”
 
And what was read in the Russian section of the Adyar Theosophical Society at the beginning of the 20th century?
 
“Bulletin of Theosophy” for 1908: 13 publications of works by Besant, Steiner R.,  6 by Collins, 5 by Schure, 5 by Theodore Pascal,  12 articles by Kamenskaya A. A., as well as articles by Russian theosophists – a total of 81 publications.
 
“Bulletin of Theosophy” for 1914, No. 5-6, St. Petersburg – “The Structure of the Cosmos” from the lecture by Besant, “Orphic Hymns”, “Development of Occult Powers” by Leadbeater, articles by Kamenskaya and other Russian theosophists, and at the end “The Evolution of Symbolism” (from the “Secret Doctrine” by H.P. Blavatsky).
 
In Russia, from the very beginning, the theosophical movement imitated the teachings of Adyar.
 
However, Helena Blavatsky wrote in April 1890:
 
“If I want to remain faithful to the oath of my whole life and vows, I will not be able to live now in the headquarters [of Adyar in India] from which the Teachers and their spirit have actually been expelled. The presence of their portraits will not help; they are a dead letter.” [3]
 
The Vehicle of the Original Teachings
 
Just as the soul needs a body for its expression, so the original theosophical teaching needs a vehicle to convey the correct ideas set forth by the Masters of the Wisdom and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky.
 
Currently, a small example of such a vehicle is the Independent Lodge of Theosophists, whose texts are directly based on the teachings of the Masters and HPB. The ILT is independent both from the followers of William Judge and from the followers of Annie Besant.   
 
In the Internet age, there is no need to possess any buildings for conferences, meetings, rituals and tea parties. There is no need to spend money for a trip to some Theosophical centre in order, as people say in Russia, “to show oneself and have a look at others.” Meetings and discussions can be held via the Internet, and funds can be directed to the publication of books and magazines.
 
As one of the founders of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists writes: [4]
 
“The main question to ask ourselves, then, is not whether we are loyal people. Everybody is more or less loyal to something, since everyone follows his or her own affinities. Instead, the question to be asked is probably:
 
“To what, and to whom, are we truly loyal in our hearts?”
 
And also:
 
“Are we honest with ourselves, with our higher souls and the principles of universal truth and ethics?”
 
Let’s ask ourselves once again: “to whom are we truly loyal in our hearts?” To Helena P. Blavatsky and her Masters, or to those who pretend to be their followers, but do not act according to their teachings?
 
An Adept writes: “Sister Helen is a valiant, trustworthy servant. Open thy Spirit to conviction, have faith and she will lead thee to the Golden Gate of truth.” [5]
 
Will false followers, entangled in rituals, fantasies of their subconscious, lead to the “Golden Gate of truth”?
 
Wouldn’t it be better to leave aside one’s ambitions, get out of one’s old groove, stop representing oneself as “teachers, presidents, vice-presidents, etc.”, gain courage, and follow the path of insight under the guidance of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and her Masters?
 
The Independent Lodge of Theosophists
 
One such “new groove” is the Independent Lodge of Theosophists. A lodge can be a vehicle of the original theosophy.
 
A Mahatma writes:
 
 “The members of the (…) Lodge have such an opportunity as seldom comes to men. A movement calculated to benefit an English-speaking world is in their custody. If they do their whole duty, the progress of materialism, the increase of dangerous self-indulgence, and the tendency towards spiritual suicide can be checked.” [6]
 
As a mantra, I often repeat these words of the Mahatma:  
 
“Courage then, you all, who would be warriors of the one divine Verity; keep on boldly and confidently; husband your moral strength not wasting it upon trifles but keeping it against great occasions like the present one.”  [7]
 
NOTES:
 
[1] Elena Fyodorovna Pisareva (1853-1944) was a Russian philosopher, translator, Chairman of the Kaluga Theosophical Society, Vice-president of the Theosophical Society of Russia.
 
[2] The first online publication of the text was made in the magazine “Bulletin of Theosophy” No. 8 (2010) http://www.theosophy.ru/files/vestnik-8.pdf .
 
 
[4] Carlos Cardoso Aveline, in his book “The Fire and Light of Theosophical Literature”, The Aquarian Theosophist, Portugal, 256 pp., 2013, see chapter 3, pp. 26-27.
 
 
 
[7] Letter 55 in The Mahatma Letters.
 
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The above article was published on the websites of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists on 24 June 2024.
 
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Russian Theosophist Olga A. Fedorova is an associate of the Independent Lodge of Theosophists, ILT. She lives in the outskirts of Moscow. Among the theosophical works translated into Russian by Olga is “Theosophy in the Qabbalah” by Grace F. Knoche, which is available online. 
 
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