Theosophy: A Philosophy for the Aquarian Age

By Enrique Renard

Who are we, human beings? Whence did we come from? Where are we going? and, Is there any purpose behind our existence? These are legitimate questions mankind has been asking for millennia. Religions speak of mysteries, and science confesses ignorance, except for that sector of the scientific community who believes that the Universe started as a “fortuitous concurrence of atoms”. Not a very scientific conclusion, this one. There is, however, a source of information that posits some viable hypotheses that may represent reasonable answers to the aforementioned fundamental questions on human existence. Theosophy is not a religion, and much less a sect or a cult, as some have labeled it as a result of ignorance. It is an ancient school of thought revived in the 19th Century by a woman named Helena Petrovna Blavatsky mainly through her two monumental treatises: “Isis Unveiled” and “Th e Secret Doctrine”. The two works continue to be published today and sell increasingly more than when fi rst published. Th ere are no dogmas in Theosophy, but merely the delivery of esoteric information we are invited to examine, ponder over and then determine its validity. It has been said that any philosophy that has no impact on the manner in which its students will live their lives is a waste of time, a useless, dry literary exercise. The author of this book has witnessed the deep change taking place in the lives of those who have studied Theosophy, himself included, enriching and ennobling their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Enrique Renard
• Release date: Aug 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463807262

Enrique Renard

Born in Santiago, Chile , Enrique Renard resides in the USA since 1963.He is a Life Member and has been a national speaker of the Theosophical Society in America since 1977. He has also studied in a number of other esoteric schools completing more than 40 years of esoteric philosophy studies. The book you have in your hands is the product of the knowledge thus obtained.A former functionary of the United Nations Organization in New York, he is now retired from the organization and lives in Miami, where worked at the Miami Herald. He dispenses theosophical courses live both in English and Spanish. Mr. Renard is translator. His website www.estudiandoteosofia.net , as well as his YouTube Channel offer a number of courses in both languages that can be taken at any time free of charge. Mr. Renard can be contacted by email at [e-mail] for consultation regarding the information offered in his website.

Book preview

Enrique Renard

THEOSOPHY

A PHILOSOPHY FOR THE AQUARIAN AGE

Alexandria Library Publishing House

MIAMI

©Enrique Renard, 2013

All rights reserved

Book design by Pablo Brouwer

www.alexlib.com

Contents

Preface

Chapter I -The Source of These Teachings and Their Legitimacy

Chapter II -Cosmogony

Chapter III -Man, his Origin and his Bodies

Chapter IV -Proper Care and Control of the Vehicles

Chapter V -Life after Death

Chapter VI -The doctrine of reincarnation

Chapter VII -The Doctrine of Karma

Chapter VIII -Maya and the Nature of Matter

Chapter IX -The Doctrine of the Cycles

Chapter X -The Mahatma Letters

Chapter XI -The Mahatmas and the Initiations

Chapter XII -The Devic Kingdom

Chapter XIII -The Aquarian Age and the Future of Humanity

Illustrations

The Lute of the Seven Planes

Man and His Bodies

The Seven Principles in Man

Reincarnation

Evolution of the Soul

A Scheme of Evolution. Seven Incarnations of a Planetary Chain

Atlantean and Lemurian maps

Preface

The last decades have left clear evidence that Humanity is entering a new phase in its evolving process. A new state of consciousness is observed which appears to hinge on the fact that, from an astrological perspective, we are moving away from cosmic influences brought about by the sign of Pisces and into those of the sign of Aquarius. As a result, the fast and drastic changes of technology in our times have gone parallel to considerable changes in mentality as well.

There being reasons both astrological and astronomical for it, it becomes inevitable to conclude that everything that lives in our planet is continually under the powerful influences of cosmic energies emanating from a number of suns and galaxies at given moments in time because of the displacement of the planet in space. And this new period of cosmic influences we are entering at present requires a better knowledge of the universal laws behind it. It is submitted that Theosophy offers some interesting and viable ideas in this respect for those prepared for it.

We are told that the origins of Theosophy lie in a remote past encompassing thousands of years. The Secret Doctrine, a transcendental esoteric work by Helena P. Blavatsky published in London in 1888, was intended as a vehicle for the reestablishment of this ancient philosophy in modern times. But the author stated that the work, written in the 19th Century, was in fact intended for 20th Century readers ready for it. The dawn of the 21st Century now offers the possibility of turning that once occult knowledge into something global and open for everyone.

The author of this book expressed reservations when invited to write it. It seemed to me that there were enough books on Theosophy now published for more than a century, the majority quite good, and to add yet another one repeating that which has been eloquently stated in all of theosophical literature didn’t seem to make much sense.

However, after some pondering and discussions with well informed people, I realized my objections were not justified, if anything because the more books are published that can communicate theosophical ideas with precision and clarity, the better. If a reader enters a bookshop asking for a book from, say, C.W. Leadbeater, but the book is not available, he may be recommended a book by another author containing the same teachings and information. As long as the material is presented in a similar level of quality and clarity, the reader will not leave the place disappointed at not finding what he was looking for.

But, we may ask, whence comes this need to know? In the past, dozens of religions have surged forth espousing the basic ideas of the existence of God and the afterlife. From this it can be concluded that at some intuitive level perhaps, a human being suspects that he is something more than just his physical body. There are those who agree with the notion which states that religion is the opium of the people, meaning that things based on blind faith turn human beings into something easy to manipulate. In her book Basic Ideas of Occult Knowledge, Anna Kennedy Winner tells us:

We find that religion attempts to offer answers to all of our philosophical problems. But again we ask: Are those answers true? How do they know? We find many sects and religious organizations which teach different things, and usually each one claims to have the exclusively correct and true religion. Surely no reasoning mind can accept that sort of claim if reason is really brought to bear upon it. Does one type of religion offer any better proof than another? Some people do not trouble to ask for proof, but are content to accept whatever form of religion was taught to them as children, and to continue to believe in it because someone who claims to be an authority tells them its true. For them, that is enough, and they feel that the answer to life problems is known, and all they need to do is to accept the teachings given. This book is not meant for them. But some people are innately skeptical, or have been trained in logic and scientific reasoning, and such people notice inconsistencies, and demand proof, or at least some kind of evidence which fits with the theories presented. Can churches present such evidence? Upon what do they base their ideas?

Some traditional teachings and sacred books have been modified and edited numerous times and cannot therefore be found entirely reliable.

The intention behind all this is —at least to some of us— abundantly clear. Any serious investigation of the affirmations made in Western exoteric religion books considered as Sacred Scriptures will, once carefully examined, become somewhat questionable, to say the least. And that could spell the end of churches as they now stand. But, knowing full well the emotional impact religious affirmations have on average people, senseless dogmas without any value have been proclaimed and accepted by many as the truth.

As to theosophical writings, there is no claim in them for absolute truth nor any divine revelations direct or indirect; moreover, we are told that whatever esoteric information given to us through them is, at best, incomplete. We are further told it has been given to us for consideration, not for blind acceptance. Therein lays the difference. This being the case, this book contains only the opinions of the author, his understanding of the doctrines posited. Hence it should not be considered as final and definitive truth.

It should be remembered that this literature was originally written in English during the 19th Century, starting with the main works by the aforementioned Helena P. Blavatsky, (HPB, as it will be referred to in this book), Isis Unveiled (1877, New York) and The Secret Doctrine (1888, London, UK), plus the treatises by Alfred P. Sinnett, The Occult World and Esoteric Buddhism. And so were the works by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, K. Taimni, E. Norman Pearson, Clara Codd, and many other theosophical authors, published in the 20th Century, and that all of this material had to be translated into different languages. But once carefully perused, and even if we may not entirely agree with some of the ideas therein expressed, it becomes difficult to find in them any nonsensical or unscientific opinions. Not being a religion, Theosophy espouses a complete freedom for its followers to dissent from any opinions expressed on its doctrines. As a matter of fact we are invited to examine the ideas offered in the light of our own thinking. There’s wisdom in this, since it should be clear that when discussing things related to the subjective, unseen worlds, the life in them and the universal principles and Laws that rule them, expressions either oral or written, including Sanskrit or any other idiom no matter how sophisticated, could never portray with a minimum of precision the subjective aspects of life, languages having been invented to deal with the objective.

During what I may term my formative years, I entered some organizations labeled as esoteric schools, and read a considerable amount of literature which I thought might provide me with the answers I was looking for. From each of them I learned something useful. Still, I felt I wasn’t really getting some of the fundamental answers I needed. Why is man born? Why must he die? If God in fact exists, why does He hide from us? Is it really a He? And if it is true that our Maker is someone all powerful and infinitely loving, how come He does nothing to prevent the horrors and suffering of His children in this world? And what may have been His reason to create us imperfect, in the first place, if we are to believe He is a God of infinite perfection, as the Scriptures tell us, hence unable or unwilling to create something imperfect?

Facing the vicissitudes of life like everyone else, it seemed imperative for me to find answers to the myriads of questions surging forth in my mind about the woes of physical existence in a world into which I had been brought to by my parents apparently without being asked. Was there a before for us? And if so, where was it happening, and why? To then find out the reasons for my presence in this world of woe, of my personal shortcomings and limitations, of circumstances both favorable or unfavorable we are made to go through, of the pain and anguish inherent in physical life alternating together with its more pleasant, happier aspects, -seemed to me a great necessity.

Brought up a Catholic, I never felt comfortable with the answers given by Catholic priests to my inquiries about situations I thought exceedingly painful and unfair in human life. Answers such as it being the Will of God, or the mysteries of the Divine Will I found vague and even absurd. Is it the Will of God that a child should be born blind? That would be inconceivable, wouldn’t it? Especially when we teach that God is our infinitely wise and loving Father in Heaven, and the only one responsible for our existence and the conditions in which we are placed in this world. Since the Catholic Church flatly denies Reincarnation, that blind kid couldn’t have done anything to deserve such terrible fate, would he? What are we then to believe? That God is an unfair monster? Or that He forgot about the child’s optic nerve? The lack of sensible answers to such things made an atheist of me as I left school after graduation. But then, a few years later, I found Theosophy, and things started to click, to make sense. For the first time I had a clear, valid explanation on why a child is born blind. And even if the explanation remained hypothetical for me, it sounded pretty reasonable, and it provided an unexpected blessing: it took God out of the picture and placed the matter in our own hands, where it belongs.

Before examining the value of the ideas it posits, the first thing that impressed me about Theosophy was its absence of dogma, freedom of expression and interpretation being one of the main tenets of this philosophy. In Theosophy we are only asked to listen or read attentively so as to be able to understand clearly what is being said. But there’s no intention of attempting to convince us of anything, and we are advised to refrain from trying to convince anyone of anything. We are told that what we are receiving in terms of information should remain solely a working hypothesis until the moment comes when we can ascertain its value and truthfulness directly through our own personal development. Before that, it must remain just what we have been told, and we have no right to any other claim.

I thought such approach to be honest and properly humble, and felt attracted to it enough to start investigating and learning Theosophy. The book you have in your hands is the result of that effort, of that search, and I’m afraid it will suffer under the limitations of the author to have assimilated the material appropriately and in his ability to share it effectively. In this connection what I’ve done is try to place myself in the shoes of the student totally unfamiliar with these ideas, and especially if he/she comes from a religion which claims to be the only true one. Of these there are literally dozens, all of them in conflict, and some of them threatening with the horrors of eternal hell and the devil to those who refuse to join them.

The falsity of such nonsense should be clear to those willing to think. And this book is for them. It is hoped it will elicit thinking clear enough to give rational answers to questions concerning the so-called riddle of life. It is not a crutch for those who pursue nice ideas that make them feel good and keep them emotionally satisfied without them even bothering to try to ascertain their truthfulness. Theosophy is an invitation to think, and this book is presented in that spirit.

There are of course many theosophical authors who have written remarkable esoteric treaties of great value, but unfortunately the average person who reads them might get lost in a maze of ideas and terms entirely unfamiliar to him. And since the moment has come to comply with the clearly expressed wishes of the high Adept who presides over the Hierarchy of Masters Who gave us Theosophy, an effort must be made to popularize it, that is, to bring it to anyone who expresses an interest in its ideas through texts that can be understood without much effort. This book being something of an introductory nature, an effort has been made to present it in the simplest possible terms for the average reader, with a view to ensure its correct understanding.

Finally, I would like to quote Emogene S. Simmons, a noted theosophical writer, recommendation:

We live in an age in which argument sometimes takes the place of dialogue. This often leads to shout the loudest in defense of the very thing our inner voice may be most protesting, or against that which our inner knowledge is trying to reveal to us. While a vast body of literature is being added continually to the writings of the past, ultimately occult knowledge is each man’s discovery within himself. It is not something that is deliberately kept hidden from anyone; rather, it is that which cannot be revealed until the mind is ready to receive it.

And, as Khalil Gibran would have it:

Say not, I have found the truth

But rather, I have found a truth

Say not, I have found the path of the soul

But rather say, I have met the soul walking upon the path

Miami, February 2013

Chapter I

The Source of These Teachings and Their Legitimacy

In any type of teachings, and not only in that which pertains to esoteric doctrines, it becomes necessary to establish the validity of the source from whence the information proceeds. And once this is found, to try to ascertain, to every possible extent, the legitimacy and reasonableness of the ideas it posits.

Opinions come easy, whether frivolous or far-reaching. The former are quickly forgotten. But the latter, being that they touch upon human life and its development and importance, acquire a good deal of moral responsibility when expressed because they will influence others. Consequently, before expressing them one should think twice about their logic and viability. We human beings have this unfortunate tendency of trying to get others to think the way we do. This has no place in Theosophy. All we can do is place at the disposal of those who ask the hypothetical ideas we have been given, and only if we think that they may represent help or usefulness to the enquirer.

Theosophy is a very old school, we are told. In fact, we are assured that it dates back thousands of years. It is a tradition that Pythagoras himself asserted it came way before him. The term means Divine Wisdom (Theo = God, Sophia = Wisdom) coined by the great philosopher and mathematician from Samos, a Greek island by the Aegean Sea, and adopted later on by Ammonious Saccas, a great Pythagorean philosopher from the early years of Christianity. Born in Alexandria, around the year 175 of the Christian Era, Saccas displayed such virtue and wisdom he earned the appellative Theodidaktos, which in Greek means taught by God. Born from poor Christian parents, he promptly abandoned ecclesiastical dogmas which he considered divorced from the true teachings of Christ, and he is remembered as one of the founders of the Neoplatonic movement.

Neoplatonic teachings were eventually condemned by the Roman Church, its followers and teachers persecuted and killed, forcing the movement to go underground followed by very few. But, as it happens with legitimate truth,