The Aquarian Theosophist - teosofia.com

The Aquarian Theosophist

Volume II, No. 2 December 17, 2001

The Crucifixion of Man

“I know that I hung on a wind-rocked tree, Prometheus, the grandest “ Idea “ in
nine whole nights with a spear wounded, and to Grecian Mythology, represents the “Nous
Odin offered, — on that tree of which no one Agonistes,” the divine part of the human
knows from what root it springs.” soul, that fire-spark brought by Prome-
theus from Heaven-and breathed into man,
— Odin’s Rune-Song, Edda. which slowly but surely, through agonizing
conflicts with the lower Titanic earth na-
Like Odin, the High One, I, Man — ture, gradually raises itself from the form-
Am offered up on the tree — bound lower matter to the supersensuous
Sacrificed — and formless. The lower nature is repre-
Myself to Myself, sented by the tyrannic and arbitrary Zeus,
An Ideal to Myself that Ideal, the “Nomos” or law of the phenomenal
world of the senses (Jupiter est quodcun-
And there hang I yet, windswept in the que vides). Prometheus, the intensified,
forest of Time; aspiring Soul, baptized in fire, is the oppo-
site pole to Zeus, the kama-tending crea-
And shall hang long aeons in agony — ture of form and sensation. The wings of
Sorrow unspeakable! aspiration belong to Prometheus.

Like Prometheus This Promethean soul of man come
Chained to the rock, down from heaven can only be freed from
Sun-pierced on Kavkas, earth and Time by the destruction of Zeus
The Vulture feeds on my heart, (that is, this lower steed no longer insti-
Myself gnawing myself tutes action but becomes a voluntary steed
With sorrow unspeakable. that his spiritual twin may manifest in all
its grandeur and power.
I am Jesus the gentle and lowly
Hanging high on Calvary hill, Prometheus is the revolt of the
enlightened Soul against all ritualistic and
Pierced by the spear and the thorn, sacerdotal forms of religion. Prometheus
Pierced in the heart and the brain, seeks to establish the manifestation of
For three long days — three nights —
TABLE OF CONTENTS
three aeons In sorrow unspeakable.

And Odin gazing sun-like The Crucifixion of Man 1
O’er earth and o’er sea
Said, “it will pass”: The Story of a Star 4
and
Emmett Small 7
Prometheus shrieked to the Vulture
“Ai! Ai! Lo! I am free, Freedom’s Song 7
What art thou?
Correspondence 8
The evil Gods they shall pass
With their deeds, The Coffee Klatch 8

And with Zeus the tyrant
be hurled down the Abyss

Stricken by Fate

Master of Gods and of Men,
“Ai! Ai!”

All three are one, Dnyaneshvari — XIII 10

I myself offered a sacrifice even to myself The Global Village 11

Mystery unspeakable. The Big Blue Umbrella (Fundamentals by HPB) 14

When the World shall return Point out the Way — XIII 16

Whence it came — down the abyss,

And I shall be all in all, Key Notebook 17

And ye in me Thoughts on the Future and
Human Solidarity
Where Time and Space are not, 18

But where Love is.” A.J.C.

The Skeptical Environmentalist 23

Delegate Tasks to Others 27

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 2

Space, the ALL, the Universal, the SELF, The cross itself, to which the whole man
and to do this, Zeus must lose his throne, was attached, is a well-known phallic
become a willing steed, and ally to the emblem, representing the strongest form of
“formless” seeking a home. Simon Magus human-earth sensuality; and that is a very
had the same idea when he taught that symbol on which to crucify the man to
the higher Syzigies must be “conformed death. (Vide Editors’[HPB’s] Note I, at
through an image. Human brotherhood the end of this article.)
dominates the brooding eye of the Prome-
thean Clan. It is remarkable that in this legend
Prometheus is represented as crowned
In the Agonies of this “Nous Agonistes” with the Agnus-Castus plant (lugos), the
— the birth agonies of the race and of each leaves of which formed the Crown of the
Victors in the “Agonia” of the Olympic
individual — there is the Crucifixion, for games. Christ, in his Victorious Agony,
Prometheus loved his lower twin too much was crowned with the thorny akanthus.

to bear the incompleteness. But

Prometheus wields the weapons of eternity And did not Jesus, the Christ-the
while Zeus has only the thunderbolts of divine Man-an incarnation of the Spirit
and type of the next phase of human
sensation bliss. evolution, cry out in the bitterness of his
agony, “ Father, why hast thou forsaken
“By Myriad pangs and woes me? “ (Vide Editors' [HPB’s] Notes that follow,
Bound down, thus shall I ‘scape these bonds.”
Note 2.)
Prometheus, who desired to raise the
race, formed by himself, to a resemblance . . . . “Like Prometheus bound to a rock the
to the Gods, suffers, chained to the rock, impersonal Spirit is chained to a personality
all the sufferings of man since he cherished until the consciousness of his Herculean power
in his bosom the desire of a higher freedom awakes in him, and bursting his chain, he
and knowledge. Here, on his rock, he becomes again free.” (Magic: White and Black, Franz
represents, in his own person, the whole
human race. The Vulture who gnaws his Hartmann)
liver, which ever grows again, is an image
of that eternal uneasiness and restless “The ethereal breath of the Gods — the
desire for higher things, which so tortures Promethean fire spark is, according to the most
all mortals.” ancient myths, the principle of the higher life in
men.” (Schelling, Vol. I, p. 78)

In the account of the Crucifixion of EDITOR’S NOTES [HPB]

Jesus, he is represented as receiving five 1. This is one of the many semi-
wounds; may not these wounds have an esoteric or mystical interpretations of the
symbolical and allegorical drama, which
esoteric-symbolical meaning? Man’s has been grafted and grown upon Chris-
tendom in its dead letter sense only — the
senses by which he perceives the “dead letter that killeth.”
phenomenal world are five, and may not

these wounds on the cross ending in the

death of the person (mask of the higher
man), signify the death of all low, earthly

desires having their origin in these five

senses, and the consequent coming to life One of the seven esoteric meanings
in a purer and higher sphere now totally implied in the mystery of Crucifixion by
the mystic inventors of the system — the
inconceivable to us, all our concepts being original elaboration and adoption of which
derived from those earth senses? Nailing dates back into the night of time and the
establishment of the MYSTERIES — is
the feet takes away the power of moving discovered in the geometrical symbols
containing the history of the evolution of
towards any object of earth desire, as that man. The Hebrews, whose prophet Moses
of the hands, the organs of acquisition — was learned in the Wisdom of Egypt, and
who adopted their numerical system from
now, too, generally of greed — deprives us the Phoenicians, and later from the Gen-
tiles from whom they borrowed most of
of the power of seizing the objects of our their Kabalistic Mysticism, adapted most
acquisitiveness; the wound in the side kills ingeniously the Cosmic and anthropologi-

the heart, that is, all the desires of earth,

and wakens us to the great CHOICE:

Know, if of Amitabha, the “Boundless Age,”
thou would’st become co-worker, then must thou
shed the light acquired, like to the Bôdhisattvas
twain, upon the span of all three worlds. (V.O.S.,

Third Treatise)

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 3

cal symbols of the “ heathen “ nations to texts of the Evangel. Eli, Eli, Lama Sa-
their peculiar secret records. If Christian bachthani never meant “ My God, my
sacerdotalism has lost the key of it today, God, why hast thou forsaken me?” but
the early compilers of the Christian Mys- meant, indeed, originally, the reverse.
teries were well versed in Esoteric phi- They are the Sacramental words used at
losophy, and used it dexterously. Thus the final initiation in old Egypt, as else-
they took the word aish (one of the He- where, during the Mystery of the putting to
brew word-forms for MAN) and used it in death of Chrestos in the mortal body with
conjunction with that of Shânâh, “lunar its animal passions, and the resurrection of
year,” so mystically connected with the the Spiritual Man as an enlightened Chris-
name of Jehovah, the supposed “father“ of tos in a frame now purified (the “second
Jesus, and embosomed the mystic idea in birth” of Paul, the “twice-born” or the Ini-
an astronomical value and formula. tiates of the Brahmans, etc., etc.). These
words were addressed to the Initiate's
The original idea of “Man Crucified” “Higher Self,” the Divine Spirit in him (let
in Space belongs certainly to the ancient it be called Christ, Buddha, Chrishna, or by
Hindus, and E. Moor shows it in his, The whatever name), at the moment when the
Hindoo Pantheon, in the engraving that rays of the morning Sun poured forth on
represents Wittoba a form of Vishnu. the entranced body of the candidate and
Plato adopted it in his decussated Cross in were supposed to recall him to life, or his
Space, the X, “the second God who im- new rebirth. They were addressed to the
pressed himself on the universe in the form Spiritual Sun within, not to a Sun with-
of the cross,“ Krishna is likewise shown out, and ought to read, had they not been
“crucified.” (See Dr. J. P. Lundy's Monu- distorted for dogmatic purposes
mental Christianity, pp. 173-74, fig. 72.)
“MY GOD, MY GOD, HOW THOU DOST GLORIFY ME!”
Again it is repeated in the Old Tes-
tament in the queer injunction of crucifying This is well proven now in the
men before the Lord, the Sun, which is no work above quoted. Says the author: —
prophecy at all, but has a direct phallic
significance. Says the most suggestive ...... Of course, our versions are taken
work on the Kabalistic meanings now ex- from the original Greek manuscripts (the rea-
tant, Key to the Hebrew-Egyptian Mystery son why we have no original Hebrew manu-
in the Source of Measures: scripts concerning these occurrences being
because the enigmas in Hebrew would betray
“Thus, while the phallic or sexual themselves on comparison with the sources of
meaning of the “ Crucifixion Nails “is their derivation, the Old Testament). The
proven by the geometrical and numerical Greek manuscripts, without exception, give
reading, its mystical meaning is indicated these words as —
by the short remarks upon it, as given above
in its connection with, and bearing upon, 'Hλί 'Hλί λαµα σαβαχθανί
Prometheus. He is another victim, for he is
crucified on the Cross of Love, on the rock They are Hebrew words, rendered into
of human passions, a sacrifice to his devo- the Greek, and in Hebrew are as follows
tion to the cause of the spiritual element in
Humanity.” The Scripture of these words says, “My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” as
2. The now dogmatically accepted their proper translation. Here then are the
words, so dramatic for being uttered at the words, beyond all dispute; and beyond all
crucial hour, are of a later date than gener- question, such is the interpretation given of
ally supposed. Verse 46 in-the xxviith them by Scripture. Now the words will not
chapter of Matthew stands now distorted bear this interpretation, and it is a false render-
by the unscrupulous editors of the Greek

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 4

ing. The true meaning is just the opposite of new birth), which stream is interlaced in
the one given, and is — the shape of a cross and full of small an-
sated crosses. This is allegorical of the
My God, my God, how thou dost glorify me! awakening of the candidate (now an Ini-
tiate) when the beams of the morning sun
But even more, for while lama is why, or (Osiris) strike the crown of his head (his
how, as a verbal it connects the idea of to daz- entranced body being placed three
zle, or adverbially, it could run “how daz- days earlier on its wooden tau, so as
zlingly,” and so on. To the unwary reader to receive the rays). Then appeared the
this interpretation is enforced and made to Hierophants-Initiators and the sacramen-
answer, as it were, to the fulfillment of a tal words were pronounced, visibly, to
prophetic utterance, by a marginal reference the Sun-Osiris, addressed in reality to
to the first verse of' the twenty-second the Spirit-Sun within, enlightening the
Psalm, which reads: newly-born man. Let the reader medi-
tate on the connection of the Sun with
“My God, my God, why hast thou the Cross in both its generative and
forsaken me?” spiritually regenerative capacities from
the highest antiquity. Let him examine
The Hebrew of this verse for these words is — the tomb of Beit-Oualy, in the reign of
Ramses II, and find on it the crosses in
as to which the reference is correct, and every shape and position. Again, the
the interpretation sound and good, but with an same on the throne of that sovereign,
utterly different word. The words are — and finally on a fragment from the Hall
of the ancestors of Totmes III, preserved
Eli, Eli, lamah azabotha-ni? in the National Library of Paris, and
which represents the adoration of Bak-
No wit of man, however scholarly, can han-Alenré.
save this passage from falseness of rendering
on its face; and as so, it becomes a most terri- In this extraordinary sculpture and
ble blow upon the proper first-face sacredness painting one sees the disk of the Sun
of the recital. (Key to the Hebrew-Egyptian Mys- beaming upon an ansated cross placed
upon a cross of which those of the Cal-
tery, etc., pp. 300-301.) vary were perfect copies. The ancient
papyri mention these as the “hard
But no blow is strong enough to couches of those who were in (spiritual)
kill out the viper of blind faith, cowardly travail, the act of giving birth to them-
reverence for established beliefs and cus- selves” A quantity of such cruciform
tom, and that selfish, conceited element “couches” on which the candidate,
in civilized man which makes him prefer thrown into a dead trance at the end of
a lie that is his own to a universal truth, his supreme initiation, was placed and
the common property of all — the infe- secured, were found in the underground
rior races of the “ heathen” included. halls of the Egyptian temples after their
destruction. The worthy, ignorant Fa-
Let the reader who doubts the state- thers of the Cyril and Theophilus types
ment consult the Hebrew originals before used them freely, believing they had been
he denies. Let him turn to some most brought and concealed there by some
suggestive Egyptian bas-reliefs. One new converts. Alone Origen, and after
especially from the temple of Philae, him Clemens Alexandrinus, and other
represents a scene of initiation. Two
Gods-Hierophants, one with the head of a
hawk (the Sun), the other ibis-headed
(Mercury, Thoth, the god of Wisdom and
secret learning, the assessor of Osiris-
Sun), are standing over the body of a
candidate just initiated. They are in the
act of pouring on his head a double
stream of water (the water of life and

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 5

ex-initiates, knew better. But they pre- of those bright, brief glimpses of things
ferred to keep silent. long past. I talk of the past, and yet these
moments taught me how false our ideas
The Occultist, however, ought to ever of time are. In the Ever-living yesterday,
bear in mind the words by Ammian, that to-day, and to-morrow are words of no
if “Truth is violated by falsehood,” it meaning. I know I fell into what we call
may and is equally outraged by silence.” the past, and the things I counted as dead
[HPB] [Extract from Lucifer, Vol. II, No. 9, for ever were the things I had yet to en-
dure. Out of the old age of earth I
May, 1888, pp. 243-250] stepped into in childhood, and received
once more the primal blessing of youth,
THE STORY OF A STAR ecstasy, and beauty. But these things are
too vast and vague to speak of. The
T HE emotions that haunted me in words we use today cannot tell their
that little cathedral town would be story.
most difficult to describe. After
the hurry, rattle, and fever of the city, the Nearer to our time is the legend
rare weeks spent here were infinitely that follows.
peaceful. They were full of a quaint
sense of childhood, with sometimes a I was, I thought, one of the Magi of
deeper chord touched — the giant and old Persia, inheritor of its unforgotten
spiritual things childhood has dreams of. lore, and using some of its powers. I
The little room I slept in had opposite its tried to pierce through the great veil of
window the great gray cathedral wall; it nature, and feel the life that quickened it
was only in the evening that the sunlight within. I tried to comprehend the birth
crept round it and appeared in the room and growth of planets, and to do this I
strained through the faded green blind. It rose spiritually, and passed beyond
must have been this silvery quietness of earth's confines into that seeming void
color which in some subtle way affected which is the matrix where they germi-
me with the feeling of a continual Sab- nate. On one of these journeys I was
bath; and this was strengthened -by the struck by the phantasm, so it seemed, of
bells chiming hour after hour. The pa- a planet I had not observed before. I
thos, penitence, and hope expressed by could not then observe closer, and com-
the flying notes colored the intervals with ing again on another occasion it had dis-
faint and delicate memories. They appeared. After the lapse of many
haunted my dreams, and I heard with months I saw it once more, brilliant with
unutterable longing the dreamy chimes fiery beauty. Its motion was slow, re-
pealing from some dim and vast cathe- volving around some invisible center. I
dral of the cosmic memory, until the pondered over it, and seemed to know
peace they tolled became almost a that the invisible center was its primor-
nightmare, and I longed for utter oblivion dial spiritual state, from which it
or forgetfulness of their reverberations. emerged a little while and into which it
then withdrew. Short was its day; its
More remarkable were the strange shining faded into a glimmer, and then
lapses into other worlds and times. Al- into darkness in a few months. I learned
most as frequent as the changing of the its time and cycles; I made preparations
bells were the changes from state to state. and determined to await its coming.
I realized what is meant by the Indian
philosophy of Maya. Truly my days
were full of Mayas, and my work-a-day
city life was no more real to me than one

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 6

THE BIRTH OF A PLANET movement, a sense of joyousness, an
increase of self-consciousness: I felt full
At first silence and then an inner of gladness, youth, and the mystery of
music, and then the sounds of song the new. I felt that greater powers were
throughout the vastness of its orbit grew about to appear, those who had thrown
as many in number as there were stars. I outwards this world and erected it as a
gazed at avenues and vistas of sound, as palace in space.
they reeled to and fro. They poured from
a universal stillness quick with unheard I could not tell half the wonder of
things. They rushed forth and broke into this strange race. I could not myself
a myriad voices gay with childhood. comprehend more than a little of the
From age and the eternal they rushed mystery of their being. They recognized
forth into youth. They filled the void my presence there, and communicated
with reveling and exultation. In rebellion with me in such a way that I can only
they then returned and entered the dread- describe it by saying that they seemed to
ful Fountain. Again they came forth, and enter into my soul, breathing a fiery life;
the sounds faded into whispers; they re- yet I knew that the highest I could reach
joiced once again, and again died into to was but the outer verge of their spiri-
silence. tual nature, and to tell you but a little I
have many times to translate it; for in the
And now all around glowed a vast first unity with their thought I touched on
twilight; it filled the cradle of the planet an almost universal sphere of life, I
with colorless fire. I felt a rippling mo- peered into the ancient heart that beats
tion which impelled me away from the throughout time; and this knowledge be-
center to the circumference. At that cen- came changed in me, first into a vast and
ter a still flame began to lighten; a new nebulous symbology, and so down
change took place, and space began to through many degrees of human thought
curdle, a milky and nebulous substance into words which hold not at all the pris-
rocked to and fro. At every motion the tine and magical beauty.
pulsation of its rhythm carried it farther
and farther away from the center; it grew I stood before one of this race, and
darker, and a great purple shadow cov- I thought, “ What is the meaning and end
ered it so that I could see it no longer. I of life here?” Within me I felt the an-
was now on the outer verge, where the swering ecstasy that illuminated with
twilight still continued to encircle the vistas of dawn and rest. It seemed to say:
planet with zones of clear transparent
light. “Our spring and our summer are an
unfolding into light and form, and our
As night after night I rose up to autumn and winter are a fading into the
visit it they grew many-colored and infinite soul.”
brighter. I saw the imagination of nature
visibly at work. I wandered through I questioned in my heart, “To what
shadowy immaterial forests, a titanic end is this life poured forth and with-
vegetation built up of light and color; I drawn?”
saw it growing denser, hung with fes-
toons and trailers of fire, and spotted He came nearer and touched me;
with the light of myriad flowers such as once more I felt the thrill of being that
earth never knew. Coincident with changed itself into vision.”
the appearance of these things I felt
within myself, as if in harmonious The end is creation, and creation is
joy. The One awakens out of quiescence

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 7

as we come forth, and knows itself in us; Yet, perhaps, the time is not altogether
as we return we enter it in, gladness, wasted in considering legends like these,
knowing ourselves. After long cycles the for they reveal, though but in phantasy
world you live in will become like ours; and symbol, a greatness we are heirs to, a
it will be poured forth and withdrawn; a destiny which is ours though it be yet far
mystic breath, a mirror to glass your be- away.
ing.”
1894 A. E.
He disappeared, while I wondered
what cyclic changes would transmute our [GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSELL]
ball of mud into the subtle substance of
thought. EMMETT SMALL

In that world I dared not stay dur- Emmett has left us. He was honest
ing its period of withdrawal; having en- and brave. What more can be said?
tered a little into its life, I became subject With the “light of daring in the Heart”
to its laws; the Powers on its return even mountains step aside!
would have dissolved my being utterly. I
felt with a wild terror its clutch upon me, His legacy to us, through Point
and I withdrew from the departing glory, Loma Publications and The Eclectic
from the greatness that was my destiny Theosophist is enormous. By far the
— but not yet. most complete set of Collected Writings
for Mr. Judge is available from Point
From such dreams I would be Loma Publications.
aroused, perhaps, by a gentle knock at
my door, and my little cousin Margaret's (www.wisdomtraditions.com)
quaint face would peep in with a “Cousin
Robert, are you not coming down to sup- While perusing one day The
per?” Eclectic Theosophist I happened upon the
“unedited” version of the Master’s
Of these visions in the light of after August, 1900 letter to Annie Besant. It
thought I would speak a little. All this was an electrifying moment! Thank you
was but symbol, requiring to be thrice Emmett!
sublimed in interpretation ere its true
meaning can be grasped. I do not know Freedom’s Song
whether worlds are heralded by such glad
songs, or whether any have such a fleet- Each should find his own Gaya Tree,
ing existence, for the mind that reflects Forsaking mental luxury;
truth is deluded with strange phantasies Renouncing Illusion’s palace let him be free;
of time and place in which seconds are Free from desire, anger & delusion.
rolled out into centuries and long cycles
are reflected in an instant of time. There
is within us a little space through which
all the threads of the universe are drawn;
and, surrounding that incomprehensible
center, the mind of man sometimes
catches glimpses of things which are true
only in those glimpses; when we record
them the true has vanished, and a shad-
owy story such as this — alone remains.

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 8
Each must roll the stone from his sepulchre,
The sepulchre of desires & delusion; (Perhaps this is already happening?)
So to free the christ inside,
From nails of passion & illusion. With kind regards
Peter.
Each should pray his Krishna to Guide,
To Guide through the war of Good & Evil. ============================
Let him be directed by krishna inside,
Heeding the Gita of HIS Eternal Voice. "As you press on for justice, be sure to move with
dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of
SKP love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.

CORRESPONDENCE Always avoid violence. If you succumb to
the temptation of using violence in your struggle,
--Peter Scott-Howes sends an interesting unborn generations will be the recipients of a long
comment on the Big Bang Theory. Even a and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief
cursory study of the seven principles will legacy to the future will be an endless reign of
convince one that Peter’s comments are on meaningless chaos."
solid ground.---
[Excerpted from "The Most Durable Power", a sermon
Ref: Big Bang Theory delivered on November 6, 1956 in Montgomery, Ala.
(Reprinted in The Christian Century, June 5, 1957]
I think that the Big Bang Theory is not
tenable. "A true revolution of values will lay hands on the
world order and say of war: 'This way of
If we accept that there are seven planes, settling differences is not just.' This business of
then at the right time the next plane will burning human beings with napalm, of filling our
emerge from its pre-existing plane and nation's homes with orphans and widows, of
become visible to those who are able to injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins
perceive on that new plane. of peoples normally humane, of sending men
home from dark and bloody battlefields
Since science, at the present time, cannot physically handicapped and psychologically
deal with the concept of 7 planes of deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom,
existence, it has to find some way of justice, and love. A nation that continues year
explaining the START of the presence of after year to spend more money on military
the plane on which we BE at this present defense than on programs of social uplift is
time period. In order to do this it has approaching spiritual death.
hypothesised the 'Big Bang Theory'.
"America, the richest and most powerful
By the use of Mathematics you can prove nation in the world, can well lead the way in this
anything you want to prove and then you revolution of values. There is nothing except a
can rummage around until you find some tragic death wish to prevent us from reordering
sort of evidence that just might support our priorities so that the pursuit of peace will
your theory. take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is
nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant
I am utterly amazed that those who are status quo with bruised hands until we have
supposed to be great minds of our time fashioned it into a brotherhood."
have spent so much time, mental effort
and other people’s money in their [Excerpted from "Beyond Vietnam", an address
attempts to support and bolster up such a delivered on 4 April 1967 to the Clergy and Laymen
crazy idea. I hope that the time is not too Concerned About Vietnam at Riverside Church in New
far off when modern science and York City.]
Theosophy begin to merge.
THE COFFEE KLATCH

Coffee Maker: I wonder, Eldon,
would we ever come in contact with
the Masters, or are we doomed to
52nd hand evidence?

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 9

Eldon: I'd say that would tend to for the helpless or to preserve the
happen if we were working on the same environment.
projects in the world that they were. And
we'd likely not know that they were In the big picture, we could say
Masters. In the Mahatma Letters, it there are Gods, Monads, and Atoms. (I'm
mentions that up to the last and supreme using the theosophical terminology.)
initiation, chelas are left to their own There are the architects or law-givers, the
device and council, left to be tempted in builders or intelligent organizers of
many different ways, but never told what things, and the materials or the building
to do. That is because the intent is to blocks of things.
allow people to develop their own
initiative for good in the world. They The architects are the masterminds
don't tell people what to do because then behind things.
they'd share in responsibility for the
actions. The builders follow their plans, but
use intelligence and creativity in bringing
Student buying coffee: Perhaps their them about. The materials are the
help is mainly through our heart in con- mindless pawns, the dogmatic,
cert with one of our Higher Principles. unthinking, always obedient followers of
On those rare occasions that they point the instructions given out to them.
out to the “outer man” a line of action it’s
a suggestion or an unveiling of options. Moving up this hierarchy of
consciousness, we go from mindless,
Pensive Person stirring her coffee: instinctive, unquestioning followers of
This is an awkward position where one the status quo to people that show
has advanced knowledge and does not intelligence and are capable of
share it in order to avoid responsibility. organizing things. The first group do
(Certainly a selfish notion). what is expected of them, and need to be
told everything to do. The second group
I think that even a Master would understand the general ground rules, and
have to assume responsibility and accept are the leaders, the innovators, the people
the karmic results for the choice not to that make things happen through the
tell, so to speak. ongoing exercise of judgment and
insight.
ELDON: I'm not sure that the future is
so predetermined that one has the choice The third group are the architects,
to tell or not tell others what's in store for the lawgivers, the ultimate pioneers that
them. set the basic ground rules for our lives.
What we are capable of knowing and
The question is a matter of each doing is because of their efforts. Were it
person developing their self-initiative. not for them, we'd not have what little
One seeks to be a source of creative, mind and human nature that we do.
original, self-originated impulses for
good. Giving someone strict orders to
follow is asking them to gain further
That could be in acts of pity for the experience as pawns. Giving them
unfortunate, teaching those seeking to general guidelines and leaving them to
learn and grow, expressions of unique their own initiative is letting them
and priceless art, or even raising money develop their full humanity. And

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 10

fostering in them the ability to be thus establishing complete control over
something grand, original, and never it, they obtain supreme felicity.
seen before; it would be helping them
flower into Godhood. When the SELF is realized, distrac-
tions from all desires and purposes dis-
Person sipping tea at the back: But I appear spontaneously, just as the Ganges
thought it was an “inside” universe. picking up numerous tributaries on its
Why have “seven” principles unless all way, becomes indistinguishable from the
three — Gods, Monads, and Atoms are ocean, when it joins the ocean.
already inside us? Isn’t the difference
between Buddha and us a matter of Arjuna says to Shri Krishna: The
having certain centers awake or asleep? ways of Yoga as described by you
Our selfishness renders our “universal” appear as easy as walking is com-
centers dormant. pared to swimming. This practice of
Yoga would be easier for ordinary
_______________ people than Dhyani-Yoga and, though
difficult at the beginning, it is still
DNYANESHVARI capable of being accomplished after
some time. I wish to hear more about
XIII it.

[The Dnyaneshvari is mentioned many Shri Krishna says to Arjuna: If
times by Madame Blavatsky, always in you are prepared to hear and then to
glowing terms. The following rendition is practice, I shall give you details. I
extracted from Manu Subedar’s shall tell you what is this Yoga, how
translation. The great Sage, Dnaneshwara it should be accomplished and what
Maharaj sang this work to his people kind of people can achieve it.
when he was quite young. He did it in
their native language, Marathi, about 700 Chapter VI
years ago. It is his commentary on the
Bhagavad Gita.] Yoga and Sanyasi must not be re-
garded as different just as the same
Chapter V person has got more than one name,
the same place can be reached by two
[Continued from Vol. II, Issue #1] routes. A Yogi does the work and is
not desirous of the fruit thereof, just
[Krishna is telling Arjuna about the as the earth produces vegetation not
Yogi who has learnt to look with equa- seeking for itself the fruits. Guided
nimity on the world] by the knowledge of Self and in obe-
dience to the personal factor, the
When there is no wind in the sky, Yogi does whatever is to be done at
there is no distinction between the wind the suitable time selflessly and with-
and the sky. In this oneness nothing but out dwelling on the fruits. Such a
happiness remains. All duality disap- Yogi is a true ascetic. If a man
pears and there is not even a witness. leaves off duties, which are to be per-
The condition I am speaking of is inca- formed properly from time to time,
pable of being described, but will be rec- new things to be done by him imme-
ognized by those, who are striving to diately arise. Like a person washing
realize SELF. off one smudge of mud and putting
on another smudge, such a part
Those who have taken a dive into through his obstinacy falls into con-
the well of true happiness of SELF, find
permanent residence there. This bliss, is
secured only by those who have set
themselves free from doubt. Withdraw-
ing the mind from objects of senses and

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 11

fusion without being altogether free Most topics include: The Absolute,
from the burden, which a human be- Karma, Evolution, Reincarnation, Universal
ing has to carry. Such a misguided Truths and Eastern/Western esoteric philoso-
ascetic also has to carry the burden of phies. Meetings are free and all are welcome.
asceticism. The bliss of Yoga can
come to him, who does not go beyond Our address is: 2700 S. Tamiami Tr.
his daily obligations. To reach the Suite #14 (we're moving to Suite #11 in Octo-
highest Yoga, the ladder is the path ber), Sarasota Florida, and our phone number
of duty. Riding the horse of Vayu is: 941-312-9494.
(breath), the Yogi crosses the plain of
Dharana (concentration) and then Please feel free to call Bob Waxman
finds a narrow entrance to meditation anytime if you need any additional informa-
(Dhyana). tion.

At this stage mental desires United Lodge of Theosophists
cease. Success and non-success meet
here on terms of equality. With this Theosophy Hall
condition, memory of the past disap- 77 W. Encanto Blvd.
pears and here Samadhi (super con- Phoenix, Arizona 85003
sciousness) takes place.
Telephone (602) 301-8363
Arjuna says to Shri Krishna: I am Email: [email protected]
overwhelmed with what you are tell-
ing me. Please tell me who gives the Study Classes Sunday Evenings
Yogi this high status. 7:30 - 8:30 pm

[TO BE CONTINUED] The Key to Theosophy by H.P. Blavatsky

The Global Village All welcome No collections

Sarasota, Florida Ancient Wisdom tradition
Theosophy Group From the Writings of

Meets Weekly on: H. P. Blavatsky & W. Q. Judge

WEDNESDAYS: — 7 – 8:15 P.M. Schedule:
SUNDAYS — 11 AM – 12:30 PM Classes-- 11:a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Every other Sunday
We are a very friendly group of students
with various religious and philosophical back- September 23,2001 through June, 2002
grounds. Our goals are to discuss and under-
stand the universal truths of Theosophy. Currently studying –

On Wed. nights we are studying, The The Secret Doctrine
Ocean of Theosophy by W.Q. Judge, and on A Synthesis of Religion, Science,
Sunday mornings we're discussing Isis Un- and Philosophy –
veiled by H.P. Blavatsky and Light On The
Path by Mabel Collins. By H.P. Blavatsky.

We structure our meetings so that any-
one who is visiting for the first time will feel
comfortable and easily follow along.

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 12

Located at: THEOSOPHY
TRS Professional Suites, 11th floor
Secret Doctrine Classes
44 East 32nd Street (between Park & Madison)
Wednesday 2 to 4 pm — Antwerp
New York, N.Y.
Wednesday 7:30 to 8:45 pm — Los Angeles
Near subway and bus lines. Long Beach — Monthly S.D. class.

Contacts: First Saturday of every month (Dec. 1st,
[email protected] Jan. 5th, etc)
[email protected]
[email protected] LOTUS
CIRCLE
Phone:
SUNDAYS
David — (718) 438 — 5021 10:30 AM
Amedeo — (973) 697 - 5938
Not to do any evil, To cultivate good
All are welcome To purify one's own mind:
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
United Lodge of Theosophists -- Dhammapada 183

Robert Crosbie House 10:30 AM– WELCOME
62 Queens Gardens Keynote Readings, Songbook

London W23AH, England 10:45 – 11:15 – TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA
Tel +(44) 20 7723 0688 Text: The Dhammapada
Fax +(44) 20 7262 8639
Contact us: [email protected] Readings, Discussion, Q & A.
SUNDAYS 8.00 - 9.00 p.m.
11:15 – 11:50 - REINCARNATION & KARMA
U.L.T. Meetings are free and open to all. Texts: The Scope of Reincarnation &

SCHEDULE FOR — Reincarnation: The Phoenix Fire Mystery
Readings, Discussion, Q & A.
{Being Obtained}
12:00 – 12:15 – ASSEMBLY
Sundays 8.00 - 9.00 p.m.
INFORMAL MEETINGS FREE CLASS
All are welcome to attend the meetings: they are ALL WELCOME – START ANYTIME
held in an impersonal, friendly atmosphere.
-No fees or collections-
THEOSOPHICAL STUDY CLASS
Wednesdays 7 - 8 p.m. THEOSOPHY HALL
347 East 72 Street
raja yoga,karm a,dream s,ethics,spiritualworlds
New York, NY 10021
Monday 7:30-9:00 - Secret Doctrine Class (212) 535-2230
Wednesday 7:30-8:45 - Study Class - Basic Theosophy
e-mail: [email protected]
Friday 7:30-8:45 - Theosophy in Daily Life (October)
10:30-12:00 - Morning Discussion (October) Den TEOSOFISKA
Ursprungliga Undervisningen
Sunday 7:30-8:45 - Talks, Panel Discussions, Q & A UNITED LODGE OF THEOSO-

Theosophy Hall All Classes Free - No collec- PHISTS, Malmölogen
tions Kungsgatan 16 A, Malmö

FALL 2001

Every gun that is made, every warship launched,

every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft

from those who hunger and are not fed, those who

are cold and are not clothed. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 13

DHARMAGRUPPEN Höstterminen ons- E-post: [email protected]
dagar 18.00 - 19.00 Internet: www.teosofiskakompaniet.net

Studiegrupp i Den Hemliga Läran av HPB TEOSOFISKA RÖRELSEN (ISSN 0281-1103) är
en U.L.T.- tidskrift som behandlar den grundläg-
I höst studerar vi Den Hemliga Läran eller Dzyans gande teosofiska filosofin. Den återspeglar
Bok som den teosofiska tankar och utforskar de filosofiska grun-
derna och det terapeutiska användandet av
förmedlades av Helena Blavatsky på uppdrag av tidsåldrarnas samlade visdom. Den innehåller forn-
Mästarna från den Stora Logen. tida texter och översättningar ur den teosofiska
rörelsens arkiv. Artiklarna i tidskriften vänder sig
Vi kommer att belysa DHL från olika håll, bl.a. till deras intuition "vars visshet om Visdomens
från dagens vetenskapliga upptäckter. Mästare är levande i hjärtat". Den innehåller
också artiklar av olika nutida författare som vill
Det kommer att ges stort utrymme för frågor och dela med sig resultatet av sina individuella reflek-
samtal kring den teosofiska filosofin. tioner och erfarenheter.

Den Hemliga Läran kan betraktas som den teoso- Teosofiska Rörelsen har övergått till att bli en
fiska filosofins ryggrad. gratis Online-tidskrift och kommer att ges ut
löpande med under 2001. Samtliga äldre årgångar
Det mesta som finns i denna bok speglar kärnan i av TR kommer att publiceras på vår hemsida
teosofins esoteriska lära. framöver.

"Det finns ingen Religion högre än Sanningen" T.R. Arkivet.Gamla tidskrifter kan i den mån det
finns några kvar i lager fortfarande köpas årgångs-
Välkomna! vis för 60:-/årgång plus frakt

ULT-FÖREDRAG kl. 19.30 - 20.30 Stiftelsen Teosofiska Kompaniet TKs verksamhet
November drivs helt och hållet på ideell basis. Alla donationer
i form av gåvor, arbetsinsatser eller dylikt som
den 7 november....Vad innebär kol- stödjer vårt fortsatta arbete är därför varmt
lektiv karma? välkomna.
den 14 november....Tibet, Panchen
Lama & Blavatsky Postgiro: 444 58 09-9
den 21 november....Spinoza (stora teoso- Bankgiro: 5271-7972

fer genom tiderna) Antwerp — BELGIUM

den 28 november....Esoteriska Sam- [Will try to obtain new schedule]
tal: Teosofi & Channeling
LOGIE UNIE DES THÉOSOPHES
Välkomna!
PARIS — FRANCE
T.K.s BOKHANDEL 11 bis, rue Kepler – 75116 Paris

Teosofiska Kompaniets Bokhandel är öppen på Conferences — Panels
ONSDAGAR före och efter
föredraget 18.00-19.00 och 20.30-21.00 på Kungs- [Schedule being obtained]
gatan 16 A, II vån.
Los Angeles
Litteratur: Boklista skickas gratis. Böcker kan 245 West 33rd Street
beställas per post, telefon, Internet eller köpas di- Los Angeles, CA 90007
rekt hos:
Wednesday 1:00 p.m. — 2:15 p.m.
Teosofiska Kompaniet, Roslins väg 6, 217 55 Studying Bhagavad Gita
Malmö • tfn 040-26 22 11 • 0709-26 22 12
SEND YOUR MEETING SCHEDULE FOR
POSTING ([email protected])

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 14

THE BIG BLUE UMBRELLA “for to make something emanate from
NOTHING is an absurdity.” Not in the least.
THE FIRST, SECOND, AND 3RD FUNDAMENTAL In the first place, this “nothing,” is a noth-
ing, because it is the Absolute, and conse-
Not believing in a personal god, out- quently the WHOLE. In the next place, this
“second God” is no more an emanation
side of man who is the temple thereof ac- than the shadow that our body casts upon a
white wall is an emanation of that body.
cording to Paul and other Initiates, we be-

lieve in an impersonal and absolute Princi-

ple.1 so far beyond hu- At all events this God [or Logos] is
man conception, that 1 This belief only not the effect of a cause or an act that is
concerns those who reasoned, or of conscious and deliberate
we see nothing less think as I do. will. It is the periodical effect of an eternal
and immutable law, independent of time
than a blasphemer and Every Fellow has the and space, and of which the Logos or crea-
right to believe what tive intelligence is the shadow or the re-
presumptuous madman he likes. As we have flection.

in any one who tries to said elsewhere, the

define that great uni- Theosophical Society
versal Mystery. All is “the Republic of
Conscience.”

that has been taught us

about this eternal and unique spirit, is that,

it is not spirit, nor matter, nor substance, “But that idea is ridiculous!” We
fancy we hear the believers in a personal
nor thought, but is the container of all and anthropomorphic God declare, “Of the
two — man and his shadow — it is the
those things, the absolute container. … latter which is nothing, an optical illusion;
and the man who projects it is the intelli-
“Where, then, do you locate Nirvana, gence, although passive in this case!”
Oh great Arhat?” asked a king of a vener-
able Buddhist ascetic whom he was ques-
tioning about the Good Law.

“Nowhere, Oh great king,” was the Quite so; but that is true only upon
reply. our plane, where all is but illusion; where
everything is reversed, like things seen in a
“Nirvana, then, does not exist?” said mirror. For, since the domain of the real is
the king. for us, whose perceptions are falsified by
matter, the unreal; and, since, from the
“Nirvana is, but it does not exist,” point of view of the Absolute Reality, the
answered the ascetic. universe with all its conscious and intelli-
gent inhabitants is but a poor phantasma-
Ain-Soph, is mistranslated as “the goria, it follows that it is the shadow of
god who is not.” Esoterically it would be the Real, upon the plane of this latter,
more correct to say, “the god who does not that is endowed with intelligence and
exist but who is.” attributes; while the Absolute, from our
point of view, is deprived of all condi-
It is not from this immutable and ab- tioned qualities, by the very fact that it is
solute principle that the gods, or active the absolute.
principles of the manifested universe,
emanate. The Absolute neither having, nor But this is denied by our pessimistic
being able to have, any relation with the century, in which everything goes by
conditioned or the limited, that from steam, even human life; in which nothing
which the emanations proceed is the that is abstract, — which only is eternal, —
“God that speaks” of Basilides: that is to interests anyone except a handful of eccen-
say, the Logos, which Philo calls “the sec- trics; and in which man dies, without hav-
ond God,” and the creator of forms. “The ing lived for one moment in the presence
second God is the Wisdom of god ONE.” of his own soul, — swept away as he is by

“But is this Logos, the ‘Wisdom,’
always an emanation?” it will be asked,

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 15

the whirlwind of egoistic and mundane Nucleus of a true Brotherhood, it depends
affairs. upon them to make their Society a bridge
destined in the near future to carry the hu-
Whoever is satisfied with the dead manity of the new cycle beyond the muddy
letter, may wrap himself up in the mantle waters of the deluge of hopeless material-
of the Tanaim (the ancient initiates of Is- ism. These waters rise continuously, and
rael); in the eyes of the experienced occult- at this moment are inundating all civilized
ist he will never be anything but the wolf countries. Shall we leave the good to per-
disguised in the nightcap of Little Red Rid- ish with the bad, terrified by the clamors
ing Hood’s grandmother. But the wolf will and mocking cries of the latter, whether
not gobble up occultism as he does Little against the Theosophical Society or our-
Red Riding Hood, symbol of the profane selves? Shall we watch them perish one
outsider athirst after mysticism. It is the after the other, — this one of lassitude, that
“wolf” more likely who will perish, by one unable to obtain a ray of the sun that
falling into his own trap. shines for everyone, — without stretching
to them a plank of safety? — Never!
Our Society is the tree of Brother-
hood sprung from a seed planted in the It may be that the beautiful Utopia,
world by the angel of Charity and of Jus- the dream of the philanthropist who sees as
tice, on the day when the first Cain killed in a vision the accomplishment of the triple
the first Abel. During the long centuries of desire of the Theosophical Society, may be
the slavery of woman and the misery of the far off. Full and entire liberty of con-
poor, this seed was watered by all the bitter science allowed to all, fraternity reigning
tears shed by the weak and the oppressed. between the rich and the poor, equality
Blessed hands have replanted this seed in recognized in theory and practice between
one corner of the earth and another, and in the aristocrat and the plebeian, — are still
different climes, and at epochs far apart. so many castles in the air and for a good
“Do not to another the thing thou wouldst reason. All this must come about natu-
not he should do to thee,” said Confucius rally and voluntarily on both sides, but
to his disciples. “Love one another, and the time has not yet arrived for the lion and
love every living creature,” preached the the lamb to lie down together. The great
Lord Buddha to his Arhats. “Love one reform must take place without any social
another,” was repeated like a faithful echo shocks, without a drop of blood being
in the streets of Jerusalem. spilled; which can happen in no other way
than by the recognition and the axiomatic
Caligula, the pagan, wished that truth of Oriental Philosophy, which teaches
mankind had only one head that he might us that the great diversity of fortune, of
cut it off with a single blow. The modern social rank and of intellect, is due but to
nations have improved upon this idea, and the personal Karma of each human being.
are making ready to cut each other’s We reap only what we have sown. If the
throats. Let them continue to exterminate personality of each physical man differs
in one day in their wars more men than the from that of every other, the immortal
Caesars killed in a year; let them depopu- individuality, or immaterial being in him,
late whole countries and provinces in the emanates from the same divine essence, as
name of their paradoxical religions, and let does that of his neighbors. He who is
those who kill with the sword perish by the thoroughly impressed with the philosophic
sword themselves. What have we to do truth that every Ego begins and ends by
with all that? being the indivisible WHOLE, cannot love
his neighbor less than he does himself.
Theosophists are powerless to stop But until this becomes a religious truth, no
them. Be it so. But it is their business to such reform can take place. The egoistical
save as many of the survivors as possible.

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 16

proverb: “Charity begins at home,” or that ing Manvantara. But he doesn’t say
other one: “Everyone for himself and God anything about the Egos. Yet not
for us all,” will always impel “superior” only the chapter on Cycles, but also
and Christian races to oppose the practical statements elsewhere in the Ocean, as
realization of this beautiful pagan saying: well as in The Secret Doctrine, in-
“The poor man is the son of the rich one,” cluding the Second and Third Fun-
and still more that which tells us, “Give to damentals, go to show that after
eat first to him that is hungry, and take that every period of action there is a pe-
which remains for thyself.” riod of rest. So, after the Moon
Chain completely died, there was a
But the time is coming when this Pralaya of the same period for the
“barbarian” wisdom of the “inferior” races Monads involved, and then they be-
will be better appreciated. What we must gan again.
try to do in the meantime is to bring a little
peace into the world, in the hearts of those Question: It says, page 24: —
who suffer, by raising for them a corner of
the veil which hides the divine truth. Let When that former vast entity com-
those who are strongest show the road to posed of the Moon and six others, all
those who are weaker, and help them to united in one mass, reached its limits of
climb the steep hill of life; and let them life, it died just as any being dies.
teach these to fix their eyes on the Beacon
which shines on the horizon like a new star When a being dies, its body
of Bethlehem beyond the mysterious and goes to pieces, disintegrates entirely.
unknown sea of the Theosophical Sci- Wouldn’t the moon disintegrate and
ences, — and let the disinherited ones of go to pieces entirely?
life recover hope.
Answer: Let us regard what hap-
H.P.B. pens when a man dies, because that is an
analogical answer to this question. When
[Extracted from Le Phare de L’Inconnu, Part vii; published we die, those energies of ours which were
in Theosophical Articles & Notes, pp. 62-69] incorporated in the four lower principles
are at once thrown off into space, aren’t
POINT OUT THE WAY they? And they immediately enter into
combination, or fire up other forms of mat-
XIII ter. When a man dies, Kama, to use one of
the terms, at once flies to other forms.
Chapter III That is what happened to the Moon Chain;
those vital energies flew to cosmic dust
IV. — Rounds of Evolution and animated that. When a man dies, what
becomes of his higher principles? They go
[Continued from Vol. II, Issue #1] for a period of rest. When a man dies, his
body goes to pieces; isn’t that what will
Question: When the Moon Chain happen to the Moon? Yes, that is so, only
died, was there no period of rest be- observe: A man’s body goes to pieces; the
fore its energies began the Earth Evo- mineral portions of his body may last for
lution? ages, tens of thousands, hundreds of thou-
sands, or millions of years. Nobody knows
Answer: Let us notice the care how old the oldest bones found are; yet
with which Mr. Judge shows that they were once a component element of a
when the old Moon Chain died it living body. So the teaching is that the
threw its energies into space, and bodily elements disintegrate very rapidly,
those energies set fire, as it were, to
matter that had hitherto been in Pra-
laya, disseminated cosmic dust, fired
it up, and there was the beginning of
the physical evolution of the succeed-

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 17

except for the bones, which are related, as KEY NOTEBOOK
we know, chiefly to the mineral kingdom. II
Key Notebook
This brings us back to a previous [Key, p. xi.]
proposition: The old Moon Chain died
and her elements, except her bony struc- PREFACE.
ture, disintegrated, just as our body disin-
tegrates; but the bones are there yet after The purpose of this book is
billions of years, not merely millions. exactly expressed in its title, “THE
Now that might be a good way to vision KEY TO THEOSOPHY,” and needs but
it: there are the moon’s bones; it was few words of explanation. It is not a
once “a rag and a bone and a hank of complete or exhaustive text-book of
hair,” and all that is left are the bones. Theosophy, but only a key to unlock
the door that leads to the deeper
Question: Almost like clinkers left study. It traces the broad outlines of
from burning coals, isn’t it? the Wisdom Religion, and explains its
fundamental principles; meeting, at
Answer: Yes. Furthermore, Mr. the same time, the various objections
Judge says at the conclusion of the raised by the average Western
Epitome — and he makes some won- enquirer, and endeavoring to present
derful statements in that pamphlet, unfamiliar concepts in a form as
statements found nowhere else except simple and in language as clear as
in obscure remarks in the footnotes of possible. That it should succeed in
the S.D. — that Nature has her “slag making Theosophy intelligible without
pit,” as was just now suggested. The mental effort on the part of the
resistance to disintegration will cause reader, would be too much to expect;
that “slag pit” to cling, perhaps, but it is hoped that the obscurity still
through many solar systems. Con- left is of the thought not of the
sider the meteoric swarm called language, is due to depth not to
Leonides, whose parabolic orbit in- confusion. To the mentally lazy or
tersects ours around the middle of obtuse, Theosophy must remain a
November, and which assumes spe- riddle; for in the world mental as in
cial intensity every 33 years. No- the world spiritual each man must
body knows what it is, except that it progress by his own efforts. The
is an immensity of small particles of writer cannot do the reader's thinking
matter ranging from sizes that are for him, nor would the latter be any
invisible to us unless lighted by fric- the better off if such vicarious
tion, to masses as high as a couple of thought were possible. The need for
hundred miles in diameter, with mil- such an exposition as the present has
lions upon millions of particles. May long been felt among those interested
they not be the broken slag, the bone in the Theosophical Society and its
dust of who knows what globe, of work, and it is hoped that it will
how many Maha-Manvantaras? supply information, as free as
possible from technicalities, to many
It is a curious statement that whose attention has been awakened,
H.P.B. makes in regard to our sun, but -who, as yet, are merely puzzled
that when the end of this solar system and not convinced.
comes, our sun will burst into mil-
lions of fragments, which will wander Some care has been taken: in
for aeons through the infinitudes of disentangling some part of what is
space. true from what' is false in
Spiritualistic teachings as to the post-
mortem life, and to showing the true
nature of Spiritualistic phenomena.
Previous explanations of a similar

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 18

kind have drawn much wrath upon Theosophical system, is [Key, p. 2.]
the; writer's devoted head; the generally attributed to the third century,
Spiritualists, like too many others, yet, if Diogenes Laertius is to be credited,
preferring to believe what is pleasant its origin is much earlier, as he
rather than what is true, and attributed the system to an Egyptian
becoming very angry with anyone who priest, Pot-Amun, who lived in the early
destroys an agreeable delusion. days of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The same
Theosophy has been the target for author tells us that the name is Coptic,
every poisoned arrow of Spiritualism, and signifies one consecrated to Amun,
as though the possessors of a half the God of Wisdom. Theosophy is the
truth felt more antagonism to the equivalent of Brahm-Vidya, divine
possessors of the whole truth than knowledge.
those who had no share to boast of.
[TO BE CONTINUED]
Very hearty thanks are due
from the author to many theosophists People think that it is no crime to lie to
who have sent suggestions and children, that to lie to children is not really
questions, or have otherwise very wrong, and that it is even sometimes
contributed help during the writing of necessary. But it is clear that with children
this book. The work will be the more you should be especially careful and honest.
useful for their aid, and that will be
their reward. TOLSTOY

H. P. B. Thoughts on the Future
and Human Solidarity
[Key, p. 1.]
“And what is so rare as a day in June?”
I — JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
The Meaning of the Name.
I would like to present some
Theosophy is not a religion provocative thoughts about where we are
but rather Divine Knowledge or heading with the technological
Science. The real meaning of the term is achievements of the twentieth century and
“Divine Wisdom,” (Theosophia) or those that will follow. I have taken part in
Wisdom of the gods (theogonia), or some of them, directly and indirectly, and
genealogy of the gods. The word “theos” have wondered whether these “advances”
means a god in Greek, one of the divine have really helped the human race or are
beings, certainly not “God” in the sense just pleasant diversions of our “days in
attached in our day to the term. June.” Here are some reflections and
Therefore, it is not “Wisdom of God,” as constructive suggestions on the past and
translated by some, but Divine Wisdom future.
such as that possessed by the gods. The
term is many thousand years old. ARE WE READY FOR FUTURE TECHNOLOGY?

It comes to us from the Alexandrian At the beginning of the 21st century
philosophers, called lovers of truth, human beings have not had a good record
Philalethians, from (phil) “loving,” and on utilizing new inventions or
(aletheia) “truth.” The name Theosophy methodology wisely. Ruling governments
dates from the third century of our era, throughout history have generally used
and began with Ammonius Saccas and new devices and techniques to conquer and
his disciples, who started the Eclectic to dominate. In some cases inventions
Theosophical system. He and his have helped us become too “soft” to be
disciples were also called “Analogeticists”
because of their practice of interpreting
all sacred legends and narratives, myths
and mysteries, by a rule of principle of
analogy and correspondence: so that
events which were related as having
occurred in the external world were
regarded as expressing operations and
experiences of the human soul. They
were also denominated Neo-Platonists.
Though Theosophy, or the Eclectic

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 19

really self-reliant. Even in nominally life on earth. Our arsenal includes
democratic countries, people who do not chemical and biological weapons that can
actually understand technology or its kill on a large scale. How do we control
dangers commonly abuse it or allow it to the use of dangerous weapons? For a few
divert them from thinking clearly. Here decades after the first atomic bombs were
are a few “sacred cows.” exploded, the world’s major nations kept
the secret of manufacturing them out of the
The cell phone has become popular public domain. Now the cat is out of the
among large segments of the population bag, and directions for making weapons of
throughout the world. I dare say that much mass destruction are even available over
of its use is for unnecessary the Internet.
communication. If used sparingly as an
emergency device, cell phones serve a In a still different area, the
good purpose. However, they do increase automobile has largely replaced the horse
the chance of accidents if used while and other animals as a means of
driving. Additionally, if held close to the transportation. More people are killed in
head, cell phones bombard the brain with motor vehicle accidents today than in
radiation that can cause brain cancer. An warfare. The main source of air pollution
economic downside is the high cost for the is from auto and truck exhaust. Industrial
convenience of communicating with others pollution is under moderate control in
wherever they may be. Phone companies, “first world” countries, but even with smog
of course, will promote anything that devices the exhaust from gasoline and
increases their profit through newspaper, diesel-powered vehicles pollutes the air
mail, and television ads. heavily and contributes to global warming.
To compound the problem, the loss of
Sitting close to television sets for temperate and tropical forests, critical
long periods of time is also harmful to purifiers of the air, continues at an
health. Radiation from high-voltage alarming rate, which changes ecosystems
picture tubes is supposed to be contained and weather worldwide.
by shielding, but the shields are not 100
percent effective. Children often sit too I am not an agricultural or healthy
close to television sets, where the radiation food expert, but I know from abundant
is stronger. Besides radiation exposure, evidence that many civilizations have
too much watching is bad for vision, devastated the earth with bad agricultural
makes watchers passive, and keeps practices. Most of the topsoil in the United
children and adults from getting much States, which took centuries to create, has
needed exercise and social interaction. A been loosened and washed down streams
negative factor for children is that many and rivers in a short span of time. We add
programs they watch are not conducive to chemicals to the soil to make up for lack of
good emotional and mental health. There the natural nutrients present in fertile soil.
is simply too much sex and violence on We spray with poisonous pesticides and
programs meant for adults which children kill unwanted plants with poisonous
and teen-agers often watch. What are we herbicides. We force the soil to yield more
doing to our children’s formative minds? crops than it naturally would, lowering its
What are we doing to adult minds? Is future fertility. We plow under crops to
television really good as a child-sitting keep prices high while much of the world
tool? is starving. We use excessive amounts of
water in agriculture instead of micro-
In a different area, advances in irrigating plant roots. Need I say more! To
weaponry, especially atomic and back these contentions, please read books
thermonuclear weapons, make the most and articles on organic and no-plow
potent weapons extremely destructive. In farming and gardening to find out how to
the hands of “rogue” nations or terrorist work with instead of against Nature. It can
groups, these weapons can harm or destroy

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 20

be done and is being done successfully on are willing to use less energy and sacrifice
a small scale. comforts if it will help to conserve trees,
keep the air cleaner, preserve the
Readers can think of other examples ecosystem, and save species threatened
of the abuse of technology. We are slowly with early extinction. Such people act for
killing ourselves with modern “progress.” the sake of the action itself because it is the
May we wake up and reverse the trend right thing to do, whether or not others do
before it is too late. the same.

ENERGY CONSERVATION AND UNSELFISHNESS MATERIAL AND NONMATERIAL ACHIEVEMENTS

One of the situations we face in the A material achievement may be
near future is the rapid depletion of stored defined as one where finite results may be
energy sources such as coal, oil, and wood. recognized in a visible way. A
An increasing population has put high nonmaterial achievement is difficult to
demands on wood and fossil fuels. Our define in words, but I can illustrate it by
small attempts to conserve have only telling the story of four Hopi Indian lads
slowed down the depletion. What will we who had to pass an endurance test. I heard
do as these fuels become ever scarcer, this story many years ago and repeat it
more expensive, and insufficient to meet from memory. A young people’s group I
the needs? Why has there been so little worked with in New York actually acted it
development in promising areas of out in a little play.
sustainable energy?
It was a tradition of these Native
I ask many questions and do not Americans to train their young people in
always expect sensible answers. It is clear endurance under difficult conditions, such
that human shortsightedness has obscured as ones their people faced for centuries. At
our vision of the future. Most nations a certain age they had to undergo a test by
follow the old Roman maxim: “Eat, drink, seeing how far they could run across the
and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” If we desert and up a distant mountain. They
are no longer here on the morrow, what started at dawn carrying nothing with them
about our descendants? Are we so callous and had to be back by nightfall. Four lads
as to not care about the future for them? were to take the test one day. The chief
Are we so utterly selfish that we are gave them instructions to go as far as they
concerned only about short-lived pleasures could and bring back something to show
for ourselves? how far they had gone.

Selfishness and greed motivate too That afternoon the people awaited
many people. Selfishness is characteristic the return of the lads. The first one to
of the lower part of human nature. I come back brought the leaf of a desert
believe there is a higher nature in all plant. The chief observed that this lad had
human beings that is basically unselfish. never left the plains of the desert. The
The great people in history have acted second lad came back a few hours later and
from their higher nature for the betterment brought the leaf of another plant. The
of the human race. Parents love their chief said that he had done better but still
children in spite of endless sacrifices they had not climbed the mountain. Hours later
must make while bringing them up. Great a third lad came back with the leaf of a
leaders generally give up many comforts different plant. The chief said he had done
and peace of mind to make often- well, that he had reached the mountain and
unpopular decisions for the good of the climbed up part of the way, and that next
whole. Heroes willingly give up their life time he would attain the summit. It was
on short notice to save the lives of others. nearly dark when the last lad returned, but
I feel there is goodness in the human heart. he had nothing in his hands. The chief
then looked at him and said: “You have
A good person is considerate of all
the kingdoms of nature. Truly good people

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 21

reached the summit and seen the far us. Let us open our eyes and observe more
horizon. Your hands are empty, but the carefully. Seeing is much more than
glory of achievement is in your eyes.” physical sight. Visual images must be
dwelt upon in the mind. We can see and
There is a saying that the eyes are yet not see, as paradoxical as it may sound.
“the windows of the soul.” The chief could
see soul vision in the eyes of the fourth lad. The story of the Buddha contains a
For those who can perceive it, an inner similar lesson. His father, the King of a
light shines in the eyes of those who have country in ancient India, wanted to shelter
achieved nonmaterial (spiritual) goals. his son Gautama from suffering and
The goals need not be specific. If a disease and utterly isolated him in a palace
person’s motivation is to help others along full of pleasant things. It worked for a
the road to his/her own achievements, then while, but eventually Prince Gautama
a goal of unselfish devotion to the interests wanted to see the countryside and could
of others is clearly defined. Achievements not be refused. Reality then set in. He
of the spirit are not always obvious to witnessed pain and suffering everywhere.
those who have lived a purely material life, This new experience deeply puzzled him,
but after “spiritual” people have left the and the compassionate Gautama vowed to
scene some are recognized for their heroic help the suffering masses. What could he
deeds. do?

Let me mention a few people in Gautama left the palace and his
recent history who I think were heroes for family and spent years searching for
their deeds: Father Damien, Albert answers. He tried the ways of the holy
Schweitzer, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Martin men of his day but to no avail. Through
Luther King Jr., and Mother Theresa. intense thought and meditation the answers
Their effort to help suffering peoples and finally came to him from deep within, and
their willingness to become sacrificial he was transformed into a Buddha, which
victims speaks for itself. How many of us means “Enlightened One.” His mission
would have the courage to do the same? was to reform India’s practices of ancient
teachings, which had become corrupted by
HEROES AND ONE WORLD the dominant priestly Brahman caste.

Heroes have a vision of the The caste system was not intended to
brotherhood of man that transcends petty be so rigid, education in the scriptures so
prejudices. If a human being is poor, restricted, nor women treated like virtual
despised, or ill from some dreaded disease, slaves. Buddhism changed this for much
that person is just as worthy as anyone of Asia by introducing an enlightened kind
else. In James Russell Lowell’s renowned of democracy for free people. It was later
poem, “The Vision of Sir Launfal,” on a brought to parts of Europe by Buddhist
rare day in the June of his life a knight is missionaries. Buddhism was and is a
unexpectedly tested at the start of his peaceful religion that “made all Asia mild”
quest. He faces a pitiful leper and in the words of one author. It explains the
scornfully throws him a gold coin, which existence and causes of sorrow and how to
the leper rejects. Sir Launfal’s search for overcome it. Buddhist teachings show
the Holy Grail was not in distant lands, but how everyone may achieve enlightenment
right in front of his own castle! Likewise, by undertaking certain disciplines. No one
our tests come unannounced through the is excluded.
little things we encounter close to home.
Let me briefly mention the work of
Late in the winter of his life Sir Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., In the United
Launfal perceives his error and helps the States and Nelson Mandela in Africa.
leper, who is a holy man in disguise. We They fought for the equal treatment of
are all Sir Launfal’s on a quest of our own, black people in their countries. The
and we miss opportunities right in front of struggle for civil rights for those whose

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 22

ancestors were brought here as African Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s dog in the
slaves was a long one, but it was done with Peanuts comic strip, once said: “I love
little violence. The American Civil War humanity, it’s people I can’t stand.” This
settled the slavery issue legally but not little paradox has a deep meaning. Like
factually. Prejudiced people broke the law Sir Launfal, most of us can’t stand to look
overtly in many parts of the country. at those who are emaciated from a dreaded
disease or deformed, but Mother Theresa
In Africa the situation was even had no problem with it. She loved
worse since black people were a brutally- humanity and people. She identified with
treated segregated majority. Nelson and tried to help all suffering people. It is
Mandela handled the African situation certainly not easy to be like her, but we all
without vindictiveness and with can try. If we do not succeed, trying will
statesmanship after being unjustly at least have a leavening influence and
imprisoned for a long time. What a great pave the way for greater success in the
example these two black men set. I hope future. In elementary school we learned a
that all oppressed people will feel their then popular saying: “If at first you don’t
influence for a long time. succeed, try, try again.”

The world was isolated for centuries. What are the alternatives if we
Today it is still isolated culturally but tied continue to act without listening to the
together technologically. Our scientific wise words of Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Lao
achievements are many, but our outlook in Tse, Plato, Emerson, and other great
other ways is lacking. I feel we are far thinkers and reformers? Will we keep
behind in our philosophical and religious going on the merry road to self-destruction
understanding of life. We have stuck to and allow the human race to face
practices that may no longer work. We catastrophic failure? I do not think that this
must learn and grow, adopt new ideas and will happen because there are enough
traditions if necessary, and share our unselfish souls to counteract and overcome
personal achievements with others. the impact of their opposites. Let us not
forget that past eras have had golden ages,
THE URGENT NEED FOR HUMAN SOLIDARITY both in myth and reality, and they will
come again.
The world is at a crossroads at the
start of the 21st century. Human The evil in this world is often
relationships seem to be coming apart at disguised as something desirable or
the seams between religious strife in tempting. Remember Homer’s story of the
several countries, terrorist attacks in many allure of the sirens who tempted the crew
places, tribal conflict in Africa, and of Ulysses on his return to Greece from the
widespread racial hatred. Every generation Trojan War? Today, fanatical Muslims
has its share of conflicts, but there are temp their devotees with rewards for
times when for whatever reasons a tidal becoming martyrs and killing innocent
wave of discord builds to a crescendo. Our people and themselves in the name of
major decisions now are vitally important religion. One of those rewards mentioned
to the future of the human race on planet on a television program was that the
earth, and we had better make them martyr would be guaranteed to have 72
carefully. If major decisions are molded beautiful virgins as brides in heaven. What
from minor ones, every decision we all a distortion of religious admonitions and
make is important. practices!

Consider the disarming practice of Solidarity means that the whole
showing charitable feelings toward those human race must hang together in one big
who hate and despise us, as the Sermon on brotherhood. If aliens from outer space
the Mount urges. It is easy to have loving invaded our earth, I think all countries
feelings toward friends and family, but would unite to defend the earth. Why wait
loving humanity is not so easy. As

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 23

for such an unlikely event? The motto, words of the Indian Vedas (most ancient
“United We Stand, Divided We Fall” scriptures) puzzle him since they seem to
applies to every possible situation that may contradict his worldly pursuit of regaining
arise. the rightful kingdom of himself and his
brothers. Krishna then sets forth a sublime
PHYSICAL AND METAPHYSICAL ILLUSION philosophical dialog that gives Arjuna the
AND REALITY basis for making wise decisions. I would
heartily recommend that readers with any
Some people might regard the interest in illusion and reality read the
following thoughts as being too bold. Gita.
Should those trained in scientific
disciplines go into philosophic and Let me conclude with a thought
religious areas? I see no good reason why about the cosmos. As we look at the stars
they should not. at night from a clear mountaintop, we see
white masses of billions of stars. With
What is reality and what is illusion? I powerful telescopes we can see even more.
remember reading a charming Chinese Yet, what is visible is only a fraction of the
story by the neo-Taoist philosopher heavenly bodies in space. The number of
Chwang-Tsu, who relates a puzzling dream dark bodies far exceeds the number of
he had. He dreamed that he was a visible ones. If we look at the heavens
butterfly, and the dream was so vivid that with radio telescopes or x-ray telescopes,
when he woke up he wasn’t sure whether some of the invisible bodies may be
he was a man dreaming he was a butterfly discerned. What if we could see in realms
or a butterfly dreaming that he was a man. beyond the physical? What would our
Which was the world of reality and which visions be like? There is much evidence
the world of illusion? that such realms exist, whether we call
them spiritual or astral or something else.
We all have dreams and ideals, and Why not explore the higher layers of inner
often the two blend into one. With intense space and outer space? Why dwell
thought and concentration followed by exclusively on the lowest if we can “hitch
action, dreams often become reality. In our wagon to a star”?
that wonderful Indian scripture, The
Bhagavad-Gita [The Song of Krishna], the G.E.N.
spiritual teacher Krishna speaks: “Even
though myself unborn, of changeless The Skeptical
essence … yet in presiding over nature— Environmentalist
which is mine—I am born but through my
own maya [illusion], the mystic power of Measuring the Real State of the World
self-ideation, the eternal thought in the
eternal mind.” This passage is filled with The Skeptical Environmentalist, by Bjørn Lom-
metaphysical insight, which I leave to the borg, is published by the Cambridge University Press,
reader to figure out. We all need and can be ordered from www.Amazon.com ($19.95)
challenges. I will not spoil the joy of
discovery for anyone, but I might offer a “The Skeptical Environmentalist
clue for whatever it’s worth. challenges widely held beliefs that the
environmental situation is getting worse
Krishna, a wise teacher and reformer and worse. The author, himself a former
who lived in India about 5000 years ago, member of Greenpeace, is critical of the
speaks in this passage and throughout the way in which many environmental or-
Gita not as a person of flesh and blood but ganization make selective and misleading
as his eternal Higher Self, which is one use of the scientific evidence. Using the
with the Higher Self of all others. This best available statistical information from
metaphysical reality lifts the mind above internationally recognized research insti-
the world of illusion. Like Sir Launfal,
Krishna’s pupil Arjuna is on a quest. The

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 24

tutes, Bjørn Lomborg systematically ex- yes, not everything he said was correct,
amines a range of major environmental but — contrary to our expectations — it
problems that feature prominently in turned out that a surprisingly large
headline news across the world. His ar- amount of his points stood up to scrutiny
guments are presented in non-technical, and conflicted with what we believed
accessible language and are carefully ourselves to know. The air in the devel-
backed up by over 2,900 notes allowing oped world is becoming less, not more,
readers to check sources for themselves. polluted; people in the developing coun-
Concluding that there are more reasons tries are not starving more, but less, and
for optimism than pessimism. Bjørn so on.
Lomborg stresses the need for clear-
headed prioritization of resources to I asked myself why I was so defi-
tackle real, not imagined problems.” nitely convinced that the environmental
According to the author, the idea for this situation is bad and ever deteriorating.
book was born in a bookstore in Los An- And if I was wrong in my beliefs about
geles in February 1997, as he read an the environment, I was probably not the
interview with the American economist only one. Thus, I contacted one of the
Julian Simon, from the University of leading Danish newspapers, the center-
Maryland Simon maintains that much of left, Guardian-like Politiken, and sug-
our traditional knowledge about the envi- gested to them that I write some articles
ronment is quite simply based on precon- about our understanding of various envi-
ceptions and poor statistics. Our dooms- ronmental problems. The outcome was
day conceptions of the environment are four article, that gave rise to one of the
not correct. Simon stressed that he only biggest Danish debates, spreading to all
used official statistics, which everyone newspapers, and covering well over 400
has access to and can use to check his articles, commentaries and critiques.
claims. Later, I tried to follow up on the debate
with a book, covering a much wider area
“I [Lomborg] was provoked. I’m and attempting to address all our main
an old left-wing Greenpeace member and worries.
had for a long time been concerned about
environmental questions. At the same However, the entire debate seemed
time I teach statistics, and it should there- peculiarly incomplete. To begin with, I
fore be easy for me to check Simon’s was surprised that the only reaction from
source. Moreover, I always tell my stu- many environmental groups was the gut
dents how statistics is one of science’s reaction of complete denial. Sure, this
best ways to check whether our vener- had also been my initial response, but I
able social beliefs stand up to scrutiny or would have thought as the debate pro-
turn out to be myths. Yet, I had never gressed that refusal would give place to
really questioned my own belief in an reflection on the massive amounts of
ever deteriorating environment — and supportive data I had presented, and lead
here was Simon, telling me to put my to a genuine reevaluation of our approach
beliefs under the statistical microscope. to the environment. Surprisingly, I met
many, even amongst my close friends,
In the fall of 1997 I held a study who had only read the critical commen-
group with ten of my sharpest students, taries and drawn the simple conclusion
where we tried to examine Simon thor- that I was wrong, and that we could com-
oughly. Honestly, we expected to show fortably go on believing in the impending
that most of Simon’s talk was simple, doomsday. This suggested that dooms-
American right-wing propaganda. And

The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. II, #2 December 17, 2001 Page 25

day-visions are very thoroughly anchored Thus, this book attempts to meas-
in our thinking.” ure the real state of the world. Of course,
it is not possible to write a book (or even
“I teach statistics at the University lots and lots of books for that matter)
of Aarhus and basically my skills consist which measures the entire state of the
in knowing how to handle international world. Nor is this my intention. Instead,
statistics. Normally you associate statis- I wish to gauge the most important
tics with a boring run-through of endless characteristics of our state of the world
rows of numbers — a problem I must — the fundamentals. And these should
every term convince new students is not be assessed not on myths but on the best
necessarily true. Actually, statistics can available facts. Hence, the real state of
be thoroughly exciting exactly because it the world.
confronts our myths with data and allows
us to see the world more clearly. … And The subtitle of my book is a play
it’s actually true that statistics can be on the world’s best-known book on the
used to manipulate the truth. But used environment, The State of the World.
judiciously statistics is the best source of This has been published every year since
information about our world. 1984 by the Worldwatch Institute and its
leader Lester Brown, and it has sold
Why? Because the small part of more than a million copies. The series
the world that we see amongst our attempts to identify the world’s most
friends and acquaintances and in the me- significant challenges professionally and
dia seldom shows a balanced picture of veraciously. Unfortunately, as we shall
the whole world.” see, it is frequently unable to live up to
its objectives. In many ways, though,
“What kind of state is the world The State of the World is one of the best-
really in? Optimists proclaim the end of researched and academically most ambi-
history with the best of all possible tious environmental policy publications,
worlds at hand, whereas pessimists see a and therefore it is also an essential par-
world in decline and find doomsday lurk- ticipant in the discussion on the State of
ing around the corner. Getting the state the World.
of the world right is important because it
defines humanity’s problems and shows On a higher level this book plays to
us where our actions are most needed. our general understanding of the envi-
At the same time, it is also a scorecard ronment: the Litany of our ever deterio-
for our civilization — have we done well rating environment. This is the view of
with our abilities, and is this a world we the environment that is shaped by the
want to leave for our children? images and messages that confront us
each day on television, in the newspa-
This book is the work of a skeptical pers, in political statements and in con-
environmentalist. Environmentalist, be- versations at work and at the kitchen ta-
cause I — like most others — care for ble. This is why Time magazine can start
our Earth and care for the future health off an article in 2000, stating as entirely
and well-being of its succeeding genera- obvious how “everyone knows the planet
tions. Skeptical, because I care enough is in bad shape.
to want us not just to act on myths of
both optimists and pessimists. Instead, Even children are told the Litany,
we need to use the best available infor- here from Oxford University Press Young
mation to join others in the common goal Oxford Books: “The balance of nature is
of making a better tomorrow. delicate but essential for life. Humans