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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Syncretist & eclectic religions & belief systems > Post-renaissance syncretist / eclectic systems > Theosophy & Anthroposophy
According to tradition, Lao Tzu wrote the eighty-one short chapters
of his Tao Te Ching around the sixth to fourth centuries B.C.E. It
became the foundational philosophical work of Taoism, significantly
inspired early masters of Zen Buddhism, and, for more than a
century, has been widely embraced in the West as an astounding work
of universal truths. Through deceptively simple imagery, Lao Tzu
gave us a guide to life, both spiritual and physical, that is no
less valid today than when it was written more than 2,500 years
ago. Claire Sit, the author of The Lord's Prayer: An Eastern
Perspective, brings us her translation of the Tao Te Ching and,
through her deep study and understanding of that text, examines
each chapter and places it in the light of Rudolf Steiner's
Anthroposophy. In the process, she shows how-although the path of
Tao and that of Anthroposophy seem quite different-they complement
each other and share many qualities and, in many ways, illumine the
hidden truths each has to offer. As in Anthroposophy, on the path
of Tao one looks within to know the world and into the world to
know one's self. Just as we can learn much about ourselves by
looking outward to the world and to others, we can also better
understand the depths of Anthroposophy by penetrating wisdom
traditions beyond our own path. Indeed, Lao Tzu and Anthroposophy
will generate much food for reflection and meditation for the
reader. According to tradition, Lao Tzu wrote the eighty-one short
chapters of his Tao Te Ching around the sixth to fourth centuries
B.C.E. It became the foundational philosophical work of Taoism,
significantly inspired early masters of Zen Buddhism, and, for more
than a century, has been widely embraced in the West as an
astounding work of universal truths. Through deceptively simple
imagery, Lao Tzu gave us a guide to life, both spiritual and
physical, that is no less valid today than when it was written more
than 2,500 years ago. Claire Sit, the author of The Lord's Prayer:
An Eastern Perspective, brings us her translation of the Tao Te
Ching and, through her deep study and understanding of that text,
examines each chapter and places it in the light of Rudolf
Steiner's Anthroposophy. In the process, she shows how-although the
path of Tao and that of Anthroposophy seem quite different-they
complement each other and share many qualities and, in many ways,
illumine the hidden truths each has to offer. As in Anthroposophy,
on the path of Tao one looks within to know the world and into the
world to know one's self. Just as we can learn much about ourselves
by looking outward to the world and to others, we can also better
understand the depths of Anthroposophy by penetrating wisdom
traditions beyond our own path. Indeed, Lao Tzu and Anthroposophy
will generate much food for reflection and meditation for the
reader.
Few words are needed in sending this little book out into the
world. It is the sixth of a series of Manuals designed to meet the
public demand for a simple exposition of Theosophical teachings.
Some have complained that our literature is at once too abstruse,
too technical, and too expensive for the ordinary reader, and it is
our hope, that the present series may succeed in supplying what is
a very real want. Theosophy is not only for the learned; it is for
all. Perhaps among those who in these little books catch their
first glimpse of its teachings, there may be a few who will be led
by them to penetrate more deeply into its philosophy, its science
and its religion, facing its abstruser problems with the students
zeal and -the neophyte's ardour. But these Manuals are not written
only for the eager student, whom no initial difficulties can daunt;
they are written for the busy men and women of the work-a-day
world, and seek to make plain some of the great truths that render
life easier to bear and death easier to face. Written by servants
of the Masters who are the Elder Brothers of our race, they can
have no other object than to serve our fellow-men.
2013 Reprint of 1906 Edition. Full facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Three
Volumes bound into one. Volume contents are: Vol. 1. Prolegomena.
-- Vol. 2. Sermons. -- Vol. 3. Excerpts and fragments This work
exemplifies all that is best in Mead's dedicated, scholarly, but
eminently readable studies of the spiritual roots of Christian
Gnosticism and, more generally, of personal religion in the
Greco-Roman world. His work encompassed much more than this; Mead
was equally at home with Sanskrit texts, Patristic literature,
Buddhist thought, and the problems of contemporary philosophy and
psychical research. He devoted his intellectual energy to the
complex interplay of Gnosticism, Hellenism, Judaism, and
Christianity. This three volume set presents his insights into the
formation of the Gnostic world-view and establishes him as an
outstanding translator of these Hermetic books, and as the first
modern scholar of Gnostic tradition.
For many a year men have been discussing arguing, enquiring about
certain great basic truths - about the existence and the Nature of
God, about His relation to man, and about the past and future of
humanity. So radically have they differed on these points, and so
bitterly have they assailed and ridiculed one another's beliefs,
that there has come to be a firmly-rooted popular opinion that with
regard to all these matters there is no certainty available -
nothing but vague speculation amid a cloud of unsound deductions
drawn from ill-established premises. And this in spite of the very
definite, though frequently incredible, assertions made on these
subjects on behalf of the various religions.
Seven answers are given to this question, of which the following by
Eub. U. (Eusebio Urban, a nom de plume of W. Q. Judge) appears as
the 6th and has special reference to the 5th immediately preceding
Mr. Judge's answer, a statement by "B.F.D." which reads: "B.F.D. --
I sometimes think that zealous Theosophists, in a creditable
anxiety to promote general charity, go a little too far in their
assertion of fraternal duty. They speak as if anything is
pardonable because done by another man, who, because a man, is a
brother. Yet it would seem that the basis of Brotherhood is equal
rights and mutual affection, and to these I have the same claim as
any other man. He is no more privileged to violate my rights than I
to violate his, and I am therefore entitled to the same protection
as is he. Hence it cannot be the fact that I am any more bound to
look leniently on unfraternal aggressions by him upon me, than I
should be upon like acts by me upon him. In other words, it is as
much my duty to restrain him from outrage upon myself, as myself
from outrage upon him. Theosophy cannot, and does not, teach that
all protective appliances are to be thrown down, and that the way
is to be freed for every attack by the greedy or the selfish. We
must be careful, in our zeal for charity, to remember that justice
is the antithesis, not to charity, but to injustice."
2013 Reprint of 1950 Third Edition. Full facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Volume
One Only. The books of Alice A. Bailey, written in cooperation with
a Tibetan teacher between 1919 and 1949, constitute a continuation
of the Ageless Wisdom--a body of esoteric teaching handed down from
ancient times in a form which is always suitable to each period.
Intended to precede and condition the coming era, the Alice A.
Bailey writings offer an unparalleled spiritual approach to such
subjects as the teaching on Shamballa and the Path of spiritual
evolution; the spiritual Hierarchy; the new discipleship and
training in meditation as a form of service; the teaching on the
seven rays and the new psychology of the soul; the teaching on
esoteric astrology; and the new world religion, which emphasizes
the common thread of truth linking all the major world faiths. Five
volumes have been written under the overall title of "A Treatise on
the Seven Rays." This sequence of books is based on the fact, the
nature and the quality of the seven basic streams of energy
pervading our solar system, our planet and all that lives and moves
within its orbit. Of the specialized subjects presented in these
books, two volumes are concerned with esoteric psychology - the
first in relation to basic energy patterns and structures; the
second particularly applied to the soul and the personality of man
and to the working out of the Plan for humanity. Psychology is
defined in Webster's Dictionary as "the science of mind," at one
time considered a branch of metaphysics. Today we are more inclined
to include all the conditioning subjective factors as psychological
in nature - mental and emotional impulses and soul contact, to
whatever degree it exists. These subjective influences constitute
the whole psychological background to a man's attitudes and
behaviour, and create the faculty of spiritual response. The
"psyche" is, after all, the human soul, the centre of
consciousness. Esoteric psychology begins with a consideration of
the human being as a soul, manifesting in the form of a
personality, consisting of mental, emotional and etheric/physical
substance, and more or less in contact and control, depending on
the stage of evolution in the personality consciousness. From the
point of view of esoteric psychology, evolution is the evolution of
consciousness, by which the imbedded fragment of the soul within
the personality progressively identifies its spiritual source and
becomes at-one with it. The seven differentiated streams of ray
energy play a significant role in this evolutionary process. A
blend of five energies in a human being determine his goals, his
problems, his available qualities and energy resources, and the
correct method by which - according to his dominant ray influence -
he may unfold his consciousness and make spiritual progress. In
this volume of Esoteric Psychology many of these distinctive ray
qualities and methods are given as quotations, or interpretations,
of "The Old Commentary" put into poetic and symbolic words. The
seven rays are shown as the Seven Creative Builders, each one
imbued with purpose and power, functioning together as a synthesis
in occult obedience to the purposes of our Solar Logos. Such a
detailed and comprehensive study of the ray energies influencing
our planetary life and all kingdoms in nature is of inestimable
value to the aspirant consciously preparing himself to become of
planetary service as he learns to serve and to unite with his
fellowmen.
This book is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS series. The creators of
this series are united by passion for literature and driven by the
intention of making all public domain books available in printed
format again - worldwide. At tredition we believe that a great book
never goes out of style. Several mostly non-profit literature
projects provide content to tredition. To support their good work,
tredition donates a portion of the proceeds from each sold copy. As
a reader of a TREDITION CLASSICS book, you support our mission to
save many of the amazing works of world literature from oblivion.
Clement of Alexandria tells us that the whole of the religious
philosophy-that is, the wisdom, discipline and multifarious arts
and sciences-of the Egyptian priesthood was contained in the Books
of Hermes, that is of Thoth. These Books, he informs us further,
were classified under forty-two heads and divided into a number of
groups according to the various septs or divisions of the priests.
In describing a certain sacred ceremonial-a procession of priests
in their various orders-Clement tells us that it was headed by a
representative of the order of Singers, who were distinguished by
appropriate symbols of music, some of which were apparently carried
in the hands and others embroidered on the robes. These Singers had
to make themselves masters of, that is, learn by heart, two of the
divisions of the Books of Hermes, namely, those which contained
collections of Hymns in Honour of the Gods or God, and Encomia or
Hymns in Praise of the Kings.
Each individual portrayed in this book may, beyond his unique
nature, be considered representative of one or several aspects of
human nature and human striving, and for the obstacles such
striving must encounter. Goethe displays the struggle for universal
moral, scientific, and artistic values throughout lifetimes,
bridging and linking whole ages. Nietzsche is perhaps the
representative of the new faculty of inspiration and the challenge
to complement it by intuition. Oscar Wilde represents the stage of
soul development at which insight into the worthlessness of vanity
and ambition dawns with the power of a purifying tempest. Kafka
represents those millions of people who are drawn toward the
threshold of the spiritual world but lack the courage to cross it.
Eckstein, the great friend of Steiner's youth, is representative of
the tendency to withhold esoteric knowledge from the majority of
human beings and to keep it as a possession of "the privileged
few," an attitude that still prevails in certain occult streams.
Rudolf Steiner worked to make esoteric truths public and showed
ways toward a radically new knowledge of the spirit and a new
mobility of thought.
To comprehend the significance of great world changes, before Time
has fully done his work, is difficult. While mighty events are
still in their formative period the future is obscure. But our
inability to outline the future cannot blind us to the unmistakable
trend of the evolutionary forces at work. One thing that is clear
is that our boasted Christian civilization is the theater in which
has been staged the most un-Christian war of recorded history and
in which human atrocity has reached a point that leaves us vaguely
groping for a rational explanation of it. Another obvious fact is
that the more than twenty nations involved have been forced into
measures and methods before unknown and which wholly transform the
recognized function and powers of governments. With these startling
facts of religious and political significance before us thoughtful
people are beginning to ask if we are not upon the threshold of a
complete breaking down of modern civilization and the birth of a
new order of things, in which direct government by the people
throughout the entire world will be coincident with the rise of a
universal religion based on the brotherhood of man. In such a time
any contribution to current literature that will help to clear the
ground of misconceptions and to bring to the attention of those
interested in such things, that set of fundamental natural truths
known as theosophy, may perhaps be helpful. Whether or not the
world is about to recast its ethical code there can at least be no
doubt that it is eagerly seeking reliable evidence that we live
after bodily death and that it will welcome a hypothesis of
immortality that is inherently reasonable and therefore satisfies
the intellect as well as the heart. Those who are dissatisfied with
the old answers to the riddle of existence and demand that Faith
and Reason shall walk hand in hand, may find in the following pages
some explanation of the puzzling things in life-an explanation that
disregards neither the intuitions of religion nor the facts of
science. Of course no pretension is made of fully covering the
ground. The book is a student's presentation of some of the phases
of theosophy as he understands them. They are presented with no
authority whatever, and are merely an attempt to discuss in simple
language some of the fundamental truths about the human being. No
claim is made to originality but it is hoped that by putting the
old truths in a somewhat different way, with new illustrations and
arguments, they may perhaps be seen from a new viewpoint. The
intention has been to present elementary theosophy simply and
clearly and in the language familiar to the ordinary newspaper
reader. All technical terms and expressions have been avoided and
the reader will not find a single foreign word in the book.
This book is a sequel to A Vision of the Aquarian Age first
published by Coventure Books in 1977. In that volume discussion of
the meaning and role of the Christ Impulse in our present age was
somewhat deliberately suppressed for fear of drawing negative
reactions in certain quarters. Many readers did however detect the
omission, which stands like an empty hole in the argument of the
book. In the present volume I have tried to set this right. My hope
however is that this in no way makes the book sectarian in its
nature. It is concerned with the holistic world-picture and its
application to current problems, for axiomatically the Oneness
Vision must touch and colour every aspect of our living. It is
concerned with the coming of the Light, the prospect of the
redemption of mankind by the forces of higher intelligence in the
living universe. This implies God ubiquitous and in action.
Furthermore it implies the Blakean conception of a spiritual sun
behind the physical sun, the focus of operation of the Elohim, the
highest beings of spiritual Light. The Lord of all these is known
in esoteric knowledge as the Christos and by other names in other
religions. But all recognize this over-lighting source which can
reach and be in personal touch with all souls of every race and
creed, just as the physical sun warms all our bodies. Thus the
concept of the Cosmic Christ is central to the holistic vision and
this has little to do with any sectarian thinking in any particular
church. It must be a vital strand of our world view, and my hope is
that it will not be taken as narrow dogma. I have also referred not
infrequently to the thinking of Rudolf Steiner, since this is the
approach which I personally found most meaningful and inspiring.
Again my hope is that even for those who are not anthroposophists,
these comments will help clarify basic issues in our dramatic time.
Steiner achieved an intensification of intuitive thinking which
enabled him to explore into the spiritual worlds in a manner
consonant with scientific method, and to give us his findings in a
great structure of clear thoughts which in no sense have a
mediumistic character. Thus in our age of breakthrough, when
spiritual knowledge is flooding from so many sources, the body of
Steiner's thinking may stand as a kind of touchstone which can
prove of deep significance to many different movements concerned
with the spiritual awakening of the New Age. Ours is an age of
dramatic and even sensational change. The great theme is that there
can be no renewal without a dying process, no death without
resurrection. Thus events in the coming two decades are likely to
be apocalyptic in nature. This implies what I have called
'Operation Redemption', a supreme hope that tribulation and
cleansing change are a prelude to a new dawn.
Being deeply interested in Dr. Steiner's work and teachings, and
desirous of sharing with my English-speaking friends the many
invaluable glimpses of Truth which are to be found therein, I
decided upon the translation of the present volume. It is due to
the kind co-operation of several friends who prefer to be anonymous
that this task has been accomplished, and I wish to express my
hearty thanks for the literary assistance rendered by them also to
thank Dr. Peipers of Munich for permission to reproduce his
excellent photograph of the author. The special value of this
volume consists, I think, in the fact that no advice is given and
no statement made which is not based on the personal experience of
the author, who is, in the truest sense, both a mystic and an
occultist. If the present volume should meet with a reception
justifying a further venture, we propose translating and issuing
during the coming year a further series of articles by Dr. Steiner
in continuation of the same subject, and a third volume will
consist of the articles now appearing in the pages of The
Theosophist, entitled "The Education of Children." Max Gysi.
THIS BOOK, the third of a trilogy, follows A Vision of the Aquarian
Age and Operation Redemption. As I worked on it, I suddenly knew
that its title must be "Exploration into God". What presumption I
thought! Who am I, who have no qualifications whatever as a
theologian, to use such a title? Yet I knew it was right and
fitting. The phrase comes from a passage in Christopher Fry's play
"A Sleep of Prisoners". Prisoners of war, locked in an empty church
at night (itself a powerful symbol) talk and banter, joke and
smoke, but one after another they are taken over and speak from
higher inspiration out of the spiritual world. Finally Meadows, the
Sergeant, touched with the higher consciousness, says this: The
human heart can go the lengths of God. Dark and cold we may be, but
this Is no winter now. The frozen misery of centuries breaks,
cracks, begins to move; The thunder is the thunder of the floes,
The thaw, the flood, the upstart Spring. Thank God our Time is now
when wrong Comes up to face us everywhere, Never leave us till we
take The longest stride of soul men ever took. Affairs are now soul
size. The enterprise Is exploration into God. Where are you making
for? It takes So many thousand years to wake But will you wake for
pity's sake? I have quoted this frequently in lectures, since it
gives a powerful expression of the age we live in and the hope of a
change in consciousness which will usher in a New Age. While
Principal of Attingham Park, I invited a distinguished theologian
and Shakespearean scholar to conduct a weekend course on the work
of Christopher Fry. I spoke of my admiration of the above passage
and to my great surprise he responded: Oh, Christopher went badly
wrong there! There can be no question of our exploring into God.
All we can do is to pray and wait for God's grace to be granted to
us. And then I saw that the emergence of the spiritual and holistic
world view in our time was calling and challenging us to go beyond
academic or traditional viewpoints and really take our own
initiative in exploring into the field of God-thought. So I offer
it, with due humility, as truth.
Metaphysics deals with the energies that underlie and drive the
world that we live in, and how these energies respond to what we
think, say, and do, which helps to create the circumstances of our
lives. There is no thought, word, or deed that the Universe does
not respond to and so it behooves us to learn more about these
energies and learn to use them consciously. In addition to
explaining the principles of Metaphysics, this book is also a "How
To" book. It suggests simple instructions and techniques that will
help you to use these underlying energies in your own life in a
very positive and uplifting way.
1921. Four lectures delivered by Besant, the Founder/President of
the Theosophical Society at its Forth-fifth Annual Convention held
at Adyar. The lecture topics include: an introductory or
foundational talk; Evolution of Our Solar System, according to
Religion, Science, and the Akashic Record; A Solar System Evolving:
Chains and Rounds, Manus and Bodhisattvas; and a summary. See other
works available by this author from Kessinger Publishing.
Partial Contents: Scenery: seven subdivisions, degrees of
materiality, characteristics of astral vision, the aura, etheric
double, records of astral light; Inhabitants: human, the adept or
chela, psychically developed person, black magician, the dead,
ordinary person after death, the shell, the suicide, victim of
sudden death, black magician after death; Nature Spirits;
Elementals formed consciously; Phenomena: churchyard ghosts;
apparitions of the dying, haunted localities, bell ringing,
fairies, communicating entities, clairvoyance, precipitation of
letters, transmutation, repercussion.
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