The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett (Reading Group)
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 4:18 pm
I have often recommended the Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett for those interested in the occult work. The book consists of actual letters claimed to have been written by the Indo-Tibetan master adepts & actual spiritual founders of the Theosophical Society to the early theosophist A.P. Sinnett, a journalist in British India. It was an earlier consensus that these letters were actually a hoax, written by H.P. Blavatsky, but in later times this is questioned. (E.g. in the "H.P. Blavatsky and Theosophy" arctile by Michael Gomes in The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism, Cambridge University Press 2016.)
When accused of being the author of the letters, Blavatsky herself said that in the case she could have given such teaching she would herself be a high adept. I think that that is quite a good mindset to read these letters: to let them speak for themselves, whoever was the author behind. Personally, though, I believe in the masters – including master "Koot Hoomi", as he is known in these letters – as the individual beings, although the adept masters and the pupils also form a kind of a gestalt figure whose individualities also merge both in mystic and technical senses in many different ways during the occult training, practice, and development.
We will start going through the letters, observing points which seem interesting or notable in the light of the philosophy of the Star of Azazel. This is partly a project by which this interesting but often disregarded classic is hopefully brought to light both for the brotherhood members and to the interested outsiders, and partly about bringing life to this quite sleepy English forum. I also hope that by reading Koot Hoomi's letters some ideas that might have perhaps remained enigmatic in the brotherhood circles might become more lucid. I do not mean as much the teachings about the occult ideas themselves, but instead how the work is expected to be carried out. That latter, perhaps even more paradigmatic social level of the work is something that can usually be learnt only by example and not so much by intellectual study.
The book itself can be legally read online, here. It consists of the seven sets of letters; we shall see how long we will have the stamina to go through them.
Ends of the different sections of the letters would be ideal places to stop when or if the project is stopped before we come to the end of the book. Every participant will read the book onwards as much as he likes (in many cases one letter per week might be a good pace), presenting highlights or interesting points in this thread, quoting the text so the readers can understand the idea without reading the whole letter unless wanted. Participating members will be at least me, Obnoxion, RaktaZoci, Smaragd, and possibly Yinlong. If other readers – whether brotherhood members or outsiders – wish to contribute, you can do it either by commenting and asking questions, or asking to be included to the reading group itself. Just do not go farther in the text that that week's reader has gone (i.e. to the new letters), unless it is your own turn to do that.
So, I will start soon with the letter one (October 15th, 1880). Stay tuned; and remember, all observations are welcome.
When accused of being the author of the letters, Blavatsky herself said that in the case she could have given such teaching she would herself be a high adept. I think that that is quite a good mindset to read these letters: to let them speak for themselves, whoever was the author behind. Personally, though, I believe in the masters – including master "Koot Hoomi", as he is known in these letters – as the individual beings, although the adept masters and the pupils also form a kind of a gestalt figure whose individualities also merge both in mystic and technical senses in many different ways during the occult training, practice, and development.
We will start going through the letters, observing points which seem interesting or notable in the light of the philosophy of the Star of Azazel. This is partly a project by which this interesting but often disregarded classic is hopefully brought to light both for the brotherhood members and to the interested outsiders, and partly about bringing life to this quite sleepy English forum. I also hope that by reading Koot Hoomi's letters some ideas that might have perhaps remained enigmatic in the brotherhood circles might become more lucid. I do not mean as much the teachings about the occult ideas themselves, but instead how the work is expected to be carried out. That latter, perhaps even more paradigmatic social level of the work is something that can usually be learnt only by example and not so much by intellectual study.
The book itself can be legally read online, here. It consists of the seven sets of letters; we shall see how long we will have the stamina to go through them.
Section 1 — Occult World Series
Section 2 — Philosophical and Theoretical Teachings 1881-1883
Section 3 — Probation and Chelaship
Section 4 — The Phoenix Venture and the Condition of India
Section 5 — The London Lodge of The Theosophical Society
Section 6 — Spiritualism and Phenomena
Section 7 — Miscellaneous Letters
Ends of the different sections of the letters would be ideal places to stop when or if the project is stopped before we come to the end of the book. Every participant will read the book onwards as much as he likes (in many cases one letter per week might be a good pace), presenting highlights or interesting points in this thread, quoting the text so the readers can understand the idea without reading the whole letter unless wanted. Participating members will be at least me, Obnoxion, RaktaZoci, Smaragd, and possibly Yinlong. If other readers – whether brotherhood members or outsiders – wish to contribute, you can do it either by commenting and asking questions, or asking to be included to the reading group itself. Just do not go farther in the text that that week's reader has gone (i.e. to the new letters), unless it is your own turn to do that.
So, I will start soon with the letter one (October 15th, 1880). Stay tuned; and remember, all observations are welcome.