CONVERSATIONS ON OCCULTISM WITH HPB
IN 1875, '76, '77 and '78 my intimacy with
H.P.B. gave me many opportunities for conversing with her on what we then
called "Magic." These useful, and for me very wonderful, occasions
came about late at night, and sometimes during the day. I was then in the habit
of calling on her in the daytime whenever I could get away from my office. Many
times I stayed in her flat for the purpose of hearing as much and seeing as
much as I could. Later on, in 1884, I spent many weeks with her in the Rue
Notre Dame des Champs in Paris, sitting beside her day after day and evening
after evening; later still in 1888, being with her in London, at Holland Park,
I had a few more opportunities. Some of what she said I publish here for the
good of those who can benefit by her words. Certainly no greater practical
occultist is known to this century: from that point of view what she said will
have a certain useful weight with some.
ON
DEVACHAN
This terms was not in use at this time. The
conversation was about steps on the Path and returning here again. In answer to
a question:
"Yes, you have been here and at this
before. You were born with this tendency, and in other lives have met these
persons [supposed Adept influences], and they are here to see you for that
reason."
Later, when definite terms had come into use,
the question raised was whether or not all stayed 1500 years in Devachan.
"Well, Judge, you must know well that under
the philosophy we don't all stay there so long. It varies with the character of
each. A thoroughly material thinker will emerge sooner than one who is a
spiritual philosopher and good. Besides, recollect that all workers for the
Lodge, no matter of what degree, are helped out of Devachan if they themselves
permit it. Your own ideas which you have stated, that 1500 years had not elapsed
since you went into Devachan, is correct, and that I tell is what Master
himself tells me. So there you are."
PRECIPITATION
BY MASTERS
In reply to a question on this she said:
"If you think Master is going to be always
precipitating things, you mistake. Yes, He can do it. But most of the
precipitations are by chelas who would seem to you almost Masters. I see His
orders, and the thoughts and words He wishes used, and I precipitate them in
that form; so does __ and one or two more."
"Well, what of Their handwritings?"
"Anything you write is your handwriting,
but it is not your personal handwriting, generally used and first learned if
you assume or adopt some form. Now you know that Masters' handwritings,
peculiar and personal to Themselves, are foreign both as to sound and form
-Indian sorts, in fact. So They adopted a form in English, and in that form I
precipitate Their messages as Their direction. Why B__ almost caught me one day
and nearly made a mess of it by shocking me. The message has to be seen in the
astral light in facsimile, and through that astral matrix I precipitate
the whole of it. It's different, though, if Master sends me the paper and the
message already done. That's why I call these things 'psychological tricks.'
The sign of an objective wonder seemed to be required, although a moment's
thought will show it is not proof of anything but occult ability. Many a medium
has had precipitations before my miserable self was heard of. But blessed is
the one who wants no sign. You have seen plenty of these things. Whey do want
to ask me? Can't you use your brain and intuition? I've sampled almost the
whole possible range of wonders for you. Let them use their brains and
intuition with the known facts and the theories given."
IF WHITE
MAGICIANS ACT, WHAT THEN?
"Look here; here's a man who wants to know
why the Masters don't interpose at once and save his business. They don't seem
to remember what it means for a Master to use occult force. If you explode
gunpowder to split a rock you may knock down a house. There is a law that if a
White Magician uses his occult power and equal amount of power may be used by
the Black one. Chemists invent powders for explosives and wicked men may use
them. You force yourself into Mater's presence and you take the consequences of
the immense forces around him playing on yourself. If you are weak in character
anywhere, the Black ones will use the disturbance by directing the forces
engendered to that spot and may compass your ruin. It is so always. Pass the
boundary that hedges in the occult realm, and quick forces, new ones, dreadful
ones, must be met. Then if you are not strong you may become a wreck for that
life. This is the danger. This is one reason why Masters do not appear and do
not act directly very often, but nearly always by intermediate degrees. What do
you say,-'the dual forces in nature'? Precisely, that's just it; and
Theosophists should remember it."
DO
MASTERS PUNISH?
"Now I'm not going to tell you about this.
They are just; They embody the Law and Compassion. Do not for an instant
imagine that Masters are going to come down on you for your failures and
wrongs, if any. Karma looks out for this. Masters' ethics are the highest. From
the standpoint of your question, They do not punish. Have I not told you that,
much as detractors have cast mud at Them, never will the Masters impose
punishment. I cannot see why such a question comes up. Karma will do all the
punishing that is necessary."
ABOUT
ELEMENTALS
"It's a long time ago now that I told you
this part would not be explained. But I can tell you some things. This one that
you and Olcott used to call ___ can't see you unless I let him. Now I will
impress you upon it or him so that like a photograph he will remember so far.
But you can't make it obey you until you know how to get the force directed.
I'll send him to you and let him make a bell."
[In a few days after this the proposed sign was
given at a distance from her, and a little bell was sounded in the air when I
was talking with a person not interested in Theosophy, and when I was three
miles away from H.P.B.On next seeing her she asked if ___ had been over and
sounded the bell, mentioning the exact day and time.]
"This one has no form in particular, but is
more like a revolving mass of air. But it is, all the same, quite definite, as
you know from what he has done. There are some classes with forms of their own.
The general division into fiery, airy, earthy, and watery is pretty correct,
but it will not cover all the classes. There is not a single thing going on
about us, no matter what, the elementals are not concerned in, because they
constitute a necessary part of nature, just as important as the nerve currents
in your body. Why in storms you should see them how they move about. Don't you
remember what you told me about that lady___who saw them change and move about
at that opera? It was due to her tendencies and the general idea underlying the
opera." [It was the opera of Tristan and Isolde, by Wagner.-J] "In
that case, as Isolde is Irish, the whole ideas under it aroused a class of
elementals peculiar to that island and its traditions. That's a queer place,
Judge, that Ireland. It is packed full of a singular class of elementals; and,
by Jove! I see they even have emigrated in quite large numbers. Sometimes one
quite by accident rouses up some ancient system, say from Egypt; that is the
explanation of that singular astral noise which you said reminded you of a
sistrum being shaken; it was really objective. But, my dear fellow, do you
think I will give you a patent elemental extractor? -not yet. Bulwer Lytton
wrote very wisely, for him, on this subject."
[Riding over in Central Park, New York.]
"It is very interesting here. I see a great number of Indians, and also
their elementals, just as real as you seem to be. They do not see us; they are
all spooks. But look here, Judge, don't confound the magnetism escaping through
your skin with the gentle taps of supposed elementals who want a
cigarette."
[In W. 34th Street, New York. The first time she
spoke to me of elementals particularly, I having asked her about her
Spiritualism.-J.]
"It is nearly all done by elementals. Now I
can make them tap anywhere you like in this room. Select any place you
wish." [I pointed to a hard plaster wall-space from from objects.]
"Now ask what you like that can be answered by taps."
Q.
What is my age? Taps: the correct number.
Q. How
many in my house? Taps: right.
Q. How
many months have I been in the city? Taps: correct.
Q.
What number of minutes past the hour by my watch? Taps: right.
Q. How
many keys on my ring? Taps: correct.
H.P.B.
"Oh bosh! Let it stop. You won't get any more, for I have cut it off. Try
your best. They have no sense; they got it all out of your own head, even the
keys, for you know inside how many keys are on the ring, though you don't
remember; but any how I could see into your pocket and count the number, and
then that tapper would give the right reply. There's something better than all
that magic nonsense."
SHE
PRECIPITATES IN LONDON
In 1888 I was in London and wanted a paper, with
about four sentences written on it in purple ink, which I had left in America.
I came down to her room where B. Keightley was, and, not saying anything, sat
down opposite H.P.B. I thought: "If only she would get me back some way a
copy of that paper." She smiled at me, rose, went into her room, came out
at once, and in a moment handed me a piece of paper, passing it right in front
of Keightley. To my amazement it was a duplicate of my paper, a facsimile.
I then asked her how she got it, and she replied: "I saw it in your head
and the rest was easy. You thought it very clearly. You know it can be done;
and it was needed." This was all done in about the time it takes to read
these descriptive sentences.
William Q.
Judge
Path,
April, 1894
|