20.08.09
Blavatsky data
Helena Blavatsky (Western Esoteric Masters) (Paperback)
by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke
After rereading (for the third or fourth time) Madame Blavatsky’s Baboon by peter Washington (looking for issues/material to deal with here) I started looking at some other books on the subject. These books are not always trustworthy, but there is something odd about Blavatsky that neither her deluded followers or critics can pin down. It is easy to misunderestimate Blavatsky, by totally rejecting her life based on her fraudulent streak.
In fact it has nothing much to do with the content of her work, but the situational context of her bio. And, remarkably, Gurdjieff’s is a similar circumstance, an obvious attempt to steal the thunder from the Theosophists.
In any case, the occult dimension to Blavatsky, which she couldn’t grasp herself it seems, is something to reckon with.
Amos Anon said,
21.08.09 at 2:07 am
I have been following your postings for several months now. Although I see your work as intellegently composed, I am at a loss to determine exactly where you stand. For example, you seem to have mixed emotions regarding Blavatsky (as do I), but are you simply ‘thinking out loud’? That I can sympathize with, as I have the same habit. In regards to Bennett, he was excommed by THE Foundation, but that does not make him wrong. What exactly is your position on the Gurdjieff teachings? I have a number of essays on related issues, focusing on awakening (i. e., Gurdjieffs contention that “Man is asleep.”) and will be launching a blog soon. Perhaps we can initiate an dialogue.
Solar Hero said,
21.08.09 at 11:32 am
I’ve done a lot of research on H.P.B., here’s my two-cents.
The historical and geographical position of Russia meant that a lot of Asian literature made its way to her…Blavatsky’s father had all kinds of Tibetan and other Buddhist and Hindu texts in their library, and young Blavatsky devoured them, recapitulating them, not without some originality on her own part of course, in her Secret Doctrine and Isis Revealed.
After you sort-of absorb the Theosophical worldview — you must read the unabridged editions! — its not hard at all to trace Gurdjieff’s “system” from its contents. Further, Ouspensky, who may be more responsible for the “system” than G., was the President of the Theosophical Society in St. Petersburg in his Tertium Organum years.
I do believe that G. and O. were much more practical, and where they improved upon HPB was in their focus on individual practice and experience.
I highly recommend Crowley’s commentary on HPB’s The Voice of Silence.
Great blog, important work, you all rock.