Secret Doctrine Study Group

It is written in an old book on the Occult Sciences: “Gupta Vidya (Secret Science) is an attractive sea, but stormy and full of rocks. The navigator who risks himself thereon, if he be not wise and full of experience, (1) will be swallowed up, wrecked upon one of the thousand submerged reefs. Great billows, in color like sapphires, rubies and…[Read more]

The ancient occult axiom, “Man, know thyself,” is familiar to all; but very few have apprehended the real meaning of the Delphic Oracle. We think we know our earthly pedigree when we have looked at the genealogical family-tree; science thinks it knows the physical pedigree of man and humanity, having traced his form from the protoplasm, and its…[Read more]

Studies in the Secret Doctrine:
The Law of Sacrifice

Sacrifice is a much misunderstood word. Its association with religious and ascetic notions has given it a wrong significance. In the East the conception has deteriorated till yagna or yajna for some is akin to animal-sacrifice at the altar of the gods; for others, sundry ritualistic…[Read more]

SD ii pages 411-413

This is the real CURSE from the physiological standpoint, almost the only one touched upon in the Kabalistic esotericism. Viewed from this aspect, the curse is undeniable, for it is evident. The intellectual evolution, in its progress hand-in-hand with the physical, has certainly been a curse instead of a blessing — a gift q…[Read more]

Book i page 295

“The creation of Life by the Sun is as continuous as his light; nothing arrests or limits it. Around him, like an army of Satellites, are innumerable choirs of genii. These dwell in the neighbourhood of the Immortals, and thence watch over human things. They fulfill the will of the gods (Karma) by means of storms, tempests,…[Read more]

Studies in the Secret Doctrine: B.P. Wadia
Growth Through Self-Effort

That is the first step — the complete rejection of orthodox creeds which have to be blindly believed, or which encourage dependence on outer agencies, personal or institutional.

The next is to practise every day and in all circumstances self-reliance, to gain the habit of m…[Read more]

Studies in the Secret Doctrine: B.P. Wadia

The most palpable and therefore noticeable characteristic of the universe is differentiation. The visible nature is composed of forms no two of which are exactly alike; these have evolved from within the depths of invisible because incorporeal nature made of forces, constructive and destructive. The…[Read more]

The initial steps of this momentous journey have to be taken now and here by every earnest student of the Wisdom.

The first of these is to reject, without any mental reservation, without any equivocation whatever, all religious, philosophic or scientific creeds which teach the existence of an Intelligent Ruler of men, Father of His children;…[Read more]

SD i p. 292

It may be interesting, in this connection, to remind the reader of what Mr. Subba Row said of the Forces—mystically defined. See “Five Years of Theosophy” and “The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac.” Thus he says:

“Kanya (the sixth sign of the Zodiac, or Virgo) means a Virgin, and represents Sakti or Mahamaya. The sign . . . is the 6…[Read more]

Thank you Tamiko,
H.P.B. gives in SD, v. I, p. 291:
EXTRACTS FROM A PRIVATE COMMENTARY,* hitherto secret: —
(d) To man, it gives all that it bestows on all the rest of the manifested units in nature; but develops, furthermore, the reflection of all its FORTY-NINE FIRES in him. Each of his seven principles is an heir in full to, and a partaker o…[Read more]

Thank you Olga. What do you think is the relationship between the image of fire (49 fires) and consciousness?

Chitkala (Sanskrit) Citkala [from cit abstract thought or consciousness + the verbal root kal to urge on, impel, stimulate] The inciters or stimulators of consciousness or intelligent thought; manasaputras.
Chitti (Sanskrit) Citti [from the verbal root cit to fix the mind upon, design, be intent upon] Thinking, reflection, intention, wisdom;…[Read more]

SD i. pages 288-292

As the only works now extant upon the subject under consideration within reach of the profane of the Western “civilized” races are the above-mentioned Hermetic Books, or rather Hermetic Fragments, we may contrast them in the present case with the teachings of Esoteric philosophy. To quote for this purpose from any other would…[Read more]

SD pages 279-282

Cosmic Ideation

We hold to Hermes and his “Wisdom”—in its universal character; they—to Aristotle as against intuition and the experience of the ages, fancying that Truth is the exclusive property of the Western world. Hence the disagreement. As Hermes says, “Knowledge differs much from sense; for sense is of things that sur…[Read more]

SD i. pages 278-9
The Three Trinities

In sober truth, as just shown, every “Spirit” so-called is either a disembodied or a future man. As from the highest Archangel (Dhyan Chohan) down to the last conscious “Builder” (the inferior class of Spiritual Entities), all such are men, having lived æons ago, in other Manvantaras, on this or other…[Read more]

Studies in the Secret Doctrine: B.P. Wadia
Growth Through Self-Effort

Life is substantial as Spirit or as Matter, as the noumenal principle or as the phenomenal personality, as monads or as atoms. In pralayic non-manifestation or in manvantaric manifestation that LIFE is the “One homogeneous divine SUBSTANCE PRINCIPLE,…” (S.D. I, 273.) IT is Be…[Read more]

SD i 279-280

Whatever may be the destiny of these actual writings in a remote future, we hope to have proven so far the following facts:

(1) The Secret Doctrine teaches no Atheism, except in the Hindu sense of the word nastika, or the rejection of idols, including every anthropomorphic god. In this sense every Occultist is a Nastika.…[Read more]