Articles Related to Self-Realisation

At the recent South Indian Theosophical Conference held at Adyar during the Easter week-end, the three words c ' Beliefs," Work " and " Wisdom " figured both in the titles in the program and in the speeches. When the word belief" is used, it is apt to assume in some minds a connotation which sets it in contradistinction to reason; because belief in matters of religion, at least in the past,…

Imagine you are standing on one side of a river and you want to reach a spot on the other side. You dive in and start swimming but you have forgotten to take the river’s current into account.

[Krishnaji is a form of Krishna that expresses both affection and respect. It's often used to address Jiddu Krishnamurti by his intimates.]

Radha Burnier, President of the Parent Theosophical Society, gave the following talk, previously published in The Theosophist, at the Adyar Lodge, Madras/Chennai, in February 1994

The Master stood on a great ledge of rock extending far out over a precipice that seemed miles below. With his face lighted by the first rays of the coming day that shot across the peaks above him and with his hands clasped behind him he waited in silence for the coming of the pupil to whom he had signalled.

Even among those who recognize the spiritual nature of humanity and the possibility of our knowing directly the Reality, which is hidden within the universe and ourselves, there are two schools of thought with regard to the methods by which this knowledge may be obtained. According to one, our spiritual progress depends entirely upon the grace of God, or Kripā, as it is called in Sanskrit.

In the world of many people, each is different in many different ways – internal and external.  Some people seem more intellectually oriented, focussed on thoughts and reasoning, others more creative, focussed on and sensitive to feelings.  Yet others are action oriented, the direction of their action determined by thoughts or feelings – whichever is more dominant.

Alexander Pope said: “The proper study of mankind is man.” The teachings of Theosophy enable us to follow Pope’s advice with fullness and completeness, for Theosophy teaches not only about the physical, material person, but also of the emotions, intellect and spiritual nature.

One of the most baffling problems of spiritual life is to sustain one’s interest and enthusiasm in the midst of endless difficulties and the severest trials. It is the routine and the monotony of everyday existence that sap one’s vitality and strength.

And first let the student clearly realize that he cannot see things spiritual with the eyes of the flesh, and that in studying even the Body he must use the eyes of the Spiritual Intelligence, else will he fail and his study will be fruitless. For growth is from within outwards, and always the inner remains the more perfect.

Paradox would seem to be the natural language of occultism. Nay more, it would seem to penetrate deep into the heart of things, and thus to be inseparable from any attempt to put into words the truth, the reality which underlies the outward shows of life. And the paradox is one not in words only, but in action, in the very conduct of life. The paradoxes of occultism must be lived, not uttered…

It is divine philosophy alone, the spiritual and psychic blending of man with nature, which, by revealing the fundamental truths that lie hidden under the objects of sense and perception, can promote a spirit of unity and harmony in spite of the great diversities of conflicting creeds.

When desire is for the purely abstract - when it has lost all traces or tinge of "self" - then it has become pure. The first step towards this purity is to kill out the desire for the things of matter, since these can only be enjoyed by the separate personality. The second is to cease from desiring for oneself even such abstractions as power, knowledge, love, happiness, or fame; for they are…

IN every tree and plant, in the sound of birds, in insects and minerals, sky and water, there is astounding beauty. Each atom and every living creature is a miracle of meaning and loveliness.

Initiation is not the fulfilling of a personal, spiritual ambition, the attainment of a height of greatness, or the coming into possession of extraordinary powers which one can imagine will be wielded for the benefit of mankind, but may in fact be for the pleasure in wielding such forces.

It is important to grasp, not merely as a concept, but as a fact, that the Path is oneself. The Voice of the Silence states that one cannot travel on the Path until one has become the Path itself. The Path is the qualitative change which takes place in one’s consciousness and in the vehicles through which consciousness functions.

In a letter, Dorothy Bell shares thoughts on the power of a theosophical worldview to unravel a universal problem.

A letter to my Sister in India…  On the Equality of Men and Women

Namaste, dear Sister Deepa,