Note[1]
He who sees the Supreme Lord dwelling alike in all beings, the Imperishable in things that perish, sees indeed.—Bhagavad Gita, xiii. 27.
Ever since public attention was called by H. P. Blavatsky to a reasonable consideration of things spiritual and occult, there have developed two classes of investigators. One consists of the “few,” to whom she dedicated her “Book of the Golden Precepts,” containing those rules which should not only be known to every student of occultism, but which should be practised by every one who enters that field, in order to gain power to attain the kingdom of light and to realize the nature of the Eternal One as being distinct from phenomena produced (alike in the visible and the invisible world) by the power and will within the essence of that One. These few are those in whom there has been developed that higher kind of spiritual intelligence which, as Sankaracharya says, is the first requisite in attaining true knowledge, and which consists in the power to discriminate between the enduring and the non-enduring; i. e., between the eternal and the phenomenal in our own nature as well as in the rest of creation. This spiritual intelligence is the light that emanates from the divine nature in man—the Buddhi Manas, or spiritual understanding—and is not to be confounded with the earth-born natural intellectuality, or the power by which ignorant man reasons and draws inferences by observation, comparison, and logic, and which deals merely with the phenomenal aspect of things, knowing nothing of God. Neither is it to be confounded with astral sight, for the things to be seen on the astral plane are only phenomena, not the reality itself; they, like phenomena on the physical plane, are merely symbols of the action of powers that spring from the fountain of truth.
The other class of investigators is the “many,” who are incapable of realizing the omnipresence of the divine essence and the unity of the cause of all being—who see only the phenomenal aspect of things, be it on the physical or on the astral plane. They are those in whom spiritual intelligence is absent or insufficiently developed, and whose predominant principle in psychic constitution is the arguing intellect, having no true knowledge, but limping along the path of truth on the crutches of objective observation and inference. This class of people, by tearing to pieces the one eternal truth, attempts to analyze and classify universals and to pigeon-hole the indivisible within the compartments of their system. This kind of occultism, even when dealing with the phenomena of the astral plane, is nothing but materialism transferred from the visible to the invisible realm of nature. It is that kind of occult science which deals with the phenomena of the astral planes without any recognition of the reality: while occult wisdom is the recognition of the Real, from which all these phenomena proceed.
The material scientist deals with the physical phenomena in this visible world as if each phenomenon were something real, existing for itself and being essentially different from the rest. The materially-minded student of occult science deals in the same way with the phenomena on the astral plane. Both of these mental types forget that all things are only symbols of truth, not independent realities; and that the apparent distinctions we see are not essential differences, but are caused only by the different aspects under which the one truth becomes manifested. Thus, for instance, whether we accept as the most comprehensive the twofold division of the constitution of man—as an immortal being, bound to a mortal form— or the old threefold classification of spirit, soul, and body, or the sevenfold division adopted by H. P. Blavatsky, or the division into ten principles (rediscovered by some modern students of occult science), we find that neither of these divisions is absolutely true as it stands, but that each of them is relatively true to the aspect we take of it. All of these divisions and aspects could not exist if the unknown quantity—the unity, the man himself, to whom they refer—had no existence; neither are they anything different from the man himself: they are the aspects in which he appears.
Thus, regarded from the material point of view, each number stands separately for itself. There is the 1, the 2, the 3, etc.; they have nothing to do with one another, the 1 being rather the least valuable of them. But occult wisdom sees in the 1 a manifestation of the 0, in which all numbers are contained. All the rest of the numbers grow out of the indivisible unit, and are one in essence. The 1 always remains unchanged; but the rest of the numbers that grow out of it develop themselves according to a certain law of harmony that was recognized, among others, by the old Pythagoreans. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 7 = 10 (including the sacred 7). The “Secret Doctrine” says (vol. i., p. 259) [3rd and Revised Edition, 1893]: “The entire system of the kabalistic numerals is based on the divine Septenary hanging from the Triad, thus forming the Decad and its permutations, 7, 5, 4, and 3, which finally all merge into the One itself, an endless and boundless circle.”[2]
The one is not two, but it may appear as two; and then, behind these two appearances, there is still the real one, which constitutes with them the Triad. It is the non-recognition of the eternal one within the transitory two that renders “occult, science,” dealing with the phenomena of the astral plane, as fallible and vulgar as material science (so called) dealing with the objects of the physical plane. We cannot realize the occult value of any number unless we recognize the value of the one hidden therein. Thus the unmanifested 1 becomes 3 when it manifests itself, and the 3 becomes perfect by the presence of the 1 which constitutes it 4; while the 4 (the symbol of truth) and the 3 (the symbol of form) constitute the sacred seven within the material ten. The one is all; the nought is nothing. The one is the reality; the nought is the realm of phenomena, which becomes of value only if added to the one. But if we put the nought before the one, or disregard the one entirely, the realm of phenomena will be as nought, and a science of nature without the recognition of truth (God), whether it belongs to the astral or to the physical plane, will be only an illusion. It refers only to the illusive aspect of truth, and is not founded upon the recognition of the eternal reality.
All science based upon the recognition of divine truth is sacred; while a science based only upon appearances is illusive. The human intellect deals with that which belongs to the intellectual plane. The astral plane is open for man’s developed astral sight; but only the spirit of God in men can grasp spiritual truths. Only that which is holy and divine in man can realize the mysteries of the holy spirit pervading the universe. The way to study true occult science, therefore, is to become holy, and thus to obtain occult wisdom. If we attain that height by union with the higher Self, we may look down upon the various planes of phenomena and judge them according to their true value. The recognition of the One in All is the first step in the study of that superior science called occult—because it belongs to the higher Self, not to the mortal part of man. Only after we have found the real Self will the veil that hides truth be lifted and error disappear.
To become holy and spiritual means to become unselfish and to rise above the plane of matter; to throw away greed, envy, ambition, and jealousy, and to grow out of that consciousness of self that belongs to the body into that state of consciousness that belongs to the Divine. The Master is in us and around us, and the more room we make for him in our hearts the more will his presence and power abide with us. In this way we become one with the Master, and he becomes one with us. The incarnation of the divine Self in us is not accomplished at the time when we enter this world; it continues through life as we progress along the path of wisdom, and, if hindered, it may not be accomplished at all. For the purpose of enabling this power to take substance and form in us and to become manifest in our own nature, it is necessary that the delusion of self with all its outgrowths should be conquered, so that wisdom may enter the heart and the mental horizon be expanded. This is not accomplished by pious dreaming, nor by going out of ourselves and wandering through the astral planes; but by remaining firmly within the centre of our own divine consciousness and nourishing there the fire of unselfish love, until it grow into the flame of knowledge whose light and power will radiate to the most distant stars.
This is the way to “white magic,” which was followed by the true Rosicrucians. The other way is the one followed by those of whom H. P. Blavatsky said that their highest conceivable perfection is the gratification of scientific curiosity. The path of those bound down to earth by the delusion of self is the path of delusion, and the result of their investigation of occult matters without any realization of truth leads to endless delusion, insanity, sickness, or to the development of “black magic ” conditions, which are a curse to every one. For this reason, not only H. P. Blavatsky but all true occultists have always been opposed to the teaching of occult secrets to the masses; and especially have they excluded the mob of vulgar scientists, in whom animal intellectuality and scepticism have been excessively developed at the expense of spirituality and true faithfulness. Yet, not only have they invited every lover of truth to enter the sanctuary of knowledge, but one of the Masters expresses himself to this effect (I quote from memory): “Oh, for one unselfish person to cooperate with us in our work for humanity! All our knowledge of the past, present, and future would be insufficient to remunerate him.”[3]
Since those words were written, some have appeared who have shown by their works that they loved truth for its own sake, and who seem qualified to receive instruction in regard to the lost mysteries of the past. It is said that a school for the teachings of those mysteries is soon to be opened. The question naturally arises, What qualification will be required for entrance? The answer seems quite near. Not only in every occult lodge, but in everything, he who wishes to succeed must possess the faculty of grasping the spirit of the thing he wishes to understand. Thus, only those who are able to penetrate into its spirit are true followers of their religion; the others are merely church-goers. It is the same with science. The scientist capable of grasping the spirit of science is a genius, an artist, and an inventor; the others are readers of books—imitators, without power to do their own thinking. They are worshippers of opinions and authorities, but enemies of the truth.
In a theosophical or occult association there is no exception to this rule. Those able to realize the principle on which their society is founded will cling to it; those who are only blind followers of leading personalities will drop off as soon as their superficial faith in such persons is shaken. The true followers know the kernel; the false followers see only the outer shell. He who undeservedly enters the sanctuary of the temple of wisdom need not be requested to withdraw; he will leave of his own free will, because he will find nothing therein to hold or attract him. But he who belongs to the temple will never be able to leave it, because he is himself that temple, finding all the mysteries of the sanctuary within himself.
Truth always comes uppermost, because it is one and eternal. Its presence is sufficient to conquer evil. When light dawns, the darkness vanishes. Evil has within itself the elements of its own destruction. Never has the truth appeared in the world, and manifested itself in form, without that form being misunderstood, misrepresented, prostituted openly in the market-place, made to do menial service for its professed teachers, persecuted, and even crucified. Whenever it assumed the shape of religion, it became the servant of parson and priest. Whenever it assumed the shape of the sciences, it became the slave of pretenders and quacks. The truth brings freedom and joy; but its misunderstanding binds the chains of ignorance still stronger by adding intolerance, prejudice, and self-conceit. Even the real teachers of truth are understood only by a few of their immediate followers; by others their teachings are misrepresented. Only those capable of recognizing the truth will worship it: those who see only its external form will soon return to the adoration of the golden calf of self.
The object of this article is to warn the meddlesome, who, without being ripe for it, attempt to drag down the holy science of occultism into the mire of vulgarity and personal greed. To such, instead of the rock of salvation, it shall be the quicksand of destruction. We do not wish to discourage the study of occult science, but we do wish to guard against the invasion of a new epidemic of that sickly mysticism and spiritism which, as a moral plague, destroy the manhood of men and the purity of women, making of them irresponsible mediums and causing in the end the terrible loss of individuality. To those few whose souls have grown great by the power of their love for humanity; whose minds have become expanded by the action of the light of truth; whose hearts are filled with goodness; whose presence has been a blessing to all—and to all that are capable of entering the kingdom of truth and of being taught by its light—to them we say, “God speed.”
Note:
[1] Occult Science and Occult Wisdom. Franz Hartmann, M.D. The Metaphysical Magazine 5, no. 4 (April 1897), 241-247 {This article was reformatted from the original, but with the content unchanged other than fixing minor typos, by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025}
[2] The Deity manifests itself through the ten Sephiroth, which are its radiating witnesses. The Deity is like the sea from which outflows a stream called Wisdom, the waters of which fall into a lake named Intelligence. From the basin, like seven channels, issue the Seven Sephiroth. . . . For ten equal seven: the Duad contains four Unities and three Binaries.— The Zohar
[3] Letters to Mr. Sinnett and A. Hume: “Theosophist,” 1882.