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The concept of recognizing the spiritual self, one's own psychological and karma battles and how to overcome them, and eventual Ascension of all humanity is covered in [[James Redfield]]'s [[Celestine Prophecy]] and its sequels, [[The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision]] and [[The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight]]. These books, while controversial, are recent popularizations of the concept of Ascension. |
The concept of recognizing the spiritual self, one's own psychological and karma battles and how to overcome them, and eventual Ascension of all humanity is covered in [[James Redfield]]'s [[Celestine Prophecy]] and its sequels, [[The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision]] and [[The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight]]. These books, while controversial, are recent popularizations of the concept of Ascension. |
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===Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life=== |
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Students of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that there is One God, the "Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life", "The One" , Who is the Source of all Love, Light, and Love in existence, and that all forms of existence and consciousness emanate from this "Allness of God" - "The One". ''The Voice of the I AM'' states "All Life is One" <ref>''The Voice of the I AM''. Saint Germain Press December 1940 page 32</ref> and that there is "One Substance, One Energy, One Power, One Intelligence" as the Source of all consciousness and creation.<ref>''The Voice of the I AM''. Saint Germain Press July 1942 page 7</ref> This Divine Being and Mind is considered to be above and distinct from all creation (in the sense of classical [[theism]]), transcending all creation yet interpenetrating all existence. Belief in this ONE GOD stresses the essential unity of the spiritual and material components of the universe. God creates through Individualized Identities that have distinct Self-Consciousness and that make up the Spiritual Hierarchy of Creation, yet remain connected through the flow of the "River of Life" and "Lifestream" to the ONE UNDIVIDED GOD - the ALL in ALL - the GOOD - the Source from which all Life, Light, and Love come. There is always an uninterrupted Oneness that is maintained with the ALLNESS of God. From the ONE GOD all other realities, including Hierarchy, humanity and the material universe, are the result of a process of emanation.<ref name="Law_of_Life_I" /> |
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===The Individualized "I AM" Presence=== |
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Adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that each person is an incarnation of an "Individualized Presence" of the "Most High Living God" - the "Mighty I AM Presence" - as part of our very Nature and Being. God (as Life and Love) manifests in the 7 octaves of the created universe through individual Divine Identities. As embodied individuals, we are the outer expression of that God Self in form. It is our unique and immortal True Identity, yet always sharing in the Allness of the ONE GOD.<ref name="Law_of_Life_I" /> |
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==Origins== |
==Origins== |
Revision as of 23:38, 9 January 2012
Ascended Masters, in the Ascended Master Teachings is derived from the Theosophical concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas", though they differ in important aspects. They are believed to be spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans, but who have undergone a process of spiritual transformation originally called Initiation in Theosophy but in the Ascended Master Teachings it is referred to as Ascension.[1] The term "Ascended Master" was first introduced in 1934 with the publication of Unveiled Mysteries [2] by Guy Ballard in The "I AM" Activity.[3] This concept was further popularized by authors such as Baird T. Spalding during the 1930s, and in books like The Bridge to Freedom (1951),[4] The Summit Lighthouse (1958),[5][6] and various other organizations such as the White Eagle Lodge (1936).[7]
Beliefs about Ascended Masters
Originally presented by H. P. Blavatsky in the 1870s, the idea of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas" was adopted by people who at some point had had a connection with the Theosophical movement, such as Alice Bailey, Helena Roerich, and Manly P. Hall. Later on many other organizations, especially in the United States, developed the concept of Ascended Masters, which departs from the theosophical one in several aspects.
It is believed that Ascended Masters are individuals who were formerly embodied on the Earth and learned the lessons of life during their incarnations. They gained mastery over the limitations of the matter planes, balanced at least 51% of negative karma, and fulfilled their Dharma (Divine Plan). An Ascended Master, in such an understanding, has become God-like and a source of unconditional "Divine Love" to all life, and through the Ascension has united with his or her own "God Self," the "I AM Presence."
It is further claimed by various groups and teachers that the Ascended Masters serve as the teachers of mankind from the realms of Spirit, and that all people will eventually attain their Ascension and move forward in spiritual evolution beyond this planet. According to these teachings, they remain attentive to the spiritual needs of humanity, and act to inspire and motivate its spiritual growth. In many traditions and organizations, they are considered part of the Spiritual Hierarchy of Earth, and members of the Great Brotherhood of Light, also known as the Great White Lodge, Great White Brotherhood, or Universal White Brotherhood (per Peter Deunov).[8]
According to Alice Bailey and Benjamin Creme there are sixty Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, defined as beings who have reached the Fifth Level of Initiation or above, with Djwhal Khul in a pivotal role as the master who telepathically dictated the many esoteric teachings in Baileys' books. Elizabeth Clare Prophet revealed, by taking "dictations" from them, the names of many dozens of additional Ascended Masters that were previously unknown.
The concept of recognizing the spiritual self, one's own psychological and karma battles and how to overcome them, and eventual Ascension of all humanity is covered in James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy and its sequels, The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision and The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight. These books, while controversial, are recent popularizations of the concept of Ascension.
Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life
Students of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that there is One God, the "Universal All-Pervading Presence of Life", "The One" , Who is the Source of all Love, Light, and Love in existence, and that all forms of existence and consciousness emanate from this "Allness of God" - "The One". The Voice of the I AM states "All Life is One" [9] and that there is "One Substance, One Energy, One Power, One Intelligence" as the Source of all consciousness and creation.[10] This Divine Being and Mind is considered to be above and distinct from all creation (in the sense of classical theism), transcending all creation yet interpenetrating all existence. Belief in this ONE GOD stresses the essential unity of the spiritual and material components of the universe. God creates through Individualized Identities that have distinct Self-Consciousness and that make up the Spiritual Hierarchy of Creation, yet remain connected through the flow of the "River of Life" and "Lifestream" to the ONE UNDIVIDED GOD - the ALL in ALL - the GOOD - the Source from which all Life, Light, and Love come. There is always an uninterrupted Oneness that is maintained with the ALLNESS of God. From the ONE GOD all other realities, including Hierarchy, humanity and the material universe, are the result of a process of emanation.[11]
The Individualized "I AM" Presence
Adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings believe that each person is an incarnation of an "Individualized Presence" of the "Most High Living God" - the "Mighty I AM Presence" - as part of our very Nature and Being. God (as Life and Love) manifests in the 7 octaves of the created universe through individual Divine Identities. As embodied individuals, we are the outer expression of that God Self in form. It is our unique and immortal True Identity, yet always sharing in the Allness of the ONE GOD.[11]
Origins
The founder of the Theosophical Society, H. P. Blavatsky, in the late 19th century brought attention to the idea of secret initiatory knowledge, by claiming her ideas were based on traditions taught to her by a group of highly enlightened yogis which she called the Mahatmas or Masters of the Ancient Wisdom. These Mahatmas, she claimed, were physical beings living in the Himalayas, usually understood as Tibet:
- "... they are living men, born as we are born, and doomed to die like every mortal. We call them “masters” because they are our teachers; and because from them we have derived all the Theosophical truths... They are men of great learning, whom we call Initiates, and still greater holiness of life." [12]
After Madame Blavatsky's death in 1891, the concept of the Mahatmas was developed by her successors in the Theosophical Society leadership, Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, who described them in great detail and added Jesus and Maitreya. In Leadbeater's book, The Masters and the Path (1925), the Masters are presented as human beings full of wisdom and compassion, albeit still limited by human bodies, which they choose to retain in order to keep in touch with humanity and help in its evolution.
Later organizations that used many of the teachings of Theosophy for their own purposes, developed concept of Ascended Masters which bears some important differences with the Theosophical one.
Comparison of Masters of Wisdom and Ascended Masters
There is considerable difference between the concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom in Theosophy (as described by Blavatsky, Olcott, Sinnett, and others) and the current concept of Ascended Masters, developed by Guy Ballard and Elizabeth Clare Prophet fifty-five years after the Theosophical Society was founded.
They added more than 200 new "Ascended Masters" that they claimed to receive dictations from in addition to receiving dictations from the original Masters of the Ancient Wisdom of Theosophy.[13]
The Ascended Masters, as their name suggests, are supposed to be Masters who have experienced the miracle of ascension, as it is said Jesus did. The original teaching, channeled by Guy Ballard, was that a new Ascended Master would not die but would take the body up with him. This teaching of ascension is in direct opposition to the Theosophical teachings. Mahatma K.H. refers to the idea disparagingly in one of his letters to Sinnett:
- “There was but one hysterical woman alleged to have been present at the pretended ascension, and . . . the phenomenon has never been corroborated by repetition.”[14].
Mme. Blavatsky also rejects ascension as a fact, calling it “an allegory as old as the world.”[15] In the Theosophical view, the Masters of Wisdom retain their physical bodies.
The Masters of the Wisdom are not like the Ascended ones, who are said to become Godlike, all-powerful beings beyond the laws of nature. In their teachings, the Theosophical Masters even denied that such beings exist. Mahatma K.H. wrote:
- “If we had the powers of the imaginary Personal God, and the universal and immutable laws were but toys to play with, then indeed might we have created conditions that would have turned this earth into an Arcadia for lofty souls.” [16]
In their letters, the Mahatmas constantly talk about the “immutable laws” of the universe, and that they can help humanity only within the limits of these laws.
Proponents of the Ascended Masters sometimes attempt to account for these discrepancies by claiming that when the TS was founded most of the Theosophical Mahatmas were still “unascended Masters.” This leaves room to detach the Ascended Masters from the limitations. However, the Mahatma K.H. wrote: “We are not infallible, all-foreseeing ‘Mahatmas’ at every hour of the day.”[17] As he explained: “An adept—the highest as the lowest—is one only during the exercise of his occult powers.”[18] In fact, according to the Theosophical teachings, the higher the adept, the less we are likely to hear from him:
- "The more spiritual the Adept becomes, the less can he meddle with mundane, gross affairs and the more he has to confine himself to a spiritual work. . . . The very high Adepts, therefore, do help humanity, but only spiritually: they are constitutionally incapable of meddling with worldly affairs."[19]
In the Theosophical view the Masters do not pay attention to personal desires. Theosophy teaches that the psychological ego is false, that the idea that we are this body, emotions, and mind is a mistake of perception and the source of sorrow. It says that real happiness comes only as an unsought by-product of reducing rather than increasing our attachment and identification with the personal. Blavatsky wrote that “Occultism is not . . . the pursuit of happiness as man understands the word; for the first step is sacrifice, the second renunciation.” [20] K.H. agreed with this when he wrote: “We—the criticized and misunderstood Brothers—we seek to bring men to sacrifice their personality—a passing flash—for the welfare of the whole humanity.”[21]. During the early times of the Theosophical Society, some members, misunderstanding the nature of the Mahatmas, would bring HPB some personal requests to ask of them. In a letter Blavatsky explained:
- "The Masters would not stoop for one moment to give a thought to individual, private matters relating but to one or even ten persons, their welfare, woes and blisses in this world of Maya [illusion], to nothing except questions of really universal importance. It is all you Theosophists who have dragged down in your minds the ideals of our Masters; you who have unconsciously and with the best of intentions and full sincerity of good purpose, desecrated Them, by thinking for one moment, and believing that They would trouble Themselves with your business matters, sons to be born, daughters to be married, houses to be built, etc. etc. [22]
This kind of interest is a very marked feature of the Ascended Masters. The Ascended Masters Teachings teach ways to attract material or emotional possessions to a person's life, and also how to dissolve unpleasant karma, a conception that the Theosophical Mahatmas emphatically opposed. For example, K.H. wrote: "Bear in mind that the slightest cause produced, however unconsciously, and with whatever motive, cannot be unmade, or its effects crossed in their progress—by millions of gods, demons, and men combined."[23] In fact, the Ascended Masters are portrayed as cosmic fathers who will take care of their followers’ problems. In contrast, Mahatma M. said: “ We are leaders but not child-nurses.”[24]
The Great White Brotherhood
The Masters are collectively called the "Great White Brotherhood" in Theosophical system. The use of the term "white" refers to their advanced spirituality (i.e., that they have a white colored aura) and has nothing to do with race. Blavatsky described many of the Masters as ethnically Tibetan or Indian (Hindu), not European.[25] She did, however, describe them as being from all cultures and races, such as the "Greek gentleman" known as Hilarion.[26]
Belief in the Brotherhood and the Masters is an essential part of the syncretistic teachings of various organizations that have taken the Theosophical philosophical concepts and added their own elements.[27] Examples of those believed to be Ascended Masters by these organizations are Jesus, Sanat Kumara, Gautama Buddha, Maitreya, Confucius, Lord Lanto (Confucius' historical mentor), Mary the Mother of Jesus, Lady Master Nada, Enoch, Kwan Yin, Saint Germain, and Kuthumi, to name but a few.[28] It is believed that all of these put aside any differences they might have had in their Earthly careers, and unite instead to advance the spiritual well-being of humanity.[29]
Skeptical view
René Guénon wrote a detailed critique of Theosophy titled Theosophy: history of a pseudo-religion (1921). In the book Guenon claimed that Blavatsky had required all her knowledge naturally from other books not from any supernatural masters. Guenon points out that Blavatsky spent along time visiting a library at New York where she had easy access to the works of Jacob Boehme, Eliphas Levi, the Kabbala and other Hermetic treatises. Guenon also wrote that Blavatsky had borrowed passages taken from a translation of extracts from the Kanjur and Tanjur published in 1836 in the twentieth volume of the Asiatic Researchers of Calcutta by Sándor Kőrösi Csoma an eccentric orientalist.[30]
K. Paul Johnson suggests in his book The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Brotherhood that the Masters that Madam Blavatsky claimed she had personally met are idealizations of certain people she had met during her lifetime.[31]
Also see the article “Talking to the Dead and Other Amusements” by Paul Zweig New York Times October 5, 1980, which maintains that Madame Blavatsky's revelations were fraudulent.[32]
Robert Todd Carroll in his book The skeptic's dictionary (2003) wrote that Blavatsky used trickery into deceiving others into thinking she had paranormal powers. Carroll wrote that Blavatsky had faked a materialization of a tea cup and saucer aswell as written the messages from her masters herself.[33]
See also
Notes
- ^ Partridge, Christopher ed. New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities Oxford University Press, USA 2004. Describes the Theosophical Society and religious organizations based on a belief in Ascended Masters, such as The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom and The Summit Lighthouse. pages 330 - 334
- ^ King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Chicago, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 1934 page vii: "The time has arrived, when the Great Wisdom, held and guarded for many centuries in the Far East, is now to come forth in America, at the command of those Great Ascended Masters who direct and protect the evolution of mankind upon this Earth."
- ^ Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003
- ^ The Bridge to Freedom Journal (1951-1961) Reprinted by Ascended Master Teaching Foundation, 1989
- ^ Lewis, James R. Church Universal and Triumphant in Scholarly Perspective Center For Academic Publication 1994.
- ^ White Paper - Wesak World Congress 2002. Acropolis Sophia Books & Works 2003.
- ^ Braden, Charles S. These Also Believe MacMillan Publishing Company 2000, pp. 257-307
- ^ Luk, A.D.K.. Law of Life - Book I. Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications, 1989, pp. 23-27.
- ^ The Voice of the I AM. Saint Germain Press December 1940 page 32
- ^ The Voice of the I AM. Saint Germain Press July 1942 page 7
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Law_of_Life_I
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Blavatsky, H. P. (1968 [1889]). The Key to Theosophy. London: Theosophical Publishing House.
- ^ Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press--See Profiles of the Ascended Masters Pages 13-394--More than 200 Ascended Masters are listed.
- ^ Barker, A. T., and Vicente Hao Chin Jr., eds. The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. and K. H. in Chronological Sequence, p. 5. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998.
- ^ Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. 8, p. 389. Wheaton: Theosophical Publishing House, 1977-91; See also CW 4:359-60.
- ^ Barker, A. T., and Vicente Hao Chin Jr., eds. The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. and K. H. in Chronological Sequence, p. 474. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998.
- ^ Ibid, 450
- ^ Ibid, 257)
- ^ H. P. Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. 6, p.247. Wheaton: Theosophical Publishing House, 1977-91.
- ^ Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol 8, p. 14, Wheaton: Theosophical Publishing House, 1977-91.
- ^ Barker, A. T., and Vicente Hao Chin Jr., eds. The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. and K. H. in Chronological Sequence, p. 222. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998
- ^ C. Jinarajadasa, Early Teachings of the Masters p. iv. Chicago: Theosophical Press, 1923.
- ^ Barker, A. T., and Vicente Hao Chin Jr., eds. The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. and K. H. in Chronological Sequence, p. 77-78. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1998.
- ^ Eek, Sven, ed. Damodar and the Pioneers of the Theosophical Movement, p, 605. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1965
- ^ Sinnett, Alfred Percy. The Occult World. Boston: Colby & Rich, 1882.
- ^ Sisson, Marina Cesar. Helena Blavatsky and the Enigma of John King Originally published as Informativo HPB, n° 3, 4 and 5 English translation available at [1]
- ^ J. Gordon Melton & Christopher Partridge, New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities. Oxford University Press, 2004
- ^ I AM Ascended Master Dictation List Saint Germain Press Inc., 1995, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity
- ^ The Great White Brotherhood in the Culture, History and Religion of America. Summit University Press 1975.
- ^ René Guénon, Alvin Moore, Jr., Cecil Bethell Theosophy: history of a pseudo-religion 2004, pp. 82-89
- ^ Johnson, K. Paul The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Brotherhood Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press
- ^ “Talking to the Dead and Other Amusements” by Paul Zweig New York Times October 5, 1980
- ^ Robert Todd Carroll The skeptic's dictionary 2003, p. 376
References
- Braden, Charles S. These Also Believe MacMillan Publishing Company 1960 (Reprint 2000). The classic study of minority religions in the United States of America. ISBN 0-02-514360-3
- Cranston, Sylvia. H. P. B. : The Extraordinary Life & Influence of Helena Blavastsky. G. P. Putnam's Sons 1993 ISBN 0-9662115-1-0
- Godwin, Joscelyn (1994). The Theosophical Enlightenment. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-2152-X
- Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages "An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy Being an Interpretation of the Secret Teachings Concealed within the Rituals, Allegories and Mysteries of all Ages" H.S. Crocker Company, Inc. 1928 (Reprint: Tarcher 2003) ISBN 1-58542-250-9
- Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. The Theosophical Publishing House 1925 (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing 1997). ISBN 1-56459-686-9
- Partridge, Christopher ed. New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities Oxford University Press, USA 2004. Describes the Theosophical Society, The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom and The Summit Lighthouse. ISBN 0-19-522042-0
- Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Saint Germain Press 2003 ISBN 1-878891-99-5
- King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Saint Germain Press 1934. ISBN 1-878891-00-6
- Saint Germain. I AM Discourses. Saint Germain Press 1935. ISBN 1-878891-48-0