On the Great White Brotherhood,
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The
Great White Brotherhood
The
Great White Brotherhood, Ascended Masters, the Lords of Wisdom, the
Lords of Shambhala, the Brotherhood of Shambhala, Universal
Brotherhood, the Great White Lodge (French: Grande Loge Blanche) is
a community of Sages, Teachers of humanity that has existed since ancient times
and has always transmitted knowledge to humanity for the benefit of its
progress along the evolutionary path of development[1]. At the same time,
evolution is understood as "the path ordained by God", the departure
from what is defined as an involutional process that will inevitably lead to
the spiritual degradation of people[2]. It is also argued that there is no
single path suitable for all people. Evolution begins the moment a person
becomes aware of God within himself, and when through this awareness an
understanding of his own evolutionary path and his own destiny is initiated[3].
From
a philosophical point of view, the Great White Brotherhood represents super
consciousness, which is the next stage of consciousness development after man.
There is a hierarchy of levels of consciousness up to a person (“from”
minerals, plants, animals); it is logical to assume that man is not the final
link and that there are more advanced levels of consciousness – Super
consciousness- and even with their own hierarchy, which in their development
are more developed as compared to man.
Various
religious teachings refer to the members of the Great White Brotherhood as
Lords, Mahatmas, Arhats, Adepts. Theosophists consider Shambhala to be the
location of the teachers of the Great White Brotherhood - the "sacred
island", which is supposedly located in the (etheric levels of the) Gobi
Desert. However, there is no consensus as to its real location[4]. Shambhala is
also associated with the legend of Whitewater, the Land of Happiness, where
"bright people lived, shining like the moon”[5].
The
Ascended Master Teachings is esoteric in nature, and
includes:
● The law of cause-and-effect
relationships (Law of Karma)[6],
● The law of the rebirth of the soul[7],
●
The
spiritual and moral Law, from whose observance every person is able to reach
the highest level of development.
It
is believed that the evolution of a person is the evolution of his
consciousness, which occurs through spiritual evolution and the acquisition of
such inner qualities as love, mercy, compassion, honor, dignity, caring for
one's neighbor, etc. These are universal values that were laid down in the
basis of all world religions by their founders. With the development of his
spiritual consciousness, a person realizes an increasing unity and
interrelationship with other living beings, and he sees less and less
contradictions between different peoples, religions, cultures. Accordingly, at
a higher level of consciousness, humanity should leave behind such
manifestations as hostility, hatred, wars, conflicts, terrorist acts, etc.
Instead of satisfying personal selfish interests, the vector of human
development will be directed at creation, mutual assistance and awareness of
their responsibility to the world and other people.
Today, there are various theosophical, esoteric and occult
movements around the world that are trying to develop the basic ideas of this
teaching.
The history of the term in religions
In Buddhism, the teachers of humanity
are mentioned in connection with the country of Shambhala. Shambhala appears in
the sacred Buddhist texts of the Kalachakra Tantra, which contains
prophecies about future events on Earth, and “the kings of Shambhala” are
described as the forefathers and teachers of humanity, who transmit their
teachings (sacred texts) to them, from which humanity creates religions for
itself. These teachers are the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who reside in the
capital of Shambhala, Kalapa. Among them are Buddha Shakyamuni (Gautama),
Buddha Maitreya, Buddha Amitabha, Padmasambhava and others, including those who
were born “miraculously” on Earth[9]
N. Roerich. Tangla. The Song of Shambhala.
In Christianity, the mention of the
Great White Brotherhood can be found presumably by the description of their
appearance. In the New Testament in the “Revelation of John”, there are several
examples of saints in the “white robe”. So, “those who had been put to death
for the Word of God” – “... each of them were given a white robe…” About
the people “who have not defiled their clothes”, in the same source “the
Lord says that they ‘will walk with Me in white clothes, for they are worthy’.
He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments ...” [10]
“Before the Throne of the Lord there
are many people in white robes” - clothed “in
fine linen, clean and light”. We can assume that it is white light,
enveloping their “bodies”, invisible to the physical eye.
According to V.M. Sidorov, the
President of the International Association “Peace through Culture”, the White
Brotherhood is synonymous with “un-fallen mankind”, since “the
spiritual and religious tradition of Christianity, in contrast to the Hindu and
Buddhist, is primarily focused on the cosmic fall of mankind.”[11]
The history of the term in Theosophy and Occultism
In the works of theosophists, the Great
White Brotherhood is presented as the Teachers of humanity, carrying out the
mission of guiding evolution and giving people knowledge about the laws of the
Universe through various people, called Messengers of the Great White
Brotherhood or Initiates. In the theosophical tradition, the Messengers are
highly spiritual individual, free from the influence of destructive feelings,
desires, possessing a high level of emotional self-control, leading a moral and
ecofriendly lifestyle. The Messengers are chosen by the Great White Brotherhood
in a mystical way, after which they undergo training - life tests that lead to
absolute liberation from human negative qualities such as envy, laziness,
resentment, fear, pride, as well as to the all-round development of virtues.
Messengers have the ability, using the power of their consciousness, to
interact with the Teachers, who are on the higher planes of being, and thus
receive and transmit the ancient teachings in a language accessible to
contemporaries. Thus, according to theosophists, information comes to humanity
in the most undistorted form.
Some representatives of the
Theosophical movement considered themselves messengers of the Great White
Brotherhood. The term “messengership” is also present in modern movements.
In the works of H.P. Blavatsky
Despite the fact that the concept of
the Great White Brotherhood was known in the mystical tradition of the West
since the Middle Ages, this term was actively spread in the 19th century, from
the moment of writing of the works by H.P. Blavatsky.[12]
According to H. P. Blavatsky, in 1851
she first met a teacher (presumably El Morya) who acquainted her with
spiritualism. Subsequently, H.P. Madame Blavatsky traveled a lot in India,
Egypt, Mexico, Canada, USA, South America and Tibet, studying esotericism.[13]
In 1875, H.P. Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society, and in 1888 her main
book, The Secret Doctrine, was published. The work describes in detail
cosmogenesis, the principles and fundamental laws of the evolution of the
Universe and man and explains the symbolism of ancient religions.[14]
According to eyewitnesses, the teaching
contained in The Secret Doctrine was transmitted by the teachers of the
Great White Brotherhood, in particular, the material was presented in
manuscripts from the Mahatmas, dictated to H.P. Blavatsky, or obtained through
clairvoyance.[15] The
author also calls the Great White Brotherhood the Great White Lodge, the Lords
of the Secret Brotherhood.
In her writings, H.P. Blavatsky wrote
that the only salvation of the planet is in the reunification of humanity with
its highest part - the Great White Brotherhood.
In the writings of the followers of theosophical views
In addition to H.P. Blavatsky, the
Great White Brotherhood was also described in the books of the members of the
Theosophical community and other prominent public figures of the past. Among
them are William Judge, Henry Olcott, Annie Besant, Charles Leadbeater, Alice
Bailey, Rudolf Steiner and others.[16]
Judge
William, Annie Besant, Henry Alcott
The rising popularity of theosophical
views led to the formation of societies and movements guided by the Teachings
of the Great White Brotherhood, including the community “The Temple of the
People”,[17] which
was formed in Syracuse, New York in 1898, headed by Francia La Due and William
H. Dower, members of the Theosophical Society.
Since 1907, the Theosophical Society
was headed by a disciple of H. P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant. She was also the
author of many works on theosophy and the Teachings of the Great White Lodge,
where she consistently revealed the essence of the law of reincarnation, the
law of karma, as well as the spiritual evolution of man:
“That is the ancient pathway called
from very long ago the Way of the Cross; for the Cross is the symbol of
life, of life triumphant over death, of Spirit triumphant over matter. And
there is no difference in this Path between East and West; there is only one
occult teaching and one great White Lodge, the Guardians of the spiritual
treasures of our race.”[18]
The Austrian doctor of philosophy,
educator and lecturer Rudolf Steiner also saw the Great White Brotherhood as
the bearers of spiritual knowledge:
“…in our times the same great teachers
who have already guided mankind through the Egypto-Chaldæic civilization are working, so also in
the twentieth century it will be these same teachers who will lead men out to
behold the Christ as Paul beheld Him. They will show mankind how the Christ not
only works upon the earth, but how He spiritualizes the whole solar system.”
[19]
Charles Leadbeater
described the Great White Brotherhood as “an Enlightened Community of Adepts
on Earth and in Heaven, created for the good purpose of advancing the spiritual
development of the human race” as well as great Beings who “took interest not only in awakening men' s
spiritual natures, but also in all affairs that made for their well-being on Earth.”[20]
The article was prepared by Elena Ilyina
To be continued…
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[1]
G.S. Gorchakov. The worldview of the Fiery Epoch. - Tomsk: Stronghold, 2003. -
p. 35 — - 561 p.
[2
]Helen Roerich. Letters. 1929-1938. Vol.
2. Agni Yoga. - Prameb, 1992; Merkulov. The ABC of theosophy. - Publishing
solutions.
[3]
The Great White Brotherhood. Esoteric Dictionary; Annie Besant. The path of
discipleship. - Direct-media, 2014.
[4]
Helen Roerich, Nicholas Roerich, A.M. Aseev. Occultism and Yoga. The chronicle
of cooperation. Collection. - M: Sphere, 1996 — - 342 p.
[5]
Shambhala is the northern source of all-world wisdom.
[6]
Helen Blavatsky. Karma, or the Law of Cause and Effect. The library "My
Shambhala.”
[7]
Helen Blavatskaya. Reincarnation, Metempsychosis. Theopedia.
[8] N.A. Nekrasova, A.G. Senina, Nicholas Roerich’s. Cosmic philosophy as the basis of spiritual transformation of a person / / Scientific Bulletin of the Moscow State Technical University GA. - 2014. - p. 3.
