This episode delves into the evolution of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s teachings on reincarnation, contrasting her earlier concept of “metempsychosis” with the later, more familiar reincarnation theory presented in “The Secret Doctrine” (1888). Initially, Blavatsky introduced the notion that humans possess a soul and a spirit, suggesting that through certain esoteric practices, one could achieve immortality. This period was marked by the belief in a journey of the soul-spirit through various spheres, reaching nirvana as the ultimate goal. However, she also acknowledged a form of “reincarnation” for specific cases like the premature deaths of foetuses and individuals with congenital issues, offering them a chance at life once more.
In contrast, “The Secret Doctrine” outlines a vision of the spirit as inherently immortal, engaging in multiple reincarnations, each time with a new soul and body. Blavatsky expanded this cycle of birth, death, and rebirth to include humans and the entire cosmos, suggesting a macrocosmic reincarnation process. Her efforts to reconcile these views and assert a consistent reincarnation doctrine throughout her works will be fully explored.
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Hello Symposiast! I’m Dr Angela Puca, PhD, Religious Studies, and this is your online resource for the academic study of magick, esotericism, Paganism, Shamanism, and all things occult.
Exploring Blavatsky’s reincarnation doctrine is significant because of its profound impact on various cultural, religious, and political movements. It influenced modern Buddhism, notable figures like Mohandas Gandhi, and the foundation of the Indian National Congress.
And if you thought your social media feed was full of diverse opinions, just wait till you dive into Blavatsky’s universe. It’s like the cosmic version of a Twitter thread that spans centuries.
Theosophy‘s legacy, including its role in shaping modern alternative spiritualities and the New Age Movement, underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of Blavatsky’s teachings. So, here we aim to clarify Blavatsky’s complex views on reincarnation, highlighting the shift from her early teachings to her later, more developed theory and examining the broader implications of her ideas on contemporary religious thought and practice.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky proposed that our universe is part of a vast “cosmic chain” of universes, each emerging or “reincarnating” following the demise of its predecessor. These universes undergo cycles of manifestation and dissolution, akin to periods of activity and rest, aiming to advance the “self-consciousness” of the Divine. According to Blavatsky, this divine self-awareness is to be achieved through the evolution of human consciousness from simpler forms of life.
Imagine if your morning routine was as complex as the universe’s—wake up, manifest, dissolve, repeat. I’d need more than coffee to get through that cycle!
Blavatsky viewed universes as living entities composed of spirit and matter—two facets of the same essence, with spirit being primary and the source from which matter originates. She introduced the concept of Fohat, an energising principle acting as a bridge between spirit and matter, guiding the divine ideas to manifest as natural laws.
Fohat is the cosmic electrician, ensuring the universe’s lights stay on and that spirit and matter stay connected. Talk about a high-stakes job without weekends off!
In this cosmic process, spirit “falls” into matter, signifying a phase of involution, followed by an evolutionary return to spirit. This cyclical process, described as the universe’s “breathing,” encompasses periods known as manvantaras, during which the cosmos undergoes phases of activity and rest.
Central to Blavatsky’s cosmology is the idea of emanation, whereby the Divine continuously unfolds into various levels of the cosmos, starting with the emission of mulaprakriti (prime matter) and leading to the emergence of the logos and dhyan chohans, the latter serving as cosmic architects and agents of karma. This emanation process involves the Universal Soul and individual monads (immortal, reincarnating entities) that evolve through acquiring and transcending temporary personalities, eventually merging back into the Divine in a state called paranirvana, followed by a period of cosmic rest – pralaya, before the cycle begins again.
Blavatsky’s model also suggests a universal journey of reincarnation, where entities evolve through various forms of existence, from less evolved life forms to higher beings such as dhyan chohans and beyond. She posited three driving forces behind cosmic evolution:
- The inherent tendency of the universe to evolve.
- The guidance of higher beings.
- The workings of karma.
Going from minerals to plants, to animals, and then to humans? It sounds like the universe’s version of a career ladder. And just when you think you’ve made it, you find out there’s a promotion to dhyan chohans!”
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky introduced the concept of a “life wave,” representing a group of monads (or spiritual entities) evolving together through various stages of cosmic development. Initially, these monads evolved without the influence of karma, as they lacked egos and intellectual faculties. However, as they developed human characteristics and gained egos, karma began to play a crucial role in their evolution, guiding them towards more spiritual behaviour.
Blavatsky’s cosmology also includes the idea that each planet, including Earth, is part of a seven-sphere system, with most spheres being invisible and existing on different planes of reality. The Earth, or Globe D, is one of seven globes in the “Earth Chain,” through which monads evolve in a series of seven “rounds,” or cycles. Currently, humanity is said to be in the fourth round, having evolved through earlier, less material stages on other globes.
The journey of monads involves evolving through various forms—from mineral to plant, animal, and eventually human—across different globes. This evolutionary process is facilitated by higher beings, such as the pitris, who assist by blending spirit with matter. Human evolution on Earth is divided into seven “root races,” each with seven sub-races, through which a monad must evolve. Blavatsky details the first five root races, including the ethereal first race and the more physical third Lemurian and fourth Atlantean races, leading up to the current fifth Aryan race.
Human evolution is characterized by gradual spiritualization, with the sixth and future seventh root races expected to exhibit further liberation from material constraints. Once the monadic journey through all the rounds and races is complete, a monad will have achieved enlightenment, free from the limitations of matter and possessing the wisdom of all its incarnations. Ultimately, highly evolved beings will transition to higher worlds, contributing to the ongoing cosmic evolution until the cosmos enters a rest period, achieving the highest state of Nirvana.
In Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s later teachings, she presented the concept of the human microcosm as a reflection of the septenary macrocosm, with seven essential elements or principles in the human constitution involved in the cycle of death and rebirth. These seven principles termed the saptaparna (seven-leafed plant), span from the physical to the spiritual, including the body, vitality, astral body, animal soul, human soul, spiritual soul, and spirit. Each principle plays a specific role in human existence and the afterlife process.
The physical body, animated by vitality, is the lowest form of matter in human constitution. The astral body, or ethereal duplicate of the physical, forms the basis of the physical body’s formation. The animal soul drives desires and emotions as a medium for lower instincts. The human soul, associated with reason and memory, distinguishes humans from animals, facilitating moral and intellectual development. This principle is crucial for reincarnation, as spiritual evolution hinges on overcoming lower desires to align with higher principles.
Blavatsky emphasized the division of manas, the human soul, into higher and lower aspects, where the higher strives towards spiritual alignment, influencing the cycle of rebirth and evolution. The highest principles, atma and buddhi, constitute a person’s immortal essence, with buddhi serving as the channel for divine knowledge and atma representing the universal spirit.
Death triggers the separation of the higher principles from the lower, leading to a purification process in kama loka. This is followed by a restful state in devachan, akin to heaven, where the soul prepares for its next incarnation. Reincarnation, driven by the monad’s thirst for life, involves acquiring a new set of principles influenced by karma, which dictates the conditions of the new life.
Blavatsky viewed karma as an impersonal, harmonizing force in the universe, essential for the perfection of humanity and explanation of life’s inequalities. Her teachings suggest that suffering and response to it are pivotal for spiritual evolution, highlighting the balance between cosmic progression and individual agency. This doctrine supports the notion of universal brotherhood. It underscores the significance of personal power and the present moment in the evolutionary journey.
Karma: the universe’s saying, ‘What goes around comes around.’ It’s like cosmic customer feedback—ignore it at your peril.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s shift from the theory of metempsychosis to reincarnation around 1882 likely stemmed from finding the latter more appealing and comforting.
Blavatsky’s switch from metempsychosis to reincarnation is like upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone. Suddenly, the universe became a lot more user-friendly and a bit less likely to drop calls to the beyond.
Unlike her earlier beliefs, where failing to achieve immortality led to annihilation, her later reincarnation theory suggested that individuals enjoy the fruits of their good karma in a state called devachan before returning to Earth in a more advanced form. This view distanced itself from the more personal connections of French Spiritism, suggesting a broader, evolutionary journey of the soul rather than personal continuity. Blavatsky emphasised the impersonal nature of this journey, focusing on the collective evolution towards a higher consciousness rather than individual relationships.
This doctrine supported the notion of universal brotherhood. It underscored the importance of personal growth and spiritual evolution, even suggesting that humanity’s current stage in the Aryan root race was pivotal in cosmic evolution. Blavatsky’s teachings indicated that suffering and personal response to it were integral to spiritual advancement, with karma playing a role in this process by ensuring justice and facilitating the soul’s evolution towards enlightenment or Nirvana.
To sum it up, in the grand cosmic scheme, stressing over a bad hair day seems a bit trivial. But then again, if you’re going to reincarnate, you might as well look good doing it, right?
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