Esotericism and The Political Impulse
Traditionally spirituality and Esotericism is considered to be all about transforming a human being, cultivation of love, compassion, benevolence etc etc. All this is true, but there is also a Yang side of Esotericism. Initiates of Esoteric Wisdom aren’t always meek and complacent. Often it has been seen, students ignore a very important aspect of spiritual development. The dissolution of the old. Students are perpetually busy in making effort towards a new life without changing the old. This basically leads to pouring old wine into New Bottles.
Students of esoteric wisdom must be aware that for a total transformation to occur, we need a total change. A total ending of our old ways. This is vital to our spiritual development.
“Real revolution does not come merely at the superficial level, at the economic level. Real revolution lies in our hearts and minds, and it can only come when we understand the whole total process of our being from day to day, in every relationship.”
J. Krishnamurti Poona 3rd Public Talk 31st January 1953
World Politics that we see today is highly divisive. From Esoteric perspective it is not politics at all but a gameplay of domination. Nevertheless it is also undeniable that all great Esoteric teachers throughout history have been highly political themselves. And that in the true sense of the term “Politics”. Their politics wasn’t divisive although they wanted a total political and economic change. It was something that would transform the society totally and completely. Torkom Saraydarian, a great teacher of Ageless Wisdom described Lord Christ as the greatest Politician. Another Great Politician after Christ was J Krishnamurti. He would attract thousands of people to his talks at a time and he would show people the dangers of Nationalism, religious division etc etc. He would even go as far to suggest that we are destroying the society by going to 9 to 5 work everyday. Indeed this is true politics. Changing the human society completely. Not stay within the framework of society and make minor changes with more division as we see in world Politics today.
The social pattern is set up by man; it is not independent of man, though it has a life of its own, and man is not independent of it; they are interrelated. Change within the pattern is no change at all; it is mere modification, reformation. Only by breaking away from the social pattern without building another can you ‘help’ society. As long as you belong to society, you are only helping it to deteriorate. All societies, including the most marvelously utopian, have within them the seeds of their own corruption. To change society, you must break away from it.
– J Krishnamurti ; Commentaries on Living, Series III”,82,Social Responsibility
We all can see the politics between various parties be it Republican or Democrat, is highly divisive. It is a sign a country is divided within itself. Whatever a Republican president does within his turn is undone by the next Democrat President on his first day in office and vice versa. In the last decade we have seen President Donald Trump undoing the work of former president Obama and now President Joe Biden undoing the work of Trump. We are seeing this happen in America. This is something that is against progress and transformation. This politics between two parties be it in any country is something very ugly. The politics Esotericism speaks about is not this politics. It is something that addresses the total problem of Humanity. Therefore a total transformation is possible through this politics.
The Energy of Christ 2000 years ago was revolutionary. It challenged the very system of human society that was in place. Almost 2000 years from then, J Krishnamurti did the same thing. He spoke about a total revolution of human consciousness. He said we can change the society if we change ourselves within. Because the outward society is merely a projection of the inward human consciousness.
Revolution must begin with you and me. That revolution, that individual transformation, can take place only when we understand relationship, which is the process of self-knowledge. Without knowing the whole process of my relationship at all the different levels, what I think and what I do has no value at all. What basis have I for thinking if I do not know myself? We are so desirous to act, so eager to do something, to bring some kind of revolution, some kind of amelioration.
– J Krishnamurti Collected Works, Vol. VI”,38,Social Responsibility
In the previous century in Europe, philosopher and esotericist Dr Rudolf Steiner also called for a total change in human consciousness. He coined the term Anthroposophy and wrote widely about human freedom. He also created the Social Threefolding system aimed at:
- equality in political life,
- freedom in cultural life (art, science, religion, education, the media)
- cooperation in economic life.
Although it is true Dr Steiner and Krishnamurti were political, their approach was never separative, which is characterized by the World Politics today. As Esoteric students, it is therefore urgent for us to understand the need for a political change or a political revolution that is brought about by the revolution of consciousness.
“The Anthroposophical Society is averse to any kind of sectarian tendency. Politics it does not consider to be among its tasks.” – Rudolf Steiner. The Life, Nature and Cultivation of Anthroposophy. Rudolf Steiner Press: London, 1963. Page 5.
The Politics every esoteric student should invest and involve in should never be divisive in nature. The Political impulse of the First Ray that is about to appear in the Aquarian age should be used to create change. Every esoteric student should prepare to assimilate this energy in it’s right form. Much time is wasted by disciples of today by indulging in Carnal World Politics which can never solve the problems of Humanity. Capitalism is reaching it’s height, Monopoly of big corporations is widespread, there is total economic inequality and most disciples are distracting themselves with a dreamy utopian version of Love and Kindness.
The way Humanity is marching today will result in a total destruction of our planet if disciples stay inactive. Indulgence in world politics, utopian mysticism, inaction are all contributing factors to suffering in this world today. Students of Esoteric Wisdom must wake up and rise up together to create this change that is much needed. To do that first of all, the disciple must stop being divisive, must give up Nationalism, religious identification and must do away with all forms of narrow minded approach to human problems. This might sound easy but many of use are still nationalistic, still deeply identified with our race, religion, organization and creed.
Change can not happen as long as we hold on to the old. As long as there is fragmentation within us. Fragmentation in human consciousness has resulted in division in human society and this division has bred conflict, chaos and destruction. Esoteric students so far have failed to bring about a revolution in human consciousness. Initiates came one after the other but students failed to use the wisdom that was given to them by the initiates. As we approach the Aquarian Age, this inaction must stop. Much work needs to be done. And as students of esoteric wisdom we must play our role in this much needed transformation.
Alice Bailey in her book Problems of Humanity noted down the urgency of the problem we have today. We all must answer these questions and cooperate with each other in order to bring about this much needed transformation:
Certain questions arise. In the answering of these questions, humanity will solve its problems or, if they remain unsolved, the human race will come to an end.
1. Is the capitalistic system to remain in power? Is it entirely evil? Are not capitalists human beings?
2. Will labour itself, through its unions and its growing power, vested in its leaders, become a tyranny?
3. Can labour and capital form a working agreement or amalgamation? Do we face another type of war between these two groups?
4. In what way can the Law of Supply and Demand be implemented so that there is justice for all and plenty for all?
5. Must some form of totalitarian control be adopted by the various world governments in order to meet the requirements of supply and demand? Must we legislate for material ends and comfort?
6. What standard of living will—in the New Age—seem essential to man? Shall we have a purely materialistic civilization or shall we have a spiritual world trend?
7. What must be done to prevent the monied interests from again mobilizing for the exploitation of the world?
8. What really lies at the very heart of the modern materialistic difficulty?
This last question can be answered in the well known words: “The love of money is the root of all evil”. This throws us back on the fundamental weakness of humanity—the quality of desire. Of this, money is the result and the symbol.”
– Alice Biley, Problems of Humanity
“All authority of any kind, especially in the field of thought and understanding, is the most destructive, evil thing. Leaders destroy the followers and followers destroy the leaders. You have to be your own teacher and your own disciple. You have to question everything that man has accepted as valuable, as necessary.”
