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Unfinished Autobiography by Alice A. Bailey

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My Review

I'm not really into Alice Bailey's work, nor into that of 'The Tibetan', but this autobiography is great. Funny, full of self knowledge and simply fascinating from the point of view of esoteric history.

Alice Bailey was born and raised in England in 1880. She lived through both world wars and lived the transition from riches to poverty - from life with servants at every step, to doing your own laundry. She was a missionary, an abused wife, a divorcée when that was still unusual, and then a spiritual teacher in her own right - helped by the love of her life and second husband.

This is an Unfinished autobiography. The manuscript was still being worked on by the author and her editors when she passed in 1949. As such it does have a slightly rough style - repetitions here and there on points Bailey clearly felt strongly. When I put on my historians hat, I'm most annoyed at her inconsistent naming of people. Sometimes they're left anonymous, sometimes they're named. When a name is given, it's very often not on the first mention of them.

She says she was taught by three personal students of Blavatsky's, but she names only one. We're left to guess about the other two and I suppose the only way to find out their names is to go through Theosophical Society's records and the magazine of the Arcane School. Why does it matter? It's not very likely that Bailey would find three personal students of Blavatsky's in the USA. Blavatsky didn't really have that many personal students. On the other hand, she did have a huge correspondence. Each of those people might feel themselves to be a 'personal student' of Blavatsky's. However, I think it's pretty clear it means less than the phrase suggests. And to base on that the claim, which Bailey makes in this book, that she's closer to Blavatsky's real teachings than her critics would allow, is rather stretching things.

The main reason I bought this book is that it gives an uncensored look at the Theosophical Society in the first half of the 20th century. Few books have been written about that period. One has to dip in very diverse waters to get a glimpse of what it was like.

Alice Bailey's main work ended up being outside the Theosophical Society, yet her attitude to central occult aspects of that organization are precisely what one hears amongst members nowadays. I guess she was, in this respect at least, ahead of her time.

The Unfinished Autobiography (of Alice Bailey)

About pronouns and political correctness

Like her contemporaries, Alice Bailey writes using words like 'all men', 'fellowmen' etc. This does not refer just to men, but to women too: to all people. She's of a generation in which there was no sense that the words we use confirm the patriarchal structure of society. There was no idea as yet that one should look for, and preferably use, gender neutral words when no gender is meant.

Unfortunately, this does render her 'Invocation' less useful for our time than it might otherwise be.

Do you think Alice Bailey really had a connection with the Theosophical Masters?

What did you think?

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I love Alice Bailey's teachings and think they're inspired by the spiritual hierarchy.

No, her teachings are no where near what I think the Masters would teach.

spirituality says:

I'm not sure. I do think Alice Bailey - as a person - might have been one of the workers in the spiritual hierarchy. However, the most inspiring work she's written, for me, isn't one of those by 'The Tibetan', but this autobiography. The teachings for which she was the channel seem to me way less valuable than those by Blavatsky, however her approach to 'the work' sets a tone I think is very inspiring.

Posted June 27, 2010

 

About her youth - social responsibility

Alice Bailey quote

From the earliest possible time we were taught to care about the poor and the sick and to realize that fortunate circumstances entailed responsibility. Several times a week when it was time to go for a walk we had to go to the housekeeper's room for jellies and soup for some sick person on the property, for baby cloths for the new baby at one of the lodges, for books for someone who was confined to the house to read. This may be an instance of the paternalism and the feudalism of Great Britain but it had its good points. It may be a good thing that it has disappeared - personally I believe it is - but we could do with that trained sense of responsibility and of duty to others among the wealthy of this land. We were taught that money and position entailed certain obligations and that these obligations must be met. (p. 27)

About her education - moral values

Alice A. Bailey quote

Alice had gotten rid of all the valuable possessions of her governess. Then Alice read her diary, to find out that the governess knew very well who had done it. Still, she did not say a thing. Three days later Alice confessed only to find:

"To her, it was a greater sin to be dishonest enough to read private papers than it was to destroy material things. She gave me my start in the first great lesson of occultism; to distinguish between the Self and the not-Self and between intangible values and the tangible. " (p. 31)

The Great Invocation

From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May Christ return to Earth.

From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men -
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.



"The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all humanity. The beauty and the strength of the Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept - the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out."
Alice Bailey

About occult discipleship

Alice Bailey quote

Alice Bailey claims that from a young age she was looked after by a spiritual master, Koot Hoomi. He did not come to her often - merely once every seven years or so. She says about that claim:

"The claim of discipleship is ever permissible; it gives nothing away and only carries weight if backed by a life of service. The claim that one is an initiate of a certain status is never permissible, except among those of the same rating and then it is not necessary. The world is full of disciples. Let them acknowledge it. Let them stand together in the bonds of discipleship and make it easier for others to do the same. Thus will the existence of the Masters be proved and proved in the right way - through the lives and testimonies of those They train. " (p. 38)

A few certainties

Alice A. Bailey quote

"Today, I can laugh and today I am quite sure that I do not have all the answers. I find myself left with few if any doctrines and dogmas. I am very sure of the existence of Christ and of the Masters who are His disciples. I am sure that there is a plan which They are attempting to work out on earth and I believe that They, in Themselves, are the answer and the guarantee of man's ultimate achievement and that as They are, so shall we all be some day. I can no longer say with assurance and aplomb what people ought to do. I seldom, therefore, give advice. I certainly do not pretend to interpret God's mind and to say what God wants as do the theologians of the world. " (p. 49)

"I believed in the power of Christ to save then and I believe in it a thousandfold more today. I know that people can turn from the error of their ways and I have seen them again and again find that reality in themselves which St. Paul calls "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Upon that knowledge I stake my eternal salvation and the salvation of mankind. I know that Christ lives and that we live in Him and I know that God is our Father and that, under God's great Plan, all souls eventually find their way back to Him. I know that the Christ life in the human heart can lead all men from death to immortality. I know that because Christ lives we shall live also and that we are saved by His life. But I question our human techniques very often and I believe that God's way is often the best and that He often leaves us to find our own way home, knowing that in all of us there is something of Himself which is divine, which never dies, and which comes to knowledge. I know that nothing in Heaven or hell can come between the love of God and His children. I know that He stays on guard watching "until the last weary pilgrim has found his way home." I know that all things work together for good to those who love God, and this means that we do not love some far off, abstract Deity but that we love our fellowmen. Loving our fellowmen is evidence - undefined, maybe, but just as sure - that we love God. " (pp. 60, 61)

Humor and self-depreciation

Alice A. Bailey quote

"I was, as you may have gathered, a consummate prig, even if well-intentioned. I was almost too good to live and certainly holy enough to be hated." (p. 66)

A lesson learned

Alice A. Bailey quote

"I proved to myself, with much surprise, that understanding and love will work with individuals when condemnation and accusations will fail. " This after telling a funny story about how she got a bunch of soldiers to behave - through taking them on a picknick... (pp. 73, 74)

Masters and their disciples

Alice A. Bailey quote

"One hot night in Lucknow I could not sleep. I walked up and down my room and felt entirely desolate. I went out on to the broad verandah shrouded in flowering bougainvilaea but found nothing there but mosquitoes. I returned to my room and stood by my dressing table for a minute. Suddenly a broad shaft of brilliant light struck my room and the voice of the Master Who had come to me when I was fifteen spoke to me. I did not see Him this time but I stood in the middle of the room and listened to what He had to say. He told me not to be unduly troubled; that I had been under observation and was doing what He wanted me to do. He told me that things were planned and that the life work which He had earlier outlined to me would start, but in a way which I would not recognize. He offered me no solution for any of my problems and He did not tell me what to do. The Masters never do. They never tell a disciple what to do or where to go, or how to handle a situation, in spite of all the bunk talked by nice, well meaning devotees. The Master is a busy executive and His job is world direction. He never runs around talking sweet platitudes to perfectly mediocre people whose influence is nil and whose power to serve is undeveloped.
(...)
We learn to be Masters by mastering our own problems, by putting right our own mistakes, by lifting some of humanity's burdens and forgetting ourselves. The Master did not comfort me that night, He offered me no compliments or nice platitudes. He said, in effect, the work must go on. Don't forget. Be prepared to work. Don't be deceived by circumstances. " (pp. 88-89)

Living harmlessly

Alice A. Bailey quote

"All good things come to those who live harmlessly, who are kind and considerate as well. But harmlessness is the key and I leave you to find out for yourselves how difficult it is to be harmless in word and deed and thought." (p. 152)

Occultism and Secrecy

Alice A. Bailey quote

"I have always held the theory that the deepest and most esoteric truths could be shouted from the housetops to the general public and unless there was an inner mechanism of spiritual recognition no harm could possibly be done. Therefore pledges to secrecy became meaningless. There are no secrets. There is only the presentation of truth and its understanding." (p. 121)

Understanding and Love

Alice A. Bailey quote

"The world has to be salvaged by those with both intelligence and love; aspiration and good intention are not enough." (p. 229)

About astrology

Alice A. Bailey quote

"If a person is highly developed they will begin to rule their stars. They will do the unpredictable and their horoscopes will prove inaccurate and have no meaning at all. If a person is undeveloped then the probability is that their stars completely condition them and their horoscopes will therefore be entirely accurate from the predictional angle. When this is so and the person accepts the dictum of their horoscope their free will is completely stultified, they work entirely within the limits of their horoscope and the result of this is that they fail to make any personal effort to free themselves from the possible determining factors." (p. 231)

About impartiality

A quote from 'The Tibetan'

"Let me repeat what I have oft said before. The Hierarchy and all its members, including myself, love humanity but they will not endorse evil, aggression, cruelty and the imprisoning of the human soul. They stand for liberty, for opportunity for all to move forward along the way of light, for human welfare without discrimination, for kindness and the right of every man to think for himself, to speak and to work. Necessarily they cannot, therefore, endorse the nations or the people in any nation who are against human freedom and happiness. (...) the entire force of the Hierarchy is thrown on the side of the nations struggling to free humanity, and on the side of those in any nation who thus work." (p. 252, Appendix: My Work, by The Tibetan)

The Unfinished Autobiography by Alice A. Bailey

The Unfinished Autobiography

The Unfinished Autobiography

by: Alice A. Bailey

Amazon Price: $16.59 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Buy in Europe (Amazon.co.uk)

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The Unfinished Autobiography 

by Alice A. Bailey

The Unfinished Autobiography

The Unfinished Autobiography

by: Alice A. Bailey

Amazon Price: $16.59 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Buy in Europe (Amazon.co.uk)
Alice Ann Bailey somewhat reluctantly agreed to attempt her own autobiography. What finally decided her to write about her life was a letter from a friend who, she said, felt deeply that "I would really render a service if I could show people how I became what I am from what I was. It might be useful to know how a rabid orthodox Christian worker could become a well-known occult teacher." From her conservative British background, Alice Bailey's life led her in many directions, but always in one direction - towards the time when through drastic personal experience of may kinds she had acquired a synthesis of outlook and understanding, and an absolute conviction that one divine life pervades and animates the one humanity; that the Plan for man requires the cooperation and service of trained and dedicated human beings intelligently informed about world affairs, in collaboration with those who form the spiritual Hierarchy, the inner government of the planet.

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