But quite apart from any form of coercion, unwary persons may, while filled with enthusiasm or glamoured by the new revelation, part with considerably more money than they can comfortably spare; they may even literally lay their all upon the altar, and then, disillusioned by subsequent events, greatly regret having done so.
In many such cases a competent solicitor can secure a refund.
The courts do not look with favour on excessive contributions to “movements.” It goes without saying, that no rightly conducted organisation would consent to augment its funds at the expense of the ruin of one of its members.
It must, of course, equally protect itself against capriciousness and spite and the machinations of the kind of mentality that tries to buy influence by subscriptions.
It has always been our custom, in the Fraternity of the Inner Light, to insist that any woman who proposes to give a large donation should consult her financial adviser before doing so.
For one reason or another we have refused upwards of twenty-five thousand pounds during the last seven years.
Nor have we had any reason at regret having done so.
The strength of an occult organisation does not lie upon the physical plane.
It is well known that there are various drugs which can be used to exalt consciousness and induce a temporary psychism.
It may not be equally well known that most of these substances come under the regulations of the Dangerous Drugs Act, and that to obtain them from irregular sources, or even to be found in possession of them save for a legitimate purpose, is to render oneself liable to prosecution, and in this case too the authorities are exceedingly alert All initiates of the Right-hand Path agree in declaring that to exalt consciousness by means of drugs is a dangerous and undesirable proceeding.
There may be research workers who for legitimate reasons wish to undertake experiments, but I cannot conceive of any legitimate reason for introducing a neophyte to the drug habit.
In any case, if such experiments are undertaken, they should be conducted under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner who will be in a position to prevent catastrophe or deal with it should it arise.
The drugs that alter consciousness also affect the heart, and hearts are not always all they should be.
More over, the composition of rare drugs is not standardised and varies enormously; they are liable to contain various impurities, and samples may turn out to be unusually toxic.
The unpleasantness of having upon one’s hands an unexpected and unaccountable corpse is only exceeded by the unpleasantness of becoming the corpse oneself, either of which eventualities may happen when people begin to experiment with the drugs that “unloose the girders of the mind.” The morals of mankind in general leave much to be desired from the point of view of the purist, and the occult organisations, occupying as they do, the sea-coast of Bohemia, leave more than usual.
A few of the best, maintaining that occultism is essentially a religion, uphold a high standard; the remainder are blest with a kaleidoscopic collection of soul-mates.
This need not concern us here.
If people choose to kick over Mrs.
Grundy’s apron-strings, that is their affair.
Nor need we at the moment consider the occult abuses of sex-force, which will require detailed consideration in their proper place.
All we need consider in this chapter is the purely normal form of loose living which is camouflaged under a pretence of occultism.
Of this I have seen numerous cases.
The head of one group systematically seduced his pupils under the pretext that it was part of their initiation, and the group accepted the situation in a spirit of the purest self-sacrifice.
Several others sailed unpleasantly near the wind, with the result that “crushes” and the subsequent nervous breakdowns were very prevalent.
It ought hardly to be necessary to say that such methods form no part of the Right-hand Path.
The ritual admission of an individual into esoteric knowledge or a sacred order through a formal rite of passage — testing, ordeal, or ceremony — marking a definite before/after threshold in the initiate's status and access. Distinct from hidden_sayings (the doctrine being concealed, not the rite of admission to it) and esoteric_lineage (the historical chain of transmission across generations, not a single individual's admission).
The text references 'initiation' specifically in the context of abuse where a group head seduced pupils under the pretext that it was part of their initiation.
Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.
The author critiques 'loose living which is camouflaged under a pretence of occultism' and condemns groups that exploit members financially or sexually while claiming spiritual authority.
The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.
The text advises against giving large donations that one cannot comfortably spare and notes the Fraternity refused significant sums to protect members from financial ruin.
A magical or spiritual orientation that directs occult power toward reverent service of the divine and the welfare of others, in disciplined subordination to a moral code — the positive complement to the Left-hand Path's self-aggrandizement, and the orientation an initiatory order upholds in barring seduction, extortion, and the sale of initiation for gain. Distinct from left_hand_path (the opposing orientation this concept mirrors) and theurgy (a specific ritual technique of divine engagement, not the standing ethical orientation of the practitioner).
The passage explicitly contrasts abuses with the 'Right-hand Path,' stating that such methods form no part of it and that initiates of this path agree on the dangers of drug-induced consciousness.
Organized, persisting groups — fraternities, orders, lodges — that maintain esoteric knowledge or practices as an institution distinct from public religion or mainstream society, holding 'the keys' collectively rather than through any one master-disciple pair. Distinct from esoteric_lineage (a genealogical chain of individual transmission, not an institution) and hidden_sayings (the concealment of a teaching's meaning, independent of whether any organized body holds it).
The passage explicitly discusses the structure and ethical conduct of occult organisations, specifically mentioning the 'Fraternity of the Inner Light' as an example of a rightly conducted group.