One of the most important steps on the Path of the Soul towards enlightenment is its first contact with the Ancient Wisdom, known today as Theosophy. This may take place in many ways, but in our day and age such contact generally takes place either by reading about Theosophy or by hearing of it. The work of the Theosophical Movement is therefore in the main twofold—promulgation of the Teachings through the written word and the spoken word.
One may happen to read some of the recorded Teachings, using the medium of the eye. Or one may hear a stray word expressed by a friend who is a student of Theosophy, or chance upon the meetings held in one or another of the several Centres which function throughout the world for the promulgation of the Message of Theosophy. In the latter case, contact is made through the spoken word, which requires the medium of the ear.
Both the spoken and the written word carry with them an innate power, the power of true Ideas, which makes its impact on the brain and mind of the individual. This impact alerts the inquiring soul to an awareness of the Message of Theosophy which has been recorded by its Teachers and reiterated by its pupils. This stage of listening or reading on the part of the "awakened soul" may appear to be of a passive nature, yet soul-growth begins by imbibing the nourishment provided by the lectures and talks on Theosophy at the meetings of the United Lodge of Theosophists, and by the independent study of the genuine writings of Theosophy.
Just as the first step can be considered as the awakening into awareness on the part of the now quickened soul, so the second step is the pursuance of the quest for Truth by questions. The progress from the listening to the questioning stage shows that the now awakened soul seeks further knowledge of the Truth which has set the chords of mind and heart into vibration. Again the U.L.T. provides for this through its question and answer meetings as well as by the opportunity offered to send written questions which may be answered through correspondence. It will be perceived that the mind of the awakened soul is now passing from a passive perceptive stage to a more active inquiring one, and this constitutes a second step on the Path of Enlightenment where the further "lighting up of Manas" is now taking place by self-induced ways and means. So the transition from "listener" to "questioner" shows the progress that the soul has made.
From "listener" to "questioner" and from "questioner" to "student" covers three steps on the Path of the Soul. From direct study of the Teachings develops independent devotion to both the Teachings and its Teachers, because the awakening soul now begins to feel a sense of gratitude towards towards those Teachers who, through the power of the word, recorded and spoken, have brought it some illumination. The soul is now ready to continue on the Path in company with other "awakened" brothers and sisters. Again the various Centres and study groups of the U.L.T. provide in their study classes ample food for the digestion, assimilation and eventual promulgation of the Teachings which, as the soul is now realizing, carry with them a potent force both in their written and spoken form.
Active participation in the meeting at the Lodge provides the opportunity for transmitting to others the Teachings learnt, and through this opportunity of participation in the work, realization of the necessity for meditation on the Teachings arises in the mind-heart of the student. The companionship the Lodge meetings afford helps the striving student to feel the solidarity of Brotherhood that exists between co-students, and through this sensing the student begins to attune the instruments of the soul to the vibration of the "word" or message reborn within his own mind and heart. Participation by promulgation through the written or spoken word provides the necessary channels for that service which the Great Teachers except of us and of which they are the living exemplars—the service of Humanity.
It will be seen that the Lodge provides the necessary steps to fan the spark of the awakened mind into a quickening flame, and thereby helps to spread the light acquired to others.
The obstructions that prevent the soul from expressing the true Ideas that it perceives and feels when it contacts Theosophy by both the written and the spoken word arise from the imperfections of the instruments of body, mind and feelings, that the soul is now using. To work to remove these obstructions is to follow the steps on the Path towards enlightenment, some of which steps have been indicated in this article.
