H
P Blavatsky
At
By
Countess Constance Wachtmeister
This account appeared in a memorial publication
entitled:-
In Memory of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky by Some
of Her Pupils
Published 1891
In the month of
November, 1885, I went to
Madame Blavatsky was
settled in comfortable apartments with lofty rooms and with the quiet
surroundings she so much needed for the stupendous work in which she was
engaged. Every morning at 6 a.m. she
used to rise, having a good hour’s work before her breakfast at 8 a.m., then,
after having read her letters and newspapers she would again settle to her
writing, sometimes calling me into the room to tell me that references from
books and manuscripts had been given to her by her Master with the chapter and
page quoted, and to ask me whether I could get friends to verify the
correctness of these passages in different Public Libraries: for as she read everything reversed in the
Astral Light, it would be easy for her to make mistakes in dates and numbers
--- and in some instances it was found that the number of the page had been
reversed, for instance 23 would be found on page 32, etc.
Between one and
time varying to accommodate her work, and then without any
repose she would immediately set herself at her table again, writing until
the same unvarying life went on, only broken by the malicious
Hodgson report which caused waves of disturbance to reach us from all
sides. H. P. B. said to me one evening:
“You cannot imagine what it is to feel so many adverse thoughts and currents
directed
against you; it is like the prickings of
a thousand needles, and I have continually to be erecting a wall of protection
around me”. I asked her whether she knew
from whom these unfriendly thoughts came, she answered: “Yes; unfortunately, I
do, and I am always trying to shut my eyes so as not to see and know”; and to
prove to me that this was the case, she would tell me of letters that had been
written, quoting passages from them, and these actually arrived a
day or two afterwards, I being able to verify the correctness of the sentences.
All who have known and
loved H. P. B. have felt what a charm there was about her, how truly kind and
loveable she was; at time such a bright childish nature seemed to beam around
her, and a spirit of joyous fun would sparkle in her whole countenance, and
cause the most winning expression that I have ever seen on a human face. One of the marvels of her character was, that to everybody she was different. I have never seen her treat two persons
alike. The weak
traits in every one’s character were known to her at once, and the
extraordinary way in which she would probe them was surprising. By those who lived in daily contact with her
the knowledge of Self was gradually acquired, and by
those who chose to benefit by her practical way of teaching progress could be
made. But to many of her pupils the
process was unpalatable, for it is never pleasant to
be brought face to face
with one’s own weaknesses; and so many turned from her, but those who could
stand the test, and remain true to her, would recognise
within themselves the inner development which alone leads to Occultism. A truer and more faithful friend one could
never have than H. P. B., and I think it the greatest blessing of my life to
have lived with her in such close intimacy,
and until my death I shall try and further the noble cause for
which she slaved and suffered so much.
I shall not speak of
phenomena in this paper, for my personal testimony can be of no use to anybody
but myself, except to satisfy curiosity; all I can say is, that phenomena
occurred daily both in Wurzburg and in Ostende, where I spent a second winter
with Madame Blavatsky. In fact what
people call phenomena seemed to me the ordinary natural occurrences of daily
life, so used did I become to them; and true it is, that we only call phenomena
that which we are
unable fully to explain
--- and the shooting stars, the growth of trees, in fact all nature around us
is one vast phenomenon which if witnessed but rarely would fill us with far
more incredulity and astonishment than the ringing of astral bells, etc.
Our stay in
In October, 1886, I
joined H. P. B. in Ostende, and found her settled in comfortable enough
quarters; she welcomed me with all the warmth of her genial nature, and was, I
think, as truly glad to have me as I was to be with her. We recommenced our monotonous but interesting
life, the thread being taken up from where it was last broken, and I watched
with delight how the piles of manuscript for the S. D. were increasing. Our near vicinity to
people once more to come
buzzing round H. P. B., and we received several visitors, amongst whom were
Mrs. Kingsford and Mr. Maitland, and it was a pleasure to listen to the
conversation of three such highly gifted intellects on all the points of
resemblance between Western and Eastern Occultism, but still with my further
and later experience of H. P. B. and her teachings it is marvellous to me how
she kept safely locked within her own breast the occult knowledge
which she has lately been permitted to give to a few of her
pupils.
Towards the end of the
winter H. P. B. became very ill; her kidneys were affected, and after some days
of intense suffering the Belgian doctor told me that he despaired of her
life. I telegraphed to Madame Gebhard, who had been a true and sincere friend of hers for
many years, and also to Mr. Ashton Ellis, a member of the T. S. and a clever
doctor, both responded to my call and helped me through those trying and
anxious days, and in the end Mr. Ellis’ wise
treatment pulled her through the dangerous crisis. As H. P. B. was slowly recovering other
friends came. Dr. Keightley
and also Mr. Bertram Keightley were among these, and
they both persuaded Madame Blavatsky to go and spend the summer in
I then left Ostende,
Madame Gebhard kindly remaining with the old lady
until she felt equal to undertaking the journey to
I came to England in
August, 1887, found H. P. B. at Norwood, and shortly afterwards we moved into
17, Lansdowne Road, Holland Park, and then began a new, difficult and then
painful life. Trials followed each other
in quick succession, but the very outcome of all these trials and worries was
the development of the Society and the spreading of theosophical truths.
Madame Blavatsky was at
home every Saturday afternoon, and visitors
came every evening, crowds of people; some out of curiosity,
others with a true desire to learn about Theosophy, and a few attracted by her
personality. To watch the varied way in
which H. P. B. would receive each new arrival was in itself a study, and later events have proved that her knowledge of
character was unique. At times she would
seem to grow and expand in intellect and the force and power with which she
would put forward her vast knowledge would seize those present with awe; at
other times she only talked of the most trivial things, and her hearers would
go away quite satisfied with themselves, feeling that they were vastly her
superiors. But I have only a certain
space allotted to me and must close these few lines.
The house in
CONSTANCE WACHTMEISTER,
F.T.S.
Countess Wachtmeisters’ Letter to A P Sinnett 1886
A more detailed account of the meeting
with HPB in Wurzburg
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Tekels Park
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Concerns about the fate of the wildlife as
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Concerns are raised about the fate of the wildlife as
The Spiritual Retreat, Tekels Park in Camberley,
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Tekels Park is a 50 acre woodland park, purchased
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Tekels Park & the Loch Ness Monster
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A B C D EFG H IJ KL M N OP QR S T UV WXYZ
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Classic Introductory
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A Text Book of Theosophy By C
What Theosophy Is From the Absolute to Man
The Formation of a Solar System The Evolution of Life
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The Result of Theosophical Study
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Preface to the American Edition Introduction
Occultism and its Adepts The Theosophical Society
First Occult Experiences Teachings of Occult Philosophy
Later Occult Phenomena Appendix
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