Where the Rishis Were by William Q Judge

Nearly a hundred years ago, the attention, particularly of the Western world, was partially aroused to consider the possibility of hidden psychic forces latent in men. As we approach the midway point of the Twentieth Century, it is natural that we should expect a growing public interest in the experiments in psychology, hypnotism, mediumship, occult and spiritistic phenomena, etc. Unfortunately our modern civilisation has paid scant attention to the hard-earned lessons of the past civilisations. Blinded by self-conceit and self opinionatedness, we blunder on and on making needles mistakes and errors. Now fiction plays an unique part in the life of this social chaos we call civilisation. In other eras poetry exerted the greatest influence; and later the essay was used to right wrongs and initiate reforms. Today not only does the story entertain,, but is used indirectcly and sparingly, to point to social ills; it also reforms and educates millions of readers, who will learn only through entertainment.

It is natural to expect that psychical science, the occult arts and Occultism will be more and more used as bases for fiction. Unfortunately with such few exceptions as the writings of H.P.Blavatsky, W.Q.Judge, R.L.Stevenson and Bulwer-Lytton, most writers in this field fail to do full justice to the important items of psychic science they handle. Many go to modern psychology, some to psychoanalysis, a few to psychical research. Most authors do not care to look for knowledge to Eastern Wisdom and the Esoteric Philosophy; they are prejudiced against both. Whatever influence or instruction of Pure Occultism they may have imbibed, has been indirect and unconscious.

The range of occult fiction is large – from true insight to jumbled cerebration. There are stories which are mere fanciful speculations without any basis of knowledge.

Fortunately these mislead only a few. Then there are the "pot-boilers" founded on the shifting sands of scientific theories and hypotheses. These are but poor aids to knowledge and real instruction.

But there are quite a number of stories rooted in pseudo-occultism – stories about astral wanderings, etc., which are more or less innocuous. Some are however positively dangerous; e. g. love-making with invisible brides and bridegrooms, the seeking of invisible soul-mates and so on. The grand conception of Reincarnation and the endless justice of the Law of Karma, have been belittled to the clap trap plots of lower personality incarnations – Cleopatra now living as Mrs Jones, or Napoleon as Mr. Smith. Lack of real knowledge produces grotesque results.

For earnest thinkers and painstaking pen-men the field of the Occult is open. They need to equip themselves with accurate knowledge of both the principles and the details of psychic science. The master-Occultist of the 19th century, H.P.Blavatsky, sparingly used the story as a mean of popularizing and conveying some of the profound truths of Occultism. We reprint a number of her stories as well as some by her colleague w. Q. Judge. For in the form of their fiction will be found entertainment for those who wish to be merely amused, but, for the discerning, many hints and much illumination, together with grave warnings against dabbling in the occult.

There was some difficulty in finding a suitable title for these stories of the psyche and the nous in man. The editors finallychose the TELL-TALE PICTURE GALLERY, as generally indicative of the book's contents. The reader will find it is also the title of one of Mr. Judge's striking stories, who is therefore, originally responsible for its coining.

CONTENTS

An Allegory – Occult Stories Series #1
A Wierd Tale – Occult Stories Series #2
Where the Rishis Were – Occult Stories Series #3
A Curoius Tale – Occult Stories Series #4
The Serpent´s Blood – Occult Stories Series #5
The Magic Screen of Time – Occult Stories Series #6
The Wandering Eye – Occult Stories Series #7
The Tell Tale Picture Gallery – Occult Stories Series #8
The Skin of the Earth – Occult Stories Series #9
The Turn of the Wheel – Occult Stories Series #10
The Coming of the Serpent – Occult Stories Series #11
True Progress – Occult Stories Series # 12
The Persian Student´s Doctrine – Occult Stories Series #13
Karma in Desatir – Occult Stories Series #14
An Occult Novel – Occult Stories Series #15

" Lead the life necessary for the acquisition of such knowledge and powers, and Wisdom will come to you naturally. Whenever you are able to attune your consciousness to any of the seven chords of' Universal 'Consciousness,' those chords that run along the sounding-board of Kosmos, vibrating from one Eternity to another; when you have studied thoroughly' the music of the Spheres,' then only will you become quite free to share your knowledge with those with whom it is safe to do so. Meanwhile, be prudent. Do not give out the great Truths that are the inheritance of the future Races, to our present generation. Do not attempt to unveil the secret of being and non-being to those unable to see the hidden meaning of Apollo's HEPTACHORD – the lyre of the radiant god, in each of the seven strings of which dwelleth the Spirit, Soul and Astral body of the Kosmos, whose shell only has now fallen into the hands of Modern Science.... Be prudent, we say, prudent and wise, and above all take care what those who learn from you believe in; lest by deceiving themselves they deceive others... for such is the fate of every truth with which men are, as yet, unfamiliar."

From THE SECRET DOCTRINE I, 167