The Theosophy of HP Blavatsky, etc, seems to state rather consistently that upon death, the vast majority of souls enter Devachan for (approximately) 1500 years. Devachan after death seemed to be the "norm" according to Theosophy.

Master Samael states that it is very rare for souls these days to earn vacations in the higher worlds (Devachan) after death.

This makes more sense to me, to be truthful. But why the stark contrast in the information?

Were the Theosophists just telling people what they were meant to hear at that time, or has humanity degenerated that much since the 1880s that what was common for souls after death then is extremely rare today?