Theosophy is a word and a concept known anciently, commonly understood in the modern era to describe the studies of religious philosophy and metaphysics originating with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky from the 1870s. In this context, theosophy holds that all religions are attempts by the "Spiritual Hierarchy" to help humanity in evolving to greater perfection, and that each religion therefore has a portion of the truth. Together with Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge, and others, Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. Helena Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Hahn (also Hélène) (July 31, 1831 (O.S.) (August 12, 1831 (N.S.)) - May 8, 1891 London, England), better known as Helena Blavatsky or Madame Blavatsky was the founder of Theosophy. ... // The invention of the telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell. ... Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907), founder and first president of the Theosophical Society, is well-known as the first prominent person of Western descent to make a formal conversion to Buddhism. ... William Quan Judge (1851-March 22, 1896 New York) was one of the founders of the original Theosophical Society. ... The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic living known as Theosophy. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Name

Main article: Theosophy (history of philosophy)

Theosophy, literally "god-wisdom" (Greek: θεοσοφία theosophia), designates several bodies of ideas predating Blavatsky: Theosophy, literally god-wisdom (Greek: θεοσοφία theosophia), designates several bodies of ideas. ...

The term appears in Neoplatonism. Porphyry De Abstinentia (4.9) mentions "Greek and Chaldean theosophy", Ἑλληνική, Χαλδαϊκὴ θεοσοφία. The adjective θεόσοφος "wise in divine things" is applied by Iamblichus (De mysteriis 7.1) to the Γυμνοσοφισταί, i.e. the Indian yogis or sadhus. Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, founded by Plotinus and based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists. ... Porphyry of Tyre (Greek: , c. ... For other uses, see Chaldean. ... Two historical persons go by the name Iamblichus (Greek: Ιάμβλιχος) A Greek novelist; see Iamblichus (novelist) A neoplatonist philosopher; see Iamblichus (philosopher) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Gymnosophists is the name (meaning naked philosophers) given by the Greeks to certain ancient Indian philosophers who pursued asceticism to the point of regarding food and clothing as detrimental to purity of thought. ... A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, Delhi A yogi (Sanskrit feminine: yogini) is a term for a male who practices various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining a steadfast mind, the process of transcending the lower self. ... In Hinduism, sadhu is a common term for an ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth and power) and even dharma (duty). ...

There was a group of Renaissance philosophers: Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, Robert Fludd, and, especially, Jacob Boehme; the Enlightenment theologian Emanuel Swedenborg was influenced by these. This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... Cornelius Agrippa, as portrayed in Libri tres de occulta philosophia Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (born in Köln September 14, 1486 - died in Grenoble February 18, 1535) was a magician and occult writer, astrologer, and alchemist. ... Presumed portrait of Paracelsus, attributed to the school of Quentin Matsys. ... Robert Fludd Robert Fludd, also known as Robertus de Fluctibus (1574, Bearsted, Kent – September 8, 1637, London) was a prominent English Paracelsian physicist, astrologer, and mystic. ... Idealized portrait of Böhmes from Theosophia Revelata (1730) Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) was a Christian mystic born in central Germany, near Görlitz. ... The Enlightenment (French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Portuguese: ) was an eighteenth century movement in European and American philosophy — some classifications also include 17th century philosophy (usually called the Age of Reason). ... Emanuel Swedenborg, 75, holding the manuscript of Apocalypsis Revelata (1766). ...

The OED defines theosophy as: "Any system of speculation which bases the knowledge of nature upon that of the divine nature", noting it is used in particular with reference to Boehme. OED stands for Oxford English Dictionary Office of Enrollment & Discipline This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

The three objects

The three declared objects of the original Theosophical Society as established by Blavatsky, Judge and Olcott were as follows:

• First — To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.
• Second — To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science.
• Third — To investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man."^[1]

Basic Theosophical beliefs

Consciousness is universal and individual

According to Theosophy, nature does not operate by chance. Every event, past or present, happens because of laws which are part of a universal paradigm. Theosophists hold that everything, living or not, is put together from basic building blocks evolving towards consciousness. “Natural” redirects here. ... The Universal Paradigm is a New Age approach to life where many popular religions and philosophies are surveyed for Common Elements that are brought together in a unified whole to form the foundation of a belief system. ... Consciousness is a quality of the mind generally regarded to comprise qualities such as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and ones environment. ...

People are immortal

Theosophists believe that all human beings in their "higher selves" are immortal, but their lower personalities are often unconscious of the link with their eternal spiritual nature and their physical, emotional, and lower mental components will decompose and perish. The term Higher Self concerns an aspect of multiple belief systems. ...

Reincarnation is universal

Theosophy, the parent of all religions by definition, teaches that what is known as human is actually a Spiritual Nature classically called the Monad (Higher Self). This Monad has prompted wakefulness (self analyzing reflection) called the human state through myriad lives passing through the mineral, plant and animal stages during the evolution of life on earth. However Theosophy differs from the New Age or simply shallow belief that regression is possible. Human beings cannot incarnate as animals or plants again having attained awareness of Self, or really awareness of themselves as distinct from the lower kingdoms for whom such awareness does not exist, for form follows functional mind. Conversely, people are considered only the epitome of spiritual/physical life on Earth and not the end stage of evolution, which continues for further stages. This article is about the theological concept. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... An epitome (Greek epitemnein—to cut short) is a summary or miniature form, also used as a synonym for embodiment. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ...

This natural progression includes those types of beings that were men and women like ourselves, but have since become more than egocentric personalities. The Ancient Wisdom Religion considers that in reaching such levels of selfless spiritual development, a man or women naturally partakes in a Hierarchy of Being, where concern is the welfare and highest good of all beings. Therefore, in this sense, where religions would have men worship such Angelic types as the son of the Father (God), Theosophy teaches that all people are such beings in various stages of attainment, through the changing of their focus of life from the outer ego to the welfare of all others.

Of course this must take as many lives to occur as it took to become enmeshed in so called material life. Men and women that have accomplished this are known throughout history as the benefactors and teachers of humanity, and have taught that all people may become what they have become. They teach that it is the duty of human beings to follow this Path of self-emancipation from the bondage of selfishness and become their own saviours, vicarious atonement essentially being impossible and outside the natural order. For although the thoughts and actions of another may be emulated, no being can be saved from foolishness through another's actions. Therefore Theosophy teaches that the immortal ethical life must be lived, and to this end teaches a Heart Doctrine of ethical thought and action as the practice by which the changes spoken of may be made.

Karma

Theosophy professes the methodology for men to free themselves from unconsciously causing karma, which has become the cause of suffering of men during life, through an emulation of dharma-duty to all that lives. Theosophy teaches, as do essentially all philosophical/religious doctrines, that what ye sow, so shall ye reap. The point being that a sense or law of rigid justice rules nature, whereby Causes sown (in terms of conscious and unconscious actions) all have their mathematically connected consequences. Evil and good are the result of human determination, and of themselves are illusions caused by the mind being absorbed in spirit/matter in a cycle of becoming. There is a natural involution of spirit into matter followed by an evolution of matter back into spirit. The purpose of the Universe is for spirit to manifest itself self-consciously. This is done in small unassuming ways where individuals make a decided work out of doing their duty in the daily round, and learning to treat all other men as their equal. In this way the Karma of our past, which precoccupies much of our endeavor, is resolved, the resolvent and solvent being the application of what the Buddhists call Good Heart through Mindfullness.

Universality

Theosophy teaches that all life exists in an essential "Radical Unity" and in which all individual beings, regardless of the kingdom in which they exist (human, animal, vegetable or mineral), are involved in an inextricably interconnected single life. The advancement of any one aspect of this synergistically bound Unity affects all for the good. Of course, therefore, the opposite must be true. Human beings, being the only self conscious types in this continuum, are the product of countless awakenings into this state through lives of involvement with this "Radical Unity" and are therefore growing positively, when the awareness of this has become obvious.

Evolution

Theosophists believe that religion, philosophy, science, the arts, commerce, and philanthropy, among other "virtues," lead people ever closer to "the Absolute." For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ...

Planets, solar systems and even galaxies are seen as conscious beings, fulfilling their own evolutionary paths.

The spiritual units of consciousness in the universe are the Monads, which may manifest as angels, human beings or in various other forms. Essentially, according to Leibniz in his Monadology, and adopted by H. P. Blavatsky because of the usefulness of the idea regarding a perspective upon what is called the Higher Self or Spiritual Nature of man, the idea of Monad stands for an essential unitary nature or point which is the basis for all compound natures. A Spiritual Atom, if you will. The point is that all being, regardless of stature or complexity are informed by the Monad, as it/they perfectly reflect(s) all of nature, but only from their vantage point. So called empty Space is "dotted" with them to the exclusion of emptiness. Leibniz redirects here. ... The Monadology (Monadologie, 1714) is one of Gottfried Leibniz’s works that best define his philosophy, monadism. ...

Theosophists also believe that human civilization, like all other parts of the universe, develops through cycles of seven stages. Thus in the first age, humans were pure spirit; in the second age, they are known as Hyperboreans; in the third as Lemurians; and in the fourth, Atlanteans. Since Atlantis was the nadir of the cycle, the present fifth age is a time of reawakening humanity's psychic gifts. The term psychic here really meaning the realization of the permeability of consciousness as it had not been known earlier in evolution, although sensed by some more senstive individuals of our culture. For other uses, see Hyperborea (disambiguation). ... Lemuria is the name of a hypothetical lost land variously located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... For other uses, see Atlantis (disambiguation). ...

In ^[2] She shows that Semitic peoples were an offshoot of the initial Aryan Race which through a natural process of differentiation, had branched off from the Parent Aryan Race, along with its core beliefs, and became the basis for the Semetic peoples, as they are known in the Mid-east and from which ultimately sprung the JudeoChristian perspective upon the Wisdom Religion of the Aryans. "^[3] The Semitic were an early off-shoot or Sub-Race of this 5th Race of men, who are the participants within the earlier races, and will be the participants of the latter races to be, as the evolution of our Spiritual awareness naturally proceeds and the less flexable forms of preceding men (through a Darwinian perspective) are less and less adaptable to the Soul's needs. However, this evolutionary drive, must be consciously assisted by its participants. For there can be no increase in awareness for those who practice an addiction to a stuntifying materialism. This is one of the major emphasis in Theosophy and discussed in what is known as the Third Fundamental in The Secret Doctrine. It is Self-imposed and Self-divised effort which brings about the changes needed for us to effectively grow in Spiritual awareness. And only this can truly enrich our culture with genuine ethical civilization. In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical Shem, Hebrew: שם, translated as name, Arabic: سام) was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages. ...

The Septenary

Emblem of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) described at [1]

Theosophy, as well as many other esoteric groups and occult societies, claims in their esoteric cosmology that the universe is ordered by the number seven. The reincarnating consciousness of the monad, utilizes spirit/matter forms in seven bodies: Image File history File links Emb_logo. ... For other uses, see Occult (disambiguation). ... Esoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. ... 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. ... The Septenary in H.P. Blavatskys teachings refers to the seven principles of man, In The Key to Theosophy, pp. ...

• The first body is called sthula-sarira (Sanskrit, from sthula meaning coarse, gross, not refined, heavy, bulky, fat in the sense of bigness, conditioned and differentiated matter + sarira to moulder, waste away). A gross body, impermanent because of its wholly compounded character. The physical body is usually considered as the lowest substance-principle. The physical form is the result of the harmonious coworking on the physical plane of forces and faculties streaming through their astral vehicle or linga-sarira, the pattern or model of the physical body.
• The second body is called Linga-Sarira, (Sanskrit, from linga meaning characteristic mark, model, pattern + sarira, from the verbal root sri to moulder, waste away). A pattern or model that is impermanent; the model-body or astral body, only slightly more ethereal than the physical body. It is the astral model around which the physical body is built, and from which the physical body flows or develops as growth proceeds.
• The third body is prana (Sanskrit, from pra before + the verbal root an to breathe, to live). In theosophy, the breath of life. This life or prana works on, in, and around us, pulsating unceasingly during the term of physical existence. Prana is "the radiating force or Energy of Atma -- as the Universal Life and the One Self, -- its lower or rather (in its effects) more physical, because manifesting, aspect. Prana or Life permeates the whole being of the objective Universe; and is called a 'principle' only because it is an indispensable factor and the deus ex machina of the living man."
• The fourth principle is kama (Sanskrit, from the verbal root kam meaning to desire). Desire; the desire principle is the driving, impelling force. Born from the interaction of atman, buddhi, and manas, kama per se is a colourless force, good or bad according to the way the mind and soul use it. It is the seat of the living electric impulses, desires, abd aspirations, considered in their energetic aspect.
• The fifth principle is manas (Sanskrit, from the verbal root man meaning to think). The seat of mentation and egoic consciousness; in humanity Manas is the human person, the reincarnating ego, immortal in essence, enduring in its higher aspects through the entire manvantara. When imbodied, manas is dual, gravitating toward buddhi in its higher aspects and in its lower aspects toward kama. The first is intuitive mind, the second the animal, ratiocinative consciousness, the lower mentality and passions of the personality.
• The sixth principle or vehicle is Buddhi (Sanskrit, from the verbal root budh to awaken, enlighten, know). The vehicle of pure, universal spirit, hence an inseparable garment or vehicle of atman. In its essence of the highest plane of akasa or alaya. In man buddhi is the spiritual soul, the faculty of discriminating, the channel through which streams divine inspiration from the atman to the ego, and therefore that faculty which enables us to discern between good and evil: spiritual conscience. The qualities of the buddhic principle when awakened are higher judgment, instant understanding, discrimination, intuition, love that has no bounds, and consequent universal forgiveness.
• The seventh is called Atman (Sanskrit). Self; pure consciousness, that cosmic self which is the same in every dweller on this globe and on every one of the planetary or stellar bodies in space. It is the feeling and knowledge of "I am," pure cognition, the abstract idea of self. It does not differ at all throughout the cosmos except in degree of self-recognition. It may also be considered as the First Logos in the human microcosm. During incarnation the lowest aspects of atman take on attributes, because it is linked with buddhi, as the buddhi is linked with manas, as the manas is linked with kama, etc.

See: Encyclopedic Theosophic Glossary Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Prana (, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word meaning breath and refers to a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy in natural processes of the universe. ... For other uses, see Deus ex machina (disambiguation). ... Kama may refer to several things Kama, a Hindu god, the God of Love, son of Lakshmi. ... Manas is the name of: A Kyrgyz epic poem (see Manas (epic); A commune in Drôme département, in France (see Manas, Drôme) Level of consciousness in Yogacara Buddhism, the manas-vijnana A river in the state of Assam in India. ... bud•dhi Pronunciation: (bOOdÄ“, boodÄ“), [key] —n. ... The Atman or Atma (IAST: Ä€tmā, sanskrit: आत्म‍ ) is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the soul. ...

A brief history of Theosophy

Background

Theosophists trace the origin of Theosophy to the universal striving for spiritual knowledge that existed in all cultures. It is found in an unbroken chain in India but existed in ancient Greece and also in the writings of Plato (427-347 BCE), Plotinus (204-270) and other neo-Platonists, as well as Jakob Boehme (1575-1624). Some relevant quotations: PLATO was one of the first generalized Computer assisted instruction systems, originally built by the University of Illinois (U of I) and later taken over by Control Data Corporation (CDC), who provided the machines it ran on. ... Centuries: 6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 470s BC 460s BC 450s BC 440s BC 430s BC - 420s BC - 410s BC 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC Years: 432 BC 431 BC 430 BC 429 BC 428 BC - 427 BC - 426 BC 425 BC... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 352 BC 351 BC 350 BC 349 BC 348 BC 347 BC 346 BC 345 BC 344... “BCE” redirects here. ... Plotinus (Greek: ) (ca. ... Events Births Philip the Arab, Roman Emperor (approximate date) Deaths Categories: 204 ... Events Quintillus briefly holds power over the Roman Empire, and is succeeded by Aurelian Vandals and Sarmatians driven out of Roman territory Romans leave Utrecht after regular invasions of Germanic people. ... Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, founded by Plotinus and based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists. ... Idealized portrait of Böhmes from Theosophia Revelata (1730) Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) was a Christian mystic born in central Germany, near Görlitz. ... Year 1575 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Events January 24 - Alfonso Mendez, appointed by Pope Gregory XV as Prelate of Ethiopia, arrives at Massawa from Goa. ...

...we are imprisoned in the body, like an oyster in his shell.

— The Socrates of Plato, Phaedrus

To the philosopher, the body is "a disturbing element, hindering the soul from the acquisition of knowledge..."

...what is purification but...the release of the soul from the chains of the body?

— The Socrates of Plato, Phaedo

The Theosophical Society

Modern Theosophical esotericism, however, begins with Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) usually known as Madame Blavatsky. In 1875 she founded the Theosophical Society in New York City together with Henry Steel Olcott, who was a lawyer and writer. During the Civil War Col. Olcott worked to root out corruption in war contracts. Madame Blavatsky was a world traveler who eventually settled in India where, with Olcott, she established the headquarters of the Society in Bangalore. Her first major book Isis Unveiled (1877) presented elements mainly from the Western wisdom tradition based on her extensive travels in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Her second major work The Secret Doctrine (1888), contains a commentary on The Book of Dzyan, and is based upon what she called an Unwritten Secret Doctrine (really the Wisdom tradition or Wisdom Religion allotted to Man), which is the underlying wisdom upon which are based all of the religions of humanity. These writings, along with her Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silenceare key texts for genuine students. Look up Esotericism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Helena Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Hahn (also Hélène) (July 31, 1831 (O.S.) (August 12, 1831 (N.S.)) - May 8, 1891 London, England), better known as Helena Blavatsky or Madame Blavatsky was the founder of Theosophy. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic living known as Theosophy. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907), founder and first president of the Theosophical Society, is well-known as the first prominent person of Western descent to make a formal conversion to Buddhism. ... For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... Isis Unveiled, a master-key to the mysteries of ancient and modern science and theology, published in 1877, was Helena Petrovna Blavatskys first major book. ... The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, a book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Helena P. Blavatskys magnum opus. ... Reputedly this ancient text, of Tibetan origin, and possibly connected with an esoteric branch of Lamaism, was the basis for Theosophy, the movement founded by Helena Blavatsky in 1875. ...

Upon Blavatsky's death in 1891, several Theosophical societies emerged following a series of schisms. Annie Besant became leader of the society based in Adyar, India, while William Quan Judge split off the American Section of the Theosophical Society in New York which later moved to Point Loma, Covina, and Pasadena, California under a series of leaders: Katherine Tingley, Gottfried de Purucker, Colonel Arthur L. Conger, James A. Long, Grace F. Knoche, and in March 2006 Randell C. Grubb. The great pulp fiction writer Talbot Mundy was a member of the Point Loma group, and wrote many articles for its newsletter. Yet another international theosophical organization, the United Lodge of Theosophists, was formed by Robert Crosbie. He was a student of William Quan Judge and after his death went to Point Loma in 1900 to help Katherine Tingley's Thesosphical society, and which he left in 1904 to found the ULT in 1909. He experienced a lack of respect for the original work of H. P. Balvatsky and W. Q. Judge in Tingley's work and wished to bring that original stream of study back to the world, through a re-presentation of unaltered original writtings. Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The word schism (IPA: or ), from the Greek σχίσμα, skhísma (from σχίζω, skhízō, to tear, to split), means a division or a split, usually in an organization or a movement. ... Annie Besant Plaque on house in Colby Road, London SE19 where Annie Besant lived in 1874. ... ... William Quan Judge (1851-March 22, 1896 New York) was one of the founders of the original Theosophical Society. ... Old Point Loma Lighthouse Jon Sullivan Point Loma is a scenic hill that sits atop San Diego Bay, in California, USA. Point Lomas well known landmark is the Cabrillo National Monument, named after Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo of Spain, the first European explorer to see San Diego Bay. ... Covina is a city located in Los Angeles County, California about 22 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. ... Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Katherine Augusta Westcott Tingley (1847, Newbury, Massachusetts - 1929) was a social worker and prominent Theosophist. ... Gottfried von Purucker (January 15, 1874, Suffern, New York - September 27, 1942) was an author and Theosophist. ... James A. Long (* 27. ... Grace F. Knoche (* in Point Loma, California, USA) is a theosophist and president of the Theosophical Society Pasadena. ... Flynns Detective Fiction from 1941. ... Talbot Mundy was a British-born writer of adventure stories during the early twentieth century. ... The United Lodge of Theosophists, or ULT, was founded in 1909 by a disgruntled Theosophical Society member, Robert Crosbie (1849-1919). ... The United Lodge of Theosophists, or ULT, was founded in 1909 by a disgruntled Theosophical Society member, Robert Crosbie (1849-1919). ...

Rudolf Steiner created a successful branch of the Theosophical Society Adyar in Germany. He focused on a Western esoteric path that incorporated the influences of Christianity and natural science, resulting in tensions with Annie Besant (cf. Rudolf Steiner and the Theosophical Society) — having already founded his own Anthroposophical Society a month earlier — after he refused members of the Order of the Star of the East membership in the German Section. Steiner was vehemently opposed to The Order of the Star of the East's proclamation that the young boy, Jiddu Krishnamurti, was the incarnation of Maitreya (who was believed to have "over-shadowed" Jesus Christ). However and fortunately, J. Krishnamurti himself saw through this business and left the Society. The great majority of German-speaking theosophists, as well as several others, joined Steiner's new society. (Steiner later became famous for his ideas about education, resulting in an international network of "Steiner Schools.") Rudolf Steiner. ... The Theosophical Society - Adyar is a successor organization to the original Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875. ... Annie Besant Plaque on house in Colby Road, London SE19 where Annie Besant lived in 1874. ... The relationship between Rudolf Steiner and the Theosophical Society is a complex and changing one. ... Based on the ideas of Rudolf Steiners spiritual science, Anthroposophy (based on Greek words meaning man-wisdom) is a philosophy (or, as some opponents claim, a religion) that was born within the setting of Helena Blavatskys Theosophy movement. ... Jiddu Krishnamurti (May 11, 1895 Madanapalle, India - February 17, 1986 Ojai, California) was discovered as a young boy by C.W. Leadbeater in India on the private beach, that was part of the Theosophical headquarters in Adyar in Chennai. ... Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti, (May 12, 1895–February 17, 1986) was a well-known writer and speaker on fundamental philosophical and spiritual subjects, such as the purpose of meditation, human relationships, and how to enact positive change in global society. ... This article is about the Buddhist bodhisattva Maitreya. ... Waldorf Education, sometimes called Steiner education, is a world-wide movement based on an educational philosophy formulated by Austrian Rudolf Steiner after World War I. With a goal of educating the whole child, Waldorf educators place a strong emphasis on balancing the childs natural stages of development with creativity...

In North London, another splinter group split off to form the Palmers Green Lodge under the leadership of the occultist and colonial adventurer, Thomas Neumark-Jones. The Palmers Green Lodge published the journal Kayfabe which published, among others, Rainbow Circle writers like Hobhouse^{[disambiguation needed]} and Chiozza Money. After the death of William Quan Judge, another society, the United Lodge of Theosophists, emerged, recognizing no leader after Judge; it is now based in Los Angeles, California. Thomas Ernst Neumark-Jones (1841–1912) was born to German emigre parents in Hampstead, London. ... In professional wrestling, kayfabe (pronounced KAY-fayb; IPA: ) refers to the portrayal of events within the industry as real, that is the portrayal of professional wrestling as not staged or worked. ... Emily Hobhouse in 1895 Emily Hobhouse (April 9, 1860—June 8, 1926) was a British welfare campaigner who is primarily remembered for shedding light on the abhorent conditions inside the British concentration camps built during the Second Boer War. ... The United Lodge of Theosophists, or ULT, was founded in 1909 by a disgruntled Theosophical Society member, Robert Crosbie (1849-1919). ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ...

Other organizations based on the theosophical teachings of Besant and Leadbeater include The Lucis Trust, Share International, Agni Yoga, The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse / Church Universal and Triumphant, and The Temple of The Presence. These various offshoots dispute the authenticity of their rivals. Thus followers of the United Lodge of Theosophists will claim that only " the Writings of HPB, William Quan Judge and Robert Crosbie can be trusted to contain unadulterated concepts and ethical direction." Share International is a worldwide network of volunteers who believe the prophesied Master of Wisdom Maitreya has already returned and is currently living in the Asian community in London, specifically in the Bangladeshi Brick Lane area. ... Agni Yoga, also called the Teaching of Living Ethics or (in Russian) the Zhivaya Etica, is an esoteric teaching founded by the Russian painter Nicholas Roerich (Nikolai Konstantinovitch Rerikh) and his highly adept empathic wife, Helena Roerich (Elena Ivanovna Rerikh). ... The Church Universal and Triumphant is a New Age new religious movement and organization founded by Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet. ...

Influence

At its strongest in membership and intensity during the 1920s the parent Theosophical Society (or Theosophical Society Adyar) had around 7,000 members in the USA. [2] The largest section of The Theosophical Society, the Indian section, at one time had more than 20,000 members, now reduced to around 10,000. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The Theosophical Society - Adyar is a successor organization to the original Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875. ...

Theosophy was closely linked to the Indian independence movement: the Indian National Congress was founded during a Theosophical conference, and many of its leaders, including M. K. Gandhi were associated with theosophy. Indian National Congress, (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) (Devanagari: मोहनदास करमचन्द गांधी, Gujarati મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી) was a national icon who led the struggle for Indias independence from British colonial rule, empowered by tens of millions of common Indians. ...

The present-day New Age movement is to a considerable extent based on the teachings originating with H. P. Blavstky. New Age describes a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture. ...

Artists and authors who investigated Theosophy, aside from the musicians listed below, include Aldous Huxley, Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Franz Kafka, William Butler Yeats, George William Russell (Æ), Owen Barfield, and T. S. Eliot, in Europe, and Arthur Dove, George Lucas, Robert Duncan, Marsden Hartley, Wallace Stevens, and James Jones^[4] in America. [3] “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... Aldous Leonard Huxley (July 26, 1894 – November 22, 1963) was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. ... Wassily Kandinsky (Russian: Василий Кандинский, first name pronounced as [vassi:li]) (December 16 [O.S. December 4] 1866 – December 13, 1944) was a Russian painter, printmaker and art theorist. ... Piet Mondrian, 1924 Pieter Cornelis (Piet) Mondriaan, after 1912 Mondrian, (pronounced: Dutch IPA: , later Pete Mon-dree-on, IPA: ) (b. ... Kafka redirects here. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933. ... George William Russell, a. ... Owen Barfield (November 9, 1898–December 14, 1997) was a British philosopher, author, poet, and critic. ... Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26, 1888 – January 4, 1965), was a poet, dramatist and literary critic. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Arthur Doves Cottage be merged into this article or section. ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Robert Duncan (January 7, 1919 – February 3, 1988), was an American poet associated with the Black Mountain poets and the beat generation. ... Marsden Hartley (January 4, 1877 - September 2, 1943) was an American painter and poet in the early 20th century. ... Wallace Stevens Wallace Stevens (October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955) was a major American Modernist poet. ... James Jones (November 6, 1921 – May 9, 1977) is an American author most famous for his explorations of World War II and its aftermath. ...

Some prominent Hindu leaders, such as Swami Vivekananda and Swami Dayananda Sarasvati criticized Theosophy.^[5][6] Swami Dayananda Sarasvati initially worked with Blavatsky and Olcott after they arrived in India, but soon afterwards accused them of lying on several different topics, and then all collaboration was stopped on a permanent basis. Swami Vivekananda (Sanskrit: , Svāmi Vivekānanda) (January 12, 1863 – July 4, 1902), whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (Bengali: , Nôrendrônath Dôt-tô), was one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. ... Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1930 - ) is a distinguished Hindu teacher of Vedanta and Sanskrit in the tradition of Adi Shankara. ... Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1930 - ) is a distinguished Hindu teacher of Vedanta and Sanskrit in the tradition of Adi Shankara. ...

Music

Composers such as Ruth Crawford-Seeger, Dane Rudhyar, and most famously Alexander Scriabin were Theosophists whose beliefs influenced their music, especially by providing a justification or rationale for their dissonant counterpoint. According to Rudhyar, Scriabin was "the one great pioneer of the new music of a reborn Western civilization, the father of the future musician." (Rudhyar 1926b, 899) and an antidote to "the Latin reactionaries and their apostle, Stravinsky" and the "rule-ordained" music of "Schoenberg's group." (Ibid., 900-901) Scriabin devised a quartal synthetic chord, often called his "mystic" chord, and before his death Scriabin planned a multimedia work to be performed in the Himalayas that would bring about the armageddon; "a grandiose religious synthesis of all arts which would herald the birth of a new world." (AMG [4]). This piece, Mysterium, was never realized, due to his death in 1915. Ruth Crawford-Seeger (July 3, 1901 in East Liverpool, Ohio - November 18, 1953 in Chevy Chase, Maryland), born Ruth Porter Crawford, was a modernist composer. ... Dane Rudhyar (born Daniel Chennevière, March 23, 1895, in Paris - died September 13, 1985, in San Francisco) was a modernist composer and humanistic astrologer. ... Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (Russian: Александр Николаевич Скрябин, Aleksandr Nikolajevič Skriabin; sometimes transliterated as Skryabin or Scriabine (6 January 1872 [O.S. 26 December 1871]—27 April 1915) was a Russian composer and pianist. ... Counterpoint is a very general feature of music (especially prominent in much Western music) whereby two or more melodic strands occur simultaneously - in separate voices, either literally or metaphorically (if the music is instrumental). ... Igor Stravinsky. ... Arnold Schoenberg, Los Angeles, 1948 Arnold Schoenberg (the anglicized form of Schönberg — Schoenberg changed the spelling officially when he left Germany and re-converted to Judaism in 1933; September 13, 1874 – July 13, 1951) was an Austrian and later American composer. ... In music or music theory, quartal is the quality of a chord made from fourths, and other things constructed from fourths, such as counterpoint. ... Composer and theosophist Alexander Scriabins so called mystic chord, actually called the synthetic chord by Scriabin, consists of the pitch classes: C, F#, Bb, E, A, D. An augmented fourth, diminished fourth, augmented fourth, and two perfect fourths. ... The evangelist John of Patmos writes the Book of Revelation. ...

20th-century literary references to Theosophy

• In Luigi Pirandello's key novel The Late Mattia Pascal (1904), the protagonist's landlord Anselmo Paleari owns many a theosophical work in his private library and frequents a local theosophist school.
• In E.M. Forster's novel, Howard's End (1910), there are several references to the Schlegel siblings' study and participation in Theosophy, as well as a mention of Madame Blavatsky. The characterization serves to highlight the Schlegels' (who were German) non-conformist, liberal and artistic pursuits - considered radical and inappropriate by the upper-class Edwardian society into which Margaret Schlegel was to marry.
• In Hermann Hesse's novel, Demian, Knauer asks Emil if Emil is a theosophist.
• Theosophy is mocked in several episodes of James Joyce's Ulysses (1922).
• In the play Juno and the Paycock (1924) by Sean O'Casey, which is set in pre-independence Dublin, one of the secondary characters is a Theosophist. This character is quite shallow, and through him O'Casey parodies theosophy as an intellectual fad.^{[citation needed]}
• H. P. Lovecraft read W. Scott-Elliot's The Story of Atlantis & Lost Lemuria and altered Theosophical ideas in his short story, "The Call of Cthulhu (1928)."
• Mahatma Gandhi met Madame Blavatsky and Annie Besant in India in about 1889, shortly after Besant had joined the Society. He declined invitations to join, but said the meeting induced him to study his own background in Hinduism. He mentions this, and his further study of Theosophy during 1903 as published in his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1927–29).
• Mark Frost utilizes Theosophy as a plot point in his novel The List of 7 (1993) and features Madame Blavatsky as a minor character.
• The novel Little, Big by John Crowley includes a minor character who is a Theosophist.
• A 1997 film called FairyTale: A True Story includes a Theosophist as a main character.
• Theosophists, along with Rosicrucians, frequently visit Clara in Isabel Allende's novel The House of the Spirits.
• L. Frank Baum, a notable member of the Theosophical Society, wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), which some see as an allegory of theosophical tenets. However, Baum himself might have bristled at the suggestion, and many of the story's oft-cited parallels to mysticism - the rainbow and the ruby slippers, for example - actually originated with the 1939 MGM musical adaptation.
• Jorge Luis Borges uses some of the concepts of theosophy in his short story "The Witness".
• The Maltese poet Kevin Saliba wrote a poem entitled Summa Theosofica in which he poeticises a seminal passage from Madame Blavatsky's book The Key To Theosophy. The poem was published in the poetry collection Ħbula Stirati (Tight Ropes) (2007).

Luigi Pirandello (June 28, 1867 – December 10, 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, and short story writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934. ... The Late Mattia Pascal (orig. ... Edward Morgan Forster (January 1, 1879 - June 7, 1970) was an English novelist. ... Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, which tells the story of class struggle in turn-of-the-century England. ... Helena Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Hahn (also Hélène) (July 31, 1831 (O.S.) (August 12, 1831 (N.S.)) - May 8, 1891 London, England), better known as Helena Blavatsky or Madame Blavatsky was the founder of Theosophy. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... Hermann Hesse (pronounced ) (2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. ... Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclairs Youth is a Bildungsroman by Hermann Hesse, first published in 1919, but a prologue was added in 1960. ... This article is about the writer and poet. ... Ulysses is a novel by James Joyce, first serialized in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on February 2, 1922, in Paris. ... Juno and the Paycock is a play written in 1924 by Sean OCasey. ... Sean OCasey Sean OCasey (March 30, 1880 - September 18, 1964) was a major Irish dramatist and memorist. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see FAD (disambiguation). ... This article is about the author. ... Cthulhu with the insane city Rlyeh in the background. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... The Story of My Experiments with Truth (or My Experiments with Truth) – the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (or Mahatma Gandhi) covers his life from early childhood through to 1920, and is a popular and influential book. ... Mark Frost (born 25 November 1953) is an American novelist, television/film writer, director, and executive producer. ... Little, Big: or, The Fairies Parliament is a modern fantasy novel by John Crowley, published in 1981. ... John Crowley (born December 1, 1942 in Presque Isle, Maine) is an American author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... This article is about motion pictures. ... The Temple of the Rosy Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618 The Rosicrucians are a legendary and secretive order dating from the 15th or 17th century, generally associated with the symbol of the Rose Cross, which is also used in certain rituals of the Freemasons. ... For the Chilean politician and daughter of Salvador Allende, see Isabel Allende Bussi. ... The House of the Spirits (Spanish: La Casa de los Espíritus) is the debut novel of Isabel Allende. ... Lyman Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author, actor, and independent filmmaker best known as the creator, along with illustrator W. W. Denslow, of one of the most popular books ever written in American childrens literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known today... Borges redirects here. ...

Notes

1. ^ The Theosophist, Vol. 75, No. 6. Page ii.
2. ^ The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, Vol.II, p 421
3. ^ The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, Vol.II, p.200
4. ^ Carter, Steven R. James Jones: An American Literary Orientalist Master. Urbana and Chicago: U of Illinois P, 1998, ISBN 0-252-02371-4
5. ^ Vivekananda. STRAY REMARKS ON THEOSOPHY The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 4
6. ^ Dayananda, Humbuggery of the Theosophists. http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/dayanandahumbuggery.htm

The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, a book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Helena P. Blavatskys magnum opus. ... The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy, a book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Helena P. Blavatskys magnum opus. ...

See also

• Theosophy (history of philosophy)
• Ascended master
• Esoteric cosmology
• Theosophical Society

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Religious belief systems	Acosmism · Animism · Ditheism · Gnosticism · Mysticism · New Age · New Thought · Theism · Thelema · Theosophy · Transcendentalism · more Theosophy, literally god-wisdom (Greek: θεοσοφία theosophia), designates several bodies of ideas. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Esoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. ... The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic living known as Theosophy. ... Below are words that designate a set or subset of beliefs. ... Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islamic, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jain, (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Triple Goddess, Maltese cross, pre-Christian Slavonic Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual... Acosmism, in contrast to pantheism, denies the reality of the universe, seeing it as ultimately illusory, (the prefix a- in Greek meaning negation; like un- in English), and only the infinite unmanifest Absolute as real. ... The term Animism is derived from the Latin anima, meaning soul.[1][2] In its most general sense, animism is simply the belief in souls. ... The term dualism is the state of being dual, or having a twofold division. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... New Age describes a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture. ... The New Thought Movement or New Thought is comprised of a loosely allied group of denominations, organizations, authors, philosophers, and individuals who share a set of metaphysical beliefs concerning healing, life force, visualization, and personal power. ... Theism is the belief in the existence of one or more divinities or deities. ... Thelema is the English transliteration of the Ancient Greek noun : will, from the verb θέλω: to will, wish, purpose. ... In religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses, and is independent of, physical existence. ... Below are words that designate a set or subset of beliefs. ...	Religion Portal
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