The Early Races in the Popol Vuh
[I.] We have heard much of the Sacred Books of the East. It is time to say something of the… Read More »The Early Races in the Popol Vuh
Charles Johnston
Theosophist, Author, Linguist. Translator of the Upanishads, Gita, Yoga Sutras, etc. Bio: Charles Johnston
[True Poverty and True Wealth]
There is one Lord, the inmost soul of all beings, who makes visible one power in many forms;—they who behold… Read More »[True Poverty and True Wealth]
The Meaning of Om
According to the tradition of the Eastern Mysteries, the syllable Om is divided into three parts: a-u-m. These three parts… Read More »The Meaning of Om
From the Upanishads
Wilt thou not open thy heart to know What rainbows teach, and sunsets show? Verdict which accumulates From lengthening scroll… Read More »From the Upanishads
Theosophy (Lecture)
At the Convention of The Theosophical Society yesterday, much was said regarding the significance of the fact that the Society… Read More »Theosophy (Lecture)
The Dream of Life
Dream, wherein the Self is mirrored, has two, powers,—to extend and to envelope; enveloping the habitual self and its world,… Read More »The Dream of Life
Occultism in the Upanishads
“The true desires are overlaid with false; though true, there is a false covering-up of them. For if any one… Read More »Occultism in the Upanishads
The Guatemalan Secret Doctrine
Among students of occultism, there have been persistent traditions of a branch or branches of the Great Lodge in the… Read More »The Guatemalan Secret Doctrine
The Dream of Ravan
I. A Mystery Many conjectures have been offered as to the source and authorship of this curious and wonderful book,… Read More »The Dream of Ravan
The Religion of the Will
Contents The Will in the Body I. The Search for FoodII. Continuity of LifeIII. The Creative Will in Man The… Read More »The Religion of the Will
Reminiscences [Clement Griscom]
One whose memory of The Theosophical Society goes back for thirty-four years, of necessity recalls many deaths, and, unhappily, many… Read More »Reminiscences [Clement Griscom]
Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Spirit)
For the sake of those whose darkness has been worn away by purifications, who have attained to peace, whose passions… Read More »Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Spirit)
The Logos and the Heart
Greater love hath no man than this. The surface character of the Logos, we can know from our own consciousness,… Read More »The Logos and the Heart
The Four Duties of a Dervish
The faith of Islam, the latest of the world-wide religions, is also, in many things, the most materialistic and dogmatic.… Read More »The Four Duties of a Dervish
Nala and the Gods (Mahabharata)
And when the king of the Nishadhas had been chosen by the daughter of Bhima, the lords of the worlds… Read More »Nala and the Gods (Mahabharata)
“Two Professors.” Christian and Skeptic.
At the recent May Meeting of the Church Missionary Society, Sir M. Monier-Williams felt impelled to lay before the world… Read More »“Two Professors.” Christian and Skeptic.
Chandogya Upanishad 2:22-24 (The Mysteries of Sound 3)
[Translation] I select and assign the different notes of the chant. The animal note is the up-singing of the Fire-lord.… Read More »Chandogya Upanishad 2:22-24 (The Mysteries of Sound 3)
The Lord of the Will
“These are but passing vestures of the everlasting lord; he suffers no detriment, he is illimitable; therefore, son of warriors,… Read More »The Lord of the Will
“The Birth of Space”
“Know, the stars yonder, the stars everlasting, Are fugitive also . . . .”—EMERSON. Waves of credulity and of mental… Read More »“The Birth of Space”
A Rajput Sage
The story of this Rajput Sage is a very ancient and very significant one. We have two versions of it,… Read More »A Rajput Sage
The Great Upanishads
“From every page of the Upanishads, deep, original, lofty thoughts step forth to meet us while a high and holy… Read More »The Great Upanishads
Chandogya Upanishad 6:8-16 (First Principles 2)
[Translation] Aruna’s son Uddalaka addressed his son Shvetaketu, saying: —Learn from me, dear, the reality about sleep. When a man… Read More »Chandogya Upanishad 6:8-16 (First Principles 2)
The Water of Life
“Narada came to Sanatkumara, saying: Master, teach me to know the Soul: for I have heard from the sages that… Read More »The Water of Life
The Lesson of Loneliness
We shall learn many good things that we have long forgotten, as we find our way back again to real… Read More »The Lesson of Loneliness
Shankara’s Thought
The glamour of India; the hot, luminous sky; palm trees, with their metallic glitter, fringing her sacred rivers; heavy-curtained mango… Read More »Shankara’s Thought
Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Self)
This awakening to the Self is recorded for those whose inner darkness has been worn away by strong effort, who… Read More »Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Self)
The Sorrows of Damayanti
Thereon Damayanti, seeing King Nala, ruler of men, thus distraught, his thoughts wrapped up in the play, herself not distraught… Read More »The Sorrows of Damayanti
Fear and Valor
A summer evening, high among the Alps; the in-gathering of purple twilight veils the world in mystery; the hills, with… Read More »Fear and Valor
The Sacred Books of the Jews
Hardly any Orientalist who writes about the Sacred Books of India can help falling into wonder and astonishment over the… Read More »The Sacred Books of the Jews
A High Disciple, a Prophecy, and a Miracle
The passages of the Buddhist Suttas here translated contain many things which illumine different sides of the Buddha’s character. There… Read More »A High Disciple, a Prophecy, and a Miracle
Shankara, Teacher of India
A short time ago, an esteemed friend of mine who has devoted much study to Buddhism in writing of Indian… Read More »Shankara, Teacher of India
The Lessons of Karma
“There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will.” The idea most usually attached to the word… Read More »The Lessons of Karma
The Genius of the New Era
There is first the intuition of the Soul; that haunting vision of might and joy that has been hovering over… Read More »The Genius of the New Era
The Immortal Family
Which of us knows much about the corals of Lake Baikal or the warm springs of Lake Issyk Kul; about… Read More »The Immortal Family
The Dramatic Element in the Upanishads
A good many readers make the acquaintance of the Upanishads in the two volumes which Prof. Max Müller contributed to… Read More »The Dramatic Element in the Upanishads
Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
The power of vision in the eye sees form; the mind sees the power of vision in the eye; spiritual… Read More »Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
“Vita Brevis”
Whither are gone the great lords of the earth, with their might of chariots and armies? The earth, that witnessed… Read More »“Vita Brevis”
The Three Gods of Man
Who could live, who could breath, if the heart of Being were not Joy. It is a shallow age, this… Read More »The Three Gods of Man
The Realm, the Radiance, and the Power
“Learn now of me, how he who has won the first great victory, shall go forward to the everlasting Power.… Read More »The Realm, the Radiance, and the Power
Visâkhâ: A Woman Disciple of the Buddha
Besides the supreme figure of the Buddha and the noble personalities of his leading disciples, a host of men and… Read More »Visâkhâ: A Woman Disciple of the Buddha
The Magicians of the Blue Hills
Mme. Blavatsky departed to the land of the unseen’ some seven years ago, but her books go marching along. A… Read More »The Magicians of the Blue Hills
The First Fruits of Peace
“With soul in perfect peace and rid of fear, standing firm on the path of the Eternal; with steadfast heart… Read More »The First Fruits of Peace
Karma: Works and Wisdom
Contents I. The Three Kinds of Karma II. Karma in the Upanishads III. Karma in the Bhagavad Gita IV. Krishna’s… Read More »Karma: Works and Wisdom
Tattva Bodha (Shankara’s Catechism)
Introductory In the “Awakening to the Self” [Atma Bodha], and, still more, in the “Crest-Jewel of Wisdom”, Shankara the Teacher… Read More »Tattva Bodha (Shankara’s Catechism)
The Creed of Christendom
I. “The fairy tale of the three supernatural persons, woman can verify.”—Matthew Arnold. Three centuries ago, the main tide of… Read More »The Creed of Christendom
Taittiriya Upanishad 3 (The Lotus of the Sage Bhrgu)
III. [Translation] Invocation Om. May That guard us two—teacher and pupil; may That save us two; may we two do… Read More »Taittiriya Upanishad 3 (The Lotus of the Sage Bhrgu)
A Word on Schopenhauer
I remember once attending a drawing-room lecture on Schopenhauer and his philosophy of pessimism, where the audience, as is very… Read More »A Word on Schopenhauer
The Word of the New Cycle
What follows, is not a prophecy in any sense, astrological or other; it is simply a series of deductions from… Read More »The Word of the New Cycle