The Drift of Western Spiritualism
Late advices from various parts of the world seem to indicate that, while there is an increasing interest in the… Read More »The Drift of Western Spiritualism
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Articles from various theosophical authors.
Fragments: on Idolatry, Avataras, Initiations, Cycles and Modern Fallacies
Idolatry The outward form of idolatry is but a veil, concealing the one Truth like the veil of the Saitic… Read More »Fragments: on Idolatry, Avataras, Initiations, Cycles and Modern Fallacies
Practical Theosophy
The ethics of life propounded by Jesus are not different from those found in theosophy, but the latter holds in… Read More »Practical Theosophy
The Great War and the Great Initiation
Readers of the THEOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY who are acquainted with the Bhagavad Gita have been struck, again and again, with the… Read More »The Great War and the Great Initiation
Is the Desire to “Live” Selfish?
The passage “to Live, to live, to Live must be the unswerving resolve,” occurring in the article on the Elixir… Read More »Is the Desire to “Live” Selfish?
The Earth Chain of Globes
[No. I.] Although H.P.B. gave out to several of those who met her during the period from 1875 to 1878… Read More »The Earth Chain of Globes
The Religion of India
I. When we come to India, the contrast with Egypt and Chaldea is strongly marked. Of the ancient Sumerian culture… Read More »The Religion of India
Patanjali and His Disciples
Dr. J. Haughton Woods prints, in the November number of the Journal of the American Oriental Society, a translation of… Read More »Patanjali and His Disciples
The School of Pythagoras at Crotona
[Crotona] This was the ancient city of Magna Graecia, Italy, and has no reference to modern places of that name.… Read More »The School of Pythagoras at Crotona
Sanskrit Study in the West
I. No event in the intellectual history of the nineteenth century is, perhaps, of so great importance, and likely to… Read More »Sanskrit Study in the West
A Dissertation on the Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries
Εν ταις ΤΕΛΕΤΑΙΣ καθαρσεις ηγουνται και περιρραντηρια και αγνισμοι, α των εν απορρητοις δρωμενων, και της του θειου μετουσιας γυμνασματα… Read More »A Dissertation on the Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries
Electric and Magnetic Affinities Between Man and Nature
Without going too deeply into certain vexed questions based upon what the orthodox men of science please to term the… Read More »Electric and Magnetic Affinities Between Man and Nature
Dramas of the Mysteries
Let the king resolve to change the face of his court and forcibly evict the animal from the chair of… Read More »Dramas of the Mysteries
“The Crown of Life”
“Laying all thy works in thought on me, and full of me, let thy imagination be ever bent on me,… Read More »“The Crown of Life”
Life and Teachings of Pythagoras
I. Life “Pythagoras, the pure philosopher deeply versed in the profounder phenomena of nature, the noble inheritor of the ancient… Read More »Life and Teachings of Pythagoras
Reincarnation of Animals
Very little has been said on the question whether or not the theory of Reincarnation applies to animals in the… Read More »Reincarnation of Animals
Two Systems—of Lust and Sorrow
The great Buddha referred to two systems for the government of life which he said were each ignoble, and one… Read More »Two Systems—of Lust and Sorrow
Theories About Reincarnation and Spirits
Over and over again the abstruse and mooted question of Rebirth or Reincarnation has crept out during the first ten… Read More »Theories About Reincarnation and Spirits
Cycles and Cyclic Law
Ladies and gentlemen: This is our last meeting; it is the last impulse of the Cycle which we began when… Read More »Cycles and Cyclic Law
The Lord of the Three Worlds
“All this, verily, is the Eternal; let him draw near to it in the silence, as gleaming through all the… Read More »The Lord of the Three Worlds
Black Magic in Science
“. . . Commence research where modern conjecture closes its faithless wings.” (Bulwer’s Zanoni). “The flat denial of yesterday has become the… Read More »Black Magic in Science
Introduction to the Story of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur
The story of Theseus and the Minotaur is one of the finest examples of esoteric mythology from the annals of… Read More »Introduction to the Story of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur
General Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato
[p. iii] “Philosophy,” says Hierocles,1 “is the purification and perfection of human life. It is the purification, indeed, from material… Read More »General Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato
Theosophical Studies
Study all scriptures written near and far; Worship all images and saints of earth; But if you do not study… Read More »Theosophical Studies
Considerations on Magic
We hear a good deal nowadays and are likely to hear still more of occult science. In this regard we… Read More »Considerations on Magic
Vicarious Atonement and Karma
Students of Theosophy believe that all great religions were founded on the lives and teachings of Masters of Wisdom, men… Read More »Vicarious Atonement and Karma
Theosophy (Lecture)
There may be some here this afternoon who have no defined understanding of The Theosophical Society and its purpose. It… Read More »Theosophy (Lecture)
Children as Teachers
When we talk of teaching children, of forming their minds and hearts by suggestions taken from the experience of our… Read More »Children as Teachers
The Guardian of the Gate
“Seeking the gifts of the gods, Vajashravasa of old offered up all his possessions. He had a son, by name… Read More »The Guardian of the Gate
Rounds and Races
A fundamental axiom in Theosophy is that no one should accept as unquestionably true any statement of fact, principle, or… Read More »Rounds and Races
Mechanical Theosophy
The earnest, devoted student can hardly believe that there exist any theosophists sincerely holding a belief in theosophical doctrines but… Read More »Mechanical Theosophy
Advantages and Disadvantages in Life
That view of one’s Karma which leads to a bewailing of the unkind fate which has kept advantages in life… Read More »Advantages and Disadvantages in Life
Theosophy (Lecture)
The purpose of The Theosophical Society is to keep alive the spiritual intuitions of mankind. Since we are here this… Read More »Theosophy (Lecture)
A Servant of the Masters: Col. Henry S. Olcott
A Pioneer in a great movement, such as that represented by the Theosophical Society, should be known to the contemporary… Read More »A Servant of the Masters: Col. Henry S. Olcott
The Religion of Ancient Egypt
Introductory We must study religions from within, not from without. If we ourselves genuinely believe in spiritual life and spiritual… Read More »The Religion of Ancient Egypt
Theosophy—Its Claims, Doctrines, and Progress
When the Theosophical Society was started by the erstwhile famous Madam Blavatsky, in 1875, the now famous orator, Mrs. Annie… Read More »Theosophy—Its Claims, Doctrines, and Progress
The Adepts
In this I purpose to give but the condensed form of some objections made to the theory of the existence… Read More »The Adepts
The New Cycle (Le Cycle Nouveau)
We cannot inaugurate this first issue of an official and strictly Theosophical Magazine without giving our readers some information that… Read More »The New Cycle (Le Cycle Nouveau)
Theosophy and Modern Problems
Think that all the members of the audience realize that this lecture is a part of the Theosophical Convention,—the annual… Read More »Theosophy and Modern Problems
The Gospels of the Kingdom
In much of our popular theology there is some danger that teachings about Jesus have somewhat overshadowed the teachings of… Read More »The Gospels of the Kingdom
Affirmations and Denials
In the Path of January a discussion on the subjects of “Mind Cure” and the like was begun. Since then… Read More »Affirmations and Denials
The Law of Cycles
It is a matter of the deepest interest for every thinking man to obtain as clear an idea as possible… Read More »The Law of Cycles
The Religion of China
[I.] The records of China go back nearly five thousand years. Twenty-eight centuries before our era, say these records, a… Read More »The Religion of China
Stars and Numbers
Ancient civilization saw nothing absurd in the claims of astrology, no more than many an educated and thoroughly scientific man… Read More »Stars and Numbers
Devotion and Understanding!
When the time comes to resume our Branch meetings, one breaks the silence of the summer with a certain reluctance.… Read More »Devotion and Understanding!
The Idyll of the White Lotus [An Explanation]
The interesting story published under the above title has already attracted considerable attention. It is instructive in more ways than… Read More »The Idyll of the White Lotus [An Explanation]
Cyclic Impression and Return and our Evolution
[Note: this was serialized from Feb.-Apr., 1897] Mr. Chairman, Fellow Theosophists, Ladies and Gentlemen: The title of what I am… Read More »Cyclic Impression and Return and our Evolution
The Occultism of Southern India
[A Note on Authorship: In its original printing this article closed with the following note: “The foregoing is a summary… Read More »The Occultism of Southern India