Writings related to Chelas (Disciples), Adepts, Mahatmas, and the Path of Adeptship.
This doctrine of the perfectibility of man is easily comprehended by some men, but is extremely difficult for others—due to centuries of dissemination of the… Read More »Seeds and Seedlings: The Doctrine of Perfectibility
[Dedication] In DevotionTO THE IMMORTALSand inthe Service of Humanitythis little bookis laidUpon the Altar —June, 1905 The Master’s love is bountiful; its light shines upon thy… Read More »Letters That Have Helped Me (Vol. 2)
FIRST SERIES. THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE BEING CHOSEN FRAGMENTS FROM THE “BOOK OF THE GOLDEN PRECEPTS” ———— FOR THE DAILY USE OF LANOOS (DISCIPLES) ———— TRANSLATED… Read More »The Voice of the Silence
[Dedication] To Z. L. Z., the Greatest of the Exiles, and Friend of all Creatures; from his Younger Brother, the Compiler. —Jasper Niemand, 1891 Preface… Read More »Letters That Have Helped Me [Vol. 1]
A Correspondent from New York writes: . . . The Editors of Lucifer would confer a great benefit on those who are attracted to the movement… Read More »Answers to Queries
There is no more misunderstood or misapplied word than “Medium.” Having been appropriated by the Spiritist, it is as a natural result, today supposed to… Read More »Mediumship
The notice published last month, that questions might be asked, addressed to “Zadok,” has elicited several queries, from which we select the following. Hereafter “Zadok”… Read More »Answers To Questioners
The paper on “The Higher Life,”1 and the remarks which it has called forth, have led me to further reflections upon the subject. That subject… Read More »Rotation—Individual Evolution
It is with sincere and profound regret—though with no surprise, prepared as I am for years for such declarations—that I have read in the Rochester… Read More »“The Theosophical Mahatmas”
The mistake is being made by a great many persons, among them being Theosophists, of applying several of the doctrines current in Theosophical literature, to… Read More »The Application of Theosophical Theories
Christina Rossetti’s well-known lines: “Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Does the journey take the whole long day?… Read More »Spiritual Progress
Notwithstanding the many articles which have appeared in this magazine upon the above subject, much misunderstanding and many false views seem still to prevail. What… Read More »Chelas
The power of the Adepts over forces of nature, not generally recognized, has been enlarged upon on various occasions, but no account of them can… Read More »Qualifications for Chelaship
A correspondent of the Indian Mirror, an influential daily paper at Calcutta, writing under the heading of “Proper Education for our Ladies,” says:— Your editorial on the… Read More »The Future Occultist
In various writings on occult subjects, it has been stated that unselfishness is a sine qua non for success in occultism. Or a more correct… Read More »Can The Mahatmas Be Selfish?
A MAHATMA is a personage, who, by special training and education, has evolved those higher faculties and has attained that spiritual knowledge, which ordinary humanity… Read More »Mahatmas and Chelas
According to the newest edition of the “Imperial Dictionary,” by John Ogilvie, L. L. D., “A medium is a person through whom the action of another being… Read More »Are Chelas Mediums?
The pamphlet of Mr. C. C. Massey, an F.T.S., of the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society, is a valuable contribution to the discussion now… Read More »The Metaphysical Basis of “Esoteric Buddhism”
Letter by “A Student” | Reply by Damodar K. Mavalankar In the Supplement to the February issue, I find registered two occurrences under the head… Read More »“Phenomena”
Extracts from “The Cosmic Position of Man” and “The Janus-facedness of Man,” by Baron Karl du Prel | Notes by H.P.B. These are two short… Read More »[Notes on Evolution and Perception]
Questions by D. P. Dhumme | Reply by Damodar K. Mavalankar Madame,—Will you, with your usual kindness, enlighten me on the following points, some of… Read More »[Answers to Questions on Adepts]
On my return to the Head-quarters from the North, where I had accompanied Col. Olcott on his Presidential Tour, I learnt with regret and sorrow… Read More »A Great Riddle Solved
Note and Editor’s Note by H.P.B. on an account by Preo Nath Banerjee In May or June last, a young Bengali Brahmachari happened to pass… Read More »Existence of the Himalayan Mahatmas
Editorial Note on the Article “The Himalayan Brothers—Do they Exist?” by Mohini M. Chatterji Editor’s Note. [H.P.B.]—Secondary evidence is no longer necessary. On November the… Read More »[Evidence of the Existence of Mahatmas]
“Ask and it shall be given unto you; knock and it shall be opened,” this is an accurate representation of the position of the earnest… Read More »The Himalayan Brothers—Do They Exist?
Will you kindly let me know whether females can attain to adeptship, and whether female adepts exist at all?—“An Inquirer.” Note.—It is difficult to see… Read More »Can Females Become Adepts?
In one of the daily issues of the N. Y. World—an influential journal of the great American metropolis—for the year 1878, appeared a description of the… Read More »Projection of the Double
As the word Chela has, among others, been introduced by Theosophy into the nomenclature of Western metaphysics, and the circulation of our magazine is constantly… Read More »Chelas and Lay Chelas
Questions by H. N. Vakil | Reply by H.P.B. Will you or any of your readers enlighten me on the following points: 1. What is… Read More »Pertinent Questions
A correspondent calls our attention to the paragraph on p. 66 of the pamphlet, Hints on Esoteric Theosophy, in which a person not mentioned by… Read More »The “Blessing” of the Brothers
The Surya Prakash, of Surat, says that a Hindu ascetic, in company with a few of his disciples, has recently arrived at that place. He… Read More »Sham Asceticism
Letter to the editor by A Hindu Theosophist | Note by H.P.B. Following the example of the Parsi Gentleman whose letter you published in the… Read More »Do the Rishis Exist?
. . . When we met last at Bombay I told you what had happened to me at Tinnevelly. My health having been disturbed by… Read More »How a “Chela” Found His “Guru”
Letter by W.H.C.D. | Reply by H.P.B. TO THE EDITOR OF THE THEOSOPHIST I have been studying the pamphlet on Esoteric Theosophhy, and find the… Read More »Questions About Esoteric Theosophy Answered
Article Selection from “A Treatise on Sufism” | Notes by H.P.B. When man arrives to a knowledge of his own nature, of the affinity he… Read More »[On Sufis and Mahatmas as Non-Religious]
No. 1 Is Theosophy a Delusion? Do the Brothers Exist? These letters are published with the permission of the writers, not because any of them… Read More »Hints on Esoteric Theosophy [1-2]
No names—but one—having been mentioned in the article “Western ‘Adept’ and Eastern Theosophists;” and positively not one word of an insulting character directly relating to… Read More »Answers to Correspondents—Mr. “Joseph Wallace”
Article Selections from “A Flash of Light upon Occult Freemasonry” | Notes by H.P.B. We are in receipt of an intensely interesting document. It is… Read More »[Notes on the Origin of Freemasonry and the Presence of Adepts in India]
[Note: for some background, see “Madame Blavatsky on ‘The Himalayan Brothers’”] Since the first appearance of The Occult World the London Spiritualist undertook a series… Read More »Western “Adepts” and Eastern Theosophists
Article Selections from the Journal of the Hindu Sabha| Notes by H.P.B We find in the “Journal of the Hindu Sabha,” edited by our highly-valued… Read More »[Notes on “Who are the Aryas and the Buddhists”]
Notes by H.P.B. on the first three articles under the title “Fragments of Occult Truth,” written by A. O. Hume. We have received from our… Read More »[Notes on “Fragments of Occult Truth” 1-3]
Colombo, Ceylon, 30th September 1881. Dear Mr. X., The enclosed card, to the Spiritualist, I had written and put under cover to ——— as early… Read More »Letter from Col. Olcott to Mr. H— X—
Article Selections by C.C.M. and Onesimus | Notes by H.P.B. [Note: for some background, see “Madame Blavatsky on “The Himalayan Brothers””. In The Theosophist for… Read More »[On the “Brothers” and Real Adepts]
Sir— “On the authority of an adept” (?) “they” (the Theosophists and Madame Blavatsky) “are all mediums under the influence of the lower spirits.” Such… Read More »Madame Blavatsky on “The Himalayan Brothers”
Having just read in the London Spiritualist a review of Mr. Sinnett’s book “The Occult World,” I find in it more than a doubt expressed… Read More »The “Occult World” and the “Spiritualist”
The British Theosophical Society We have received no official report as yet from those quarters though we hope to publish the Secretary’s Report next month.… Read More »[On Adepts Living Apart from Society]
THE OCCULT WORLD BY A. P. SINNETT 1885 Second American, from the Fourth English Edition, with The Author’s Corrections and a New Preface. [The Preface… Read More »The Occult World
A sentence in the article on “Rahatship” in the August number, has been caught up by the adversaries of our cause and made much sport… Read More »On Rahatship
It highly gratified our Delegates to Ceylon to find that not only every educated priest and layman, but the uneducated people of that Island also,… Read More »Rahatship
Article selection from “Badrinath, the Mysterious”, by “a Swami who has seen it” | Note by H.P.B. Half way up a peak of the Himalaya… Read More »[Dhyana & The Company of Mahatmas]