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Alcohol

2023-09-04T19:00:26Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles and pamphlets */

'''Alcohol''' consumption is not recommend in Theosophical literature for a variety of reasons.

==General description ==

The emphasis of the Theosophical life is not on the physical but, rather, on the psychological nature. As Blavatsky wrote:

<blockquote>After all is said and done, the purely bodily actions and functions are of far less importance than what a man thinks and feels, what desires he encourages in his mind, and allows to take root and grow there.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Key to Theosophy'' (London: Theosophical Publishing House, [1987]), Section 13.</ref></blockquote>

However, since the body is the vehicle of expression on the physical plane of all the principles, if the diet and other physical habits are not in tune with the spiritual search, they can become an impediment for the spiritual consciousness to influence our personality:

<blockquote>Purity of mind is of greater importance than purity of body. If the upādhi be not perfectly pure, it cannot preserve recollections coming from a higher state.<ref>Henk J. Spierenburg (compiler), ''The Inner Group Teachings of H. P. Blavatsky'' (San Diego, CA: Point Loma Publications, Inc, 1995), 58</ref></blockquote>

== Blavatsky's teachings ==

H. P. Blavatsky was against the use of alcohol, specially in the case of people who were interested in spiritual growth. She wrote:

<blockquote>Alcohol in all its forms has a direct, marked, and very deleterious influence on man's psychic condition. Wine and spirit drinking is only less destructive to the development of the inner powers, than the habitual use of hashish, opium, and similar drugs.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Key to Theosophy'' (London: Theosophical Publishing House, [1987]), Section 13.</ref></blockquote>

In her ''Esoteric Instructions'', she explained that alcohol affects two glands in the brain that are very important in spiritual development, as are the [[Pituitary Gland|Pituitary]] and [[Third_Eye#Pineal_gland|Pineal]]:

<blockquote>Pure psychic vision (ordinary clairvoyance is not the use of this organ) is caused by the molecular motion of this body [the Pituitary Body], which is directly connected with the optic nerve, and thus affects the sight, and gives rise to hallucinations. Its motion may readily cause flashes of light, seen within the head, similar to those that may be obtained on pressing the eyeballs, and so causing molecular motion in the optic nerve. When molecular action is set up in the Pituitary Body these flashes are seen, and further action gives psychic vision, as similar motion in the Pineal Gland gives Spiritual Clairvoyance. Drunkenness and fever cause disorderly motion in the Pituitary Body, and so produce illusions of sight, visions, hallucinations. This body is sometimes so affected by drunkenness that it is paralyzed, and the strict forbiddance of alcoholic liquids to all students of Occultism turns on this effect which alcohol produces on the Pituitary Body and Pineal Gland.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 698.</ref></blockquote>

== According to Besant ==

<blockquote>Take a man who is suffering from ''delirium tremens''. It is not a fancy that he sees. That man is in a real world, although not in the objective world you are most acquainted with. He sees certain things by a certain faculty which is asleep in the ordinary man, but which can be stimulated into abnormal power under certain conditions, for good or evil. One of those conditions is the continuous drink habit, which has this peculiar physiological result, that it brings into activity this ordinarily latent sense of sight, and under those conditions he sees thought-forms of a very low and horrible character, but still thought-forms. You may have noticed the very peculiar fact that the type of things seen in delirium tremens is the same, whoever the person may be. The kind of thing the patient sees is of the same sort. These things are real, in a particular form of existence which is veiled from you in the ordinary body, and with which you only come into contact under these very abnormal conditions. <ref>Annie Besant, ''The Influence of Alcohol'', (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1930), pp. 20-21.</ref></blockquote>

Another problem is the attraction of undesirable astral entities:

<blockquote>Drunkards who have lost their physical bodies, and can therefore no longer satisfy their longing for intoxicants, hang round places where drink is taken, and round those who take it, endeavouring to push themselves into the bodies of people who are drinking, and thus to share the low pleasure to which they surrender themselves. Women of refinement would shrink from their wines if they could see the loathly creatures who seek to partake in their enjoyment, and the close connection which they thus set up with beings of the most repellent type. Evil elementals also cluster round the thoughts of drunkards clad in elemental essence, while the physical body attracts to itself from the surrounding atmosphere other gross particles given off from drunken and profligate bodies, and these also are built into it, coarsening and degrading it.<ref>Annie Besant, ''Man and His Bodies'', (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1912), 18.</ref></blockquote>

== According to de Purucker ==

Alcohol is pernicious at all times and in all circumstances and never should be used except in certain very rare cases of illness, and then only in strict moderation. In such cases it is far better if it be used only externally by rubbing and not taken internally as a beverage. Even the fumes of alcohol are bad and all students of Occultism are strictly forbidden to use it as a beverage.

The [[Esoteric_Section#Point_Loma|E.S.]] rules have come down from immemorial time and cannot be changed. They are not in any sense arbitrary, but are based upon actual facts of our human constitution. And the rule regarding total abstinence from alcohol is one that is most important; for, to take alcohol even in moderate doses has a deleterious effect on certain centers of the nervous system. It dulls and stupefies these centers and the faculties that function through them which it is the aim of all esoteric training to awaken. H. P. B. in her article on ‘Practical Occultism’ has pointed out that "Wine and Spirits are supposed to contain and preserve the bad magnetism of all the men who helped in their fabrication."<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 160</ref>

It may help the new applicants to know the way in which most of our E. S. members handle the question of refraining from the taking of alcoholic drinks: i. e., simply by saying very naturally and quietly
that they do so from motives of health; and this is a fact, because, as said above, alcohol does affect the health in an inner way. It would be wrong to speak of these rules and principles of esoteric training as being fanatical and dogmatic; for in fact they are no more so than are the rules which an athlete would follow, for example, while undergoing training for some athletic contest. They are simply preliminary means of preparation and by no means difficult for one who is in earnest. There are so many
people who do not drink, and they are just as jolly and happy as anybody else and can take part in all proper social life, without causing any feeling of constraint.

== According to Leadbeater ==
=== Destruction of the protective web ===

[[C. W. Leadbeater]] described how the abuse of alcohol may destroy the protective web that separates the physical from the astral plane:

[There] is a sheath composed of a single layer of physical atoms much compressed and permeated by a special form of vital force. The divine life which normally descends from the astral body to the physical is so attuned as to pass through this with perfect ease, but it is an absolute barrier to all other forces-- all which cannot use the atomic matter of both the planes. This web is the natural protection . . . Any injury to this web is a serious disaster. There are several ways in which injury may come, and it behooves us to use our best endeavours to guard against it. It may come either by accident or by continued malpractice. . . . The malpractices which may more gradually injure this protective web are of two classes-- the use of alcohol or narcotic drugs and the deliberate endeavour to throw open the doors which nature has kept closed, by means of such a process as is described in spiritualistic parlance as sitting for development. Certain drugs and drinks-- notably alcohol and all the narcotics, including tobacco-- contain matter which on breaking up volatilizes, and some of it passes from the physical plane to the astral. (Even tea and coffee contain this matter, but in quantities so infinitesimal that it is usually only after long-continued abuse of them that the effect manifests itself.)

When this takes place in the body of man these constituents rush out through the force-centres in the opposite direction to that for which they are intended, and in doing this repeatedly they seriously injure and finally destroy the delicate web. This deterioration or destruction may be brought about in two different ways, according to the type of the person concerned and to the proportion of the constituents in his etheric and astral bodies. First, the rush of volatilizing matter actually burns away the web, and therefore leaves the door open to all sorts of irregular forces and evil influences.

The second result is that these volatile constituents, in flowing through, somehow harden the atom so that its pulsation is to a large extent checked and crippled, and it is no longer capable of being vitalized by the particular type of force which welds it into a web. The result of this is a kind of ossification of the web, so that instead of having too much coming through from one plane to the other, we have very little of any kind coming through.

We may see the effects of both these types of deterioration in the case of men who yield themselves to drunkenness. Some of those who are affected in the former way fall into delirium tremens, obsession or insanity; but those are after all comparatively rare. Far more common is the second type of deterioration-- the case in which we have a kind of general deadening down of the man' s qualities, resulting in gross materialism, brutality and animalism, in the loss of all finer feelings and of the power to control himself. He no longer feels any sense of responsibility; he may love his wife and children when sober, but when the fit of drunkenness comes upon him he will use the money which should have bought bread for them to satisfy his own bestial cravings, the affection and the responsibility having apparently entirely disappeared.

== Online Resources ==
===Articles and pamphlets===
*[https://www.anandgholap.net/AP/Influence_Of_Alcohol-AB.htm# The Influence of Alcohol] by Annie Besant
*[https://www.levir.com.br/theosophy/theotext.php?cod=00672 Theosophy and the Alcohol Question] by Herbert Coryn

== Notes ==
<references/>

The Secret Doctrine (book)

2023-08-01T01:17:44Z

Michele Sender: /* Studies and courses */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Secret Doctrine'' (book)}}
[[File:1888 SD.jpg|right|170px|thumb|1897 edition and 1895 Index]]
[[File:Theosophy Co SD.jpg|right|200px|thumb|1925 one-volume facsimile edition by the Theosophy Company]]
'''''The Secret Doctrine'', the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy''', is a two-volume work written by [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]], which laid the foundation of modern [[Theosophy]]. It is regarded as "one of the monuments of modern esotericism. Originally published in 1888, it gave the spiritual history of the development of the cosmos (or kosmos, as the author would have it) and of human life on earth. In doing this Mme. Blavatsky drew on her impressive knowledge of myth and ancient scripture for verification of the lineage of her theories. The book has gone on to become one of the most influential expositions of esoteric ideas, and its two volumes, comprising more than fifteen hundred pages, remain in print." <ref> Gomes, Michael, Ed., ''The Secret Doctrine: The Classic Work by H. P. Blavatsky, abridged and annotated'', (New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2009), ix.</ref>

[[Charles Johnston]] wrote of the challenge of reading the books:
<blockquote>
I always think that to read the S.D. one must consider it an oriental work in which you have five lines of text, ten lines of commentary, and twenty lines of commentary on the commentary on each page - - very distressing to unaccustomed readers.<ref>Charles Johnston letter to J. D. Buck. November 17, 1891. Cincinnati Lodge Records. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Writing and publication of First and Second Volumes ==
[[File:Italian HPB Postcard Portrait.jpg|left|200px|thumb|1885 Portrait of H. P. Blavatsky from an Italian postcard]]
Two excellent books describe how ''The Secret Doctrine'' was written:

* '''''Rebirth of the Occult Tradition: How the Secret Doctrine of H. P. Blavatsky was written''''' by [[Boris de Zirkoff]]<ref>Published by Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, 1977, 2015.</ref>
* [http://blavatskyarchives.com/caldwell_the_writing_of_the_secret_doctrine_a_chronologypdf.pdf '''''The Writing of THE SECRET DOCTRINE: A Chronology'''''] by Daniel H. Caldwell.<ref>Published by the Blavatsky Study Center in Tucson, Arizona, 2015.</ref>

[[Charles Johnston]] described a writing process that differed from that used to create [[Isis Unveiled (book)|''Isis Unveiled'']]: "The Masters, instead of writing thru the H.P.B. body, as described by Olcott, when Isis was written; precipitated the Secret Doctrine texts onto the [[Astral Light]] from which H.P.B. laboriously copied it – word by word!"<ref> Eleanor Broenniman, "A Plea for Justice" ''The Theosophical Messenger'' 19.4 (April, 1931), 371.</ref>

[[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] is best known as the author of ''The Secret Doctrine'', the crowning achievement of her literary endeavors. In May 1879, soon after moving to India to lead the establishment of the Theosophical Society, she began to draft ''The Secret Doctrine''. It was intended as an enlarged and improved rendering of ''Isis Unveiled'' which, according to the Master K. H., writing in 1882, "really ought to be re-written for the sake of the family honour," and in which everything is "hardly sketched — nothing completed or fully revealed."<ref>[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f23n03p97_some-notes-on-the-secret-doctrine.htm# Some Notes on The Secret Doctrine] by Charles J. Ryan</ref>

In January 1884 the Supplement to [[The Theosophist (periodical)|''The Theosophist'']] published an advertisement announcing that "a New Version of [[Isis Unveiled (book)|''Isis Unveiled'']]," which was to be published as monthly articles. Although Mme. Blavatsky had some written material to start the monthly installments, this plan never came to fruition in the way planned, due to ill-health, her [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky#Visiting Europe|travel to Europe]], and the [[Hodgson_Report#Coulomb_affair|Coulomb affair]].

In January 1885 the monthly installments plan was dropped, and ''The Secret Doctrine'' was conceived as a book. In the fall of that year, a few months after HPB moved to Wurzburg, Germany, she started working steadily on writing. The [[Constance Wachtmeister|Countess Wachtmeister]] moved with HPB to help in this endeavor. As the writing of the book developed with the help of [[Morya|Masters M.]] and [[Koot Hoomi|K.H.]], HPB realized it was much more than a rewriting of ''Isis Unveiled''. In a letter to [[Alfred Percy Sinnett|A. P. Sinnett]] she said she felt that this could vindicate the [[Theosophical Society]] after the unfavorable [[Hodgson Report|Report]] that Richard Hodgson had made.<ref>A. Trevor Barker, ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' Letter No. CXVI, (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1973), 79.</ref>

In connection to the method of writing her book, HPB told Countess Wachtmeister (who had witnessed her struggle in writing a certain section on that day) the following:

<blockquote>Well, you see, what I do is this. I make what I can only describe as a sort of vacuum in the air before me, and fix my sight and my will upon it, and soon scene after scene passes before me like the successive pictures of a diorama, or, if I need a reference or information from some book, I fix my mind intently, and the astral counterpart of the book appears, and from it I take what I need. The more perfectly my mind is freed from distractions and mortifications, the more energy and intentness it possesses, the more easily I can do this; but today, after all the vexations I have undergone in consequence of the letter from X., I could not concentrate properly, and each time I tried I got the quotations all wrong. Master says it is right now, so let us go in and have some tea.<ref>Constance Wachtmeister, ''Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine'' (London: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1893), 33.</ref></blockquote>

In the spring of 1886 she sent a preliminary manuscript of the first volume to Adyar, where [[T. Subba Row]] was supposed to read it and contribute additional material related to [[Hinduism|Hindu philosophy]]. However, he refused to do so. HPB moved to Ostende, Belgium, where she continued working on the book.

By the end of March 1887 she fell gravely ill with a kidney infection, and was not expected to live. [[Morya|Master Morya]] came at night and asked her if she wanted to be freed from the body, or to live, with much suffering, to finish ''The Secret Doctrine''. She agreed to finish the book. On [[May 1]], 1887, she moved to London where a group of earnest students helped her to prepare the huge manuscript for publication.

The '''First Volume''' of ''The Secret Doctrine'' came off the press on [[October 20]], 1888 and all 500 copies were sold out before the date of publication. The '''Second Volume''' came out towards the end of the year. The third volume, in which HPB planned to write of the history of occultism and the lives of the adepts, was never completed under her supervision. She placed that work in the hands of [[Annie Besant]], who published it in June, 1897. See [[The Secret Doctrine (book)#Editions|Editions: Theosophical Publishing House]] below.

== Compilation and Publication of Third Volume ==

After the death of Madame Blavatsky, Annie Besant endeavored to compile the proposed '''Third Volume''' of the SD from the remaining manuscript pages. James Morgan Pryse wrote, "It [the manuscript] was in an unfinished state, and badly arranged. [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H.P.B.]] had rewritten some of the pages several times, with erasures and changes, but with nothing to indicate which copy was the final revision; Mrs. Besant had to decide that as best she might. As it contained far less matter than either of the other volumes, Mrs. Besant told me that she would pad it out by adding the E.S.T. Instructions, since H.P.B. had told her she might do so." He went on to say that critics of the third volume were unjust to Mrs. Besant and Mr. Mead.<ref>James Morgan Pryse, "An Important Statement by Mr. J. M. Pryse" ''The Messenger'' 14.6 (November, 1926), 125.</ref>

:(See [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/sdiiipt5.htm# The Myth of the "Missing" Third Volume of The Secret Doctrine] by Daniel H. Caldwell)

== Wurzburg manuscript ==

Some of the original manuscript was not included in the first two volumes published. Portions have been lost, but through the scholarship of David and Nancy Reigle, the Würzburg Manuscript of ''The Secret Doctrine'' was finally published in 2014. A PDF edition is available at '''[http://www.easterntradition.org/article/Secret%20Doctrine%20Wurzburg%20Manuscript.pdf Eastern Tradition website]'''.

According to the editors:
[[File:Wurzburg manuscript.jpg|right|140px|thumb|Würzburg Manuscript, David and Nancy Reigle, 2014]]
<blockquote>
It includes H. P. Blavatsky’s first translations of stanzas from the [[Stanzas of Dzyan|Book of Dzyan]] with her unrevised commentaries on them. Only the stanzas from the Würzburg manuscript had been published until now, not her unrevised commentaries on them. These comprise cosmogenesis, and a few on anthropogenesis. The Würzburg manuscript also includes a large introductory section, comprising about half the book. Most of the chapters in this introductory section were later published in the 1897 third volume of The Secret Doctrine. As with the commentaries on the stanzas, here we have her unrevised versions.
 
 
The so-called Würzburg manuscript is a partial copy of Blavatsky’s early manuscript of The Secret Doctrine, written while she was staying at Würzburg, Germany, and then at Ostende, Belgium, in 1885 and 1886. Her manuscript of the almost completed Secret Doctrine was copied by two or more scribes to send to India for revision by [[T. Subba Row]], which revision did not occur. Only part of this copy has been found. What we have is estimated to be about a fourth or a third of the whole that was sent to India. Fortunately, it includes the whole cosmogenesis section, all seven stanzas and their commentaries.<ref>Posting by David and Nancy Reigle to Theos-Talk discussion group. May 5, 2014.</ref>
</blockquote>

Nicholas Weeks commented: "When compared with the SD III or CW XIV many passages gain a new perspective. A few of the differences from the WMS were bracketed in CW XIV, but there could have been many more."<ref>Nicholas Weeks email to Janet Kerschner. May 24, 2019. Theosophical Society in America Archives digital files.</ref>

== Book Reviews ==
=== Review by Annie Besant ===

In 1889, [[William Thomas Stead|W. T. Stead]], the famous Editor of the ''Pall Mall Gazette'' and founder of the journal ''Review of Reviews'', gave [[Annie Besant]] two large volumes of ''The Secret Doctrine'', asking her if she could review them. "My young men all fight shy of them, but you are quite mad enough on these subjects to make something of them." She wrote the review and published in ''The Pall Mall Gazette'' (London) on [[April 25]], 1889. It was reprinted in August of that year in [[The Theosophist (periodical)|''The Theosophist'']], and is available at [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/besant1888.htm The Blavatsky Archives Online].
[[File:Annie Besant at desk.jpg|right|320px|thumb|Annie Besant]]
She described her experience in reading the book as follows:
<blockquote>
As I turned over page after page the interest became absorbing; but how familiar it seemed; how my mind leapt forward to presage the conclusions, how natural it was, how coherent, how subtle, and yet how intelligible. I was dazzled, blinded by the light in which disjointed facts were seen as parts of a mighty whole, and all my puzzles, riddles, problems, seemed to disappear. The effect was partially illusory in one sense, in that they all had to be slowly unravelled later, the brain gradually assimilating that which the swift intuition had grasped as truth. But the light had been seen, and in that flash of illumination I knew that the weary search was over and the very Truth was found.<ref>Annie Besant, ''An Autobiography'' (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1984), 310.</ref>
</blockquote>

Her review opens with these words:
<blockquote>
It would be difficult to find a book presenting more difficulties to the "reviewer with a conscience" than these handsome volumes bearing the name of Mdme. Blavatsky as author --- or, perhaps, it would be more accurate to say, as compiler and annotator. The subject-matter is so far away from the beaten paths of literature, science, and art; the point of view so removed from our Occidental fashion of envisaging the universe; the lore gathered and expounded so different from the science or the metaphysics of the West, that to ninety-nine out of every hundred readers --- perhaps to nine hundred and ninety-nine among every thousand --- the study of the book will begin in bewilderment and end in despair.<ref>[[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/besant1888.htm The Blavatsky Archives Online]].</ref>
</blockquote>

=== Stainton Moses and ''Pall Mall Observer'' ===

[[William Stainton Moses]] writing in [[Light (periodical)|''Light'']], quoted the book reviewer from the ''Pall Mall Observer'':
<blockquote>
The would-be reader must have an intense desire to know, and to know not merely the relations between phenomena but the causes of phenomena; he must be eagerly searching for that bridge between matter and thought, between the vibrating nerve-cell and percipiency... ; he must be free from the preposterous conceit... that this world and its inhabitants are the only inhabited world and the only intelligent beings in the universe; he must recognize that there may be, and most probably are, myriads of existences invisible, inaudible, to us, because we have no senses capable of responding to the vibrations that they set up, and which are non-existent to us, although in full activity, just as there are rays at either end of the solar spectrum quite as real as the visible rays although invisible to us.<ref>M. A. (Oxon.) [William Stainton Moses], "Notes by the Way," ''Light'' No. 435 Vol XI (May 4, 1889). Quoting the ''Pall Mall Observer'''s review of ''The Secret Doctrine''.</ref>
</blockquote>

Stainton Moses admitted to his own "absolute incapacity to tackle that mountain of promiscuous erudition in any manner at all likely to be profitable to me readers that has kept me silent with regard to its contents."<ref>M. A. (Oxon.) [William Stainton Moses], "Notes by the Way," ''Light'' No. 435 Vol XI (May 4, 1889).</ref>

== Structure of ''The Secret Doctrine'' ==

''The Secret Doctrine'' was originally published in two volumes, with three parts to each volume. Boris de Zirkoff explained its contents as follows:

<blockquote>The skeleton of Book I is formed by [[Stanzas of Dzyan|Seven Stanzas]] translated from the secret [[Book of Dzyan]], the original of which is written in the sacred language of the [[Initiation|Initiates]]—the [[Senzar]]. The stanzas and their commentaries and explanations form Part I of this First Book. Part II is devoted to the elucidation of the fundamental symbols contained in the great religions of the world, and the occult meaning of the hidden ideographs and glyphs. Part III outlines the contrasting views of [[Science#Modern_Science|Science]] and the Secret Doctrine and meets probable scientific objections by anticipation. This Part serves as a connecting link between the two volumes. 
The general arrangement of Volume II is similar to that of Volume I. It deals primarily with the [[Evolution]] of Man on this [[Globe#Globe D|Planet]]. Part I is based on Twelve Stanzas from the Book of Dzyan describing the gradual evolution of humanity through many occult stages, the origin of the lower [[Kingdoms of Life|kingdoms of nature]], the submergence of ancient continents, and presents a panoramic view of bygone civilizations. Part II deals with the Archaic Symbolism of the [[Religion|World-Religions]], with special emphasis on the [[Septenary Principle|Sevenfold]] and Quaternary classifications of elements and forces. Part III contrasts again the teachings of the Wisdom-Religion with those of the then current Science, mainly in the domain of Anthropology and Geology.<ref>Boris de Zirkoff, “What is ''The Secret Doctrine''”, Theosophia XXV:1</ref></blockquote>

Below are the titles of the main sections:
{{Col-begin|width=100%}}
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
:'''VOLUME I: COSMOGENESIS'''

::''Proem'' - [[Three Fundamental Propositions]]

::''Part I. Cosmic Evolution''
:::[[Stanzas_of_Dzyan#Cosmogenesis|Seven Stanzas from the Book of Dzyan]]
:::Summing Up - [[Recapitulation]]

::''Part II. The Evolution of Symbolism in its Approximate Order''

::''Part III. Science and The Secret Doctrine Contrasted''
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
:'''VOLUME II: ANTHROPOGENESIS'''

::''Preliminary Notes''

::''Part I. Anthropogenesis''
:::[[Stanzas_of_Dzyan#Anthropogenesis|[Twelve] Stanzas from the Book of Dzyan]]
:::Conclusion

::''Part II. The Archaic Symbolism of the World-Religions''

::''Part III. Addenda. Science and The Secret Doctrine Contrasted''
{{Col-end}}

== Study of ''The Secret Doctrine'' ==

Sanskrit scholar [[Charles Johnston]] wrote a letter to [[Jirah Dewey Buck|Dr. J. D. Buck]], discussing the "Secret Doctrine outline" that each of them planned to write:
<blockquote>
"I always think that to read the S. D. one must consider it an oriental work in which you have five lines of text, ten lines of commentary, and twenty lines of commentary on the commentary on each page -- very distressing to unaccustomed readers.

I hope to make a single volume of my outline, to sell for two shillings or so, but it will take me some months to finish it... Please send me any notes on my "outline" that occur to you; except your letter, I have not received any comment from anyone, though I believe the outline is appearing in India and America (Path) as well as here [London].<ref>Charles Johnston letter to J. D. Buck. November 17, 1891. Letter number 16. Cincinnati Theosophical Society Records. Records Series 20.02.01. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref><ref>Johnston’s Outline was published as "An Outline of the 'Secret Doctrine'" in [[Lucifer (periodical)|Lucifer]], from October, 1891 to May, 1892. See: ''Hidden Wisdom: Collected Writings of Charles Johnson'', 2014, Vol. 3, p. 241.</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Robert Bowen|Commander Robert Bowen]] was a personal student of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Madame Blavatsky]] in London. On April 19, 1891, he wrote notes about her recommendations for how to study ''The Secret Doctrine'':
<blockquote>
H. P. B. was specially interesting upon the matter of ''The Secret Doctrine'' during the past week. I had better try to sort it all out and get it safely down on paper while it is fresh in my mind. As she said herself, it may be useful to someone thirty or forty years hence...

First of all then, ''The Secret Doctrine'' is only quite a small fragment of the Esoteric Doctrine known to the higher members of the Occult Brotherhoods. It contains, she says, just as much as can be received by the World during this coming century...

Reading the ''SD'' page by page as one reads any other book (she says) will only end in confusion. The first thing to do, even if it takes years, is to get some grasp of "Three Fundamental Principles" give in ''Proem''. Follow that up by study of the ''Recapitulation'' - the numbered items in the ''Summing up'' to Vol. I (Part 1). Then take the ''Preliminary Notes'' (Vol. II) and the ''Conclusion'' (Vol. II).
<ref>Robert Bowen, notes on "''The Secret Doctrine and Its Study''", April 19, 1891. Notes recorded less than three weeks before the death of Madame Blavatsky.</ref>
</blockquote>

'''See [[Robert Bowen Notes (article)|Robert Bowen Notes]] for the complete text.'''

== Editions ==

* '''First edition in 2 vol., 1888'''. The first volume was published on [[October 20]]. The second volume was published towards the end of the year. Both volumes have a greyish binding bearing in the usual place the imprint: Theosophical Publishing Co., Ltd., London. They bear the inscriptions: "Printed by Allen Scott and Co., 30, Bouverie Street, E.C." facing the title-page; and "Entered at Stationer’s Hall. All Rights Reserved" facing the dedication.

:It seems that the sheets of the First Volume, most likely folded, were sent to [[William Quan Judge|W. Q. Judge]] in New York. The American edition was published in a dark brown and a dark blue binding, and bears the inscription: “Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1888, by H.P. Blavatsky, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D.C.” facing the dedication.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 157-158.</ref>

* '''Second edition in 2 vol., 1888'''. The 500 copies of the first printing of volume 1 were sold before date of publication to advance subscribers. This was followed by an immediate second impression, erroneously called “second edition”. It was only a second printing from the same plates, with a few minor inaccuracies rectified.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Se:cret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), [59].</ref>

[[File:1893 SD Vol II.jpg|right|200px|thumb|1893 edition]]
* '''Third and revised edition in 2 vol., 1893'''. The text in this edition was considerably revised, mainly by scholar and former secretary of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]], [[G. R. S. Mead]],<ref>See [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/mead1.htm# Facts about ''The Secret Doctrine''] by G.R.S. Mead</ref> with some involvement of [[Annie Besant]]. The corrections involved imperfect English and grammatical errors; transliteration of foreign terms; changes in punctuation, capitalization and italics; some footnotes of the original edition were incorporated to the main text; and any reference to HPB's projected Third or Fourth volumes that never saw the light were eliminated. As a result of this, the pagination in this edition is different from the two previous.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' Index, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 476-477.</ref> This drew criticism in some quarters by students who claimed some changes are not justifiable. According to printer [[James Morgan Pryse]]:

<blockquote>
"the printing was done from the type, but stereotype matrices were made in case another should be called for. When that time came, however, we found that the matrices had been accidently destroyed; and I, for one, was decidedly pleased at their loss, since it made opportune a much needed revision of the text, which arduous labor was undertaken by Mr. Mead and Mrs. Besant."<ref>James Morgan Pryse, "An Important Statement by Mr. J. M. Pryse" ''The Messenger'' 14.6 (November, 1926), 125.</ref>
</blockquote>

:When accusations were made that [[G. N. Chakravarti|Professor Chakravarti]] had influenced the revisions, [[Bertram Keightley]] vigorously responded:

<blockquote>
Our friend Mr. Chakravarti had nothing whatever to say or to do with reference to the second [revised] edition – the so-called Besant edition – of the ''Secret Doctrine''. It was far more Mr. Mead than Mrs. Besant who was responsible for it.<ref>C. Jinarajadasa, "The Writing of the Secret Doctrine" ''The Messenger'' 11.3 (Aug 1923), 43.</ref>
</blockquote>

:This widely circulated edition was published by [[Theosophical Publishing Society (London)|The Theosophical Publishing Society, London]]; ''The Path'' Office, New York; and ''The Theosophist'' Office, Adyar, and printed by the [[HPB Press|H.P.B. Press]], London.<ref>[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f23n03p97_some-notes-on-the-secret-doctrine.htm# Some Notes on The Secret Doctrine] by Charles J. Ryan</ref>

:This edition was reprinted by the [[Theosophical Society (Adyar)]] in 1902, 1905, 1908, 1911.

* '''Index to the "Third and revised edition", 1895'''. This large and comprehensive Index prepared by [[A. J. Faulding|Mr. A. J. Faulding]] was published as a separate volume, substantially expanding the "Index to v. 1 & 2" in the first and second editions. A Concordance of pagination with the previous editions was included. The publishers were The Theosophical Publishing Society, London; ''The Path'' Office, New York; The Theosophical Publishing Society, Benares; and ''The Theosophist'' Office, Adyar.
[[File:1993 Quest Books BdeZ edition.jpg|right|180px|thumb|1993 Quest Books edition, edited by [[Boris de Zirkoff]]]]

=== Theosophical Publishing House ===

* '''First edition of Volume 3, 1897'''.

* '''Three-volume edition, 1911'''. Reprinted in 1913, 1918, 1921, and 1928.

* '''Fourth (Adyar) edition, 6 vol., 1938'''. Volume five of this edition contains the text of the 1897 Volume 3, and volume six is an Index. Many of the footnotes introduced into the text in 1893 were restored as footnotes, and the few left in the text were enclosed in square brackets. This edition was reprinted in [[Theosophical Publishing House (London)|London]] in 1950.

* '''Fifth (Wheaton) edition, 6 vol., 1946'''. (By the [[Theosophical Press]] in Wheaton, Ill.)

* '''Sixth (Wheaton) edition, 6 vol., 1952'''. (By the Theosophical Press in Wheaton, Ill.)

* '''Fifth (Adyar) edition, 6 vol., 1962'''.

* '''Sixth (Adyar) edition, 6 vol., 1971'''. Published by [[Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar)|Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar)]] and [[Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton)|Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton)]] with orange & white book jackets.

* '''Centenary Edition, 1988'''. Edited by [[Boris de Zirkoff]] in two volumes and Index, it follows the text and pagination of the original edition. Reprinted in 1993.

=== Theosophical University Press ===

In 1909 a new edition of Volumes I and II of ''The Secret Doctrine'' was produced by the [[Aryan Theosophical Press]], Point Loma, California (since then moved to Covina, California, and known as the [[Theosophical University Press]]) under the direction of [[Katherine Tingley]]. This is virtually a reprint of the original 1888 edition with a scholarly transliteration of [[Sanskrit]] words according to an accepted standard, some corrections of faulty Greek and Latin and of obvious typographical errors, and the occasional substitution of square brackets in place of parentheses for clearness. No changes were made in H. P. Blavatsky's language and no passages were eliminated. This is the standard edition still being published by the Theosophical University Press, Covina.<ref>[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f23n03p97_some-notes-on-the-secret-doctrine.htm# Some Notes on The Secret Doctrine] by Charles J. Ryan</ref>

The 1909 edition was reprinted in 1917 as Second Point Loma edition, bound in four volumes, and a Third Point Loma edition took place in 1925 (bound in two and four volumes), all published by the Aryan Theosophical Press.

The Fourth edition was published by the Theosophical University Press, Covina, California, in 1947, as a reprint of the 1925 edition. The edition of 1952 is ''verbatim'' with the original 1888 edition. This was reprinted in The Netherlands in 1963 and 1970, and in the United States in 1974.

=== The Theosophy Company ===

[[The Theosophy Company]] of Los Angeles published in 1925 a photographic facsimile of the two volumes of ''The Secret Doctrine'', bound in one volume. This edition provides the opportunity to study the work in exactly the way the author wrote it, although this edition perpetuates many typographical errors.<ref>[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/forum/f23n03p97_some-notes-on-the-secret-doctrine.htm# Some Notes on The Secret Doctrine] by Charles J. Ryan</ref> Several printings of it were issued in subsequent years.

=== Other digital sources ===

[https://disk.yandex.ru/d/SYgQwJzb3SfiqS/Text/English/Theosophy/Blavatsky%20HP/Blavatsky%20HP%20-%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine Teopedia] offers many editions and also the [https://disk.yandex.ru/d/SYgQwJzb3SfiqS/Text/English/Theosophy/Blavatsky%20HP/Blavatsky%20Lodge%20notes%201890-91 SD Commentaries].

== Translations ==

''The Secret Doctrine'' has been translated into numerous languages, including the following editions:
[[File:Secret_Doctrine_1-2_(Serbian).jpg|right|150px|thumb|Croatian edition]]
* '''Croatian'''

* '''Danish'''
** ''''' Den hemmelige lære: en syntese af videnskab, religion og filosofi''''' was published in 1975 by Strube.

* '''Dutch'''
** A. Terwiel translated '''''De geheime leer: de samenvatting van wetenschap, godsdienst en wijsbegeerte''''', which was published in Amsterdam by Theosofische Uitgeversmaatschappij, 1907-1911 and 1923.

* '''French'''
** '''''La doctrine secrète: synthèse de la science, de la religion & de la philosophie''''' was published in several editions by La Famille Théosophique in Paris.

* '''German'''
** The [[Franz Hartmann]] translation, '''''Grundriß der Geheimlehre''''', was published by Theosophisches Verlagshaus, Leipzig, in 1919.
** Robert Froebe's translation,'''''Die Geheimlehre : die Vereinigung von Wissenschaft, Religion und Philosophie'''', was published in Leipzig by Friedrich in 1900 and reissued in 1919 by Theosophisches Verlagshaus.

* '''Japanese'''
** '''''Shikuretto dokutorin uchu hasseiron''''' was translated by Emiko Tanka and Jeff Clark and published by Shinchigaku Kyokai Nippon Rojji of Tokyo in 1989. It is available at [http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/79626207.html Hathitrust].
** '''''Shikuretto dokutorin o yomu''''' was translated by Masato Tojo and published in Tokyo by Shuppanshinsha in 2001.

* '''Portuguese'''
** '''''A doutrina secreta: síntese de ciência, filosofia e religião'''' was published in São Paulo, Brasil by Pensamento in 1995.

[[File:SD Russian.jpg|right|250px|thumb|First Russian edition, translated by H. I. Roeriсh, 1937]]
* '''Russian'''
** Translation by Russian Theosophical Society, 1910-15.
** H. I. Roeriсh, or Helena Ivanovna Roerich, wife of painter [[Nicholas Roerich]], translated '''''Tainaia doktrina: sintez nauki, religii i filosofii''''' in the early 1930s and published in Riga in 1937. She was able to complete the translation in less than two years due to her great proficiency with languages. It is the most well-known and widespread edition nowadays, which is under constant reprinting since 1991 (see [[:teopedia-ru-lib:Блаватская_Е.П._-_Тайная_доктрина_(публикации)|full list in Russian]]). This translation made from third edition.
** Third volume '''''Ezotericheskoe uchenie : Tainaia doktrina, t. III : kliuch k tainam drevnei i sovremennoi nauki i teologii''''' was translated by A.P. Heidok and published in 1993 in Moscow by Rossiiskoe teosofskoe obshchestvo (Russian Theosophical Society).
** Translation by V. V. Baziukin made from first edition. First volume published in 2012 online and in 2017 in hard copy in Delphis Publishing House; second volume published in 2020 in Delphis.
** ''Würzburg manuscript'' was translated by O. A. Fyodorova, 2020.
: See [[:teopedia-ru-lib:Блаватская Е.П. - Тайная доктрина|Teopedia]] for more information and links on different Russian editions.

* '''Spanish'''
** [[José Xifré|Don José Xifré]] of Spain, a personal pupil of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]], published a Spanish translation in 1895-98, but almost every copy was destroyed by the Roman Catholic Church, according to [[Boris de Zirkoff]].<ref>Boris de Zirkoff letter to Willamay Pym. January 1, 1979. Boris de Zirkoff Papers. Records Series 22. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref>
[[File:Preston-Humphries abridgement of SD.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Preston-Humphries abridgement]]

== Writings and teachings on ''The Secret Doctrine'' ==

Theosophists worldwide have written and lectured about ''The Secret Doctrine''. Over [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=Secret+Doctrine&method=all 1800 articles] are listed in the [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] giving reviews, excerpts, quotations, and analyses of the books' contents. That count is based only on the term "Secret Doctrine," and searching on additional terms reveals a vast periodical literature dealing with Blavatsky's masterwork.

=== Abridgements ===

Several authors have attempted to make ''The Secret Doctrine'' more accessible by creating abridgements and commentaries.

* Gomes, Michael, Ed. '''''The Secret Doctrine: The Classic Work by H. P. Blavatsky, abridged and annotated'''''. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2009.
: "This single-volume edition, abridged and annotated by historian and Theosophical scholar Michael Gomes, places the ideas of ''The Secret Doctrine'' within reach of all who are curious. In particular, Gomes provides a critical sounding of the book's famous stanzas on the genesis of life and the cosmos - mysterious passages that Blavatsky said originated from a primeval source and which form the heart of ''The Secret Doctrine''. Gomes scrupulously scales down the book's key writings on symbolism to their essentials, and offers notes and a glossary to illuminate arcane references. His historical and literary introduction casts new light on some of the book's sources and on the career of its brilliant and elusive author, one of the most intriguing personages of recent history. At once compact and representative of the work as a whole, this new edition of ''The Secret Doctrine'' brings unprecedented accessibility to the key esoteric classic of the modern era." <ref> Gomes, Michael, Ed., ''The Secret Doctrine: The Classic Work by H. P. Blavatsky, abridged and annotated'', (New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2009), from the book jacket.</ref>

* Preston, Elizabeth, and Humphreys, Christmas. '''''An Abridgement of The Secret Doctrine'''''. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1966.
: "This book is the product of a team of scholars from many parts of the theosophical world. It can be regarded as an introduction to the complete work, but it is not a substitute for it. The Abridgement contains the basic principles in the actual words of Mme. Blavatsky from the 1888 edition ot THE SECRET DOCTRINE; matters that the compilers consider to be in these days of secondary importance have been left out." <ref>Advertisement in supplement to ''The Theosophical Journal'', Jan-Feb 1966.</ref> This abridgement was translated into German in 1984.

* Hillard, Katharine. '''''An Abridgment of the Secret Doctrine'''''. New York: Qauterly Book Department, 1907.
: This abridgement seeks to offer a somewhat simplified version of the book. All Sanskrit terms are translated into English and some paragraphs rearranged to facilitate easier reading. Also, the sevenfold division of man is simplified into the triune constitution of body, soul, and spirit.

=== References within ''The Secret Doctrine'' ===

The [[Theosophical University Press]] Online offers a highly useful series of references to sources related to SD quotations.

* [https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sdrefs/sdr_intro.htm Secret Doctrine References — An Introduction] by Ina Belderis.
* [https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sdrefs/sdr_vol-1.htm References — SD Volume 1].
* [https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sdrefs/sdr_vol-2.htm References — SD Volume 2].
* [https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sdrefs/sdr_biblio.htm Bibliography to References].

Richard I. Robb, through his Wizards Bookshelf publishing house, offered a '''Secret Doctrine Reference Series''' of rare titles referenced in the SD. See his essay '''[https://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/ts/sdrefs-r.htm "Access to Great Ideas"]'''. Examples of books published in this outstanding series are:

* ''The Anugita'', translated by K. T. Telang.
* ''Iamblichus: On the Mysteries'', translated by Thomas Taylor.
* ''Sacred Mysteries among the Mayas and Quiches'', by Augustus Le Plongeon.
* ''The Book of Enoch the Prophet'', translated by Richard Laurence.

=== Commentaries ===

* Ashish, Madhava. '''''Man, Son of Man: In the Stanzas of Dzyan'''''. 1970. 352 pages.
: A continuation of ''Man, The Measure of All Things'' by Sri Krishna Prem, this book is a commentary to the stanzas of the second volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'' outlining the process of human evolution culminating in man as he is today.

* [[Geoffrey A. Barborka|Barborka, Geoffrey A.]] '''''[[The Divine Plan (book)|The Divine Plan]] – Written in the Form of a Commentary on H. P. Blavatsky's''''' '''Secret Doctrine''' – '''''Expressly for the Purpose of Those Who Wish to Read and Gain a Deeper Understanding of''''' '''“The Secret Doctrine”''' '''''– Presenting an Exposition of the Doctrines of the Esoteric Philosophy Analysing and Explaining All the Terms Used'''''. Adyar: [[Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar)|The Theosophical Publishing House]]. 1961.
: Barborka presents an exposition of the esoteric doctrines of Cosmogenesis from Volume I of ''The Secret Doctrine'', analyzing and explaining all the terms used. ''The Divine Plan'' is a particularly useful commentary, and stands as a classic of Theosophical literature in its own right.

* Barborka. Geoffrey A. '''''The Peopling of the Earth: A Commentary on Archaic Records in the Secret Doctrine'''''. 1975. 233 pages.
: Barborka recounts the story of how the first humans came to the Earth, as it is presented in the first three stanzas of the second volume of ''The Secret Doctrine''. The book offers the student a synthesis of the teachings and assistance in understanding the symbols and cryptic expressions used by Mme. Blavatsky. This book is continued by ''The Story of Human Evolution''.

* Barborka, Geoffrey A. '''''The Story of Human Evolution'''''. 1980. 147 pages.
: Based on Stanzas III to XII of the second volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'', the author presents the evolutionary stages which have been accomplished by human beings since coming to the Earth. This book is a continuation of ''The Peopling of the Earth''.

* Chodkiewicz, Kazimierz. '''''Occult Cosmogony: A Modern Commentary to the Stanzas of Dzyan'''''. 1957-1961. 5 vol.
: A commentary to the first volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'' comparing its teachings with the scientific knowledge of the time.

* Gomes, Michael, Ed. '''''The Secret Doctrine Commentaries: The Unpublished 1889 Instructions'''''. The Hague: I.S.I.S. Foundation, 2010.
: "Immediately after ''The Secret Doctrine'' was published, Blavatsky assembled a small group of students, at the Blavatsky Lodge in London, for more in depth inquiry and study of the ideas in the book. ''The Secret Doctrine Commentaries'' contains the never before published transcription of the shorthand notes of these Blavatsky Lodge meetings. Here is Blavatsky in dialogue with her students: Provocative, insightful, spontaneous, and inspiring of the deeper meaning. It offers a unique opportunity to read Blavatsky’s direct, prescient answers to questions on Cosmogenesis, Fohat, the infinitude of the Atom, the nature of Consciousness etc., giving the reader the impression of participating in these Blavatsky Lodge meetings themselves." <ref>Gomes, Michael, Ed., ''The Secret Doctrine Commentaries: The Unpublished 1889 Instructions'', (The Hague: I.S.I.S. Foundation, 2010), from the book jacket.</ref>

* Prem, Sri Krishna. '''''Man, the Measure of All Things: In the Stanzas of Dzyan'''''. 1969. 360 pages.
: Based on the Stanzas found in the first volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'', the author traces the story of the emergence of human consciousness from its divine source. It is a symbolic account of the evolution of the concrete universe.

* Preston, Elizabeth. '''''The Story of Creation: According to The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1968. 109 pages.
: The main teachings given in the Stanzas of Dzyan in the first volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'' are presented here in a simplified manner. Another essay by the same author, ''The Story of Man'', deals with the teachings found in the second volume of HPB’s book.

* Tordoff, Harvey. '''''O Lanoo!: The Secret Doctrine Unveiled'''''. 1999. 126 pages.
: A poetical re-writing of the Stanzas of Dzyan which forms the basis to ''The Secret Doctrine'', using HPB’s explanations it conveys the main concepts in simple, poetic, language.

=== Studies and courses ===
[[File:Approaching the SD.jpg|right|210px|thumb|Cover of Pablo Sender's book]]
* Algeo, John. '''''Getting Acquainted with The Secret Doctrine: A Study Course'''''. 2007. 60 pages.
: A course based on the [[Robert Bowen Notes (article)|notes taken by Robert Bowen]], a personal student of Mme. Blavatsky, which purportedly record her own advice as to how to approach the study of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Argus, '''''A Voyage of Discovery in The Secret Doctrine: A Centennial Homage''''', 1988. 134 pages.
: A collection of essays on fundamental teachings found in ''The Secret Doctrine'', often containing comparisons with Western philosophies and modern scientific theories.

* Belderis, Jim. '''"The Eyes to See With: Working on The Secret Doctrine Index"'''. 1998. Reprinted from ''Sunrise'' magazine, February/March 1998. This offers insights gained while working on an index to ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Benjamin, Elsie. '''''Man at Home in the Universe: A Study of the Great Evolutionary Cycle'''''. 1981. 35 pages.
: A general study of the cyclic evolution of humanity through the different "Globes", "Rounds", "Root-Races", and "Sub-Races" as depicted in ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Besant, Annie. '''''The Pedigree of Man'''''. 1943. 211 pages.
: A study of man’s three-fold origins based on the second volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'', where Dr. Besant supplies information that further facilitates the study of HPB’s great work.

* Blavatsky, H. P. '''''Evolution and Intelligent Design in The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy'''''. c2006. 241 pages.
: A selection of passages from ''The Secret Doctrine'' dealing with this subject, offering a middle ground for a perspective that is both religious and rational.

* Cooper-Oakley, Isabel. '''''Studies in The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1895., 30 pages.
: Two studies, one on the Monad and the other on the Tetraktys and Tetragrammaton, based on the teachings given in ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Gardner, Edward. '''''The Fourth Creative Hierarchy'''''. 1913. 32 pages.
: A study about the information given in ''The Secret Doctrine'' concerning the origin and evolution of the Monads now incarnated in the human kingdom.

* Hanson, Virginia. '''''H. P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1988. 240 pages.
: Appearing first as a companion volume to An Abridgement of ''The Secret Doctrine'', edited by E. Preston and C. Humphreys, this book offers a collection of articles by many well-known Theosophists that explore some of the contributions of HPB’s great opus to world thought.

* Judge, W. Q. '''''Hidden Hints in The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1892. 23 pages.
: Comments on selected passages from ''The Secret Doctrine'' by one of the founders of the Theosophical Society.

* Lancri, Salomon. '''''Selected Studies in The Secret Doctrine'''''. c1977. 86 pages.
: An outline of the main tenets in HPB’s work, supplying a useful guide for the student of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Mills, Joy. '''''An Approach to the Study of The Secret Doctrine'''''., [195-?]. 12 pages.
: An exploration into how to study ''The Secret Doctrine'', rather than what to study in it, based upon HPB’s own words and the advice of various renowned students.

* Mills, Joy. '''''Living in Wisdom: Lectures on The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1994. 57 pages.
: A collection of lectures by the very well-known Theosophist and student of ''The Secret Doctrine'', in which she elaborates on the mythological nature of the contents of HPB’s book, particularly in reference to the origins and development of man.

* Noia, Beverley B. '''''An Intuitive Approach to the Seven Stanzas of Dzyan'''''. 1986. 29 pages.
: This program offers a series of exercises aimed at stimulating an intuitive understanding of the Stanzas of Dzyan which form the basis of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Ohlendorf, W. C.. '''''An Outline of The Secret Doctrine'''''. c1941. 75 pages.
: A brief outline of the origin of the universe and man on Earth, based on the explanations given in ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Preston, Elizabeth. '''''The Earth and its Cycles'''''. 1954. 160 pages.
: A comparison between results of geological and archaeological research and the statements of ''The Secret Doctrine'' regarding the history of Earth and the development of human beings.

* Ransom, Josephine. '''''Studies in The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1934. 172 pages.
: A series of studies by a very well-known student of ''The Secret Doctrine'' exploring the hierarchy of spiritual beings and their role in the evolution of human beings.

* Robertson, John K. '''''The Astrological Key to The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1977. 18 pages.
: An astrological interpretation of world mythologies helps the reader to understand the system underlying the Stanzas of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Sender, Pablo. '''''Approaching the Secret Doctrine'''''. Fohat Productions, 2023.
: An approach that turns the study of the SD into a form of yoga, Dr. Sender presents Cosmogenesis in clear language with diagrams, followed by a series of meditations and exercises.

* Taylor, A. E. '''''The Secret Doctrine: Commentaries and Analogies''''' 1970-1971. 2 vol.
: By relating the esoteric principles expounded upon in the teachings of ''The Secret Doctrine'' to different aspects of human life, the author clarifies complex ideas for the reader.

* Theosophical Society (Great Britain). '''''Centenary of "The Secret Doctrine"'''''. 1888-1988. 24 pages.
: A series of articles about ''The Secret Doctrine'' to commemorate the centenary of the book’s publication.

* Theosophical Society (Pasadena, Calif.). '''''Report of Proceedings: Secret Doctrine Centenary'''''. 1989. 121 pages.
: The report of the proceedings of the Secret Doctrine Centenary, held at Pasadena, California, on October 29-30, 1988, including lectures, panels and discussions among several well-known students of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Trew, Corona. '''''Studies in The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1969. 40 pages.
: A study course on the Stanzas of Dzyan, the basis of the first volume of ''The Secret Doctrine'' that clarifies the fundamental principles of the building and origin of the cosmos.

* Trew, Corona. '''''This Dynamic Universe'''''. c1983. 167 pages.
: Three essays by the Science Group of the English Theosophical Research Center about universal energy or Fohat, universal law, and the purpose of the universe, based upon teachings given in ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Two students. '''''Theosophical Gleanings'''''. 1978. 76 pages.
: A collection of articles originally published in 1890 in a theosophical journal, where two students of ''The Secret Doctrine'' offer a survey of the fundamental principles of cosmic evolution depicted in Mme. Blavatsky’s book.

* Van Pelt, Gertrude W.. '''''Archaic History of the Human Race'''''. c1979. 52 pages.
: Using numerous quotes from ''The Secret Doctrine'', the author offers a survey of the evolution of humankind, arranging the information in a systematic and chronological order.

* Wadia, B. P.. '''''Studies in The Secret Doctrine'''''. 1961-1963. 2 vol.
: A collection of articles written in two theosophical journals during the years 1922-25 (vol. 1) and 1934-36 (vol. 2), approaching different aspects of ''The Secret Doctrine''.

* Warcup, Adam. '''''Cyclic Evolution: A Theosophical View'''''. 1986. 144 pages.
: An account of the process of evolution of life, from the spiritual realms to the physical plane, according to Mme. Blavatsky and her teachers.

* Wizards Bookshelf. '''''Symposium on H. P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine'''''. 1984. 110 pages.
:Seventeen papers by authors from four countries, presented in a symposium held at San Diego, California, July 21-22, 1984.

* Wood, Ernest. '''''A "Secret Doctrine" Digest'''''. 1956. 480 pages.
: The author offers a presentation of the laws and facts of nature and life as taught by H. P. Blavatsky, trying to explain the teachings without introducing anything of his own.

== See also ==
*[[Book of Dzyan]]
*[[Stanzas of Dzyan]]
*[[Three Fundamental Propositions]]
*[[Recapitulation]]
*[[Robert Bowen Notes (article)|Robert Bowen Notes]]
*[[:Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine|Concepts in ''The Secret Doctrine'']]

== Online resources==
===Articles and pamphlets===
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/ashish.htm# ''The Secret Doctrine'' as a Contribution to World Thought] by Sri Madhava Ashish
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/his/besant2.html# Second book Review of ''The Secret Doctrine''] by Annie Besant
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/mistaken-notions-on-the-secret-doctrine# Mistaken Notions on the Secret Doctrine] by H. P. Blavatsky
*[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/sdiiipt5.htm# The Myth of the "Missing" Third Volume of The Secret Doctrine] by Daniel H. Caldwell
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/authorship-of-the-secret-doctrine# Authorship of Secret Doctrine] by William Q. Judge
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/hidden-hints-in-the-secret-doctrine# Hidden Hints in the Secret Doctrine] by William Q. Judge
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/38-88-9/th-sdek.htm# The Secret Doctrine in the Light of 20th-Century Thought] by Jerry Hejka-Ekins
*[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/kuhnthesecretdoctrine.htm# The Secret Doctrine] by Alvin Boyd Kuhn
*[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/reiglecon.htm# The Book of Dzyan Research Reports] by David Reigle
*[https://pablosender.wordpress.com/about/the-secret-doctrine# Seven articles on ''The Secret Doctrine''] by Pablo Sender
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/theos/th-kvms.htm# The Writing of The Secret Doctrine] by Kirby Van Mater
*[http://prajnaquest.fr/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010-2012-Book-of-Dzyan-Studies.pdf# Book of Dzyan Studies] by various contributors on Theosophy.net
*[https://www.theosophical.org/online-resources/leaflets/25-online-resources/online-leaflets/1804-the-secret-doctrine-and-its-study# The Secret Doctrine and its Study] at Theosophical Society in America website
*[https://blavatskytheosophy.com/a-beginners-guide-to-studying-the-secret-doctrine/# A Beginner’s Guide To Studying ''The Secret Doctrine''] at Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK website
*Twenty-four articles compiled for [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/selfstudy/Sample_SD_Symposium.pdf# The Secret Doctrine Symposium - Part 1] and [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/selfstudy/Sample-SD-Symposium-2.pdf Part 2] by David Bruce
* ''Compilation of articles related to the'' [http://www.philaletheians.co.uk/SN-secret-doctrines-proposition-1.htm# First Fundamental Proposition], [http://www.philaletheians.co.uk/SN-secret-doctrines-proposition-2.htm# Second Fundamental Proposition], ''and'' [http://www.philaletheians.co.uk/SN-secret-doctrines-proposition-3.htm# Third Fundamental Proposition] at Philaletheians.co.uk

===Books===
*''Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge'' (HTML) at [https://universaltheosophy.com/hpb/transactions.html Universal Theosophy] and [http://www.phx-ult-lodge.org/Transactions.htm# ULT Phoenix's] websites
*''The Secret Doctrine Dialogues'' (HTML) at [https://universaltheosophy.com/hpb/secretdoctrinedialogues.html# Universal Theosophy] and [http://www.phx-ult-lodge.org/The%20Secret%20Doctrine%20Dialogues.html# ULT Phoenix's] websites
*[https://www.hightail.com/download/bWJvY05rdGpubVhvS3NUQw# The Secret Doctrine Commentaries (PDF)] at Point Loma Blavatsky House Website
*[http://blavatskyarchives.com/caldwell_the_writing_of_the_secret_doctrine_a_chronologypdf.pdf# The Writing of ''The Secret Doctrine''. A Chronology] by Daniel Caldwell
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Pedigree_Of_Man-AB.htm# The Pedigree of Man] by Annie Besant
*[https://cdn.website-editor.net/e4d6563c50794969b714ab70457d9761/files/uploaded/TheosophicalGleanings_TwoStudents.pdf# Theosophical Gleanings] by Two Students (Annie Besant & Isabel Cooper-Oakley)
*[https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/selfstudy/IntuitiveApproach.pdf# An Intuitive Approach to the Seven Stanzas of Dzyan] by Beverley Noia
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/books/archaic/archaic1.htm# Archaic History of the Human Race] by Gertrude W. van Pelt
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/his/hpb_wach.htm# Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky and ''The Secret Doctrine''] by Countess Constance Wachtmeister
*[http://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Studies-In-The-Secret-Doctrine.pdf# Studies in ''The Secret Doctine''] by B. P. Wadia

===Audio===
*[https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%201.mp3# Introduction to the Study of The Secret Doctrine - Part 1], [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%202.mp3# Part 2], [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%203.mp3# Part 3], [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%204.mp3# Part 4], [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%205.mp3# Part 5], [https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/abdill/Introduction%20to%20the%20Study%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine:%20Part%206.mp3# Part 6] by Ed Abdill
*[https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081A%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%201.mp3# Cosmogenesis - Part 1], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081B%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%202.mp3# Part 2], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081C%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%203.mp3# Part 3], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081D%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%204.mp3# Part 4], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081E%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20-%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%205.mp3# Part 5], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081F%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20-%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%206.mp3# Part 6], [https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Hodson,%20G/081G%20Hodson,%20G%20-%20Cosmogenesis%20-%20Creation%20of%20the%20Universe%20&%20Man%20-%20Part%207.mp3# Part 7] by Geoffrey Hodson
*[https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/mcdavid/Secrets%20of%20The%20Secret%20Doctrine.mp3# Secrets of The Secret Doctrine] W. Doss McDavid
*[https://theosophy.world/sites/default/files/audio/Mills,%20J/1017%20Mills,%20J%20-%20Interpretation%20of%20the%20Secret%20Doctrine%20from%201888%20to%201988.mp3# Interpretation of The Secret Doctrine from 1888 to 1988] by Joy Mills
*[https://archive.org/download/1316_20191227/1314_01.mp3# Important Principles in The Secret Doctrine - Part 1], [https://archive.org/download/1316_20191227/1314_02.mp3# Part 2], [https://archive.org/download/1316_20191227/1315_01.mp3# Part 3], [https://archive.org/download/1316_20191227/1315_02.mp3# Part 4], [https://archive.org/download/1316_20191227/1316.mp3# Part 5] by Joy Mills
*[https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1339.mp3# Studies in The Secret Doctrine (Series #7) - Part 1], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1340.mp3# Part 2], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1341.mp3# Part 3], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1342_01.mp3# Part 4], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1342_02.mp3# Part 5], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1343.mp3# Part 6], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1344.mp3# Part 7], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1345_01.mp3# Part 8], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1345_02.mp3# Part 9], [https://archive.org/download/1339_20191228/1346.mp3# Part 10] by Joy Mills
*[https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1361-1norm.mp3# Studies in The Secret Doctrine (Series #11) - Part 1], [https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1361-2norm.mp3# Part 2], [https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1362-1norm.mp3# Part 3], [https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1362-2norm.mp3# Part 4], [https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1363-1norm.mp3# Part 5], [https://archive.org/download/studiesinthesecretdoctrineser11/1363-2norm.mp3# Part 6] by Joy Mills
*[https://www.theosophy.world/resource/audio/joy-mills-secret-doctrine-talks# Secret Doctrine Talks in Naarden] by Joy Mills
*[https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5983norm.mp3# The Secret Doctrine: Cosmogenesis (Series #3) - Part 1], [https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5984norm.mp3# Part 2], [https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5985norm.mp3# Part 3], [https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5986norm.mp3# Part 4], [https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5987norm.mp3# Part 5], [https://archive.org/download/5983norm/5988norm.mp3# Part 6], by Pablo Sender
*[https://archive.org/download/secretdoctrineandamericahorowitz/SecretDoctrineAndAmerica_Horowitz.mp3# The Secret Doctrine and America] by Mitch Horowtiz

===Video===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e28A_I1cvU&list=PLPAXKoJZrGCny-HyPZiTwUbGrx_R1SCiT# Foundations of the Ageless Wisdom (5 Parts)] by Ed Abdill
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14H8Rwj-enY&list=PLPAXKoJZrGClHPpQLikSaVCx6-8sPHqim Introduction to the Study of The Secret Doctrine (5 Parts)] by Ed Abdill
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_R586lQCMc&list=PLPAXKoJZrGClo4d6Alb7ntprtnYkV_eGd The Secret Doctrine - A 100 Years Later (9 parts)] by Joy Mills
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDVAHHIV0ug&list=PLPAXKoJZrGCmYIPVe6FPjUcodtytdxR1s# The Cosmogonic Processes (13 Parts)] by Joy Mills
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU1MMabZf3A&list=PLgd5q-JA8xpLJbdIjnh-zB9dUa7Eb4oUt&t=389s# Fundamental Teachings in The Secret Doctrine (5 Parts)] Pablo Sender & Michele Sender
*[http://www.theosophical.org/online-programs/2880 Three Fundamental Propositions - Theory and Practice (8 Parts)] by Pablo Sender
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC3Z59g-Lq4&list=PLgd5q-JA8xpIAatUDVMMR_PlFnyZ0ZI6e# Cosmogenesis 1st Series (6 Parts)] by Pablo Sender
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJGAUrCrUnM&list=PLgd5q-JA8xpIwDcuC2T-vRQMbSM8vmkak# Cosmogenesis 2nd Series (6 Parts)] by Pablo Sender
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOZUjqtWc5c&list=PLgd5q-JA8xpIgB34Kgf6Wh34RdydE1Dlo# Cosmogenesis 3rd Series (6 Parts)] by Pablo Sender

===Bibliographies===
*[http://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/library/Bibliography/TheSecretDoctrine.pdf# Bibliography on ''The Secret Doctrine''] from the [[Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library]].

===Websites===
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sd/sd-hp.htm ''The Secret Doctrine''] Theosophical University Press online edition.
*[https://universaltheosophy.com/hpb/secretdoctrine.html ''The Secret Doctrine''] Universal Theosophy searchable online edition of the two volumes, with corrected spelling of foreign terms.
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sd-index/dx-00hp.htm Index to ''The Secret Doctrine''] Theosophical University Press online edition prepared by John P. Van Mater.
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/index.php/secret-doctrine# About ''The Secret Doctrine''] Compilation of material at Blavatsky Net.
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/invit-sd/invsd-hp.htm#contents An Invitation to ''The Secret Doctrine''] Includes ''The Secret Doctrine and Its Study'' by Robert Bowen, ''The Writing of The Secret Doctrine'' by Kirby Van Mater, and a ''Glossary of Terms'' by the Theosophical University Press.
*[http://wisdomworld.org/additional/StudiesInTheSecretDoctrine# Studies in ''The Secret Doctrine''] WisdomWorld.org.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Books|Secret Doctrine, The]]
[[es:La Doctrina Secreta (libro)]]
[[ru:Тайная_доктрина_(книга)]]
[[it:La Dottrina Segreta]]

Thought-Forms

2023-05-18T21:31:26Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

The phrase of '''Thought-Forms''' was developed by [[Annie Besant]] and [[C. W. Leadbeater]] in their 1905 book [[Thought Forms (book)|''Thought Forms'']], although the concept was present in earlier [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] literature, including [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']].

== Thought-Forms in the Mahatma Letters ==

In [[Mahatma Letter No. 18#Page 21|one of his letters]] to [[A. P. Sinnett]], [[Mahatma]] [[K. H.]] writes:

<blockquote>[[Elemental#Elementals_and_thoughts|Thoughts]] are things — have tenacity, coherence, and life, — that they are real entities.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 18 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 66.</ref></blockquote>

This concept is further developed by the [[Master]] in a letter to [[A. O. Hume]]:

<blockquote>Every thought of man upon being evolved passes into the inner world and becomes an active entity by associating itself — coalescing, we might term it — with an elemental; that is to say with one of the semi-intelligent forces of the kingdoms. It survives as an active intelligence, a creature of the mind's begetting, for a longer or shorter period proportionate with the original intensity of the cerebral action which generated it. Thus, a good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive or and nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' Appendix I (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 472.</ref></blockquote>

== Thought forms as described by Besant and Leadbeater ==

[[Annie Besant]] and [[Charles Webster Leadbeater|C. W. Leadbeater]], the authors of ''Thought-Forms'', wrote that "each definite thought produces a double effect — a radiating vibration and a floating form." The '''radiating vibration''' "conveys the character of the thought, but not its subject." For example, serenity or devotion radiating from one person can stimulate similar vibrations in a nearby person who is receptive. The '''floating form''' is a strong and definite thought that has attracted energies from the mental and astral plans, and has become, for a time, a kind of independent living being.

<blockquote>
Thought-forms directed towards individuals produce definitely marked effects... A thought of love and of desire to protect, directed strongly towards some beloved object, creates a form which goes to the person thought of, and remains in his aura as a shielding and protecting agent; it will seek all opportunities to serve, and all opportunities to defend, not by a conscious and deliberate action, but by a blind following out of the impulse impressed upon it, and it will strengthen friendly forces that impinge on the aura and weaken unfriendly ones. Thus may we create and maintain veritable guardian angels round those we love...

In cases in which good or evil thoughts are projected at individuals, those thoughts, if they are to directly fulfil their mission, must find, in the aura of the object to whom they are sent, materials capable of responding sympathetically to their vibrations. Any combination of matter can only vibrate within certain definite limits, and if the thought-form be outside all the limits within which the aura is capable of vibrating, it cannot affect that aura at all. It consequently rebounds from it, and that with a force proportionate to the energy with which it impinged upon it.<ref>Annie Besant; C. W. Leadbeater, ''Thought-Forms'' (London, Benares: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1905)p???.</ref>
</blockquote>

They identified three classes of thought forms:

::1. That which takes the image of the thinker.
::2. That which takes the image of some material object.
::3. That which takes a form entirely its own, expressing its inherent qualities in the matter which it draws round it. Only thought-forms of this third class can usefully be illustrated.

These are some examples using illustrations from the book ''Thought-Forms'':
<gallery>
File:Fig8 Vague Pure Affection.jpg|Figure 8 Vague Pure Affection
File:Fig11 Radiating Affection.jpg|Figure 11 Radiating Affection
File:Fig12 Peace and Protection.jpg|Figure 12 Peace and Protection
File:Fig14 Vague Religious Feeling.jpg|Figure 14 Vague Religious Feeling
File:Fig15 Upward Rush of Devotion.jpg|Figure 15 Upward Rush of Devotion
File:Fig16 Self-Renunciation.jpg|Figure 16 Self-Renunciation
File:Fig20 Ambition.jpg|Figure 20 Ambition
File:Fig21 Selfish Ambition.jpg|Figure 21 Selfish Ambition
File:Fig24 Explosive Anger.jpg|Figure 24 Explosive Anger
File:Fig35 On Meeting a Friend.jpg|Figure 35 On Meeting a Friend
File:Fig42 The Logos Pervading All.jpg|Figure 42 The Logos Pervading All
File:Fig49 Helpful Thoughts.jpg|Figure 49 Helpful Thoughts
</gallery>

These or similar images were projected using lime light during Mrs. Besant's 1897 lecture tour in the United States, and using magic lantern slides by Mr. Leadbeater during his 1905 tour.<ref>"Lecture Tour of Mrs. Annie Besant" ''Mercury'' 3.9 (May, 1897), 276.</ref>

== Tulpa in Tibetan Buddhism ==

Tibetan Buddhism offers the concept of "tulpa" as an apparition or object created by the power of the mind. [[Walter Evans-Wentz]] used the term "thoughtform" in his translation of the ''Tibetan Book of the Dead''.

French explorer and Theosophist [[Alexandra David-Néel]] wrote of tulpas as "magic formations generated by a powerful concentration of thought."<ref>Quoted in Eileen Brennan; J. H. Underwood, ''Body Mind & Spirit: A Dictionary of New Age Ideas, People, Places, and Terms'' (New York: Tuttle, 1994), ??.</ref> She further wrote that
<blockquote>
The power of producing magic formations, tulkus or less lasting and materialized tulpas, does not, however, belong exclusively to such mystic exalted beings [Bodhisattvas]. Any human, divine or demoniac being may be possessed of it. The only difference comes from the degree of power, and this depends on the strength of the concentration and the quality of the mind itself.”<ref>Alexandra David-Néel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet, 1929, pg 115.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Other descriptions ==

[[Alice Bailey]] wrote about the building of thought forms.
<blockquote>
In the works of Alice Bailey, the process of creating a concept, or "building a thought-form" is viewed as a deeply esoteric magical act*. We are, quite literally, talking about the construction of a form in the subtle matter of the mental plane. This form can then take an emotional body, and an etheric body, and go on to produce an impact in the three worlds of human evolution...

*The fifteen rules for thought-form building form the basis for the book "A Treatise on White Magic" and are also discussed more briefly in "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire".<ref>"Esoteric Aspects of Thought-Form Building," [https://www.lucistrust.org/world_goodwill/problems_of_humanity/esoteric_aspects_thoughtform_building Lucis Trust website].</ref>
</blockquote>

Author Gus diZerega wrote,

<blockquote>
I have tried to make the case that ideas are more important than we usually acknowledge. They are more than just fleeting flights of subjectivity that pass through our minds and are gone. '''Thought forms are ideas on steroids.'''

They are also our creations, though I suspect they have other sources as well.

Thought forms are dependent on the people who generate the mental energy empowering them. Good or bad, they are expressions of human creativity. Take away our energy and focus, and they weaken. Some are positive influences in our lives, and their relationship with us is symbiotic. Others are negative, and the relationship is parasitic because they depend on our anger and fear for their power; anger and fear ultimately weaken us mentally, physically, and spiritually.
<ref>Gus diZerega, "If Thought Forms Exist, What Can We Do About Them?" February 7, 2013. Pointedly Pagan blog on [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pointedlypagan/2013/02/if-thought-forms-exist-what-can-we-do-about-them/ Pagan Channel]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

According to Bulgarian philosopher Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov:

<blockquote>
If there is one thing that is important for you to know, it is that every thought, even the most insignificant, is a living reality. Thoughts can even be seen, there are people who can see them. Of course on the physical plane, a thought is invisible and intangible, but it is no less real: in its own region and with its own subtle matter, it is a living, active being.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

Rachel Goodwin adds,
<blockquote>
Thoughtforms can be described as energetic patterns that exist within our aura, and they are created by our own thoughts. So if you have the thought, "I have all the energy I need, I have all the energy I need," with enough conviction and belief, you'll create a thought form who makes this so, and this newly created thoughtform will then live happily inside your aura.

This thoughtform will help you draw towards you all the circumstances you need to make it so...

You could say that thoughtforms are the spiritual equivalent to computer programs, and sub-routines, as they will keep running the same programme until the time where an intent and focus is made (by you) to change them.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

[[File:Thought Forms band image.jpg|right|130px|thumb|Image from Thought Forms band website]]
== Use of the term in popular culture ==

Thought Forms is also the name of a 3-piece '''band from Wiltshire, England''', with albums released on Invada Records. An illustration from the book (Figure 17, Response to Devotion) appears on their [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website].<ref>"Our Favourite Records of 2015." Weblog entry dated December 31, 2015. Located at this [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

“Thought Forms” is a '''set of three musical compositions''' on the album ''Cult Appeal'' by the Horse Lords on the Chicago label Hausu Mountain.<ref>Colin Joyce, " Andrew Bernstein Does Damage to Sax Structures on ‘Thought Forms’". “Thought Forms” [http://www.spin.com/2015/09/andrew-bernstein-thought-forms-cult-appeal-premiere-stream/ spin.com]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

"Thought Forms" is also the name of '''a poem''' by Judy Sevens.<ref>Judy Sevens, "Thought Forms" blog entry. November 21, 2014. Available at [http://judysevens.blogspot.com/ Blogspot]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

In the '''television program ''X-Files''''', the episode "Home Again" mentions the Tibetan Buddhist concept of tulpa and the Theosophists' concept of thought forms. <ref>Jeff Jensen. "The X-Files Recap: Home Again". [http://www.ew.com/recap/the-x-files-season-10-episode-4/4 Entertainment Weekly website]. See
X-Files Season 10, episode 4 "Home Again" that first aired February 8, 2016.</ref>

==Additional resources==
===Articles===
*[https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/thought-forms Thought Forms] at Theosophy World.
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/shearman18.html# Thought-Forms (Their Limitations)] by Hugh Shearman.
* Alderdon, Zoe. "Colour, Shape, the Music: The Presence of ''Thought Forms'' in Abstact Art" ''Literature & Aesthetics'' 21.1 (June 2011), 236.

===Books===
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Forms-AB_CWL.htm# Thought Forms] by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Power-AB.htm# Thought Power - Its Control and Culture] by Annie Besant

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]

Thought-Forms

2023-05-18T21:30:02Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

The phrase of '''Thought-Forms''' was developed by [[Annie Besant]] and [[C. W. Leadbeater]] in their 1905 book [[Thought Forms (book)|''Thought Forms'']], although the concept was present in earlier [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] literature, including [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']].

== Thought-Forms in the Mahatma Letters ==

In [[Mahatma Letter No. 18#Page 21|one of his letters]] to [[A. P. Sinnett]], [[Mahatma]] [[K. H.]] writes:

<blockquote>[[Elemental#Elementals_and_thoughts|Thoughts]] are things — have tenacity, coherence, and life, — that they are real entities.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 18 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 66.</ref></blockquote>

This concept is further developed by the [[Master]] in a letter to [[A. O. Hume]]:

<blockquote>Every thought of man upon being evolved passes into the inner world and becomes an active entity by associating itself — coalescing, we might term it — with an elemental; that is to say with one of the semi-intelligent forces of the kingdoms. It survives as an active intelligence, a creature of the mind's begetting, for a longer or shorter period proportionate with the original intensity of the cerebral action which generated it. Thus, a good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive or and nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' Appendix I (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 472.</ref></blockquote>

== Thought forms as described by Besant and Leadbeater ==

[[Annie Besant]] and [[Charles Webster Leadbeater|C. W. Leadbeater]], the authors of ''Thought-Forms'', wrote that "each definite thought produces a double effect — a radiating vibration and a floating form." The '''radiating vibration''' "conveys the character of the thought, but not its subject." For example, serenity or devotion radiating from one person can stimulate similar vibrations in a nearby person who is receptive. The '''floating form''' is a strong and definite thought that has attracted energies from the mental and astral plans, and has become, for a time, a kind of independent living being.

<blockquote>
Thought-forms directed towards individuals produce definitely marked effects... A thought of love and of desire to protect, directed strongly towards some beloved object, creates a form which goes to the person thought of, and remains in his aura as a shielding and protecting agent; it will seek all opportunities to serve, and all opportunities to defend, not by a conscious and deliberate action, but by a blind following out of the impulse impressed upon it, and it will strengthen friendly forces that impinge on the aura and weaken unfriendly ones. Thus may we create and maintain veritable guardian angels round those we love...

In cases in which good or evil thoughts are projected at individuals, those thoughts, if they are to directly fulfil their mission, must find, in the aura of the object to whom they are sent, materials capable of responding sympathetically to their vibrations. Any combination of matter can only vibrate within certain definite limits, and if the thought-form be outside all the limits within which the aura is capable of vibrating, it cannot affect that aura at all. It consequently rebounds from it, and that with a force proportionate to the energy with which it impinged upon it.<ref>Annie Besant; C. W. Leadbeater, ''Thought-Forms'' (London, Benares: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1905)p???.</ref>
</blockquote>

They identified three classes of thought forms:

::1. That which takes the image of the thinker.
::2. That which takes the image of some material object.
::3. That which takes a form entirely its own, expressing its inherent qualities in the matter which it draws round it. Only thought-forms of this third class can usefully be illustrated.

These are some examples using illustrations from the book ''Thought-Forms'':
<gallery>
File:Fig8 Vague Pure Affection.jpg|Figure 8 Vague Pure Affection
File:Fig11 Radiating Affection.jpg|Figure 11 Radiating Affection
File:Fig12 Peace and Protection.jpg|Figure 12 Peace and Protection
File:Fig14 Vague Religious Feeling.jpg|Figure 14 Vague Religious Feeling
File:Fig15 Upward Rush of Devotion.jpg|Figure 15 Upward Rush of Devotion
File:Fig16 Self-Renunciation.jpg|Figure 16 Self-Renunciation
File:Fig20 Ambition.jpg|Figure 20 Ambition
File:Fig21 Selfish Ambition.jpg|Figure 21 Selfish Ambition
File:Fig24 Explosive Anger.jpg|Figure 24 Explosive Anger
File:Fig35 On Meeting a Friend.jpg|Figure 35 On Meeting a Friend
File:Fig42 The Logos Pervading All.jpg|Figure 42 The Logos Pervading All
File:Fig49 Helpful Thoughts.jpg|Figure 49 Helpful Thoughts
</gallery>

These or similar images were projected using lime light during Mrs. Besant's 1897 lecture tour in the United States, and using magic lantern slides by Mr. Leadbeater during his 1905 tour.<ref>"Lecture Tour of Mrs. Annie Besant" ''Mercury'' 3.9 (May, 1897), 276.</ref>

== Tulpa in Tibetan Buddhism ==

Tibetan Buddhism offers the concept of "tulpa" as an apparition or object created by the power of the mind. [[Walter Evans-Wentz]] used the term "thoughtform" in his translation of the ''Tibetan Book of the Dead''.

French explorer and Theosophist [[Alexandra David-Néel]] wrote of tulpas as "magic formations generated by a powerful concentration of thought."<ref>Quoted in Eileen Brennan; J. H. Underwood, ''Body Mind & Spirit: A Dictionary of New Age Ideas, People, Places, and Terms'' (New York: Tuttle, 1994), ??.</ref> She further wrote that
<blockquote>
The power of producing magic formations, tulkus or less lasting and materialized tulpas, does not, however, belong exclusively to such mystic exalted beings [Bodhisattvas]. Any human, divine or demoniac being may be possessed of it. The only difference comes from the degree of power, and this depends on the strength of the concentration and the quality of the mind itself.”<ref>Alexandra David-Néel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet, 1929, pg 115.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Other descriptions ==

[[Alice Bailey]] wrote about the building of thought forms.
<blockquote>
In the works of Alice Bailey, the process of creating a concept, or "building a thought-form" is viewed as a deeply esoteric magical act*. We are, quite literally, talking about the construction of a form in the subtle matter of the mental plane. This form can then take an emotional body, and an etheric body, and go on to produce an impact in the three worlds of human evolution...

*The fifteen rules for thought-form building form the basis for the book "A Treatise on White Magic" and are also discussed more briefly in "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire".<ref>"Esoteric Aspects of Thought-Form Building," [https://www.lucistrust.org/world_goodwill/problems_of_humanity/esoteric_aspects_thoughtform_building Lucis Trust website].</ref>
</blockquote>

Author Gus diZerega wrote,

<blockquote>
I have tried to make the case that ideas are more important than we usually acknowledge. They are more than just fleeting flights of subjectivity that pass through our minds and are gone. '''Thought forms are ideas on steroids.'''

They are also our creations, though I suspect they have other sources as well.

Thought forms are dependent on the people who generate the mental energy empowering them. Good or bad, they are expressions of human creativity. Take away our energy and focus, and they weaken. Some are positive influences in our lives, and their relationship with us is symbiotic. Others are negative, and the relationship is parasitic because they depend on our anger and fear for their power; anger and fear ultimately weaken us mentally, physically, and spiritually.
<ref>Gus diZerega, "If Thought Forms Exist, What Can We Do About Them?" February 7, 2013. Pointedly Pagan blog on [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pointedlypagan/2013/02/if-thought-forms-exist-what-can-we-do-about-them/ Pagan Channel]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

According to Bulgarian philosopher Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov:

<blockquote>
If there is one thing that is important for you to know, it is that every thought, even the most insignificant, is a living reality. Thoughts can even be seen, there are people who can see them. Of course on the physical plane, a thought is invisible and intangible, but it is no less real: in its own region and with its own subtle matter, it is a living, active being.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

Rachel Goodwin adds,
<blockquote>
Thoughtforms can be described as energetic patterns that exist within our aura, and they are created by our own thoughts. So if you have the thought, "I have all the energy I need, I have all the energy I need," with enough conviction and belief, you'll create a thought form who makes this so, and this newly created thoughtform will then live happily inside your aura.

This thoughtform will help you draw towards you all the circumstances you need to make it so...

You could say that thoughtforms are the spiritual equivalent to computer programs, and sub-routines, as they will keep running the same programme until the time where an intent and focus is made (by you) to change them.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

[[File:Thought Forms band image.jpg|right|130px|thumb|Image from Thought Forms band website]]
== Use of the term in popular culture ==

Thought Forms is also the name of a 3-piece '''band from Wiltshire, England''', with albums released on Invada Records. An illustration from the book (Figure 17, Response to Devotion) appears on their [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website].<ref>"Our Favourite Records of 2015." Weblog entry dated December 31, 2015. Located at this [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

“Thought Forms” is a '''set of three musical compositions''' on the album ''Cult Appeal'' by the Horse Lords on the Chicago label Hausu Mountain.<ref>Colin Joyce, " Andrew Bernstein Does Damage to Sax Structures on ‘Thought Forms’". “Thought Forms” [http://www.spin.com/2015/09/andrew-bernstein-thought-forms-cult-appeal-premiere-stream/ spin.com]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

"Thought Forms" is also the name of '''a poem''' by Judy Sevens.<ref>Judy Sevens, "Thought Forms" blog entry. November 21, 2014. Available at [http://judysevens.blogspot.com/ Blogspot]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

In the '''television program ''X-Files''''', the episode "Home Again" mentions the Tibetan Buddhist concept of tulpa and the Theosophists' concept of thought forms. <ref>Jeff Jensen. "The X-Files Recap: Home Again". [http://www.ew.com/recap/the-x-files-season-10-episode-4/4 Entertainment Weekly website]. See
X-Files Season 10, episode 4 "Home Again" that first aired February 8, 2016.</ref>

==Additional resources==
===Articles===
*[https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/thought-forms Thought Forms] at Theosophy World.
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/shearman18.html# Thought-Forms (Their Limitations)] by Hugh Shearman.
*[http://samuelhatfield.com/articles/thought-forms.html Thought Forms] by Samuel Hatfield.
* Alderdon, Zoe. "Colour, Shape, the Music: The Presence of ''Thought Forms'' in Abstact Art" ''Literature & Aesthetics'' 21.1 (June 2011), 236.

===Books===
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Forms-AB_CWL.htm# Thought Forms] by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Power-AB.htm# Thought Power - Its Control and Culture] by Annie Besant

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]

Thought-Forms

2023-05-18T21:29:27Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

The phrase of '''Thought-Forms''' was developed by [[Annie Besant]] and [[C. W. Leadbeater]] in their 1905 book [[Thought Forms (book)|''Thought Forms'']], although the concept was present in earlier [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] literature, including [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']].

== Thought-Forms in the Mahatma Letters ==

In [[Mahatma Letter No. 18#Page 21|one of his letters]] to [[A. P. Sinnett]], [[Mahatma]] [[K. H.]] writes:

<blockquote>[[Elemental#Elementals_and_thoughts|Thoughts]] are things — have tenacity, coherence, and life, — that they are real entities.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 18 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 66.</ref></blockquote>

This concept is further developed by the [[Master]] in a letter to [[A. O. Hume]]:

<blockquote>Every thought of man upon being evolved passes into the inner world and becomes an active entity by associating itself — coalescing, we might term it — with an elemental; that is to say with one of the semi-intelligent forces of the kingdoms. It survives as an active intelligence, a creature of the mind's begetting, for a longer or shorter period proportionate with the original intensity of the cerebral action which generated it. Thus, a good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive or and nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' Appendix I (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 472.</ref></blockquote>

== Thought forms as described by Besant and Leadbeater ==

[[Annie Besant]] and [[Charles Webster Leadbeater|C. W. Leadbeater]], the authors of ''Thought-Forms'', wrote that "each definite thought produces a double effect — a radiating vibration and a floating form." The '''radiating vibration''' "conveys the character of the thought, but not its subject." For example, serenity or devotion radiating from one person can stimulate similar vibrations in a nearby person who is receptive. The '''floating form''' is a strong and definite thought that has attracted energies from the mental and astral plans, and has become, for a time, a kind of independent living being.

<blockquote>
Thought-forms directed towards individuals produce definitely marked effects... A thought of love and of desire to protect, directed strongly towards some beloved object, creates a form which goes to the person thought of, and remains in his aura as a shielding and protecting agent; it will seek all opportunities to serve, and all opportunities to defend, not by a conscious and deliberate action, but by a blind following out of the impulse impressed upon it, and it will strengthen friendly forces that impinge on the aura and weaken unfriendly ones. Thus may we create and maintain veritable guardian angels round those we love...

In cases in which good or evil thoughts are projected at individuals, those thoughts, if they are to directly fulfil their mission, must find, in the aura of the object to whom they are sent, materials capable of responding sympathetically to their vibrations. Any combination of matter can only vibrate within certain definite limits, and if the thought-form be outside all the limits within which the aura is capable of vibrating, it cannot affect that aura at all. It consequently rebounds from it, and that with a force proportionate to the energy with which it impinged upon it.<ref>Annie Besant; C. W. Leadbeater, ''Thought-Forms'' (London, Benares: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1905)p???.</ref>
</blockquote>

They identified three classes of thought forms:

::1. That which takes the image of the thinker.
::2. That which takes the image of some material object.
::3. That which takes a form entirely its own, expressing its inherent qualities in the matter which it draws round it. Only thought-forms of this third class can usefully be illustrated.

These are some examples using illustrations from the book ''Thought-Forms'':
<gallery>
File:Fig8 Vague Pure Affection.jpg|Figure 8 Vague Pure Affection
File:Fig11 Radiating Affection.jpg|Figure 11 Radiating Affection
File:Fig12 Peace and Protection.jpg|Figure 12 Peace and Protection
File:Fig14 Vague Religious Feeling.jpg|Figure 14 Vague Religious Feeling
File:Fig15 Upward Rush of Devotion.jpg|Figure 15 Upward Rush of Devotion
File:Fig16 Self-Renunciation.jpg|Figure 16 Self-Renunciation
File:Fig20 Ambition.jpg|Figure 20 Ambition
File:Fig21 Selfish Ambition.jpg|Figure 21 Selfish Ambition
File:Fig24 Explosive Anger.jpg|Figure 24 Explosive Anger
File:Fig35 On Meeting a Friend.jpg|Figure 35 On Meeting a Friend
File:Fig42 The Logos Pervading All.jpg|Figure 42 The Logos Pervading All
File:Fig49 Helpful Thoughts.jpg|Figure 49 Helpful Thoughts
</gallery>

These or similar images were projected using lime light during Mrs. Besant's 1897 lecture tour in the United States, and using magic lantern slides by Mr. Leadbeater during his 1905 tour.<ref>"Lecture Tour of Mrs. Annie Besant" ''Mercury'' 3.9 (May, 1897), 276.</ref>

== Tulpa in Tibetan Buddhism ==

Tibetan Buddhism offers the concept of "tulpa" as an apparition or object created by the power of the mind. [[Walter Evans-Wentz]] used the term "thoughtform" in his translation of the ''Tibetan Book of the Dead''.

French explorer and Theosophist [[Alexandra David-Néel]] wrote of tulpas as "magic formations generated by a powerful concentration of thought."<ref>Quoted in Eileen Brennan; J. H. Underwood, ''Body Mind & Spirit: A Dictionary of New Age Ideas, People, Places, and Terms'' (New York: Tuttle, 1994), ??.</ref> She further wrote that
<blockquote>
The power of producing magic formations, tulkus or less lasting and materialized tulpas, does not, however, belong exclusively to such mystic exalted beings [Bodhisattvas]. Any human, divine or demoniac being may be possessed of it. The only difference comes from the degree of power, and this depends on the strength of the concentration and the quality of the mind itself.”<ref>Alexandra David-Néel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet, 1929, pg 115.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Other descriptions ==

[[Alice Bailey]] wrote about the building of thought forms.
<blockquote>
In the works of Alice Bailey, the process of creating a concept, or "building a thought-form" is viewed as a deeply esoteric magical act*. We are, quite literally, talking about the construction of a form in the subtle matter of the mental plane. This form can then take an emotional body, and an etheric body, and go on to produce an impact in the three worlds of human evolution...

*The fifteen rules for thought-form building form the basis for the book "A Treatise on White Magic" and are also discussed more briefly in "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire".<ref>"Esoteric Aspects of Thought-Form Building," [https://www.lucistrust.org/world_goodwill/problems_of_humanity/esoteric_aspects_thoughtform_building Lucis Trust website].</ref>
</blockquote>

Author Gus diZerega wrote,

<blockquote>
I have tried to make the case that ideas are more important than we usually acknowledge. They are more than just fleeting flights of subjectivity that pass through our minds and are gone. '''Thought forms are ideas on steroids.'''

They are also our creations, though I suspect they have other sources as well.

Thought forms are dependent on the people who generate the mental energy empowering them. Good or bad, they are expressions of human creativity. Take away our energy and focus, and they weaken. Some are positive influences in our lives, and their relationship with us is symbiotic. Others are negative, and the relationship is parasitic because they depend on our anger and fear for their power; anger and fear ultimately weaken us mentally, physically, and spiritually.
<ref>Gus diZerega, "If Thought Forms Exist, What Can We Do About Them?" February 7, 2013. Pointedly Pagan blog on [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pointedlypagan/2013/02/if-thought-forms-exist-what-can-we-do-about-them/ Pagan Channel]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

According to Bulgarian philosopher Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov:

<blockquote>
If there is one thing that is important for you to know, it is that every thought, even the most insignificant, is a living reality. Thoughts can even be seen, there are people who can see them. Of course on the physical plane, a thought is invisible and intangible, but it is no less real: in its own region and with its own subtle matter, it is a living, active being.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

Rachel Goodwin adds,
<blockquote>
Thoughtforms can be described as energetic patterns that exist within our aura, and they are created by our own thoughts. So if you have the thought, "I have all the energy I need, I have all the energy I need," with enough conviction and belief, you'll create a thought form who makes this so, and this newly created thoughtform will then live happily inside your aura.

This thoughtform will help you draw towards you all the circumstances you need to make it so...

You could say that thoughtforms are the spiritual equivalent to computer programs, and sub-routines, as they will keep running the same programme until the time where an intent and focus is made (by you) to change them.<ref>Rachel Goodwin, "The Power of Thoughtforms," at [http://www.trans4mind.com/counterpoint/index-spiritual/goodwin.shtml Trans4Mind website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>
</blockquote>

[[File:Thought Forms band image.jpg|right|130px|thumb|Image from Thought Forms band website]]
== Use of the term in popular culture ==

Thought Forms is also the name of a 3-piece '''band from Wiltshire, England''', with albums released on Invada Records. An illustration from the book (Figure 17, Response to Devotion) appears on their [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website].<ref>"Our Favourite Records of 2015." Weblog entry dated December 31, 2015. Located at this [http://thought-forms.weebly.com/news website]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

“Thought Forms” is a '''set of three musical compositions''' on the album ''Cult Appeal'' by the Horse Lords on the Chicago label Hausu Mountain.<ref>Colin Joyce, " Andrew Bernstein Does Damage to Sax Structures on ‘Thought Forms’". “Thought Forms” [http://www.spin.com/2015/09/andrew-bernstein-thought-forms-cult-appeal-premiere-stream/ spin.com]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

"Thought Forms" is also the name of '''a poem''' by Judy Sevens.<ref>Judy Sevens, "Thought Forms" blog entry. November 21, 2014. Available at [http://judysevens.blogspot.com/ Blogspot]. Accessed January 13, 2016.</ref>

In the '''television program ''X-Files''''', the episode "Home Again" mentions the Tibetan Buddhist concept of tulpa and the Theosophists' concept of thought forms. <ref>Jeff Jensen. "The X-Files Recap: Home Again". [http://www.ew.com/recap/the-x-files-season-10-episode-4/4 Entertainment Weekly website]. See
X-Files Season 10, episode 4 "Home Again" that first aired February 8, 2016.</ref>

==Additional resources==
===Articles===
*[https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/thought-forms] at Theosophy World.
*[http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/shearman18.html# Thought-Forms (Their Limitations)] by Hugh Shearman.
*[http://samuelhatfield.com/articles/thought-forms.html Thought Forms] by Samuel Hatfield.
* Alderdon, Zoe. "Colour, Shape, the Music: The Presence of ''Thought Forms'' in Abstact Art" ''Literature & Aesthetics'' 21.1 (June 2011), 236.

===Books===
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Forms-AB_CWL.htm# Thought Forms] by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Thought_Power-AB.htm# Thought Power - Its Control and Culture] by Annie Besant

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]

Alice L. Cleather

2023-05-15T01:24:06Z

Michele Sender: /* Additional resources */

[[File:Alice Cleather.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Alice Leighton Cleather]]
'''Alice Leighton Cleather''' was an English Theosophist and Buddhist known for her writings about [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]] (HPB).

== Personal life ==

== Theosophical Society involvement==

Miss Cleather was admitted as a member of the London Lodge on November 11, 1885.<ref>Theosophical Society General Membership Register, 1875-1942 at [http://tsmembers.org/ http://tsmembers.org/]. See book 1, entry 3482 (website file: 1B/17).</ref>
She was a pupil of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] beginning in 1887. She was a member of her [[Esoteric Section]] and later was one of the twelve regular members of the [[Inner Group]]. Following HPB's death, she became disillusioned with the new leadership of the [[Theosophical Society]], and pulled away from the movement. She is best known for her writings and as the founder of the [[H. P. B. Library]] in 1917, and as co-founder with [[William Kingsland]] of the [[Blavatsky Association]] (1923-1947).

=== Differences with Annie Besant ===
It is generally known that Alice Cleather was against [[Annie Besant]], since she considered the latter had departed from [[H. P. Blavatsky]]'s teachings.

===Differences with Katherine Tingley ===
It is less known is that she regarded [[William Quan Judge]] as having been under the hypnotic and psychic influence of [[Katherine Tingley]]. Her ideas on this subject have been compiled in an article published by the Blavatsky Archives:

<blockquote>
On Mr. Judge's death in 1896, I was among those English members cabled for to attend the convention of New York when Mrs. Tingley was introduced to the E.S.T. Council as Mr. Judge's successor. She then asked me to accompany her on the tour round the world which passed through India in the winter of that year. Subsequently, in 1899, I and many others left Mrs. Tingley's Society on discovering that she was departing as far from H.P.B.'s original teachings as, on her side, Mrs. Besant was. To neither of these organisations was I, therefore, able to belong. Neither of their leaders inspired me with any confidence, as both were introducing ideas completely foreign to those promulgated by H.P.B. while professing to carrying on her work. <ref>"Alice L. Cleather Writes about Mr. Judge and Mrs. Tingley," Blavatsky Archives.[http://blavatskyarchives.com/stokescleather.htm]</ref>
</blockquote>

== Writings ==

Cleather's major writings include:

* '''''H.P. Blavatsky: Her Life and Work for Humanity'''''. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1922. Available at [http://blavatskyarchives.com/theosophypdfs/cleather_h_p_blavatsky_her_life_and_work_1922.pdf BlavatskyArchives.com].
* '''''H.P. Blavatsky As I Knew Her'''''. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1923.
* '''''Buddhism the Science of Life'''''. Peking, China: China Booksellers, Ltd., 1931. Written with [[Basil Crump]]. A review by John McLean said, "So far as the reviewer knows, there is no other book published in the English language from which one may learn so much about the real teachings of the Lord Gautama Buddha. Mrs. Cleather has had exceptional opportunities for studying these teachings, having had the extremely good fortune of personal contact with the Tashi Lama, the head of the Gelugpa Order of Tibet"<ref>John McLean, "Book Reviews" ''The Theosophical Messenger'' 19-10 (October, 1931), 525.</ref>
* '''''The Inner Group Teachings of H. P. Blavatsky to her Personal Pupils (1890-1891)'''''. Edited by Henk J. Spierenburg. Introduction by Daniel H. Caldwell and Henk J. Spierenburg. San Diego, Ca: Point Loma Publications, 1995. 2nd revised and enlarged edition. Publication from the notebooks of Alice Cleather of HPB's Inner Group teachings.

== Additional resources ==
* '''[https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/cleather-alice-leighton "Cleather, Alice Leighton"]''' in Theosophy World.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Writers|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Independent|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Leaders|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Musicians|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Lecturers|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Nationality English|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Buddhists|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:Inner Group of HPB|Cleather, Alice]]
[[Category:People|Cleather, Alice]]

International Theosophical Conferences

2021-08-02T15:14:28Z

Michele Sender: /* Conference dates and themes */

[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Events]]
[[File:ITC 2012 lecture.jpg|450px|right|thumb|Lecture in TSA auditorium. August 9, 2012.]]
[[File:ITC 2013 Workshop.jpg|400px|right|thumb|Workshop on "Compassionate Communication" with Garrett Riegg speaking. August 11, 2013.]]

'''International Theosophy Conferences, Inc. (ITC)''' is a nonprofit organization that sponsors annual conferences at which students of [[Theosophy]] attend lectures, presentations and workshops. The conference location varies from year to year.

ITC has a '''website''' at [http://www.theosconf.org/ www.theosconf.org] and a '''Facebook page''' at [http://www.facebook.com/itcinc www.facebook.com/itcinc].
 
The [[ITC Magazine (periodical)|'''''ITC Magazine''''']] is an electronic periodical available at [http://www.theosconf.org/magitc.html www.theosconf.org/magitc.html].

== Activities and purposes ==

The president of the ITC has made this statement on the ITC website and correspondence with attendees:
<blockquote>
The purposes of ITC are several. First, at our annual conferences we share the great ideals and concepts of Theosophy. Second, as we plan and present the conferences we promote friendship and brotherhood among students all over the world. Third, we strive to build bridges of understanding and mutual support between leaders of many different Theosophical organizations. As an added bonus, we have fun as we learn from each other and guest speakers. Many also enjoy sightseeing before or after the conferences.
 
 
There are no dues or membership fees. Subject to review by the Board of Directors, the only requirement for membership is a respect for H.P. Blavatsky and having attended two conferences. Our unifying theme is the message of Theosophy as presented by H. P. Blavatsky.
 
 
The conference is supported by each year's registration fees and generous donations from individuals and lodges.<ref>Riegg, Garrett. "About International Theosophical Conferences, Inc." Welcome Letter to Conference Registrants. August 4, 2013. Records Series 51. International Theosophical Conferences. Theosophical Society in America Archives, Wheaton, Illinois.</ref>
</blockquote>

== History ==

This brief history was written by Garrett Riegg, ITC President, in 2013:
<blockquote>
Beginning in 1995, Willie Dade with the help of her family and lodge hosted six annual weekend conferences with more than 60 people attending mostly from the West Coast, Europe and Arizona. Willie spent most of her life studying Theosophy with the United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT). She started lodges in places like Chico, California and Brookings, Oregon. After Willie passed away in the year 2000, many of her students got together over the phone and decided to continue the tradition by hosting conferences all around Southern California.
 
 
The conferences were open and they attracted members of several Theosophical organizations. Until 2010 most conferences were sponsored or hosted by a local ULT lodge.
 
 
The name "International Theosophy Conferences, Inc." was adopted in 2008 when we became a non-profit California corporation and later obtained tax exempt status from the IRS. At this point we slowly began developing bylaws, officers and directors.
 
 
At the 2008 conference, at a small college near Philadelphia, our diversity increased as we welcomed a large contingent from the Theosophical Society Point Loma (Holland) and speakers from the Theosophical Society (Adyar), Free Masonry and Vedanta (a local professor).
 
 
In 2010, the conference was hosted by our Point Loma friends at The Hague in Holland.
 
 
Our 2012 conference was in Wheaton, Illinois (headquarters of the Theosophical Society in America). For the first time our conference was available as a live broadcast via the internet.<ref>Riegg, Garrett. "About International Theosophical Conferences, Inc." Welcome Letter to Conference Registrants. August 4, 2013. Records Series 51. International Theosophical Conferences. Theosophical Society in America Archives, Wheaton, Illinois.</ref>
</blockquote>

The fifteenth annual conference took place in New York reached a peak attendance of 250 people. Two or three speakers were scheduled concurrently, and all presentations were webcast and recorded by a dedicated group from the [[Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse]] group in The Hague. Most attendees were from the United States and The Netherlands, but others came from Brazil, Scotland, France, Japan, and Slovenia. Greetings were extended to the attendees by numerous groups and individuals around the world.<ref>Kerschner, Janet. Personal observations as attendee. Records Series 51. International Theosophical Conferences. Theosophical Society in America Archives, Wheaton, Illinois.</ref>

== Conference dates and themes ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Number
! Dates
! Location
! Theme
! Website
|-
| 1995
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1996
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1997
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1998
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1999
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2000
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2001
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2002
|
| |
|
|
|-
| 2003
|
| Long Beach, California

|
|
|
|-
| 2004
|
|
| San Diego, California
|
|
|-
| 2005
|
| Santa Barbara, California
|
|
|
|-
| 2006
| 8
|
| Julian, California
|
|
|-
| 2007
| 9
|
| Petaluma, California
|
|
|-
| 2008
| 10
| August 7–10
| Haverford, Pennsylvania
| The Theosophical Approach to Globa Dialogue on the Synthesis of Science, Religion & Philosophy
|[http://www.theosconf.org/08%20CONF/program.html http://www.theosconf.org/08%20CONF/program.html]
|-
| 2009
| 11
|
| Theosophy Hall, Los Angeles, CA
| Theosophy: “What It Is: How It Works: Why Study It
|[http://www.theosconf.org/09%20CONF/program.html http://www.theosconf.org/09%20CONF/program.html]
|-
| 2010
| 12
| August 12-15
| The Hague, The Netherlands
| Making Theosophy a Living Power in the World
| [http://www.inttheosconf2010.org/ http://www.inttheosconf2010.org/]
|-
| 2011
| 13
| August 11-14
| Julian, California
| A Concurrence of Science and Spirituality
|[http://www.theosconf.org/ http://www.theosconf.org]
|-
| 2012
| 14
| August 9-12
| Olcott campus, Wheaton, Illinois
| Karmic Cycles: Wheels of Spiritual Growth
| [http://www.theosconf.org/ http://www.theosconf.org]
|-
| 2013
| 15
| August 8-11
| Bohemian National Hall, New York City
| How to Awaken Compassion? H. P. Blavatsky and the Eternal Secret Doctrine
| [http://www.theosophyforward.net/pdf/itc2013photogallery.pdf Photo Gallery] in [[Theosophy Forward (periodical)|''Theosophy Forward'']]
|-
| 2014
| 16
| August
| International Theosophical Centre, Naarden, The Netherlands
| Theosophy, Unity and Helping the World .......where do we go from here?
| http://www.theosconf.org/
|-
| 2015
| 17
| August 6-9
| Carlton Embassador Hotel, The Hague, The Netherlands
| Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Through Different Eyes with One Heart
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2015-the-hague/
|-
| 2016
| 18
| August 11-14
| Santa Barbara, California
| Theosophy and Social Responsibility
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2016-santa-barbara/
|-
| 2017
| 19
| August 10-13
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| A Nucleus of Universal Brotherhood
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2017-philadelphia/
|-
| 2018
| 20
| July 26-29
| Berlin, Germany
| What is a Life Worth Living?
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2018-berlin/
|-
| 2019
| 21
| July 25-28
| Wheaton, Illinois
| Theo-Sophia the Integral Wisdom
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2019-wheaton/
|-
| 2020
| 22
| July 23-26
| The Netherlands, hosted on Zoom - Originally planned for Brazil
| Humanity - the Key to Harmony in Nature
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/archive/2020-online-humanity-the-key-to-harmony-in-nature/
|-
| 2021
| 23
| July 28-August 1
| Hosted on Zoom
| A Mind Embracing the Universe
| https://www.theosophyconferences.org
|}

== Notes ==
<references/>

Light on the Path (book)

2021-07-12T15:00:49Z

Michele Sender:

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Light on the Path'' (book)}}
[[File:Light on the Path - cover.jpg|right|260px]]
'''''Light on the Path''''' is a perennial favorite of Theosophical literature written by [[Mabel Collins]] in 1885. Its subtitle is "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence." The text provides rules that serve as rungs of a ladder in the progress of the spiritual life. These rules are accompanied by commentaries provided by the [[Hilarion|Master Hilarion]].
[[H. P. Blavatsky]] wrote the following regarding the origin of the book,

<blockquote>This little book—a true jewel—belongs to, and emanates from the same school of Indo-Aryan and Buddhist thought and learning as the teachings in The Secret Doctrine.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. X (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 608.</ref></blockquote>

== Writing of the book ==

Mabel and Blavatsky met in the fall of 1884, when the latter came to London for a visit. According to Blavatsky, they met on two or three occasions shortly before returning to India, always in the presence of others. Mabel was at the time writing [[Light on the Path (book)|''Light on the Path'']], which would be published in March, 1885.

In connection to how the book was written, [[N. D. Khandalavala]] stated the following:

<blockquote>The lady [M.C.] was psychic, and she said that she used to be taken day after day for several days in her astral body to a Hall, on the walls of which she used to see and read some lines written in golden letters, which she remembered and, when she woke up, put down on paper. These lines,
when all put together, formed the remarkable little book called ''Light on the Path'' written down by M. C.<ref>N. D. Khandalavala, "Madame H. P. Blavatsky as I Knew Her," The Theosophist, vol 50 (June, 1929), 221.</ref></blockquote>

Blavatsky recalls seeing the beginning of the book when they met in London for the first time:

<blockquote>Before my return to India in 1884, I saw Mabel Collins barely three or four times. She then showed me the first page or two of Light on the Path, wherein I recognized some phrases which were familiar to me. Therefore I the more readily accepted the description of the manner in which they had been given to her. She herself certainly believed that this book was dictated to her by 'some one' whose appearance she described.<ref>[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/judgelotpamc89.htm# "Light on the Path" and Mabel Collins] at Blavatsky Study Center</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Light on the Path - dedication.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Dedication by Mabel Collins saying, in part, "Work done under Sri: Hilarion."]]
According to Blavatsky, the inspirer was [[Hillarion|Master Hillarion]]:

<blockquote>[Mabel] saw before her, time after time, the astral figure of a dark man (a Greek who belongs to the Brotherhood of our Masters), who urged her to write under his diction. It was Hillarion, whom Olcott knows well. The results were Light on the Path and others.<ref>Michael Gomes, ''Theosophical History'', vol. 3, no. 7-8, July-October 1991, 194</ref></blockquote>

Four years following the publication of ''Light on the Path'', after Mabel left the Theosophical Society, she changed her version about the authorship of the book. On May 11, 1889, [[Elliott F. Coues|Prof. Elliott Coues]] sought to discredit Madame Blavatsky by means of an article appearing in the [[The Religio-Philosophical Journal (periodical)|''The Religio-Philosophical Journal'']]. According to him, after the publication of [[Light on the Path (book)|''Light on the Path'']] in 1885, he had inquired Mabel about the authorship of this work. The answer he received was:

:"The writer of the ''Gates of Gold'' is Mabel Collins, who had it as well as ''Light on the Path'' and the ''Idyll of the White Lotus'' dictated to her by one of the adepts of the group which through Madame Blavatsky first communicated with the Western world. The name of this inspirer cannot be given, as the personal names of the Masters have already been sufficiently desecrated."

However, in April 1889, he received a retraction from Mabel, which he published in the periodical. She wrote:

:"I took the letter [from Coues] to her [H. P. Blavatsky]; the result was that I wrote the answer at her dictation . . . because she begged and implored me to; and this I did for that reason. So far as I can remember I wrote you that I had received "Light on the Path" from one of the Masters who guide Madame Blavatsky. I wish to ease my conscience now by saying that I wrote this from no knowledge of my own, and merely to please her; and that I now see I was very wrong in doing so. I ought further to state that "Light on the Path" was not to my knowledge inspired by any one; but that I saw it written on the walls of a place I visit spiritually, (which is described in the "Blossom and the Fruit") – there I read it and I wrote it down. I have myself never received proof of the existence of any Master; though I believe (as always) that the mahatmic force must exist."

Blavatsky quickly and vigorously disputed Coues, in a letter published in the periodical [[Light (periodical)|''Light'']] on June 1, 1889.<ref>''''Light: A Journal of Psychical, Occult, and Mystical Research'' (June 8, 1889), 278. Available at [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZO4aAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA278&dq=Our+Glorious+Future+mabel+collins&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KGiPT8XhMcvhggfSrZ3iBA&ved=0CDMQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=Our%20Glorious%20Future%20mabel%20collins&f=false Google Books].</ref> She stated, among other things, that she had seen Mabel only a few times in London before the publication of the book, soon after which she departed to India in November, 1884. Therefore, she was not in London when Prof. Coues wrote to Mabel in 1885 inquiring about the authorship of the book, and could not have dictated any answer to her.<ref>[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/judgelotpamc89.htm# "Light on the Path" and Mabel Collins] at Blavatsky Study Center</ref>

The original claim about the authorship of the book by [[Hillarion|Master Hilarion]] is confirmed by a dedication to one of the copies of ''Light on the Path'' in which she wrote:

:By Sri: Hilarion 
:Work done under Sri: Hilarion. 
:"Light on the Path" begun October 1884. 
:"Karma" written December 27, 1884. 
:Mabel Cook.

In a 1922 article in the ''London Occult Review'', she acknowledges that "by the help of a Master, and for an object which will be of service to the world, it is possible for the spirit of a disciple on earth to visit this higher state we call ethereal and enter the Hall of Learning, in full waking consciousness. It was in that way that I obtained the stanzas of ''Light on the Path''."<ref>Michael Gomes, "Mabel Collins' 'Romance of the White Lotus,'" Theosophical History 3:7-8 (July-October, 1991), 195.</ref>

During the controversy of 1889, Blavatsky seemed to agree with the existence of the "wall" mentioned by Mabel, saying, "These are aphorisms as old as the ''Book of the Golden Precepts'', from which they radiated—on the walls—and thence into ''Light on the Path''."<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XI (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 319.</ref>

The complete story may have been that the Master helped Mabel's efforts to access the "Hall of Learning" and to read the words on the wall, from which she wrote them down in ''Light on the Path''.

=== Involvement of Master Hilarion ===

Master Hilarion is said to served as a conduit in the writing of ''Light on the Path'', as the rules came "not ''from'' the Master Hilarion but ''through'' him from the far distant past."<ref>John Hamaker, "Theosophy and the Fifth Ray," ''The American Theosophist'' 46.8 (August, 1958), 151-152.</ref> He further contributed the commentaries on the stanzas that are included in the published work. In an analysis by John Hamaker, Collins' book gives evidence of the influence of the [[Seven Rays|fifth ray]] on the Theosophical Society. The fifth ray is identified with the human impulse toward learning that is manifested in organized science. Hilarion was "leader and teacher of the group of souls whose line of progress lies through the quality that is the fifth ray..."

<blockquote>
In ''Light on the Path'' we catch a glimpse of the fifth ray... the presence of the spirit of science can clearly be discerned. The first thing we see is the presence of a well defined structure. We are impressed by the simplicity and economy of both its structure and its language. In this is a beautiful expression of the way of science, in as much as science truly is the art and specialty of creating forms of the stuff of the mind."
<ref>John Hamaker, "Theosophy and the Fifth Ray," ''The American Theosophist'' 46.8 (August, 1958), 151-152.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Structure of the book ==

[[Annie Besant]] & [[C. W. Leadbeater]] discuss the origins and structure of ''Light on the Path'' in ''Talks on the Path of Occultism (Vol. III: Light on the Path)'':

<blockquote>
A.B. This treatise falls naturally into certain divisions. It was given to the Western world by the Master Hilarion, one of the great Teachers belonging to the White Lodge – a Master who played a great part in the Gnostic and Neoplatonic movements, one of the great persons who made attempts to keep Christianity alive. His incarnations have run very much in Greece and Rome, and He takes special interest in guiding the evolution of the Western world. He obtained the book as we have it, without the notes, from the Venetian Master, one of the greater Teachers whom H.P.B. spoke of as [[Chohan|Chohans]].

Fifteen of the short rules that you find in the first part of this book, and fifteen in the second part, are exceedingly old, and were written in the most ancient Sanskrit. To these short sentences which are used as a basis for the instruction of the disciple, the [[Chohan]] added other sentences, which now form part of the book, and are always to be read along with them, to supply complementary ideas without which the reader may be led astray. All the rules in both parts of the book, except the thirty short aphorisms, were written by the Chohan who gave it to Master Hilarion. The following table shows the fifteen short rules in Part I as they existed in the exceedingly ancient manuscripts; the number at the beginning of each is the original one, but the number at the end is that which appears in the modern book.

<blockquote>
{| class="wikitable"
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | I
|Kill out ambition.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 1
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | II
|Kill out desire of life.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 2
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | III
|Kill out desire of comfort.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 3
|-
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | IV
|Kill out all sense of separateness.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 5
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | V
|Kill out desire of sensation.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 6
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | VI
|Kill out the hunger for growth.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 7
|-
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | VII
|Desire only that which is within you.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 9
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | VIII
|Desire only that which is beyond you.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 10
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | IX
|Desire only that which is unattainable.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 11
|-
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | X
|Desire power ardently.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 13
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | XI
|Desire peace fervently.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 14
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | XII
|Desire possessions above all.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 15
|-
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
| style="height:1px" |
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | XIII
|Seek out the way.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 17
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | XIV
|Seek the way by retreating within.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 18
|-
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | XV
|Seek the way by advancing boldly without.
| style="width:64px; text-align:center;" | 19
|-
|}
</blockquote>

It will be noticed from the above table (which covers only Part I of this book) that rules 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 21 are absent from the list. That is because they do not belong to the most ancient part of the book. Those rules and the preliminary and concluding comments are the portion added by the greater One who gave it to the Master. In addition there are notes, which were written by the Master Hilarion himself. The book as originally published in 1885 contained these three portions: the aphorisms from the ancient manuscript, the additions of the [[Chohan]], and the notes of the Master Hilarion. All these were written down by Mabel Collins, who acted as the physical instrument, as the pen that wrote it. The Master was Himself the translator of the book, and He impressed it upon her brain. His was the hand that held the pen. Then there subsequently appeared in ''Lucifer'' under the title of “Comments” a few articles which were written by Mabel Collins under the influence of the Master, and which are exceedingly valuable, worth reading and studying. <ref>Annie Besant & C. W. Leadbeater, ''Talks on the Path of Occultism, Vol. III: Light on the Path'' (Adyar: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1926), 4-6.</ref>

...

C.W.L. As we have it at present it was dictated by the Master Hilarion through Mabel Collins – a lady well known in Theosophical circles, who at one time collaborated with Madame Blavatsky in the editorship of Lucifer. The Master Hilarion had in turn received it from His own Teacher, the Great One who among Theosophical students is sometimes called the Venetian. But even He was the author of only a part of it. It has passed through three phases; let us set them down in order.

It is but a small book even now, but the first form in which we have seen it is smaller yet. It is a palm-leaf manuscript, old beyond computation; so old that even before the time of Christ men had already forgotten its date and the name of its writer, and regarded its origin as lost in the mists of prehistoric antiquity. It consists of ten leaves, and on each leaf are written three lines only, for in a palm-leaf manuscript the lines run along the page, not across it as with us. Each line is complete in itself – a short aphorism – and the language in which they are written is an archaic form of Sanskrit.

The Venetian Master translated these aphorisms from Sanskrit into Greek, for the use of His Alexandrian pupils, of whom the Master Hilarion was one, in His incarnation as Iamblichus. Not only did He translate the aphorisms, but He added to them certain explanations, which we shall do well to take along with the original. For example, if we look at the first three aphorisms, we shall see that the paragraph marked 4, which follows them, is clearly intended as a commentary on them; so we should read it thus: “Kill out ambition; but work as those work who are ambitious. Kill out desire of life; but respect life as those do who desire it. Kill out desire of comfort; but be happy as those are who live for happiness.”

In the same way rules, 5, 6 and 7 form a group, followed by 8, which is a comment by the Chohan – and so on far into the book. These groups of three are not put so by mere coincidence, but intentionally. If we examine them we shall find that there is a certain bond between the three in each case. For example, the three rules grouped together above point to purity of heart and steadiness of spirit. One may say that they indicate what the man must do with himself, what is his duty to himself in the way of preparation for work.

The second set of three aphorisms (numbers 5 to 8) states that we are to kill out all sense of separateness, desire for sensation, and the hunger for growth. They indicate man’s duty to those around him socially. He must realize that he is one with others. He must be willing to give up selfish and separate pleasures. He must kill out the desire for personal growth, and work for the growth of the whole.

In the next set of three (numbers 9 to 12) we are told what to desire – that which is within us, that which is beyond us, and that which is unattainable. These are clearly a man’s duty to his Higher Self. Then follow aphorisms (13 to 16) on the desire for power, peace and possessions. Those are all desires which fit us for the work of the Path. The next group of rules (17 to 20) tell the aspirant how to seek the way.

The rules now numbered 4, 8, 12, etc., are explanations and amplifications by the Venetian Master. They, with the original aphorisms, formed the book as it was first published in 1885, for the Master Hilarion translated it from Greek into English and gave it in that form. Almost immediately after it was printed. He added to it a number of most valuable notes of His own. For that first edition those notes were printed on separate pages, the backs of which were gummed so that they might be attached at the beginning and the end of the little book which bad just passed through the press. In further editions, those notes have been inserted in their appropriate places.<ref>Ibid., 9-11.</ref>

...

C.W.L. [The chapter on Rule 21 indicates a statement by the Venetian Master, followed by additional sentences by the Chohan and Master Hilarion's notes.] The Chohan then concludes Part I with the words: ''These written above are the first of the rules which are written on the walls of the Hall of Learning. Those that ask shall have. Those that desire to read shall read. Those who desire to learn shall learn. Peace be with you ∆''<ref>Ibid., 255-99.</ref>

...

PART II C.W.L. - The second part of Light on the Path assumes that the student has passed the First Initiation; it carries the man on through the steps of the Path leading up to the Adept level. But a second and higher interpretation of it begins beyond that, and helps to guide the man who has already become an Adept on to His next stage.... [There is an] introduction to this second part, written by the Venetian Master....[followed by paragraph written by the] Chohan [who] goes on to remind the student of his qualifications...Then comes a long note by the Master Hilarion, and we can see at once from looking at that note that He is dealing with the whole matter very differently in this second part. Before, He gave us what we might call a general comment upon what was said; here He explains practically every word of the text, so that evidently He regards this as something much more difficult to understand, requiring explanation rather than mere comment.<ref>Ibid., 304-6.</ref>

...

C.W.L. - In the last chapter we considered what is really a preface to the second part of the book, but now we come to the rules. Up to Rule 12 these are numbered in the same manner as in Part I: Rules 1 to 3, 5 to 7, and 9 to 11 belong in sets of three to the ancient palm-leaf manuscript, and Rules 4, 8 and 12 are comments by the Chohan. Further on the numbering follows a different plan.<ref>Ibid., 332.</ref>

...

C.W.L. - At this point in Part II of ''Light on the Path'' the numbering of the rules undergoes a change. We have no longer sets of three aphorisms from the old manuscript, followed by a comment by the Chohan. Rule 13, to which we have now come, is given by the Chohan.<ref>Ibid., 416.</ref>

...

C.W.L. - Rule 14 is once more a comment by the Chohan, not so much upon what has gone before as in preparation for another set of three aphorisms, which are numbered 15, 16 and 17.<ref>Ibid., 433.</ref>

...

C.W.L. - Rule 18 is once more a comment by the Chohan....The last three aphorisms [19-21] once more form a series; in number 19 there is a preparatory comment by the Chohan...Then come the three rules...<ref>Ibid., 451-3.</ref>

</blockquote>

== Publication history ==

This book has been published with the subtitle "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence." Exceptions are noted. Translations have been made in German, French, Spanish, Slovenian, Finnish, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Polish, Tamil, Portuguese, and other languages.

* '''''Light on the Path'''''. London: [George Redway?], 1885. First Edition
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Boston: Cupples, Upham and Company, 1886. Available at [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.ah592b&view=plaintext&seq=7 Internet Archive].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Boston: Occult Publishing Company, [1887?]. Available at [https://archive.org/details/lightonpath00coll_0/mode/2up Internet Archive].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. London: George Redway, 1888.
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Boston: Cupples and Hurd, 1888, fifth edition; 1889; sixth edition.
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Adyar: Published by the Proprietor of the "Theosophist," [1894]. With commentary and annotations by [[P. Srinivasa Rao|P. Srinivasa Row]], F.T.S. Includes ''Karma''.
* '''''Light on the Path''''. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., 1895. [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100433250 Hathitrust].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. New York: Theosophical Publishing Co., 1897, reprinted by special permission. Available at [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112083778776&view=plaintext&seq=5 Hathitrust].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Subtitle: "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence. with notes and comments by the author." Chicago: Advanced Thought Publishing Co., [1903-4?]. With an introduction by Yogi Ramacharaka ([[William Walker Atkinson]]). Some sources show the publisher as Oak Park, Illinois: Yogi Publication Society, and others as Chicago: Yogi Publication Society.
* '''''Light on the Path and Karma'''''. Subtitle: "with notes and comments." London: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1908.
* '''''Light on the Path and Karma'''''. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1911 [2nd 1924; 3rd 1928]. With an introduction by [[C. W. Leadbeater]].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Chicago: Rajput Press, 1911. Introduction by [[C. Jinarajadasa]]. Available at [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/101658975 Hathitrust].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Point Loma, Calif.: Theosophical Pub. Co., 1913. Available at [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/010518849 Hathitrust].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Krotona/Hollywood/Los Angeles: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919. Introduction by [[C. Jinarajadasa]] (credited as "C.J.").
* '''''Light on the Path and Karma'''''. Subtitle: "with notes and comments." Chicago or Wheaton, IL: The Theosophical Press, 1923 [additional edition 1944]. Introduction by [[C. Jinarajadasa]].
* '''''Light on the Path and Karma'''''. Subtitle: "with notes and comments." Philadelphia: David McKay Company, [1923?].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Subtitle: "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom and who desire to enter within its influence, and an essay on karma." Adyar: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1943 [new (4th) Adyar edition; 5th 1945; 6th 1949; 7th 1951;8th 1953; 9th 1956; 10th 1958; 11th 1961; 12th 1963; 13th 1966; 14th 1968; 15th 1971; 16th 1972; 17th 1975; 18th 1981]. With an introduction by [[C. W. Leadbeater]].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Subtitle: "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence." '''''Through the Gates of Gold'''''. Subtitle: "a fragment of thought." Pasadena, Theosophical University Press, 1960 [additional editions: 1968, 1971, 1976].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Subtitle: "written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence, and an essay on karma." Wheaton, IL: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1970 [2nd 1974].
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Los Angeles: Theosophy Company, 1975. Note: [reprinted verbatim from the original texts].

== Published commentaries ==

=== Mabel Collins ===
Mabel Collins herself published several articles and books on ''Light on the Path''.

* '''''A Cry from Afar'''''. Subtitle: "to students of ''Light on the Path''." London: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1905.
* '''''The Illumined Way'''''. Subtitle: "a guide to neophytes being a sequel to ''Light on the Path''." Chicago: The Yogi Publication Society, [1903]. The subject matter of this litle book first appeared in a leading English occult magazine, a number of years ago under the title of '''''Comments''' on Light on the Path'', running in the shape of a series of essays extending over a period of several months. <ref>From the Publishers' [sic] Announcement.</ref>
* '''''Light on the Path'''''. Subtitle: "a treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant of the Eastern wisdom, and who desire to enter within its influence." Pasadena, Theosophical University Press, 1960. The present edition of ''Light on the Path'' is a verbatim reprint of the 1888 edition (George Redway, London) in which later edition the '''Notes''' by the Author first appear. The '''Comments''', which are not in the 1888 edition, are here taken directly from ''[[Lucifer (periodical)|Lucifer]]'', Volume I, 1887-8, where they were first published. Also in this volume we reprint verbatim the original edition (1887) of ''Through the Gates of Gold'' by the same Author, together with a commentary by [[William Q. Judge]] taken from his magazine, ''[[The Path (periodical)|The Path]]'', March, 1887. <ref>From p. vi.</ref>
* '''''Light on the Path and Karma'''''. Subtitle: "with '''notes''' and '''comments'''." Wheaton, IL, The Theosophical Press, 1944. Introduction by [[C. Jinarajadasa]].
* '''''Our Glorious Future'''''. Subtitle: "the interpretation of ''Light on the Path''." Edinburgh: Theosophical Book Shop, 1917.

=== Annie Besant & C. W. Leadbeater ===

* '''''Talks on the Path of Occultism (Vol. III: Light on the Path)'''''. Subtitle: "a commentary on...''Light on the Path''." Adyar: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1926. ''Talks on the Path of Occultism'' give the guidance of Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater on the teachings contained in...''Light on the Path''. The two leaders spoke on many occasions on [this book]...and notes taken at such talks were gathered together, edited and revised by them, and published in [this volume].<ref>From the book jacket.</ref>

=== Lilian Edger ===

* '''''Gleanings from "Light on the Path"'''''. Subtitle: "four lectures delivered at the 33rd anniversary of The Theosophical Society held at Adyar, on Dec. 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 1908." Adyar: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1909.

=== Rohit Mehta ===

* '''''Seek Out the Way'''''. Subtitle: "(studies in ''Light on the Path'')." Adyar: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1955. [This] book has grown out of a series of talks given to a group of students at the Headquarters of the Theosophical Society in India at Banaras.<ref>From the Preface.</ref>
=== Joy Mills ===

* '''''Entering on the Sacred Way'''''. Subtitle: "a psychological commentary on ''Light on the Path''." Series: "Wisdom Tradition Books; 2." Wheaton, IL, and Chennai: Oclott Institute of the Theosophical Society in America and The Theosophical Publishing House, 2000. Through the years many commentaries on [this book] have appeared, and the texts themselves have been published in numerous editions and in many languages. Why, then, it may be asked, another commentary on ''Light on the Path''?...It is true that, for those who are determined to reach the summit of the mount of vision, no commentary is necessary; such individuals need no guide but their own pure hearts and strong wills....Nevertheless, yet another commentary may be useful as indicating that, as always, there are fellow-seekers in the foothills of the Himalayan ranges of Wisdom.<ref>Excerpted from the Preface.</ref>

=== Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson) ===

* '''''Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism'''''. Chicago: The Yogi Publication Society, 1931 (Thirtieth Edition). Lessons I to IV, inclusive, consist of an analysis and explanation of the little occult manual known as "Light on the Path," and have been highly praised by lovers of that little book as well as advanced students in occultism. They are said to be superior to anything ever written along these lines....September 1, 1905<ref>From the Publisher's Note.</ref>

== Reviews ==

The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] has [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=Light+on+the+Path&method=exact over 90 articles reviewing, extracted from, or commenting on] ''Light on the Path''. These are some examples of the book reviews:

* Anonymous. "Review - Licht Auf Den Weg (Light on the Path) tr Baron von Hoffman". ''The Theosophist'' 6 (June, 1885), 222.
* Anonymous. "Review - 'Light on the Path'". ''The Path'' 2.3 *(June, 1887), 94.
* Anonymous. "Review - 'Light on the Path'". ''The Path'' 89.10 (January, 1895), 322.
* Anonymous. "Review - 'Light on the Path', Adyar Edition". ''The Theosophical Quarterly'' 20 (1923), 284.
* Anonymous. "Book Reviews - Light on the Path and Karma". ''Theosophy in New Zealand'' 10 (May, 1912), 67.
* Ballard, S. D. "Review - 'Light on the Path' by Mabel Collins". ''The American Theosophist'' 58.9 (September, 1970), 279.
* Bhashyacharya, Pandit N. "Review - 'Light on the Path in Sanscrit'". ''The Path'' 4.4 (July, 1889), 120.
* Blumensaadt, Naomi. "Review - 'Inspirations from the Ancient Wisdom' At the Feet of the Master, Light on the Path, Voice of the Silence". ''Theosophy in Australia'' 65.3 (September, 2001), 96.

==Online resources==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1304# Reflections on Light on the Path] By Robert Ellwood
*[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/judgelotpamc89.htm# "Light on the Path" and Mabel Collins] compiled and with Notes by William Q. Judge and Archibald Keightley

===Books===
*[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/lightpat/lightpat.htm# Light on the Path] by Mabel Collins
*[http://www.anandgholap.net/Light_On_Path-Commentary-AB_CWL.htm# Talks on the Path of Occultism - Light on the Path] by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater

===Audio===
*[https://www.old.theosophical.org/files/resources/Downloads/mp3/collins/Light%20On%20The%20Path.mp3# Light on the Path] by Mabel Collins
*[https://archive.org/download/1234_20191205/1234.mp3# Light on the Path] by Felix Layton

=== Video ===
*[http://www.theosophical.org/online-programs/living-theosophy-series/2399-light-on-the-path# Light on the Path (4 Talks)] by Pablo Sender

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Books|Light on the Path]]

Abner Doubleday

2020-11-19T23:14:05Z

Michele Sender: /* Military career */

[[File:Abner Doubleday.jpg|220px|right|thumb|General Abner Doubleday]]

'''Abner Doubleday''' was an American general who was an important member of the [[Theosophical Society]] in its earliest years.

== Personal life ==

Doubleday was born in a one-room house in Ballston Spa, New York, on [[June 26]], 1819. After attending a private preparatory school in Cooperstown, New York, the young man worked for two years as a surveyor and civil engineer. His father and both grandfathers were all army veterans, and Doubleday obtained an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. More detail is available in a well-documented article in Wikipedia.<ref>"Abner Doubleday," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Doubleday].</ref>

He died on [[January 26]], 1893 at Medham, New Jersey.

== Military career ==
After graduating from West Point in 1842, the young Doubleday served in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole wars. In this period he married Mary Hewitt of Baltimore. As a Captain and second in command at Fort Sumter, he participated in the firing of the first cannon, the shot that started the American Civil War on April 12, 1861. He commanded artillery in the Army of the Potomac, seeing action at the Northern Virginia Campaign, the Second Battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietum, and, most notably, Gettysburg. His rise through the ranks was rapid, and he became a major general in March, 1963. He was wounded more than once. Late in the war he mostly held administrative positions in Washington, overseeing courts martial and the defenses of the District of Columbia.
[[File:Doubleday photo signed to HPB.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Autographed photograph given to Madame Blavatsky]]
Due to his significant role in the war, General Doubleday rode on the train with President Lincoln to Gettysburg when the Gettysburg Address was delivered.

== Theosophical work ==

General Doubleday was a significant leader in the early history of the [[Theosophical Society]]. Sources disagree slightly about the date other he joined the Society, which may have been in 1877<ref>Theosophical Society General Membership Register, 1875-1942 at [http://tsmembers.org/ http://tsmembers.org/]. See book 1, entry 111 (website file: 1A/11).</ref>, but is sometimes given as June 30, 1878. When the [[Founders]], [[Henry Steel Olcott]] and [[H. P. Blavatsky]] left on [[December 17]], 1878 for India, Doubleday served interim President for a brief period beginning [[January 17]], 1879. He was held in very high regard by Colonel Olcott, but received very little direction in how to carry out his new responsibilities, as documented by historian Michael Gomes. He became Vice President of the TS from 1880-1888. The energy of the American society was diminished by departure of the founders, and hampered by the fact that Olcott had taken the membership list away with him. <ref>Michael Gomes, "Abner Doubleday and Theosophy in America: 1879-1884," ''Sunrise'' (April/May 1991), available at
[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/40-90-1/th-tsgom.htm]</ref>

[[File:1882 member certificate.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Membership certificate signed by Doubleday and Judge, reproduced in ''The Path'' June 1895.]]
Around 1882 he wrote to [[Thomas Moore Johnson]] about the state of the Society:
<blockquote>
Circumstances have been very much against us. Some of the difficulties which have impeded our material progress arise from the peculiarities of some of the members who have simply joined to have their appetite for wonders satisfied, but who seem to take but little interest in the philosophy which remedies the subject. I supposed when I accepted the direction of the society that I would have the cordial cooperation of those of the old members who had been associated with [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H.P.B.]] and [[Henry Steel Olcott|Olcott]]. Of these I relied most upon [[William Quan Judge|Wm. Q. Judge]], as he was the best informed and seems at times to receive interior communications from India. He is a pure high-minded and intelligent student of these mysteries, but like a number of others he has had all he could do to keep the wolf from his door. Several of our most valued members are struggling for a bare subsistence, and this necessarily prevents them giving that attention to our organisation which it ought to receive.

Our financial plans – upon which we relied to give us ample means – have not succeeded as yet. With money we could establish a central office here which would be of great value in disseminating the important principles of our philosophy. As it is, we must wait for better times, and make haste slowly. I will call another meeting of the Council and see what can be done.

[post script] There is a good deal of prejudice against us caused by the attacks of the N.Y. Sun and it may be that the [[Brothers]] prefer to retard our development rather than hasten it.<ref>Abner Doubleday letters to Thomas Moore Johnson [undated, probably 1882]. Patrick D. Bowen and K. Paul Johnson, eds. ''Letters to the Sage: Selected Correspondence of Thomas Moore Johnson Volume One: The Esotericists'' (Forest Grove, OR: The Typhon Press, 2016), 151.</ref>
</blockquote>

Doubleday joined the [[American Board of Control]] on May 13, 1884. When the [[American Section]] was formed in 1886, in Cincinnati, he was a charter member.<ref>The International Theosophical Year Book 1938 (Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938): 178.</ref>

== Connection to baseball ==

In the United States, General Doubleday is widely called the "father of baseball," and in 1939 he was celebrated in a centenary at Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is supposedly the location where Doubleday introduced the game at Doubleday Field. '''In fact, Doubleday never claimed to have any particular association with the game.''' Linking the well-known General to the foundation of the American national past-time seems to have been a publicity stunt by sporting goods manufacturer [[A. G. Spalding|Albert Spalding]]. For more complete coverage of this topic, see the "Origins of baseball" in Wikipedia, where a section is devoted to the "Abner Doubleday myth."<ref>"Origins of baseball," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/index.php?title=Abner_Doubleday&action=submit]</ref>

== Writings ==

=== Esoteric works ===

The General was interested in the work of [[Éliphas Lévi Zahed|Éliphas Lévi]], and translated it from the French:
<blockquote>
[Doubleday] played one of the most important but under-recognized roles in the popularization of Lévi's thought. In June of 1882, he informed [[Thomas Moore Johnson|[Thomas Moore] Johnson]] that he had completed the first known English Translation of Lévi's ''Dogme et rituel de la haute magie'' (1854-56), and that, if he failed to come to good terms with a New York book publisher, he wanted Johnson to publish it in the ''Platonist''.<ref>Abner Doubleday letter to Thomas Moore Johnson dated June 6, 1882. Patrick D. Bowen and K. Paul Johnson, eds. ''Letters to the Sage: Selected Correspondence of Thomas Moore Johnson Volume One: The Esotericists'' (Forest Grove, OR: The Typhon Press, 2016), 41.</ref>
</blockquote>

However, the translation "was not published in full until the 1910s when it was serialized in ''The Word'' magazine.''<ref>"Abner Doubleday" biographical sketch in Bowen and Johnson, 151.</ref>

=== Civil War writings ===
Doubleday is better known for having written several books and reports about the '''Civil War''':

* '''''Celebration of the National Anniversary by Doubleday's Brigade: at Camp Opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia, July 4th, 1862'''''. Philadelphia: Crissy & Markley, 1862. Written with George F. Noyes.

* '''''Chancellorsville and Gettysburg: an eyewitness account of the pivotal battles of the Civil War'''''. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1882. New edition: St. Petersburg, FL: Red and Black Publishers, 2009. Also published as Volume 6 of ''Campaigns of the Civil War''. Harrisburg, PA: Archive Society, 1992.

* '''''Gettysburg made plain: a succinct account of the campaign and battles, with the aid of one diagram and twenty-nine maps'''''. New York: Century Co., 1888. Four editions through 1909.

* '''''Meade at Gettysburg: his proposed retreat on the night of the 2nd of July, Gen. Doubleday's defense of his statement that Meade was overruled by the action of a council of war'''''. [New York : New York Times?], 1883.

* '''''My life in the Old Army: the Reminiscences of Abner Doubleday: from the Collections of the New-York Historical Society'''''. Ft. Worth: TX Christian University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-87565-185-2. Several previous editions.

* '''''Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61'''''. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1876. Thirty-one editions 1876-2000.

* '''''Reports of the Battles of Gettysburgh: July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863'''''. Montpelier: Walton's Steam Press, 1865.
 
[[File:Doubleday marker.jpg|150px|right]]

== Later years ==

The general died on [[January 26]], 1893.
 
 

== Honors and memorials ==

A monument to Doubleday was erected at Gettysburg by his men, admirers, with support from the state of New York.<ref>Gettysburg Website, accessed February 17, 2012.[http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/Individuals/Doubleday.php]</ref> At the site of his burial in Arlington National Cemetery, there is a 7-foot (2.1 m) obelisk monument, pictured at right.

In World War II, a liberty ship was named after him.<ref>"SS Abner Doubleday," Wikipedia, accessed February 17, 2012. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Abner_Doubleday]</ref>

== Additional resources ==

*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/theos/th-tsgom.htm# Abner Doubleday and Theosophy in America: 1879-1884] by Michael Gomes

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Doubleday, Abner]]
[[Category:Military|Doubleday, Abner]]
[[Category:Famous people|Doubleday, Abner]]
[[Category:Writers|Doubleday, Abner]]
[[Category:Nationality American|Doubleday, Abner]]
[[Category:People|Doubleday, Abner]]

Great Breath

2020-09-01T01:07:33Z

Michele Sender:

'''Great Breath''' is a term used by [[H. P. Blavatsky]] to refer to the [[Absolute#Absolute abstract motion|absolute abstract motion]]. Being an aspect of the [[Absolute]], this principle is eternally present. The ''Occult Catechism'' asks: “What is it that is ever coming and going?” and the answer is given: “The Great Breath.”<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 11.</ref> In the Proem of [[The Secret Doctrine (book)|''The Secret Doctrine'']] [[H. P. Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]] defines it as follows:

<blockquote>The perpetual motion of the universe, in the sense of limitless, ever-present SPACE. That which is motionless cannot be Divine. But then there is nothing in fact and reality absolutely motionless within the universal soul.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 2.</ref></blockquote>

At the beginning of the process of manifestation, the Great Breath becomes the "Pre-cosmic Ideation":

<blockquote>the Great Breath assumes the character of pre-cosmic Ideation. It is the ''fons et origo'' [source and origin] of force and of all individual consciousness, and supplies the guiding intelligence in the vast scheme of cosmic Evolution.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 15.</ref></blockquote>

With the "out-breathing" of Great Breath manifests the universe:

<blockquote>The appearance and disappearance of the Universe are pictured as an outbreathing and inbreathing of “the Great Breath,” which is eternal, and which, being Motion, is one of the three aspects of the Absolute—Abstract Space and Duration being the other two. When the “Great Breath” is projected, it is called the Divine Breath, and is regarded as the breathing of the Unknowable Deity—the One Existence—which breathes out a thought, as it were, which becomes the Kosmos.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 43.</ref></blockquote>

== Notes ==

<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]
[[es:Gran Aliento]]

Be-ness

2020-09-01T00:18:45Z

Michele Sender:

In [[The Theosophical Glossary (book)|''The Theosophical Glossary'']] [[H. P. Blavatsky]] defines the term in the following way:

<blockquote>'''Be-ness.''' A term coined by Theosophists to render more accurately the essential meaning of the untranslatable word Sat. The latter word does not mean “Being” for it presupposes a sentient feeling or some consciousness of existence. But, as the term Sat is applied solely to the absolute Principle, the universal, unknown, and ever unknowable Presence, which philosophical Pantheism postulates in Kosmos, calling it the basic root of Kosmos. and Kosmos itself— “Being” was no fit word to express it. Indeed, the latter is not even, as translated by some Orientalists, “the incomprehensible Entity”; for it is no more an Entity than a non-Entity, but both. It is, as said, absolute Be-ness, not Being, the one secondless, undivided, and indivisible All—the root of all Nature visible and invisible, objective and subjective, to be sensed by the highest spiritual intuition, but never to be fully comprehended.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1918), 50.</ref></blockquote>

In the Proem of [[The Secret Doctrine (book)|''The Secret Doctrine'']] Blavatsky applies this term to the [[Absolute|Absolute Reality]].

== Non-being ==

The term "non-being" is frequently used as a synonym for the be-ness. For example, [[H. P. Blavatsky]] wrote:

<blockquote>In the sense and perceptions of finite “Beings,” [[Absolute|THAT]] is Non-“being,” in the sense that it is the one BE-NESS. . .<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'', vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 7.</ref></blockquote>

In the [[Cosmological Notes]] we find, again, the non-being as the source of "beings":

<blockquote>[In] the world of non-being, where exists the eternal mechanical [[motion]], the uncreated cause from whence proceeds in a kind of incessant downward and upward rotation, the founts of being from non-being, the latter, the [[Absolute|reality]], the former [[Māyā|maya]], the temporary from the everlasting, the effect from its cause.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' Appendix II (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 511.</ref></blockquote>

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]

Agardi Metrovich

2020-08-21T00:52:56Z

Michele Sender: /* Blavatsky comments on Metrovich */

'''Agardi Metrovich''' was an Italian or Hungarian opera singer and an early friend of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]]. His name is thought to be the ''nom de guerre'' of one of the carbonari [Italian revolutionaries] who supported Giuseppi Mazzini.

== Personal life and career ==
Little is known of Metrovich, except that he was an opera singer in ''basso'' roles, who sang at theaters in Tiflis and Cairo. He may have been Italian or Hungarian, and H. P. Blavatsky described him as "the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up."<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref> He was married; he and his wife were friendly with Blavatsky's family in Tiflis and Odessa.

== Blavatsky comments on Metrovich ==

H. P. Blavatsky wrote of him to her colleague [[A. P. Sinnett]] and his wife [[Patience Sinnett|Patience]] early in 1886:

<blockquote>
I knew the man in 1850, over whose apparently dead corpse I stumbled over in Pera, at Constantinople, as I was returning home one night from Bougakdira to Missire’s hotel. He had received three good stabs in his back from one, or two, or more Maltese ruffians, and a Corsican, who were paid for it by the Jesuits. I had him picked up, after standing over his still breathing corpse for about four hours, before my guide could get mouches to pick him up. The only Turkish policeman meanwhile who chanced to come up asking for a baksheesh and offering to roll the supposed corpse into a neighbouring ditch, then showing a decided attraction to my own rings and bolting only when he saw my revolver pointing at him. Remember, it was in 1850, and in Turkey. Then I had the man carried to a Greek hotel over the way, where he was recognised and taken sufficiently care of, to come back to life. On the next day he asked me to write to his wife and Sophie Cruvelli (the Duchess’s dear friend now Vicomtesse de Vigier at Nice and Paris, and at the time his mistress; No. 1 scandal). I wrote to his wife and did not to the Cruvelli. The former arrived from Smyrna where she was, and we became friends. I lost sight of them after that for several years and met him again at Florence, where he was singing at the Pergola, with his wife. He was a Carbonaro, a revolutionist of the worst kind, a fanatical rebel, a Hungarian, from Metrovitz, the name of which town he took as a ''nom de guerre''. He was the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up. He hated the priests, fought in all the rebellions, and escaped hanging by the Austrians, only because — well, it’s something I need not be talking about. Then I found him again in Tiflis in 1861, again with his wife, who died after I had left in 1865 I believe; then my relatives knew him well and he was friends with my cousins Witte. Then, when I took the poor child to Bologna to see if I could save him I met him again in Italy and he did all he could for me, more than a brother. Then the child died; and as it had no papers, nor documents and I did not care to give my name in food to the kind gossips, it was he, Metrovitch who undertook all the job, who buried the aristocratic Baron’s child — under his, Metrovitch’s name saying “he did not care,” in a small town of Southern Russia in 1867. After this, without notifying my relatives of my having returned to Russia to bring back the unfortunate little boy whom I did not succeed to bring back alive to the governess chosen for him by the Baron, I simply wrote to the child’s father to notify him of this pleasant occurrence for him and returned to Italy with the same passport. Then comes Venice, Florence, Mentana. The Garibaldis (the sons) are alone to know the whole truth; and a few more Garibaldians with them. What I did, you know partially; you do not know all. My relatives do, my sister does not, and therefore and very luckily Solovioff does not.

Now, shall I, in the illusive hope of justifying myself, begin by exhuming these several corpses—the child’s
mother, Metrovitch, his wife, the poor child himself, and all the rest? NEVER.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref>
</blockquote>

She wrote to Sinnett again on April 13, 1886. She was expressing indignation about salacious rumors being spread that year by [[Alexis Coulomb]] and his lawyer of her relationship with Metrovich.
<blockquote>
Now this address:

::“Mme. Metrovitch otherwise 
:::Mad. Blavatsky.”

is a written libel and a bullying bit of chantage, blackmail or whatever you call it. People with a mouth and a tongue cannot be stopped from saying that every man whoever approached me, from Meyendorff down to [[Henry Steel Olcott|Olcott]], was my LOVER... But I do believe that when a lawyer or lawyers on the authority of [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. Coulomb’s]] infernal gossip writes such an insult implying not only prostitution but bigamy and aliases — it is a defamation...

Now listen to the story. Agardi Metrovitch was my most faithful devoted friend ever since 1850. With the help of Ct Kisseleff I had saved him from the gallows in Austria. He was a Mazzinist, had insulted the Pope, was exiled from Rome in 1863 -- he came with his wife to Tiflis, my relatives knew him well and when his wife died a friend of mine too — he came to Odessa in 1870. There my aunt, miserable beyond words, as she told me, at not knowing what had become of me begged of him to go to Cairo as he had business in Alexandria and to try and bring me home. He did so. There some Maltese instructed by the Roman Catholic monks prepared to lay a trap for him and to kill him. I was warned by [[Hillarion|Illarion]], then bodily in Egypt — and made Agardi Metrovitch come direct to me and never leave the house for ten days. He was a brave and daring man and could not bear it, so he went to Alexandria ''quand meme'' and I went after him with my monkeys, doing as Illarion told me, who said he saw death for him and that he had to die on April 19th (I think). All this mystery and precaution made [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. C.]] open her eyes and ears and she began gossiping and bothering me to tell her whether it was true — what people said — that I was secretly married to him, she not daring I suppose to say that people believed him most charitably worse than a husband. I sent her to grass, and told her that people might say and believe whatever they liked as I didn’t care. This is the germ of all the later gossip.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXXVIII"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 190-191.</ref>
</blockquote>

Helena Blavatsky's relative, Count Sergei Witte, wrote in his memoirs that "Mitrovitch" claimed her to be his wife or mistress, and that when they traveled together from Odessa to Cairo, their ship sunk and the singer was drowned while saving Blavatsky. However, the Witte memoirs are inaccurate in many details, and can be considered more colorful than authoritative.<ref>Sergei Witte, ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.</ref>

== S. S. ''Eumonia'' incident ==
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
The 1872 death in Egypt is not the only version of his demise. A radically different version has him drowning after the ship ''Eumonia'' exploded. One of Blavatsky's biographers, Marion Meade, gives this colorful synopsis:
<blockquote>
The SS ''Eumonia'', bound for Alexandria, carried four hundred passenger and a cargo of explosives and fireworks. On July 4, 1871, in the Gulf of Nauplia, just off the island of Spetsai, the ship's powder magazine exploded. Only seventeen passengers survived, H.P.B. among them; Agardi Metrovich lost his life. Her mind dazed with the horror of limbs and heads raining about her, Helena was pulled from the water and taken ashore with the other lucky survivors. Medical care and shelter were provided by the Greek government, and finally, an offer of free passage to their destinations or back to their homes. H.P.B., baggageless and penniless, chose to continue to Egypt.
<ref>Marion Meade, ''Madame Blavatsky: The Woman Behind the Myth'' (New York: Putnam, 1980).</ref>,
</blockquote>

== Additional resources ==

* Georgiades, Erica. [https://ericageorgiades1.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/h-p-blavatsky-and-the-wreck-of-the-s-s-eunomia/ "H. P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S. S. ''Eunomia''"] in Wordpress blog. July 28, 2014.
* Georgiades, Erica. "H.P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S.S. ''Eunomia''." ''Theosophical History'' 17.1 (January, 2014), 13-34. This is a thorough examination of the possibility that H. P. Blavatsky and Agardi Metrovich were on shipboard when the ''Eunomia'' exploded.
* Georgiades, Erica. "Who Was Agardi Metrovich?" International History Conference, 2019. See [https://theosophicalhistoryconference.eu/ Day 1 program]. October 12, 2019.
* Witte, Count Sergei. ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Italian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Hungarian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Musicians|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:People|Metrovich, Agardi]]

Agardi Metrovich

2020-08-21T00:47:32Z

Michele Sender: /* Blavatsky comments on Metrovich */

'''Agardi Metrovich''' was an Italian or Hungarian opera singer and an early friend of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]]. His name is thought to be the ''nom de guerre'' of one of the carbonari [Italian revolutionaries] who supported Giuseppi Mazzini.

== Personal life and career ==
Little is known of Metrovich, except that he was an opera singer in ''basso'' roles, who sang at theaters in Tiflis and Cairo. He may have been Italian or Hungarian, and H. P. Blavatsky described him as "the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up."<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref> He was married; he and his wife were friendly with Blavatsky's family in Tiflis and Odessa.

== Blavatsky comments on Metrovich ==

H. P. Blavatsky wrote of him to her colleague [[A. P. Sinnett]] and his wife [[Patience Sinnett|Patience]] early in 1886:

<blockquote>
I knew the man in 1850, over whose apparently dead corpse I stumbled over in Pera, at Constantinople, as I was returning home one night from Bougakdira to Missire’s hotel. He had received three good stabs in his back from one, or two, or more Maltese ruffians, and a Corsican, who were paid for it by the Jesuits. I had him picked up, after standing over his still breathing corpse for about four hours, before my guide could get mouches to pick him up. The only Turkish policeman meanwhile who chanced to come up asking for a baksheesh and offering to roll the supposed corpse into a neighbouring ditch, then showing a decided attraction to my own rings and bolting only when he saw my revolver pointing at him. Remember, it was in 1850, and in Turkey. Then I had the man carried to a Greek hotel over the way, where he was recognised and taken sufficiently care of, to come back to life. On the next day he asked me to write to his wife and Sophie Cruvelli (the Duchess’s dear friend now Vicomtesse de Vigier at Nice and Paris, and at the time his mistress; No. 1 scandal). I wrote to his wife and did not to the Cruvelli. The former arrived from Smyrna where she was, and we became friends. I lost sight of them after that for several years and met him again at Florence, where he was singing at the Pergola, with his wife. He was a Carbonaro, a revolutionist of the worst kind, a fanatical rebel, a Hungarian, from Metrovitz, the name of which town he took as a ''nom de guerre''. He was the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up. He hated the priests, fought in all the rebellions, and escaped hanging by the Austrians, only because — well, it’s something I need not be talking about. Then I found him again in Tiflis in 1861, again with his wife, who died after I had left in 1865 I believe; then my relatives knew him well and he was friends with my cousins Witte. Then, when I took the poor child to Bologna to see if I could save him I met him again in Italy and he did all he could for me, more than a brother. Then the child died; and as it had no papers, nor documents and I did not care to give my name in food to the kind gossips, it was he, Metrovitch who undertook all the job, who buried the aristocratic Baron’s child — under his, Metrovitch’s name saying “he did not care,” in a small town of Southern Russia in 1867. After this, without notifying my relatives of my having returned to Russia to bring back the unfortunate little boy whom I did not succeed to bring back alive to the governess chosen for him by the Baron, I simply wrote to the child’s father to notify him of this pleasant occurrence for him and returned to Italy with the same passport. Then comes Venice, Florence, Mentana. The Garibaldis (the sons) are alone to know the whole truth; and a few more Garibaldians with them. What I did, you know partially; you do not know all. My relatives do, my sister does not, and therefore and very luckily Solovioff does not.

Now, shall I, in the illusive hope of justifying myself, begin by exhuming these several corpses—the child’s
mother, Metrovitch, his wife, the poor child himself, and all the rest? NEVER.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref>
</blockquote>

She wrote to Sinnett again on April 13, 1886. She was expressing indignation about salacious rumors being spread that year by [[Alexis Coulomb]] and his lawyer of her relationship with Metrovich.
<blockquote>
Now this address:

::“Mme. Metrovitch otherwise 
:::Mad. Blavatsky.”

is a written libel and a bullying bit of chantage, blackmail or whatever you call it. People with a mouth and a tongue cannot be stopped from saying that every man whoever approached me, from Meyendorff down to [[Henry Steel Olcott|Olcott]], was my LOVER... But I do believe that when a lawyer or lawyers on the authority of [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. Coulomb’s]] infernal gossip writes such an insult implying not only prostitution but bigamy and aliases — it is a defamation...

Now listen to the story. Agardi Metrovitch was my most faithful devoted friend ever since 1850. With the help of Ct Kisseleff I had saved him from the gallows in Austria. He was a Mazzinist, had insulted the Pope, was exiled from Rome in 1863 -- he came with his wife to Tiflis, my relatives knew him well and when his wife died a friend of mine too — he came to Odessa in 1870. There my aunt, miserable beyond words, as she told me, at not knowing what had become of me begged of him to go to Cairo as he had business in Alexandria and to try and bring me home. He did so. There some Maltese instructed by the Roman Catholic monks prepared to lay a trap for him and to kill him. I was warned by [[Hillarion|Illarion]], then bodily in Egypt — and made Agardi Metrovitch come direct to me and never leave the house for ten days. He was a brave and daring man and could not bear it, so he went to Alexandria quand meme and I went after him with my monkeys, doing as Illarion told me, who said he saw death for him and that he had to die on April 19th (I think). All this mystery and precaution made [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. C.]] open her eyes and ears and she began gossiping and bothering me to tell her whether it was true — what people said — that I was secretly married to him, she not daring I suppose to say that people believed him most charitably worse than a husband. I sent her to grass, and told her that people might say and believe whatever they liked as I didn’t care. This is the germ of all the later gossip.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXXVIII"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 190-191.</ref>
</blockquote>

Helena Blavatsky's relative, Count Sergei Witte, wrote in his memoirs that "Mitrovitch" claimed her to be his wife or mistress, and that when they traveled together from Odessa to Cairo, their ship sunk and the singer was drowned while saving Blavatsky. However, the Witte memoirs are inaccurate in many details, and can be considered more colorful than authoritative.<ref>Sergei Witte, ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.</ref>

== S. S. ''Eumonia'' incident ==
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
The 1872 death in Egypt is not the only version of his demise. A radically different version has him drowning after the ship ''Eumonia'' exploded. One of Blavatsky's biographers, Marion Meade, gives this colorful synopsis:
<blockquote>
The SS ''Eumonia'', bound for Alexandria, carried four hundred passenger and a cargo of explosives and fireworks. On July 4, 1871, in the Gulf of Nauplia, just off the island of Spetsai, the ship's powder magazine exploded. Only seventeen passengers survived, H.P.B. among them; Agardi Metrovich lost his life. Her mind dazed with the horror of limbs and heads raining about her, Helena was pulled from the water and taken ashore with the other lucky survivors. Medical care and shelter were provided by the Greek government, and finally, an offer of free passage to their destinations or back to their homes. H.P.B., baggageless and penniless, chose to continue to Egypt.
<ref>Marion Meade, ''Madame Blavatsky: The Woman Behind the Myth'' (New York: Putnam, 1980).</ref>,
</blockquote>

== Additional resources ==

* Georgiades, Erica. [https://ericageorgiades1.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/h-p-blavatsky-and-the-wreck-of-the-s-s-eunomia/ "H. P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S. S. ''Eunomia''"] in Wordpress blog. July 28, 2014.
* Georgiades, Erica. "H.P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S.S. ''Eunomia''." ''Theosophical History'' 17.1 (January, 2014), 13-34. This is a thorough examination of the possibility that H. P. Blavatsky and Agardi Metrovich were on shipboard when the ''Eunomia'' exploded.
* Georgiades, Erica. "Who Was Agardi Metrovich?" International History Conference, 2019. See [https://theosophicalhistoryconference.eu/ Day 1 program]. October 12, 2019.
* Witte, Count Sergei. ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Italian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Hungarian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Musicians|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:People|Metrovich, Agardi]]

Agardi Metrovich

2020-08-21T00:44:40Z

Michele Sender:

'''Agardi Metrovich''' was an Italian or Hungarian opera singer and an early friend of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]]. His name is thought to be the ''nom de guerre'' of one of the carbonari [Italian revolutionaries] who supported Giuseppi Mazzini.

== Personal life and career ==
Little is known of Metrovich, except that he was an opera singer in ''basso'' roles, who sang at theaters in Tiflis and Cairo. He may have been Italian or Hungarian, and H. P. Blavatsky described him as "the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up."<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref> He was married; he and his wife were friendly with Blavatsky's family in Tiflis and Odessa.

== Blavatsky comments on Metrovich ==

H. P. Blavatsky wrote of him to her colleague [[A. P. Sinnett]] and his wife [[Patience Sinnett|Patience]] early in 1886:

<blockquote>
I knew the man in 1850, over whose apparently dead corpse I stumbled over in Pera, at Constantinople, as I was returning home one night from Bougakdira to Missire’s hotel. He had received three good stabs in his back from one, or two, or more Maltese ruffians, and a Corsican, who were paid for it by the Jesuits. I had him picked up, after standing over his still breathing corpse for about four hours, before my guide could get mouches to pick him up. The only Turkish policeman meanwhile who chanced to come up asking for a baksheesh and offering to roll the supposed corpse into a neighbouring ditch, then showing a decided attraction to my own rings and bolting only when he saw my revolver pointing at him. Remember, it was in 1850, and in Turkey. Then I had the man carried to a Greek hotel over the way, where he was recognised and taken sufficiently care of, to come back to life. On the next day he asked me to write to his wife and Sophie Cruvelli (the Duchess’s dear friend now Vicomtesse de Vigier at Nice and Paris, and at the time his mistress; No. 1 scandal). I wrote to his wife and did not to the Cruvelli. The former arrived from Smyrna where she was, and we became friends. I lost sight of them after that for several years and met him again at Florence, where he was singing at the Pergola, with his wife. He was a Carbonaro, a revolutionist of the worst kind, a fanatical rebel, a Hungarian, from Metrovitz, the name of which town he took as a nom de guerre. He was the natural son of the Duke of Lucea, as I believe, who brought him up. He hated the priests, fought in all the rebellions, and escaped hanging by the Austrians, only because — well, it’s something I need not be talking about. Then I found him again in Tiflis in 1861, again with his wife, who died after I had left in 1865 I believe; then my relatives knew him well and he was friends with my cousins Witte. Then, when I took the poor child to Bologna to see if I could save him I met him again in Italy and he did all he could for me, more than a brother. Then the child died; and as it had no papers, nor documents and I did not care to give my name in food to the kind gossips, it was he, Metrovitch who undertook all the job, who buried the aristocratic Baron’s child — under his, Metrovitch’s name saying “he did not care,” in a small town of Southern Russia in 1867. After this, without notifying my relatives of my having returned to Russia to bring back the unfortunate little boy whom I did not succeed to bring back alive to the governess chosen for him by the Baron, I simply wrote to the child’s father to notify him of this pleasant occurrence for him and returned to Italy with the same passport. Then comes Venice, Florence, Mentana. The Garibaldis (the sons) are alone to know the whole truth; and a few more Garibaldians with them. What I did, you know partially; you do not know all. My relatives do, my sister does not, and therefore and very luckily Solovioff does not.

Now, shall I, in the illusive hope of justifying myself, begin by exhuming these several corpses—the child’s
mother, Metrovitch, his wife, the poor child himself, and all the rest? NEVER.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXI"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 148-156. Also included in [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.174837/2015.174837.Personal-Memoirs-Of-Hp-Blavatsky_djvu.txt ''Personal Memoirs of H. P. Blavatsky''].</ref>
</blockquote>

She wrote to Sinnett again on April 13, 1886. She was expressing indignation about salacious rumors being spread that year by [[Alexis Coulomb]] and his lawyer of her relationship with Metrovich.
<blockquote>
Now this address:

::“Mme. Metrovitch otherwise 
:::Mad. Blavatsky.”

is a written libel and a bullying bit of chantage, blackmail or whatever you call it. People with a mouth and a tongue cannot be stopped from saying that every man whoever approached me, from Meyendorff down to [[Henry Steel Olcott|Olcott]], was my LOVER... But I do believe that when a lawyer or lawyers on the authority of [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. Coulomb’s]] infernal gossip writes such an insult implying not only prostitution but bigamy and aliases — it is a defamation...

Now listen to the story. Agardi Metrovitch was my most faithful devoted friend ever since 1850. With the help of Ct Kisseleff I had saved him from the gallows in Austria. He was a Mazzinist, had insulted the Pope, was exiled from Rome in 1863 -- he came with his wife to Tiflis, my relatives knew him well and when his wife died a friend of mine too — he came to Odessa in 1870. There my aunt, miserable beyond words, as she told me, at not knowing what had become of me begged of him to go to Cairo as he had business in Alexandria and to try and bring me home. He did so. There some Maltese instructed by the Roman Catholic monks prepared to lay a trap for him and to kill him. I was warned by [[Hillarion|Illarion]], then bodily in Egypt — and made Agardi Metrovitch come direct to me and never leave the house for ten days. He was a brave and daring man and could not bear it, so he went to Alexandria quand meme and I went after him with my monkeys, doing as Illarion told me, who said he saw death for him and that he had to die on April 19th (I think). All this mystery and precaution made [[Emma Coulomb|Mme. C.]] open her eyes and ears and she began gossiping and bothering me to tell her whether it was true — what people said — that I was secretly married to him, she not daring I suppose to say that people believed him most charitably worse than a husband. I sent her to grass, and told her that people might say and believe whatever they liked as I didn’t care. This is the germ of all the later gossip.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, [https://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Blavatsky-letters-to-Sinnett.pdf "Letter LXXVIII"] ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' (London: T. Fisher Unwin, Ltd., 1925), 190-191.</ref>
</blockquote>

Helena Blavatsky's relative, Count Sergei Witte, wrote in his memoirs that "Mitrovitch" claimed her to be his wife or mistress, and that when they traveled together from Odessa to Cairo, their ship sunk and the singer was drowned while saving Blavatsky. However, the Witte memoirs are inaccurate in many details, and can be considered more colorful than authoritative.<ref>Sergei Witte, ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.</ref>

== S. S. ''Eumonia'' incident ==
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
'''THIS SECTION UNDER CONTRUCTION''' 
The 1872 death in Egypt is not the only version of his demise. A radically different version has him drowning after the ship ''Eumonia'' exploded. One of Blavatsky's biographers, Marion Meade, gives this colorful synopsis:
<blockquote>
The SS ''Eumonia'', bound for Alexandria, carried four hundred passenger and a cargo of explosives and fireworks. On July 4, 1871, in the Gulf of Nauplia, just off the island of Spetsai, the ship's powder magazine exploded. Only seventeen passengers survived, H.P.B. among them; Agardi Metrovich lost his life. Her mind dazed with the horror of limbs and heads raining about her, Helena was pulled from the water and taken ashore with the other lucky survivors. Medical care and shelter were provided by the Greek government, and finally, an offer of free passage to their destinations or back to their homes. H.P.B., baggageless and penniless, chose to continue to Egypt.
<ref>Marion Meade, ''Madame Blavatsky: The Woman Behind the Myth'' (New York: Putnam, 1980).</ref>,
</blockquote>

== Additional resources ==

* Georgiades, Erica. [https://ericageorgiades1.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/h-p-blavatsky-and-the-wreck-of-the-s-s-eunomia/ "H. P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S. S. ''Eunomia''"] in Wordpress blog. July 28, 2014.
* Georgiades, Erica. "H.P. Blavatsky and the Wreck of the S.S. ''Eunomia''." ''Theosophical History'' 17.1 (January, 2014), 13-34. This is a thorough examination of the possibility that H. P. Blavatsky and Agardi Metrovich were on shipboard when the ''Eunomia'' exploded.
* Georgiades, Erica. "Who Was Agardi Metrovich?" International History Conference, 2019. See [https://theosophicalhistoryconference.eu/ Day 1 program]. October 12, 2019.
* Witte, Count Sergei. ''The Memoirs of Count Witte''. Translated from Russian and edited by Abraham Yarmolinsky (Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1921 [Forgotten Books, 2013: http://www.ForgottenBooks.org], 5-9.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Associates of HPB|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Italian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Nationality Hungarian|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:Musicians|Metrovich, Agardi]]
[[Category:People|Metrovich, Agardi]]

Ego

2020-01-15T11:04:12Z

Michele Sender: /* Lower ego */

'''Ego''' is a word derived from the [[Greek]] Εγώ (Ego) meaning "I", often used in English to mean the "self", "identity" or other related concepts. In Theosophical teachings there are different levels of the sense of I-ness (ego) in us. The personal ego (lower ''manas'') is the psychological "I" that is often selfish. The higher ego (higher ''manas''), also called "reincarnating ego" is the impersonal sense of I-ness at the level of the soul. The spiritual ego (''buddhi-manas'') is an enlightened sense of I-ness present in those who recognize the one universal self.

== General description ==

[[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] defined it as follows:

<blockquote>'''Ego''' (Lat.). “Self”; the consciousness in man “I am I”—or the feeling of “I-am-ship”. Esoteric philosophy teaches the existence of two Egos in man, the mortal or personal, and the Higher, the Divine and the Impersonal, calling the former “personality” and the latter “Individuality".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 111.</ref></blockquote>

The quality of Ego-ship is a feature of the fifth [[principle]], [[manas]]. The meaning of the word "ego" in [[Theosophy]] is not restricted to the one modern psychology gives. It is used to refer to the sense of "I-ness", which can manifest in different ways to the [[plane]] in which it expresses. It can appear in a personal and selfish way through the lower manas (lower ego), in an impersonal form through the higher manas (higher ego), or as a divine self-consciousness through buddhi (spiritual ego). However, it is important to keep in mind that these three egos are just aspects of the one self:

<blockquote>Those who would feel inclined to see three Egos in one man will show themselves unable to perceive the metaphysical meaning. Man is a trinity composed of Body, Soul and Spirit; but man is nevertheless one and is surely not his body. It is the latter which is the property, the transitory clothing of the man. The three “Egos” are MAN in his three aspects on the astral, intellectual or psychic, and the Spiritual planes, or states.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 257, fn.</ref></blockquote>

== Origins ==

The reincarnating Egos are said to be sons or rays of the [[Universal Mind]]:

<blockquote>The reincarnating Ego [is that] which old Aryan philosophers call Manasaputra, the “Sons of Mind” or of Mahat, the Universal Cosmic Mind.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 411.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>Occult philosophy claims; our Ego is a ray of the Universal Mind, individualized for the space of a cosmic life-cycle, during which space of time it gets experience in almost numberless reincarnations or rebirths, after which it returns to its Parent-Source.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 414-415.</ref></blockquote>

== Higher ego ==

<blockquote>The human Ego is neither Ātma nor Buddhi, but the higher Manas: the intellectual fruition and the efflorescence of the intellectual self-conscious Egotism—in the higher spiritual sense.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 79.</ref></blockquote>

The higher ego is the human individual element ([[Ātman|atman]] and [[buddhi]] being universal) which provides self-consciousness, thus acting as a bridge between the monad and the body:

<blockquote>This is the real Individuality, or the divine man. It is this Ego which—having originally incarnated in the senseless human form animated by, but unconscious (since it had no consciousness) of, the presence in itself of the dual monad—made of that human-like form a real man. It is that Ego, that "Causal Body," which overshadows every personality Karma forces it to incarnate into.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Key to Theosophy'', (London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1987), 136.</ref></blockquote>

When the higher ego has to incarnate, it sends a "ray" to animate the body, giving origin to the lower ego:

<blockquote>Manas is, as it were, a globe of pure, Divine Light, a Ray from the World Soul, a unit from a higher sphere, in which is no differentiation. Descending to a plane of differentiation it emanates a Ray which is itself, which it can only manifest through the personality already differentiated. This Ray is the Lower Manas, while the globe of Divine Light, a Kumāra on its own plane, is the Higher Ego, or Higher Manas, Manas proper.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 709.</ref></blockquote>

On its own plane, the higher ego must strive to assimilate the influence from buddhi.

<blockquote>In every incarnation, [the Ego] is under the direct ray of Buddhi, if he wants to assimilate [it]. If he does not want to, it is his look out; his personality will drop out. It is only in the case which assimilates Buddhi that it really lives throughout, and will belong to that string of personality which forms consciousness after the Manvantara is at an end—the direct, immortal ray.<ref>Michael Gomes (transcriber), ''The Secret Doctrine Commentaries'' (The Hague: I.S.I.S. foundation, 2010), 646.</ref></blockquote>

When this is accomplishe and the self-consciousness is raised to the buddhic level, the passive [[Soul#Spiritual soul|spiritual soul]] becomes a self-conscious spiritual ego.

== Lower ego ==

The lower ego is frequently referred to as "''kama-manas''" because it is the outcome of the union of these two [[principle]]s:

<blockquote>During life the Lower Manas acts through this Kâma-Rûpa, and so comes into contact with the Sthûla-Śarîra; this is why the Lower Manas is said to be “enthroned in Kâma-Rûpa”<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 708.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>Manas and its vehicle—the Kama rupa, or body of passions and desires [are] the two elements of Ahamkara which evolve individualized consciousness—the personal ego.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 241.</ref></blockquote>

== Spiritual ego ==

The spiritual ego refers to the principle of [[Buddhi]], when acting in conjunction with [[Manas]].

<blockquote>The student must not confuse this Spiritual Ego with the "HIGHER SELF" which is [[Ātman|Atma]], the God within us, and inseparable from the Universal Spirit.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Key to Theosophy'', (London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1987), ??.</ref></blockquote>

==Online resources==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=Ego# Ego] at Theosopedia
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/theosophy/judge/articles/remembering-experiences-ego.htm# Remembering the Experiences of the Ego] by W. Q. Judge
*[http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1399# The Self, Science, and Religion] by Anna F. Lemkow

===Audio===
*[https://archive.org/download/1204_20191126/1204.mp3# Man's Higher Self] by Geoffrey Hodson

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]
[[es:Ego]]
[[it:Ego]]

Betty Bland

2019-08-26T21:44:47Z

Michele Sender: /* Near-death experience */

[[File:Betty Bland at 2006 SNG.jpg|right|230px|thumb|Betty Bland, Summer 2006.]]
'''Betty Bland''' served the [[Theosophical Society in America]] in many capacities and was President from 2002 to 2011.

== Early life ==

Betty A. Bland was born in Richmond, Virginia on [[April 25]], 1941. In 1961 she married David Horton Bland. She completed her BSHE (home economics) degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1962 and was inducted into the Omicron Nu Honor Society. Mrs. Bland worked for the 4-H system in Granville County, North Carolina; then for the Employment Security Commission as an Employment Interviewer; as a Counselor for the Neighborhood Youth Corps in Durham, North Carolina; and as a Financial Aid Officer for a school’s federal aid scholarship program. She and David have a son and a daughter.<ref>"Statement of Candidate Betty Bland," ''The American Theosophist'' 63.3 (March 1975), 52. </ref>

[[File:Betty Bland 1a.jpg|125px|left|thumb|Betty Bland]]
== Near-death experience ==

In 1968, Mrs. Bland had a near-death experience, which is related fully [[Near death experiences#Experience of Betty Bland|elsewhere]]. In brief, an error during a simple surgery resulted in several days of hovering near death, followed by a life review with the "Council of Light" and eventually a choice to return to the earth plane. She wrote, "The Near death experience transformed my outlook and approach to life. No longer complacent, I was catapulted into an intense quest for understanding, seeking out new ideas, meditating deeply on my own motives, an drastically changing my interactions with life. Death had no sting; the grave had no victory; life was merely a game, a classroom; but life was to be lived with a fervent intensity. Nothing matters, but everything matters!<ref>Betty Bland, "The Near Death Experience: A Theosophical Perspective, ''The Messenger'' 13 (March, 1996), 1.</ref>

== Theosophical work ==
[[File:Betty Bland.jpg|190px|right|thumb|Betty Bland]]
Mrs. Bland joined the Theosophical Society on April 30, 1970. She helped to establish the Mt. Gilead, North Carolina Study Center, serving as its Secretary. When the family moved to Lansing, Michigan, Betty helped to revive the Study Center there, once again serving as Secretary, and participating in the Michigan Federation. After returning to North Carolina in 1974, she formed a new Study Center in Raleigh.<ref>"Statement of Candidate Betty Bland," ''The American Theosophist'' 63.3 (March 1975), 52. </ref> In 1975, Mrs. Bland became a candidate for the office of ________ She served as Vice President ________ . For many years she has been active in the [[Theosophical Order of Service]] and the [[Theosophical Book Gift Institute]]. During the summers that the Society had its annual convention at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the Blands attended as a family.

== Presidency ==

Under Betty Bland, the headquarters estate of the Society was renovated and administrative structure and procedures were modernized. The TSA weathered the national financial crisis 2008, but had to reduce staffing. The '''website''' of the Society underwent two major redesigns during Mrs. Bland's 9-year tenure. '''Logos''' were modernized for the Society and for Quest Books. The TSA experimented with Spanish-language web content and increased the audiovisual and textual content greatly. Many other '''technological upgrades''' took place during the Bland years: improved audiovisual equipment and computers; new wiring in the server room; and a new telephone system. Another innovation was an Internet discussion group called the Theosophical Community, and an important new offering was an '''E-newsletter''' that has grown to having a large readership.

A '''Capital Funds Campaign''' raised over two million dollars to finance many improvements and also established an endowment in support of programming. Betty's husband David provided great leadership in the execution of most of these projects.
 
 
'''Improvements''' to the [[Olcott (campus)|headquarters estate]] under the Blands' teamwork included:
:* New carpeting was installed in the lobby, hall, library, and family room.
:* Major renovation of the Mills Building that houses the Quest Bookshop and the offices of the Theosophical Publishing House.
:* Renovation of the auditorium.
:* Renovation of the kitchen and dining room.
[[File:Rupert Sheldrake and Betty Bland.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Betty Bland with Rupert Sheldrake]]
:* Renovation of several bathrooms in visitors’ rooms.
:* Waterproofing the elevator shaft.
:* Installation of fire alarm system linked to the Wheaton Fire Department.
:* Installation of security lighting.
:* Repair of windows in the library wing.
:* Planting of numerous trees and cleaning up damage from a small tornado and other wind storms.

The Bland administration experimented with different forms of recruiting new members, as membership rolls had been declining gradually. The Olcott Institute was discontinued, and the schedule of national speakers was cut back somewhat. Instead, '''Kern Lectures and regional conferences''' were planned with the intention of drawing interest by using nationally known speakers to address special topics:
:* '''Second Kern Lecture''' - March 13 and April 20, 2003 at Spertus Institute in Chicago - "The Extended Mind: Recent Experimental Evidence" and Rediscovering Forgotten Truths" by Rupert Sheldrake.
:* '''Third Kern Lecture''' - 2004 in Chicago - by Ian Stevenson.
:* '''Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference''' - May 19-21, 2006 in Washington, D.C. - "Globalization and Spirituality: Creating a Language of Possibility".
:* '''Southwest Regional Conference''' - October 13-15, 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona - "Taking the Quantum Leap: Connecting Science and Spirituality" with Amit Goswami and [[Ravi Ravindra]].
:* '''Southeast Regional Conference''' - November 9-11, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia - "Social Action as Spiritual Practice".
:* '''Central Regional Conference''' - April 23-25, 2010 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois - "Healing Our Religious Wounds" with John Shelby Spong.

[[File:Betty Bland in Tibet.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Betty Bland in Tibet, 2007.]]
During the Bland years, the Society sponsored two '''trips to Tibet''' in 2007 and 2008; sponsored '''workshops for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder''' with Dr. Ed Tick; and hosted an '''Inter-American Federation Conference''' in 2008.

David Bland managed the '''Theosophical Publishing House''', and put it on a more businesslike footing. He also reached out to the public, becoming president of the '''Wheaton Chamber of Commerce'''. He involved the Society in local festivals and events, and arranged for the [[L. W. Rogers Building|Rogers Building]] to be used as a polling place in elections.

[[File:Betty Bland with HHDL photo.jpg|right|260px|thumb|Receiving photo of Dalai Lama meeting]]
In addition to some financial bequests, '''donations''' came in other forms. In 2005, the family of [[Fritz Kunz|Fritz]] and [[Dora van Gelder Kunz|Dora Kunz]] offered to donate their papers, art, photographs, and audiotapes, so David and Betty drove to Seattle to collect the materials. With a grant from the Sellon family, Mrs. Bland hired a professional archivist to process the valuable collection. When a Montana member offered two spectacular pieces of petrified wood from his ranch, the Blands drove west to receive the gift.

In 2010, Mrs. Bland arranged for an audience with the '''[[Dalai Lama]]''' when he was speaking in Iowa. She drove with her husband David and [[Tim Boyd|Tim]] and Lily Boyd. That meeting led to a visit of the Tibetan Buddhist leader to Chicago for a series of interfaith events that drew more than ten thousand people and raised over $400,000 for Tibetan charities.

Among her many '''other activities''', Mrs. Bland lectured at lodges, study groups, and federation meetings. In 2006, she delivered the [[Blavatsky Lectures|Blavatsky Lecture]] in England, on the subject of "The Virtuous Key."

She and David were always ready to participate in the '''fun''' aspects of headquarters life, as well. They demonstrated their proficiency at dancing at a staff sock hop and participated in skits during summer conventions. Betty dressed as Elvis Presley at one staff party, and as Dolores Umbrage (from Harry Potter) at another.

[[File:Betty Bland 3.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Betty Bland]]

== Personal life ==

Mrs. Bland and her husband retired to North Carolina in 2011. They have a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren. Betty has started a study center and David continues to be active in social justice issues. Both are involved in [[Co-Freemasonry]].

== Writings ==

It is traditional for each President of the TSA to act as Editor in Chief of the national periodicals, and Betty Bland edited [[Quest (periodical)|''Quest'' magazine]] and the [[Messenger (periodical)|''Messenger'']] member newsletter. She wrote regular columns in each. The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists over 150 articles by and about [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=Betty+Bland&method=exact Betty Bland]. Many are available at the [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine ''Quest'' web page]. These are examples:

* "Viewpoint: The Light of the World" ''Quest'' 96.4 (July-August, 2008), 124. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1356 TSA website].
* "Viewpoint: Patterns of Light and Dark" ''Quest'' 92.1 (January-February, 2004), 2. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1235 TSA website].
* "Viewpoint: The Power of the Water Bearer" ''Quest'' 95.6 (November-December, 2007), 204. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1533 TSA website].
* "Viewpoint: Sensitive Dependence" ''Quest'' 97.2 (Spring, 2009), 46. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1665 TSA website].
* "Viewpoint: What About the Future?" ''Quest'' 98.1 (Winter 2010), 36. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1692 TSA website].
* "Viewpoint: The Zen of Water Skiing" ''Quest'' 91.4 (July-August, 2003), 122. Available at [http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1338 TSA website].

== Recorded lectures ==

Many of Mrs. Bland's lectures were preserved as audio or video recordings, and are available from the [[Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library]] or the [http://www.questbooks.net/author.cfm?authornum=182 Theosophical Publishing House]. These are some of the titles:

* '''"The Seven Rays: Being Different Together"'''(DVD)
* '''"Near-Death Experience: A Theosophical Perspective"''' (CD)
* '''"The Seven Keys in One: The Paramitas"''' (CD, DVD)

== Notes ==
<references/>
[[Category:Presidents of TSA|Bland, Betty]]
[[Category:General Secretaries in TS Adyar|Bland, Betty]]
[[Category:Nationality American|Bland, Betty]]
[[Category:Editors|Bland, Betty]]
[[Category:TS Adyar|Bland, Betty]]
[[Category:Co-Masons|Bland, Betty]]

Capital punishment

2019-03-28T01:00:40Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

{{Template:Article needs expansion}}
 
 
 
'''Capital punishment''', also known as the '''death penalty''', is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. [[Theosophist]]s have traditionally been opposed to capital punishment on account of the facts that it does not solve the problem of crime, it merely responds to an evil with another evil, and it sets the criminal free on the [[astral plane]], who then becomes a more dangerous influence than when alive.

== Arguments against ==

When asked about this question with a Note to the Editor of the journal [[Lucifer (periodical)|''Lucifer'']], H. P. Blavatsky answered:

<blockquote>We are equally with yourself opposed to capital punishment, so that your difficulty becomes our own. In the first place the “head” only of the juryman has to decide whether or not the accused has committed murder, and this is all the so-called “law” requires of him. Practically, however, since the juryman has, or ought to have, a “heart,” the law neglects an important factor in the problem, for if it punishes murder with death, the juryman, in deciding for a verdict of guilty, of necessity becomes an accessory in a fresh murder. But the “heart” of the people is beginning to protest against this “eye for an eye” code and is refusing to render evil for evil. Capital punishment is nothing but a relic of Jewish barbarity. So that we are of opinion that this feeling should be fostered by open protest on every occasion, and by a refusal to participate in such half-human proceedings. The true physician cures the disease, and does not kill his patient. But we are afraid that the murder-doctors are in the majority for the moment, so that we can only ''protest''.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 237-238.</ref></blockquote>

Referring to the "occult" problems in connection with the death penalty, [[Annie Besant]] wrote:

<blockquote>Sometimes a voice gives an incitement to crime. . . . Whence come these promptings? They are often nothing more than this: that some one who has committed a murder has been, by the folly of our law, thrown on to the astral plane, when he should be within the walls of a prison, and is left there free to roam about, trying to get others to repeat his crime. It is a characteristic of the criminal that he repeats over and over again in his astral body the crime which has sent him out of the world. Repeating this time after time in the astral body, he will try to impress it upon some one who seems a likely person to respond, and especially upon a person whose energies are overstrained, and who has not, therefore, the normal strength which would make him insensitive to the vibrations. So that you may have this pressure simply coming from a criminal very much alive on the astral plane after he has been hanged here. I may say in passing that the most foolish thing to do with such a man is to hang him. So long as he is in the physical body, being an undeveloped creature, he cannot do much by thought-force, or on the astral plane at all; but, the moment you free him from the physical body his very coarseness and lack of development make him wide-awake on the lowest divisions of the astral plane, whence communication with the physical plane can be most readily made.<ref>Annie Besant, ''Theosophy And The New Psychology'', (London and Benares: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1904), 89-91.</ref></blockquote>

== Online resources ==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/anti-capital-puishment.php# Anti-Capital Punishment] by Clarence Darrow
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment-hartmann.php# Capital Punishment] by Franz Hartmann
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/issues/pu-wqj.htm# Theosophy and Capital Punishment] by William Q. Judge

===Additional resources===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment.php# Capital Punishment] by Theosophy Canada

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical worldview]]

Capital punishment

2019-03-28T00:58:32Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

{{Template:Article needs expansion}}
 
 
 
'''Capital punishment''', also known as the '''death penalty''', is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. [[Theosophist]]s have traditionally been opposed to capital punishment on account of the facts that it does not solve the problem of crime, it merely responds to an evil with another evil, and it sets the criminal free on the [[astral plane]], who then becomes a more dangerous influence than when alive.

== Arguments against ==

When asked about this question with a Note to the Editor of the journal [[Lucifer (periodical)|''Lucifer'']], H. P. Blavatsky answered:

<blockquote>We are equally with yourself opposed to capital punishment, so that your difficulty becomes our own. In the first place the “head” only of the juryman has to decide whether or not the accused has committed murder, and this is all the so-called “law” requires of him. Practically, however, since the juryman has, or ought to have, a “heart,” the law neglects an important factor in the problem, for if it punishes murder with death, the juryman, in deciding for a verdict of guilty, of necessity becomes an accessory in a fresh murder. But the “heart” of the people is beginning to protest against this “eye for an eye” code and is refusing to render evil for evil. Capital punishment is nothing but a relic of Jewish barbarity. So that we are of opinion that this feeling should be fostered by open protest on every occasion, and by a refusal to participate in such half-human proceedings. The true physician cures the disease, and does not kill his patient. But we are afraid that the murder-doctors are in the majority for the moment, so that we can only ''protest''.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 237-238.</ref></blockquote>

Referring to the "occult" problems in connection with the death penalty, [[Annie Besant]] wrote:

<blockquote>Sometimes a voice gives an incitement to crime. . . . Whence come these promptings? They are often nothing more than this: that some one who has committed a murder has been, by the folly of our law, thrown on to the astral plane, when he should be within the walls of a prison, and is left there free to roam about, trying to get others to repeat his crime. It is a characteristic of the criminal that he repeats over and over again in his astral body the crime which has sent him out of the world. Repeating this time after time in the astral body, he will try to impress it upon some one who seems a likely person to respond, and especially upon a person whose energies are overstrained, and who has not, therefore, the normal strength which would make him insensitive to the vibrations. So that you may have this pressure simply coming from a criminal very much alive on the astral plane after he has been hanged here. I may say in passing that the most foolish thing to do with such a man is to hang him. So long as he is in the physical body, being an undeveloped creature, he cannot do much by thought-force, or on the astral plane at all; but, the moment you free him from the physical body his very coarseness and lack of development make him wide-awake on the lowest divisions of the astral plane, whence communication with the physical plane can be most readily made.<ref>Annie Besant, ''Theosophy And The New Psychology'', (London and Benares: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1904), 89-91.</ref></blockquote>

== Online resources ==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/anti-capital-puishment.php# Anti-Capital Punishment] by Clarence Darrow
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment-hartmann.php# Capital Punishment] by Franz Hartmann
*[http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/issues/pu-wqj.htm] by William Q. Judge

===Additional resources===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment.php# Capital Punishment] by Theosophy Canada

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical worldview]]

Capital punishment

2019-03-28T00:25:54Z

Michele Sender: /* Articles */

{{Template:Article needs expansion}}
 
 
 
'''Capital punishment''', also known as the '''death penalty''', is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. [[Theosophist]]s have traditionally been opposed to capital punishment on account of the facts that it does not solve the problem of crime, it merely responds to an evil with another evil, and it sets the criminal free on the [[astral plane]], who then becomes a more dangerous influence than when alive.

== Arguments against ==

When asked about this question with a Note to the Editor of the journal [[Lucifer (periodical)|''Lucifer'']], H. P. Blavatsky answered:

<blockquote>We are equally with yourself opposed to capital punishment, so that your difficulty becomes our own. In the first place the “head” only of the juryman has to decide whether or not the accused has committed murder, and this is all the so-called “law” requires of him. Practically, however, since the juryman has, or ought to have, a “heart,” the law neglects an important factor in the problem, for if it punishes murder with death, the juryman, in deciding for a verdict of guilty, of necessity becomes an accessory in a fresh murder. But the “heart” of the people is beginning to protest against this “eye for an eye” code and is refusing to render evil for evil. Capital punishment is nothing but a relic of Jewish barbarity. So that we are of opinion that this feeling should be fostered by open protest on every occasion, and by a refusal to participate in such half-human proceedings. The true physician cures the disease, and does not kill his patient. But we are afraid that the murder-doctors are in the majority for the moment, so that we can only ''protest''.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 237-238.</ref></blockquote>

Referring to the "occult" problems in connection with the death penalty, [[Annie Besant]] wrote:

<blockquote>Sometimes a voice gives an incitement to crime. . . . Whence come these promptings? They are often nothing more than this: that some one who has committed a murder has been, by the folly of our law, thrown on to the astral plane, when he should be within the walls of a prison, and is left there free to roam about, trying to get others to repeat his crime. It is a characteristic of the criminal that he repeats over and over again in his astral body the crime which has sent him out of the world. Repeating this time after time in the astral body, he will try to impress it upon some one who seems a likely person to respond, and especially upon a person whose energies are overstrained, and who has not, therefore, the normal strength which would make him insensitive to the vibrations. So that you may have this pressure simply coming from a criminal very much alive on the astral plane after he has been hanged here. I may say in passing that the most foolish thing to do with such a man is to hang him. So long as he is in the physical body, being an undeveloped creature, he cannot do much by thought-force, or on the astral plane at all; but, the moment you free him from the physical body his very coarseness and lack of development make him wide-awake on the lowest divisions of the astral plane, whence communication with the physical plane can be most readily made.<ref>Annie Besant, ''Theosophy And The New Psychology'', (London and Benares: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1904), 89-91.</ref></blockquote>

== Online resources ==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/anti-capital-puishment.php# Anti-Capital Punishment] by Clarence Darrow
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment-hartmann.php# Capital Punishment] by Franz Hartmann
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/theosophy/judge/articles/theosophy-and-capital-punishment.htm# Theosophy and Capital Punishment] by William Q. Judge

===Additional resources===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment.php# Capital Punishment] by Theosophy Canada

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical worldview]]

Capital punishment

2019-03-28T00:25:37Z

Michele Sender: /* Arguments against */

{{Template:Article needs expansion}}
 
 
 
'''Capital punishment''', also known as the '''death penalty''', is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. [[Theosophist]]s have traditionally been opposed to capital punishment on account of the facts that it does not solve the problem of crime, it merely responds to an evil with another evil, and it sets the criminal free on the [[astral plane]], who then becomes a more dangerous influence than when alive.

== Arguments against ==

When asked about this question with a Note to the Editor of the journal [[Lucifer (periodical)|''Lucifer'']], H. P. Blavatsky answered:

<blockquote>We are equally with yourself opposed to capital punishment, so that your difficulty becomes our own. In the first place the “head” only of the juryman has to decide whether or not the accused has committed murder, and this is all the so-called “law” requires of him. Practically, however, since the juryman has, or ought to have, a “heart,” the law neglects an important factor in the problem, for if it punishes murder with death, the juryman, in deciding for a verdict of guilty, of necessity becomes an accessory in a fresh murder. But the “heart” of the people is beginning to protest against this “eye for an eye” code and is refusing to render evil for evil. Capital punishment is nothing but a relic of Jewish barbarity. So that we are of opinion that this feeling should be fostered by open protest on every occasion, and by a refusal to participate in such half-human proceedings. The true physician cures the disease, and does not kill his patient. But we are afraid that the murder-doctors are in the majority for the moment, so that we can only ''protest''.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 237-238.</ref></blockquote>

Referring to the "occult" problems in connection with the death penalty, [[Annie Besant]] wrote:

<blockquote>Sometimes a voice gives an incitement to crime. . . . Whence come these promptings? They are often nothing more than this: that some one who has committed a murder has been, by the folly of our law, thrown on to the astral plane, when he should be within the walls of a prison, and is left there free to roam about, trying to get others to repeat his crime. It is a characteristic of the criminal that he repeats over and over again in his astral body the crime which has sent him out of the world. Repeating this time after time in the astral body, he will try to impress it upon some one who seems a likely person to respond, and especially upon a person whose energies are overstrained, and who has not, therefore, the normal strength which would make him insensitive to the vibrations. So that you may have this pressure simply coming from a criminal very much alive on the astral plane after he has been hanged here. I may say in passing that the most foolish thing to do with such a man is to hang him. So long as he is in the physical body, being an undeveloped creature, he cannot do much by thought-force, or on the astral plane at all; but, the moment you free him from the physical body his very coarseness and lack of development make him wide-awake on the lowest divisions of the astral plane, whence communication with the physical plane can be most readily made.<ref>Annie Besant, ''Theosophy And The New Psychology'', (London and Benares: The Theosophical Publishing Society, 1904), 89-91.</ref></blockquote>

== Online resources ==
===Articles===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/anti-capital-puishment.php# Anti-Capital Punishment] by Clarence Darrow
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment-hartmann.php# Capital Punishment] by Fanz Hartmann
*[http://www.blavatsky.net/theosophy/judge/articles/theosophy-and-capital-punishment.htm# Theosophy and Capital Punishment] by William Q. Judge

===Additional resources===
*[http://www.theosophycanada.com/capital-punishment.php# Capital Punishment] by Theosophy Canada

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Theosophical worldview]]