By Geoffrey Hodson (1886 – 1983).

193 Pages | First Edition, 7th Reprint 2005 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170593220.

Man undoubtedly possesses, in however rudimentary a form, certain supersensory powers. Their unfoldment can be hastened through Raja Yoga as the chief means. Included in this volume are talks by the author broadcast over the air in Australia. They are a guide to managing human life and developing the character needed for such unfoldment. However it is not the development of psychic powers that is man’s supreme goal, but ‘Self-realization’. Psychic powers are only by-products in the spiritual process of seeking ‘Realization’ and are not ends in themselves . . .

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

101 pages | First edition, 9th reprint (2007) | Paperback | Four lectures ath the 31st anniversary Convention of the Theosophical Society at Adyar, December 1906 | The Theosophical Publishing House Adyar | ISBN: 8170590299.

From the Foreword:

” Little need be said in sending out this booklet to tge world. It is an attempt, a very humble attempt, to draw a few drops from the ancient wells of Aryan wisdom, and to offer them to quench the thirst of weary Souls, traveling through the desert of, seeking for Truth. The Upanishad-s are unique in the sacred literature of the world. They stand alone a beacon-lights on a mountain-peak, showing how high man may climb, how much of the Light of the Self may shine out through the vessel of clay, how truly God may speak through man. To speak on them, to write on them, seems presumption for such a one as myself, and yet it may be that help will come to some of my brethren even in this way . . .  “

By Prof. Nicholas Kazanas.

90 Pages | Published in 2007 | Softcover | The Adyar Library Pamphlet Series No. 62 | The Adyar Library and Research Center | ISBN: 818514155X.

The Rgveda retains a large portion of common Indo-European mythological heritage. The worship of sun, moon, fire etc. are universal motifs. In his essay, Kazanas conducts very interesting and serious studies on some common elements found in the Vedic and Mesopotamian traditions and cultures and shows that they are originated in India. Some of the themes and legends described here are the horse-sacrifice, the seven seers, the flood, the cow of plenty, the tortoise, kingship, mathematics, astronomy etc.

By Prof. Nicholas Kazanas.

57 Pages | Published in 2009 | Softcover | The Adyar Library Pamphlet Series No. 65 | The Adyar Library and Research Center | ISBN: 8185141622.

The creation of this wonderful universe has always been problematic, and several theories are propounded in classical texts. Vedic Vac is a creative deity and the Vac-Brahman doctrine presents creation of the universe through speech. The Greek Logos doctrine also signifies creation through word and reason. In this book Kazanas introduces an interesting discourse on Word’s cosmogenic power as found in the Vedic, Christian, Judaic, Greek and Egyptian traditions and cultures.

By Prof. Nicholas Kazanas.

35 Pages | Published in 2005, The Adyar Library Pamphlet Series No. 57  | Softcover | The Adyar Library and Research Center | ISBN: 8185141495.

The quest for Self-knowledge, or love of wisdom is the central theme of Greek philosophy and Upanisadic Tradition. Prof. Kazanas discusses in this paper some apparent similarities, as well as fundamental differences between the Upanisadic teachings and the Platonic dialogues on soul, body, desire, education, reincarnation, etc. His discussion is quite scholarly but very readable.

By Bhāskararāya (1690–1785), general editor K. Kunjunni Raya. hon. director. Translated into English by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry.

402 Pages | 6th Reprint 1988, 1st edition 1899 (T.P.H. ed.); Adyar Library General Series, Volume 11 | Hardcover | The Adyar Library & Research Center | ISBN: 8185141037.

The Lalitā Sahasranāma is a sacred text to Hindu worshippers of the Goddess Lalitā Devi, also called Tripurāsundarī or the Divine Mother. It contains the 1000 names of Lalitā organized in hymns (stotras) and represents the only sahasranāma not repeating a single Name. Lalitā translates etymologically as She Who Plays. Sahasranāma is a Sanskrit term, which means A 1000 Names. Bhāskararāya extensively highlights Name 1 – 1000 in this magnificent work. At the end, a Sanskrit compendium of the Lalitā Sahasranāma is enclosed.

Bhāskararāya is widely considered an authority on all questions pertaining to the worship of the Mother Goddess in Hinduism. The worship of Shakti involves many hidden meanings of mantras and coded passages. It is said that these meanings were revealed to Bhāskararāya by the Goddess Herself.

By John Algeo.

172 Pages | First published in 1903, 2001 edition | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835607971.

Theosophist Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) drew from the Ancient Wisdom of the East to explore the deep recesses of the mind. The original edition was published in 1903 and has been in print ever since. Now leading contemporary Theosophists John Algeo and Shirley J. Nicholson have painstakingly revised the text to free its timeless truths from the time-bound language of the early 20th century and make it more accessible to today’s readers. The result is a clear discussion of subjects of increasingly high interest: concentration, memory, consciousness, telepathy, sleep and dreams, cultivation of the will, and access to your ‘Higher Self’.

From Chapter 12 – ‘The Secret of Peace of Mind’ (p. 152):

” We are the Self, and therefore the joys and the sorrow of others are ours as much as theirs. To the extent that we realise this and learn to live so that we share the life that flows through us with the whole world – to that extent we learn the secret of peace. That secret is knowledge of the Self, and the thought ‘That Self Am I’ (even if we have not yet experienced the reality) helps us gain a peace of mind that nothing can disturb. As the Bhagavad Gita [2.70] says: He attains peace, into whom all desires flow as rivers flow into the ocean, which is filled with water, but remains unmoved – not he who desires desire. “

By Dana Micucci.

278 Pages | First Quest Edition 2011 |  Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608985.

One Woman’s Journey around the World and into Her Truth.

‘And there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do – determined to save the only life you could save’. – Mary Oliver ‘The Journey’.

Sojourns of the Soul is the quintessential armchair travel book for the spiritual seeker. Dana Micucci’s touching memoir chronicles seven sacred journeys that span 14 years of Micucci’s life, during which she explores the connection of inner growth to world travel that eventually leads to her own enlightenment. Unlike other inspirational travel books, Sojourns of the Soul provides a rare mix of in-depth wisdom and literary insights from the holistic view of an experienced female traveler.

From Chapter 3: ‘Egypt to Eternity’ (p. 101):

” ‘This mystery must be unveiled some day’, wrote H.P. Blavatsky in Isis Unveiled. ‘The answers are there. They may be found on the time-worn granite pages of cave-temples, on sphinxes, propylons, and obelisks . . . . They key was in the keeping of those who knew how to commune with the invisible Presence, and who had received, from the lips of mother Nature herself, her grand truths. And so stand these monuments like mute forgotten sentinels on the threshold of that unseen world’. “

332 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2013 by Serge King

“Reality is experience, and experience is reality,” says Hawaiian shaman Serge King, speaking of Huna, the esoteric tradition in which he was reared. King emphasizes that all of us have the ability to shift from one world to another. The difference is that shamans do it purposefully, while the rest of us are unaware of it. He trains us to engage in the process consciously in order to expand our human potential. Among books on Huna, this one is unique for offering actual practices for changing our reality to create the life we want.

250 pages | Paperback | TPH Adyar, 2000

A summary of the teachings of the Mahatmas by a noted Theosophist and feminist.

Clara Codd was born in England in 1876 and early in life rejected conventional mores. Rebelling against all oppression and injustice she plunged into the suffragette movement. But her meeting Col. H. S. Olcott, President-Founder of the Theosophical Society proved a turning point in her life. Foregoing her active role in the women’s social and political union, she joined the Theosophical Society. As an International Lecturer for the Society, she had an unrivaled opportunity to observe human nature, which enabled her to speak and write lucidly on various aspects of life.

125 pages | paperback | TPH Adyar, 2002

More and more Souls are seeking inwardly, trying to find the way to divine realization. It is man’s destiny that one day he must learn to plunge into the mysterious depths of his own glorious being, for only there is to be found true wisdom and the real power to help.

133 pages | paperback | TPH Adyar, 1994

Clara Codd has long been a popular theosophical writer. She writes with an eloquence and spontaneous naturalness about the most profound aspects of living. In this gentle little book she tells how she feels about God and man, death and life, and love – both human and Divine.

109 pages | paperback | TPH Adyar, 2005

Learn how to realize your inner possibilities and solve life’s riddles through meditation.

Clara Codd was born in England in 1876 and early in life rejected conventional mores. Rebelling against all oppression and injustice she plunged into the suffragette movement. But her meeting Col. H. S. Olcott, President-Founder of the Theosophical Society proved a turning point in her life. Foregoing her active role in the women’s social and political union, she joined the Theosophical Society. As an International Lecturer for the Society, she had an unrivaled opportunity to observe human nature, which enabled her to speak and write lucidly on various aspects of life.

269 pages | hardcover| TPH Adyar, 1993

Clara Codd was born in England in 1876 and early in life rejected conventional mores. Rebelling against all oppression and injustice she plunged into the suffragette movement. But her meeting Col. H. S. Olcott, President-Founder of the Theosophical Society proved a turning point in her life. Foregoing her active role in the women’s social and political union, she joined the Theosophical Society. As an International Lecturer for the Society, she had an unrivaled opportunity to observe human nature, which enabled her to speak and write lucidly on various aspects of life.

By Dr. Annine van der Meer.

587 Pages | Published in 2013 | Softcover | Uitgeverij A3 Boeken | ISBN: 9789082031300.

This is the first pioneering study of global ‘Venuses’, who are part of an ancient and contemporary art traditionally called ‘Venus Art’ – the Art of Primal Mother(s), the Art of the female ancestors. Venus Art reflects the consciousness of egalitarian societies of peace, in which women and feminine values play or have played a central role, in which MA or the MATER or MOTHER and the primal mothers of the clan are central.

To date Venus Art has been understood, neglected and not integrally researched. The Art has become eroticised and sexualised. The purpose of this book is to rehabilitate Venus Art with Venus seen and honored as manifestation of the divine Mother MA.

From Chapter 2 – ‘The Book in a Nutshell’ (p. 15):

” Part 1 consists of eight chapters, part 2 the same. This is no coincidence. Three and four make seven. Seven plus one makes eight. In eight begins a new octave, a new time, a new mankind. In the lemniscate of the eight. the independent feminine and masculine come together in perfect balance. By bringing the forgotten feminine into the picture, balance and connection is created with the masculine. Unity. “

258 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2012

Everyone has religious experiences, but most people just don’t know how to identify them, claims author William Bloom. Today’s society makes ever-increasing demands on us, but in the practice of modern spirituality, we can find heartening new solutions that give us the energy, motivation and inspiration to develop ourselves and transform our world.

The Power of the New Spirituality uniquely straddles mainstream and alternative forms of belief in commonsense, everyday language. Bloom speaks directly to the legions of people who seek to replace a single-faith tradition with a more generalized spirituality. He identifies the core similarities in all spiritual traditions and explains how everyone-regardless of background, beliefs or personality type – can immediately put them into practice.

107 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2011

Helps You Tap Into An Infinite Reservoir of Clarity and Calm

Modern times have created a siege of chaos. Struggling economy, political turmoil, media bombardment and a general culture of isolation all contribute to this unrest. Buddhist author Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu presents a simple path to freedom from such chaos in The Brightened Mind.

“Sumano Bikkhu’s The Brightened Mind is a most precious little jewel, introducing the spiritual armchair traveler to the wonders of the Universal Mind as taught in the Buddhist meditative tradition.” — Glenn Mullin, author of Female Buddhas, The Fourteen Dalai Lamas, and Living in the Face of Death.

By Russel Targ. Foreword by Stephan A. Schwartz.

306 Pages | First Quest Edition 2012 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608848.

On February 4, 1974, members of The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped the nineteen-year-old newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst from her apartment situated in Berkeley, California. Desperate to find her, the police called physicist Russell Targ and Pat Price; a psychic retired police commissioner. As Price turned the pages of the police mug book filled with hundreds of pictures, he suddenly pointed out to one of them and announced: ‘That’s the ringleader’! The man’s name turned out Donald DeFreeze and he was indeed subsequently so identified. Price also described the type and location of the kidnap car, which then enabled the police to trace the vehicle within minutes.

This remarkable event depicts one reason Russell Targ believes, so the speak, in the existence of ‘extra sensory phenomena’ (ESP). Another reason is that his group earned $120.000,- by forecasting changes in the silver-commodity futures market for nine weeks in a row. In his research, with all the proof Targ has assembled (and there is more besides), he suggests all life is interconnected and interdependent. There is an aspect of human consciousness that exists independent of time and space, that is susceptible to volitional control; and there is an interconnection between all life forms, that must be understood if the universal impulse humans feel toward the spiritual component of their lives is to mature properly. This assertion is not just a scientific fact: it is a worldview. If you accept it, you will make different life choices. Targ’s proof is a beginning, not an end.

From Chapter 12 – ‘Naked Awareness’ (p. 242):

” From thirty-five hundred years ago the Hindu Vedas teach us that our awareness, or Self (Ātman), is one with and unseparated from ultimate transcendent reality, the physical and  non-physical universe, or Brahman. We need experience, no separation from any aspect of the universe in consciousness. More recently, the great physicist Erwin Schrodinger, who perfected quantum mechanics, has written in his thoughtful monograph ‘What is Life’, that the teaching that Ātman equals Brahman is the greatest of all metaphysical principles. He goes on to write about non-separation: ‘Consciousness is a singular of which the plural is unknown. There is only one thing, and that which seems to be a plurality is simply a series of different aspects that one thing produced by a deception (Māyā). The same illusion is produced in a gallery of mirrors’. “

By Margaret Placentra Johnston.

300 Pages | First Quest Edition 2012 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835609050.

Faith Beyond Belief seems to give us a good way to understand those, who have rejected their own church, but are still engaged in a spiritual search beyond the conventional language and categories, that left them feeling empty. It is an excellent way to get a feel for the issues as they are experienced by a growing number of Americans, who are spiritual but not religious. You can feel the difference in the openness, the inquiring mind and the caring Soul, that this book unveils.

From Chapter 23 – ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ (p. 278):

” Rather than keep its adherents mired in childish myths, the religion of the future will lead its members toward the more fluid form of faith that can develop ‘beyond belief’. It will encourage them to undertake the critical reflection required to begin the progression to mature faith. Rather than suppress diversity and self-expression in religious experience, the religion of the future will promote the spiritual exploration that is necessary to reach the Mystic level. Where the religion of the past was exclusionist, ethnocentric, judgemental and triumphalist, the religion of the future will be inclusive, universal, unitive, and accepting, The religion of the future will be Love! “

216 pages | Paperback | Krishnamurti Foundation India, 1993

The book is a historical record of Krishnamurti’s relationship to Rajghat on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi; it was a place where he founded a school and came every winter till his death in 1986. Rajghat’s classical past, its philosophical and religious traditions, its extreme conservatism, the beauty of the countryside and the poverty of its villagers form the background against which Krishnamurti spoke – to students, teachers and to the public.

205 pages | Paperback | Findhorn Press, 2011

Encouraging, supportive, and life-saving, this book is essential for avoiding the mental, emotional, or spiritual paralysis or exhaustion that can result from underestimating the current age of increased individual and global emergencies.

When spiritual emergencies, such as mystical psychosis and dark nights of the soul, are understood, managed, and integrated, they can offer enormous potential for growth and fulfillment, and this book offers three key phases for successful navigation. Personal stories of spiritual crises are presented alongside practical and effective guidance in this exploration of a fascinating phenomenon.

“This book is going to be very helpful to many people.” — Dr Andrew Powell, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Special Interest Group on Spirituality

By Joy Mills (1920 – 2015).

37 Pages | Adyar Pamphlet New Series #4, published in 2002 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170593549.

‘The pivotal doctrine of esoteric philosophy admits no privileges or special gifts in man, save those won by his own Ego through personal effort and merit throughout a long series of metempsychoses and reincarnations‘. – The Secret Doctrine, Vol. I, p. 17.

The search for human identity has been the subject of great literature, great art, music and philosophy throughout the ages. To approach any understanding of this human identity, and therefore to recognize the journey or the work on which we are engaged as human beings, we may begin by acknowledging the various facts which compose our individual identity. We have physical bodies, with their unique characteristics; we have feelings, thoughts, aspirations, and, in times of deep inner reflection or profound meditation, an awareness of something more, beyond yet near, neither wholly of ourselves nor wholly other, something indefinable yet real and true. H.P. Blavatsky, in setting forth the perennial philosophy, defined the human as a ‘saptaparna’, a seven-leaved plant. The seven ‘leaves’ or principles, as they are generally called, are variously given in theosophical literature.

From Page 13:

” To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths

Of all the western stars . . .

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:

It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,

. . . that which we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. “

322 pages | Gebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, 2008

This book, first published in 1893, contains a candid description of the first forty-two years of Annie Besant’s life: a relatively happy childhood, an unfortunate marriage, followed by domestic, social, religious and political trials and tribulations. It reveals her remarkable courage and a strong sense of social justice.

This autobiography is a shining example of the unlimited potential of one who is convinced of his or her goal.

164 pages | Paperback | Krishnamurti Foundation India, 1998

There is today a strange and deep discontent among the young people. Responding to this malaise, the words of J. Krishnamurti direct each person to become his own teacher as well as his own disciple. He asks us to use his words as mirror to look at ourselves as we actually are and to see the totality of existence. To look in such a manner, the mind must be completely free – not bound by authority of any kind.

But this freedom should not be misunderstood to mean freedom to lead an undisciplined, self-indulgent life. The freedom of which Krishnamurti speaks requires a total revolution in the psyche itself. When the mind empties itself of the known, then the human being can undergo complete transformation.

99 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, 1961

Sri Ram

A series of talks given in 1951 and 1952 by a past international President of the Theosophical Society. Topics include: What Is Man?, Evolution of Man, The Subtle Nature of Man, Seeking, and Integrating Our Knowledge and Ourselves.

215 pages | Gebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, 1986

The Human Interest and Other Addresses and Short Essays

N. Sri Ram, was international President of the Theosophical Society for over 20 years, from 1953-73. He brings to his writings a background of eastern wisdom combined with keen awareness of modern thought and knowledge, as well as a sensitive understanding of human problems. His special felicity of style enables him to convey profound ideas in a lucid and absorbing manner.

By Patañjali, Preface and translation by William Quan Judge (1851 – 1896).

74 Pages | Copyright 1987, firstly published in 1985 | Hardcover | The Theosophy Company, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0938998110.

‘This book is laid upon the altar of Master’s Cause, and is dedicated to their servant H.P. Blavatsky. All concern for its fruits or results is abandoned: They are left in charge of Karma and the Members of The Theosophical Society’.

This edition of Patañjali’s Yoga Aphorisms is not put forth as a new translation, nor as a literal rendering into English of the original. In the year 1885 an edition was printed at Bombay by Mr. Tookeram Tatya, a Fellow of the Theosophical Society, which has been since widely circulated among its members in all parts of the world. But it has been of use only to those, who had enough acquaintance with the Indian system of philosophy to enable them to grasp the real meaning of the Aphorisms notwithstanding the great and peculiar obstacles due to the numberless brackets and interpolated sentences, with which not only are the Aphorisms crowded, but the so-called explanatory notes as well. For the greater number  of readers these difficulties have been an almost insurmountable barrier; and such is the consideration that has led to the preparation of this edition, which attempts to clear up a work that is thought to be of great value to earnest students.

From the Preface (xv – xvi):

” The sytem postulates that Ishwara, the spirit in man, is untouched by any troubles, works, fruit of works, or desires, and when a firm position is assumed with the end in view of reaching union with spirit through concentration, He comes to the aid of the lower self and raises it gradually to higher planes. In this process the Will by degrees is given a stronger and stronger tendency to act upon a different line that from indicated by passion and desire. Thus it is freed from the dominion of desire and at last subdues the mind it-self. “

20 Pages | First edition, 2010 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar

Jiddhu Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986), like all true Rishis and Philosophers, based his saying on seeing. With him the emphasis was always on perception rather than thinking. Almost in every engagement – even in personal conversations this was often the case – sometimes practically in the middle of a sentence he would say, ‘Now listen to the birds‘ or ‘Look at the clouds‘. The mind which had been trapped in arguing or putting two and two together, would thus be invited to look. One was literally brought back to one’s senses.

68 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, 2000

C.W. Leadbeater and C. Jinarajadasa

Sacrifice is selfless giving, the way to freedom from the bondage of karma. “All nature must give forth or die”. The Eternal Principle gives of itself in manifestation this is the great Cosmic Sacrifice, which C. Jinarajadasa explains with quotations from ancient texts and living examples.
C.W. Leadbeater points out that sacrifice is “Love in the fullest and deepest sense of the word”. By giving ourselves in loving service, in unselfish devotion and renunciation for the good of others, we can transmute ourselves. Love is the way to life and immortality.

326 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2000

The Eleusian mysteries, the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Theatre of Dionysus, the labyrinths of Knossos, the Delphic oracle—the book leads us to such sacred sites in the ancient way of spiritual pilgrimage. “The gods have not totally vacated the holy places,” says Richard Geldard. “Any ‘vacating’ has to do with our own lack of awareness.”

He brings to life the mythology that shaped the brilliance of Greek architecture and art, integrating rare historical material with the most recent archeological data. The result is a specialty guidebook comprehensive enough to be the only one you pack, with commentary on:
– Major and lesser sites of the palace and temple cultures
– Greek drama, philosophy, art, and sculpture
– Sacred geometry and architecture
– Gallery collections in three major museums

Whether you’re an armchair or actual traveler, Traveler’s Key opens access to the fabled wisdom enjoyed by pilgrims of old and to the living mythology that still has power to transform lives.

118 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, 1987

The way and power of the ego.

1926. A priest in the Liberal Catholic Church, Van Der Leeuw writes that the pages in this book are based on an awakening of Ego-consciousness that came to him in a single moment, but has taken days to realize and many pages to describe. Contents: The Drama of the Soul in Exile; The Way to the Ego; The World of the Ego; The Powers of the Ego; and The Return of the Exile.

An Adyar book, imported from India.

By Patrice Chaplin.

336 Pages | First Quest edition 2008 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608718.

City of Secrets is, perhaps, the very first nonfiction title to combine the stories of the legendary Grail phenomenon with that of a modern-day love story.

In 1955, fifteen-year-old Patrice flees her predictable English life for sun-drenched Girona, a pre-Roman town in northern Spain. There, she falls in love with José, whose mission is to preserve the town’s ancient Caballistic tradition. Over the years, Patrice returns again and again to her lover and Girona. She meets enthralling characters and hears of visions, an oddly wealthy priest, a fabulous garden owned by a Frenchwoman, and two towers aligned to create a portal to another dimension. The priest is no other than the Abbé Saunière of Rennes-le-Château, and the mysteries linked to him are at the heart of the Grail phenomenon. People Patrice thought she knew well turn out to belong to a secret society guarding Saunière’s legacy. Now it is time, they say, to reveal their secrets, and they ask her to be the messenger.

In support of her revelations, Patrice provides copies of previously unreleased letters, written by Saunière, along with other documented evidence. Her romantic and lucid writing style, which has often been compared to Beat Generation legend Jack Kerouac, will leave readers with no doubt that this book is one-of-a-kind.

Translated by Frank Lee Woodward (1871 – 1952).

140 Pages | First edition 1925, reprint 1994 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170592380.

The stories appearing in this book are translated from The Commentary on the Dhammapada. They were originally published in the Magazines The Young Citizen and The Adyar Bulletin. They illustrate the moral teachings of Buddhism in a simple and easy form.

F. L. Woodward was an authority on Buddhist teachings; many of his publications were published by the Pali Text Society, among them Pictures of Buddhist Ceylon, The Buddha’s Path of Virtue and Francis Bacon and the Cipher Story. He could be considered part of the noble band of Theosophists, who had worked for the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the leadership of Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832 – 1907).

From Chapter XXI – ‘This Little Body Holdeth All’ (p. 120):

” Not to be reached by going is world’s end.

Yet is there no release for man from woe,

Unless ye reach world’s end. Yea verily

He that is wise and lives the holy life,

He knows the world. He goeth to world’s end.

Calmed is he, for he knows. He hankereth

Neither for this world nor for any world. “

• From: Anguttara Nikāya (ii., p. 46).

Edited and translated by Louise Carus.

214 Pages | First Quest Edition 2020. ‘NAPRA Nautilus Award Grand Winner 2003’. | Softcover, with pictures | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608138.

‘While Santa Claus just brings toys, St. Nicholas changes lives and brings real joy’! 

The Real St. Nicholas is a jubilant celebration of spiritual values and the true meaning of the holiday season. Santa Claus is only a nickname. The historical Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop in what is now modern Turkey. Over time, tales of his goodness spread as far as Karelia, bordering Finland and Russia, throughout Europe. The Dutch brought him to the New World as Sinterklaas.

While slimmer than Santa, St. Nicholas is much larger in Spirit. He is the patron Saint not only of children, but also of sailors, bakers, bankers, prisoners, pharmacists, maidens, merchants and, New York City. But the traditions around him have been lost in America. Louise Carus restores this important image of the kind, wise Elder with rare stories from Spain, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Russia and Armenia – among other countries. Most are simple folktales of powerful virtue. We hear of how Nicholas rescues orphans and soldiers, feeds the hungry, helps hapless lowers, outwits thieves and devils, and heals the ill and lame (including an ant!). An Afterword recounts modern legends of healing and rescue told by people living in Greece today.

The result is the best such collection available in English. It is a gift to all parents, educators, story loversm and others, who long to resanctify the holidays. There’s a story for each of the thirty-one days in December, but The Real St. Nicholas can inspire us on any day of the year.

Louise Carus, Ph.D., is a Jungian analyst and the editor of Betwixt and Between and Crossroads: two books on adolescent ‘rites of passage’ recognized as classics in the field.

From Chapter – ‘Signs of St. Nicholas Today’ (p. 191):

” A miller, Fragiadakis Mixales, who lives outside of  Zaros, Crete, told us this story about his daughter. It happened when the girl was about four years old and suffering from epilepsy:

‘After my daughter had had several seizures, my wife took her to our nearby St. Nicholas monastery. She laid her down to sleep just at the entrance of the monastery under an olive tree and then went into the church to pray for her healing. When my wife returned to our daughter, the little one awoke and said: ‘And old man with a white beard came and touched my hand and told me, ‘You are well now”.’

My daughter never had another seizure. She is married now, with two children, and lives in Athens. This true story is well known in my community. “

320 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2006

Does God exist? Can spirituality be integrated with science? Is happiness possible? Do miracles really happen? Not only does The Visionary Window answer “yes” to all of these questions, but it skillfully combines the fields of philosophy, cosmology, religion, and psychology to form a new way of thinking about science and spirituality.

“If you choose to read one book introducing you to quantum physics and spirituality, choose The Visionary Window. You’re in for a profound awakening.” —Betsy Chasse, filmmaker, What the Bleep Do We Know!?

“I have rarely read a book that gave me so much hope for the future as the one you are now holding. Its author offers brilliant answers to the most gripping questions that have eve been asked.” —from the Foreword by Deepak Chopra

By Amit Goswami.

339 Pages | First Quest edition 2008 | Hardcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. |  ISBN: 9780835608589.

It’s an open secret that fossil gaps – discontinuities in fossil lineages – threaten the validity of Darwin’s theory of evolution. At the same time, by denying evolution altogether, intelligent design thinkers fly in the face of scientific data. But let’s not throw the babies out with the bathwater, says quantum physicist Amit Goswami. The idea of intelligent design does contain substance with which neo-Darwinists must come to terms. And if Darwin’s theory is seen at best as incomplete, able only to explain evolution’s continuous epochs, then there’s room for both evolution and God.

Dr. Goswami’s central theme is that pure consciousness, not matter, is the primary force in the universe. This view differs radically from mainstream theories that see evolution as the result of simple physical reactions. It also differs from intelligent-design arguments that posit a clockmaker God who fabricated the universe. This view differs radically from mainstream theories that see evolution as the result of simple physical reactions.

From Chapter 21 – ‘Evolution – The Next Step’ (p. 307):

” Someone once said, ‘Man has learned to fly like a bird in the sky: man has also learned to swim like a fish in the ocean; but, alas, man has yet to learn to walk like a human being on this earth. ‘ What does it mean to be fully rational, let alone fully human? Human beings began with a tremendous leap in the capacity for making representations of the mind. A major privilege of being human is in developing the rational capacity fully. As the philosopher Ken Wilber emphasizes, however, at each level of the great chain of being, the previous level must be integrated. Only when humans have integrated the vital mind can we said to fulfill our full potential for rationality.

Have we fully integrated our vital body in our mental being? In view of the current state of mind-body disease and healing (see Chapter 15), we are far from it. We express emotions and suppress emotions, but we haven’t learned to meditate on them. We share the base instinctual emotions with animals. We are so insecure, so prone to succumb to these base instincts, that we sometimes suppress even the noble emotions associated with our higher chakras, beginning with the heart. “

179 pages | Paperback | Morning Light Press, 2006

Each of the selections in this compilation of articles is informed by the philosophical background of yoga, especially the two great texts of yoga, the Yoga Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita. All of them speak of and are related to the wisdom of the spiritual traditions of India. They range from an exploration of rita (cosmic order) in the Rig Veda and its relation to yajna (sacrifice and exchange between levels) and dharma (law, order, sacred obligation) to reflections about contemporary spiritual masters such as J. Krishnamurti and G. I. Gurdjieff in the context of the Indian tradition. This volume will be valuable for those who wish to learn about the roots of yoga and the culture from which it arose.

81 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, 2002

Truth, Beauty, and Goodness are interrelated. While beauty is the garment of truth, goodness is beauty revealed in action. Many philosophers and poets have spoken about the identity of these three aspects of reality, how each one leads to the other. Discovery of truth or beauty is the natural aspiration of every right thinking individual. Clarity and undisturbed serenity are essential requirements for perceiving truth. These qualifications cannot be acquired in the absence of pure and righteous living.

An Adyar book, imported from India.

222 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2001

In The Hidden Gospel, Douglas-Klotz employs this approach to decode the spiritual and prophetic messages hidden within key words and concepts in the sayings and stories of Jesus. We learn to our delight, for instance, that when Jesus spoke of “goodness” he used a word which in Aramaic means “ripe” and refers to actions which are in time and tune with the Sacred Unity of all life.

The Hidden Gospel aims to bridge the gap between the historical Jesus of the scholar and the Jesus of faith of Christian believers. It will appeal to everyone looking for an alternative spiritual vision of Jesus and his message.

By Daniel H. Caldwell.

451 Pages | First Quest Edition 2000 | Hardcover | Quest Books U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607941.

‘A psychological enigma, a puzzle for future generations, a Sphinx!’

So reads the self-portrait of Helena P. Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), the leading esoteric author of the nineteenth century. Others called her ‘the lady with the magical eyes’. A world traveler and student of religions, Madame Blavatsky was among the first to bring Eastern Wisdom to the West. Her writing affected W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, L. Frank Baum (The Wizard of Oz), Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Scriabin, and many others.

These first-hand accounts lead us into the fascinating world of Madame Blavatsky’s soirées, sites of the astounding phenomena that made her a cause célèbre. Famous as magnets for freethinking intellectuals, these gatherings were a forum for her unconventional ideas that anticipated the spiritual and ecological movements of today. But the depth of this enigmatic Sphinx – as related here by family, friends, and even enemies – transcends the fads of time.

From Chapter 1 – ‘Russia 1831 – 1849’ (p. 1):

” Helena was an exceptional child, who at an early age was aware of being different from those around her. Her possession of certain  psychic powers puzzled her family and friends. At once impatient of all authority, yet deeply sensitive, she was gifted in many ways. A clever linguist, a talented pianist, and a fine artist, she was yet a fearless rider of half-broken horses, and always in close touch with nature. At a very early age she sensed that she was in some way dedicated to a life of service and was aware of a special guidance and protection. “

By Edward Tick, Ph.D.

291 Pages | First Quest Edition 2001 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835607995.

A Sacred Journey to bring Soul back into Treatment.

Asklepios was the gentle Greek God of healing. Like Christ, he was said to have walked the earth performing miracle cures. His medicine was practiced by priests known as therapeutes (the first therapists) who interpreted patients’ dreams, in which the God gave advice. The results, as well-documented in literature and thousands of ancient testimonies, reveal the root of modern medical science and psychotherapy.

In this classic work, psychotherapist and Greek scholar Dr. Edward Tick explores the God as an archetype of the divine physician symbolizing the Self. What he discovers restores the foundation for a truly holistic medicine. First, he transports us through myth and history on an imaginal pilgrimage based on his journeys with patients to ancient Greek healing sites, where they recreate the dream incubation ceremonies once held in Asklepian temples. Then, from case-studies he crafts practical methods that today’s healing professionals and lay readers can use anywhere, with or without the help of specialists. His radical model shows how consulting rooms, hospitals, and any place of rest can become sanctuaries for the recovery of the whole person.

Homeric Hymn to Asklepios:

” Doctor of our ailing, Asklepios, I begin your praise,

Son of Apollo, awakened through Mother Koronis

Of the Dotion Plains, daughter of King Flegion,

Great to humanity, soother of cruel suffering.

 . . . Και συ ουτω χαιρε, αναξ. Λιτομαι δε σ’αοιδη.

 . . . And thus are you welcomed, Master. By this song I beseech you. “

By Joseph S. Willis.

135 Pages | First Quest Edition 2001 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835608050.

‘We know we don’t know‘ Willis sympathizes with the Greek philosopher Socrates, yet he adds: ‘we all (even atheists) must stand on assumptions that help us lead good lives‘. To explore these assumptions, he discusses different ways of thinking about God, involves both scientific and mythical views, deals with sources of good and evil, and argues for the need for freedom together with commitment. He assures us we can all think reasonably about Ultimate Reality and find a faith that fits and offers a reader-friendly guide helping questioners to maintain their integrity, whilst relating to the Ultimate Mystery beyond all understanding.

From the Introduction (p. 1):

” Everyone needs a faith, a commitment, that is congruent with her or his reason and knowledge, and it must be personal. There is no single way; ultimate truth is simply beyond human reach. But for yourself, for the sake of your own integrity, as a place upon which to stand as you make your life’s decisions, you must find a faith that makes real sense to you. It’s your life, your heart, and your mind.

This book is for people, who doubt the traditional answers, but who believe that the sheer accumulation of material things is not a satisfying way to live. It’s about faith and reason and truth from science, philosophy, and the religions of humankind. “

266 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 1993

John Anthony West’s revolutionary reinterpretation of the civilization of Egypt challenges all that has been accepted as dogma concerning Ancient Egypt. In this pioneering study West documents that:
– Hieroglyphs carry hermetic messages that convey the subtler realities of the Sacred Science of the Pharaohs.
– Egyptian science, medicine, mathematics, and astronomy were more sophisticated than most modern Egyptologists acknowledge.
– Egyptian knowledge of the universe was a legacy from a highly sophisticated civilization that flourished thousands of years ago.
– The great Sphinx represents geological proof that such a civilization existed.

This revised edition includes a new introduction linking Egyptian spiritual science with the perennial wisdom tradition and an appendix updating West’s work in redating the Sphinx. Illustrated with over 140 photographs and line drawings.

By Ken Wilber.

240 Pages | First Quest 1980, second edition 1996 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607305.

The Atman Project is widely hailed as the first psychology, that succeeds in uniting East and West, conventional and contemplative, orthodox and mystical, into a single, coherent framework. This essential introduction to Ken Wilber’s ideas on the evolution of human consciousness feature a new Foreword linking this work to Wilber’s current thinking.

From Chapter 4 – ‘The Membership Self (p. 29):

” For a sorcerer, reality, or the world we all know, is only a description. For the sake of validating this premise Don Juan concentrated the best of his efforts into leading me to a genuine conviction that what I held in mind as the world at hand was merely a description of the world; a description that had been pounded into me from the moment I was born. He pointed out that everyone, who comes into contact with a child is a teacher, who incessantly describes the world to him, until the moment when the child is capable of perceiving the world as it is described. According to Don Juan, we have no memory of that portentous moment, simply because none of us could possibly have had any point of reference to compare it to anything else . . . For Don Juan, then, the reality of our day-to-day life consists of an endless flow of perceptual interpretations which we, the individuals who share a specific membership, have learned to make in common. “

400 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2002

This book chronicles humanity’s cultural and psychospiritual evolutionary journey over some six million years from its primal past into its dazzling cosmic future.

“I consider Up from Eden the “single greatest work on psychology ever written — including Freud, Jung, et al.!” — Dr. Silas Wesley, past professor of Clinical Psychology, Yale University, and Director, Psychology Clinic, University of Southern California.

413 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 1998

A passionate conversation among the best minds in transpersonal studies about the ideas of Ken Wilber, the prominent contemporary thinker whose first book, The Spectrum of Consciousness, published by Quest in 1977, launched the transpersonal psychology movement.

Transpersonal thinkers taking part in this dynamic dialogue combine Eastern and Western spirituality with mainstream fields such as psychology, medicine, physics, and ecology to map the human drive toward Spirit.

By Ken Wilber.

362 Pages | First Quest Edition 1977, second Quest Edition 1993 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835606953.

This book launched the transpersonal psychology revolution. In a profound, comprehensive, and unique study of consciousness, Wilber was the first to suggest a systematic way that the great psychological systems of the West could be integrated with the noble contemplative traditions of the East.

To this day, The Spectrum of Consciousness remains the unequivocal classic in the area of transpersonal psychology, and has been the prominent reference point for all subsequent attempts at integrating psychology and spirituality. Like radiation and light, consciousness, suggest Wilber, establishes a multiplicity of aspects as it ‘steps down’ into time and space. Thus, as a spectrum, it can be studied legitimately on one or more of its ‘wavelengths’. Viewing consciousness in this way, we can see that seemingly disparate disciplines each speak to a different wavelength of awareness.

‘From Chapter VII – ‘Integrating the Shadow’ (p. 206)’:

” Thus the problem is not to get rid of any symptom, but rather to deliberately and consciously try to increase that symptom, to deliberately and consciously experience it fully! If you are depressed, try to be more depressed. If you are tense, make yourself even tenser. If you feel guilty, increase your feelings of guilt – and we mean that literally! For by doing you are, for the very first time, acknowledging and even aligning yourself with your Shadow, and hence are doing consciously what you have heretofore been doing unconsciously. When you, as a personal experiment, consciously throw every bit of yourself into actively and deliberately trying to produce your present symptoms, you have in effect thrown your persona and Shadow together. You have consciously contacted and aligned yourself with your opposites, and, in short, re-discovered your Shadow. “

By Ernest Wood

154 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2001 ISBN 0835601765

This perennial best-seller by a distinguished educator assembles 36 mental and physical exercises for taming the natural drifting of the mind. Newly designed edition of a practical manual for success. Over 100,000 copies sold.

Ernest Wood, scholar, writer, and lecturer, was born in 1883 in England and was attracted to Theosophy at a young age. He arrived in India early in the twentieth century, and assisted Annie Besant in educational work. He was the founder of the Theosophical College, Madanapalle. He wrote many books on philosophical subjects, having a particular interest in Yoga.

158 pages | Gebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, 2008

This book shows us that Theosophy in its pristine form is very ancient and indicates the opposite of every kind of materialism, both scientific and religious. Theosophy or the Divine Wisdom belongs to the everyday world, nutured by our altruistic desires. Thought, Love or will applied to our daily experience reveals its divine value, leading us to find the infinite in the finite.

The Eastern concept of “satyam”, “sivam” and “sundaram” (truth, goodness and beauty) are fittingly interwoven into the triad of thought, will, and action.

This book will help the reader understanding more clearly the true nature of Theosophy.

141 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 1989

A day-to-day account of life with H. P. Blavatsky during the writing of The Secret Doctrine.