Theosofische Boekhandel Adyar

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933)

158 Pages | 1983 | Paperback | Quest Books, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835605748

Spirituality never ages. This little volume contains lectures held in 1895, but which are as relevant today as then, if not more so. A Temple on a Mountain top is described. It is encircled by courts, quite similar to the concentric courtyards (prakāram) of a Hindu temple. Aspirants are climbing up the ‘Mountain of Evolution’ and waiting in the enclosure outside the Temple – ‘The Outer Court’. None are in the Outer Court save those who have definitely dedicated themselves to service. Much has to be accomplished in the Outer Court, classified by the author as purification, thought control, character building, spiritual alchemy and ‘On the Threshold’. These are to be practised simultaneously, sincerely and continuously.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 9788170595755.

This Theosophical Manual by Annie Besant helps us face death more easily. Death and dying are the greatest human fears. Clearly and simply, Dr Besant explains that although the body perishes at death, Life survives. We are each a spark of the Divine life that survives the dissolution of the gross body. Life is a conscious existence unbroken by death, and the soul that escapes from earthly life is but a means to spiritualize the material before we pass on to the life after death.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

57 Pages | First edition 1941, reprinted 1953, 1962, 1983 & 1995 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 817059264X.

Annie Besant (1847 – 1933), second President of the Theosophical Society (1907 – 1933) was described as a ‘Diamond Soul’, for she had many brilliant facets to her character. She was an outstanding orator of her time, a champion of human freedom, educationist, philanthropist and author with more than three hundred books and pamphlets to her credit. She also guided thousands of men and women all over the world in their spiritual quest.

In 1896, Dr. Annie Besant gave four Convention Lectures on Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Chrisitianity at Adyar, Madras, on the twenty-first anniversary of the Theosophical Society, the President-Founder, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832 – 1907), being in the Chair. In 1901, she continued the series with another four lectures on Islam, Jainism, Sikhism and Theosophy or ‘Divine Wisdom’ as the common source of all religions at the twenty-sixth anniversary, Colonel Olcott again presiding. Each of the lectures on the seven religions has been published as a separate booklet with the exception of the lecture on Divine Wisdom, and the whole series as a single volume under the title Seven Great Religions.

From page 55:

” My appeal to Christians, as to men of other religions, would be an appeal for unity, for the breaking down of divisions; why should they not come on a common platform with all the rest of the great religion of the world? Why should not this young religion, with only ninenteen centuries of life behind it, come and join with Buddhism with its two thousand five hundred years of existence; with Zoroastrianism and with Hinduism, with their ten thousands and twenty thousands of years rolling backward into the past? Can they not see how they blaspheme God, when they declare that he has kept Himself for only one religion amongst all religions, and that well night the youngest of all? “

62 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2002

First Paragraph:
I AM to speak this evening on Islam in the light of Theosophy. Let me begin by saying a word or two as to the relation of that which is called “Theosophy” to the great religions of the world. As you can at once see by the name, if we translate it into English, it means simply “Divine Wisdom”.

By that name is indicated THE WISDOM in its relation to all the religions of the world. Every religion in its turn has grown up from the great Root of the Divine Wisdom.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

137 Pages | Reprinted in 2002 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170593654.

Through immensely long ages or kalpā-s, climbing steadily the ladder of evolution, the ‘Liberated Ones’ merge with eternal life. Within them burns the flame of Love for all that exists. It is they who, from time to time, descend into manifested forms (avatāra-s) to accelerate the course of evolution. So says Annie Besant (1847 – 1933), who had a profound knowledge of Hindu religious philosophy and tradition, while answering the question: what is an avatāra? in a series of four lectures delivered in 1899.

150 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2002

Not an exercise book, but an explanation of yoga as a way of life, a first step toward understanding the chief treatise on yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

An Adyar book, imported from India.

By Dr. Laurence J. Bendit.

24 Pages | First edition, third reprint 2004 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 817059281X.

Here Dr. Laurence J. Bendit  has dealt with the subject of beauty from the Theosophical point of view, principally to say that beauty transforms consciousness. It links the spiritual with the psychical. In his words, ‘ takes down shutters in the mind‘, and the real artist must be open to the inner world of Nature, who is the greatest creative artist, being unconditioned by past experiences. The search for beauty is a form of yoga.

From page 19:

” The discipline of the seeker after God as Beauty, here consists, as in all other forms of seeking, in removing the factors which stand between him and what he seeks. Patañjali tells us that if we want to find Truth, we do not have to move from where we are, but simply to take down the shutters in our minds, to stop letting the mind interfere with our perceptions. We then see what has been within reach of us all of the time. So it is with the aesthetic: a matter of allowing the vision of the Beautiful to flow into us freely and without obstruction. “

By Laurence J. Bendit and Phoebe D. Bendit.

160 Pages | Second Quest printing 1983 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835600122.

Many seers, mystics, artists and poets seem to have an inkling about the purpose of life – the mystery of creation. Such an experience is something each of us must seek and find for ourselves. Such an experience can happen ‘in a moment’, in the twinkling of an eye. We must come upon such a transformative vision of reality, declare the authors, we must, or we die.

Clairvoyant, Phoebe Bendit, has ‘seen’ our potential for undoing the harm we have done, and are doing, to our personhood and to our planet. With her Jungian trained psychiatrist husband, Laurence, they have written this, sometimes frightening, but essentially optimistic, spiritual/psychological study of the mind and the supermind of man. Attractive in its simplicity, extra-ordinary in its potential. The Transforming Mind suggests that once man looks inward to encompass the whole of Nature, he will automatically re-order his world and save it for peaceful use by his children and their children.

From Chapter VII ‘Jacob’s Ladder’:

” Jacob dreamt, and behold, a ladder set up on earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the Angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham . . . And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee withersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of . . . ” – From: Genesis 28.23.

By Laurence J. Bendit and Phoebe D. Bendit.

124 Pages | 1977, third Quest printing 1989 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835604896.

A clairvoyant and a psychiatrist pool their talents in a study of the human health aura! No other work can speak to this subject with such confidence. Imagine:

1. Taking one of the most respected clairvoyants in the world.
2. A psychiatrist recognized for his fine contributions to his field.
3. Having the clairvoyant study the aura of a human subject using her unusual talents.
4. Having the psychiatrist study the psyche of the same subject.
5. Then finally integrating their observations to arrive at new and startling conclusions concerning the subtle (physically invisible) human bodies. It has never been done before. It may never be done again.

From page 20:

” A particular feature of the aura, which stands out to the vision of every competent clairvoyant is a series of quickly moving vortices of energy situated at certain points of the body. These were known of old, and are often found represented in ancient diagrams, whether of East or West, on statues or carvings, and so on. Sometimes – as in the halo of Christian saints, or in the caste-marks of Hindus – a particular one of these centers is emphasized and the rest left out. But in any case they appear pretty constant both in ancient traditions and in the perceptions of modern sensitives. Moreover, it is not by any means essential to be able to see to realize their existence, and many people become aware of them through their hands when examining a person with an extra-sensory touch. “

By Laurence J. Bendit and Phoebe D. Bendit.

225 Pages | First Quest book edition, 1967 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835600343.

If we are ever to become knowledgeable about the ‘whole man’ we must learn to understand his deeper invisible nature. This book, authored by a Jungian psychiatrist and his clairvoyant wife, helps us to do just that. Combining their talents, the Bendits provide us with a unique and enthralling overview of man’s latent powers.

Our Psychic Sense has also been referred to as the ‘sixth sense’. It can be considered as a window opening onto the real world of our inner consciousness; not just a valuable adjunct to our personality, but our actual ground of being. Together, the Bendits describe this mysterious power within us, then explain how it manifests, and finally evaluate its uselfullness to humanity.

From page 223:

” Many people are extremely frightened of psychic invasion or, as it is commonly called, possession or obesession. There is no need for this: no psychic force or entity can invade the aura of a human being unless he himself opens the door to it. That is to say, in principle, that if a person’s mind is positive, he is perfectly safe. If he becomes frightened, however, he is in a negative state, and he may then feel himself to be a prey to forces, which do not seem to belong to him. But the ‘entity’ or force is almost certain to be really only an unconscious part of himself: something which psychological re-education can help him to deal with. […] In any case, if one realizes that one is master in one’s own house, and that any intruder can be dealt with by positive thought and self-assertion, there is no need for fear. “

By Laurence J. Bendit (1898-1974).

199 Pages | Published in 2004, third reprint | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 0835675548.

The book suggests according to its author, that the basis of life is in timeless and universal Being, which becomes projected for evolutionairy purposes into the space-time world of existence. Existence can only be significant when seen against its root in pure Being. Birth, growth, decay, death and, if tradition be true, rebirth, are part of a single process. They are moreover, not separate parts, but each one co-exists all the time with the others, even when one aspect predominates.

By Laurence J. Bendit and Phoebe D. Bendit.

154 Pages | First printed in 1973 | Hardcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0722950241.

Theosophy in the true sense is the perennial and unchanging philosophy of mankind, but its presentation needs to be adapted to the times. In these essays an attempt is made to discuss some of the principles of this philosophy in modern terms, and especially related to the presentation of it as set out by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891) and others. It can safely be assumed that, were these older writers doing their work today, they would do so in quite other language than in that of the nineteenth and earlier twentieth centuries. They would have to take into account the vast mental revolution which has been taking place in the last thirty or forty years, which has altered our views on so many things, and in particular in our knowledge. These collected articles rest very much on the modern – and probably temporary – mental climate of the second half of the twentieth century.

From the Introduction:

” Theosophy, the Wisdom of the enlightened mind, is unchanging for ever. It existed before history began – for man was already inhabitant of the earth – and it will endure lonf after history had ended as a record of events in time: when it will, in some form, remain as part of the heritage of the universe. It is the Pearl of Great Price fo the Gnostic Christian, it is the Jewel in the Lotus, the Clear Light of the Buddhist, the Tao of the mind; it is known by many names, yet it is always the same Wisdom . . . “

Compiled by Katherine A. Beechey

175 Pages |1949, Second edition, fourth reprint 2015 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN 9788170591443

The Wisdom contained in the published letters of the Masters, is not merely for those to whom they were addressed but also for all those seeking to tread the Path of Holiness along the line of Devotion.

Glimpses of that Wisdom can be had through the extracts incorporated by the author into Daily Meditations. She has selected passages suitable to be meditated upon – one each for every day of the year. They are arranged as twelve virtues, with one quality assigned for each month, namely: Unselfishness, Compassion, Truth, Devotion, Purity, Sympathy, Courage, Intuition, Tolerance, Self-reliance, Equilibrium and Perseverance.

From page 43:

DEVOTION

” Relative to the population of the world

you may be few in numbers,

but spiritual strength and power depend

not upon numbers.

Rather do they depend upon burning sincerity. “

422 pages | bGebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2006

Two Mahatmas inspired the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875. But who are the Mahatmas? Are they real persons? How authetic are their letters? What is the story behind their origin?
These and many more questions are answered in the seventeen chapters of this book, which contain facsimiles of the letters and other material of much interest.

An Adyar book, imported from India.

476 pages | Gebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2006

This work is not intended to be a biography of H P Blavatsky. A major portion is devoted to her writings, particularly to the manner in which they are written. The predominant motif is to describe the superior spiritual status she attained before she commenced her stupendous work as a benefactor of the human race. As there is no single English word that conveys the spiritual powers she acquired, the author turns to the orient, to the land of Tibet, for a suitable term – Tulku. This Tibetan term is clarified along with other little known words and a philosophical exposition is given in an illuminating manner, dealing as it does with some of the mysteries of human life which have been studied for ages in the East.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 – 180)

200 pagina’s | Hardcover gebonden | Ankh-Hermes, Deventer | ISBN: 9789020208726

Marcus Aurelius, Romeins keizer van 161 tot 180, wordt beschouwd als de laatste grote vertegenwoordiger van Stoa, een filosofische stroming in de klassieke oudheid. Tijdens zijn veldtochten hield hij een filosofisch dagboek bij. Deze persoonlijke aantekeningen laten hem zien als een van de nobelste figuren uit de klassieke oudheid. Marcus Aurelius’ stoïcisme is vooral een praktische levensfilosofie.
Overpeinzingen bevat een gevarieerde collectie fascinerende spirituele ontboezemingen en overdenkingen, die ook heel inspirerend kunnen zijn voor de mens die in de 21e eeuw op zoek is naar zingeving en verlichting. Tijdloze wijsheid.

By John van Auken.

168 Pages | First edition 1971, 2nd – 5th printings: 1993 – 1996. This is the 6th printing of 2001 | Softcover | A.R.E. Press, Virginia U.S.A. | ISBN: 0876043635.

This eye-opening book looks at prophecies from four major sources: The Bible, Edgar Cayce, Nostradamus, and the Holy Mother as she has appeared in visions over the years. The author examines startling predictions of the ‘End Times’ as they relate to the millennium, emphasizing the strong similarities among these diverse sources.

Examined are:

• Prophecies from The Revelation, Daniel, and other books of the Bible about the final days and the ‘Second Coming’.
• Concepts from the Cacye readings about earth changes and the prophecies written in stone within the Great Pyramid.
• Nostradamus’s amazing predictions from centuries ago.
• Messages from Marian apparitions warning of impending cataclysmic changes unless there is a return to God.
• And much more!

From Chapter Four – ‘The Divine from the Holy Mother’ (The Divine Feminine) (p. 149 & 150):

” The Blessed Virgin appeared in a white dress, a blue mantle with a crown of small golden stars above her head. Her feet were not visible. Her hands were wide open. Her hair is long, dark brown and wavy, and parted in the middle. She has an oval shaped face and her nose is long and delicate. Her mouth is very pretty with rather full lips. The color of her face is dark, but lighter than the Angel’s – it’s different. Her voice is very lovely, a very unusual voice that I can’t describe. There is no woman that resembles the Blessed Virgin in her voice, or anything else. In her arms she sometimes carries the baby Jesus. He is very tiny, like a newborn with a little face. His complexion is like that of the Blessed Virgin’s. “

Door Danielle Audoin (1926 – 1971).

74 Bladzijden | Uitgegeven in 1990 | Paperback | Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland | ISBN: 9789061750628.

Frans origineel: Connais-Toi Toi-même – A la lumière de la Théosophie | Laatste editie 2004 | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar.

Engelse vertaling: On Knowing Oneself – A Theosophical Approach | Uitgegeven in 2005 | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170592755.

Theosofische literatuur bestrijkt een enorm gebied en werpt licht op eeuwenoude vragen over de mens, het universum en de goddelijke bestaansgrond. In dit boek presenteert Danielle Audoin de mens, die op verschillende niveaus van bewustzijn bestaat, vanuit een theosofisch standpunt. Stap voor stap laat ze zien dat er een onbeperkte ontplooiing van bewustzijn mogelijk is, te beginnen met de eerste stappen op weg naar zelfkennis.
Dit is een duidelijk gepresenteerde inleiding tot een belangrijk aspect van de Tijdloze Wijsheid, waarin de fundamentele leringen over de menselijke reis naar de Ultieme Realiteit worden benadrukt.

By George Sydney Arundale (1878 – 1945).

278 Pages | First edition 1935, 2nd 1936, 3rd 1956, 4th 1996 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170592690.

This book is a brief epitome of George S. Arundale’s Theosophy at its present stage of unfoldment, for though there are certain fundamental principles underlying the Science of Theosophy – possibly such as Arundale has ventured to indicate in the Envoi – at the end, each student should be gradually finding his own Theosophy for him – or herself, his or her own understanding of the Science of Living.

CONTENTS:

1. You in General
2. The Individual You
3. Your Parents and Family
4. Your Education
5. Your Larger Family
6. Your Circumstances and Surroundings
7. Your Business and Your Leisure
8. Your World in Peace and War
9. You and Decision-Making
10. You and Love
11. You and Death
12. You and a Mode of Transcendence
13. You and Your Search for Beauty
14. You, Theosophy and The Theosophical Society
15. You and Your Goal; and Envoi.

From Chapter 11 – ‘You and Death’ (p. 165 & 166):

” A healthy-minded individual, with a minimum of that ignorance about death which is the cause of so much sorrow, will make friends with death, treat him as a colleague and helper, and give him sensible co-operation when at last he comes. And if ignorance has not been at work year after year erecting what it thinks to be formidable barriers against death, barriers which death so easily overcomes, then not only will death be less inclined to be tiresome, but, when he comes, he will feel at home as with a friend. We tend to summon death the more we seek to repel him. And death must smile to watch the frantic efforts we make to keep alive, when so often he would be able to offer a far more profitable condition than that, which we call life; which is but the shadow of a shade of life. What we have to do is to make death part of our scheme and plan of life. We must give him his due place in life, for he is a much life as that which we call life. He is called death only because he is a different kind of life. “

By Sir Edwin Lester Arnold (1832 – 1904).

154 Pages | First edition 1970, Quest Miniature Series 1975 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835604187.

The incomparable religious classic of India . . .

In exquisite poetic allegory, Sir Edwin Lester Arnold translates the revered and sacred story of Arjuna and Krishna, representing the eternal struggle between the personality and the Immortal Self.

” Take my last word. My utmost meaning have! Precious thou art to Me; right well-be-loved! Listen! I tell thee for thy comfort this. Give Me thy heart! Adore Me! Serve Me! Cling in faith and love and reverence to Me! So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true, For thou art sweet to Me! “

By Sir Edwin Lester Arnold (1832 – 1904).

154 Pages | First edition 1970 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 0835672301.

The incomparable religious classic of India . . .

In exquisite poetic allegory, Sir Edwin Lester Arnold translates the revered and sacred story of Arjuna and Krishna, representing the eternal struggle between the personality and the Immortal Self.

” Take my last word. My utmost meaning have! Precious thou art to Me; right well-be-loved! Listen! I tell thee for thy comfort this. Give Me thy heart! Adore Me! Serve Me! Cling in faith and love and reverence to Me! So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true, For thou art sweet to Me! “

231 pages | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2000

An inspiring poetic rendering of the life, character, and philosophy of the Buddha, based on accounts in traditional texts.
An Adyar book, imported from India.

was an immediate success, going through several editions, but also attacked by some for its alleged distortion of Buddhist doctrine and for its tolerant attitude toward a non-Christian religion.

By H.J. Arnikar, Ph.D.

122 Pages | First edition 2000 | Hardcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170594065.

The very words ‘occult’ and ‘chemistry’ would seem to most people to be strange bedfellows. However, Professor Arnikar, a distinguished scientist with an international reputation in radiochemistry research and chemical education and teacher of renown has written a fascinating book, which will be of interest to layman and scientist alike.

It presents the remarkable results of the pioneer occult chemists over the period 1890-1933. The book highlights equally their conformity to or divergences from the findings of modern science. The treatment is as scientifically rigorous as it is warmly appreciative.

Occult Chemistry was published by Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) and Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854 – 1934), (Adyar), 1908 and 1919. Eastern philosophy firmly believes that every person has latent powers, which developed by yogic training under a qualified Master can equip him with various extraordinary powers or siddhis as they are called. One siddhi is to be able to see the smallest of the small by the naked eye unaided. Besant and Leadbeater could point with uncanny accuracy to certain findings in the field of atomic structure and nuclear constitution, which decades later experimental scientists endorsed in the main.

From Chapter 5 – ‘Contributions of Contemporary Scientists to Occult Chemistry’ (p. 107):

” Who is to investigate the latent powers in man? “

” Our Elders have always sounded a word of caution against the overzealous enthusiasts from dabbling into the grave esoteric truths of life, while still lacking in necessary mental discipline. To acquire this last, there is no way other than devoted study at the lotus feet of the ‘Master’. Before the period of apprenticeship is over, one may be tempted to test unauthorizedly one’s skills, knowledge and capabilities to know if they are not adequate to acquire one of the siddhis, as the aṇimā. “

By Thomas Armstrong.

203 Pages | A Quest Original, first published in 1985, second printing 1988 | Soft cover| Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835606007.

Thomas Armstrong believes, that children come into this life radiating and reflecting the mystery of creation; that their spiritual nature as well as their basic instincts are close to the surface of their awareness. Unfortunately, for most part, parents, teachers, and child therapists have not recognized this delightfully useful aspect of the childhood psyche. The author notes, that this hidden sight of youthful consciousness has been noticed and appreciated primarily by poets, mystics, authors of fairy tales, and world mythologists. These folks identify with the wonder-child, the divine child, the child-god, the child hero. This practical guide is heavily documented with case-histories of ‘radiant’ experiences, the reality of which is supported by telling testimony from the author’s peers.

From page 101:

” The child is potential future . . . the ‘child’ paves the way for a future change of personality. In the individuation process it anticipates the figure, that comes from the synthesis of conscious and unconscious elements in the personality. It is therefore a symbol, which unites the opposites; a mediator, a bringer of healing; that is, one who makes whole. “

Compiled by the Merseyside Lodge of The Theosophical Society in England. With an Introduction and editorial notes by Geoffrey A. Farthing (1909 – 2004).

58 Pages | Published in 2000 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, London | No ISBN.

Madame Blavatsky was at pains to say in many places what Theosophy is vis-a-vis the current scientific, religious and philosophical views of her time, and to show its relationship to the Theosophical Society, which she and others had founded in New York in 1875. The Society among other things (its three objects) was intended to promulgate a knowledge of Theosophy exists, and to help them to ascend towards it by studying and assimilating its eternal verities. [KEY,57].

From Chapter 2 – ‘Theosophy, the Perennial Wisdom’ (p.9):

IT LIES AT THE ROOT OF EVERY MORAL PHILOSOPHY. RELIGION AND SCIENCE.

” How long, O radiant Gods of Truth, how long shall this terrible mental cecity [blindness] of the nineteenth century Philosophists last? How much longer are they to be told that Theosophy is no national property, no religion, but only the universal code of science and the most transcendental ethics that was ever known; that it lies at the root of every moral philosophy and religion; and that neither Theosophy per se, nor yet its humble unworthy vehicle, the Theosophical Society, has anything whatever to do with any personality or personalities. To identify it with these is to show oneself sadly defective in logic and common sense. [C.W.XI,437]. “

By two anonymous students.

76 Pages | Copyright 1978 | Paperback | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835602265.

In this small book have been collected together articles authored by two outstanding students of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s (1831 – 1891) The Secret Doctrine. What makes this collection so unique is that the two authors were contemporaries of Blavatsky, and consequently, their writing reflects the atmosphere, captures the flavor of, the occult community of the late nineteenth century. All who admire  and respect the magnitude of H.P.B.’s philosophy, particularly as expressed in The Secret Doctrine, will find much in this book to enchance their study of the nature of creation and of man.

From Chapter I, ‘Theosophical Gleanings’ or ‘Notes On The Secret Doctrine, Lucifer, Vol. VI, No. 31. London, March 15th, 1890:

” We are literally what our signature says: Two Students, nothing more pretentious. If we are also what has been called ‘communicative learners’, it is because we feel that what have been difficulties to us are probably difficulties to others, and that fellow-students can sometimes lend each other a helping hand over a rough piece of road. In reading ‘The Secret Doctrine’, the student is apt to be confused, even dazed, by the range of erudition, the wealth of illustrations, the abundance of digressions, the number of literary allusions. Devas and Daimons, Dhyani, Buddhas and Kumaras, Yugas and cycles, satyrs and fakirs, alchemists and adept, Manus and Monads, whirl around him in dazzling phantasmagoria, and he rises from hours of effort, his only distinct acquirement a headache.

We have found the most fruitful system of study is to fix on some one thing, to follow it, through all its windings with dogged persistency, steadily hunting it down through the two volumes, disregarding all alluring byways and seductive glades, until there lies before us that one thing in its completeness, with every touch given to it from beginning to end, clear definite, comprehensible. It may be remembered that there was one Proteus who could give the most interesting information, if only you could keep grip on him through all his transformations, until he reassumed his proper shape and became conversable. So, in following the Protean shapes in ‘The Secret Doctrine’, if you can only ‘hang on’ to the end, your reward is true. “

Door anonieme schrijvers, met een cover tekst door Drs. P. F. W. Huijs.

67 Pagina’s | Uitgegeven in 2001 | Softcover | Rozekruis Pers, Haarlem | ISBN: 9067322490.

In de Symposionreeks verschijnen de teksten van Symposia, die jaarlijks gehouden worden door het Lectorium Rosicrucianum, de Internationale School van het Gouden Rozenkruis, op het conferentieoord Renova, te Bilthoven.

Op vierentwintig-jarige leeftijd werd Baruch de Spinoza uit de Amsterdamse synagoge gezet en voor het leven vervloekt, omdat hij Godslasterlijk zou zijn. Het getuigt van een ongekende moed en onverschrokkenheid om op zo’n moment te kunnen zeggen: ‘Heel goed, het is niets anders dan wat ik zelf had willen doen, maar naliet om geen schandaal te veroorzaken’. Dezelfde onverschrokkenheid spreekt uit Spinoza’s onderzoek naar de menselijke rede. Op meetkundige wijze geeft hij vorm aan zijn filosofie; opgesplitst in definities, axioma’s, stellingen en bewijzen. 

In zijn Verhandeling over de Verbetering van het Begrip, waarin hij zoekt naar ‘iets werkelijk goeds’, waarvan de ontdekking me in staat zou stellen tot een voortdurend, hoogst en oneindig geluk’ is er nergens iets te vinden over een verdriet om het loslaten van aardse zaken. Uitgangspunt van Spinoza’s filosofie is de volledige identiteit van God en de Natuur: het Ene, onpersoonlijk en ondeelbaar; een volstrekt Al. Hij zegt: ‘Al verandert het voorkomen van het heelal ook op oneindig veel wijzen, toch blijft het immer hetzelfde. ‘

Afkomstig van de backflap:

” . . . dat ik over God en de Natuur een mening koester geheel verschillend van die welke moderne christenen plegen te verdedigen. Mijn stelling is namelijk dat God de immanente zoals men zegt, en niet de transcendente oorzaak van alle dingen is. Alle dingen zijn in God en bewegen in God, zo verklaar ik met Paulus en wellicht ook met alle antieke filosofen, zij het dan misschien op een andere wijze. ” Uit: Brief 73; Den Haag, 1 december 1675 aan Henry Oldenburg, p. 399.

177 pages | Gebonden/Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House Adyar, 2006

This enlarged edition of Reminiscences of Colonel H.S. Olcott retains the original compilation of articles about this outstanding man and his work, with new sections containing additional information, and quotations taken from his deeply insightful talks and writings for the reader to meditate upon. It is offered as a tribute to a great soul who passed away a hundred years ago on 17 February 1907, and who made an impact in the diverse fields of agricultural science, law, religion, social welfare, education, healing and research. His memory is cherished both on account of his stupendous work and the goodness of his heart.

56 blz. | Brochure | Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland , 1975

INHOUD:
Diagram of Meditation, door H. P. Blavatsky
Meditatie-Diagram, door H. P. Blavatsky
Meditatie over Tau, door Koeng Foe
Toelichting op het Meditatie-Diagram
Een Meditatie van J. Krishnamurti
Ontspanningsoefeningen, door Ronald Engelse
De Kunst van het Mediteren, door Felix Layton
Ervaring en Meditatie, door Vimala Thakar
Tau is een leeg vat
De Betekenis van Meditatie in het Boeddhisme, door Lama Anagarika Govinda
Het Gras Wordt Groener, door Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditatie, door Chogyam Trungpa
Een Basis voor een Westerse Meditatie-Traditie, door J.H. Dubbink
Tibetaans Boeddhisme
De Yoga-Sutras van Patanjali
Krishnamurti over Meditatie

By Mary Anderson.

28 Pages | First Edition 2006 | Softcover| Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170594871.

Theosophy aims to grasp the Wisdom underlying all religions when they are stripped of accretions and superstitions. It offers a philosophy, which renders life intelligible and demonstrates that justice and love guide the cosmos. Its teachings contribute to the unfolding of the latest spiritual nature in the human being, without dependence or fear.

Mary Anderson is the International Secretary for the Theosophical Society. She has lectured widely for the Society in several languages.

From page 5:

” The root of universal brotherhood lies in the origin of humanity, indeed of all the kingdoms of Nature. All beings, even all things that can exist, have one single origin, just as brothers and sisters in a family have the same parents. Love is something that draws us together, that draws us back to the Oneness from which we came and for which we yearn, whether we realize it or not. “

By Prof. John Allan.

175 Pages | Softcover | First published in 1986 | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835606031.

‘ One man’s journey into the heart of all that lives’.

The book takes the form of Prof. John Allan’s diary entries over the course of a year showing how it is possible to escape from the confines of the world of matter and open oneself to the profound and timeless Love of the world of Spirit. It is a supremely practical book which, among other things, will make clear how illness is caused and how you, like the author, can heal yourself. It also deals with such issues as overcoming grief and conquering the fear of death. Furthermore, it enables you to see what keeps you from feeling the joy that is inherent in life and from experiencing the love that is everyone’s birthright. These and many other problems in living (and dying) yield to the overwhelming presence of Spirit.

In this book, John Allan, in prose as pellucid as the mountain streams he frequents, beckons you to follow him into the world of Spirit and to learn for yourself how Spirit works – and how it can work for you. Can any of us afford not take this journey at some time in our life? You are fortunate to have a guide like John Allan to help illuminate your Way.

From page 12:

Tuesday May 10, 1983:

” The ‘way’ one uses to find God doesn’t really matter unless we get focused on the way and make that our truth. What does matter is the losing of self. And if this comes through prayer, church, or other means, then so be it; for the life we find when having lost self will teach us, show us better to be with that Life. Thus there will come a time when the way will drop away, for the experiencing of Spirit and its life will be sufficient. “

With the Vivarana Commentary by Śri Upanishadbrahmayogin. Edited by the Pandits of the Adyar Library under the supervision of Prof. C. Kunhan Raja. Critically edited with his Tippani by Dr. S. Sankaranarayanan, Hon. Professor, Adyar Library.

603 Pages | First edition 1936, revised edition 1996, The Adyar Library Series, Volume 15 |  Hardcover, with Sanskrit texts | The Adyar Library and Research Centre | No ISBN.

By John Algeo.

192 Pages | A Wisdom Tradition Book published in 2001 | Softcover | Olcott Institute of the Theosophical Society in America and The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835608121.

A Wisdom Tradition Book, based on Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s (1831 – 1891) Key to Theosophy (1889). Like the original, this is a question and answer outline of the basic teachings of Theosophy. The original ‘key’ was dedicated by Madame Blavatsky to: ‘all her pupils, that they may learn and teach in their turn’.

In his turn, John Algeo offers his teaching in the clear language of our day, and includes ‘Suggestions for Study’ at the end of each chapter. John Algeo was the past president of the Theosophical Society in America from 1993–2002, then as Vice President of the international Theosophical Society in Adyar, Chennai, India until 2008.

From Chapter 4 – ‘The Relations of the Theosophical Society to Theosophy’ (p. 62):

” The Theosophical Society exists to express the Wisdom of Theosophy, but it can do so only imperfectly. And where does it find that Wisdom? From the early days of the Society two traditions have existed in tension with it. One is to compare the exoteric teachings of the great religions, philosophies and sciences: ‘It is only by studying the various great religions and philosophies of humanity, by comparing them dispassionately and with an unbiased mind, that men can hope to arrive at the truth,’ as Blavatsky says at one point in this chapter. The other is to look for the esoteric wellspring of all the exoteric teachings: ‘the oldest philosophy in the world, called the Wisdom Religion or the Archaic Doctrine’ . . . or Theosophy, as she says at another point. “

By John Algeo (1930 – 2019).

89 Pages | Original edition 1996, fourth edition 2007 | A4 Softcover, Study Course | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835601900.

This is a study course introducing Theosophy as presented by the Theosophical Society. Have you ever wondered about the ‘big’questions of life?

• Who am I really?
• Why is the world the way it is?
• Where did I come from?
• What am I doing here?
• What comes next?
• When will I find out all these things?

We, human beings, are curious about ourselves and the world around us. That curiosity appears especially in little children, who continually ask why? and what? As we grow older, we may learn to live with our unknowing and stop questions, at least overtly. But, being human, we have a passion for knowing the meaning of things and that passion cannot be wholly surpressed.

From Chapter III – Universal Brotherhood (p. 15):

” The FIRST OBJECT of the Theosophical Society is concerned with Brotherhood:

To form a nucleus of the universal Brotherhood of humanity without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.

Brotherhood is the primary focus of Theosophy, because all human beings are related. Indeed, we are all ultimately the same life expressing itself diversely. Because of our interrelatedness, everything each of us does affects everyone else. If humanity as a whole does not learn to live as one family, we will not live at all. Thus, the Theosophical Society is a nucleus  fostering the practical reality of Brotherhood for the furtherance of humanity’s evolution. “

27 p. | 1998 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar

Living Theosophy: 1998 Besant Lecture (pamphlet). John Algeo, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, was Alumni Foundation distinguished Professor of English until his retirement to accept the presidency of the Theosophical Society in America from 1993 – 2002.

By John Algeo.

60 Pages | Study guide, first edition 1981, third edition 2007 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835602099.

This study guide offers an introduction to Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s (1831 – 1891) Secret Doctrine – The Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy (1888) based primarily on the ‘Bowen notes’, which purportedly record Blavatsky’s own advice. The work borrows freely, however, from the Wisdom and practice of many others as well and formulates questions rather than answers.

Students of The Secret Doctrine differ considerably in their attitude toward the book and its study. The attitude adopted here – namely that it is remarkable and indeed a marvellous book, but that it is not free from error or in any sense a ‘sacred’ text – is not universally held. But John Algeo believes that it is in the Spirit of the Ageless Wisdom and The Secret Doctrine that we should respect each other’s views, without necessarily sharing them.

From Chapter 6 – ‘How to Study The Secret Doctrine’ (p. 21):

” The Bowen notes tell us that ‘reading the S.D, page by page as one reads any other book’ – for example, a textbook – ‘will only end in confusion’. The notes also give suggestions on how to go about studying the work. They advise the student to hold fast to four basic ideas:

1. The fundamental unity of all existence with two aspects: consciousness and substance;

2. The vitality of all matter;

3. The microcosmic correspondence of human nature to the great cosmos because of our oneness with it;

4. The hermetic order of the universe as a Divine Economy, which is simultaneously a hierarchy of power and a network of equality. “

By Doug Alderson.

292 Pages | Published in 2007 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608510.

We are all seekers… Some find their path on pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple in India or the Haji Ali mausoleum as they embark on a journey to Mecca. Others find God at the burial site of St. James in the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Author and environmentalist Doug Alderson meets ‘the Great Spirit’ through the ancient spiritual practice of walking. The Vision Keepers is the compelling true story of a seeker who, under the guidance of Bear Heart, a Muskogee Creek Indian and Medicine Man, finds unity with our nation’s native people and reconnects with the earth through profound and mysterious means.

From the Epilogue (p. 260 & 261):

” The Hopi, along with traditional people worldwide, believe it is their role to uphold global balance through their ceremonies and lifestyles. As tribal life has eroded, the hefty burden has fallen on fewer and fewer people. It is now up to everyone, through prayers, thoughts, and actions, to share the responsibility of keeping life in harmonious synchronisation. To create a peaceful and beautiful world for the unborn is perhaps our highest purpose. A great adventure lies ahead, one that will present us with critical choices and challenges. I pray that we will adhere to that old Quaker adage slightly altered, to ‘live simply so that others – and the earth’s creatures – may simply live. “

Door J. Krishnamurti

85 Pagina’s | Third Reprint 2023 | Softcover | Uitgeverij Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN 8170596033

In dit ogenschijnlijk eenvoudige boek waarvan de leringen duizenden harten hebben geraakt, ligt de uitdaging in het leven van die leringen, dus de noodzaak om acht te slaan op elk woord. Het boek is een van de drie theosofische klassiekers die van onschatbare waarde zijn voor aspiranten op het spirituele pad, de andere twee zijn The Voice of the Silence en Light on the Path.

By Prof. C.V. Agarwal, Ph.D. (passed away in 2009).

104 Pages | First edition 1993, second enlarged edition 2001| Hardcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | No ISBN.

From the Foreword:

” This book relates in detail how Buddhists and Theosophists laboured in friendship to raise Buddhist ideals and teachings to a rightful place of dignity at a time when they were looked down upon under colonial rule “.

Included is interesting information about the great work performed by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832 – 1907) to support the Buddhist cause.

and

By Swami Abhedananda (1886 – 1936).

99 Pages | Photocopy of the Original 1908 edition | A4 Softcover | Kessinger Publication Company Ltd. | ISBN: 1564598861.

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1 – Reïncarnation

Chapter 2 – Heredity and Reïncarnation

Chapter 3 – Evolution and Reïncarnation

Chapter 4 – Which is Scientific, Resurrection or Reïncarnation?

Chapter 5 – Theory of Transmigration.

From Chapter 2 – ‘Heredity of Reïncarnation’ (p. 47):

” Those, who accept the truth of Reïncarnation do not blame their parents for their poor talents, or for not possessing extraordinary powers, but they remain content with their own lot, knowing that they have made themselves as they are to-day by their own thoughts and deeds in their previous incarnations. They understand the meaning of the saying ‘what thou sowest, mus thou reap’, and always endeavor to mould their future by better thoughts and better deeds. They explain all the inequalities and diversities of life and character by the law of ‘Karma’, which governs the process of Reïncarnation as well as the gradual evolution of the germs of life from lower to higher stages of existence. “

241 pages | 2005 | Paperback | Quest Books

Presenting his own interpretation of the basic Theosophical concepts established in the late nineteenth century by the brilliant mystic, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), Edward Abdill gives us perhaps the first simplified and straightforward written version of the esoteric system that for centuries has often been misunderstood. The book is a perfect guiding tool for all those on the quest to self-discovery and self-transformation.

By Edward C. Abdill.

24 Pages | Copyright 1996 by The Theosophical Society in America | A4 Study Course | Quest Books, U.S.A. | No ISBN.

A Study Course to accompany the five-part video series Foundations of the Ageless Wisdom.

CONTENTS

• Suggested Uses of this Study Guide
• Getting started
• Symbols used in this Study Guide
• The Ultimate Real
• Meaningful Motion
• Sevenfold Human Nature
• Progressive Evolution
• The Path and the Spiritual Life
• Suggestions for future Study
• Texts:
  • 1. Course Objectives and Outline
  • 2. First fundamental Proposition (abridged)
  • 3. Yoga of Knowledge (Jñana Yoga)
  • 4. Second Fundamental Proposition (abridged)
  • 5. From the Tao Te Ching
  • 6. An optical Illusion
  • 7. An optical Illusion Aid
  • 8. Sevenfold Human Nature
  • 9. Third fundamental Proposition (abridged).