By John Hughes, Foreword by Lance Nelson.

139 Pages | Published in 1994 | Softcover | State University of New York | ISBN: 0791421805.

The Oral Teachings of Swami Lakshmanjoo.

This book presents the oral teachings of the twentieth century’s great Kashmir Shaivite master. The last of his long lineage, Swami Lakshmanjoo preserved, as did his precedessors, the oral knowledge that illuminates this ancient philosophy – that clarifies the often deliberately obscure tantric texts.

Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals the essence of the way and the means to self-realization. Here in his own original discourses, as well as in his English renderings of Abhinavagupta and Kshemarāja, he unveils the essential teachings of this yoga philosophy. He reveals the tantric understanding of the purpose and reason for creation. He offers instruction on the greatness and importance of the supreme mantra sauh. In his presentation of effective practice he explains why meditation is both effortless and, at the same time, difficult. In his discussion of discipline he clarifies  why personal habits and dispositions play an important part in spiritual growth. Finally, in his unveiling of the path of Kundalini yoga, he is intent on exposing and thereby preserving this hidden elevated process while warning of its pitfalls.

From the Foreword (p. xxviii):

” Swami Lakshmanjoo traces his lineage back to the great Kashmir Śaiva polymath Abhinavagupta (tenth-eleventh centuries C.E.) and beyond. Śaivism had flourished in the Kashmir Valley for several centuries before the time of Abhinavagupta, and it continued to thrive for several hundred years after. The nondual Śaiva teaching was passed down through illustrious preceptors such as Somānanda (tenth century C.E,), his pupil Utpaladeva, and Utpaladeva’s pupil Lakshmanagupta, who  – as mentioned above – was one of Abhinavagupta’s preceptors. Also worthy of mention are Kshemarāja (eleventh century), a disciple of Abhinavagupta, and Jayaratha (twelfth century), who commented on the great master’s masterpiece, the tantrāloka. “

By John Hughes, Foreword by Lance Nelson.

139 Pages | Published in 1994 | Hardcover | State University of New York | ISBN: 0791421791.

The Oral Teachings of Swami Lakshmanjoo.

This book presents the oral teachings of the twentieth century’s great Kashmir Shaivite master. The last of his long lineage, Swami Lakshmanjoo preserved, as did his precedessors, the oral knowledge that illuminates this ancient philosophy – that clarifies the often deliberately obscure tantric texts.

Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals the essence of the way and the means to self-realization. Here in his own original discourses, as well as in his English renderings of Abhinavagupta and Kshemarāja, he unveils the essential teachings of this yoga philosophy. He reveals the tantric understanding of the purpose and reason for creation. He offers instruction on the greatness and importance of the supreme mantra sauh. In his presentation of effective practice he explains why meditation is both effortless and, at the same time, difficult. In his discussion of discipline he clarifies  why personal habits and dispositions play an important part in spiritual growth. Finally, in his unveiling of the path of Kundalini yoga, he is intent on exposing and thereby preserving this hidden elevated process while warning of its pitfalls.

From the Foreword (p. xxviii):

” Swami Lakshmanjoo traces his lineage back to the great Kashmir Śaiva polymath Abhinavagupta (tenth-eleventh centuries C.E.) and beyond. Śaivism had flourished in the Kashmir Valley for several centuries before the time of Abhinavagupta, and it continued to thrive for several hundred years after. The nondual Śaiva teaching was passed down through illustrious preceptors such as Somānanda (tenth century C.E,), his pupil Utpaladeva, and Utpaladeva’s pupil Lakshmanagupta, who  – as mentioned above – was one of Abhinavagupta’s preceptors. Also worthy of mention are Kshemarāja (eleventh century), a disciple of Abhinavagupta, and Jayaratha (twelfth century), who commented on the great master’s masterpiece, the tantrāloka. “

By Ianthe H. Hoskins (1912-2001).

37 Pages | Printed July 2000 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, London | No ISBN.

Ianthe Hoskins joined The Theosophical Society in 1936, and later served for two periods (1972-1978 and 1989-1992) as General Secretary of the English Section. As an international lecturer she has travelled widely, lecturing in English, French, Spanish and German, and conducting study courses at the International Headquarters at Adyar and in several Sections around the world. For a number of years she has been a member of the General Council (the governing body of the Society). Outside the Society, she is well known in the Yoga movement, speaking particularly on Vedanta.

From page 25:

” If the divine birth is to shine with reality and purity, it must come flooding up and out of man from God within him, while all man’s own efforts are suspended and all the soul’s agents are at God’s disposal. “

By His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama.

178 Pages | First Adyar edition, fourth reprint 2015| Paperback | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar ISBN: 9788170591245.

This important book by the Dalai Lama the gives an authentic account of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. It is hoped that its publication will contribute to a greater understanding of Tibetan culture. The main part of the book is preceded by a short account of the spread of Buddhism in Tibet, also written by His Holiness. The whole range of Buddhist teachings as practised in Tibet is expounded with great clarity, yet with brevity.

From page 12:

HOMMAGE TO SUPREME WISDOM PERFECTLY ANALYZING ALL DHARMAS

” According to Buddhist tradition, the present era is called the time for virtue (śila-kāla) being one of the divisions of the five-thousand year period during which it is said the teaching of the fourth Buddha to appear in this Aeon, will actually endure. The most important religious feature of this era lies in the observance of the moral precepts. “

By Robert Ellwood.

164 Pages | First Quest Edition 1996 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607399.

” Life is . . . a series of sunrises, with night following behind them – each night a little death, each sunrise a minor birth . . . linked together by a single secret, the secret of who you really are. “

So begins this deceptively simple, poetic jewel of a book by Robert Ellwood, author of the best-selling inspirational classic Finding the Mind. Drawing on the teachings of Theosophist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), Ellwood describes the individual self as a Pilgrim journeying from life to life, learning, growing, evolving toward that state of infinite purity from which we come and which is our true home.

A spiritual Passages for today’s seeker, Ellwood’s gentle travelogue for the soul points to the deeper meaning of the stages and sign-posts of human life – childhood, adolescence, midlife, aging – offering guidance for the Pilgrim who is each of us, as we walk life’s winding Path.

From Chapter 2 – ‘Chinks of Eternity’ (p. 29):

As the Secret Doctrine puts it:

” The universe is worked and guided, from within outwards. As above, so it is below, as in heaven, so on earth; and man, the microcosm and miniature copy of the macrocosm, is the living witness to this Universal Law and to the mode of its action.

And again:

From Gods to men, from Worlds to atoms, from a Star to a rush-light, from the Sun to the vital heat of the meanest organic being – the world of Form and Existence is an immense chain, the links of which all are connected. “

By Robert Ellwood.

193 Pages | First Quest Edition, 1997 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. } ISBN: 0835607607.

Many Christians today yearn for a deeper, more inward practice of their faith. Drawing on the ancient wisdom tradition and the themes and symbols of medieval romance, Robert Ellwood shows Christianity at its most profound to be a philosophical, meditative, and mystical path.

The two symbols at heart of Christian belief – the Cross and Grail – represent the two faces of contemporary Christianity. The Cross is its outward face – masculine, public, exalted. The Grail is its hidden and esoteric face – magical, feminine, sought by many, found only by those who are able to ask the right questions. This book teaches you to ask the right questions. Its readings, stories, prayers, and practices can help you plumb into the hidden depths of a faith you may have taken for granted.

From the Preface (p. x & xi):

” The Grail of medieval and Arthurian and Christian romance, reminds us that the Path is also a great quest for the holy, for that which will transform us and the world. There are many versions of the Grail story. It is not my purpose here to sort them out, and in the end the Holy Grail means something unique to each sincere seeker of the hidden and eternal treasure it represents. However, in one way or another, the narratives generally tell of a knight, who journeys to a blighted land, perhaps ruled over by maimed king. Reaching the country’s center, the knight dares to enter a castle containing as its great treasure a chalice of imperishable brightness, which is guarded by knights and maidens bearing enigmatic tokens, such as a broken sword or a lance dripping blood. The puzzling question: ‘Whom does the Grail serve?’ must be asked by the knight in order to transform himself and restore the wasteland. In all versions there is a feeling of magical and dreamlike strangeness, suggesting, that the story is ultimately about initiation and a transformation taking place inwardly, at the deepest levels of consciousness from which come dream and inspiration. “

By Jessie K. Crum.

96 Pages | Copyright 1975, fourth printing 1989 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835603032.

TRUST YOUR INNER VOICES.

Here is a key to personal revolution, a remarkable guide to discovering and exploiting your own creative birthright. The author has written a helpful, hopeful, book about her own experience with self-awakening – how it happened, and the steps in this new and absorbing quest.

The search voor understanding, the far-reaching effects of thought and emotion, IQ and genius, the role of faith, meditation, focus, love, how to contact the higher mind: The Art of Inner Listening offers the touchstone to perception beyond the conscious mind. It is a guide for the most rewarding journey you will ever make!

From the flyleaf:

” Power is available for your use, and the connection also is ready, but it is up to you to turn on the switch. 

You can become your own best self only by remaining true to yourself. There is a clear and simple path to self-discovery, as beautiful and direct as a straight line. 

Every man is potentially creative, and the seeds of genius are asleep within him. “

By Mabel Collins (1851-1927).

142 Pages | Facsimile edition of the original 1913 publication | Softcover | Kessinger Publications LCC, Montana U.S.A. | ISBN: 1564599140.

This ‘jewel’ of which Mabel Collins is writing, is no diamond dug out of the darkness of the earth, but is no less a thing than the mind of man when it has been drawn from the darkness of material life and become perfectly clear. It then, when directed upon any object, is able to entirely perceive and understand it, by the same method that a rock-crystal takes on the hue of a coloured substance with which it is brought into contact. This is the condition of conscious trance-like clairvoyance, which is attained by those who practise what is called the ‘Yoga of devotion’. Hence, this book is important to anyone in ‘Yoga’.

From page 106:

” By light is here meant the light of entire passivity, which is identical with that of the Soul, ever blissful and free. The covering consists of the phenomenal which is a result of ‘Karma’. By the practice of prāṇāyāma this covering is removed, and the real nature of the Soul is realised for once and for ever. The mind (Aphorism LIII.) then becomes fit for being quite absorbed in the subject thought of. ‘Absorption’ has to be carried to the extent of forgetting the act, and of becoming the thing thought of; it is then the Yoga trance or ‘samādhi’. “

By Mabel Collins (1851-1927), with an explanation by Swami T. Subba Row (1856 – 1890).

206 Pages | First edition 1884, 2nd to 9th reprint 1896 – 1973, second edition 2000 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170593999.

Dutch translation: De Idylle van de Witte Lotus | Ankh-Hermes | ISBN: 9789020255409.

This tale of a young seer in a decadent temple in Ancient Egypt is at once gripping and profound. It depicts the evolution of a Soul from weakness to strength, from ignorance to insight – a pure but unthinking child becomes a wise messenger.

From the Prologue:

” Behold, I stood alone, one among many, an isolated individual in the midst of a united crowd. And I was alone, because among the all the men my brethren, who knew, I alone was the man who both knew and taught. I taught the believers at the gate, and was driven to do this by the power dwelled in the sanctuary. I had no escape, for in that deep darkness of the most sacred shrine, I beheld the light of the inner life and was driven to reveal it, and by it was upheld and made strong. For indeed, although I died, it took ten priests of the temple to accomplish my death, and even then they but ignorantly thought themselves powerful. “

By Mabel Collins (1851 – 1927).

115 Pages | First edition 1915, second edition 1917; this is the facsimile of 1917 | Kessinger Publishing Company, Montana | ISBN: 156459503X.

‘The Interpretation of Light on the Path’.

CONTENTS:

PART I  – SELF CONQUEST.

1. The Disciple
2. Attend You to Them
3. The Masters
4. Sight
5. Hearing
6. Speech
7. Stability.

PART II  – THE TRANSMUTATION OF DESIRE.

1. The Transmutation of Desire
2. Work and Effort-Separateness-Sensation
3. The Retreat – The Advance – The Blooming of the Flower
4. Contemplation – The Study of Mankind – The Study of the Self – The Logos
5. The Gifts of the Disciple – The Use of the Gifts – The Victory
6. Epilogue – ‘I and my Father’.

From the Epilogue – ‘I and my Father’ (p. 115):

” ‘In my Father’s house are many mansions’, said the Master. One I have now seen myself, and it proves to me more plainly even than the experiences of the wondrous day when I saw the glorious writing (Light on the Path) on the wall, that now it is before the Christ those who are disciples must be strong enough to stand with the feet washed in the blood of the heart. I have seen Him with His feet stained with His own heart’s blood, and only so can we present ourselves before Him in His own likeness. “

By Mabel Collins (1851-1927).

81 Pages | First Adyar Edition 1911, Adyar Centenary Edition 1982, second reprint 2000 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170590116.

Dutch publication: Licht op het Pad, part of the publication Drie Wegen, Een Pad | First published in 2006 | Hardcover | Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland | ISBN: 9061750881.

‘A TREATISE, Written for the personal use of those, who are ignorant of the Eastern Wisdom and who desire to enter within its influence. Written down by MC’.

The book itself begins with the statement, that ‘These rules are written for all disciples’. The latter description is surely the more accurate one, as the history of the book will show. As we have it at present it was dictated by the Master Hilarion through the mediumship of M.C. – a lady well known in Theosophical circles, who at one time collaborated with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in the editorship of Lucifer. The Master Hilarion received it from his own Teacher, the Great One. One, who among Theosophical students is sometimes called ‘The Venetian’; but even He is the author only of part of it. It has passed through three phases; let us set them down in order.

” These rules are written for all disciples: Attend you to them.

Before the eyes can see they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart. “

By J.M. Cohen and J-F. Phipps.

281 Pages |First Quest Edition 1992 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835606791.

‘The mystical path is not mysterious. It is not the private path of monks and yogins‘, so begins this anthology of the spiritual experience of ordinary men and women as well as those of monks, philosophers, and spiritual teachers such as Lao Tzu, Krishnamurti, Aldous Huxley, William Blake, Plato and Paramahansa Yogananda. These selections on the ways to Enlightenment, drawn from both East and West, are grouped to illuminate such topics as meditation, compassion, time and eternity, mystical powers and death and rebirth. Although the writings and the authors’ commentary on them are variously colored by their separate traditions, their effect as a whole is to reveal ‘the white light, that combines the rainbow hues of the different mystical traditions‘, which are essentially one ‘common experience‘.

From Chapter 4 – ‘Enlightenment’ (p. 109):

” Q. How is it possible to become selfless, while leading a life of worldly activity?

A. There is no conflict between work and wisdom.

Q. Do you mean that one can continue all the old activities, in one’s profession, for instance, and at the same time get enlightenment?

A. Why not? But in that case one will not think that it is the old personality, which is doing the work, because one’s consciousness will gradually become transformed until it enters in That which is beyond the little self . . . “

By Radha S. Burnier (1923 – 2013).

62 Pages | First edition 1971, first reprint 1980, 2nd reprint 1984, 3rd reprint 1993, 2nd edition 2000 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170594189.

The Blavatsky Lecture – delivered at the Annual Convention of the Theosophical Society in England, 26th May 1979.

‘To reach Nirvana one must reach Self-knowledge and Self-knowledge is of loving deeds the child’.

Progress in Theosophy is the journey from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. The beginning of that progress is in understanding that the infinite cannot be known by the finite. The imperishable cannot be found by involvement in the perishable and the compounded. The study of Theosophy in the true sense is the study not only of Theosophical literature; it is the study of the book of life, the observation of human nature, the contemplation of Nature and the phenomena of the created world in such a way that there is a sense of the One Existence.

From page 58:

Freedom from Attachment

” The unlimited creative power of consciousness can operate only when the limitation of attachment ends and identification is not made with objects. In  freedom from attachment, there is the discovery of another of the eternal values inherent in consciousness. Since in the absence of inward freedom the other absolute values are incapable of flowering, spiritual liberation has been spoken of in the East, as the fundamental aim of human existence. “

Door Radha S. Burnier (1923 – 2013).

87 Pages | First edition 1985, second reprint 2005 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170592763.

‘Within you is the light of the world- the only light that can be shed upon the Path. If you are unable to perceive it within you, it is useless to look for it elsewhere’.

The destiny of the human being is to travel on a path leading to perfection. the Upanishad says this spiritual path is like ‘the sharp edge of a razor, difficult to cross and hard to tread. A teacher or a guru may at best give a hint or indicate the direction of the path, but the aspirant has to tread the path by himself.

This little volume describes the nature of the path, the qualifications needed, and the pitfalls encountered. As the theosophical classic Light on the Path says: ‘Each man is to him- or herself absolutely the way, the truth and the life’.

From Page 56:

” One of the greatest of Masters, the Lord Buddha, said: ‘Be a lamp unto yourself.’ He taught: do not make an authority out of tradition, the Scriptures, other people, or me; find out for yourself what is the truth. The importance of enquiry (vichāra) is emphasized also in Vedānta. “

By Captain P.G. Bowen (1882 – 1940).

36 Pages (NB: the book begins on page 188 with page 224 as its final page) | 1985 edition | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, London | No ISBN.

From the Foreword:

” Instead of Notes, which are a usual and indeed a necessary accompaniment to lessons, such as those given in Part I of this book, I give in the lessons that follow some questions asked by Learners, and my own answers thereto. The questions are not inventions of my own, but are selections from a volume of queries actually propounded by students, who have heard the subject matter of the various lessons expounded by me in lectures, or have had private correspondence with me concerning it. 

The question I have chosen to answer here have been selected for two reasons: first, because a majority of students appear to be interested in the points, upon which they bear, and second, because the answers they evoke serve in some measure to fill up the wider gaps, which the lessons inevitably contain. To fill all gaps in teachings, such as I have given would naturally be impossible, and even if possible would not be desirable. To give just enough leading to induce in the Learner a desire to travel for himself/herself is always my aim, not give him/her so much as to cause him/her to feel that effort of his/her own is unnecessary. 

Each question in each of the lessons, which follow is designated by a letter (Question A, Question B. etc.), and related to the passage or paragraph similarly marked in the lesson in Part I to which that in Part II corresponds. Each lesson in Part II related to a lesson of corresponding number in Part I. “

P.G.B. 

By Captain P.G. Bowen (1882 – 1940).

176 Pages | Original edition 1936, revised edition 1978 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House London | ISBN: 0722950713.

Among the strongest influences in the literary life of Ireland in the early Decades of this Century was the Hermetic Society founded by ‘AE’ for the study of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky’s (1831 – 1891) teachings. It was a meeting place for young writers, poets, and intellectuals, and in 1933 there arrived Captain P.G, Bowen, whose father had been among Madame Blavatsky’s circle of students in London. Recognizing in Bowen a kindred spirit, ‘AE’ put him in charge of the Hermetic Society and urged him to write an account of the path of self-development taught in the Schools of the Mystery tradition. The Occult Way is Bowen’s attempt to present this practical aspect of the Hermetic philosophy. Written in the austere spirit of Light on the Path, the seven Lessons seek to teach the aspirant to know himself and to depend on himself alone. A book for all serious students of practical occultism.

From page 76:

” Look, O my son, for the STAR! The STAR, O Child, who would be a Man or Woman, will gleam upon you as the Night wanes, and the Storms of the Dark Hours die away into a Peace that is Herald of the Dawn. That STAR does not rise nor does it set: IT holds a fixed place beyond the clouds in the depths of a speckless sky; but not until the Thunders are hushed and the Storm Fog shreds apart can its Golden Light descend to earth and dispel the gloom of your Night.

Know, O son, that this Nature in which you live and labour is, like the mid-air about high mountains, the Playground and the Battleground of the Gods of Storm. Not until you dominate those Angels of Strife, and marshal them in legions obedient to your word, will the Clouds of their Breath of Fury lift and the DAWN STAR illumine the Sleeping Earth. Then, and only then, while STAR FIRE flames upon the WAY, may you rest with PEACE, and raise the veil from her face. “

Door Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), vertaald door Helma Kool.

52 Pagina’s | Uitgegeven in 1952, derde druk 1973 | Brochure | Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland, Amsterdam | ISBN: 9789061750048.

Engels origineel: First Steps in Occultism, later published as Practical Occultism | Published in 1952, second edition 2011 | Softcover | ISBN: 9788170595595.

‘ Deze artikelen zijn van zo grote waarde, voor allen die zich wensen voor te bereiden voor het Leerlingschap, dat ik ze gaarne uit Lucifer liet overdrukken, ten einde ze binnen het bereik van alle bestudeerders te brengen. ‘ – Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

Er zijn velen, die praktisch onderricht wensen in het occultisme. Derhalve wordt het noodzakelijk eens voor al vast te stellen:

A) Het inwezenlijke verschil tussen theoretisch en praktisch occultisme; of wat in het algemeen bekend is als Theosofie enerzijds en Occulte Wetenschap anderzijds.

B) De aard der moeilijkheden, welke de studie van de laatstgenoemde met zich brengt.

Het is gemakkelijk een Theosoof te worden. Elk mens van gemiddelde verstandelijke vermogens, en met een neiging tot het bovenzinnelijke; ieder, die rein en onzelfzuchtig leeft en meer vreugde vindt in het helpen van zijn of haar naaste dan in het zelf hulp ontvangen; iemand, die steeds klaar staat zijn of haar eigen genoegens ter wille van andere mensen op te offeren, en die Waarheid, Goedheid en Wijsheid om huns zelfs wil lief heeft, niet om de voordelen die zij kunnen schenken – is een Theosoof.

Afkomstig van blz. 23:

” De sleutel in elke graad is de aspirant zelf. Het is niet de vreze des Heren die het begin van Wijsheid is, maar de kennis van het Zelf, welke is de Wijsheid Zelve. 

Hoe groots en hoe waar blijkt dan voor de bestudeerder van het occultisme, die enige der voorgaande waarheden is gaan beseffen, het antwoord dat het orakel van Delphi gaf aan allen, die occulte wijsheid kwamen zoeken – de woorden, die telkens weer met nadruk worden herhaald door de wijze Socrates – ‘ MENS, KEN UZELF! ‘ “

Door Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986), Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891) en Mabel Collins (1851 – 1927), vertaald door Louis Geertman en Ali Ritsema.

223 Pagina’s | Eerste druk 2006 | Hardcover | Uitgeverij der Theosofische Vereniging in Nederland | ISBN: 9061750881.

English edition: Inspirations from Ancient Wisdom: At the Feet of the Master, Light on the Path, the Voice of the Silence | published in 1999 | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 978-0835607735.

Deze bundel omvat drie standaardwerken – drie ‘Gidsen’ voor het spirituele pad – op het gebied van spirituele ontwikkeling: De Stem van de Stilte, Licht op het Pad en Aan de Voeten van de Meester. De waarde van hun verschijning in de moderne wereld in de 19de, vroeg 20ste eeuw valt niet eenvoudig te omschrijven. Met gemak kan evenwel worden gezegd, dat zij mede aan de basis hebben gestaan van al wat men vandaag weet over de spirituele reis, het Pad, de verlichting, of de ultieme bevrijding uit het bestaan van aardse beperkingen. Zij geven lessen over ethiek, over de universeel geldende wet van compassie, over karma – of de wet van evenwicht – over hoe te handelen in onze zoektocht naar spiritualiteit.

Hun doel beperkt zich niet tot een algemeen gevoel van welzijn, maar is uiteindelijk om een omvattend beeld te geven van de heiligheid van het leven en een helpende hand te zijn voor de innerlijke mens, die worstelt om zijn ware gedaante aan de wereld te tonen.

Afkomstig van blz. 223:

LIEFDE

” Wachtend op het Woord van de Meester,

Uitziend naar het Verborgen Licht;

Luisterend om zijn bevelen op te vangen

In het heetst van de strijd;

Zijn kleinste teken ziend

Over de hoofden van het gewoel;

Zijn zwakste fluistering horend

Boven het luidste aardse gezang. “

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

153 Pages | 14th Reprint, 2015 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170591236.

In these four lectures, Annie Besant traces the Path of Discipleship through perceptible and subtle milestones. The experience that is gained by action done for self-gratification could be elevated in to a dutiful performance of rites and ceremonies for the settlement of karmic clearance, which in turn could ascend into a joyful and sacred dedication, that accomplishes union with Godhead.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) and  Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854 – 1934).

474 Pages | First edition, 10th reprint 2010 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar

This book is the third volume of a trilogy, being commentaries on three classics – At the Feet of the Master, The Voice of Silence and Light on the Path – considered the mystical gems of theosophical literature. They throw light on the deep significance and far-reaching implications of the perennial teachings embodied in these three classics, whose subject matter is the path of inner transformation and spiritual realization.

” Once having passed through the storm and attained the peace, it is then always possible to learn, even though the disciple waver, hesitate, and turn aside. The Voice of Silence, remains within him, and though he leave the Path utterly, yet one day it will resound, and rend him asunder and separate his passions from his divine possibilities. Then, with pain and desperate cries from the deserted lower self, he will return… “ – From Chapter ‘Rule 21’, page 285.

By Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854 – 1934).

417 Pages | Eleventh reprint 2010 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN:

This book is the second volume of a trilogy, being commentaries on three classics – At the Feet of the Master, The Voice of Silence and Light on the Path – considered the mystical gems of Theosophical literature. They throw light on the deep significance and far-reaching implications of the perennial teachings embodied in these three classics, whose subject matter is the path of inner transformation and spiritual realization.

From Chapter – ‘The World’s Mother’ (p. 110):

“ Let not thy ‘heaven-born’, merged in the sea of Māyā, break from the universal Parent (Soul), but let the fiery power retire into inmost chamber, the chamber of the heart, and the abode of the world’s Mother. Then, from the heart that power shall rise into the sixth, when it becomes the breath of the One-soul, the voice which filleth all, thy Master’s voice. “

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) and  Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854 – 1934).

474 Pages | Eleventh reprint 2004 | Hardcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170591600.

This book is the first volume of a trilogy, being commentaries on three Classics – At the Feet of the Master, The Voice of Silence and Light on the Path – considered the mystical gems of Theosophical literature. They throw light on the deep significance and far-reaching implications of the perennial teachings embodied in these three Classics, whose subject matter is the path of inner transformation and spiritual realization.

From Chapter – ‘True and False Aims’ (p. 55):

” You enter the Path, because you have learnt that on it alone can be found those things, which are worth gaining. Men, who do not know, work to gain wealth and power, but these are at most for one life only, and therefore unreal. There are greater things than these – things which are real and lasting; when you have once seen these, you desire those others no more.. ” –

166 Pages | Second edition, 2nd reprint, 2015 | Hard cover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar

This book attempts a simple exposition of Theosophical Teachings. It is a manual, which seeks to make plain some of the great Truths, that render life easier to bear and death easier to face. The first step, it is said, is to realize that we are not our body. We have bodies.

Once the distinction between the self (the human being) and our bodies is accepted, the study of the various bodies proceeds smoothly. The study concludes that the bodies are our instruments, our servants, adapting to our various needs and growing powers. Ultimately, we go beyond our bodies and realize our ´true Self´, in ourselves as also in others.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

67 Pages | First edition, ninth reprint 2012 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN:

In three inspiring and illuminating lectures, Annie Besant reveals the ‘Reign of Law’ in the Universe and the need for man to understand and act according to that Law for his material, moral and spiritual progress. Man can realize his/her true nature as the Higher Consciousness only in proportion as he ’tranquillizes the senses and retrains the mind‘. He or she advances towards that realization in proportion as he obeys ‘Dharma’, the Law of Duty, by setting himself definitely and resolutely to the fulfilment of all his/her obligations. Ultimately, Dharma lifts man up by leading a life of daily dedication to ‘Self’ realise himself/herself and supporting herewith the liberation of all sentient beings.

By Annie Besant (1847 – 1933).

9 Pages |Reprint, 1961 | Booklet | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | No ISBN.

 ” In the early days of Christianity, ere the mass of te unlearned had crushed out the Gnostic minority; ere the loss of the teaching of Reïncarnation had attached the everlasting fate of man to his conduct during a few brief years on earth; in those early days the word SALVATION had a grandiose meaning. It meant that the man who was saved possessed the knowledge of God which is Eternal Life; it meant that he had overcome death and achieved immortality; it meant that he had become a pillar in the Temple of God, to go out in reïncarnation no more […] “

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.

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. “

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 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).