At Last
By Popular Demand
After Years of
Painstaking Research
Here it is
The
Most Basic
Theosophy
Website
in the
Universe
If you run a Theosophy group you can use
this page as an introductory handout
Background to Theosophy and the
Theosophical Society
The Objects of the Theosophical Society
1. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without
distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.
2. To encourage the study of comparative
religion, philosophy and science.
3. To investigate unexplained laws of nature
and the powers latent in man.
What is Theosophy?
The word is a Greek derivative and means divine wisdom and has been in
use for centuries.
Within the Theosophical Society it is used to refer to H P Blavatsky’s
adaptation of the Eastern Esoteric tradition for Western Society. This is
presented in The Secret Doctrine and other writings and is based principally on
Brahminical Hinduism and Esteric Buddhism. H P Blavatsky’s knowledge was
acquired from members of an inner circle of initiates who are usually referred
to as The Masters.
Is Theosophy a Religion?
No. Theosophy requires no faith,has no dogma and everything within it is
presented as a hypothesis or ideas for consideration.
How did the Theosophical Society start?
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, William Q Judge and Colonel Henry Steel
Olcott founded it in
The Secret Doctrine
Published in 1888 By Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, this comprehensive work
presents for consideration an outline of the divine scheme in operation for the
unfoldment of the universe and a view of man’s place within that scheme.
Use of Sanskrit Terms
As you will notice, many Theosophical terms are taken from Sanskrit with
a few Tibetan ones thrown in. Sanskrit is the ancient religious and
philosophical language of
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Basic Principles of Theosophy
No Dead Matter in the Universe
Theosophy makes no distinction between organic life and mineral.
Everything contains life and a level of consciousness although in the case of
minerals, not consciousness as we know it,
The Universe is all One Thing
The universe is all one thing and not put together from parts. One
single life force animates the universe and all beings and forms are derived
from this single source.
A Life Force Seeking Expression
The universal life force is constantly trying to express itself.
Eventually this force will develop forms which have the principle of mind,
intelligence and self awareness.
What about God?
The concept of God is so far beyond our comprehension that Theosophy
just accepts that the principle exists. Some Theosophical writers use the term First
Cause or Universal Consciousness.
Spirit and Matter (opposite poles of the same thing)
The act of creation has led to polarization within the universe as it
has come into manifestation. This is why pairs of opposites pervade the
universe such as Spirit and Matter, light and dark, male and female and
positive and negative.
Activity and Rest
Every period of activity has its corresponding period of rest. This is
seen in day and night, waking and sleeping, ebb and flow of tides and birth and
death. Without this rest and recovery everything in the universe would burn
out.
Involution and Evolution
Involution means descending into matter and spirit has to do this to
gain experience and evolve. As spiritual beings we have descended into matter
by taking physical bodies. We rise out of these bodies when we discard them at
the end of our current physical life.
Reincarnation
Following on from the concept of involution, we are engaged in a cycle
of death and rebirth which is known as reincarnation. After a long period in
the process we can expect to evolve to a spiritual level where we no longer
need to return to physical life.
Karma (Law of Karma)
Often regarded as a system of reward and punishment but is really a
mechanical law of cause and effect which provides a balancing act to keep the
universe in kilter.
The Law of Karma is an inherent law of nature and operates at every
level of creation. Under this law every action produces a corresponding effect
of equal value.
Karma is important as a teacher and dealing with it is an integral part
of our spiritual development.Although we learn through the effects of our
actions and think in terms of good and bad karma (pleasant & unpleasant
adjustments), the law itself is actually indifferent and mechanical.
Karma & Reincarnation
The effects of our actions can balance out over several lives and
therefore karma can only be understood in the context of reincarnation
The Constitution of Man
Man has seven principles, sometime referred to as bodies.
These are
Atma – The piece of the divine in everybody
Buddhi – Our individual spiritual identity
Manas – The Mind principle divided into higher – spiritual ideals and
lower – concrete and rational thought.
Atma, Buddhi and higher Manas form the immortal part of man. The four
principles below are dumped at the end of you physical life and you get new
ones for next time.
Prana – The life energy principle
Linga Sharira – The model body or template for your physical body
Sthula Sharira – Physical body – we are all familiar with this one.
After Death States
This is in broadly 2 stages following a review at the point of death of
the life just lived.
These are
Kama Loka – where our earth life baggage and attributes are dissolved.
And after another review
Devachan – a state of bliss in which aspirations of the previous life
are fulfilled.
Unfortunately you can’t stay there, you have to come back.
Evolution
Physical forms are the means by which the universal life force or spirit
expresses itself and the more complex the form becomes, the greater the
potential for the spirit to do find expression. Evolution to a Theosophist is therefore spiritually
based and driven.
The Cyclic Nature of Evolution
Theosophy postulates that evolution does not proceed in a linear manner
but on a cyclic but ultimately upward spiral. This is true of everything
including ourselves and our planet.
Kingdoms of Nature
There are 10 kingdoms of nature each occupying a rung on the
evolutionary ladder
From the top these are:-
The 3 Dhyani-Chohanic
Kingdoms
Dhyani-Chohans
(Sanskrit-Tibetan) The Lords of Meditation. There are 3 types with several
sub-divisions and they function in a hierarchy. In Christianity they appear as
Archangels. They supervise the cosmos and they operate on higher planes than
our physical plane.
The
Theosophy makes a clear
distinction between the Human and Animal kingdoms. Humans have acquired a level
of consciousness and self awareness which gives them a level of self
determination in both their own personal evolution and that of the Human race
as a whole.
The Animal Kingdom
Plant or Vegetable Kingdom
The Mineral Kingdom
The Mineral is the lowest of
the visible kingdoms on the evolutionary scale.
The 3 Elemental Kingdoms
There are 3 classes of
Elemental at different levels of consciousness with innumerable divisions
within those classes. They cannot normally be seen. Elementals
work behind the scenes and they directly affect what goes on in the world.
Life of the Universe
In line with the principle of activity and rest, the universe will exist
for a given period called a Manvantara and then go into obscuration or rest
called a Pralaya. The universe will then return to manifestation.
The terms Manvantara and Pralaya are also used in relation to stars and
planets.
Creation of the Universe
The universe effectively wakes up from obscuration with the latent
spirit exerting its influence on matter.
To get things moving spirit expresses itself in 3 aspects this is called
in Theosophy The Triple Logos.
The aspects are;
First Logos – Will
Second Logos – Capacity
Third Logos – Activity
Beginning with the Third
Logos there are three outpourings in which spirit gives form to matter and
consequently creates a viable universe;
1st Outpouring – 3rd
Logos – Activity. creates the seven planes of nature.
2nd Outpouring – 2nd
Logos – Capacity. Builds form from the now newly created planes of nature.
3rd Outpouring – 1st
Logos – Will. This takes place at the
point in which the
This is the
The universe now exists and
will run its course
Globes, Chains & Planetary Rounds
Globes
All Globes and stars that we
can see in the physical universe are accompanied by six companion Globes of
less density which are invisible to us.
Our current Globe and all
visible Globes (to us) are the fourth in the Life Impulse’s tour of the seven.
Chain (Planetary Chain)
This is a group of seven
companion Globes invoking the image of a string of beads.
A Planetary Round
This is the tour by the Life
Impulse of all seven Globes.
Root Races
On each Globe of a Planetary Round the human race will appear in seven
group reincarnations. In our current form we are the fifth Root Race and there
are two more to come. Root Races last several million years.
The principle of Involution or descent into matter applies here.
Beginning with the non-physical first Root Race we became more physical and
materialistic than we are now by the fourth. We our now on the ascending arc
out of matter and the next two Root Races will be less physical and more
spiritually developed.
For Handout
__________________
Well done,
You’ve now reached the end of
The
Most Basic
Website
in the
Universe
This page is only intended to
give you a brief overview of
Theosophical principles.
If you want to know more,
please try these;
Dave’s
Streetwise Theosophy Boards
The Cardiff
Theosophical Society Website
Carrying the Flag for Independent Theosophy in Wales
Please click here for Current Theosophical Events in
Cardiff
The National
Wales Theosophy Website
Theosophy
Cardiff’s Instant Guide to Theosophy
Theosophical
Movement in Wales
as it separates
into independent groups
Her Teachers Morya & Koot Hoomi
Cardiff
Theosophical Order of Service
The main criteria
for the inclusion of
links on this
site is that they have some
relationship
(however tenuous) to Theosophy
and are
lightweight, amusing or entertaining.
Topics include
Quantum Theory and Socks,
Dick Dastardly and Legendary Blues Singers.
No
Aardvarks were harmed in the
An Independent Theosophical Republic
Links to Free Online Theosophy
Study Resources; Courses, Writings,
Evolution by
William Quan Judge
Reincarnation
This
guide has been included in response
to the
number of enquiries we receive on this
subject
at Cardiff
Theosophical Society
From A Textbook
of Theosophy By C W Leadbeater
How We Remember our Past Lives
Life after Death & Reincarnation
The
Slaughter of the
a
great demand by the public for lectures on Reincarnation
The Voice of the Silence Website
Quick Explanations with Links to More Detailed Info
What is Theosophy ? Theosophy Defined (More Detail)
Three Fundamental Propositions Key Concepts of Theosophy
Cosmogenesis
Anthropogenesis
Root Races
Ascended Masters After Death States
The Seven Principles of Man Karma Reincarnation
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Colonel Henry Steel Olcott
The Start of the Theosophical Society
History of the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society Presidents
History of the Theosophical Society in Wales
The Three Objectives of the Theosophical Society
Explanation of the Theosophical Society Emblem
The Theosophical Order of Service (TOS)
Glossaries of Theosophical Terms
Theosophy Birmingham (England)
The Birmingham Annie Besant Lodge
This is for
everyone, you don’t have to live
in Wales to
make good use of this Website
Quotes from the
Writings of
Helena Petrovna
Blavatsky
The Secret Doctrine , Volume 2, Page 100
It is only by the
attractive force of the contrasts that the two opposites — Spirit and Matter — can be cemented
together on Earth, and, smelted in the fire of self-conscious experience and suffering, find
themselves wedded in Eternity.
The Secret Doctrine , Volume 2, Page 108
It is the motive,
and the motive alone, which makes any exercise of power become black, malignant, or white,
beneficent Magic. It is impossible to employ spiritual forces if there is the
slightest tinge of selfishness remaining in the operator .... The powers and
forces of animal nature can equally be used by the selfish and revengeful, as
by the unselfish and the all-forgiving; the powers and forces of spirit lend
themselves only to the perfectly pure in heart — and this is Divine Magic.
Isis Unveiled, Volume 1, Page 36
The Secret Doctrine , Volume 3, Page 14
Even ignorance is
better than Head-learning with no Soul-wisdom to illuminate and guide it.
The Voice of the Silence, Page 43
Lentil burgers, a
thousand press ups before breakfast and
the daily 25 mile
run may put it off for a while but death
seems to get most
of us in the end. We are pleased to
present for your
consideration, a definitive work on the
subject by a
Student of Katherine Tingley entitled
General pages about Wales, Welsh History
and The History of Theosophy in Wales
Elementary Theosophy
By
A Student of Katherine Tingley
Katherine Tingley
1847 – 1929 founder & President
of the Point Loma
Theosophical Society 1896 -1929
She and her
students produced a series of informative
Theosophical works in the early years of the 20th century
It’s all “water
under the bridge” but
everything you do
makes an
imprint
Theosophy and the Number Seven
A selection of articles relating to the
esoteric
significance of the Number 7 in Theosophy
The Theosophy Cardiff Nirvana Pages
Within the
British Isles, the Adyar Theosophical Society
Bangor*Basingstoke*Billericay*Birmingham*Blackburn*Bolton*Bournemouth
Bradford*Bristol*Camberley*Cardiff*Chester*Conwy*Coventry*Dundee*Edinburgh
Folkstone*Glasgow*Grimsby*Inverness*Isle
of Man*Lancaster*Leeds*Leicester
Letchworth*London*Manchester*Merseyside*Middlesborough*Newcastle
upon Tyne
North
Devon*Northampton*Northern Ireland*Norwich*Nottingham
Perth*Republic of Ireland*Sidmouth*Southport*Sussex*Swansea*Torbay
Tunbridge
Wells*Wallasey*Warrington*Wembley*Winchester*Worthing
The Spiritual Home of Urban Theosophy
The Earth Base for Evolutionary Theosophy
Writings of Curuppumullage
Jinarajadasa
Tekels Park,
Camberley, Surrey, England GU15 – 2LF
Article
describing Tekels Park and its much
cherished
wildlife by Theosophist and long
term Tekels Park Resident Madeleine Leslie Smith
The Seven
Principles of Man
By
Annie Besant
Please click here for Current Theosophical Events in
Cardiff
The
By
William Quan Judge
GENERAL PRINCIPLES THE EARTH CHAIN
BODY AND ASTRAL
BODY KAMA – DESIRE
KARMA KAMA LOKA DEVACHAN
CYCLES
Please click here for Theosophical Groups in Wales
by
Annie Besant
THE PHYSICAL PLANE THE ASTRAL PLANE
KÂMALOKA THE MENTAL PLANE DEVACHAN
THE BUDDHIC AND NIRVANIC PLANES
THE THREE KINDS OF KARMA COLLECTIVE KARMA
THE LAW OF SACRIFICE MAN'S
ASCENT
______________________
Annie Besant Visits Cardiff 1924
Classic Introductory Theosophy Text
A Text Book of Theosophy By C
What Theosophy Is From the Absolute to Man
The Formation of a Solar System The Evolution of Life
The Constitution of Man After Death
Reincarnation
The Purpose of Life The Planetary Chains
The Result of Theosophical Study
The Occult World
By
Alfred Percy
Sinnett
The Occult
World is an treatise on the
Occult and
Occult Phenomena, presented
in readable style, by an early giant of
the
Theosophical Movement.
Preface to the American Edition Introduction
Occultism and its Adepts The Theosophical Society
First Occult Experiences Teachings of Occult Philosophy
Later Occult Phenomena Appendix
Karma Fundamental Principles Laws: Natural and Man-Made The Law of Laws
The Eternal Now
Succession
Causation The Laws of Nature A Lesson of The Law
Karma Does Not Crush Apply This Law
Man in The Three Worlds Understand The Truth
Man and His Surroundings The Three Fates
The Pair of Triplets Thought, The Builder
Practical Meditation Will and Desire
The Mastery of Desire Two Other Points
The Third Thread Perfect Justice
Our Environment
Our Kith and Kin Our Nation
The Light for a Good Man Knowledge of Law The Opposing Schools
The More Modern View Self-Examination Out of the Past
Old Friendships
We Grow By Giving Collective Karma Family Karma
National Karma
India’s Karma
National Disasters
Try these if you are looking for a
local Theosophy Group or Centre
UK Listing of Theosophical Groups
Tell us about your UK Theosophy Group
Worldwide Directory of Theosophical Links
________________________
Theosophy Wales
Group Start Up
& of course
you don’t need to live in Wales
to take advantage of this guide