The Theosophical EnlightenmentThis is an intellectual history of occult and esoteric currents in the English-speaking world from the early Romantic period to the early twentieth century. The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875 by Helena P. Blavatsky, holds a crucial position as the place where all these currents temporarily united, before again diverging. The book's ambiguous title points to the author's thesis that Theosophy owed as much to the skeptical Enlightenment of the eighteenth century as it did to the concept of spiritual enlightenment with which it is more readily associated. The author respects his sources sufficiently to allow that their world, so different from that of academic reductionism, has a right to be exhibited on its own terms. At the same time he does not conceal the fact that he considers many of them deluded and deluding. In the context of theosophical history, this book is neither on the side of the blind votaries of Madame Blavatsky, nor on that of her enemies. It may, therefore, be expected to mildly annoy both sides. |
Contents
TWO The Cult of the Sun | 27 |
THREE The Blasphemers | 49 |
3 | 56 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adept Anacalypsis ancient animal magnetism Anna Kingsford Astrologer Behmenist Blavatsky Blavatsky's Boehme Brahmins British Brotherhood of Luxor Buddhism Bulwer-Lytton Cagliostro called Carlile century Chapter Christian Church circle Cosway crystal death divine doctrine Drummond Dupuis Egypt Egyptian Eliphas Eliphas Levi Emma Hardinge Britten England English esoteric Freemasonry French Fryar Ghost Land Godfrey Higgins Golden Dawn Grand Greaves Hargrave Jennings Hermetic Higgins Higgins's Hindu Hockley human idea India Isis Unveiled Jesus Kabbalistic Kingsford Knight Koot Hoomi later Letter Light living Lodge London Luxor Lytton Mackenzie Mackey Madame Blavatsky Magazine magic Mahatmas Maitland manuscripts Massey Max Theon medium Mesmerism Moses mysteries mystical nature occult occult sciences occultists Olcott Owen Paris person phenomena Philosophical published Rammohun Randolph religion Rosicrucian Samaj says Schuchard 1975 scrying secret sexual Sibly Sinnett soul spiritual spiritualist Stanhope Swedenborg teachings Theon theory Theosophical Society Theosophists tion universal Westcott writing wrote Zanoni Zoist