num_pages: 288
description: Selections from the Works of Rudolf SteinerWithout the spiritualist movement and the amazing personality of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the creator of the Theosophical Society, the spiritual revolution of the twentieth century--the so-called New Age, with all its movers and shakers--would be unimaginable. And the work of Rudolf Steiner, G.I. Gurdjieff, Ren� Gu�non, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sri Aurobindo, R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, and C.G. Jung could not have become what it was. In this fascinating volume on the Theosophical movement, Rudolf Steiner, one of its primary participants, tells his story in his own words. We are told of the origins of the theosophical movement in spiritualism and somnambulism. We are given Steiner's own version of the relationship between Anthroposophy and Theosophy through his White Lotus Day Lectures, given over several years on the anniversary of Madame Blavatsky's death. Steiner then moves into the realm of occult history, where he relates Theosophy to its historical ground in Western esotericism, especially Rosicrucianism. He reveals events from the seventeenth century that led to the emergence of Freemasonry and other secret societies, as well as the hidden history of the creation of Theosophy in the nineteenth century and the conflicts that still reverberate today between the Anglo-Saxon and Germanic occult streams.CONTENTSIntroduction by Christopher BamfordPrologue: A Personal Statement (from "The Barr Document")PART ONE: Spiritualism, Somnambulism, and Theosophy1. Theosophy and Spiritualism2. Theosophy and Somnambulism3. The History of Spiritualism4. The History of HypnotismPART TWO: White Lotus Day Lectures in Honor of the Anniversary of the Death of Madame Blavatsky5. The Return of the Mysteries6. Remembering Madame Blavatsky7. Christ and the Further Development of Consciousness8. Ancient Wisdom and the Heralding of the Christ ImpulsePART THREE: Hidden Aspects of Occult History9. Materialism and Occultism10. The Founding of the Theosophical Society11. The Significance of the Eighth Sphere12. More on the Eight Sphere13. Some Background to the Role of Madame Blavatsky14. Occult Brotherhoods15. Madame Blavatsky's Occult ImprisonmentPART FOUR: From Theosophy to Anthroposophy16. Homeless Souls17. The Unveiling of Spiritual Truths18. The Opposition to Spiritual Revelations19. Spiritual Truths and the Physical World20. The Decline of the Theosophical Society21. The Emergence of the Anthroposophical Movement
language: English
title: Spiritualism, Madame Blavatsky, and Theosophy: An Eyewitness View of Occult History
publisher: SteinerBooks