3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
A legacy of inner light
What is Theosophy?
The word 'theosophy'means 'divine wisdom'. Not a religion but a spiritual philosophy, it rests on three core tenets:
The unity of all life: The universe is an interconnected whole, expressing a single divine reality.
Reincarnation and karma: The soul evolves through successive lives, shaped by the consequences of its actions.
Inner awakening: True knowledge arises from personal spiritual experience rather than dogma or blind belief.
Blavatsky asserted that all great religions stemmed from a primordial wisdom tradition. Over time, she argued, this truth was fragmented and obscured. Theosophy, she claimed, sought to revive that lost synthesis, drawing from Hindu, Buddhistand Western esoteric sources.
A Turn Eastward
In 1882, the Theosophical Society established its international headquarters in Adyar, near Madras (now Chennai). This marked a profound shift—from theoretical studies in the West to a deeper engagement with Eastern spiritual life.
Blavatsky's influential books—Isis Unveiled (1877) and The Secret Doctrine (1888)—offered sweeping cosmological visions, references to lost civilisations like Atlantis, and the idea of enlightened beings known as the Mahatmas or Masters of Wisdom, who, she claimed, had guided humanity's evolution from behind the scenes.
