For many a year men have been discussing arguing, enquiring about certain great basic truths - about the existence and the Nature of God, about His relation to man, and about the past and future of humanity. So radically have they differed on these points, and so bitterly have they assailed and ridiculed one another's beliefs, that there has come to be a firmly-rooted popular opinion that with regard to all these matters there is no certainty available - nothing but vague speculation amid a cloud of unsound deductions drawn from ill-established premises. And this in spite of the very definite, though frequently incredible, assertions made on these subjects on behalf of the various religions.

2013 Reprint of 1950 Third Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Volume One Only. The books of Alice A. Bailey, written in cooperation with a Tibetan teacher between 1919 and 1949, constitute a continuation of the Ageless Wisdom--a body of esoteric teaching handed down from ancient times in a form which is always suitable to each period. Intended to precede and condition the coming era, the Alice A. Bailey writings offer an unparalleled spiritual approach to such subjects as the teaching on Shamballa and the Path of spiritual evolution; the spiritual Hierarchy; the new discipleship and training in meditation as a form of service; the teaching on the seven rays and the new psychology of the soul; the teaching on esoteric astrology; and the new world religion, which emphasizes the common thread of truth linking all the major world faiths. Five volumes have been written under the overall title of "A Treatise on the Seven Rays." This sequence of books is based on the fact, the nature and the quality of the seven basic streams of energy pervading our solar system, our planet and all that lives and moves within its orbit. Of the specialized subjects presented in these books, two volumes are concerned with esoteric psychology - the first in relation to basic energy patterns and structures; the second particularly applied to the soul and the personality of man and to the working out of the Plan for humanity. Psychology is defined in Webster's Dictionary as "the science of mind," at one time considered a branch of metaphysics. Today we are more inclined to include all the conditioning subjective factors as psychological in nature - mental and emotional impulses and soul contact, to whatever degree it exists. These subjective influences constitute the whole psychological background to a man's attitudes and behaviour, and create the faculty of spiritual response. The "psyche" is, after all, the human soul, the centre of consciousness. Esoteric psychology begins with a consideration of the human being as a soul, manifesting in the form of a personality, consisting of mental, emotional and etheric/physical substance, and more or less in contact and control, depending on the stage of evolution in the personality consciousness. From the point of view of esoteric psychology, evolution is the evolution of consciousness, by which the imbedded fragment of the soul within the personality progressively identifies its spiritual source and becomes at-one with it. The seven differentiated streams of ray energy play a significant role in this evolutionary process. A blend of five energies in a human being determine his goals, his problems, his available qualities and energy resources, and the correct method by which - according to his dominant ray influence - he may unfold his consciousness and make spiritual progress. In this volume of Esoteric Psychology many of these distinctive ray qualities and methods are given as quotations, or interpretations, of "The Old Commentary" put into poetic and symbolic words. The seven rays are shown as the Seven Creative Builders, each one imbued with purpose and power, functioning together as a synthesis in occult obedience to the purposes of our Solar Logos. Such a detailed and comprehensive study of the ray energies influencing our planetary life and all kingdoms in nature is of inestimable value to the aspirant consciously preparing himself to become of planetary service as he learns to serve and to unite with his fellowmen.

Seven answers are given to this question, of which the following by Eub. U. (Eusebio Urban, a nom de plume of W. Q. Judge) appears as the 6th and has special reference to the 5th immediately preceding Mr. Judge's answer, a statement by "B.F.D." which reads: "B.F.D. -- I sometimes think that zealous Theosophists, in a creditable anxiety to promote general charity, go a little too far in their assertion of fraternal duty. They speak as if anything is pardonable because done by another man, who, because a man, is a brother. Yet it would seem that the basis of Brotherhood is equal rights and mutual affection, and to these I have the same claim as any other man. He is no more privileged to violate my rights than I to violate his, and I am therefore entitled to the same protection as is he. Hence it cannot be the fact that I am any more bound to look leniently on unfraternal aggressions by him upon me, than I should be upon like acts by me upon him. In other words, it is as much my duty to restrain him from outrage upon myself, as myself from outrage upon him. Theosophy cannot, and does not, teach that all protective appliances are to be thrown down, and that the way is to be freed for every attack by the greedy or the selfish. We must be careful, in our zeal for charity, to remember that justice is the antithesis, not to charity, but to injustice."

Clement of Alexandria tells us that the whole of the religious philosophy-that is, the wisdom, discipline and multifarious arts and sciences-of the Egyptian priesthood was contained in the Books of Hermes, that is of Thoth. These Books, he informs us further, were classified under forty-two heads and divided into a number of groups according to the various septs or divisions of the priests. In describing a certain sacred ceremonial-a procession of priests in their various orders-Clement tells us that it was headed by a representative of the order of Singers, who were distinguished by appropriate symbols of music, some of which were apparently carried in the hands and others embroidered on the robes. These Singers had to make themselves masters of, that is, learn by heart, two of the divisions of the Books of Hermes, namely, those which contained collections of Hymns in Honour of the Gods or God, and Encomia or Hymns in Praise of the Kings.

A Lecture Delivered In The Albert Hall, Leamington, By Annie Besant.

Each individual portrayed in this book may, beyond his unique nature, be considered representative of one or several aspects of human nature and human striving, and for the obstacles such striving must encounter. Goethe displays the struggle for universal moral, scientific, and artistic values throughout lifetimes, bridging and linking whole ages. Nietzsche is perhaps the representative of the new faculty of inspiration and the challenge to complement it by intuition. Oscar Wilde represents the stage of soul development at which insight into the worthlessness of vanity and ambition dawns with the power of a purifying tempest. Kafka represents those millions of people who are drawn toward the threshold of the spiritual world but lack the courage to cross it. Eckstein, the great friend of Steiner's youth, is representative of the tendency to withhold esoteric knowledge from the majority of human beings and to keep it as a possession of "the privileged few," an attitude that still prevails in certain occult streams. Rudolf Steiner worked to make esoteric truths public and showed ways toward a radically new knowledge of the spirit and a new mobility of thought.

From the author's archive of rare archival Theosophical documents, he has produced several books on the early history of Theosophy. This is Volume 5 in the Krotona Series. It will be of particular interest to some because its archival documents reveal Theosophical conversations from the period when Krishnamurti broke away from the organization of Theosophy. We also witness first-hand the ongoing founding and building of Krotona and the first Star Camp. We become privy to the internal conversation of the Esoteric School and communications between Annie Besant, Leadbeater, Jinarajadasa, Arundale, Warrington and others as their world is drastically changing with Krishnamurti's dissolving of the Order of the Star and his venture on a pathless truth.

This book is a sequel to A Vision of the Aquarian Age first published by Coventure Books in 1977. In that volume discussion of the meaning and role of the Christ Impulse in our present age was somewhat deliberately suppressed for fear of drawing negative reactions in certain quarters. Many readers did however detect the omission, which stands like an empty hole in the argument of the book. In the present volume I have tried to set this right. My hope however is that this in no way makes the book sectarian in its nature. It is concerned with the holistic world-picture and its application to current problems, for axiomatically the Oneness Vision must touch and colour every aspect of our living. It is concerned with the coming of the Light, the prospect of the redemption of mankind by the forces of higher intelligence in the living universe. This implies God ubiquitous and in action. Furthermore it implies the Blakean conception of a spiritual sun behind the physical sun, the focus of operation of the Elohim, the highest beings of spiritual Light. The Lord of all these is known in esoteric knowledge as the Christos and by other names in other religions. But all recognize this over-lighting source which can reach and be in personal touch with all souls of every race and creed, just as the physical sun warms all our bodies. Thus the concept of the Cosmic Christ is central to the holistic vision and this has little to do with any sectarian thinking in any particular church. It must be a vital strand of our world view, and my hope is that it will not be taken as narrow dogma. I have also referred not infrequently to the thinking of Rudolf Steiner, since this is the approach which I personally found most meaningful and inspiring. Again my hope is that even for those who are not anthroposophists, these comments will help clarify basic issues in our dramatic time. Steiner achieved an intensification of intuitive thinking which enabled him to explore into the spiritual worlds in a manner consonant with scientific method, and to give us his findings in a great structure of clear thoughts which in no sense have a mediumistic character. Thus in our age of breakthrough, when spiritual knowledge is flooding from so many sources, the body of Steiner's thinking may stand as a kind of touchstone which can prove of deep significance to many different movements concerned with the spiritual awakening of the New Age. Ours is an age of dramatic and even sensational change. The great theme is that there can be no renewal without a dying process, no death without resurrection. Thus events in the coming two decades are likely to be apocalyptic in nature. This implies what I have called 'Operation Redemption', a supreme hope that tribulation and cleansing change are a prelude to a new dawn.

2012 marks the end of the current Piscean era. In the years leading up to this date, the great tumult, the final battle between Light and darkness, the Armageddon, will try us. It will not be a big disaster, but things will gradually fall apart. The people around you will act like the insane, and you'll wonder if the sky is falling in when you open the newspapers. The Sanctus Germanus Prophecies explains from a mystic's point of view the reasons for the current world insanity and how we are already cutting the path to a New Golden Era. So hang on, for just around the bend, a glorious new era awaits us.

This third volume of The Sanctus Germanus Prophecies completes a trilogy which first appeared in 2002. In this volume, Dr. Mau focuses on the next fifty years and the great cosmic healing of the earth's badly damaged mental body and the role the Spiritual Regions will play in leading humanity out of the chaos of the economic depression and the coming earth changes. Finally, he offers advice on how to navigate through the present turmoil as well as how to develop spiritual discernment to avoid being led off the Path. Volume 3 points to the future and suggests how to cope with the tumultuous events ahead of us.

Originally published in 2002, the Sanctus Germanus Prophecies Vol. 1 predicts the financial crisis of 2007-2012 and the onset of WW III based on revelations from the Spiritual Hierarchy. These major events are part of the ongoing cosmic transition from the Piscean Age and into the New Age. This futuristic work also gives us a peek of what is to come during the early part of the New Age.

Being deeply interested in Dr. Steiner's work and teachings, and desirous of sharing with my English-speaking friends the many invaluable glimpses of Truth which are to be found therein, I decided upon the translation of the present volume. It is due to the kind co-operation of several friends who prefer to be anonymous that this task has been accomplished, and I wish to express my hearty thanks for the literary assistance rendered by them also to thank Dr. Peipers of Munich for permission to reproduce his excellent photograph of the author. The special value of this volume consists, I think, in the fact that no advice is given and no statement made which is not based on the personal experience of the author, who is, in the truest sense, both a mystic and an occultist. If the present volume should meet with a reception justifying a further venture, we propose translating and issuing during the coming year a further series of articles by Dr. Steiner in continuation of the same subject, and a third volume will consist of the articles now appearing in the pages of The Theosophist, entitled "The Education of Children." Max Gysi.

In this book the author illuminates the knowledge given by the Masters through Helena P. Blavatsky in the 19th century and makes an attempt to restore the Truth about the fall of Lucifer, the fall of angels and the fall of humanity. This book has been created under the guidance of the Masters of Wisdom.
The book "Good and Evil" is a revolution in human consciousness. Up until today millions of people still hold a belief that Lucifer was a dark fallen angel whom everyone needs to fight against in order to save the world. This book proves that such a belief is a horrible misconception, a complete error and one of the most unfortunate dogmas created accidentally in the past. A thorough analysis of ancient manuscripts clearly shows that the truth about Lucifer has been forgotten and the real events differ so greatly from what was left open as public knowledge on this subject up until our days. Today nobody even knows the true meaning of the "battle in heaven," nor the battle between the so-called "forces of darkness" and "forces of light." We have forgotten our own ancient history. And we should return to it and look over it thoroughly again one more time.
The reader may be surprised to know that even in the early Christian times one respected Roman Pope chose the name Lucifer for himself. Doesn't that sound incredible or contradictory to you?
Multiple evidences are given in this book proving that the so-called "Lucifer's rebellion" had a far deeper esoteric meaning than just a fight between Archangel Michael and the dragon. Who was that dragon? What was his purpose? What was his mission on Earth? The reader will find answers to those and many other questions relating to early stages of the history of mankind.
The works of Madam Blavatsky were given a central focus in "Good and Evil" because "The Secret Doctrine" written by her can be used as a valuable source of references and descriptions of certain historical facts which are not so well known even to our modern scientists these days. With the help of Ascended Masters and the author the sacred knowledge provided by Blavatsky in "The Secret Doctrine" has finally been clarified and explained in relatively simple terms so that people can now read it and understand it to its full extent.
Along with the subject of Lucifer and the fall of angels the reader will also find in this book a description of ancient races and continents, references to which can be found in various manuscripts of the past. These races and continents are known to the current generation as Lemuria, Atlantis and others. "Good and Evil" provides us with a detailed explanation of how these races were formed on Earth one after another, explains how humanity got to its lowest point of materiality and how it will, in accordance with the law of cycles, return back to its spiritual source. This certainly gives us some hope Even though this will happen very gradually and will only become visible when the time comes. But the time will come again when we will be like angels and when all of us unite in God.
One will read here about the times when we were sinless and also the truth about the origins of sin, the origins of good and evil. There was a time when distinct clairvoyance and clairaudience were innate abilities of every man and woman, and there even was a time when the division between a man and a woman did not exist. We all used to be angel-like and there are certain evidences proving that ancient fact.
"Good and Evil" also tells us about the history of the Earth's formation and describes in detail the process of evolution of life on all the planes of existence (such as physical, astral, mental and others).
Would you also like to know where we used to dwell before coming to Earth? The answers to this and many other interesting questions the reader will find in this book.

Lachman brings us an in-depth look at Blavatsky, objectively exploring her unique and singular contributions toward introducing Eastern and esoteric spiritual ideas to the West during the 19th century, as well as the controversies that continue to colour the discussions of her life and work.

THESE volumes, complete in themselves as a series of studies in a definite body of tradition, are intended to serve ultimately as a small contribution to the preparation of the way leading towards a solution of the vast problems involved in the scientific study of the Origins of the Christian Faith. They might thus perhaps be described as the preparation of materials to serve for the historic, mythic, and mystic consideration of the Origins of Christianity, -where the term "mythic" is used in its true sense of inner, typical, sacred and "logic," as opposed to the external processioning of physical events known as "historic," and where the term "mystic" is used as that which pertains to initiation and the mysteries. Though the material that we have collected, has, as to its externals, been tested, as far as our hands are capable of the work, by the methods of scholarship and criticism, it has nevertheless at the same time been allowed ungrudgingly to show itself the outward expression of a truly vital endeavour of immense interest and value to all who are disposed to make friends with it. For along this ray of the Trismegistic tradition we may allow ourselves to be drawn backwards in time towards the holy of holies of the Wisdom of Ancient Egypt. The sympathetic study of this material may well prove an initiatory process towards an understanding of that Archaic Gnosis. And, therefore, though these volumes are intended to show those competent to judge that all has been set forth in decency according to approved methods of modern research, they are also designed for those who are not qualified to give an opinion on such matters, but who are able to feel and think with the writers of these beautiful tractates.

I believe, a time will come when greater distance makes the conflicts in the Anthroposophical Society - which at first sight seem so ugly - appear as part of the struggle for anthroposophy in the twentieth century. When this future dawns it will be important to be able to reach back to a historical documentation of what happened. - Emanuel Zeylmans Following the re-founding of the Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas Foundation Meeting in 1923, Ita Wegman, Rudolf Steiner's closest collaborator at the end of his life, became the object of intense opposition, systematic exclusion, and misunderstanding. This ostracism and misinformation continued after her death, kept alive by prejudice and untruths that created an atmosphere that made a clear and unbiased view of her role in Anthroposophy impossible. Because no real biography existed, even the open-minded and impartial found it difficult to make an informed judgment. This lack was filled by Emanuel Zeylmans' three-volume work, Who Was Ita Wegman? To write it, he researched 100 undated notebooks, 2,000 manuscript pages, and 6,000 letters. Sifting through these was an enormous labor. To reach the esoteric heart of "the Wegman question" took him twelve years. What he found was extraordinary and of paramount importance to anyone interested in Anthroposophy and the divisive karma of its history. In Ita Wegman and Anthroposophy, Wolfgang Weirauch of the German journal Flensburger Heft interviews Emanuel Zeylmans. Speaking candidly about the deepest aspects of his revelatory findings, Zeylmans describes how his passionate need unfolded to understand what happened both to Ita Wegman and Anthroposophy. He talks of meetings with those who knew her intimately. He tells of her collaboration with Rudolf Steiner and her fraught relations with Marie Steiner and Edith Maryon, both of whom also had special relationships with Steiner. He describes the Christmas Foundation Meeting and the conflicts that followed Steiner's death that led to Ita Wegman's expulsion from the Executive Council. Though this book will be of special interest to those who want to understand the history of the Anthroposophical Society, it would be a mistake to consider it a book about the past. It is a book about the future of Anthroposophy.

It is not a complete or exhaustive textbook of Theosophy, but only a key to unlock the door that leads to the deeper study. It traces the broad outlines of the Wisdom Religion, and explains its fundamental principles; meeting, at the same time, the various objections raised by the average Western inquirer, and endeavoring to present unfamiliar concepts in a form as simple and in language as clear as possible. That it should succeed in making Theosophy intelligible without mental effort on the part of the reader, would be too much to expect; but it is hoped that the obscurity still left is of the thought and not of the language, is due to depth and not to confusion. To the mentally lazy or obtuse, Theosophy must remain a riddle; for in the world mental as in the world spiritual each man must progress by his own efforts. The writer cannot do the reader's thinking for him, nor would the latter be any the better off if such vicarious thought were possible.

Marie-Laure Valandro, the author of Camino Walk and Letters from Florence and a long-time student of Anthroposophy, takes readers on yet another journey-this one more inward. Marie-Laure begins this journey with a Vipassana Buddhist retreat in southern Quebec with the well-known meditation teacher, Goenka. The meditation retreat becomes the touchstone of the author's travels, while Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy serves as the ground. The author describes the spiritual dimensions of her travels in India and Europe, while always returning to her deep understanding of Steiner's spiritual science. As always in Marie-Laure's writing, in Deliverance of the Spellbound God we discover the sublime in the ordinary, and wisdom in even the most foolish of situations. In her descriptions of people and places, as well as in the details of her travels, she shows how we can look outward to know ourselves, and look inward to know the world. Deliverance of the Spellbound God offers gifts of wisdom from an extraordinary life lived.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ Popular Lectures On Theosophy: By Annie Besant Annie Wood Besant Theosophical Pub. House, 1919 Theosophy

"As microcosms we are actually part of, and subject to, the same laws that cosmic beings are, just as the breath we draw is subject to our own human nature.... If our hearts are sensitive to the secrets of cosmic existence and not merely blocks of wood, the words we have been placed into the universe will no longer be an abstract statement. We will be fully alive to this fact. Knowledge and a feeling will spring up within us, the fruits of which will be born in our will impulses, and our whole being will live in unison with the great life, divine cosmic existence." -Rudolf Steiner In this important series of lectures, Rudolf Steiner lays out for Society members right and wrong ways of establishing connections with those who have died. Rather than following the materialistic desire to draw those who have died back into the physical realm, Steiner presents a means toward true spiritual union through strengthening one's forces of consciousness. He also showed how help is provided from the sphere of Christ's activity as a balance for our time. Steiner stated: "One who sees into the deeper meaning intended by our spiritual science recognizes in it not merely theoretical knowledge about all sorts of human problems, the members of the human being, reincarnation and karma, but one looks in it for an entirely different language, a way to express oneself in regard to spiritual matters. The fact that we learn through spiritual science to speak inwardly in our thoughts with the spiritual world is far more important than acquiring theoretical ideas. The Christ is with us even until the end of the world. It is his language that we must learn." This book is a translation (translator unknown) of 7 lectures from Bausteine zu einer Erkenntnis des Mysteriums von Golgatha. Kosmische und menschliche Metamorphose ("Building Blocks for an Understanding of the Mystery of Golgotha: Cosmic and Human Metamorphoses") 17 lectures, GA 175.

This peer-reviewed study represents a culmination of years of research into the history of the Theosophical Society. In this unique project which combines biographies with source analyses, Jeffrey D. Lavoie records a detailed history of the early Theosophical Society and examines its relationship with the modern Spiritualist movement between the years 1875-1891. Special attention has been paid to some of the neglected figures associated with these organizations including Arthur Lillie- the Gnostic-occultist and early critic of the Theosophical Society; the Davenport Brothers- the Spiritualist mediums who developed many of the standard elements which became associated with modern Spiritualism; Alfred Wallace- the prominent scientist, Spiritualist, and supposed member of the Theosophical Society and many others. This work will appeal to a wide array of readers including those interested in modern religious movements, Western Esotericism, South Asian history, and Victorian studies.