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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Syncretist & eclectic religions & belief systems > Post-renaissance syncretist / eclectic systems
H. P. Blavatsky introduces and clarifies her theosophical movement
to the curious reader in this detailed text, which is written in
the style of questions and answers. The Theosophic Society
attracted popular interest for its esoteric and unusual nature;
theosophy unites numerous mystical, spiritual and occult principles
with the stated mission of finding the hidden truths of existence.
This was accomplished through investigating ancient societies and
writings, together with Medieval and Renaissance era authors,
occultists and other mystics. With The Key to Theosophy, Blavatsky
intended to demystify and clarify many of the finer points of the
movement she founded. She not only discusses what topics the
Theosophical Society has an interest in, but the organizational
structure and leadership under which it operates The agreed beliefs
among its members concerning man's place on the Earth, and how
nature affects and controls humans perceptibly and imperceptibly,
are likewise detailed.
Since the late nineteenth century, the Theosophical Society has
been a central force in the movement now known as the New Age. Just
as the Communist Party was considered 'old hat' by peace activists
in the '60s, so the Theosophical Society was looked upon by many in
the 'spiritual revolution' of those years as cranky, uninteresting,
and pass. But the Society, like the Party, was always there,
and-despite its relatively few members-always better organized than
anybody else. Since then, the Society's influence has certainly not
waned. It plays an important role in today's global interfaith
movement, and, since the flowering of the New Age in the '70s, has
established increasingly intimate ties with the global elites. And
its various spinoffs, such as Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Summit
Lighthouse, and Benjamin Crme's continuing attempt to lead a 'World
Teacher Maitreya' onto the global stage-just as the Society tried
to do in the last century with Krishnamurti-continue to send waves
through the sea of 'alternative' spiritualities. Gunon shows how
our popular ideas of karma and reincarnation actually owe more to
Theosophy than to Hinduism or Buddhism, provides a clear picture of
the charlatanry that was sometimes a part of the Society's modus
operandi, and gives the early history of the Society's bid for
political power, particularly its role as an agent of British
imperialism in India. It is fitting that this work should finally
appear in English just at this moment, when the influence of
pseudo-esoteric spiritualities on global politics is probably
greater than ever before in Western history.
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