Theosophy Books (Overview)

The Ocean of Theosophy by William Quan Judge

The Ocean of Theosophy

The Ocean of Theosophy, by the Irish-American author, mystic, esotericist, and co-founder of the Theosophical Society William Quan Judge, was originally published in 1915.The work was intended by Judge to be illustrative of Theosophy “in such a manner as to be understood by the ordinary reader”. It covers much of the subject matter that is within Madame Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine, and is easily understood by those who are new to theosophy and philosophical discourse alike, by providing a succinct summary of all of the core ideas of Theosophy. This is no mean feat as the work covers some of the more advanced and esoteric theosophical and perennial topics, such as: the sevenfold nature of man, karma, reincarnation, the dangers of psychic practices & pseudo-occultism, the Earth’s being, cosmic & terrestrial cycles, the afterlife, and the existence of advanced or superhuman beings. Despite this it is one of the most clear and easily understood books on the topic of Theosophy existing to this day.

Light on the Path by Mabel Collins

Light on the Path, Through the Gates of Gold & The Illumined Way

Mabel Collins offers her views on reality and the world around us in this superb collection of three of her most popular works: Light on the Path, Through the Gates of Gold and The Illumined Way. Each of these works offers an inspirational account of both of the tenets of theosophy, and the outlook its members had upon the world. The first part of Light on the Path is comprised of a a series of rules, which briefly cover the behaviors which adherents to spiritualism promoted by the theosophic society should follow. The second part of the book is more of a simple, instructional guide to the study of the occult. Collins discusses how a person should prepare and undertake their personal study of the supernatural; according to Collins, the laws of ‘super-nature’ govern the Earth, its atmosphere, and the wider universe.

The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett by A.P. Sinnett

The Mahatma Letters To A. P. Sinnett From The Mahatmas M. & K. H.

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. Hence any marks or annotations seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.

Isis Unveiled by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

Isis Unveiled: Both Volumes - A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology (Illustrated)

This complete, unabridged, all-in-one edition of Helena Blavatsky’s classic work of esoteric spiritualism, history and theology also contains her original illustrations. Although named after the Egyptian goddess Isis – a figure widely associated with magic and nature – this book’s scope ranges far beyond ancient Egypt. The author examines the ancient spiritual pantheons of the East, with chapters upon Buddhism and Hinduism. These ancient beliefs are strongly believed to hold much value by the author, who discusses the essential truths about the nature of reality, consciousness and the place of humanity on the Earth. At over 540,000 words, this lengthy and eclectic treatise is considered to be one of the greatest ever produced in the field of esotericism. Alluding to wisdom from cultures all around the world, Isis Unveiled is a deeply detailed book invigorated by the passion of its author to prove that truths were known by the ancients that humans remains ignorant of to the present day. The truths which Blavatsky seeks to demonstrate span a wide domain; provinces of the spiritual, scientific, occult, religious and theological are delved into for answers. With this book, Helena Blavatsky introduced what she termed the ‘Wisdom-Religion’ to the world; a creed in which ancient documents and knowledge are valued as the purest source of spiritual knowledge. Her own researches in the subject are vast and yielded results that are staggering for their breadth. Replete topics covered in this work include life after death, magical and psychic phenomena, sorcery, black magic, the origin of the Christian faith, and eastern figures such as Gautama Buddha. The work however has not been without its detractors; many have accused Isis Unveiled of plagiarism, noting the similarity of large tracts with writings of other occultists. The sheer length and eclecticism of the book, and subsequent changes in the ideas attached to certain ancient phenomena, led to confusion among interested followers of Blavatsky’s writings: some contested that the original concepts had been contradicted. Helena Blavatsky was born to a wealthy family in Russia. Her education put her in contact with many ancient cultures and traditions, which fascinated her from an early age. Following the publication of this book she founded the Theosophical Society in New York, descendants and offshoots of which continue to research and seek after the essential truths underpinning existence to this day.

An Outline of Theosophy by C.W. Leadbeater

An Outline of Theosophy

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the “public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Man, Visible and Invisible by C.W. Leadbeater

Man, Visible and Invisible (Theosophical Heritage Classics)

This esoteric classic examines the invisible bodies of humans, showing how the colors of the aura change with different emotional states.

The Key to Theosophy by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Key To Theosophy

H.P. BLAVATSKY (1831-1891) completed The Key to Theosophy in 1889, less than a year after publication of her monumental work The Secret Doctrine. As she says in her Preface, “It traces the broad outlines of the Wisdom Religion, and explains its fundamental principles, while meeting, at the same time, the various objections raised by the average Western enquirer.” H.P.B. (as she was known to her students) endeavors to “present unfamiliar concepts in a form as simple and in language as clear as possible.” The Key is written as a dialogue between a Theosophist and a somewhat skeptical inquirer, and over the years students have found it an invaluable textbook. In its fifteen chapters, Blavatsky points out the historical roots of Theosophy and sets forth a concise and approachable presentation of its main teachings. These include the concept of Deity as an impersonal, universal and unifying principle; the ideas of Karma and reincarnation as dynamics of human growth and evolution; and the various animating principles, both physical and transcendental, which make up the human being. While many of these ideas may not seem as unfamiliar as they did in 1889, having since been absorbed into the vocabulary of contemporary life, their meanings are often neither fully nor practically understood. Perhaps most importantly, H.P.B. places a great emphasis throughout on the profound moral implications of these age-old teachings. That these transforming aspects of the ancient Wisdom Religion might be made more widely known and find expression in the minds, hearts, and daily lives of those who take up this study was the mission of her life’s work. The present publication is a verbatim reproduction of the original edition of 1889 and carefully preserves its layout and pagination. To this has been added both the Preface H.P.B. wrote to the second edition of 1891 and the Glossary of terms included with that edition.

The Secret Doctrine by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy (2-volume set)

Continuously in print for over 100 years, the SD remains today the most comprehensive sourcebook of the esoteric tradition, outlining the fundamental tenets of the Secret Doctrine of the Archaic Ages. Challenging, prophetic, and strikingly modern, it directly addresses the perennial questions: continuity of life after death, purpose of existence, good and evil, consciousness and substance, sexuality, karma, evolution, and human and planetary transformation. Based on the ancient Stanzas of Dzyan with corroborating testimony from hundreds of sources, these volumes unfold the drama of cosmic and human evolution — from the reawakening of the gods after a Night of the Universe to the ultimate reunion of cosmos with its divine source. Supplementary sections discuss relevant scientific issues as well as the mystery language of myths, symbols, and allegories, helping the reader decipher the often abstruse imagery of the world’s sacred literature. This edition is a character-for-character, line-for-line reproduction of the two-volume 1888 first edition. It is set in new type which closely matches the Miller & Richard Old Style font used in the original. The Index at the end of Volume II is the version revised in 1925.

Through the Gates of Gold by Mabel Collins

Through the Gates of Gold (A Timeless Classic): By Mabel Collins

Every man has a philosophy of life of his own, except the true philosopher. The most ignorant boor has some conception of his object in living, and definite ideas as to the easiest and wisest way of attaining that object. The man of the world is often, unconsciously to himself, a philosopher of the first rank. He deals with his life on principles of the clearest character, and refuses to let his position be shattered by chance disaster. The man of thought and imagination has less certainty, and finds himself continually unable to formulate his ideas on that subject most profoundly interesting to human nature,—human life itself. The true philosopher is the one who would lay no claim to the name whatever, who has discovered that the mystery of life is unapproachable by ordinary thought, just as the true scientist confesses his complete ignorance of the principles which lie behind science.

The Voice of the Silence by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Voice of the Silence

The Voice of the Silence is a book by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. It was written in Fontainebleau and first published in 1889. According to Blavatsky, it is a translation of fragments from a sacred book she encountered during her studies in the East, called “The Book of the Golden Precepts”.

  • Devotional classic of theosophy, concerning the seeker’s inner awakening and development, leading to a choice between the compassionate path and the path for self alone.
  • Zen Buddhism scholar Dr Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki wrote about the book: “Undoubtedly Madame Blavatsky had in some way been initiated into the deeper side of Mahayana teaching and then gave out what she deemed wise to the Western world…”(Eastern Buddhist, old series, 5:377) He also commented: “Here is the real Mahayana Buddhism.” (The Middle Way, August 1965, p. 90.)
Contents
  1. The Voice of the Silence
  2. The Two Paths
  3. The Seven Portals

The Ancient Wisdom by Annie Besant

The Ancient Wisdom

For those intimidated by Madame Blavatsky’s massive and complex tome, The Secret Doctrine, Annie Besant presents the basic tenets of Theosophical thought in a concise, easy to digest format. While a much easier read, this book still delivers the full spectrum and depth of the Theosophical philosophy.