* Ascended Masters:

Ascended Masters in various descendants and offshoots of Theosophy. In such an understanding, has become God-like and a source of unconditional "Divine Love" to all life, and through the ascension has united with his or her own "God Self", the "I AM Presence". Believe that the Presence of Life is God. Acquired the wisdom and mastery needed to become immortal and free of the cycles of "re-embodiment" and Karma.

* Ascend: To go higher up: to ascended a mountain, river, mist ascending from a valley: ascend the throne become king or queen. Ascendant (position) of rising influence or power: His star is in the ascendant (position) Ascender one that ascends. Ascension the act of ascending: Christ's Ascension (the Christian belief of Christ's going bodily in Heaven).

* Master: A person with power or authority, a teacher or tutor, one who heads an institution or activity: A great artist, musician, or author; also, one who has reached a high level of learning or skill: a past master of the art; become a master of or expert in an area: can humans master the elements? Masterly expert or skillful.

* Ascended Masters: In various descendants and offshoots of theosophy, are spiritually-enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans, but who have undergone a process of spiritual transformation. The term "Ascended Master" was first introduced to the public in 1934 with the publication of Unveiled Mysteries by Guy Ballard in The "I AM" Activity. This term was further popularized by The Bridge to Freedom (1951), The Summit Lighthouse (1958), The Temple of The Presence (1995), and various other organizations.

* Students of Ascended Master Teachings organizations (also known as "Ascended Master Activities"): Believe that the Presence of Life God Individualizes as the "I AM" and incarnates throughout the created universes. They believe that their Teachings have been given to humanity by the Ascended Masters. These are believed to be individuals who have lived in physical bodies, acquired the Wisdom and Mastery needed to become Immortal and Free of the cycles of "re-embodiment" and karma, and attained their "Ascension". They consider the Ascension to be the complete permanent union of the raised and purified outer self with the "I AM" Presence - that True Identity that is the unique Individualization of Almighty God for each person. This knowledge is believed to have previously been taught for millions of years only within "Ascended Master Retreats" and "Mystery Schools". It is believed by adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings that this wisdom was partially released by the Theosophical Society beginning in 1875, and began to have more detailed public release in the 1930s by the Ascended Masters through Guy Ballard in the I AM Activity.

* Originally presented by H. P. Blavatsky in the 1870s: The "Masters of Wisdom", "Mahatmas" or "Elder Brothers" were further developed by C. W. Leadbeater, Alice Bailey, Helena Roerich, Manly P. Hall, and many others in theosophy-based organizations, especially in the United States. They believe that Ascended Masters are individuals who were formerly embodied on the Earth and learned the lessons of life during their incarnations. They gained mastery over the limitations of the matter planes, balanced at least 51% of negative karma, and fulfilled their Dharma (Divine Plan).

* It is further claimed by various groups and teachers that the Ascended Masters: serve as the teachers of mankind from the realms of Spirit, and that all people will eventually attain their Ascension and move forward in spiritual evolution beyond this planet. According to these teachings, they remain attentive to the spiritual needs of humanity, and act to inspire and motivate its spiritual growth. In many traditions and organizations, they are considered part of the Spiritual Hierarchy for Earth, and members of the Great Brotherhood of Light, also known as the Great White Lodge, Great White Brotherhood, or Universal White Brotherhood (per Peter Deunov).

* According to Alice Bailey and Benjamin Creme there are sixty Cosmic Masters, defined as beings who are have reached the Fifth Level of Initiation or above, with Djwhal Khul in a pivotal role as the master who telepathically dictated the many esoteric teachings in Baileys' books. Elizabeth Clare Prophet revealed the names of a number of these Ascended Masters that were previously unknown.

* Esotericism: Is defined as the belief that secret societies and mystery schools possess advanced spiritual knowledge. Such beliefs are extremely ancient. This idea was re-introduced in the West by the Rosicrucians in the 17th century. The founder of the Theosophical Society, H. P. Blavatsky, in the late 19th century brought attention to the idea of secret initiatory knowledge, by claiming her ideas were based on traditions transmitted to her by occult means from a group of highly evolved humans which she called the Mahatmas or Masters.

* These Mahatmas: She claimed, were physical beings living in the Himalayas, usually understood as Tibet. They are living men, born as we are born, and doomed to die like every mortal. We call them “masters” because they are our teachers; and because from them we have derived all the Theosophical truths. They are men of great learning, whom we call Initiates, and still greater holiness of life." While some of her critics believe the Masters are pure fantasy, other writers suggest that her changing stories were meant to hide the identities of real human teachers guiding her work. In assessing the veracity of Blavatsky's claim regarding the existence of these Masters, it is worth noting that at least 25 other people left a written account of having met the Mahatmas themselves during Blavatsky's lifetime. Blavatsky claimed that she personally met numerous Masters on countless occasions, and was also the guest of the Master Koot Hoomi while visiting the "Little Tibet" region of Kashmir.

* After Madame Blavatsky's death in 1891: The Mahatma concept was developed by her successors in the Theosophical Society leadership, Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, who described the Masters in great detail and added Jesus to their number. In Leadbeater's book, The Masters and the Path (1925), the Masters are presented as ageless and superphysical, albeit still limited by human bodies. Other branches of theosophy developed the theory slightly differently, notably Alice Bailey from whose book Initiation, Human and Solar (1922), Leadbeater may have borrowed some of his details.

* Comparison of unascended and Ascended Masters: There is considerable difference between the concept of Masters in 19th century theosophy (as described by Blavatsky, Olcott, Sinnett, and others) and the current concept of Ascended Masters. The believers in "Immortal Saints and Sages" claim that these individuals have gone through the Initiations of the Transfiguration, Resurrection, and the Ascension to become "Ascended Masters". The twentieth century teachings of the Ballards, Prophets, and others claim that although Morya and Koot Hoomi (Kuthumi) were Adepts and Masters of the lower matter planes and the elemental forces of nature, they had not become Ascended Masters until 1898,

* Serapis and the Maha Chohan: Who were interacting with Theosophists during Blavatsky's time, already were Ascended Masters. An unascended Master has, according to these later teachings, overcome the limitations of the lower matter octaves (physical, emotional, mental), yet has chosen to postpone the final Initiation of the Ascension to remain in time and space to externalize and focus the Consciousness of God for the evolutions of the Earth.

* If a person takes a Bodhisattva vow: They may choose to remain with the humanity of this Earth as an unascended Master in one of the lower Spirit/Matter Octaves, as was the case with Babaji. It is believed by proponents of these beliefs that if enough mastery and externalization of the Divine Nature has been developed, such an Adept becomes an Initiate of one of the Brotherhoods or Sisterhoods of Light under the auspices of the Great White Brotherhood. It is claimed that there can be a high degree of attainment within the lower body vehicles of expression (physical, emotional, mental, memory), yet that Adept may still not be Ascended (not primarily expressing through the Higher Bodies). One such teaching claims that examples of unascended Masters are: Yogananda, Mataji, and Lao-tzu. The belief is that they have un-Ascended bodies that are not flesh and blood of the lowest of the sub-plane substance of the physical octave, but of the "finer matter" that composes the upper etheric sub-planes of the physical octave, as well as the emotional (astral) octave, and the mental octave.

* The Great White Brotherhood: In some versions of the theosophical belief systems, the Masters are collectively called the "Great White Brotherhood". The use of the term "white" refers to their advanced spirituality (i.e., that they have a white colored aura) and has nothing to do with race. The early versions of Blavatsky's writings described the Masters as ethnically Tibetan or Indian (Hindu), not European. Belief in the Brotherhood and the Masters is an essential part of the syncretistic teachings of various organizations that have continued and expanded the Theosophical philosophical concepts.

* Examples of those believed to be Ascended Masters are: Jesus, Confucius, Gautama Buddha, Mary the Mother of Jesus, St. Paul of Tarsus (aka Hilarion), Melchizedek, Archangel Michael, Metatron, Pope John Paul II, Kwan Yin the compassionate Bodhisattva, as well as alchemist Comte de Saint-Germain, Vaivasvata Manu and Kuthumi, (one of Helena Blavatsky's "Mahatmas") Tamarasha of Mantura Arts, not to mention Walt Disney. It is believed that all of these put aside any differences they might have had in their Earthly careers, and unite instead to advance the spiritual well-being of humanity.

* Theosophy: Is the study of religious philosophy and metaphysics as originating with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. In this context, theosophy holds that all religions are attempts by the "Spiritual Hierarchy" to help humanity in evolving to greater perfection, and that each religion therefore has a portion of the truth. Together with Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge, and others, Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society in 1875.

* H. P. Blavatsky addresses the name in the beginning of The Key to Theosophy:It comes to us from the Alexandrian philosophers, called lovers of truth, Philaletheians, from phil "loving," and aletheia "truth." The name Theosophy dates from the third century of our era, and began with Ammonius Saccas and his disciples, who started the Eclectic Theosophical system. Theosophy, literally "god-wisdom" (Greek: theosophia), designates several bodies of ideas predating Blavatsky: The term appears in Neoplatonism. Porphyry De Abstinentia (4.9) mentions "Greek and Chaldean theosophy", The adjective "wise in divine things" is applied by Iamblichus (De mysteriis) to the i.e. the Indian yogis or sadhus. There was a group of Renaissance philosophers: Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, Robert Fludd, and, especially, Jacob Boehme; the Enlightenment theologian Emanuel Swedenborg was influenced by these. The OED defines theosophy as: "Any system of speculation which bases the knowledge of nature upon that of the divine nature", noting it is used in particular with reference to Boehme.

* Basic Theosophical beliefs Consciousness is universal and individual:

* The Three Objects: The three declared objects of the original Theosophical Society as established by Blavatsky, Judge and Olcott were as follows:

First — To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour. Second — To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. Third — To investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man."

* According to Theosophy: Nature does not operate by chance. Every event, past or present, happens because of laws which are part of a universal paradigm. Theosophists hold that everything, living or not, is put together from basic building blocks evolving towards consciousness.

* Immortal higher self: Theosophists believe that all human beings in their "Higher Selves" are immortal, but their lower personalities are often unconscious of their eternal Spiritual Nature and that their physical, emotional, and lower mental components will decompose and perish.

* Reincarnation is Universal: Theosophy teaches that what is known as human is actually a Spiritual Nature classically called the Monad (Higher Self). This Monad has prompted wakefulness (self analyzing reflection) called the human state through myriad lives passing through the mineral, plant and animal stages during the evolution of life on earth. However Theosophy differs from the common belief that regression is possible. Human beings cannot incarnate as animals or plants again having attained awareness of Self, or really awareness of themselves as distinct from the lower kingdoms for whom such awareness does not exist, for form follows functional mind. Conversely, people are considered only the epitome of spiritual physical life on Earth and not the end stage of evolution, which continues for further stages. This natural progression includes those types of beings that were men and women like ourselves, but have since become more than egocentric personalities.

* The Ancient Wisdom Religion: Considers that in reaching such levels of selfless spiritual development, a man or woman naturally partakes in a Hierarchy of Being, where concern is the welfare and highest good of all beings. Therefore, in this sense, where religions would have men worship such Angelic types as the son of the Father (God), Theosophy teaches that all people are such beings in various stages of attainment, through the changing of their focus of life from the outer ego to the welfare of all others. Of course this must take as many lives to occur as it took to become enmeshed in so called material life. Men and women that have accomplished this are known throughout history as the benefactors and teachers of humanity, and have taught that all people may become what they have become. They teach that it is the duty of human beings to follow this Path of self-emancipation from the bondage of selfishness and become their own saviours, vicarious atonement essentially being impossible and outside the natural order. For although the thoughts and actions of another may be emulated, no being can be saved from foolishness through another's actions. Therefore Theosophy teaches that the immortal ethical life must be lived, and to this end teaches a Heart Doctrine of ethical thought and action as the practice by which the changes spoken of may be made.

* Karma:Theosophy professes the method for people to free themselves from unconsciously causing karma, which has become the cause of suffering of humanity during life, through an emulation of dharma-duty to all that lives. Theosophy teaches, as do many ethical/religious doctrines, that what ye sow, so shall ye reap. The point being that a sense or law of rigid justice rules nature, whereby Causes sown (in terms of conscious and unconscious actions) all have their mathematically connected consequences. Evil and good are the result of human determination, and of themselves are illusions caused by the mind being absorbed in spirit/matter in a cycle of becoming. There is a natural involution of spirit into matter followed by an evolution of matter back into spirit. The purpose of the Universe is for spirit to manifest itself self-consciously. This is done in small unassuming ways where individuals make a decided work out of doing their duty in the daily round, and learning to treat all others as their equal. In this way the Karma of our past, which precoccupies much of our endeavor, is resolved, the resolvent and solvent being the application of what the Buddhists call Good Heart through Mindfulness.

* Universality: Theosophy teaches that all life exists in an essential "Radical Unity" and in which all individual beings, regardless of the kingdom in which they exist (human, animal, vegetable or mineral), are involved in an inextricably interconnected single life. The advancement of any one aspect of this synergistically bound Unity affects all for the good. Of course, therefore, the opposite must be true. Human beings, being the only self conscious types in this continuum, are the product of countless awakenings into this state through lives of involvement with this "Radical Unity" and are therefore growing positively, when the awareness of this has become obvious.

* Evolution: Theosophists believe that religion, philosophy, science, the arts, commerce, and philanthropy, among other "virtues," lead people ever closer to "the Absolute." Planets, solar systems, galaxies, and the cosmos itself are seen as conscious beings, fulfilling their own evolutionary paths. The spiritual units of consciousness in the universe are the Monads, which may manifest as angels, human beings or in various other forms. Essentially, according to Leibniz in his Monadology, and adopted by H. P. Blavatsky because of the usefulness of the idea regarding a perspective upon what is called the Higher Self or Spiritual Nature of man, the idea of Monad stands for an essential unitary nature or point which is the basis for all compound natures. A Spiritual Atom, if you will. The point is that all beings, regardless of stature or complexity, are informed by the Monad, as it/they perfectly reflect(s) all of nature, but only from their vantage point. So-called empty Space is "dotted" with them to the exclusion of emptiness.

* Theosophists: Also believe that human civilization, like all other parts of the universe, develops through cycles of seven stages. Thus in the first age, humans were pure spirit; in the second age, they are known as Hyperboreans; in the third as Lemurians; and in the fourth, Atlanteans. Since Atlantis was the nadir of the cycle, the present fifth age is a time of reawakening humanity's psychic gifts. The term psychic here really means the realization of the permeability of consciousness as it had not been known earlier in evolution, although sensed by some more senstive individuals of our culture. In The Secret Doctrine, she shows that Semitic peoples were an offshoot of the initial Aryan Race which through a natural process of differentiation, had branched off from the Parent Aryan Race, along with its core beliefs, and became the basis for the Semetic peoples, as they are known in the Mid-east and from which ultimately sprung the Judeo-Christian perspective upon the Wisdom Religion of the Aryans.

* The Semitic were an early off-shoot or Sub-Race of this 5th Race of people: Who are the participants within the earlier races, and will be the participants of the latter races to be, as the evolution of our Spiritual awareness naturally proceeds and the less flexible forms of preceding people (through a Darwinian perspective) are less and less adaptable to the Soul's needs. However, this evolutionary drive, must be consciously assisted by its participants. For there can be no increase in awareness for those who practice an addiction to a stultifying materialism. This is one of the major emphases in Theosophy and is discussed in what is known as the Third Fundamental in The Secret Doctrine. Self-imposed and Self-divised effort brings about the changes needed for us to effectively grow in Spiritual awareness. And only this can truly enrich our culture with genuine ethical civilization.

* The Septenary Emblem of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) described at:It might be important and quite useful to see that the most material of the vestures of the Soul are interpenetrated by the particles of the more subtle vesture. For example-The "Sthula-Sarira" or most material body, is, as science is aware, mostly space at its so-called atomic level (as all matter is known to be), and these interstitial spaces are inhabited by the those subtler particles of the Astral Body or Linga sarira, and so on for the other more energy like envelopes of the Soul. The important thing about this interpenetration of each sheath, is that we see the inner person as a fluid and unbroken continuity, although varying in density/flexibility and energy and therefore more and more susceptible to the behest of the Real Person - the Soul/Higher Self since they are less and less encumbered in material boundary. Perhaps the image of a suspension or colloid in chemistry is an apt perspective. And since matter is merely the material opposite of consciousness (ultimately the Highest aspect of us being pure consciousness), this interpenetration of sheaths allows for consciousness to interpenetrate Man's nature and explains how we are sensitive to what we think is external stimulate, through the five senses. Theosophy, as well as many other esoteric groups and occult societies, claims in their esoteric cosmology that the universe is ordered by the number seven. The reincarnating consciousness of the monad utilizes spirit/matter forms in seven bodies:

* The first body: Is called * Sthula-sarira (Sanskrit, from sthula meaning coarse, gross, not refined, heavy, bulky, fat in the sense of bigness, conditioned and differentiated matter + sarira to moulder, waste away). A gross body, impermanent because of its wholly compounded character. The physical body is usually considered as the lowest substance-principle. The physical form is the result of the harmonious co-working on the physical plane of forces and faculties streaming through their astral vehicle or linga-sarira, the pattern or model of the physical body.

* The second body: Is called * Linga-Sarira, (Sanskrit, from linga meaning characteristic mark, model, pattern + sarira, from the verbal root sri to moulder, waste away). A pattern or model that is impermanent; the model-body or astral body, only slightly more ethereal than the physical body. It is the astral model around which the physical body is built, and from which the physical body flows or develops as growth proceeds.

* The third body: Is * Prana (Sanskrit, from pra before + the verbal root an to breathe, to live). In theosophy, the breath of life. This life or prana works on, in, and around us, pulsating unceasingly during the term of physical existence. Prana is "the radiating force or Energy of Atma - as the Universal Life and the One Self its lower or rather (in its effects) more physical, because manifesting, aspect. Prana or Life permeates the whole being of the objective Universe; and is called a 'principle' only because it is an indispensable factor and the deus ex machina of the living man."

* The fourth principle: Is * Kama (Sanskrit, from the verbal root kam meaning to desire). Desire; the desire principle is the driving, impelling force. Born from the interaction of atman, buddhi, and manas, kama per se is a colourless force, good or bad according to the way the mind and soul use it. It is the seat of the living electrical impulses, desires, and aspirations, considered in their energetic aspect.

* The fifth principle: Is * Manas (Sanskrit, from the verbal root man meaning to think). The seat of mentation and egoic consciousness; in humanity Manas is the human person, the reincarnating ego, immortal in essence, enduring in its higher aspects through the entire manvantara. When embodied, manas is dual, gravitating toward buddhi in its higher aspects and in its lower aspects toward kama. The first is intuitive mind, the second the animal, ratiocinative consciousness, the lower mentality and passions of the personality.

* The sixth principle or vehicle: Is * Buddhi (Sanskrit, from the verbal root budh to awaken, enlighten, know). The vehicle of pure, universal spirit, hence an inseparable garment or vehicle of atman, which is, in its essence, of the highest plane of akasa or alaya. In man buddhi is the spiritual soul, the faculty of discriminating, the channel through which streams divine inspiration from the atman to the ego, and therefore that faculty which enables us to discern between good and evil: spiritual conscience. The qualities of the buddhic principle when awakened are higher judgment, instant understanding, discrimination, intuition, love that has no bounds, and consequent universal forgiveness.

* The seventh: Is called * Atman (Sanskrit). Self; pure consciousness, that cosmic self which is the same in every dweller on this globe and on every one of the planetary or stellar bodies in space. It is the feeling and knowledge of "I am," pure cognition, the abstract idea of self. It does not differ at all throughout the cosmos except in degree of self-recognition. It may also be considered as the First Logos in the human microcosm. During incarnation the lowest aspects of atman take on attributes, because it is linked with buddhi, as the buddhi is linked with manas, as the manas is linked with kama, etc.

* A brief history of Theosophy: Theosophists trace the origin of Theosophy to the universal striving for spiritual knowledge that existed in all cultures. It is found in an unbroken chain in India but existed in ancient Greece and also in the writings of Plato (427-347 BCE), Plotinus (204-270) and other neo-Platonists, as well as Jakob Boehme (1575-1624). Some relevant quotations:

* We are imprisoned in the body:Like an oyster in his shell. The Socrates of Plato, Phaedrus To the philosopher, the body is "a disturbing element, hindering the soul from the acquisition of knowledge. What is purification? but the release of the soul from the chains of the body? The Socrates of Plato, Phaedo.

* The Theosophical Society:Modern Theosophical esotericism, however, begins with Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) usually known as Madame Blavatsky. In 1875 she founded the Theosophical Society in New York City together with Henry Steel Olcott, who was a lawyer and writer. During the Civil War Col. Olcott worked to root out corruption in war contracts. Madame Blavatsky was a world traveler who eventually settled in India where, with Olcott, she established the headquarters of the Society in Bangalore.

* Her first major book Isis Unveiled (1877): presented elements mainly from the Western wisdom tradition based on her extensive travels in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Her second major work The Secret Doctrine (1888), contains a commentary on The Book of Dzyan, and is based upon what she called an Unwritten Secret Doctrine (really the Wisdom tradition or Wisdom Religion allotted to Man), which is described as the underlying basis of all the religions of humanity. These writings, along with her Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silence are key texts for genuine students. Upon Blavatsky's death in 1891, several Theosophical societies emerged following a series of schisms. Annie Besant became leader of the society based in Adyar, India, while William Quan Judge split off the American Section of the Theosophical Society in New York which later moved to Point Loma, Covina, and Pasadena, California under a series of leaders: Katherine Tingley, Gottfried de Purucker, Colonel Arthur L. Conger, James A. Long, Grace F. Knoche, and in March 2006 Randell C. Grubb. The great pulp fiction writer Talbot Mundy was a member of the Point Loma group, and wrote many articles for its newsletter. Yet another international theosophical organization, the United Lodge of Theosophists, was formed by Robert Crosbie. He was a student of William Quan Judge and after his death went to Point Loma in 1900 to help Katherine Tingley's Thesosphical society, and which he left in 1904 to found the ULT in 1909. He experienced a lack of respect for the original work of H. P. Balvatsky and W. Q. Judge in Tingley's work and wished to bring that original stream of study back to the world, through a re-presentation of unaltered original writtings.

* Rudolf Steiner created a successful branch of the Theosophical Society Adyar in Germany: He focused on a Western esoteric path that incorporated the influences of Christianity and natural science, resulting in tensions with Annie Besant (cf. Rudolf Steiner and the Theosophical Society) having already founded his own Anthroposophical Society a month earlier after he refused members of the Order of the Star of the East membership in the German Section. Steiner was vehemently opposed to The Order of the Star of the East's proclamation that the young boy, Jiddu Krishnamurti, was the incarnation of Maitreya (who was believed to have "over-shadowed" Jesus Christ). However and fortunately, J. Krishnamurti himself saw through this business and left the Society. The great majority of German-speaking theosophists, as well as several others, joined Steiner's new society. (Steiner later became famous for his ideas about education, resulting in an international network of "Steiner Schools.")

* In North London: Another splinter group split off to form the Palmers Green Lodge under the leadership of the occultist and colonial adventurer, Thomas Neumark-Jones. The Palmers Green Lodge published the journal Kayfabe which published, among others, Rainbow Circle writers like Hobhouse and Chiozza Money. After the death of William Quan Judge, another society, the United Lodge of Theosophists, emerged, recognizing no leader after Judge; it is now based in Los Angeles, California. Other organizations based on the theosophical teachings of Helena Blavatsky, Besant and Leadbeater include the Agni Yoga, "I AM" Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse, and The Temple of The Presence. These various offshoots dispute the authenticity of their rivals. Thus followers of the United Lodge of Theosophists will claim that only " the Writings of HPB, William Quan Judge and Robert Crosbie can be trusted to contain unadulterated concepts and ethical direction."

* At its strongest in membership and intensity during the 1920s: The parent Theosophical Society (or Theosophical Society Adyar) had around 7,000 members in the USA. The largest section of The Theosophical Society, the Indian section, at one time had more than 20,000 members, now reduced to around 10,000. Theosophy was closely linked to the Indian independence movement: the Indian National Congress was founded during a Theosophical conference, and many of its leaders, including M. K. Gandhi were associated with theosophy. The present-day New Age movement is to a considerable extent based on the teachings presented by H. P. Blavatsky, though some writers have described Alice Bailey as the founder of the "New Age movement". However, the term was used prior to Bailey; a weekly Journal of Christian liberalism and Socialism called The New Age was published as early as 1894. James R. Lewis and J. Gordon Melton, in Perspectives on the New Age wrote, "The most important—though certainly not the only—source of this transformative metaphor, as well as the term "New Age," was Theosophy, particularly as the Theosophical perspective was mediated to the movement by the works of Alice Bailey." Artists and authors who investigated Theosophy, aside from the musicians listed below, include Aldous Huxley, Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Franz Kafka, William Butler Yeats, George William Russell, Owen Barfield, and T. S. Eliot, in Europe, and Arthur Dove, George Lucas, Katherine Dreier, Robert Duncan, Marsden Hartley, Wallace Stevens, and James Jones in America. Some prominent Hindu leaders, such as Swami Vivekananda and Swami Dayananda Sarasvati criticized Theosophy.

* Swami Dayananda Sarasvati: Initially worked with Blavatsky and Olcott after they arrived in India, but soon afterwards accused them of lying on several different topics, and then all collaboration was stopped on a permanent basis.

* Composers such as: Ruth Crawford-Seeger, Dane Rudhyar, and most famously Alexander Scriabin were Theosophists whose beliefs influenced their music, especially by providing a justification or rationale for their dissonant counterpoint. According to Rudhyar, Scriabin was "the one great pioneer of the new music of a reborn Western civilization, the father of the future musician." (Rudhyar 1926b, 899) and an antidote to "the Latin reactionaries and their apostle, Stravinsky" and the "rule-ordained" music of "Schoenberg's group." (Ibid., 900-901) Scriabin devised a quartal synthetic chord, often called his "mystic" chord, and before his death Scriabin planned a multimedia work to be performed in the Himalayas that would bring about the armageddon; "a grandiose religious synthesis of all arts which would herald the birth of a new world." (AMG). This piece, Mysterium, was never realized, due to his death in 1915.

* Theosophy (history of philosophy) * Ascended master * Esoteric cosmology * Theosophical Society

* Initiation: Is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense it can also signify a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role. Examples of initiation ceremonies might include Christian baptism or confirmation, Jewish bar or bat mitzvah, acceptance into a fraternal organization, secret society or religious order, or graduation from school or recruit training. A person taking the initiation ceremony in traditional rites, such as those depicted in these pictures, is called an initiate.

* Philosophy of religion: Is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with the philosophical study of religion, including arguments over the nature and existence of God, religious language, miracles, prayer, the problem of evil, and the relationship between religion and other value-systems such as science and ethics, amongst others. Philosophy of religion as a part of metaphysics: Philosophy of religion has classically been regarded as a part of metaphysics. In Aristotle's, Metaphysics, he described first causes as one of the subjects of his investigation. For Aristotle, the first cause was the unmoved mover, which has been read as God, particularly when Aristotle's work became prevalent again in the Medieval West. This first cause argument later came to be called natural theology by rationalist philosophers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

* In Aristotle's Metaphysics: He also states that the word that comes closest to describing the meaning of the word God is "Understanding". Today, philosophers have adopted the term philosophy of religion for the subject, and typically it is regarded as a separate field of specialization, though it is also still treated by some, particularly Catholic philosophers, as a part of metaphysics. To understand the historical relationship between metaphysics and philosophy of religion, remember that the traditional objects of religious discussion have been very special sorts of entities (such as gods, angels, supernatural forces, and the like) and events, abilities, or processes (the creation of the universe, the ability to do or know anything, interaction between humans and gods, and so forth).

* Metaphysicians (and ontologists in particular): Are characteristically interested in understanding what it is for something to exist--what it is for something to be an entity, event, ability, process, and so forth. Because many members of religious traditions believe in things that exist in profoundly different ways from more everyday things, objects of religious belief both raise special philosophical problems and, as extreme or limiting cases, invite us to clarify central metaphysical concepts. However, the philosophy of religion has concerned itself with more than just metaphysical questions. In fact the subject has long involved important questions in areas such as epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophical logic, and moral philosophy. See also world view.

* Questions asked in philosophy of religion: One way to understand the tasks at hand for philosophers of religion is to contrast them with theologians. Theologians sometimes consider the existence of God as axiomatic, or self-evident. Most theological treatises seek to justify or support religious claims by two primary epistemic means: rationalization or intuitive metaphors. A philosopher of religion examines and critiques the epistemological, logical, aesthetic and ethical foundations inherent in the claims of a religion. Whereas a theologian could elaborate metaphysically on the nature of God either rationally or experientially, a philosopher of religion is more interested in asking what may be knowable and opinable with regards to religions' claims.

* A philosopher of religion does not ask: "What is God?", for such is a complex question in that it assumes the existence of God and that God has a knowable nature. Instead, a philosopher of religion asks whether there are sound reasons to think that God does or does not exist. Still, there are other questions studied in the philosophy of religion. For example: What, if anything, would give us good reason to believe that a miracle has occurred? What is the relationship between faith and reason? What is the relationship between morality and religion? What is the status of religious language? Does petitionary prayer (sometimes still called impetratory prayer) make sense?

* What is God? This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it.

* The question? "What is God?" Is sometimes also phrased as "What is the meaning of the word God?" Most philosophers expect some sort of definition as an answer to this question, but they are not content simply to describe the way the word is used: they want to know the essence of what it means to be God. Western philosophers typically concern themselves with the God of monotheistic religions (see the nature of God in Western theology), but discussions also concern themselves with other conceptions of the divine. Indeed, before attempting a definition of a term it is essential to know what sense of the term is to be defined.

* In this case: This is particularly important because there are a number of widely different senses of the word 'God.' So before we try to answer the question "What is God?" by giving a definition, first we must get clear on which conception of God we are trying to define. Since this article is on "philosophy of religion" it is important to keep to the canon of this area of philosophy. For whatever reasons, the Western, monotheistic conception of God (discussed below) has been the primary source of investigation in philosophy of religion. (One likely reason as to why the Western conception of God is dominant in the canon of philosophy of religion is that philosophy of religion is primarily an area of analytic philosophy, which is primarily Western.) Among those people who believe in supernatural beings, some believe there is just one God (monotheism; see also monotheistic religion), while others, such as Hindus, believe in many different deities (polytheism; see also polytheistic religion) while maintaining that all are manifestations of one God. Hindus also have a widely followed monistic philosophy that can be said to be neither monotheistic nor polytheistic (see Advaita Vedanta). Buddhists generally do not believe in the existence of a creator God similar to that of the Abrahamic religions, but direct attention to a state called Nirvana (See also Mu). Within these two broad categories (monotheism and polytheism) there is a wide variety of possible beliefs, although there are relatively few popular ways of believing. For example, among the monotheists there have been those who believe that the one God is like a watchmaker who wound up the universe and now does not intervene in the universe at all; this view is deism. By contrast, the view that God continues to be active in the universe is called theism. (Note that 'theism' is here used as a narrow and rather technical term, not as a broader term as it is below. For full discussion of these distinct meanings, refer to the article Theism.)

* Monotheism: Is the view that only one God exists (as opposed to multiple gods). In Western (Christian) thought, God is traditionally described as a being that possesses at least three necessary properties: omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotence (all-powerful), and omnibenevolence (supremely good). In other words, God knows everything, has the power to do anything, and is perfectly good. Many other properties (e.g., omnipresence) have been alleged to be necessary properties of a god; however, these are the three most uncontroversial and dominant in Christian tradition. By contrast, Monism is the view that all is of one essential essence, substance or energy. Monistic theism, a variant of both monism and monotheism, views God as both immanent and transcendent. Both are dominant themes in Hinduism. Even once the word "God" is defined in a monotheistic sense, there are still many difficult questions to be asked about what this means. For example, what does it mean for something to be created? How can something be "all-powerful"?

* The distinguishing characteristic of polytheism: " Is its belief in more than one god. There can be as few as two (such as a classical Western understanding of Zoroastrian dualism) or an innumerably large amount, as in Hinduism (as the Western world perceives it). or because it is associated with their own group, culture, state, etc. (ancient Judaism is sometimes interpreted in this way). The distinction isn't a clear one, of course, as most people consider their own culture superior to others, and this will also apply to their culture's God. Kathenotheists have similar beliefs, but worship a different god at different times or places. In Kali Yukam all gets unified into Ayya Vaikundar for destroying the Kaliyan. Pantheists assert that God is itself the natural universe. The most famous Western pantheist is Baruch Spinoza, though the precise characterization of his particular set of views is complex and is often cited as one of the most internally consistent philosophical systems. Panentheism holds that the physical universe is part of God, but that God is more than this. While pantheism can be summed up by "God is the world and the world is God", panentheism can be summed up as "The world is in God and God is in the world, but God is more than the world and is not synonymous with the world". However, this might be a result of a misinterpretation of what is meant by world in pantheism, as many pantheists use "universe" rather than "world" and point out the utter vastness of the universe and how much of it (temporal causality, alternate dimensions, superstring theory) remains unknown to humanity. By expressing pantheism in this way and including such elements, rather than limiting it to this particular planet, and specifically limiting it to human experience, the theory is somewhat nearer to the view of panentheists while still maintaining the distinct characteristics of pantheism.

* The second question: "Do we have any good reason to think that God does (or does not) exist?", is equally important in the philosophy of religion. There are five main positions with regard to the existence of God that one might take:

1. * Theism: The belief in the existence of one or more divinities or deities. 2. * Deism: The belief that God does exist, but does not interfere with human life and the laws of the universe. 3. * Agnosticism: The belief that the existence or non-existence of deities is currently unknown or unknowable, or that the existence of a God or of gods cannot be proven. 4. * Atheism: The rejection of belief, or absence of belief, in deities. 5. * Nontheism: The absence of belief or disbelief in deities.

* It is important to note: That some of these positions are not mutually exclusive. For example, agnostic theists choose to believe God exists while asserting that knowledge of God's existence is inherently unknowable. Similarly, agnostic atheists lack belief in God or choose to believe God does not exist while also asserting that knowledge of God's existence is inherently unknowable.

* Natural Theology: The attempt to provide proofs or arguments for the existence of God is one aspect of what is known as natural theology or the natural theistic project. This strand of Natural theology attempts to justify belief in God by independent grounds. There is plenty of philosophical literature on faith (especially fideism) and other subjects generally considered to be outside the realm of natural theology. However, throughout much of philosophy of religion is the assumption of natural theology (i.e., that the existence of God can be justified or otherwise proven on rational grounds from observations about the universe). There has been considerable philosophical and theological debate about the kinds of proofs, justifications and arguments that are appropriate for this discourse. The philosopher Alvin Plantinga has shifted his focus to justifying belief in God (that is, those who believe in God, for whatever reasons, are rational in doing so) through reformed epistemology, in the context of a theory of warrant and proper function. Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have all developed religious world views based on, or incorporating, philosophical investigation. There are separate entries on Hindu philosophy, Jewish philosophy, Christian philosophy, and Islamic philosophy.

* Major philosophers of religion: See: Encyclopedic Theosophic Glossary * Abhinavagupta * Adi Shankara * Avicenna * Ramanuja * Madhva * Marilyn McCord Adams * Robert Adams * William Alston * Anselm of Canterbury * Averroes (also known as Ibn Rushd) * Thomas Aquinas * Augustine of Hippo * Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius * Giordano Bruno * Joseph Butler * Samuel Clarke * Anne Conway * William Lane Craig * René Descartes * Pseudo-Dionysius * Herman Dooyeweerd * Mircea Eliade * Desiderius Erasmus * Siddartha Gautama * Al Ghazali * Yehuda Halevi * Charles Hartshorne * Heraclitus * John Hick * David Hume * Peter van Inwagen * Allama Iqbal * William James * Immanuel Kant * Søren Kierkegaard * Nishida Kitaro * Ruhollah Khomeini * Nishitani Keiji * Harold Kushner * C. S. Lewis * Gottfried Leibniz * J. L. Mackie * Maimonides * Nicolas Malebranche * Jean-Luc Marion * Michael Martin * Herbert McCabe * Alister E. McGrath * Thomas V. Morris * Nagarjuna * Milarepa * Dogen Zenji * Friedrich Nietzsche * William of Ockham * Rudolph Otto * William Paley * Blaise Pascal * D. Z. Phillips * Philo of Alexandria * Alvin Plantinga * Plotinus * Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan * Bertrand Russell * Duns Scotus * Ninian Smart * Abdolkarim Soroush * Baruch Spinoza * Melville Y. Stewart * Richard Swinburne * Denys Turner * Peter Vardy * Vasubandhu * Keith Ward * William Whewell * Nicholas Wolterstorff * Ramakrishna * Vivekananda * René Guénon * Frithjof Schuon * Seyyed Hossein Nasr * F.W.J. Schelling * Paul Tillich * Gordon Clark * Ahmad Rafique * Dr. Zakir Naik

* The Theosophical Society was the organization formed: To advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The Theosophical Society was founded in New York City, USA, in 1875 by H.P. Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge and others. Its initial objective was the investigation, study and explanation of mediumistic phenomena. After a few years Olcott and Blavatsky moved to India and established the International Headquarters at Adyar, Madras (Chennai). There, they also became interested in studying Eastern religions, and these were included in the Society's agenda. By 1889 when Blavatsky wrote Key to Theosophy, the Society's objectives had evolved into 1. To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, colour, or creed. 2. To promote the study of Aryan and other Scriptures, of the World's religion and sciences, and to vindicate the importance of old Asiatic literature, namely, of the Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian philosophies. 3. To investigate the hidden mysteries of Nature under every aspect possible, and the psychic and spiritual powers latent in man especially.

* In addition to the stated objectives: As early as 1889 Blavatsky had told a group of Theosophical students that the real purpose of establishing the Society was to prepare humanity for the reception of the World Teacher when he appeared again on earth. This was repeated again more publicly by Annie Besant in 1896, five years after Blavatsky's death.

* After Helena Blavatsky's death in 1891: the Society's leaders seemed at first to work together peacefully. This did not last long. Judge was accused by Olcott and Annie Besant of forging letters from the Mahatmas; he ended his association with Olcott and Besant in 1895 and took most of the Society's American Section with him. The original organisation led by Olcott and Besant remains today based in India and is known as the Theosophical Society - Adyar, while the faction led by Judge is today known simply as the Theosophical Society, but often with the clarifying statement, "international headquarters, Pasadena, California". A third organization, the United Lodge of Theosophists or ULT, in 1909 split off from the latter organization, and various small splinter groups began to take shape including the Palmers Green Theosophical Lodge under the leadership of Thomas Neumark-Jones — which was influential among British New Liberal intellectuals. In 1902, Rudolph Steiner became General Secretary of the German/Austrian division of the Theosophical Society. He maintained a Western-oriented course, relatively independent from the Adyar headquarter led by Besant and Olcott. After serious philosophical conflicts, primarily on the spiritual significance of Christ and on the status of the young boy Krishnamurti (see below), most of the German and Austrian members split off in 1913 and formed the Anthroposophical Society. The latter remains very active and influential today and has branches in almost all western communities, including the US and Canada.

* Controversy / Racial Beliefs: Blavatsky argued that humanity had descended from a series of "Root Races", naming the fifth root race (out of seven) the Aryan race. She thought that the Aryans originally came from Atlantis,[2] and non-Aryan peoples were spiritually and intellectually inferior to Aryans, and would eventually die out. She believed that Semitic peoples were an offshoot of Aryans who have become "degenerate in spirituality and perfected in materiality."[4] Guido von List (and his followers such as Lanz von Liebenfels) later took up some of Blavatsky's ideas, mixing her ideology with nationalistic and fascist ideas; this system of thought became known as Ariosophy. Ariosophy, like Theosophy, had relied on intellectual expositions of racial evolution. The Thule Society preached Aryan supremacy and acted to achieve it. It provides the final link between occult racial theories and the racial ideology of Hitler and the emerging Nazi party."

* Krishnamurti * Theosophy * Category:Theosophy * Founders of the T. S. * Helena Blavatsky * William Quan Judge * Henry Steel Olcott * Personalities * Theosophists * Alice Bailey · Annie Besant * Geoffrey Hodson · C.W. Leadbeater * Alfred Percy Sinnett · Rudolph Steiner * Mysticism * Theosophical mysticism * Seven Rays * Initiation * Organisations * Theosophical Society * TS Adyar · TS Pasadena · ULT * Theosophical texts * Isis Unveiled * The Key to Theosophy * Mahatma Letters * The Secret Doctrine * The Voice of the Silence * More... * Theosophical Masters * Sanat Kumara * Djwal Khul * Morya * Kuthumi * Paul the Venetian * Serapis Bey * Master Hilarion * Master Jesus * Master Rakoczi * Related topics * Agni Yoga · Anthroposophy · * Esotericism · Neo-Theosophy * Liberal Catholic Church * Ascended Master Teachings * Benjamin Creme * Agni Yoga Society * Anthroposophy * Arcane School (Alice Bailey) * Annie Besant * Charles Webster Leadbeater * Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross * Church Universal and Triumphant * Hugh Dowding * Anna Kingsford * J. Krishnamurti * James Cousins * U.G. Krishnamurti * Liberal Catholic Church * New Acropolis * I AM Activity * Elizabeth Clare Prophet * Rudolf Steiner * The Temple of the People * Share International * Warren Prall Watters * Brother XII * The Temple of The Presence * The Bridge to Freedom See also: * Ascended Masters * Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross * Theosophical Society of the Arya Samaj * Arya Samaj * Religion and mythology * Aryan_race - Theosophy

* In 1909, C.W. Leadbeater: one of the leaders of this movement, proclaimed J. Krishnamurti, an adolescent Hindu boy, as the vehicle for a new indwelling of Maitreya Buddha. Krishnamurti's family had relocated to live on the site of the Theosophical Society headquarters in Adyar India in January 1909, a time when Annie Besant was the head of the organization in India. By 1925 J. Krishnamurti had began his movement away from the organization, and in 1931 he disavowed his status and left the Theosophical Society altogether. He spent the rest of his life as an independent spiritual teacher, though he remained on friendly terms with some individuals of the Theosophical Society. These people and groups claim origins or association with the Theosophical Society, its branches or leaders. Note that many of those listed are highly controversial in terms of their relation to Theosophy.

* Saint: Is a particularly good, holy person. The term is used within Christianity, with definitions varying by denomination, but English-language publications will sometimes use saint to describe a revered person from another religion. The word itself means “holy” and is derived from the Latin sanctus. The concept originates in early Greek Christian literature with the use of the word hagios (Greek meaning “holy” or “holy one”) and in the New Testament, where it is used to describe the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. In the Old Testament, the cognate is the Hebrew word qodesh, Other religions also recognize certain individuals as having particular holiness (or enlightenment.)

* The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy: A book originally published as two volumes in 1888, is Helena P. Blavatsky's magnum opus. The first volume is named Cosmogenesis, the second Anthropogenesis. It was an influential example of the revival of interest in esoteric and occult ideas in the modern age, in particular because of its claim to reconcile ancient eastern wisdom with modern science. Blavatsky claimed that its contents had been revealed to her by 'mahatmas' who had retained knowledge of mankind's spiritual history, knowledge that it was now possible, in part, to reveal.

* 1 Volume One * 2 Volume Two * 3 Volume Three and Four * 4 Racial theories * 5 Study of the Secret Doctrine * 6 Quotations * 7 Writings about "The Secret Doctrine" * 8 References * 9 See also * 10 External links

* The first part: 0f the book explained the origins of the universe itself, in terms derived from the Hindu concept of Yugas, or long passages of time through which the world is supposed to have evolved. Blavatsky attempted to demonstrate that the discoveries of "materialist" science had been anticipated in the writings of ancient sages, and that materialism would soon be proven wrong.

* The second half: Of the book describes the origins of humanity through an account of "Root Races" dating back millions of years. The first root race was, according to her, "ethereal", the second root race lived in Hyperborea. The third root race lived according to her in Lemuria and the fourth root race in Atlantis.

* According to Blavatsky: The present fifth root race, the so-called Aryans, is approximately one million years old. It overlapped the fourth root race and the very first beginnings of the fifth root race were approximately in the middle of the fourth root race.

* Blavatsky wanted also to publish: A third and a fourth volume of the Secret Doctrine. After Blavatsky's death a controversial third volume of the Secret Doctrine was published by Annie Besant.

* In the second volume of The Secret Doctrine:Dedicated to anthroprogenesis, there are passages and footnotes that claim some peoples to be less fully human or spiritual than the "Aryans". For example,

* The intellectual difference between: The Aryan and other civilized nations and such savages as the South Sea Islanders, is inexplicable on any other grounds. No amount of culture, nor generations of training amid civilization, could raise such human specimens as the Bushmen, the Veddhas of Ceylon, and some African tribes, to the same intellectual level as the Aryans, the Semites, and the Turanians so called. The 'sacred spark' is missing in them and it is they who are the only inferior races on the globe, now happily owing to the wise adjustment of nature which ever works in that direction fast dying out. Verily mankind is 'of one blood,' but not of the same essence. We are the hot-house, artificially quickened plants in nature, having in us a spark, which in them is latent". When discussing "sterility between two human races" as observed by Darwin, Blavatsky notes:

* Of such semi-animal creatures: The sole remnants known to Ethnology were the Tasmanians, a portion of the Australians and a mountain tribe in China, the men and women of which are entirely covered with hair. They were the last descendants in a direct line of the semi-animal latter-day Lemurians referred to. There are, however, considerable numbers of the mixed Lemuro-Atlantean peoples produced by various crossings with such semi-human stocks - e.g., the wild men of Borneo, the Veddhas of Ceylon, classed by Prof. Flower among Aryans (!), most of the remaining Australians, Bushmen, Negritos, Andaman Islanders, etc" (The SD Vol. 2). Blavatsky also asserts that "the occult doctrine admits of no such divisions as the Aryan and the Semite, accepting even the Turanian with ample reservations. Semites, especially the Arabs, are later Aryans degenerate in spirituality and perfected in materiality" She also connects physical race with spiritual attributes constantly throughout her works: Esoteric history teaches that idols and their worship died out with the Fourth Race, until the survivors of the hybrid races of the latter (Chinamen, African negroes, &c.) gradually brought the worship back. The Vedas countenance no idols; all the modern Hindu writings do. According to Blavatsky, The MONADS of the lowest specimens of humanity the "narrow-brained" savage South-Sea Islander, the African, the Australian) had no Karma to work out when first born as men, as their more favoured brethren in intelligence had She also prophesies of the destruction of the racial "failures of nature" as the "higher race" ascends:

* Some functional programming languages make use of monads: To structure programs which include operations that are sequenced. The name monad derives from category theory, a branch of mathematics that describes patterns applicable to many mathematical fields. (As a minor terminological mismatch, the term "monad" in functional programming contexts is usually used with a meaning corresponding to that of the term "strong monad" in category theory, a specific kind of category theoretical monad. The primary uses of monads in functional programming are to express input/output (I/O) operations and changes in state without using language features that introduce side effects. They exploit a loophole that, although a function cannot directly cause a side effect, it can construct a value describing a desired side effect that the caller should apply at a convenient time. However, I/O and state management are by no means the only uses of monads. They are useful in any situation where the programmer wants to carry out a purely functional computation while a related computation is carried out "on the side." The Haskell programming language is a functional language that makes heavy use of monads, and includes syntactic sugar to make monad composition more convenient. All of the code samples below are written in Haskell unless noted otherwise.

* Esotericism:

Refers to the doctrines or practices of esoteric knowledge, or otherwise the quality or state of being described as esoteric, or obscure. Esoteric knowledge is that which is specialized or advanced in nature, available only to a narrow circle of "enlightened", "initiated", or highly educated people. Items pertaining to esotericism may be known as esoterica. Some interpretations of esotericism are very broad and include even unconventional and non-scientific belief systems, typically as contrasted with the "scientific" or "traditional religious" beliefs of the society without or "at large". In contrast, exoteric knowledge is knowledge that is well-known or public; or perceived as informally canonic in society at large.

* 1 Etymology * 2 Connotations * 2.1 "Esotericism" in current usage * 3 Nuances * 4 Scope * 5 Historical sketch of religious ideas * 6 References * 7 See also * 8 External links

* Esoteric: Is an adjective originating in Greece it comes from the Greek esoterikos, from esotero, the comparative form of: "within". Esoteric refers to anything that is inner. Its antonym is exoteric, from the Greek eksoterikos, from eksotero, the comparative form of ekso: "outside". Plato, in his dialogue Alcibíades (circa 390 BC), uses the expression ta esô meaning «the inner things», and in his dialogue Theaetetus (circa 360 BC) he uses ta ekso meaning «the outside things». The probable first appearance of the Greek adjective esoterikos is in Lucian of Samosata's "The Auction of Lives", (also called "The Auction of the Philosophical Schools"), written around AD 166.

* The term Esoteric: First appeared in English in the 1701 History of Philosophy by Thomas Stanley: In his description of the "Auditors of Pythagoras." The Pythagoreans were divided into "exoteric", which were under review, and "esoteric", which had performed well enough to be admitted into the "inner" circle.

* "Esotericism" in current usage: In Western, English-speaking societies today, the term "esotericism" has come to informally mean any perception or knowledge that is difficult to understand or remember, such as theoretical physics, or that which pertains to the minutiae of a particular discipline, such as "esoteric" baseball statistics. The term "esoteric" does not necessarily refer to "esotericism" per se in the sense of "inner" knowledge, disciplines, or practices. A variety of past traditions could be classified as forms of "esotericism" due to their "inner" focus as well as their "selective" and "secretive" nature.

* Esotericism largely overlaps with "hidden knowledge": Some overlap exists as well between esotericism and mysticism. However, many mystical traditions do not attempt to introduce additional spiritual knowledge, but rather seek to focus the believer's attention or prayers more strongly upon the object of devotion. A mystic is thus not necessarily an esotericist.

* "Esotericism": Sometimes suggests an additional element of initiation, for example the requirement that one be tested before learning the higher truth. Note however that most "esoteric" teachings are widely available, and indeed often actively promoted. Another possibility is that such knowledge may be kept secret not by the intention of its protectors, but by its very nature—for example, if it is accessible only to those with the proper intellectual background. The religiously minded have sometimes used "esotericism" to refer to their belief-systems. For this reason a brief survey of some religious traditions follows. This is not necessarily the meaning of esotericism. Academic esotericism constitutes the modern academic disciplines - looked at in articles under the relevant headings.

* Esotericism: Is not a single tradition but a vast array of often unrelated figures and movements. Nevertheless, the following may be helpful.

* The Roman Empire gave birth not only to Christianity: But also to a group of mystery religions which emphasized initiation. Some see Christianity, with its ritual of baptism, as a mystery religion: Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."[Acts] 2:38

* After Christianity became the state religion of Rome: Dissident Christian groups became persecuted as traitors to the state. Pagan groups came to be suppressed as well. The terms "Gnosticism" and "Gnosis" have been challenged as coherent categories, but refer to a family of ancient Jewish, Christian, and pagan religious movements which often claimed to possess secret teachings relating to the spirit world, as opposed to the ordinary world which they tended to denigrate. Another important movement from the ancient world was Hermeticism, sometimes called Hermetism to distinguish it from post-Renaissance appropriations of it. Separately, ancient Babylon provided the basis for Western astrology.

* The dichotomy between the esoteric and exoteric: Also plays an important part in Islam, particularly the beliefs of the Ismaili Muslims. It is believed that spiritual salvation is attained by receiving the 'Nur' (light) of Allah through the esoteric, that is, spiritual search for enlightenment. Neither the exoteric nor the esoteric obliterates the other. The inner, spiritual life remains in harmony with the exoteric, and is a dimension of the faith that finds acceptance among many communities in both branches of Islam. During the Middle Ages such things as astrology, alchemy, and magic were not distinct from the standard subjects of the curriculum of an educated man. While some people assume esotericism to be opposed to the Bible or Christianity, as a historical matter this tension did not arise until later. Indeed, Christianity contributed its own esoteric imagery, notably the Holy Grail from Arthurian literature.

* While many esoteric subjects have a history reaching back thousands of years: these have generally not survived as continuous traditions. Rather, they have benefited from various antiquarian revival movements. During the Italian Renaissance, for example, translators such as Ficino and Pico della Mirandola turned their attention to the classical literature of neo-Platonism, and what was thought to be the pre-Mosaic tradition of Hermeticism.

* European esotericism: was reformulated in the 17th century as Rosicrucianism, and later entered various strands of Freemasonry. In the 19th century a notable French revival in turn gave way to the theosophy of H. P. Blavatsky. In the 20th century Theosophy was reformulated by Annie Besant, C. W. Leadbeater, Alice Bailey, Rudolf Steiner and many others. Theosophy is also considered a major influence on the many current varieties of esotericism in metaphysical organizations, "Ascended Master Activities", and within the New Age groups. Yet another notable esoteric strain stems from the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff and P. D. Ouspensky.

* Rudolf Steiner: Who broke with theosophy to found his own anthroposophy, spoke of a disagreement between esotericists at the close of the 19th century; one branch wanted to open up esoteric knowledge to the general public, while another group wished to maintain secrecy. Steiner himself claimed to stand in the lineage of those who wanted to make the esoteric an accepted part of mainstream culture. His first books, written in the 19th century, avoided any reference to esoteric themes, but he saw the 20th century as the dawn of a new age, when spirituality would be increasingly central to human development. Thus, he began to publish works such as 'Theosophy' and 'Occult Science' and to lecture on esoteric themes both to select audiences (members of the Anthroposophical Society or of his own esoteric school) and to the general public. All but the most esoteric of these lectures were already being published during his lifetime, and in the last decades even the most esoteric material has been made available by the Rudolf Steiner Archive and Press,[5] in accordance with Steiner's wishes. Steiner's Anthroposophy has been called the "most important esoteric society in European history".

1. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary : esotericism 2. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary : esoteric 3. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary : esoterica 4. ^ Rudolf Steiner, The Occult Movement in the 19th Century, GA 254, page 139. 5. ^ Rudolf Steiner Archive and Press 6. ^ Tom Grote, "Kosmische Wirkkräfte", German Radio interview 08/08/2007 * Benjamin Walker, Encyclopedia of Esoteric Man: The Hidden Side of the Human Entity, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1977, ISBN 0-7100-8479-X * Benjamin Walker, Man and the Beasts Within: The Encyclopedia of the Occult, the Esoteric, and the Supernatural, Stein & Day, New York, 1978, ISBN 0-8128-1900-4 * Wouter J. Hanegraaff (ed.) in collaboration with Antoine Faivre, Roelof van den Broek & Jean-Pierre Brach, Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, 2 vols., Brill, Leiden 2005. * Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism, Brill, Leiden, since 2001. * Aries Book Series: Texts and Studies in Western Esotericism, Brill, Leiden, since 2006. * Antoine Faivre, Access to Western Esotericism, SUNY Press, Albany 1994. * Antoine Faivre, Theosophy, Imagination, Tradition: Studies in Western Esotericism, SUNY Press, Albany 2000. * Kocku von Stuckrad, Western Esotericism: A Brief History of Secret Knowledge, Equinox, London / Oakville 2005. * Wouter J. Hanegraaff, 'The Study of Western Esotericism: New Approaches to Christian and Secular Culture', in: Peter Antes, Armin W. Geertz & Randi R. Warne, New Approaches to the Study of Religion, vol. I: Regional, Critical, and Historical Approaches, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2004. See also Spirituality Portal * Alchemy * Anthroposophy * Archeosophy * Astrology * Behmenism * Clairvoyance * Esoteric Christianity * Esoteric cosmology * Esotericism in Germany and Austria * Freemasonry * Hermeticism * Kabbalah * Karma * List of Buddhist topics * List of Masonic organizations * List of spirituality-related topics * List of religious, esoteric, metaphysical and mystical symbols * Magic and religion * Martinism * Merkabah * Mysticism * Neoplatonism * New Age * Numerology * Occult * Odic force * Qigong * Planes of existence * Reincarnation * Rosicrucianism * Spiritual evolution * Spirituality * Telepathy * Theosophy * Western Esotericism (academia) * Western mystery tradition

* Thus will mankind, race after race, perform its appointed cycle-pilgrimage: Climates will, and have already begun, to change, each tropical year after the other dropping one sub-race, but only to beget another higher race on the ascending cycle; while a series of other less favoured groups the failures of nature will, like some individual men, vanish from the human family without even leaving a trace behind. While these assertions have been criticized, other extracts from her writings show her strong belief in an Universal Brotherhood of humanity. In The Key to Theosophy she wrote that "All men have spiritually and physically the same origin, which is the fundamental teaching of Theosophy" and that "mankind is essentially of one and the same essence. One of the objects of her Theosophical Society is To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, color, or creed. She also spoke out against European slave trade in Africa (Key to Theosophy 3), the Caste System (SD I:270) and often laid stress on "kindness, absence of every ill feeling or selfishness, charity, goodwill to all beings, and perfect justice to others as to one's self" (The First Message of HPB). In The Secret Doctrine, Blavatsky states: "Verily mankind is 'of one blood, but not of the same essence. In Isis Unveiled, published eleven years before The Secret Doctrine, Blavatsky gave an account of why "white men" were almost incapable of magic:

* Magic being: what it is: The most difficult of all sciences to learn experimentally its acquisition is practically beyond the reach of the majority of white-skinned people; and that, whether their effort is made at home or in the East. Probably not more than one man in a million of European blood is fitted either physically, morally, or psychologically to become a practical magician, and not one in ten millions would be found endowed with all these three qualifications as required for the work. Civilized nations lack the phenomenal powers of endurance, both mental and physical, of the Easterns; the favoring temperamental idiosyncrasies of the Orientals are utterly wanting in them. In the Hindu, the Arabian, the Thibetan, an intuitive perception of the possibilities of occult natural forces in subjection to human will, comes by inheritance; and in them, the physical senses as well as the spiritual are far more finely developed than in the Western races. Notwithstanding the notable difference of thickness between the skulls of a European and a Southern Hindu, this difference, being a purely climatic result, due to the intensity of the sun's rays, involves no psychological principles. Furthermore, there would be tremendous difficulties in the way of training, if we can so express it. Contaminated by centuries of dogmatic superstition, by an ineradicable -- though quite unwarranted -- sense of superiority over those whom the English term so contemptuously 'niggers,' the white European would hardly submit himself to the practical tuition of either Kopt, Brahman, or Lama" (Isis Unveiled).

* Study of the Secret Doctrine: (SD)According to P.G.B. Bowen, Blavatsky gave the following instructions regarding the study of the Secret Doctrine: Reading the S.D. page by page as one reads any other book (she says) will only end us in confusion. The first thing to do, even if it takes years, is to get some grasp of the "Three Fundamental Principles" given in the Proem. Follow that up by study of the Recapitulation the numbered items in the Summing Up to Vol. I (Part 1.) Then take the Preliminary Notes and the Conclusion Such a work as this has to be introduced with no simple Preface, but with a volume rather; one that would give facts, not mere disquisitions, since the SECRET DOCTRINE is not a treatise, or a series of vague theories, but contains all that can be given out to the world in this century. (The Secret Doctrine)

* Writings about "The Secret Doctrine:

* Alice Bailey wrote about the Secret Doctrine: But those of us who really studied it and arrived at some understanding of its inner significance have a basic appreciation of the truth that no other book seems to supply. H.P.B. said that the next interpretation of the Ageless Wisdom would be a psychological approach, and A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, which I published in 1925, is the psychological key to The Secret Doctrine. None of my books would have been possible had I not at one time made a very close study of The Secret Doctrine.

* Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine by Max Heindel (1933; from Max Heindel writings & with introduction by Manly Palmer Hall): THE SECRET DOCTRINE is one of the most remarkable books in the world. Behind her [H.P.B.] stood the real teachers, the guardians of the Secret Wisdom of the ages, who taught her all the occult lore which she transmitted in her writings.

* The Secret Doctrine, by HP Blavatsky * The Secret Doctrine and Its Study by P.G.B. Bowen * The Key to Theosophy, by HP Blavatsky * The First Message of HP Blavatsky. To WQ Judge, General Secretary of the American Section of the Theosophical Society. 1888. * Theosophy * Round (Theosophy) * Book of Dzyan * Mahatma Letters External links * The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 1 and Vol.2 Online Version * The third volume of the Secret Doctrine * The Secret Doctrine Net * The Secret Doctrine at Blavatsky.Net * The Book of Dzyan Research Reports by David Reigle * Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine by Max Heindel with an Introduction by Manly Palmer Hall, little essay on H.P. Blavatsky and "The Secret Doctrine" published in 1933.

* History: Tibetan Chi Kung meditation or Qi Gong differs from Chinese Qi Gong in several ways. Tibetan Chi Kung was begun by ancient societies high in the mountains of Tibet who had been influenced by Chinese martial arts and Indian yogic practices, according to Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, martial arts scholar. Tibetan Chi Kung is practiced with frequent references to Tibetan yoga and incorporates many different schools of Chinese martial arts, from White Crane Chi Kung to Snake style Kung Fu (and other animal forms). This means that instead of simply coming out of a particular school (Yang or Chen style Tai Chi, for instance) it can use and combine movements from many forms. It is particularly dependent on visualization and the circulation of the breath to break up blockages in the body.

* Health benefits: Tibetan Chi Kung, like Chinese Chi Kung, has both paired and solitary exercises to clear blockages in the body, and improve kidney, lung, liver, spleen and heart health. It also aids correct posture, releases tension in the muscles and ligaments, and helps in the prevention of disease and sickness. Energy blockages can be caused by stress placed on the body, for example; overwork, bad posture, excessive drinking, smoking, drug usage, or emotional or physical trauma. However, Tibetan Chi Kung has more mystical aspects than Chinese Qi Gong, and is practiced not only for health, but for spiritual purposes. This type of Chi Kung does not arise from Tibetan Buddhism, as one might expect, but from an older, nature-based religion. In China, Chi Kung in general can be prescribed for health without a religious correlation. In Tibet, when Chi Kung is practiced, visualization of a positive universal force is encouraged, and certain aspects of nature can be used to enhance the meditation.

* Mystical Aspects: Practitioners of Tibetan Chi Kung are more able to feel energy around and inside the body, which helps them in their daily lives to make decisions based on intuition and empathy. In Tibetan Chi Kung, intuition is classified as receiving a thought about a situation or a person, and empathy is classified as having a somatic sensation in the body about a person or situation. For our purposes, "energy around the body" could be classified simply as the body's electro-magnetic field, but there seems to be something else there, not yet explained by science. Tibetan Chi Kung is linked to the practice of an internal martial art called "Lin Con Ji" or "Empty Force," which is a process whereby an Empty Force/Chi Kung master directs and manipulates energy to transmits it to his students, allowing them to raise their level of energy. Various exercises combined with the teacher's presence and intention to transmit energy cause this to happen. For instance, say your normal energy level is that of a AA battery, and you want to raise your energy level. The Empty Force master's energy level can be thought of like a D battery, but a D battery with an infinite supply of energy. So the larger battery size can be a metaphor for both how much energy you can handle, and how much you can give out and transmit to others.

* Footnote: Reference taken from "Qigong, The Secret of Youth" [Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming], YMAA Publications Center, 2000. Page 43. "Tibetan Buddhism has always been kept secret and isolated from the outside world. Because of this, it is very difficult to decide when exactly Tibetan Buddhism was established. Because Tibet is near India, it is reasonable to assume that Tibetan Buddhism started earlier than that of China. Naturally, it is again reasonable to assume that Tibetan Qigong training has had more influence from India than Chinese Qigong has. However, over thousands of years of study and research, the Tibetans established their own unique style of Qigong meditation. The Tibetan priests are called Lamas, and many of them also learned martial arts. Because of the different cultural background, not only are the Lama’s meditation techniques different from those of the Chinese or Indian Buddhists, but their martial techniques are also different. Tibetan Qigong Meditation and martial arts were kept secret from the outside world, and were therefore called “Mi Zong,” with means “secret style.” Because of this, and because of the different languages, there are a very limited number of documents available in Chinese. Generally speaking, Tibetan Qigong and martial arts did not spread into Chinese society until almost the Qing dynasty (1644-1911 AD) Since then, however, they have become more popular. …According to the available documents, Tibetan Qigong training emphasizes spiritual cultivation through still meditation, although it also used many physical Qigong exercises which are similar to Indian Yoga."