HISTORY
History
of the
Theosophical
Society
The Theosophical Society was founded on November 17th 1875 in New York
By Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and Willian
Quan Judge and others. Headquarters were later established in Adyar, India.
The Common Foundation of all Religions
Is Theosophy a Religion ? By H P Blavatsky
____________________
Brief
Chronology of the Theosophical Society
(Adyar)
History of the Theosophical Society in Wales
The Theosophical Society: Its Origin, Plan and Aims
By H S Olcott with H P Blavatsky
The
Original Programme of the Theosophical Society
Theosophy and The Theosophical Society
This is where it began
The Mott Memorial Hall, New York
On November 17th 1875
1875 The founding of the Theosophical Society, in New
York.
1877 Isis
Unveiled, written by H.P. Blavatsky, is published.
1878 On July 8, H P Blavatsky became a naturalized citizen of the United
States..
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and
H.P. Blavatsky set off for India.
1876 – 1878
Influence Grows Despite Inactivity
1879 Olcott and
H.P. Blavatsky arrive in India. Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky start the Publication
of "The Theosophist".
1881 Publication
of The Occult World, written by
A.P. Sinnett.
1883 Publication
of Esoteric Buddhism,
written by A.P. Sinnett.
Letters by H P Blavatsky to A P Sinnet
1884 Charles Webster Leadbeater joins the Theosophical Society and
travels to India at the order of the Master. The Inner Group of the London
Lodge is formed.
1885 H.P. Blavatsky returns to Europe. "Man-Or Fragments of
Forgotten Truth", by Mohini Chatterji and Laura Holloway was published.
1886 William Quan Judge
starts the magazine, The Path.
1887 W. Q. Judge writes a letter to H.P. Blavatsky asking her to start a
group with the purpose of esoteric instruction.
1888 The Secret Doctrine, written by H.P. Blavatsky, is published. The
existence of the Esoteric School is publicly announced.
Secret Doctrine Text Version 7.5MB
1889 Annie Besant, a high profile
free thinker and social reformer, joins the Theosophical Society after reading
the Secret Doctrine and meeting H.P. Blavatsky. H.P. Blavatsky publishes
1889 - 1890 Mohandes K Gandhi
is introduced to H P Blavatsky and Annie Besant in London but declines to
become a regular member of the Theosophical Society. However, during the
following year the Society’s influence lead him to read Theosophical and
religious literature including Edwin Arnold's The Song Celestial (the
Bhagavad Gita) and The Light of Asia.
H P Blavatsky meets Mohandes K Gandhi
1890 T. Subba Row dies.
1891 H P Blavatsky dies in London on May 8th which becomes
celebrated as White Lotus Day and Colonel Henry Steel Olcott takes over as
President. Annie Besant and W.Q. Judge become joint Outer Head of the Esoteric
Section.
Tsar Nicholas II Drops in on The Theosophical Society
Colonel
Henry Steel Olcott
1894 Start of the argument between W. Q. Judge on the one hand and
Olcott and Besant on the other on the authorship of some Mahatmic letters
received through W.Q. Judge.
1895 The American Section secedes. W. Q. Judge is its president until
his death
The American
break with Adyar is by no means unanimous; 75 lodges resign from the Adyar Theosophical Society and elect W Q Judge as
president. 26 lodges remain in the Adyar Theosophical Society under the
leadership of Alexander Fullerton.
1896 W. Q. Judge
dies.
The American Theosophy Group which remains part of the Adyar lineage is
now known a The Theosophical Society in America and establishes its
headquarters at Wheaton Illinois.
W Q Judge’s breakaway group, led by Katherine Tingley moves its
headquarters from New York to Pasadena in 1900 and becomes known as the
Theosophical Society, Pasadena. This becomes a separate Theosophical lineage
with groups worldwide under a
different series of leaders: Katherine Tingley, Gottfried de Purucker, Colonel
Arthur L. Conger, James A. Long and Grace F. Knoche.
William
Quan Judge
1900 Annie
Besant receives a letter by Mahatma Koot Hoomi.
1902 Annie Besant
invites Rudolf Steiner to form a German Section of the Theosophical Society.
1904 Robert
Crosbie, a supporter of W Q Judge and now leaves the Theosophical Society,
Pasadena.
England and India By Annie Besant 1906
Theosophy and the Theosophical Society By Annie Besant
1907 Olcott
dies. Annie Besant voted president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar)
The
Vicissitudes of Theosophy By A P Sinnett
A 1907 article assessing the early
progress of the Theosophical Society
Selection of Annie Besant's Writings
1909 Robert Crosbie forms the United Lodge of Theosophists with its
headquarters in New York. This becomes another Theosophical lineage with groups
worldwide.
Annie Besant
1909 Leadbeater discovers Jiddu Krishnamurti on
the
private beach that formed part of the Theosophical headquarters
in Adyar. Krishnamurti and his family had been living in the headquarters for a
few months before this discovery. Krishnamurti was to be the vessel for the
indwelling of the coming "World Teacher" that many Theosophists were
expecting. This new teacher would, in the pattern of Moses, Buddha, Zarathustra
(Zoroaster), Christ, and Muhammad divulge a new dispensation, a new religious
teaching. Many Theosophists were unhappy about this move.
1911 Formation
of the "Order of the star in the East", in dedication to the
"World Teacher" (i.e. J. Krishnamurti)
1912 J.
Krishnamurti is made the head of the "Order of the star in the East".
J. Krishnamurti's father starts custody battle against Annie Besant. The fight
ends when in 1914, J. Krishnamurti is 18 years old and no longer a minor by
Indian law. Rudolf Steiner is expelled from the Theosophical Society (Adyar),
because he refuses to have as members of his German section, people who are
also members of the "Order of the Star of the East". Most of the
German Section leaves with him and form the Anthroposophical Society.
The issue of
Krishnamurti threatens to split the Society further over the next twenty years.
C Jinarajadasa proclaims India’s loyalty to the Empire,
Cardiff 1916
1917 Annie
Besant demanded Home Rule for India and suffered internment for it from June to
September 1917. There are protests around the world and the order is lifted by
order of British Home Secretary. Interment notices were also served
George Arundale and B P Wadia.
1919 Jalianwala Bagh Massacre, Amritsar:- Troops
commanded by a British Officer kill 379 and wound 1200. This leads to a
distancing of Mohandes K Gandhi from Annie Besant and effectively ends Annie
Besant’s hopes of a British India Commonwealth.
Annie Besant and The Indian
National Congress
The Case for India by Annie
Besant
Welsh Theosophists protest
against the Internment of Annie Besant 1917
Annie Besant visits Cardiff 1924
Rukmini
Devi Arundale
1904
- 1986
1920 Future
International President, George S Arundale marries Rukmini Devi. She is 16 at
the time of the marriage and goes on to become a major player in the
Theosophical Society’s affairs.
1923 This year
is the high point for the “Order of the Star of the East” with a well supported
convention in Vienna as part of the 1923 European Theosophical Society
Congress.
George
S Arundale and Rukmini Devi Arundale visit
Cardiff
Theosophical Society in 1924
1925 Rudolf
Steiner dies.
1926 Conflicts
over Krishnamurti come to a head in January as members are called upon to
embrace the New World Religion. Members resign and the possibility of a split
in the Society emerges as some Lodges threaten to break away.
The Daily Sketch
of January 14th 1926 reports concerns in India that Krishnamurti’s
request that followers make the sign of the cross will lead to trouble on the
streets.
1928 A P Warrington becomes Vice-President of the Society
1929 J.
Krishnamurti, now aged 33, dissolves the "Order of the star of the
East".
1930 J.J. van
der Leeuw writes "Revelation or Realization".
1931 P.W. Bowen
creates or reveals the Bowen Notes on study of the Secret Doctrine. The effect
of this publication have yet to be fully assessed.
The Work of Theosophists by C W Leadbeater 1931
British Labour MP
and leader of the opposition
Labour party
during the Ramsey MacDonald
1931 – 35
National Coalition Government period
Probably the only
Theosophist to meet Hitler
His
uncompromising Pacifism raises
some difficult
questions for Theosophists
Dr
George S Arundale
1933 Annie Besant dies. George Sidney Arundale voted president of the
Theosophical Society (Adyar).
More Info on George S Arundale
A Study in Synthetic Consciousness
1934
C W Leadbeater dies.
G S
Arundale Broadcasts his Diamond Jubilee Message on
All
India Radio in 1935
The
Theosophy Stand at the 1938 Empire Exhibition in Scotland
Empire
Exhibition, Scotland 1938
(unofficially known as the
British
Empire Exhibition, Glasgow) was an
international exposition
held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from
May to December 1938.
The Exhibition was intended to mark fifty
years since Glasgow's
first great exhibition, the International
Exhibition (1888) held at
Kelvingrove Park. It also offered a chance
to boost the economy
of Scotland, recovering from the depression
of the 1930s.
Despite 1938 being one of the wettest
summers on record,
the Exhibition attracted 12 million
visitors.
C Jinarajadasa
More info on C Jinarajadasa 1875 - 1953
The Future of The Theosophical Society By C Jinarajadasa
1930
1945 Dr. Arundale dies. Jinarâjadâsa elected president of the
Theosophical Society (Adyar).
Nilakanta
Sri Ram
1953
Jinarajadasa dies and Nilakanta Sri Ram elected president of the Theosophical
Society (Adyar).
1955 Rukmini Devi Arundale becomes Vice President of The International
Vegetarian Union (IVU) at their World Congress in Paris and holds the position
for 31 years until her death in 1986.
1973 Nilakanta
Sri Ram dies and John Coats elected president of the Theosophical Society
(Adyar).
John
B S Coats
1980 Radha Burnier is voted president of the Theosophical Society
(Adyar). She is the daughter of Nilakanta Sri Ram
Rukmini Devi Arundale 1904 -1986
1986 Rukmini
Devi Arundale dies aged 82. Despite serious health problems in her later years,
she always refused to be treated with medication that had been tested on
animals.
She was the aunt
of International President Radha Burnier
1989 The Scandinavian break with the Adyar Theosophical Society begins. The
Danish Theosophical Society voted in August 1989 for the creation of an
independent Teosofisk Forening
(Theosophical Union). Other lodges were integrated in this organisation. In
November 1997 the name was changed to Theosophical
Association Scandinavia (TAS). In August 2004 ten theosophical organisations
from Denmark and Norway founded in Aarhus the Teosofisk Netværk or Teosofisk
Nettverk (Theosophical Network)
1992 The Theosophical Society in Canada (Canadian Federation) breaks with
Adyar. In 1995 there is a further division. The lodges in Edmonton and Calgary
separate from the TS in Canada and form the independent Edmonton Theosophical Society. The remaining lodges in the
Canadian Federation revert back to Adyar and change their name later to the Canadian Theosophical Association..
2005 The Secret
Gateway by Ed Abdill is published. This is a modern introduction to Theosophy
making it accessible to a new and wider audience.
2006
Theoversity is founded. This is an ongoing Theosophical Study Programme founded
by Edi Bilimoria of the Camberley Lodge of the Theosophical
Society in England. Edi has been a student of Theosophy for
over 30 years and the Theoversity is a cutting edge study initiative making an
invaluable contribution to the Theosophical Movement. The project is very well
supported.
2008 Radha
Burnier re-elected in the 2008 Adyar Presidential election. This follows a
bitter campaign in which elements within the leadership attempted to replace one
member one vote with a system of appointment by the ruling General Council in
which the general membership get no say. Rumours of the formation of a
breakaway international Theosophical society persist for many years in the
aftermath of this election along with doubts about the need to retain the
headquarters at Adyar.
The Candidates Radha Burnier & John
Algeo
Find out how your Theosophy
Group voted
Results & Voting Figures for the Adyar Theosophical
Society
2010 Anger and Dismay at decision to sell
Tekels Park to a developer. The
Theosophical movement is shocked to hear the news the Theosophical Society in
England’s Spirital Retreat, Tekels Park is to be sold to a developer.
2010 February; Insight Magazine ceases publication. The Theosophical Society in England announces that Insight Magazine is to cease publication and to be replaced by a free journal to be distributed to members and the public. Some members complain that this membership benefit was withdrawn after annual subscriptions had been paid.
2011 Theoversity
is scrapped by the Theosophical Society in England. No reason is given for this
and Theoversity activities cease without warning despite the considerable
support that the project has had.
2012 The Theosophical
Society in England withdraws from the European Federation of the Adyar
Theosophical Society.
Jan 2013 Leading
and high profile Theosophical Society in England member, Edi Bilimoria resigns
from the Society after 30 years membership. He sends an open letter to Adyar
outlining his grievances against the Theosophical Society in England
leadership.
Edi Bilimoria
was founder of the Theoversity project.
May 2013 Tekels Park
Family Evicted – The Theosophical Movement is shocked to learn that a family,
who had been resident on the Tekels Park Estate for many years, were evicted
from their home because a Tekels Park Estate director wanted to live in their
house. Members of the National Council of the Theosophical Society
in England were not told about the eviction.
October 31st
2013 Death of Radha Burnier after 33 years as International President. CVK Maithreya
and Tim Boyd are chosen as candidates in the subsequent presidential election.
December 2013
Despite the forthcoming presidential election only 20 out of over 60 national
sections are represented at the 2013 Adyar International Convention. This is a
drop down from the 28 sections represented in 2010. Rumours of a breakaway
society now re-emerge and it is noted that the Theosophical Society in England
unusually do not attend the convention and that greetings are sent from the
United Kingdom rather than from the existing Adyar sections in the UK.
Theosophy in the Context of Esoteric History
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Theosophy has no dogma, no priesthood
or diploma elite
and recognizes no spiritual head
All ideas presented at meetings are
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Cardiff
Theosophical Society meetings are informal
and there’s always a cup of tea afterwards
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has a new structure as it separates into
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Tekels Park to be Sold to a Developer
In an ominous
development in May 2013, a family with two children of school age were evicted
from their home in Tekels Park because a senior Theosophical Society in England
wanted their house for himself.
The Sale of Tekels Park to a Developer
Future of Tekels Park Badgers in Doubt
Magnificent Tekels Park to be Sold to a Developer
____________________________________
A B C D EFG H IJ KL M N OP QR S T UV WXYZ
Complete Theosophical Glossary in Plain Text Format
1.22MB
___________________________
Classic Introductory Theosophy Text
A Text Book of Theosophy By C W Leadbeater
What Theosophy Is From the Absolute to Man
The Formation of a Solar System The Evolution of Life
The Constitution of Man After Death Reincarnation
The Purpose of Life The Planetary Chains
The Result of Theosophical Study
_____________________
Preface to the American Edition Introduction
Occultism and its Adepts The Theosophical Society
First Occult Experiences Teachings of Occult Philosophy
Later Occult Phenomena Appendix
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___________________________
Theosophical
Society in England
withdraws from the European Federation
In response to a
number of enquiries, we wish to clarify
Cardiff
Theosophical Society's position regarding a recent
change in the structure of the Adyar based Theosophical Society.
Cardiff
Theosophical Society in Wales is not affiliated to
either the Adyar
(India) Based Theosophical Society or the
Theosophical
Society in England and is therefore unaffected
by the decision
last year of the Theosophical Society in England
to withdraw from
the European Federation of the
Adyar based Theosophical Society.
___________________________
Theosophy has no dogma, no priesthood
or diploma elite
and recognizes no spiritual head
All ideas presented at meetings are
for consideration
President of
Nothing Ballast Open Election?
Adyar Adyar’s Slightly
International Convention
Will there be an
Adyar Free Future? An Extra Box on
the Ballot Paper A Society
Without Members
Is the 2014
Adyar Presidential Election Invalid?
Radha Burnier
Employment Services
Don’t Just Do
Nothing Stand There Adyar, the Sole
Purpose of Adyar Western
President
Save Radha’s
House Ignore the Voters
What an Insult
to Members International
Election Protocol
The Secrecy
Banging the Drum
for Theosophy Burnier Town
Hall The Great
Election Rip-Off
Keeping the
International Headquarters at Adyar ABOLISHThe International
President Bold Initiative
What is Behind
the Attitude of the Theosophical
Elite? Towards a New
Model for Theosophy
Choose a Stooge
SHUT UP &
VOTE Members No
Longer Members A Manifesto
Anybody There?
Now Here’s
Something Worth Keeping Quiet
About Is There Hidden Bad News?
Something Wrong?
Control Adyar or You Control
Nothing Elected
Representation Not Representing
Publicly
Denounced
Make Way for the
Messiahs Does Silence
Mean Game Over
Accountable
Leadership Urgently Required
Can’t Change Won’t Change Beggars at the
Door From The Top
Down Who Owns Adyar?
New Committee?
The Royal Court
of Radha Burnier General Council
Meeting 2013 Minutes Adyar Theosophical
Society International
Rules
Disgraceful
Treatment of an Adyar Employee The Preethi
Muthiah Letters Concerns Raised General Council 2012 Meeting
Minutes
Adyar Internal
Problems Is Adyar Still
The Headquarters? Creep On! General Council
Good Campaign
Pitch, Mr Singhal
Adyar Prepares
for the Break-Up Profile of Adyar
Adyar Family Appointment
Another Family
Power Appointment
Triumph of the
Weak Adyar Job News
No Stand For
Democracy Bent election?
A Society
Without Leadership
Who will Believe
It? Supporting
Adyar? Long Tradition
of Bullying at Adyar
Summary
Dismissal Trouble at
t’Mill
True Purpose of
the 2014 Election
What Makes this
Election Invalid? Trouble Was Your Vote
Counted?
Not Being at
Adyar Democracy in the
Adyar Theosophical Society R.I.P. 11,432 Votes
No Right To
Complain
President’s
Inauguration Pray Silence
It’s Silence as
Usual Who Can Support The Leadership
Now? Shut Up &
Pay Up
President? Really? Adyar & the
US each have Half a President The White Lotus
Hi-Jack Don’t Anybody Ask Me Anything
Is this the Great Wheaton
Rip-Off? Master of the
Small Event The Adyar
Payments Scam CVK Maithreya
Deserved Better Treatment
Staff Treatment
At Adyar Is Wheaton Set
To Support Adyar? CVK Maithreya is
Presidential
Why was
Campaigning Banned
Adyar
Allegations Climate of Fear
Police Action
Threatened QUICK
The Prisoner of
Adyartraz Preethi’s
Allegations 2014 Election
One Man, One
Vote Poor Adyar
Future CVK Maithreya For
Vice-President The General
Council Should Allow Visiting Adyar
D V
Subramaniam’s Posthumous Letter of
Complaint The Amnesty
International Paradox Did you get an
Invite?
Serious Concerns
Raised 2014 Election
Result? The Sundaram Nomination Sham Call for
Emergency Meeting
The Inauguration That Never Was Serious Concerns
Election
Committee Ignores
Misconduct Bent Election
Result
Suspend Call for Action Raise the White
Flag Staff Bullying Why Did The 2014
Election Go Ahead?
Tim Boyd
A Leadership at
War Ignore the
Bullying General Council
Ignores Calls MONEY TO ADYAR? The Great Giveaway