HPB  said that all seven chakras are in the head.

"Our seven Chakras are all situated in the head, and it is these…

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What do you think of the claim that the Mahatma Letters to Sinnett were never supposed to be published? Supposedly, the editor made the choice of publishing them after his death. There is also the accusation that they don't accurately express the thoughts of KH and M. I suppose, all of the foregoing could be admitted and yet they would remain a valuable documentary resource.

 

A key component to the claim that they were not to be published is the belief that letter #39 is not…

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Sir John Woodroffe (aka Arthur Avalon) was an early 20th century writer who explained and defended tantra as a respectable system of mysticism. The following excerpt is from the review by

Colin Robinson of a book about Woodroffe (Sir John Woodroffe, Tantra and Bengal); an interesting paralell is made between the cases of Woodroffe and HPB. I have added highlighting to a few sections of the quote.

 

"The most thought-provoking topic of the…

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I'm operating under the assumption that the TSA is the largest Theosophical organization in the U.S. But at the time of the Besant/Judge schism, almost all the American chapters went with Judge. How did the TSA manage to overtake the other organizations in size? Was it due to the leadership of a particular individual?

I have two questions to pose. I hope what I say is not too convoluted.

1. Did the Theosophical Society’s conception of the Masters change after the first generation of leaders? They were once thought of as earthly human beings with paranormal abilities. Several different people apparently met some of them at various points in time. But later, from the time of Leadbeater, the Masters seem more otherworldly. Outside of the Theosophical Society the…

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For me, the theosophical notion of multiple planes of existence is fascinating and thought provoking, but also very challenging to the rational mind. Perhaps "rational" is not the right term. It may be better to say that the notion of other planes of reality is challenging to a modern mentality overawed by the success and prestige of science. Accordingly, if the planes of theosophy are scientifically plausible, then the modern mentality is comfortable with them. However, if science deems…

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A view has been widely circulated that the early Christians, including Church Fathers, believed in reincarnation. I have read claims to the effect that Origen taught reincarnation, and even that Jerome upheld the doctrine. Often these claims (on the internet) are not sourced at all. Sometimes they…

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