How Does Clairvoyance Come About Old Theosophical Books?

C. W. Leadbeater’s book, “How Clairvoyance Is Developed: Theosophical Classics”, explores the development of extraordinary powers and their importance in the occult sciences. The French word clairvoyance, which originally meant “sagacity” or “penetration”, emerged during the 1780s and has since evolved into a powerful tool for understanding the hidden side of life.

Leadbeater’s work includes over 69 books and pamphlets that detail the hidden side of life and maintain regular speaking. He also discusses the development of clairvoyance as a medium, where individuals study objects from within rather than outside. This power is based on the writings of Russian mystic and spiritualist Helena Blavatsky and draws heavily from older European philosophies.

Leadbeater outlines different examples of the steps and philosophy behind accessing these powers. He notes that alleged clairvoyants developed into mediums, leading to the formation of “spirit circles” in many families. A group of people concentrating their minds on one thing sets up strain in the physical ether, astral, and mental worlds.

The book is available in both Kindle and Audible formats, with Michael Strader narrated by C. W. Leadbeater. The Enhanced Typesetting feature offers faster reading with less eye strain and beautiful page layouts, even at larger font sizes.

Who is God in Kabbalah?

Kabbalah posits that God is Ein Sof, or “withoutend”, without spatial or timely boundaries and gender. He is transcendent and cannot be understood by humans. To allow humans access to God’s power, God created ten sefirot, emanations of divine energy, which represent manifestations of God in the human world. These sefirot are like channels that bring power to the universe in a form that humans can and need to use.

The ten sefirot correspond in descending order to qualities of God, including both feminine and masculine qualities. None is separate from the others and are connected to the entire universe, affected by everything good and evil done by humanity. Each sefirah grows out of the previous one, with Keter being the beginning, Chokhmah being wisdom, Binah being the highest feminine emanation, Chesed being kindness and greatness, Geburah being mercy, Tipheret being glory, Netzach being masculine firmness, victory, might, Hod being feminine majesty and splendor, Yesod being the foundation, and Malkut being the kingdom.

The connections between the sefirot are described as sulam, a ladder, or etz, a living tree upside down. The roots are Ein Sof, the infinite God, the kingdom, the trunk, the foundation, and the crown at the top. Da’ath is a secret sphere of knowledge existing in the Kabbalistic tree, where Binah and Chokmah create a circulation of positive and negative energies throughout the tree.

Configuring the sefirot into partzufim, profiles, or figures of human likeness supports the notion that humans were made in the image and likeness of God, with each sefirah corresponding to a limb or organ.

What is the difference between Theosophy and anthroposophy?

In the early 1900s, Steiner introduced the term anthroposophy, which he referred to as human wisdom, to describe the scientific method’s application to human soul-life and spiritual experiences. He believed that this required developing objective spiritual perception, which he believed could be achievable for contemporary humans. Steiner identified the steps of this inner development as consciously achieved imagination, inspiration, and intuition.

He believed that spiritual research results should be understood and evaluated similarly to natural science. Steiner aimed to form a spiritual movement that would free individuals from external authority, allowing them to comprehend spiritual research independently and avoid dependency on external authority.

Is Theosophy against Christianity?

For over a century, Christianity and Theosophy have had a complex and sometimes troubled relationship. The Christian faith was the native religion of most Western Theosophists, but many came to Theosophy through opposition to Christianity. Theosophical spiritual Masters do not believe in a God, at least not one whose pronoun requires a capital H. A Russian Orthodox cleric and theologian, Dimitry Drujinin, cited Theosophical Master Kuthumi, who stated that there is no personal or impersonal God in the solar system. Parabrahm is not a God, but absolute immutable law. The term “God” was invented to describe the unknown cause of effects that man has either admired or dreaded without understanding them.

Does Theosophy believe in God?

The Theosophical spiritual Masters do not believe in a God, either personal or impersonal, and the term “God” was invented to describe the unknown cause of human effects. Russian Orthodox cleric Dimitry Drujinin cited the Theosophical Master Kuthumi, who stated that Parabrahm is not a God but absolute immutable law. Religious studies scholar Alvin Kuhn argued that Theosophist Annie Besant believed that God is a composite photograph of innumerable gods who personify the forces of nature. Religions are branches from a common trunk, human ignorance.

Do people still practice Theosophy?

Theosophy, a branch of ancient wisdom, is a body of knowledge that aims to answer questions about our potential and the limitations of ordinary life. It provides theory, practice, and techniques to help us free ourselves from the limitations of ordinary life and achieve greater happiness, wisdom, and peace. Theosophy, derived from Greek roots meaning “divine wisdom”, is a body of knowledge that tells us about our place in the universe and why the world is the way it is.

It is a universally true knowledge found all over the world, taking various forms depending on the time and circumstances. Theosophy addresses unseen realities that we often don’t understand, answering many questions people have, such as:

1. What is our place in the universe?
2. What potential do we have that we could develop more fully?
3. Who can tell us what this potential is?
4. What is the wisdom tradition?
5. What is the ultimate goal of Theosophy?

Is Kabbalah associated with esotericism?

Kabbala, an oral tradition in Jewish mysticism, emerged in the 12th and following centuries. It claims to have secret knowledge of the unwritten Torah, which was communicated by God to Moses and Adam. Kabbala provided a means of approaching God directly, giving Judaism a religious dimension. The earliest roots of Kabbala can be traced to Merkava mysticism, which began in Palestine in the 1st century CE and focused on ecstatic and mystical contemplation of the divine throne.

The earliest known Jewish text on magic and cosmology, Sefer Yetzira, appeared between the 3rd and 6th century, explaining creation as a process involving the 10 divine numbers (sefirot) of God the Creator and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The 12th-century Sefer ha-bahir, a major text of early Kabbala, had a profound and lasting influence on the development of Jewish esoteric mysticism and Judaism. The Bahir introduced notions such as the transmigration of souls and strengthened the foundations of Kabbala by providing extensive mystical symbolism.

What are the teachings of theosophical society?

The Theosophical teachings suggest that life is a spiritual journey, with the human soul following a cycle of reincarnation and adhering to universal laws like Karma and Dharma. The Theosophical Society introduced the concept of the Masters of Wisdom, also known as Adepts or Mahatmas, to the West, which differs significantly from the New Age idea of Ascended Masters. The teachings provide an insightful understanding of life’s purpose, death, and the possibility of reincarnation.

Is Theosophy esoteric?

Theosophy, a religious movement, has been characterized by scholars as a form of Western esotericism, a form of occultism, and a new religious movement. Theosophy promotes a religious world-view using explicitly religious terms and relies on belief rather than unequivocal facts. It has been referred to as an “esoteric religious tradition” and an “esoteric religion” by historians like Bruce F. Campbell, Olav Hammer, and Mikael Rothstein. Theosophy has been seen as part of an “occult revival” in Western countries during the late 19th century, helping to establish the foundations for much of twentieth-century esotericism.

Theosophy draws upon Indian religious beliefs, but sociologist Christopher Partridge noted that it is fundamentally Western, not Eastern thought in the West, but Western thought with an Eastern flavor. Maria Carlson argues that Theosophy is a “positivistic religion” offering a seemingly logical theology based on pseudoscience.

At a meeting of the Miracle Club in New York City on September 7, 1875, Blavatsky, Olcott, and Judge agreed to establish an organization, with Charles Sotheran suggesting they call it the Theosophical Society. They had debated various potential names before adopting the name “Theosophical”.

What does Theosophy say about Jesus?

Theosophy, a Christian perspective, emphasizes the risen Christ as the true light that illuminates every person who enters the world. Jesus of Nazareth’s life symbolizes the journey that all humans must take, as the Spirit within each individual was born and crucified on the cross of matter over many lives. Ancient writings suggest that by personal effort, a human is finally resurrected into the full Light of illumined or transformed consciousness. The universal Christ Consciousness (Christos) fulfills its divine purpose in every human being.

St. Augustine, a fifth-century Christian father, believed that the true religion of Christianity existed among the ancients until Christ came in the flesh. A theosophical view of the Christian tradition suggests focusing on the Christ principle, while maintaining that Jesus Christ was one of the great spiritual teachers of humanity.

Christian mysticism, including works by Dionysius the Areopagite, Meister Eckhart, St John of the Cross, Julia of Norwich, and Teresa de Avila, also share profound similarities with theosophical teachings. They describe a mystical experience that unfolds the consciousness of our deep and undivided oneness with all existence.

Theosophical writings can enrich our understanding of all traditions, including Christianity, and help people live their religion more fully and clearly. Therefore, studying Theosophy is essential for those who wish to make their Christian faith more understandable and deeply alive in their hearts.

Who invented Theosophy?

The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, and William Quan Judge, is a contemporary theosophical movement. Blavatsky, a Russian aristocrat, immigrated to the United States in 1873 after studying in Europe and the Middle East. Olcott, an American lawyer and spiritualist, became the society’s president in 1875. They moved to India in 1878 and settled in Adyar, which serves as the international headquarters.

Branch societies were established throughout India and Europe and North America. In 1888, the Esoteric Section was established in London to practice occultism and facilitate consciousness movement. Blavatsky wrote classic works such as Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine. The Society’s goals are outlined in the Three Objects: to form a universal brotherhood of humanity, encourage comparative religion, philosophy, and science, and investigate unexplained laws of nature and human powers.

What are the 4 worlds of Kabbalah?

The concept of “Worlds” refers to the emanation of creative lifeforce from the Ein Sof or Godhead through progressive, innumerable tzimtzumim or concealments. Kabbalists identified the names of these worlds from Isaiah 43:7, which are Beri’ah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), Assiah (Action), and Atziluth (Emanation). Collectively, the Four Worlds are referred to as אבי״ע Aviyaʿ after their initial letters.

The Worlds are formed by the divine creative light or ohr, which is divine immanence. The ten sefirot “attributes” and their associated twelve partzufim or “personas” reflect this light in the Four Worlds, as do more specific Divine manifestations. In Lurianic Kabbalah, the partzufim interact dynamically, and sublime levels are clothed within lower existences, a concealed soul.

The Five Worlds are in descending order: Adam Kadmon (Cosmic Man), Atziluth (Emanation), Beri’ah (World of Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), Assiah (Action), and Assiah Gashmi (Physical Assiah).

Adam Kadmon signifies the first pristine emanation, still united with the Ein Sof. Atziluth is the realm of “Keter Elyon” or “Supernal Crown”, representing the divine light with no vessels, the manifestation of the specific Divine plan for existence within Creation. In Lurianic Kabbalah, the lights from Adam Kadmon precipitate Tohu and Tikun.

Atziluth is the realm of revelation, where the ten sefirot emerge in revelation, with Chochma (Wisdom) dominating. The last sefira, Malkuth (Kingdom), represents the “divine speech” of the first Genesis creation narrative, through which God created the universe.

Beriah is the realm of the “Divine Throne”, denoting the sefirot configuration of Atziluth descending into Beriah like a King on a Throne. The sefirah Binah (Understanding) predominates, representing Divine intellect. Yetzirah is the formation level, where created beings assume shape and form, with the emotional sefirot Chesed through Yesod predominating. The angels of Assiah function on the active level, as the sefirah Malkuth (fulfilment in Kingship) predominates.

Below spiritual Assiah is the physical universe, which encapsulates the final sefirot of Assiah, the physical universe with all its creations.