#blavatsky

[cryptotheism]

“Radical diffusionism” is the idea that everything was invented by one culture, which then spread across the globe. This idea was very popular during the Victorian era, especially in Europe and the United States, all of whom were playing a game of “who can have the biggest globe-spanning empire.” The idea of Radical Diffusionism is, needless to say, very racist, but that is not how the Victorian era British Empire saw themselves. They were traveling to far off places, bringing culture, education, and technology to barbarous and underdeveloped lands and backwards peoples. A thought begins to emerge: What if this has happened before? What if, a long long time ago, there was an empire just like us who brought culture and technology to everyone on earth? Only to fall one day as all empires do. 

Enter Atlantis! The ancient, enlightened civilization of philosopher kings who were swallowed by the waves! Plato wrote about them, so therefore they must be real. Atlantis was a quick and easy shorthand for “The ancient culture responsible for everything cool.” What was Atlantis like? Well, it depends on the writer. Atlantis has a curious way of resembling the exact political system a given writer supports. Atlantis is a vessel, a big jar labeled “the ideal civilization” which a writer could fill with whatever they liked. 

Blavatsky filled Atlantis with two important things: Anticolonialism, and established understandings of European race science, read: She wanted to keep the concept of an Aristocracy, and Antisemitism. 

The Final Years of Mme. Helena Blavatsky, today on Patreon.

[chicagognosis]

It is important to understand that real knowledge is of the heart. Real wisdom is what we live. Real knowledge comes from experience, and more importantly, that experience of higher realities comes when we investigate our own heart, our own mind, our ways of living, and to look, not to assume that we know, “I am of this race, this culture, this religion, this belief system, these politics, this upbringing.” It means to really look at what is inside in terms of our emotions, our impulses, our will.

This active looking is precisely what every tradition teaches about meditation: to look, to observe, to acquire new information―not to assume that we already know who we are, but to be open and to watch in a state of stillness, of observation, of clarity. It is that inner discrimination of ourselves that really helps us to distinguish right from wrong. It is our heart, our conscience, that tells us what is right and what is wrong. We may have traditions that tell us these things, but what do we know in our being about what to do? ― especially when we are faced with situations that are so complex that we are baffled. We are confused. We are overwhelmed, like you heard in Carmina Burana. When fate hits, the hammer of karma, of hardship, strikes, and we find all of those things that we typically ignore come to the surface of our mind, things we may neglect or fail to look at.

New Lecture Transcription!

The source of real spiritual power, serenity, and insight.

[diedrich-kinnie]

OMG GUYSS/GIRRLLS look what my mother give me for my Christmas sweater 🤣i just love him😍,i really didn't think that my mother will give me a sweater like this!

Thanks mom😭i love u sm

[kalisice]

Saint George and the Dragon, inspired by an extract from The secret doctrine of H.P. Blavatsky🗡️

[creature-wizard]

May I ask how Blavatsky's New Age movement is culturally Christian despite her hating Christianity?

Yup!

So, being culturally Christian isn't about agreeing with Christianity's beliefs. It's about living within and internalizing elements of Christian culture.

For example, many of our swear words/phrases are related to Christianity - EG, hell, damn, Jesus Fucking Christ, Christ on a cracker, etc.

The word "goodbye" derives from "god be with ye." We often say "bless you" after people sneeze, which comes from "God bless you," which again, has Christian origins.

Christmas being a federal holiday is an example of cultural Christianity. And if you're an atheist celebrating Christmas because you see it as being about family, you're still participating in cultural Christianity.

Now of course, none of these things are inherently bad. In fact, most of cultural Christianity isn't bad. Most of it's pretty neutral. Most of it.

Cultural Christianity also shapes our ideas of what religion looks like, how it functions, and what its purpose is. For example, many western antitheists just assume that all religions want to aggressively spread themselves, all claim to have ultimate truth, and threaten nonbelievers with punishment. Meanwhile, many of these atheists go about their atheism the same way many Christians go about Christianity - treating it as something that needs to be far and wide to save the world and usher in the utopia.

And this brings us to our next point - Christianity shapes how many of us expect the future to unfold. Specifically, a lot of us just sort of think that a utopia is just around the corner (or just imagine that as a thing that can happen if we try hard enough) thanks to Christian millennialism.

Blavatsky's concept of a New Age is basically informed by Christian millennialism. Her whole idea that the spiritually unevolved would be wiped out and a new race of spiritually superior people would take over isn't exactly Christian belief, but it's definitely informed by it.

Now some of you might be thinking, "okay, but Blavatsky drew inspiration from many religions." And you'd be right. But the thing is, she looked at and interpreted these other religions from the perspective of one who was culturally Christian. Additionally, she was taking a perennialist approach to religion, which is a thing Christians have been doing since the early days of Christianity, basically trying to claim that proof of Jesus was found in their own spiritual beliefs and religious traditions. Blavatsky, of course, wasn't looking for proof of Jesus, but she was looking for validation of her own beliefs. Hell, like many Christians before her, she even tries to claim Kabbalah validates her beliefs.

Additionally, she values the Christian Bible as a holy text with spiritual truths that she and everyone should be concerned about. Even if she disagrees with more orthodox interpretations, the fact that she thinks this is a book she needs to concern herself with at all is because of her cultural Christianity. She was informed and influenced by Christian modes of occultism and esotericism.

Ultimately, being culturally Christian has nothing to do with whether you embrace or even like Christianity's spiritual doctrines. It's about living in a Christianized society and conforming to any of its Christianity-derived assumptions, mores, and customs, regardless of what they have to do with any official church doctrine.

[teenageascetic]

Madame Blavatsky

[ziemiawypalona]

i think erik hornung's the secret lore of egypt should be mandatory reading for everyone and anyone interested in occultism and esotericism. genuinely

[holybookslibrary]

Echoes From the Gnosis - The Gnosis of the Mind - All Volumes

Echoes From the Gnosis Echoes From the Gnosis - The Gnosis of The Mind is written by G. R. S. Mead the first modern scholar of Gnostic tradition. G. R. S. Mead was the secretary of H. P. Blavatsky and in 1906 he published the first volume of eleven in the series Echoes From the Gnosis. The works are a combination of translations and interpretations of ancient Gnostic writings. Long before the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library, Mead translated these esoteric texts of various origins such as Christian and Roman. Unfortunately, I have only been able to find six of the eleven volumes, download Echoes From the Gnosis here:

 The Gnosis of The Mind (Echoes from the Gnosis Vol. I) The Hymns of Hermes (Echoes from the Gnosis Vol.II) The Hymn of Jesus (Echoes from the GnosisVol. IV) A Mithriac Ritual (Echoes from the Gnosis Vol. VI) The Gnostic Crucifixion (Echoes from the Gnosis Vol. VII) The Hymn of the Robe of Glory (Echoes from the Gnosis Vol. X)  

Who was G. R. S. Mead?

George Robert Stow Mead was born in 1863 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge, where he studied mathematics and classics. His intellectual prowess was evident from a young age, and his academic journey set the stage for his later work in philosophy, religion, and mysticism. Involvement with Theosophy In 1889, Mead became a member of the Theosophical Society, a group dedicated to exploring esoteric knowledge and advancing a synthesis of science, religion, and philosophy. He was particularly influenced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the society's co-founder, becoming her secretary and developing a strong interest in the esoteric and occult that would define his life's work. Contributions to Esoteric Studies Mead is perhaps best remembered for his comprehensive studies on Hermeticism, Gnosticism, and other ancient religions and philosophies. Unlike many scholars of his time, he approached these subjects with a sense of spiritual respect and scholarly rigor, helping to revive interest in religious traditions outside of mainstream Christianity. Notable Works Throughout his career, G.R.S. Mead produced an impressive array of books and papers that explored a wide range of topics in religion, philosophy, and the esoteric. Some of his most influential works include: - Fragments of a Faith Forgotten (1900): A detailed exposition of early Christian Gnosticism, exploring texts and beliefs that were suppressed or marginalized by orthodox Christianity. - Thrice-Greatest Hermes (1906): A comprehensive study of Hermeticism, focused on texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus and their significance in the broader context of Mediterranean spirituality and philosophy. - Pistis Sophia (1921): An important Gnostic text translated and commented upon by Mead, providing unique insights into early Gnostic teachings and cosmology. - Gnostic John the Baptizer (1924): This work comprises selections from Mandaean texts, offering insights into an early religion that revered John the Baptist as a central figure. - The Doctrine of the Subtle Body in Western Tradition (1919): An exploration of the concept of the 'subtle body' in Western spiritual traditions, discussing ideas of astral travel, aura, and other esoteric concepts related to human consciousness. - Apollonius of Tyana (1901): A historical investigation of the life of Apollonius of Tyana, a philosopher and miracle-worker in 1st-century Roman Empire, often compared to Jesus of Nazareth. Legacy G.R.S. Mead died in 1933, but his influence endures. He is credited with making esoteric and Gnostic studies more accessible to a broader audience outside of the academic sphere, and his works continue to be referenced and valued for their insight and historical significance in the study of Western esotericism. Despite the passage of time and the evolution of scholarly standards, Mead's passionate pursuit of ancient wisdom helps keep these discussions alive in contemporary spiritual and philosophical debates. Read the full article