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This Encyclopedia contains all the articles of the printed Theosophical Encyclopedia published by the Theosophical Publishing House, Manila. In addition, new articles that are not in the printed version are continually being added. Many of the articles are also being updated.
You may contribute to this Encyclopedia by sending your article by email to the General Editor at editor.theosopedia@gmail.com.
This Encyclopedia is intended to be a useful resource to everyone. Although the articles are copyrighted, the articles may be quoted freely provided that the Theosophical Encyclopedia is acknowledged as the source.
Thank you,
Vicente Hao Chin Jr.
General Editor
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Featured Article
Italy, Theosophy inThe first contact with theosophy in Italy may be perhaps traced to the frequent presence of Helena P. BLAVATSKY there, where she undoubtedly met many persons who later became members of the Theosophical Society (TS). It is a matter of record that she visited Trieste, Venice, Rome, Bologna, Bari and Naples. It has been suggested that she was with Gen. Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) and Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872), the italian patriots; the latter she apparently met in London in the year 1851. Blavatsky claimed to have participated with volunteers at the battle of Mentana (Rome) in the year 1867 (H.P.B., Sylvia Cranston, 1993, p. 79). Theosophy was an expression known in Italy before the formation of the TS. The Italian philosopher Antonio Rosmini Serbati (1797-1855), a Catholic priest, wrote a large work in eight volumes with the title “Teosofia,” which was published after his death, and condemned by the Catholic Church. (Read more . . . Italy, Theosophy in) |
Featured Glossary
Path, The spiritual realization. In theosophical literature it includes the narrower sense of preparing oneself for spiritual initiation under the guidance of Masters of the Wisdom. These two need to be distinguished from each other because the first one is a general path open to all, while the latter is a special case that endeavors to hasten the process by qualifying oneself for direct guidance by a genuine spiritual teacher. The first one is commonly referred to as the “mystical path,” which can be trodden by anyone who feels the inward call (the “divine discontent”). Its tenets are found in the mystical traditions of all major religions, and are included in what Aldous Huxley calls the “perennial philosophy.” The second one is what may be considered as the “esoteric path,” a more difficult one fitted to those who have adequately prepared themselves. While in many aspects, these two meanings of the Path overlap with one another, the present article shall outline their known features separately. (Read more . . . see Path, The) |
