By the latter half of the nineteenth century western thought had, over the centuries, moved from physical materialism and superstitious belief to intellectual materialism. The idea behind The Theosophical Society was to counteract this materialistic trend by gathering in the West a group of people who would investigate the inner laws of nature, and so restore a direct knowledge of the effect of the unseen on daily life. Such a group would be able to reassert the spiritual nature of man as the valid basis of an all-inclusive human brotherhood. Another objective, with the same end in view, was to stimulate the comparative method of study whereby the good in many religions, philosophies and scientific teachings, as well as in racial customs and cultures, might be sifted out and shown to be part of one great whole. This approach to ideas is synthetic and unifying, as compared with the contentiousness of the analytical mind, which is separative in its action.

Two of the more advanced members of humanity, known in theosophical literature as the Elder Brethren or Masters, were said to be in charge of the new development. They needed suitable workers, so took the heavy responsibility of founding in the West a Society that would publicly promulgate the hitherto hidden teachings of the Mystery Schools of India, Egypt, Greece, Tibet, etc. For this purpose one of their devoted pupils Helena P. Blavatsky, travelled to Tibet for training and then went to the United States of America where she met Henry Steele Olcott. The two met, apparently by chance, during an investigation into spiritualistic phenomena, then startling the world. They worked together and founded, together with William Quan Judge, and others, The Theosophical Society in New York City on November 17, 1875.

Mme. Blavatsky was a distinguished Russian lady whose life had been full of travel and adventure. Col. Olcott was a lawyer and writer, who had retired from the American army in which he had been engaged in intelligence work. Mr. Judge was a young lawyer who later became head of the Theosophical Society in America. We hear little of the other founders members. During the first ten years the two senior founders of the Society, Mme. Blavatsky and Col. Olcott, transferred the Headquarters from New York to Bombay, and thence to Madras, where they purchased part of the present Headquarters Estate at Adyar, on the shores of the Adyar river and the Bay of Bengal. They lectured, inaugurated the journal of the Society, 'The Theosophist' , published a number of books and toured the world. They aroused interest in the hidden laws of nature and psychic phenomena, in healing, and generally in the ancient teachings known as Theosophy.

These first ten years in the life of the Society are in some ways the most colourful of them all, for Mme. Blavatsky was equipped with unusual powers. During this period she demonstrated her psychic powers by producing, consciously and at will, phenomena such as materialisations, astral sounds, etc. (see the appended list of books for reference)

During the closing years of the century the focus of interest in the Society had shifted to insistence on the idea of brotherhood and the basic theosophical teachings. In 1877, two years after forming The Theosophical Society, Blavatsky published her first major work, Isis Unveiled - two volumes showing the universality of theosophical ideas in ancient and modern religions, and their basis in nature. The following year Mme. Blavatsky's magnum opus, The Secret Doctrine was published. This presents a comprehensive view of cosmic and human evolution, bringing together mythic, religious, and scientific material from many cultures to illustrate the universality of theosophy's basic concepts. In response to the many questions from inquirers, she issued The Key to Theosophy and, for those seeking to practice theosophy's altruistic ideals, The Voice of the Silence, aphorisms embodying the heart of Mahayana Buddhist teaching. Blavatsky also founded and edited the magazine Lucifer (" lightbearer") and before her death in 1891 revitalized the theosophical work in the Occident.

When Col. Olcott died in 1907 Mrs Annie Besant was elected President. She was already world-famous as a fearless thinker, orator and ardent social reformer. Further details of the years of expansion in work and membership of the Society up to the present time may be read in the references.

The organisation of the Society today remains much as it has been since the early days. Local groups called branches or lodges consist of seven or more members. They are autonomous in their own affairs. When there are seven or more branches in any one country they usually form a National Section. Sections are likewise autonomous within their own areas, except that their rules must conform to the rules of the International Society. The government of the Society at large is vested in its officers and a General Council that meets at least once a year in India. Each section has its own Rules, and in England, the National Council is the governing body. This is elected every three years by universal suffrage, in which every member has a vote. Reference can be made to the general Rules of the Society and to those of the English Section for the details of this administration.

The genuine acceptance of the Three Objects of the Society, given below is all that is required for membership in the Society, which is founded on the basis of the broadest tolerance and the search for truth. The following official statement should be carefully read and pondered, as it expresses the recognised standpoint of the Society as a whole.

As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the civilised world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their respective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasise the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society; none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three Objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher or writer, from H.P.Blavatsky downwards, has any authority to impose their teachings or opinions on members. Every member has an equal right to attach themselves to any teacher or to any school of thought which they may choose, but has no right to force their choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office, nor any voter, can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion they may hold, or because of membership of any school of thought to which they may belong. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The members of the General Council earnestly request every member of The Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly exercise their own right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof within the limits of courtesy and considerations for others.

1. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.
2. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science.
3. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.

A distinction between the Objects of the Society and the teachings of Theosophy should be kept in mind. Theosophy is a specific body of knowledge comprising the esoteric tradition, sometimes variously called the Wisdom Religion, Occultism, the Ancient Wisdom, etc., of which the broad principles were made available to the public for the first time in the Society's early classical literature, e.g. the works of Madame Blavatsky, etc.

The primary purpose of The Theosophical Society is to encourage altruism and compassion. The Society does offer for consideration some basic theosophical concepts which lie at the root of the world's philosophies and religions; but beyond supporting its objectives, those wishing to join need not accept any particular beliefs, and members may belong to any religion or to none. While members may pursue whatever activities they wish, the Society itself is non-sectarian and non-political, open to all people regardless of race, nationality, class, creed, or gender. Its endeavour is to aid humanity rather than promote or strengthen the self interests of its members.

Blavatsky held that "the very root idea of the Society is free and fearless investigation." She addressed the question "What is a theosophist?":

"one need not necessarily recognize the existence of any special God or a deity. One need but worship the spirit of living nature, and try to identify oneself with it. . . . Be what he may, once that a student abandons the old and trodden highway of routine, and enters upon the solitary path of independent thought-Godward-he is a Theosophist; an original thinker, a seeker after the eternal truth with 'an inspiration of his own' to solve the universal problems."-The Theosophist, October 1879, p.6

Theosophy's Western Impact - from Hinduism Today, June, 1995.

"The influence of the Theosophical Society" concludes the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "has been rather significant, despite its small following. The movement has been a catalytic force in the 20th-century Asian revival of Buddhism and Hinduism and a pioneering agency in the promotion of greater Western acquaintance with eastern thought."

Some of the most influential people of its day were attracted to Theosophy - playwright Oscar Wilde, poet W.B.Yeats, author George Bernard Shaw, inventor Thomas Edison and even baseball's founder General Abner Doubleday.

Here is a partial sampling of organisations with direct links to earlier Theosophists: From the earlier part of the 20th century came the I Am Movement (with 3 million followers in 1938), Rosicrucianism, the Liberal Catholic Church, Psychiana, Unity (6 million), Christian Science and sections of the New Thought movement - all influential in the higher strata of society. More recent kindred are the Waldorf alternative schools popular in the USA and UK, the School of Economic Science and St. James School, and New Age channeler J Knight. The famous Findhorn Garden in Scotland came directly out of Theosophy.

The Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita translations of Swami Prabhavananda with Christopher Isherwood were singularly successful in clearly conveying Hindu thought to the West. Leadbeater's books on occult sciences, such as chakras and auras, reinforced Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms. Aldous Huxley's book, Doors of Perception promoted mystical experience leading directly to the explosion of interest in the East in the 60s.

If you dig deep enough, you'll find Theosophical influence in the environmental, animal rights and vegetarian movements. No mystical endeavour in the West is exempt, be it yoga, meditation, channelling, near death experiences, natural healing, past life research, UFOs, Mt. Shasta or St. Germain. Even HINDUISM TODAY is not exempt - our ashram here in Hawaii was built in 1929 by a wonderful Hawaiian poetess who taught Theosophy here to seekers in the same room where we meditate each morning before dawn.

The Society's book shop has a stock of books of Theosophy and allied subjects. The Society publishes a bimonthly journal for members, which seeks to promote better understanding among all peoples by exploring a wide range of themes in the light of ancient and modern theosophy and its application to daily experience.

Further information regarding theosophy, membership, and programs of the Bradford Theosophical Society may be obtained by contacting the Honorary Secretary, Atma Trasi at:
66 Kirkgate, Shipley, West Yorks BD18 3EL
Tel: (01274 598455
(Email: atma@trasi,fsnet.co.uk)

Books on TS history: