Madame Blavatsky Defends The Key To Theosophy

The Key to Theosophy is an 1889 book by Helena Blavatsky, expounding the principles of theosophy in a readable question-and-answer manner. It covers Theosophy and the Theosophical Society, Nature of the Human Being, Life After Death, Reincarnation, Kama-Loka and Devachan, the Human Mind, Practical Theosophy and the Mahatmas. The book is an introduction to Theosophical mysticism and esoteric doctrine.

The Theosophical Society was founded in New York City, in 1875, in order to save humanity before the hour strikes; and before the crisis, brought about necromancy and other infernal arts, is deepened. The Society stands above human sects, for it has been established in the Spirit of Universal Brotherhood. Though an exoteric body, Its fount and source is the White Lodge of Masters of Wisdom which is wholly esoteric. The Light of Theosophy differs greatly from Its shadows on earth. Theosophy is Divine Soul; the Society, Its imperfect body; neither has anything to do with the frailties of individuals. Theosophy is neither national property, nor religion, but only the universal code of science and of the most transcendental ethics that were ever known; It lies at the root of every moral philosophy and religion. The raison d’être of the Society is not to gratify individual aspirations but to serve each and every individual on earth, and all that lives, without any distinction or condition. It asserts that only pristine love of humanity in thought and deed can free the masses from the despotism of the personal and ephemeral, and help all find the true happiness that lies in the impersonal and eternal. Whilst the Society supports educational initiatives that inculcate independent thinking, self-reliance, and right conduct, the Society as a body has no creed. Therefore, orthodoxy in Theosophy is neither possible nor desirable. “Theosophy first and organization after” — what golden words are these! The Society can only become a power for good if Its members co-operate to do something, no matter how modest, to help their fellow human beings by acting theosophy, rather than philosophising about it. Those who, while trying to solve the riddles of life by exploring the Occult forces in Nature, do sympathise with the suffering of their brothers, and are doing whatever they can to help out their neighbours and brothers, are born mystics or natural Theosophists. They are mankind’s true Brothers and Benefactors. Useless are those members of the Society who have neither an inclination nor the courage to live the life prescribed by Theosophy. “Be Theosophists, Work for Theosophy,” was Madame Blavatsky’s message a month before she passed away.

Questions and answers on Theosophical ideas, such as karma, spiritualism, reincarnation, and prayer.

The Book of Dzyan is the first volume of Commentaries upon the seven secret folios of Kiu-te, and a Glossary of the public works of the same name. The thirty-five volumes of Kiu-te ought to be termed “the popularised version of the Secret Doctrine.” They are full of myths, blinds, and errors. On the other hand, the fourteen volumes of Commentaries — with their translations, annotations, and glossaries of Occult terms, worked out from one small archaic folio, the “Book of the Secret Wisdom of the World” — contain a digest of all the Occult Sciences. It is from the texts of all these works that the Secret Doctrine has been given in 1888.

Reproduction of the original: The Key to Theosophy by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky