Theosophy facts for kids
Theosophy is a set of spiritual ideas that began in the United States in the late 1800s. It was mainly started by a Russian woman named Helena Blavatsky. Most of its teachings come from her writings. Theosophy combines ideas from old European philosophies and Asian religions like Hinduism and Buddhism.
People who study religions see Theosophy as a new religious movement. It is also part of a group of spiritual ideas called Western esotericism. Theosophical groups often do not call their system a "religion."
Contents
What Theosophy Teaches
Theosophy teaches several key ideas about life and the universe.
The Masters of Wisdom
According to Blavatsky, there is an old and secret group of wise spiritual teachers called the Masters. These Masters are said to live all over the world, but their main center is in Tibet. Theosophists believe these Masters have gained great wisdom and special abilities.
They think the Masters started the modern Theosophical movement by sharing their teachings through Blavatsky. The goal of these Masters is to bring back knowledge of an ancient religion. This religion was once known worldwide and is believed to one day become more important than today's world religions.
The Absolute and the Universe
Theosophy teaches that there is one single, divine power called the Absolute. This Absolute is seen as the source of everything. The universe is believed to be like reflections or outward expressions of this Absolute.
Purpose of Life and Reincarnation
Theosophy says that the main goal of human life is to become spiritually free. It teaches that the human soul goes through reincarnation. This means that after a person's body dies, their soul is reborn into a new body. This process happens according to karma. Karma is the idea that your actions in this life affect your future lives.
Theosophy also promotes ideas like universal brotherhood, meaning all people are connected. It encourages making society better. However, it does not have strict rules about how people should behave.
History of Theosophy
The Theosophical movement began in the late 19th century and grew over time.
Founding the Theosophical Society
Theosophy was officially started in New York City in 1875. This happened with the creation of the Theosophical Society. The main founders were Helena Blavatsky and two Americans, Henry Olcott and William Quan Judge.
In the early 1880s, Blavatsky and Olcott moved to India. They set up the Society's main office in Adyar, which is in Tamil Nadu.
Key Writings and Challenges
Helena Blavatsky wrote down her ideas in two important books. These books are called Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine. She tried to show special spiritual events to support her claims about the Masters. However, she was sometimes accused of faking these events.
Growth and Changes
After Blavatsky passed away in 1891, the Society faced some disagreements. William Judge led the Theosophical Society in America to separate from the main international group. Later, under Judge's successor, Katherine Tingley, a Theosophical community was built in San Diego. It was named Lomaland.
The Adyar-based Society was later led by Annie Besant. Under her leadership, the Society grew to its largest size in the late 1920s. After that, its numbers started to decline. The Theosophical movement still exists today, but it is much smaller than it once was.
Influence of Theosophy
Theosophy had an important impact on how people in Western countries learned about South Asian religions. It also helped encourage cultural pride in various South Asian nations.
Many famous artists and writers have been influenced by Theosophical ideas. Theosophy has followers around the world. In the 20th century, tens of thousands of people were part of the movement. Theosophical ideas have also influenced many other spiritual groups and philosophies. Some of these include Anthroposophy, the Church Universal and Triumphant, and the New Age movement.
See also
In Spanish: Teosofía para niños
