Theosophy is the Aletheia of Occult Science and the Religion of Reason. Prerequisites and qualifications and for aspirants. The fundamental propositions of the Secret Doctrine. First proposition — Cosmogenesis. Second proposition — Law governs Cosmos and Man. Third proposition — Anthropogenesis. “Spiritual” nature cannot be “cultivated.” A sincere lover of the race can accomplish more in three incarnations during Kali-Yuga, than he could in a much greater number in any other age. What is the “moment of choice”? The elementals are spirits of the four elements of the terrestrial world. Our Earth is densely populated by these mystifying centres of energy. By coalescing around our thoughts, and being coloured by them, they act as impartial agents of karma. Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. As universal law contains within itself the means for its own accomplishment, and the punishment for its violation, it requires no further authority to carry out its decrees. The origin of man, his “original sin,” and his destiny. The doctrine of reincarnation. The inner constitution of man. The real hell is life on earth. The bliss of “paradise” is a delusion of the lower self stemming from the “heresy of individuality,” which heresy determines the monad’s future birth. Upheld through Eternity, Karma decrees harmony across the Universe. Since Compassion is the Spirit of Truth, karma follows its behests and manifests as the Law of ethical causation. It is the One Law that governs the World of Being impartially, to Cosmos, Man, and Angel alike. The universal onward march of evolutionary progress proceeds along contrary directions — spirit falling gradually into matter, and matter ascending to its original condition, that of a pure spiritual substance. Greatness is measured by the standard of genuine spiritual (not psychic) development, i.e., the acquirement of soul-wisdom by personal effort and merit. Heart-wisdom and head-learning are divergent paths. A mountain abyss separates the two, so hopelessly impassable and obstructive to the traveller. The law of spiritual development supersedes the purely intellectual growth; the latter is more of an impediment than of help. Theosophy, being the only system of true religion and philosophy, offers lucid explanations and solutions to the puzzles of life. A rebuke to the Theosophical Publication Society: We are not seeking to cater to fiction readers and curiosity hunters, but to the pressing needs of earnest minds. The United States contain more theosophists and possible subscribers and readers than the whole of Europe. They do not want fiction. They want no padding in their search for truth. They are perfectly able to grasp that which the Theosophical Publication Society in London deems to be “too advanced.”

Excerpt from The Ancient Wisdom: An Outline of Theosophical Teachings That such men lived it seems difficult to deny in the face of universal tradition, of still existing Scrip tures, and of prehistoric remains for the most part now in ruins, to say nothing of other testimony which the ignorant would reject. The sacred books of the East are the best evidence for the greatness of their authors, for who in later days or in modern times can even approach the spiritual sublimity of their religious thought, the intellectual splendor of their philosophy, the breadth and purity of their ethic? And when we find that these books contain teachings about God, man, and the universe identical in substance under much variety of outer appear ance, it does not seem unreasonable to refer them to a central primary body of doctrine. To that body we give the name of the Divine Wisdom, in its Greek form: theosophy. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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