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History of the

Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society was founded on November 17th 1875 in New York By Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and Willian Quan Judge and others. Headquarters were later established in Adyar, India.

The Common Foundation of all Religions

By Henry Steel Olcott

Is Theosophy a Religion ? By H P Blavatsky

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

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Brief Chronology of the Theosophical Society

(Adyar)

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History of the Theosophical Society in Wales

The Theosophical Society: Its Origin, Plan and Aims

By H S Olcott with H P Blavatsky

The Original Programme of the Theosophical Society

Theosophy and The Theosophical Society

The Meaning of the Name

Applied Theosophy

By Henry Steel Olcott

This is where it began

The Mott Memorial Hall, New York

On November 17th 1875

1875 The founding of the Theosophical Society, in New York.

1877 Isis Unveiled, written by H.P. Blavatsky, is published.

1878 On July 8, H P Blavatsky became a naturalized citizen of the United States..

Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky set off for India.

1876 – 1878 Influence Grows Despite Inactivity

1879 Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky arrive in India. Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky start the Publication of "The Theosophist".

Timeline of British India

1881 Publication of The Occult World, written by A.P. Sinnett.

1883 Publication of Esoteric Buddhism, written by A.P. Sinnett.

Letters by H P Blavatsky to A P Sinnet

The Theosophical Society

Alfred Percy Sinnett

1884 Charles Webster Leadbeater joins the Theosophical Society and travels to India at the order of the Master. The Inner Group of the London Lodge is formed.

1885 H.P. Blavatsky returns to Europe. "Man-Or Fragments of Forgotten Truth", by Mohini Chatterji and Laura Holloway was published.

1886 W.Q. Judge starts the magazine, The Path.

1887 W. Q. Judge writes a letter to H.P. Blavatsky asking her to start a group with the purpose of esoteric instruction.

1888 The Secret Doctrine, written by H.P. Blavatsky, is published. The existence of the Esoteric School is publicly announced.

Secret Doctrine Text Version 7.5MB

1889 Annie Besant, a high profile free thinker and social reformer, joins the Theosophical Society after reading the Secret Doctrine and meeting H.P. Blavatsky. H.P. Blavatsky publishes

" The Key To Theosophy".

1889 - 1890 Mohandes K Gandhi is introduced to H P Blavatsky and Annie Besant in London but declines to become a regular member of the Theosophical Society. However, during the following year the Society’s influence lead him to read Theosophical and religious literature including Edwin Arnold's The Song Celestial (the Bhagavad Gita) and The Light of Asia.

H P Blavatsky meets Mohandes K Gandhi

1890 T. Subba Row dies.

1891 H P Blavatsky dies in London on May 8^th which becomes celebrated as White Lotus Day and Colonel Henry Steel Olcott takes over as President. Annie Besant and W.Q. Judge become joint Outer Head of the Esoteric Section.

Tsar Nicholas II Drops in on The Theosophical Society

Colonel Henry Steel Olcott

More info on Colonel Olcott

1894 Start of the argument between W. Q. Judge on the one hand and Olcott and Besant on the other on the authorship of some Mahatmic letters received through W.Q. Judge.

1895 The American Section secedes. W. Q. Judge is its president until his death

The American break with Adyar is by no means unanimous; 75 lodges resign from the Adyar Theosophical Society and elect W Q Judge as president. 26 lodges remain in the Adyar Theosophical Society under the leadership of Alexander Fullerton.

1896 W. Q. Judge dies.

The American Theosophy Group which remains part of the Adyar lineage is now known a The Theosophical Society in America and establishes its headquarters at Wheaton Illinois.

W Q Judge’s breakaway group, led by Katherine Tingley moves its headquarters from New York to Pasadena in 1900 and becomes known as the Theosophical Society, Pasadena. This becomes a separate Theosophical lineage with groups worldwide under a different series of leaders: Katherine Tingley, Gottfried de Purucker, Colonel Arthur L. Conger, James A. Long and Grace F. Knoche.

William Quan Judge

More info on William Q Judge

1900 Annie Besant receives a letter by Mahatma Koot Hoomi.

1902 Annie Besant invites Rudolf Steiner to form a German Section of the Theosophical Society.

1904 Robert Crosbie, a supporter of W Q Judge and now leaves the Theosophical Society, Pasadena.

England and India By Annie Besant 1906

Theosophy and the Theosophical Society By Annie Besant

1907 Olcott dies. Annie Besant voted president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar)

The Vicissitudes of Theosophy By A P Sinnett

A 1907 article assessing the early

progress of the Theosophical Society

Selection of Annie Besant's Writings

1909 Robert Crosbie forms the United Lodge of Theosophists with its headquarters in New York. This becomes another Theosophical lineage with groups worldwide.

Annie Besant

More info on Annie Besant

1909 Leadbeater discovers Jiddu Krishnamurti on the

private beach that formed part of the Theosophical headquarters in Adyar. Krishnamurti and his family had been living in the headquarters for a few months

before this discovery. Krishnamurti was to be the vessel for the indwelling of the coming "World Teacher" that many Theosophists were expecting. This new

teacher would, in the pattern of Moses, Buddha, Zarathustra (Zoroaster), Christ, and Muhammad divulge a new dispensation, a new religious teaching.

Many Theosophists were unhappy about this move.

Charles Webster Leadbeater

1858? - 1934

C W Leadbeater on Freemasonry

1911 Formation of the "Order of the star in the East", in dedication to the "World Teacher" (i.e. J. Krishnamurti)

1912 J. Krishnamurti is made the head of the "Order of the star in the East". J. Krishnamurti's father starts custody battle against Annie Besant. The fight ends when in 1914, J. Krishnamurti is 18 years old and no longer a minor by Indian law. Rudolf Steiner is expelled from the Theosophical Society (Adyar), because he refuses to have as members of his German section, people who are also members of the "Order of the Star of the East". Most of the German Section leaves with him and form the Anthroposophical Society.

The issue of Krishnamurti threatens to split the Society further over the next twenty years.

Theosophy and the Great War

C Jinarajadasa proclaims India’s loyalty to the Empire, Cardiff 1916

1917 Annie Besant demanded Home Rule for India and suffered internment for it from June to September 1917. There are protests around the world and the order is lifted by order of British Home Secretary. Interment notices were also served George Arundale and B P Wadia.

1919 Jalianwala Bagh Massacre, Amritsar:- Troops commanded by a British Officer kill 379 and wound 1200. This leads to a distancing of Mohandes K Gandhi from Annie Besant and effectively ends Annie Besant’s hopes of a British India Commonwealth.

Annie Besant and The Indian National Congress

The Case for India by Annie Besant

Welsh Theosophists protest against the Internment of Annie Besant 1917

Annie Besant visits Cardiff 1924

Rukmini Devi Arundale

1904 - 1986

1920 Future International President, George S Arundale marries Rukmini Devi. She is 16 at the time of the marriage and goes on to become a major player in the Theosophical Society’s affairs.

1923 This year is the high point for the “Order of the Star of the East” with a well supported convention in Vienna as part of the 1923 European Theosophical Society Congress.

George S Arundale and Rukmini Devi Arundale visit

Cardiff Theosophical Society in 1924

1925 Rudolf Steiner dies.

1926 Conflicts over Krishnamurti come to a head in January as members are called upon to embrace the New World Religion. Members resign and the possibility of a split in the Society emerges as some Lodges threaten to break away.

The Daily Sketch of January 14^th 1926 reports concerns in India that Krishnamurti’s request that followers make the sign of the cross will lead to trouble on the streets.

1928 A P Warrington becomes Vice-President of the Society

1929 J. Krishnamurti, now aged 33, dissolves the "Order of the star of the East".

1930 J.J. van der Leeuw writes "Revelation or Realization".

1931 P.W. Bowen creates or reveals the Bowen Notes on study of the Secret Doctrine. The effect of this publication have yet to be fully assessed.

The Work of Theosophists by C W Leadbeater 1931

George Lansbury

British Labour MP and leader of the opposition

Labour party during the Ramsey MacDonald

1931 – 35 National Coalition Government period

Probably the only Theosophist to meet Hitler

His uncompromising Pacifism raises

some difficult questions for Theosophists

Dr George S Arundale

1933 Annie Besant dies. George Sidney Arundale voted president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar).

More Info on George S Arundale

Nirvana

A Study in Synthetic Consciousness

G S Arundale

Kundalini

An Occult Experience

G S Arundale

Theosophy

The Way of Service

G S Arundale

1934 C W Leadbeater dies.

G S Arundale Broadcasts his Diamond Jubilee Message on

All India Radio in 1935

The Theosophy Stand at the 1938 Empire Exhibition in Scotland

Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 (unofficially known as the

British Empire Exhibition, Glasgow) was an international exposition

held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938.

The Exhibition was intended to mark fifty years since Glasgow's

first great exhibition, the International Exhibition (1888) held at

Kelvingrove Park. It also offered a chance to boost the economy

of Scotland, recovering from the depression of the 1930s.

Despite 1938 being one of the wettest summers on record,

the Exhibition attracted 12 million visitors.

C Jinarajadasa

More info on C Jinarajadasa 1875 - 1953

The Future of The Theosophical Society By C Jinarajadasa 1930

1945 Dr. Arundale dies. Jinarâjadâsa elected president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar).

N Sri Ram

1953 Jinarajadasa dies and N. Sri Ram elected president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar).

More Info on N Sri Ram

1955 Rukmini Devi Arundale becomes Vice President of The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) at their World Congress in Paris and holds the position for 31 years until her death in 1986.

1973 N. Sri Ram dies and John Coats elected president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar).

John B S Coats

More info on John B S Coats

Dr Radha Burnier

1980 Radha Burnier is voted president of the Theosophical Society (Adyar).

Rukmini Devi Arundale 1904 -1986

1986 Rukmini Devi Arundale dies aged 82. Despite serious health problems in her later years, she always refused to be treated with medication that had been tested on animals.

1989 The Scandinavian break with the Adyar Theosophical Society begins. The Danish Theosophical Society voted in August 1989 for the creation of an independent Teosofisk Forening (Theosophical Union). Other lodges were integrated in this organisation. In November 1997 the name was changed to Theosophical Association Scandinavia (TAS). In August 2004 ten theosophical organisations from Denmark and Norway founded in Aarhus the Teosofisk Netværk or Teosofisk Nettverk (Theosophical Network)

1992 The Theosophical Society in Canada (Canadian Federation) breaks with Adyar. In 1995 there is a further division. The lodges in Edmonton and Calgary separate from the TS in Canada and form the independent Edmonton Theosophical Society. The remaining lodges in the Canadian Federation revert back to Adyar and change their name later to the Canadian Theosophical Association..

2008 Radha Burnier re-elected in the 2008 Adyar Presidential election.

The Candidates Radha Burnier & John Algeo

Find out how your Theosophy Group voted

Results & Voting Figures for the Adyar Theosophical Society

Presidential Election 2008

2010 Anger and Dismay at decision to sell Tekels Park to a developer. The Theosophical movement is shocked to hear the news the Theosophical Society in England’s Spirital Retreat, Tekels Park is to be sold to a developer.

Tekels Park is a 50 acre woodland park in Camberley, Surrey, England which was purchased for the Theosophical Society in England in 1929. Tekels Park has been the home of many Theosophical Groups including Camberley Lodge, the Esoteric Section, the Retreat Society and the Liberal Catholic Church.