Theosophical Society | religious society (original) (raw)
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Buddhism
In Buddhism: Contemporary revival …through the activities of the Theosophical Society, one of whose leaders was the American Henry Olcott. The Sinhalese reformer Anagarika Dharmapala also exerted some influence, particularly through his work as one of the founders of the Mahabodhi Society, which focused its initial efforts on restoring Buddhist control of the pilgrimage… Read More
Hinduism
In Hinduism: Theosophical Society Another movement influenced in part by Hinduism is the Theosophical Society. Founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky of Russia, it was originally inspired by Kabbala (Jewish esoteric mysticism), gnosticism (esoteric salvatory knowledge), and forms of Read More
history of new religious movements
In new religious movement: The influence of the East Esoteric groups—such as the Theosophical Society, founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and its many offshoots—integrated Indian philosophical and religious concepts into a synthesis that also drew on Western mysticism, Neoplatonism, Kabbala, religious monism, and communication with the spirit world. Read More
influence on Pollock
In Jackson Pollock: Early life and work …also a member of the Theosophical Society, a sect that promoted metaphysical and occult spirituality. Schwankovsky gave Pollock some rudimentary training in drawing and painting, introduced him to advanced currents of European modern art, and encouraged his interest in theosophical literature. At this time Pollock, who had been raised an… Read More
theosophy
In theosophy: History …with the founding of the Theosophical Society in New York City in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831–91), Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907), and William Quan Judge (1851–96). A Russian aristocrat, Blavatsky immigrated to the United States in 1873 after many years of travel and study in Europe and the Middle… Read More
Wheaton
In Wheaton …also the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in America. Wheaton College, which originated there in 1854 as the Illinois Institute (organized by the Wesleyan Methodist Church), has long been a prominent Evangelical Christian liberal arts college. The influential conservative journal Christianity Today is published in Carol Stream. Wheaton is the… Read More
leaders and members
Besant
In Annie Besant …Blavatsky, a cofounder of the Theosophical Society. The teachings of the society emphasized human service, a spiritual evolutionism drawn from both Eastern and Western esoteric philosophy, and the role of suprahuman masters of wisdom. Besant plunged vigorously into theosophical work, lecturing and writing widely. Her numerous books and articles are… Read More
Blavatsky
Hume
In India: Origins of the nationalist movement Hume had joined the Theosophical Society in 1881, as had many young Indians, who found in theosophy a movement most flattering to Indian civilization. Read More
Mondrian
In Piet Mondrian: Influence of Post-Impressionists and Luminists …in May he joined the Theosophical Society, a group that believed in a harmonious cosmos in which spirit and matter are united. Inspired by these ideas, Mondrian began to free the objects depicted in his paintings from naturalistic representation: these objects became formal components of the overall harmony of his… Read More
Olcott
In Henry Steel Olcott …and others he founded the Theosophical Society in 1875 and became its president. In 1878 he and Blavatsky visited India. The two settled there in 1879 and in 1882 established the permanent headquarters of the Theosophical Society of Adyar, Madras. He assisted Annie Besant in establishing the Central Hindu College… Read More
In William Butler Yeats He joined the Theosophical Society, whose mysticism appealed to him because it was a form of imaginative life far removed from the workaday world. The age of science was repellent to Yeats; he was a visionary, and he insisted upon surrounding himself with poetic images. He began a… Read More