What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ancient Wisdom: The Physical, Mental and Astral Planes, Karma, and Buddhist Reincarnation in the Spiritual Lore of Theosophy
Annie Besant brings readers on a journey through the planes of existence, explaining the interplay of the physical reality we perceive and the spiritual planes beyond our perception.
By quoting ancient documents of Buddhism and Taoism, Besant describes the composition and processes of the mysterious worlds beyond what we see and hear in everyday life. The divine wisdom of Theosophy includes doctrines from multiple ancient religions, such as those of Egypt, India, Tibet and Eastern Asia. In the eyes of the theosophist, each of these contributes truths to the phenomena of the physical, astral and mental planes which are explored by Besant.
Philosophical concepts of the Self, the soul, the afterlife, and reincarnation receive attention in the later stages of this book, which also explains the links between the planes and concepts such as the Buddha realms and Nirvana. Besant keenly summarizes and describes the major facets of theosophy, whilst praising the movement's founder H. P. Blavatsky.
Throughout this text, Besant's gifts for explanation and descriptive writing demystify spiritual mysteries and ideas that would otherwise be hard to comprehend. For years a leading proponent of the theosophic movement, Annie Besant published several books and delivered lectures in the early 20 th century.
By quoting ancient documents of Buddhism and Taoism, Besant describes the composition and processes of the mysterious worlds beyond what we see and hear in everyday life. The divine wisdom of Theosophy includes doctrines from multiple ancient religions, such as those of Egypt, India, Tibet and Eastern Asia. In the eyes of the theosophist, each of these contributes truths to the phenomena of the physical, astral and mental planes which are explored by Besant.
Philosophical concepts of the Self, the soul, the afterlife, and reincarnation receive attention in the later stages of this book, which also explains the links between the planes and concepts such as the Buddha realms and Nirvana. Besant keenly summarizes and describes the major facets of theosophy, whilst praising the movement's founder H. P. Blavatsky.
Throughout this text, Besant's gifts for explanation and descriptive writing demystify spiritual mysteries and ideas that would otherwise be hard to comprehend. For years a leading proponent of the theosophic movement, Annie Besant published several books and delivered lectures in the early 20 th century.
162 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1897
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Annie Besant
2,151 books151 followersNoted British reformer Annie Wood Besant vigorously supported socialism, birth control, trade unionism, and rights of women; the cause of independence interested her through her involvement with the theosophical society, and she moved and founded the home rule league in 1916 and served as president of the Indian national congress in 1917.
This prominent activist and orator wrote of Irish.
She, aged 20 years in 1867, married Frank Besant but separated over religious differences.
Once free of Frank Besant and exposed to new currents of thought, she began to question her long-held religious beliefs and the whole of conventional thinking. She began to write attacks on the way of the churches in lives of people. In particular, she attacked the status of the Church of England as a state-sponsored faith.
She quickly wrote a column for the National Reformer, the newspaper of the national secular society, to earn a small weekly wage. The society stood for a secular state and an end to the special status of Christianity and allowed her to act of its public speakers. Very popular public lectures entertained in Queen Victorian times. People quickly greatly demanded Besant, a brilliant speaker. Using the railway, she crisscrossed the country, spoke on all of the most important issues of the day, and always demanded improvement and freedom.
For many years, Besant befriended Charles Bradlaugh, leader of the national secular society. Bradlaugh, a former soldier, long separated from his wife; Besant lived with him and his daughters, and they worked together on many issues. He, an atheist and a republican, also tried to get elected as member of Parliament for Northampton.
She then prominently spoke for the national secular society, wrote, and closely befriended Charles Bradlaugh. In 1877, people prosecuted her and Bradlaugh for publishing a book of campaigner Charles Knowlton.
Besant and Bradlaugh, household names in 1877, then published a book of the American campaigner Charles Knowlton. It claimed that never happy working-class families ably decided not want of children. It suggested ways to limit the size of their families.
The scandal made them famous, and people elected Bradlaugh as member of Parliament for Northampton in 1880.
Actions included the bloody Sunday demonstration and the match girls strike of London of 1888. She led speakers for the Fabian society and the social democratic federation of Marxists. She topped the poll and won election to the school board of London for Tower Hamlets, topping the poll even despite few qualified female voters at that time.
In 1890, Besant met Helena Blavatsky, and over the next few years, secular matters waned. She joined as a member and a prominent lecturer on the subject. As part of her related work, she traveled. In 1898, she helped to establish the central Hindu college.
In 1902, she established le Droit Humain, the first overseas lodge of the international order of co-freemasonry. Over the next few years, she established lodges in many parts of the empire. In 1907, she led at international headquarters in Adyar, Madras (Chennai).
She also joined politics. When World War I broke in 1914, she helped to launch to campaign for democracy and dominion status within the empire. This led to her election in late 1917. After the war, she continued to campaign.
In 1922, she helped establish the Hyderabad (Sind) national collegiate board in Mumbai.
She fought, starting with freedom of thought, Fabians, and workers as a leading member of the national secular society alongside Charles Bradlaugh.
She continued to campaign until her death.
This prominent activist and orator wrote of Irish.
She, aged 20 years in 1867, married Frank Besant but separated over religious differences.
Once free of Frank Besant and exposed to new currents of thought, she began to question her long-held religious beliefs and the whole of conventional thinking. She began to write attacks on the way of the churches in lives of people. In particular, she attacked the status of the Church of England as a state-sponsored faith.
She quickly wrote a column for the National Reformer, the newspaper of the national secular society, to earn a small weekly wage. The society stood for a secular state and an end to the special status of Christianity and allowed her to act of its public speakers. Very popular public lectures entertained in Queen Victorian times. People quickly greatly demanded Besant, a brilliant speaker. Using the railway, she crisscrossed the country, spoke on all of the most important issues of the day, and always demanded improvement and freedom.
For many years, Besant befriended Charles Bradlaugh, leader of the national secular society. Bradlaugh, a former soldier, long separated from his wife; Besant lived with him and his daughters, and they worked together on many issues. He, an atheist and a republican, also tried to get elected as member of Parliament for Northampton.
She then prominently spoke for the national secular society, wrote, and closely befriended Charles Bradlaugh. In 1877, people prosecuted her and Bradlaugh for publishing a book of campaigner Charles Knowlton.
Besant and Bradlaugh, household names in 1877, then published a book of the American campaigner Charles Knowlton. It claimed that never happy working-class families ably decided not want of children. It suggested ways to limit the size of their families.
The scandal made them famous, and people elected Bradlaugh as member of Parliament for Northampton in 1880.
Actions included the bloody Sunday demonstration and the match girls strike of London of 1888. She led speakers for the Fabian society and the social democratic federation of Marxists. She topped the poll and won election to the school board of London for Tower Hamlets, topping the poll even despite few qualified female voters at that time.
In 1890, Besant met Helena Blavatsky, and over the next few years, secular matters waned. She joined as a member and a prominent lecturer on the subject. As part of her related work, she traveled. In 1898, she helped to establish the central Hindu college.
In 1902, she established le Droit Humain, the first overseas lodge of the international order of co-freemasonry. Over the next few years, she established lodges in many parts of the empire. In 1907, she led at international headquarters in Adyar, Madras (Chennai).
She also joined politics. When World War I broke in 1914, she helped to launch to campaign for democracy and dominion status within the empire. This led to her election in late 1917. After the war, she continued to campaign.
In 1922, she helped establish the Hyderabad (Sind) national collegiate board in Mumbai.
She fought, starting with freedom of thought, Fabians, and workers as a leading member of the national secular society alongside Charles Bradlaugh.
She continued to campaign until her death.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 23, 2023
FIRST REVIEWER STATUS!!!!!!! This book rocks!!!!!!!! Great explanation on karma and reincarnation, easier to approach than Blavatsky's work even though at times I still got lost. Theosophy is complex but worth the brain stretch!!
Displaying 1 of 1 review