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The Masters Revealed: Madame Blavatsky and the Myth of the Great White Lodge
The existence of Madame Blavatsky's occult 'Masters' has been fiercely debated for more than a century. Although scores of books have been written about her, none has focused on the historical identities of these elusive teachers. This book profiles 32 of Blavatsky's hidden sponsors, including leaders of secret societies in Europe and America, religio-political reformers in Egypt and India, and even British government agents. The milieu in which she carried out her spiritual quest is vividly revealed as a hotbed of revolutionary plots and secret coalitions. But beyond all the politics was a genuine spiritual awakening of global significance.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1994
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September 14, 2024
A SCHOLARLY STUDY OF THE ORIGINS OF MME. BLAVATSKY'S DOCTRINES
K. Paul Johnson has also written books such as 'Edgar Cayce in Context: The Readings: Truth and Fiction,' 'Initiates of the Theosophical Masters,' 'Pell Mellers: Race and Memory in a Carolina Pocosin,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1994 book, "By 1884, Theosophy had acquired many Indian disciples and was beginning to attract Europeans in large numbers. But charges of fraud against Madame Blavatsky were made that year by two disgruntled employees... who claimed to have participated in fakery of psychic phenomena aimed at proving the Mahatmas' existence... Their accusations led to an investigation by Richard Hodgson... [of] the Society for Psychical Research.
"He concluded that the Masters were nonexistent and all their alleged phenomena fraudulent, but Theosophists rejected his report as based on lies... opinion on the Hodgson report has been polarized.... In 1986, the [SPR] published a critique by ... a handwriting expert, which discredited crucial elements of Hodgson's case against HPB. But Theosophists have overinterpreted this as complete vindication, when in fact many questions raised by Hodgson remain unanswered." (Pg. 2-3)
Later, he adds, "While Hodgson's suspicion that HPB and the supposed chelas of the Masters were engaged in deception was indeed justified, he went further than this. He erroneously concluded that the Masters were nonexistent and that Blavatsky's mission was to advance Russian interests." (Pg. 7)
He states, "After moving to New York in 1873, HPB ... met ... Masonic and Rosicrucian associates... The TS was also linked with a mysterious Brotherhood of Luxor based in Egypt... HPB noted in her scrapbook that she had been ordered to found a 'secret society like the Rosicrucian lodge.' As late as 1878, HPB and Olcott were considering making the TS a Masonic order... Thus it would be hard to overestimate the influence of secret societies in the early years of Theosophy." (Pg. 5)
He wrote, "Although many of HPB's associates in Egypt and India were notably anti-British, her links with British diplomats ... indicate the difficulty of evaluating her political allegiance... the evidence on this question is ambiguous and confusing." (Pg. 74) Later, he notes, "Sinhalese Buddhists continue to regard Theosophy's arrival in their country as a milestone in their national history." (Pg. 190)
He admits, "the mystery of the source of HPB's teachings remains almost untouched... In asking from which traditional spiritual lineage HPB acquired the doctrines found in her writings, one falsely assumes a single source... It is unlikely that any historical figure could meet this criterion. But it has become clear that HPB gradually developed a synthetic overview of religion, philosophy, and science. From Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry she acquired belief in secret transmission of ancient wisdom by adept brotherhoods.
"An idealistic belief in the possibility of human liberation from political and religious oppression was also part of her heritage from Western secret societies. Her contacts with Kabbalah and Sufism persuaded her that ancient wisdom was preserved outside Christendom in forms purer and more reliable than she had previously encountered. From personal experience with Spiritualism she became familiar with a wide range of psychic phenomena. And... she developed a love of the Indian people and a deep respect for their varied religious traditions." (Pg. 145)
He points out, "HPB herself admitted ... 'It is very rarely that Mahatma K.H. dictated verbatim,' and confessed further that 'when I thought my authority would go for naught, when I sincerely believed acting agreeably to the Master's intentions and for the good of the cause' she had 'insisted that such and such a note was from Master' although it was 'often something reflected from my own mind.'" (Pg. 175)
He concludes, "this book is not an attempt to promote a reductionist view of Theosophical history. Because it emphasizes political factors to a far greater degree than previous studies of HPB, it may be misinterpreted as denying her spiritual motivation. But there is no reason to doubt that from first to last she saw the TS primarily as an agent of spiritual values, and allied herself with whatever political and social forces seemed useful to that purpose at the time." (Pg. 242)
This is an excellent, scholarly, and not unsympathetic perspective of HPB and the Theosophical Society, that will be of great interest to any students of such.
K. Paul Johnson has also written books such as 'Edgar Cayce in Context: The Readings: Truth and Fiction,' 'Initiates of the Theosophical Masters,' 'Pell Mellers: Race and Memory in a Carolina Pocosin,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1994 book, "By 1884, Theosophy had acquired many Indian disciples and was beginning to attract Europeans in large numbers. But charges of fraud against Madame Blavatsky were made that year by two disgruntled employees... who claimed to have participated in fakery of psychic phenomena aimed at proving the Mahatmas' existence... Their accusations led to an investigation by Richard Hodgson... [of] the Society for Psychical Research.
"He concluded that the Masters were nonexistent and all their alleged phenomena fraudulent, but Theosophists rejected his report as based on lies... opinion on the Hodgson report has been polarized.... In 1986, the [SPR] published a critique by ... a handwriting expert, which discredited crucial elements of Hodgson's case against HPB. But Theosophists have overinterpreted this as complete vindication, when in fact many questions raised by Hodgson remain unanswered." (Pg. 2-3)
Later, he adds, "While Hodgson's suspicion that HPB and the supposed chelas of the Masters were engaged in deception was indeed justified, he went further than this. He erroneously concluded that the Masters were nonexistent and that Blavatsky's mission was to advance Russian interests." (Pg. 7)
He states, "After moving to New York in 1873, HPB ... met ... Masonic and Rosicrucian associates... The TS was also linked with a mysterious Brotherhood of Luxor based in Egypt... HPB noted in her scrapbook that she had been ordered to found a 'secret society like the Rosicrucian lodge.' As late as 1878, HPB and Olcott were considering making the TS a Masonic order... Thus it would be hard to overestimate the influence of secret societies in the early years of Theosophy." (Pg. 5)
He wrote, "Although many of HPB's associates in Egypt and India were notably anti-British, her links with British diplomats ... indicate the difficulty of evaluating her political allegiance... the evidence on this question is ambiguous and confusing." (Pg. 74) Later, he notes, "Sinhalese Buddhists continue to regard Theosophy's arrival in their country as a milestone in their national history." (Pg. 190)
He admits, "the mystery of the source of HPB's teachings remains almost untouched... In asking from which traditional spiritual lineage HPB acquired the doctrines found in her writings, one falsely assumes a single source... It is unlikely that any historical figure could meet this criterion. But it has become clear that HPB gradually developed a synthetic overview of religion, philosophy, and science. From Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry she acquired belief in secret transmission of ancient wisdom by adept brotherhoods.
"An idealistic belief in the possibility of human liberation from political and religious oppression was also part of her heritage from Western secret societies. Her contacts with Kabbalah and Sufism persuaded her that ancient wisdom was preserved outside Christendom in forms purer and more reliable than she had previously encountered. From personal experience with Spiritualism she became familiar with a wide range of psychic phenomena. And... she developed a love of the Indian people and a deep respect for their varied religious traditions." (Pg. 145)
He points out, "HPB herself admitted ... 'It is very rarely that Mahatma K.H. dictated verbatim,' and confessed further that 'when I thought my authority would go for naught, when I sincerely believed acting agreeably to the Master's intentions and for the good of the cause' she had 'insisted that such and such a note was from Master' although it was 'often something reflected from my own mind.'" (Pg. 175)
He concludes, "this book is not an attempt to promote a reductionist view of Theosophical history. Because it emphasizes political factors to a far greater degree than previous studies of HPB, it may be misinterpreted as denying her spiritual motivation. But there is no reason to doubt that from first to last she saw the TS primarily as an agent of spiritual values, and allied herself with whatever political and social forces seemed useful to that purpose at the time." (Pg. 242)
This is an excellent, scholarly, and not unsympathetic perspective of HPB and the Theosophical Society, that will be of great interest to any students of such.
January 25, 2015
Great book. This author is very thorough. He always makes sure that the reader finds out all the good gossip about the main character. The author is better than the National Enquirer when it comes to finding out about the skeletons in someone's closet.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews