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Theosophical Manuals #3
Death - And After?
Classic study by the prominent Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1893
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About the author
Annie Besant
2,122 books149 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.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 29, 2019
[...]«Την έσχατη στιγμή, ολόκληρη η ζωή αντανακλάται στη μνήμη μας, και αναδύονται απ' όλες τις ξεχασμένες γωνιές, εικόνα εικόνα, όλα τα γεγονότα με τη σειρά... Ο άνθρωπος μπορεί συχνά να φαίνεται ότι είναι νεκρός, αλλά στο διάστημα που μεσολαβεί ανάμεσα στον τελευταίο παλμό της καρδιάς και τη στιγμή, που η τελευταία σπίθα της ζωϊκής θερμότητας εγκαταλείπει το σώμα, ο εγκέφαλος σκέπτεται, και το εγώ, μέσα σ' αυτό τον ελάχιστο, ξαναζεί ολόκληρη τη ζωή του. Να μιλάτε ψιθυριστά, όσοι παραστέκεστε σ' ένα νεκρικό κρεβάτι και βρίσκεστε μπροστά στην επίσημη παρουσία του θανάτου. Πρέπει να κάνετε απόλυτη ησυχία, ιδίως τη στιγμή που ο θάνατος έχει μόλις ακουμπήσει το γλιστερό του χέρι επάνω στο σώμα. Σας λέω να μιλάτε ψιθυριστά, για να μην ενοχλήσετε τον ήρεμο κυματισμό της σκέψης και διακόψετε το παρελθόν τη στιγμή που ρίχνει την αντανάκλαση του επάνω στο πέπλο του μέλλοντος».
- Αυτός ο απολογισμός των αποτελεσμάτων του βίου, αυτή η ανάγνωση των καρμικών αρχείων, είναι μια πολύ επίσημη και σοβαρή διαδικασία, που δεν πρέπει να διαταράσσουν οι άκαιροι θρήνοι των συγγενών και των φίλων.[...]
- Αυτός ο απολογισμός των αποτελεσμάτων του βίου, αυτή η ανάγνωση των καρμικών αρχείων, είναι μια πολύ επίσημη και σοβαρή διαδικασία, που δεν πρέπει να διαταράσσουν οι άκαιροι θρήνοι των συγγενών και των φίλων.[...]
November 13, 2019
Excellent source of truth regarding the unfolding of this prison/body upon so-called death.
Excellent truth of what happens upon so-called death. Very relieving book by Ms Besant and the Theosophical society. Recommended very highly.
Excellent truth of what happens upon so-called death. Very relieving book by Ms Besant and the Theosophical society. Recommended very highly.
June 20, 2018
Those of you who are atheists can stop reading right now. But for the agnostics and spiritually aware, this book provides an interesting insight into the theosophist beliefs about death and what follows. It’s hard to take seriously, as it cannibalizes both Hindu and Buddhist texts and relies heavily on the writing of controversial Russian mystic Helena Blavatsky; such a mixture provides internal contradictions that weaken the discussion. However, the mechanics of what happens posthumously is not covered in much detail in the Judeo-Christian tradition, so that sparks the curiosity to read on, think more about the nature of existence and consider the fate of human consciousness after death.
January 9, 2024
The book describes the metaphysical aspects related to life on earth and life afterwards. Amongst the points I learnt in the book is the background of the reference to brotherhood to describe all of humanity and the description of physical life as a ‘maya’.
The cycle of life and after life as in Theosophical realms is described threadbare and in very simple terms.
The cycle of life and after life as in Theosophical realms is described threadbare and in very simple terms.
November 14, 2024
Interesting verrrrry interesting.
Needed this to spark my 1 minute performance. I’d like to revisit in another day.
Needed this to spark my 1 minute performance. I’d like to revisit in another day.
January 3, 2026
✔️Published in 1906.
The Theosophical Society has an opinion on what happens after the soul leaves the body, and they do not look upon death, as – death in the common definition.
As examples:
The Theosophical Society has an opinion on what happens after the soul leaves the body, and they do not look upon death, as – death in the common definition.
As examples:
Death has been painted as a skeleton grasping a scythe, a grinning skull, a threatening figure with terrible face and uplifted dart, a bony scarecrow shaking an hour-glass . . .The general belief in Re-incarnation is enough to prove that the religions of which it formed a central doctrine believed in the survival of the Soul after Death; [and] the human body is constantly undergoing a process of decay and of reconstruction.”
This is a curiously interesting short book that most definitely is the epitome of my famous adage: “Everyone has a viewpoint; everyone has an opinion.”
The writing style of Annie Besant is intelligent and readable.
What do I think of the conclusion of these viewpoints in Death-and After??
🟣Kindle version.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews