The Key to Theosophy
An Exposition of the Ethics, Science, and Philosophy
ISBN 978-0979320521 and 0-979-3205-2-6
by H. P. Blavatsky
Available at Amazon.com
In both print and eBook versions
The purpose of this book is exactly expressed in its
title, "THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY," and needs but few words of
explanation. It is not a complete or exhaustive text-book of Theosophy, but
only a key to unlock the door that leads to the deeper study. It traces the
broad outlines of the Wisdom Religion and explains its fundamental principles,
meeting, at the same time, the various objections raised by the average Western
enquirer, and endeavouring to present unfamiliar
concepts in a form as simple and in language as clear as possible. That it
should succeed in making Theosophy intelligible without mental effort on the
part of the reader would be too much to expect; but it is hoped that the
obscurity still left is of the thought not of the language, is due to depth not
to confusion. To the mentally lazy or obtuse, Theosophy must remain a riddle;
for in the world mental as in the world spiritual, each man must progress by
his own efforts. The writer cannot do the reader's thinking for him, nor would
the latter be any the better off if such vicarious thought were possible. The
need for such an exposition as the present has long been felt among those
interested in the Theosophical Society and its work, and it is hoped that it
will supply information, as free as possible from technicalities, to many whose attention has been awakened, but who, as yet,
are merely puzzled and not convinced.
Some care has been taken in
disentangling some part of what is true from what is false in Spiritualistic
teachings as to the post-mortem life, and to showing the true nature of
Spiritualistic phenomena. Previous explanations of a similar kind have drawn
much wrath upon the writer's devoted head; the Spiritualists, like too many
others, preferring to believe what is pleasant rather than what is true, and
becoming very angry with anyone who destroys an agreeable delusion. For the past year Theosophy has been the target for every poisoned
arrow of Spiritualism, as though the possessors of a half
truth felt more antagonism to the possessors of the whole truth than
those who had no share to boast of.
Go to The Origins of Self-Consciousness
in The Secret Doctrine by HP Blavatsky
Go to Wisdom in Action
Go to The Dawning of Wisdom
Go to The Key to Theosophy
Go to Teachers of the Eternal Doctrine