Who was Helena Blavatsky and what is Theosophy?

Helena Blavatsky was a 19th-century Russian mystic and writer who co-founded the Theosophical Society in New York in 1875. She developed Theosophy, a belief system that sought to synthesize science, religion, and philosophy while drawing from Western esotericism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Despite facing accusations of fraud and controversy regarding her claimed travels and paranormal phenomena, her writings profoundly influenced Western esoteric movements and the spread of Eastern religious ideas.

What we know

• Helena Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society in New York City in 1875 alongside Henry Steel Olcott and William Quan Judge. [2, 5]
• Blavatsky described Theosophy as a synthesis of science, religion, and philosophy, claiming it revived an ancient wisdom underlying all world religions. [2]
• In 1882, Blavatsky and Olcott traveled to Ceylon and became the first people from the United States to formally convert to Buddhism. [2]
• Blavatsky authored key Theosophical texts including Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine. [2, 5]

Still open

• Both contemporary critics and later biographers have debated whether some or all of Blavatsky's reported foreign travels, including her time in Tibet, were fictitious.

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat are the core teachings of Theosophy?
• how we knowHow did Isis Unveiled shape modern esotericism?
• whereWhat happened during Blavatsky's time in India?
• whoHow did Henry Steel Olcott influence the Theosophical Society?
• what followedWhich modern spiritual movements grew out of Theosophy?
• an unexpected connectionHow did Helena Blavatsky cross paths with a young Mahatma Gandhi?While establishing the Blavatsky Lodge in London during her later years, Helena Blavatsky met a young Mahatma Gandhi when he was a student lawyer in England.

Sources

• [1]Helena Blavatsky (Wikidata Q189454) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Helena Blavatsky · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Theosophy and literature · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Theosophy · CC BY-SA 4.0