HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, born on August 12, 1831, in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire (now Dnipro, Ukraine), was a prominent figure in the 19th century occult movement and a co-founder of the Theosophical Society. She was born into an aristocratic family; her father, Pyotr Alexeyevich von Hahn, was a colonel, and her mother, Helena Andreevna von Hahn, was a noted novelist.

Blavatsky's early years were marked by a fascination with mysticism and the paranormal, interests likely influenced by her mother's literary circles and the death of her mother when Blavatsky was eleven. This event led to a transient life, spending time with her maternal grandparents and other relatives across the Russian Empire. Her early exposure to different cultures and spiritual practices laid the groundwork for her later esoteric pursuits.

At seventeen, Blavatsky married Nikifor Vassilievich Blavatsky, a man significantly older than her, in what was likely an arranged marriage. However, the marriage was short-lived, and she left her husband after a few months, embarking on extensive travels. Over the next two decades, Blavatsky claimed to have journeyed across Europe, the Americas, India, and Tibet. She reported studying under various spiritual masters, including the mysterious "Masters of the Ancient Wisdom" or "Mahatmas," who she said resided in the Himalayas.

In 1873, Blavatsky moved to New York City, where she met Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and William Quan Judge. Together, they founded the Theosophical Society in 1875, aiming to promote the exploration of spiritual and occult knowledge, the investigation of the unexplained laws of nature, and the study of comparative religion, philosophy, and science. The Society's motto was "There is no religion higher than Truth."

Blavatsky's literary work significantly influenced the spread of Theosophy. Her first major book, "Isis Unveiled," published in 1877, critiqued contemporary science and religion, proposing an ancient, hidden wisdom underlying all religious traditions. In 1882, she moved to India, where the Society established its headquarters in Adyar, near Madras (now Chennai). Here, she continued her prolific writing, most notably producing "The Secret Doctrine" in 1888, a comprehensive text that she claimed was derived from ancient manuscripts and direct communication with her spiritual Masters. This work elaborated on her theories of cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis, offering an esoteric history of humanity and the universe.

Blavatsky's later years were marred by controversy and health issues. She was frequently accused of fraud, particularly in relation to her claimed supernatural abilities and communications with the Mahatmas. The most notable investigation into these claims was conducted by the Society for Psychical Research in 1884, which concluded that Blavatsky was a charlatan, although this verdict has been contested by later scholars and Theosophists.

Despite these controversies, Blavatsky continued to have a profound impact on Western esotericism and the New Age movement. Her works and the Theosophical Society played a crucial role in the Western interest in Eastern religions and philosophies. She spent her final years in London, where she established the Blavatsky Lodge of the Theosophical Society in 1887 and launched the magazine "Lucifer." Helena Petrovna Blavatsky died on May 8, 1891, in London.

Blavatsky's legacy endures through the ongoing activities of the Theosophical Society and the continued study and debate of her life and works. Her synthesis of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions laid the groundwork for many modern spiritual movements and contributed significantly to the discourse on comparative religion and mysticism.

REFERENCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Blavatsky .