Independent twentieth-century magic
Alice A. Bailey
Theosophist turned independent teacher whose vocabulary — rays, hierarchy, the Christ's reappearance — supplied much of the language later New Age spirituality would use.
- Dates
- 1880 – 1949
- Dating
- documented dates
- Born
- Manchester
- Died
- New York
The life
She passed through Theosophy before developing her own teaching, and with Foster Bailey established the Arcane School and Lucis Trust.
Place in the tradition
More of the phrasing of twentieth-century alternative spirituality comes from her than from almost anyone else, usually without attribution.
a note on the record
History and later legend
She said her books were telepathically dictated by an adept she called Djwal Khul, 'the Tibetan'. The claim belongs to her religious teaching and does not establish another historical author.
the written record
Principal works
-
1922
Initiation, Human and Solar
Describes a hierarchy of Masters and the stages of spiritual initiation.
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1922
Letters on Occult Meditation
Meditation taught as part of occult initiation.
-
1925
A Treatise on Cosmic Fire
Her gigantic metaphysical cosmology of energies, rays, planes and cosmic evolution.
-
1934
A Treatise on White Magic
A practical and theoretical account of spiritual development and magical service.
-
1936–1960, later volumes posthumous
A Treatise on the Seven Rays
A multi-volume system correlating seven fundamental energies with psychology, astrology and spiritual evolution.
-
1948
The Reappearance of the Christ
Anticipates a renewed manifestation of a universal spiritual teacher.