Theosophy's descendants
Annie Besant
Religious sceptic, socialist and women's-rights activist who became president of the Theosophical Society in 1907, and of the Indian National Congress in 1917.
- Dates
- 1847 – 1933
- Dating
- documented dates
- Born
- London
- Died
- Adyar, India
The life
She joined the Theosophical Society in 1889 and remained its president until her death. She was also deeply involved in Indian political self-rule.
Place in the tradition
She produced a large corpus on reincarnation, karma, subtle bodies and spiritual evolution, and made Theosophical cosmology teachable.
the written record
Principal works
-
1897
The Ancient Wisdom
A systematic introduction to Theosophical cosmology.
-
1905, with C. W. Leadbeater
Thought-Forms
Claims to show the shapes and colours of thoughts and emotions as seen clairvoyantly, illustrated in vivid plates.