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Why this listing of names and sources of different streams? Because ultimately they all come together and merge in the wisdom
where science, art and religion meet. These things have been split up and separated into different branches but ultimately all
have the same roots.
The 100 to 150 key names listed below are mostly all pre-1900, and does not include the large wave of anthropophists that
incarnated next to and after Rudolf Steiner. These well-known names are 'the tip of the iceberg' of a stream and subsegment of
the population consisting of many hundred thousand souls. Hence, these 100 are to be seen in the same way as how some 40
key names were listed for the development of the foundation of mineral science in the last 400 years (see Mineral
science#Historical development)
Contents
1 Aspects
2 The wave from 1879
5.1.1 Gnostics
5.1.2 Neoplatonism
7 Illustrations
8 Lecture coverage and references
8.1 1909-06-04-GA109
9 Discussion
10 Related pages
11 References and further reading
Aspects
spiritual scientific research with the clairvoyant faculty of 'intuition'; see Clairvoyant research of akashic records
lineage:
"St Paul was the first to use the word Theosophy, and used it already in its current meaning as we do for spiritual
science" (1905-06-19-GA090B). The term Theosophy was renewed and received a foundation with Jacob Boehme (1575 –
1624), and afterwards in the late 20th century with the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875 by a.o. Helena
Blavatsky (who wrote Isis Unveiled in 1877).
Inspiration:
In the 1924 Karmic Relationships lectures, Rudolf Steiner makes various mentions of initiates inspiring incarnate
individuals:
Julian Apostate-Tycho Brahe inspiring Schelling and Froschhammer. See more on Individuality of Julian the
Apostate#.5B1.5D - Individuality of Julian the Apostate and Wotan - Buddha
Tolstoj inspired by same spiritual power that stood behind the Gothic initiate Ufilas
Charlemagne inspired by Titurel
Ovid inspiring Latini
Furthermore Rudolf Steiner also mentioned the following works were inspired directly by masters of the White Lodge:
'The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz' (with anonymous authorship and Johann Valentin Andreae as the
scribe)
'Isis Unveiled' (1877) by Helena Blavatsky, inspired by Master Rosenkreutz
'Light on the path' (1885) by Mabel Collins, inspired by Master Hilarion
Note this was also the time of 'spiritism', see Hints of future etheric force technology#Aspects
The first major injection of the old wisdom in the new times was channeling through Helena Blavatsky, either directly or
indirectly (behind the scenes, eg A.P. Sinnett, the Mathatma letters, perhaps even the 'two chelas'). The masters concerned
were Morya and Koot Hoomi.
Note: Later also Alice Bailey published information received via masters Djual Khul, and Dion Fortune from Master
Rakoczi and Master Jesus. Sometimes the earthly descriptions sound a bit funny and all too human to be taken
seriously, but then there is a mix with genuine elements of wisdom, maybe pointing to the difficulties in such
channeling.
When erroneous or confusing info was spread such as the Sinnett book Esoteric Buddhism, reactions came in the form
of Harrison's 'Transcendental universe' or Rudolf Steiner who commented and positioned those sources.
Also books by anonymous authors popped up, for example written by 'two chelas' or 'three initiates'. See eg the
introduction for the book of the two chelas for background.
Many souls incarnated that caused a wave of renewal of different ancient traditions in magic or alchemy or a modern
footing (eg Riedel and Dubuis), sometimes also esoteric (eg rune magic by Spiesberger).
Certain authors created an amazing volume of books (eg W.W. Atkinson, Sivananda Saraswati, ..), whereas other books
became widespread bestsellers despite their subject matter and the fact the individuals were not publicly influential (eg
Manly Hall, just as earlier Barrett).
Rudolf Steiner played a central role in this movement, because here the White Lodge had someone who was clairvoyant
from youth ànd had a scholarly training foundation and scientific credentials. Initially the masters also spoke through
Steiner. At times he explicitly said so in certain lectures (referring to masters Koot Hoomi, Hilarion, Morya), in other
instances this left such an impression that it was reported by others (eg Vreede on the courses on spiritual hierarchies).
After Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner was able to create a stable movement and into this current many thousands of souls
incarnated. The same can also be said for the larger theosophical movement worldwide that grew thanks to Annie Besant.
Note the true masters are usually or always operating behind the scenes and incarnate as individuals unknown to the
world. This was the case for Rudolf Steiner's masters, and the principle was also explained by Daskalos (see references
below) and can be read in or deduced from other sources.
1870 onwards
H.P. Blavatsky
works
Isis Unveiled (1875 -> 1877)
The Secret Doctrine (1888)
The esoteric character of the gospels (1887-8)
Note that Helena Blavatsky also produced a lot of material as the editor of the magazine The Theosophist. Later prolific
writers such as
Arthur E. Powell (1882-1969) and
Ernest Wood (1883-1965) worked under Annie Besant (and the much disputed Leadbeater) to produce more
structured and readable materials, mainly based on Blavatsky's source material (potentially complemented and
mixed with less trustworthy information and/or illustrations from Leadbeater and others). There are many more
theosophists who produced excellent materials, such as a.o.
Gottfried de Purucker (1874-1942) and
Geoffrey Barborka (1897-1982).
translation of and commentary on the gospels based on a esoteric understanding, oa The Sermon on the Mount, The
Magical Message According to Iônannês, The Restored New Testament, Reincarnation in the New Testament, The
Apocalypse Unsealed.
see theosophy.wiki profile (https://theosophy.wiki/en/James_Morgan_Pryse) and what is said here (https://theosophy.wi
ki/en/George_William_Russell#Russell_and_Albert_E._S._Smythe):
" James M. Pryse who first instructed me in magic, conjuring up pictures in the astral light, and holding them before
my inner eyes so that I could see initiation scenes, the evolution of the astral from the physical, the movement of
cells and forces in the body. A good deal of what he wrote in the interpretation of the Apocalypse he showed me in
the "glass". He was one of the few members of the Theosophical Society who knew things for himself and had a
good deal of occult power. He was really rather a mysterious person whose talk and writing had personal
knowledge behind it. He, Judge, H.P.B., Subba Row,Damodar, and Jasper Niemand were the only members of T.S.
who had their own sources of knowledge, as far as I can know. Most of the others wrote either out of intuition or
retold what they had read: though Pryse said Archibald Keightley; who rarely wrote, knew a good deal.
William Walker Atkinson (1862-1932) - also wrote under the names of Theron Q. Dumont and Yogi Ramacharaka, wrote no
less than 100 books
Max Heindel (1865-1919), oa: The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception (1909) and the founding of The Rosecrucian Fellowship
(TRF) in Amercia
Paul Foster Case (1884-1954)
Manly P. Hall (1901-1990):
'The Secret Teachings of All Ages' (1928), see online version (https://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/)
archive.org books (https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Manly+P.+Hall%22) and newsletters online (htt
ps://www.manlyphall.info/a-monthly-letter/index.htm)
Karl Spiesberger (1904-1992)
Francis Israel Regardie (1907-1985)
also two ladies who channeled theosophy in a peculiar way; mainly in the period after Blavatsky, Besant (and Leadbeater) had
died (so after 1934)
Each of these four guides was surrounded by or followed by student-teachers following in their footsteps, examples are:
Beinsa Douno .. Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov (1900-1986), born Mikhail Dimitrov Ivanov
Franz Bardon .. Rawn Clark
A new science
John E.W. Keely (1837-1898)
Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)
Viktor Schauberger (1885-1958)
Edward Bach (1886-1936)
Walter Russell (1871-1963) - illumination in 1921
In this period also various magical and occult orders were started, such as: the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (1887-1903),
Fraternitas Saturni (1926-), The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.)
Others
1 - Indian sages form a category on its own and do not directly appear in this western stream. However wise men from India did
influenced the western world in various ways: Tagore won the Nobel Prize literature, Yogananda became famous in the US and
spread Kriya Yoga, and then there were the likes of Paul Brunton, Rene Guenon and others who studied the Indian spiritual
masters and teachings.
2 - In the same timeframe additional influences came from (many) others, some names of other teachers as examples:
Pioneers of science
Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815)
Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843)
Carl Ludwig von Reichenbach (1788-1869)
Albrecht von Herzeele (1821-unknown; publications upto 1883)
regarding the rosecrucian spiritual impulse at the start of the 17th century: Note [1] - Historical perspective - waves and
counterwaves in the Discussion area on the Jacob Boehme page
more info: Impulses from waves of reincarnating souls#Note .5B1.5D - Examples of clusters of karmically related souls
representing an impulse
Listing:
sh/GC1985/19231209p01.html))
Henry Madathanas - pseudonym of unknown German author of 'The Golden Age restored' (1622), later translated into
Thomas Vaughan (1621-1666): 'Anthroposophia Theomagica'
Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)
Angelus Silesius (1624 – 1677)
Miguel de Molinos (1628-1696) or (1640-1697)
Basilius Valentinus or Basil Valentine (16/17th century)
Anton Josef Kirchweger (-d.1746)
Gnostics
Neoplatonism
Period 1000-1400
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153)
Francis of Assisi (c.1182 - 1226)
John of Hauville
poet, mentioned in 1924-08-18-GA243
Albertus Magnus (1193–1280)
Rumi (1207-1273)
Brunetto Latini (c. 1220–1294) - teacher of Dante
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) - Individuality of Rudolf Steiner [KRI36]
Ramon Llull (1235–1315)
Arnaldus de Villa Nova (1240-1311)
Pietro d'Abano (1257 - 1315)
Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
mentioned in GA010, see also Meditation texts#1905-03-16-GA053
Raymond of Sabunda (or Sabunde, born Ramon Sibiuda) (ca. 1385-1436)
see oa 1924-01-06-GA233A, 1924-08-01-GA237
'Paracelsus major' and 'Jacob Boehme major'
see 1924-08-18-GA243
School of Chartres
John of Salisbury (1120-1180)
Alain de Lille (or Alanus ab Insulis) (ca 1128 – 1202/1203)
Joachim of Fiore (1135-1202)
Bernardus Silvestris (1265-1321)
Christian mystics
Hildegard of Bingen (1098 – 1179)
Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1327)
Johannes Tauler (-1361)
Jan of Ruysbroeck (1293 – 1381)
Heinrich Suso (1295-1366)
Greek culture
Individuality of Hypathia as pupil and teacher in Orphic Mysteries, teacher of Pherecydes of Syros [KRI59]
Pherecydes of Syros (ca 580-520 BC, teacher of Pythagoras)
Heraclitus (ca 540-ca 480 BC)
Cratylus (contemporary of Heraclitus) [KRI
Pythagoras (570-495 BC)
Sixth century BC
Lao Tzu or Laozi
Gautama Buddha
Today we know these stories as myths, legends, sagas and fairy tales. They are a reflection of ancient traditions and relate to
what we can find in contemporary modern spiritual science. Rudolf Steiner spend many dozens of lectures reframing this
heritage into the spiritual scientific framework of evolution, see also: Ancient history of myths and legends.
Illustrations
Lecture coverage and references
See Lecture coverage section on The Michaelic stream
1909-06-04-GA109 (https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA/GA0109/19090604p01.html)
For people who are not clairvoyant, it is also a matter of believing information they are told by spiritual investigators. In
1909-06-04-GA109 this question is addressed:
.. I want to speak of a matter of exceptional importance. Why is it that we must concern ourselves with ideas and theories of
spiritual science before we can ourselves actually experience anything in the spiritual world?
Many people will say, “The results of clairvoyant investigation are made known to us, but I myself cannot yet see into the
spiritual world. Would it not be wiser if, instead of the results of investigation being communicated to us, I were told how
I can myself develop clairvoyance? Each individual would then be able to undertake the further development himself.”
Discussion
[1] - Various notes
For the mainstream contemporary worldview based on mineral science, all the above have to be placed in the category
'misguided' and pseudo-science. See also worldview wars.
The choice was made on this website to not use information from C.W. Leadbeater, Alice Bailey or Dion Fortune, except
explicitly mentioned.
Rudolf Steiner quite exceptionally referred to and sometimes spoke highly of certain works, 'validating' them in a way either
explicitly or through qualitative descriptions, of their truthfullness and value.
1 - The oldest part, the original thirty rules? These thirty rules from far off Atlantis were later translated into archaic
Sanskrit, and were then written down on ten palm leaves, having on each of the leaves three of the rules. Then one
of the Masters of Wisdom, known among us as “The Venetian”, when He lived in Alexandria in the third century
A.D., Transcribed them into Greek for the use of His pupils. Among these pupils was Iamblichus, known to us in His
present incarnation as the Master Hilarion.
2- The Venetian Master of Alexandria, in transcribing from Sanskrit into Greek, added to the rules certain
introductory remarks and explanations. These form the second element of the book and are printed in the smaller
Roman type.
Early in the year 1885, Master Hilarion caused this to be written in English through 'Mabel Collins' or 'M.C' .. it
Early in the year 1885, Master Hilarion caused this to be written in English through 'Mabel Collins' or 'M.C' .. it
fell to her lot to be a channel for a work the Master Hilarion desired to do for the world through The Theosophical
Society. Each rule with its explanations was presented, in the form of a many dimensional concept, before the mind
of M.C., who, then, in full waking consciousness, but nevertheless under the Master's guidance, wrote down in
English as we have them now.
3 - Almost immediately after the publication, Master Hilarion once more gave to the world through M.C. some
additional teaching, explanatory of what He had already given. This is the third element in the book and is
printed in italics. The Master Hilarion's additions are known as the “Notes”, and for the first edition they were printed
separately; in the second edition the “Notes” were printed in their appropriate places in the body of the book.
...
Note: There exists another work by M.C. written under the direction of the Master Hilarion, and reference is made to it by
Him at the end of Part I of Light on the Path in these words: “Regard the three truths. They are equal”. These three truths
are in Chapter VIII of Book II of 'The idyll of the white lotus' (1884).
One can feel oneself into the fact that in this timeframe, souls had been incarnating who were longing for spiritual science, and
the below presents a first 'wave', whereby some books became quite influential or even bestsellers.
2/ Another way to look at this is that 1879 is when Rudolf Steiner was born, so this happened while he was growing up. Steiner's
comprehensive lecturing in the period 1904-1924 presents a second wave (resulting also in several hundred volumes of the later
published Rudolf Steiner's Gesamtaubsgabe (GA)). This perspective is important because one thus positions 1877-1879 as one
major wave, the period 1904-1924 can be regarded a second one, but it does not stop there. In the 20th century, this continued
with ao the work of Franz Bardon on self-initiation, and the teachings of Beinsa Douno and Daskalos.
However, rather than expecting more teachers to come and hold our hand, it becomes ever more important for mankind and
human individuals on Earth to pick up and create their own from what was brought and taught. This is related to the aspects of
human responsability (see Meaning of Free Man Creator) and the future Father impulse. One may expect more human initiates
to appear 'amongst us' that act as an inspiration point and guidance for others.
1877
Isis unveiled (Blavatsky)
1882
The perfect way (Anna Kingsford) - published 1882 New York, 1888 in London
1883
Esoteric buddhism (Sinnett)
1885:
Light on the path (Mabel Collins)
Man: Fragments of forgotten history ('two chelas')
1886:
Magic: white and black (Franz Hartmann)
1888
The secret doctrine (Blavatsky)
1893:
The kingdom of God is within you is (Tolstoj)
1894:
The transcendental universe (Harrison)
The meaning of love (Soloviev)
Philosophy of freedom (Steiner)
1896:
Pistis Sophia (George Mead)
1897
Ancient wisdom (Besant)
Nature's finer forces - The science of breath (Rama Prasad)
Related pages
Spiritual science
Mystery School tradition
White Lodge
The Michaelic Stream
Rudolf Steiner and the White Lodge
More sources on the topic of initiation
Clairvoyant research of akashic records