Theosophy Virtual Lodge Lecture "Useful Hints for the Study of H.P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine" by

Jerry Hejka-Ekins

Sunday, July 16th - 10 a.m. (PDST) (California) - 1 p.m. (EDST)

(New York)

***Useful Hints for the Study of H.P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine***

Published in 1888, H.P.Blavatsky' s master work, The Secret Doctrine,

remains the most influential work ever written on Eastern and

Western esoteric philosophy. Its influence continues through the

writings of occultists and their schools which have developed since

her time. This presentation will discuss the purpose and importance

of this book; its themes and key ideas; and how to productively

approach its study.

Jerry Hejka-Ekins began his study of the Secret Doctrine in 1964 and

has been leading study groups on this book almost continuously since

1973. He will be drawing from his experiences garnered from working

with these groups. He is president of Alexandria West

(www.alexandriawest .org), a fraternal perennialistic organization

dedicated to promoting the Ancient Wisdom teachings and practices;

editor of The Serapeum and associate editor of Theosophical

History. He is an associate of the United Lodge Theosophists,

Theosophical Society (Adyar) and Theosophical Society (Pasadena).

He is author of numerous theosophical articles and reviews and co-

creator of The Perennial Wisdom, a 72 minute video and guide book on

the Theosophical Movement. He has an MA in English Literature from

California State University.

The Secret Doctrine

Some Editions and References

Editions

The Secret Doctrine. London and New York: Theosophical Publishing Company, Ltd., 1888. 2 vol. 1st edition

Bound in blue cloth. The American edition has William Q. Judge as publisher.

———. London and New York: Theosophical Publishing Company, Ltd., 1888. 2 vol. 2nd edition

Bound in brown cloth. The American edition has The Path as the publisher.

———. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1893. 2 vol. 3rd edition

Edited by G.R.S. Mead and Annie Besant. Bound in blue cloth. Numerous reprints. An index was added as a separate volume in 1895. 335 pp.

———. Volume III (Occultism). London: Theosophical Publishing Society; Chicago: Theosophical Book Concern, 1897. Numerous reprints.

Edited by Annie Besant. This volume includes edited versions of Blavatsky’s E.S. and Inner group teachings.

———. New York: editor, 1907.

An abridgement by Katharine Hillard. Includes an index.

———. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938. 6 vol. 4th edition. Numerous reprints.

Edited by a committee of students under George Arundale. The first and second volumes were divided into two volumes each. Thus the 3rd volume became volume five. Volume six is the index.

———. Point Loma: Aryan Theosophical Press, 1909. 2 vol. 1st Point Loma edition.

Type was completely reset.

———. Point Loma: Aryan Theosophical Press, 1917. 2 vol. 2nd Point Loma edition.

———. Point Loma: Aryan Theosophical Press, 1925. 2 vol. 3rd Point Loma edition.

Type was completely reset. Later reprinted under Theosophical University Press, Covina, and then Pasadena, CA.

———. Los Angeles: Theosophy Company, 1925. 2 vols. Bound as one. Numerous Reprints.

Photographic copy of the original edition.

———. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1966.

An abridgement by Elizabeth Preston and Christmas Humphreys.

———. Pasadena: Theosophical University Press, 1975. 2 vol. Numerous reprints.

Photographic copy of the original edition.

———. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1979. 2 vol.

Published as an unnumbered volume of the Blavatsky Collected Writings series. This edition is annotated by Boris de Zirkoff, but it is not always clear which are the annotations.

Commentaries

Barborka, Geoffrey A. The Divine Plan: written in the form of a commentary on H.P. Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House, 1961. 564 pp.

Revised edition: 1964. Index.

———. The Peopling of the Earth: A commentary of Archaic Records in The Secret Doctrine. Wheaton: Theosophical Publishing House, 1975. 233 pp.

Commentary on volume II of the Secret Doctrine.

Bowen, Robert. “Madame Blavatsky on How to Study Theosophy.”

Pamphlet. Numerous editions.

Ransom, Josephine. Studies in the Secret Doctrine. Wheaton: Theosophical Press, 1934.

Taylor, Alfred. The Secret Doctrine—Commentaries and Analogies. Ojai: Krotona School of Theosophy, 1970. 82 pp.

Wadia, B. P. Studies in “The Secret Doctrine” Bombay: Theosophical Company, (book 1), 1961; (book 2), 1963. 161 pp. + 69 pp.

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