Initiates of Theosophical Masters

K. Paul Johnson is the author of The Masters Revealed: Madame Blavatsky and the Myth of the Great White Lodge, also published by SUNY Press.

"Johnson is always interesting to read and the topic is central to the spiritual history of the twentieth century." —Jocelyn Godwin"What I like most about the book is that Johnson is covering new territory. Moreover, he is grounding Theosophical claims in actual history. There is no question in my mind that Johnson's studies—this one in particular—will become the benchmark by which other works in Theosophy will be appraised." — David Christopher Lane"This is a valuable exploration of the spiritual impact of Theosophy on individual seekers and activists. The author largely avoids the well-trodden areas such as the Irish literary renaissance, and the early Krishnamurti saga, to follow new trajectories, such as the detailed Gurdjieff-Blavatsky comparison." — Leslie Price

• List of IllustrationsThe InitiatesAcknowledgmentsPrologue: Initiation in Theosophical HistoryPART ONE: Patriotic Chelas Hodgson's MistakePilgrimage to DarjeelingProving the Masters' ExistenceThe Coulombs and the SPREndings and BeginningsThe Tragedy of BabajiChelas and the Raj PART TWO: The Secret World of Jamal ad-Din Muhammad 'AbduhHeretics and InfidelsEnemies of the ShahEdward Granville Browne'Abdu'l Baha and TheosophyThe Shaykhi Legacy PART THREE: Dharma Heirs Anagarika DharmapalaUkhtomskii and DorzhievGeorge Ivanovitch GurdjieffThe Lubovedsky Mystery PART FOUR: The Great White Sisterhood Lady Hester StanhopeIsabelle EberhardtAlexandra David-NeelAlice Leighton CleatherAnnie BesantInitiated WomenOccult Succession NotesBibliographyIndex