White Lotus Day

The White Lotus Day is a Theosophical celebration held on May 8 to commemorate the death of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society.

At the request of many members and friends, Mme. Blavatsky herself suggested how they should remember her. She wrote in her last will and testament the following:

This is the last Will and Testament of me Helena Petrovna Blavatsky of Adyar, Madras, India. I desire my body to be burned in the Compound of the Theosophical Society’s Headquarters at Adyar, Madras, and the ashes to be buried in the said Compound and that none who are not Theosophists shall be present at the burning. I desire that yearly, on the anniversary of my death some of my friends should assemble at the Headquarters of the Theosophical Society and read a chapter of Edwin Arnold’s Light of Asia and Bhagavad Gita.

Henry Steel Olcott put on record the Executive Notice of 17th April, 1892, which led to the observance of this celebration:

In her last Will, H. P. Blavatsky expressed the wish that yearly, on the anniversary of her death, some of her friends "should assemble at the Head quarters of the Theosophical Society and read a chapter of The Light of Asia and (extracts from) Вhagavad-Gītā"; and since it is meet that her surviving colleagues should keep green the memory of her services to humanity and her devoted love for our Society, the undersigned suggests that the anniversary be known among us as White Lotus Day, and makes the following official order and recommendation:

1. At noon, on 8th May, 1892, and on the same day in each succeeding year, there will be held a commemorative meeting at the Headquarters, at which extracts from the before-mentioned works will be read and brief addresses made by the Chairman of the meeting and others who may volunteer.
2. A dole of food will be given in her name to the poor fishermen of Adyar and their families.
3. The flag will be half-masted from sunrise until sunset, and the Convention Hall decorated with White Lotus flowers.
4. Members living outside Madras can arrange for their food by applying to the Recording Secretary at least one week in advance.

5. The undersigned recommends to all Sections and Branches throughout the world to meet annually on the anniversary day, and, in some simple, unsectarian, yet dignified way, avoiding all slavish adulation and empty compliments, express the general feeling of loving regard for her who brought us the chart of the climbing Path which leads to the summits of Knowledge.

The celebration as described above is still held at Adyar to this day.

At present, many Theosophical groups meet to celebrate the life and work of Mme. Blavatsky, reading from the texts she recommended, also including passages from her book The Voice of the Silence.

Online resources

Articles

• White Lotus Day at Theosopedia
• White Lotus Day and Its Meaning by John Algeo
• White Lotus Day by David P. Bruce
• H. P. Blavatsky - White Lotus Day by Geoffrey Farthing
• A White Lotus Day Address by Roy Mitchell
• White Lotus Day in Los Angeles by G. de Purucker
• H.P.B. and the Mahatmas at The Theosophical Movement
• A Program to Celebrate the White Lotus Day