The Secret Doctrine (book)

The First Volume of The Secret Doctrine came off the Press on October 20, 1888. The first printing of 500 copies were exhausted before date of publication. The Second Volume is out towards the end of the year.

Writing

In May 1879, soon after moving to India, H. P. Blavatsky started designing a new book on Theosophy that would eventually become The Secret Doctrine.

In January 1884 the Supplement to The Theosophist published an advertising announcing that "a New Version of Isis Unveiled", which was to be published in monthly. Although Mme. Blavatsky had some written material to start the monthly installments, this never came to fruition in the way planned, due to ill-health, her travel to Europe, and the Coulomb affair.

In the fall of 1885, a few months after HPB moved to Wurzburg, Germany, she started working steadily on its writing. The Countess Wachtmeister moved with HPB to help her in this endeavor. As the writing of the book developed with the help of Masters M. and K.H., HPB realized it was much more than a rewriting of Isis Unveiled. In a letter to A. P. Sinnett she said she felt that this could vindicate the Theosophical Society after the unfavorable Report that Hodgson made.

In the spring of 1886 she sent a preliminary manuscript of the first volume to Adyar, where T. Subba Row was supposed to read it and contribute in what had to do with Hindu philosophy. However, he refused to do so. HPB moved to Ostende, Belgium, where she continued working on the book.

By the end of March 1887 she fell gravely ill with a kidney infection. She was not expected to live. Master M. came at night and asked her if she wanted to be freed from the body or live, amidst much suffering, or live and finish The Secret Doctrine. She agreed on finishing the book. On May 1, 1887, she moved to London where a group of earnest students would help her finish and publish her book.

The First Volume of The Secret Doctrine came off the Press on October 20, 1888, while the Second Volume was out towards the end of the year.

Online resources

Articles and pamphlets

• The Secret Doctrine as a Contribution to World Thought by Sri Madhava Ashish
• Second book Review of The Secret Doctrine by Annie Besant
• Mistaken Notions on the Secret Doctrine by H. P. Blavatsky
• Authorship of Secret Doctrine by William Q. Judge
• Hidden Hints in the Secret Doctrine - Part I and Part II by William Q. Judge
• The Secret Doctrine by Alvin Boyd Kuhn
• Study Course on The Secret Doctrine by Pablo Sender

Books

• Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge at ULT Phoenix's website
• The Secret Doctrine Dialogues at ULT Phoenix's website
• Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine by Countess Constance Wachtmeister

Audio

• Introduction to the Study of The Secret Doctrine - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 by Ed Abdill
• Secrets of The Secret Doctrine W. Doss McDavid
• Important Principles in The Secret Doctrine - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 by Joy Mills

Video

• Foundations of the Ageless Wisdom (5 Parts) by Ed Abdill
• The Secret Doctrine: Esoteric Insights and Spiritual Practice (8 Parts) by Pablo Sender

Additional resoruces

• Compilation of articles related to the First Fundamental Proposition, Second Fundamental Proposition, and Third Fundamental Proposition at Philaletheians.co.uk