Philosophy, science and religion are three means of knowledge that provide different answers to human concerns . In the case of Theosophy, we are faced with a discipline that encompasses these three knowledges.
The remote origins of this discipline lie in medieval Platonism.
The term theosophy literally means “wisdom of God”. This word began to be used among some Platonic philosophers of the Middle Ages. In this context, the Theosophist is the person who knows reality because he is inspired by God.
While theology studies the divine through a rational approach, theosophy has an intuitive foundation.
Theosophical societies assert that their aim is the brotherhood of human beings
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) is considered the founder of this discipline in its current version. The main thesis of Theosophy affirms that the set of religions share a common essence: a primordial truth. Therefore, this current is an eclectic synthesis of the different religious movements, mainly Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism.
As a complement to these religious doctrines, an occult dimension of an esoteric type is incorporated, as well as some scientific principles (for example, geometry would not simply be a mathematical tool, but would incorporate a divine dimension).
It is stated that all human knowledge must be harmoniously regrouped, as the Universe is one and everything that is integrated into it constitutes a unity. The diverse forms of knowledge were to be unified into a single divine wisdom. For theosophists, if reality is one, it makes no sense to deal with philosophical, religious and scientific criteria as if they were disconnected spheres.
Like other theoretical approaches, this one has a practical dimension. Thus, Theosophy must promote altruism and a scale of values aimed at harmonious life on the planet.
For the proselytes of this doctrine, the human soul is connected to the principles of the universe. When man dies physically, his soul reintegrates into the universe.
In the theosophical movement, it is stated that each individual can understand the essence of God through his spiritual development.
Theosophical societies are considered esoteric movements or directly sects
These entities began to be formed at the end of the 19th century and have not stopped expanding around the world since then. Some of its most characteristic symbols are the interlocking triangles, the Anj and the Swastika (the first is a symbol of Norse paganism, the second belongs to the iconography of Ancient Egypt and the third is a symbol of Buddhism).
The various organizations related to this discipline have connections with esotericism, freemasonry and spiritualism.
