By doing so, they implicitly adopt certain narratives that were constructed at the end of the nineteenth century, when occultists claimed to be the rediscoverers or continuators of an ancient esoteric tradition. However, this claim had more to do with legitimacy and authority than with historical accuracy. While the re- ception of older sources undoubtedly played a significant role for occultists, it was the specific historical context of the nineteenth century that formed both the background for the interpretation of those sources and the main reposi- tory of ideas that coined occultist identities.
Occultism, as it is discussed here, was not an ancient doctrine that had been adapted to a modern context, but it was a product of the nineteenth century. In order to understand this point, contexts have to be taken into account that are usually not regarded as part of the history of esotericism. Within the study of Western esotericism, it is widely accepted that the emergence of occultism should be seen as a modern phenomenon.
Alexander Scriabin’s Use of French Directions to the Pianist
In this sense, occultism had to be regarded as a specific development within an existing current of esotericism during the nineteenth century. While the scope of this article can hardly suffice to elaborate this argument, it will provide a central example of a historical context that is often neglected in the history of esotericism: French socialism, which formed an important background of the emergence of occult- ist identities.
In the past, the importance of socialism for spiritualist, occultist, and Theosophical contexts in France has been frequently overlooked, but is now better understood thanks to several recent studies. By doing so, they polemically distanced them- selves from exactly those contexts that had been fundamental for the emer- gence of their own identities.
Only some works about other national contexts may be mentioned here, such as Beaumont ; Braude ; Cyranka ; Goldsmith ; Linse ; Owen For this reason, this ar- ticle aims to give insight into two major aspects that are relevant, not only for a historical understanding of the emergence of occultism but also for the emergence of the study of Western esotericism.
Many veterans and younger representatives of these heterogeneous strands were strongly influenced by socialist theories.
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They were highly critical of what they referred to as individualism or egoism, materialism, and atheism, as they sought to estab- lish a final synthesis of religion, science, and politics. These ideas would resurface prominently in new movements such as Spiritism and, later on, in occultist groups. The decisive impulse did not come from within the borders of France, but from the Theosophical Society that had been founded by Helena Blavatsky — , Henry Steel Olcott — , and William Quan Judge — in As elsewhere, the history of the Theosophical Society in France is marked by the struggles of competing groups and individuals.
Only some develop- ments can be highlighted in the present context. Among those individuals was Charles Fauvety — , who became a member in December after he had been corresponding with Blavatsky about the compatibility of Spiritist and Theosophical ideas. He had been a prominent socialist and Freemason Caubet This has changed in the recent decades, thanks to a number of new studies: Blech ; Godwin She was also friends with Dominique-Albert Courmes — , one of the first French members of the Theosophical Society Delalande It was not until that the Society actively attempted to gain a foothold in France.
In that year, Blavatsky and Olcott travelled from India to Europe in order to deal with sev- eral internal problems.
Meaning of "théosophie" in the French dictionary
From there they travelled to Paris, where they arrived on March 28 Godwin But it would take another couple of years be- fore their efforts to promote Theosophy in France bore fruit. The first officially recognized branch of the Theosophical Society was the Isis Lodge Delalande Several socialists, especially Fourierists, became interested in the Theosophical Society at that time Andro Malon, who had frequented the salons of Fauvety after the socialist disaster of , seems to have had a rather cursory interest in Theosophy.
However, his collaborator Louis Dramard — had been responsible for the establishment of the Isis Lodge. He might well have become one of the most influential Theosophists in France, had he not died of lung cancer at the age of only 39 while fighting for the rights of Arab workers in Algeria. She turned to the ideas of Allan Kardec and propagated a Catholic Spiritism. Was it supposed to be Christian or Buddhist, or a synthesis of all religious traditions?
What about its relationship to Spiritism? Such questions were the subject of increasingly intense debates. After the untimely death of Dramard, a dispute had broken out over the leadership of the Isis Lodge, of which Papus had been a prominent member. In the midst of those quarrels, Papus could further distinguish himself as an independent voice. In a letter to Olcott from February 14, Papus explained that he would turn away from the Theosophical Society Godwin This new-found national pride was essential for French occultist identities Harvey In contrast, the Ordre kabbal- istique maintained an aura of secrecy and made it difficult for applicants to become members.
Papus only mentioned the Ordre in , and it is likely that he exaggerated its age to emphasize its authority. This led to a lasting divi- sion between the two camps and made the establishment of the Theosophical Society in France especially difficult Godwin In the present article, it is only possible to highlight one central example of those complex and often ambivalent identity formations. This demonstrates the contingency of this process.
The French esoteric tradition was formed in a concrete his- torical situation marked by polemical identity politics — it was not something pre-existing that could have been taken up or continued by a younger genera- tion. After all, here was a Frenchman who had obviously been a pivotal early influence on the ideas of leading Theosophists, so the French could easily turn to him as a figurehead and dismiss Theosophical teachings as degenerated and incomplete.
As will be shown, the French magus virtually sank into oblivion after his death in , and would only be rediscovered in bits and pieces by the young generation surrounding Papus. There is no doubt that he was a towering figure among those influencing early Theosophy cf. It is no wonder, then, that the Theosophical Society func- tioned as a nodal point for the dissemination of his ideas in his own homeland.
After he had passed away, his manuscripts and personal belongings were dis- tributed among the few people that had been his disciples during his lifetime Chacornac []: Occultism embraces the whole range of psychological, physiological, cosmical, physical, and spiri- tual phenomena. From the word occult, hidden or secret; applying therefore to the study of the Kabala, astrology, alchemy, and all arcane sciences.
Spedalieri, who had been alienated from his master in the years preceding his death, also possessed several manuscripts and an extensive correspondence. Spedalieri, who had joined the Society in , commenced publishing his correspondence in The Theosophist in In his eyes, the great torch-bearers of this synthesis were Lucas and Wronski, who were discussed in some detail, including a list of their pub- lications. Most remarkably, he emphasized that his writings could only be made fruitful together with those of the others: Papus was at pains to establish a personal link to the lineage of true initi- ates.
In any case, Delaage would not have been able to confirm or deny the claim, as he had died in Indeed, the emergence of French occultism was deeply entangled with July Monarchy socialism. Those individuals cultivating socialist ideas in occultist and Spiritist circles were highly critical of the strands of socialism that were predominant in the Third Republic.
After , a date that was mentioned by Papus as a decisive rupture, many veterans of the old socialist schools shaped the Spiritist and magnetistic landscape.
As examples such as Fauvety have shown, many were intrigued by the new vogue stimulated by the Theosophical Society. Similar to socialist veterans, young occult- ists attacked contemporary socialism for its alleged shortcomings and claimed to represent superior social teachings. Most notably, David Allen Harvey focuses on similarities and differences between occultism and fascism, without discussing socialist ideas at all — although their influence appears to be much more significant and evident This is not to say that French occultism around was an entirely left- wing, progressive movement — its heterogeneity has been highlighted repeat- edly by now — but it must be stressed that its emergence and central ideas can only be understood in the light of pre French socialism.
Lost by the degenerated Churches, it had only survived in esoteric form and would now have to be rediscovered in order to create the ideal social order, as well as to establish the universal science that the ancient mages had already begun to unveil. The book stimulated a couple of responses.
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It is highly instructive about the am- biguous relationship between the occultists and the majority of socialists. Nevertheless, he was captivated by the publication and did not dispute its value, although he addressed its practical shortcomings: Jhouney merits to be studied and, maybe, to be discussed in length. The esoter- icist forgets too often — in my opinion — the materiality of man. Your role, however beautiful already, however grand, would become more elevated if you wanted to join forces with militant Socialism, if you walked with us in the rough struggle where we take on the dying society hand-to-hand, in order to bring it to heel, in order to force it to give us — to all of us — bread, to start with!
Psychologist, give to this sentiment the name which you want: It is true that the early socialists had propagated this very same idea, but they failed to realize it.
From this perspec- tive, present-day socialists were the ones who should learn from the occultists, and not vice versa. In this regard, July Monarchy socialists displayed a similar skepticism, if not an outright rejection, of egalitarian democracy that further complicates the political landscape. The construction of those narratives led to a historiographical sep- aration of historical contexts that exerts an influence on the scholarship about occultism and socialism up to the present day.
This anagram was used by Lucien Mauchel — , the owner of the Librairie du merveilleux, the main occultist publisher at that time. However, his studies would remain obscure for decades and can only be discerned in his editorial work: Henri had been inter- ested in both socialist and occultist literature and was married to the daughter of the socialist occultist Jules Lermina — , whose works he published.
Since the magazine has served French-speaking members not only in France but in Belgium and Switzerland as well. The first French theosophical publishing house was started in , issuing H. Gradually almost all the theosophical standard texts were published in translation, including Isis Unveiled in 4 volumes.
Alban to publish Liberal Catholic Church literature.
France | TS Adyar
Now only Les Editions Adyar is still operating. Notable General Secretaries over the decades include Charles Blech in office from until whose major undertaking was the construction of the impressive headquarters building situated in the heart of Paris and still owned by the TS today; J. The TS in France reached its membership peak in when it numbered 3,, and again after World War II when it reached 2, members. In April a committee was founded by the Section to help the countries of Eastern Europe obtain theosophical literature. This committee was later placed under the auspices of the European Federation.
Theosophy is not just represented in France by the Theosophical Society Adyar. There is a branch of the United Lodge of Theosophists also headquartered in the center of Paris. In the early s, Bahmanji P. Wadia lectured in France and acquired a following of students. Later, in Los Angeles, when he left the Society to join the United Lodge, some of his French followers left also and formed the present Lodge in September In addition to its public classes, the United Lodge has a vigorous correspondence course running with students enrolled from as far away as French-speaking Africa.
France, Theosophy in the From Theosopedia.