Wednesday 5 May 2021

Isis Unveiled, Vol. 1 Table of Contents, Blavatsky


Below is an attempt to present a more formal table of contents with more detailed and descriptive outlines of all the chapters, which will hopefully serve to give an idea of the logical sequence of ideas and help to locate key topics easier. 

For a more detailed summary, see here.

Preface – (v-viii)

 

Before the Veil (x-xlv) Basic notions of ancient western philosophy, the importance of Platonism and its connection with Indian philosophy.

The conflict between Science and Religion: x

The importance of a certain skeptical and critical outlook: xi

Finding a middle way between ancient and modern and re-uniting science and religion: xii

A critique of materialism and a plea for spiritual freedom: xiv

Esoteric glossary (xxv-xlv)

 

Chapter 1 (Old Things with New Names) Magic, Sacred Mathematics and the Doctrine of Cycles

1-Concepts of Esoteric Evolution – The Myth of the Fall symbolizes an evolutionary process (p. 1)

2- Sacred Mathematics are key in understand the evolutionary process (8).

3- The ancient Hindus scientific knowledge (10).

4- The need to study the spiritual aspect of evolution (13)

5- Magic as a spiritual science (15)

6- The esoteric concept of cycles,the Great Year,the traditional Hindu concept of the Four Yugas, and evolution (31)

7- There is a primitive divine universal revelation that gradually became dispersed and hidden. (37)

 

Chapter 2 (Phenomena and Forces)– Spiritualistic phenomena, scientific investigation and occult explanations

1- Problems in dogmatism in religion and science with investigations of spiritualist phenomena. (p. 39)

2- W. Crookes investigations; the Katie King case. (44)

3- Accomplishments of ancient science; malleable glass; occult aspects of matter. (50)

4- The nature of forces or intelligences behind spiritualist phenomena and the dangers of spiritualism. (52)

5- Schopenhauer’s metaphysics comparable to ancient metaphysics. (55)

6- Scientific investigations on the nature of force and occult explanations of spiritualist phenomena; elementals and elementaries. (62)

7- Critique of spiritualist theory of actors in spiritualist apparitions being disembodied human spirits. Distinction between mediums and occultists.(68)

 

Chapter 3 (Blind Leaders of the Blind) – History of the reception of scientific discoveries and investigation of spiritual phenomena

1- Hindu Magical Feats – (p.73) The magical feats recorded in India cannot be faked or duplicated by western practitioners.

2- Science is hurt by avoiding the study of spiritualistic phenomena (75).

3- A critique of Positivism (75).

4- Scientific Innovations are often met with vigorous resistance; the history of the trustworthiness of human testimony as legal evidence; the value of science as understanding of facts and truth (83).

5- Many modern discoveries (in medicine notably) are based on a re-discovery of ancient accounts (88)

6- India is an important source of ancient wisdom and magical knowledge; creation myths of India, Egypt and Judea compared; the symbolism of the Lotus (90)

7- Giordano Bruno’s ancient perennial philosophy given modern empirical interpretations (93).

 

Chapter 4 – (Theories Respecting Psychic Phenomena) – Religious and Scientific views regarding spiritualistic phenomena; some ancients myths compared

1- The devil as cause of spiritualistic phenomena (Jules de Mirville) (p.99)

2- Material causes of spiritualistic phenomena (Jacques Babinet) (104)

3- Psychic causes of spiritualistic phenomena (Jean-Marc Antoine Thury) (109)

4- The nature of psychic force (113)

5- Various skeptical scientific theories regarding spiritualistic phenomena (116)

6- Roman Catholics consider the phenomena at Lourdes to be of divine cause (119)

7- Ancient myths reveal geological and anthropological truths (121)

 

Chapter 5 (On the Astral Light) Spirit force and matter, and its relation to creation and human evolution and the theory of the astral light in relation to practical magic and mesmerism

1-Fire and Light Symbolism Ancient and Modern illustrate Universal Force (p.125)

2- Water Symbolism Illustrates Primordial Substance (133)

3- Ether in Magic and Science (135)

4-Universal Substance/Force in Ancient Cosmologies (146)

5- Evolution in Ancient Myths (152)

 

Chapter 6 – (Psycho-Physical Phenomena) Paracelsian explanations of supernatural and psychic phenomena

1- Paracelsus as Scientific Pioneer (p. 163)

2- Mesmer as follower of Paracelsus (173)

3-Further History of Animal Magnetism (173)

4- Ancient and Modern Explanations of Animal Magnetism (178)

5- Psychometry (182)

6- Universal Ether and Astral Light (186)

7- Primordial Substances and Universal Solvent (189)

 

Chapter 7 (The Elements, Elementals, and Elementaries) Magnetism as Universal Force and source of Magic

1- Survey of Authors on Magnetism (p.206)

2- Universal Attraction (209)

3- Magnetism and Healing (215)

4- Ancient Theories of Spiritualism versus Modern

5- Alchemy and Perpetual Lamps (224)

6- Ancient and Modern explanations of Electro-Magnetic Power (232)

7- Ancient knowledge versus Modern (236)

8-Magnetism and the Theory of Force Correlation (242)

9-Universal Belief in Magic (247)

 

Chapter 8 – (Some Mysteries of Nature) – Spiritual Aspects of Cosmology, Astronomy, and Astrology

1- Modern Scientific Theories in Ancient Texts (p.253)

2- Astrology as a Science (259)

3- Solar Magnetism (270)

4- Cosmic Nature of Epidemics (274)

5- Cosmic Aspects of Universal Magnetism (p. 280)

6- Elementals and Universal Ether (284)

7- Buddhist Cosmology (288)

 

Chapter 9 (Cyclical Phenomena) –The evolution of the soul , the after-life and Spiritualism

1- Cycles and Human Evolution (293)

2- Esoteric interpretation of the Fall of Man and evolution (297)

3- The Ginza, the Book of Genesis and Human Evolution (303)

4- Elementals and Evolution (307)

5- The Evolution of the Human Soul (315)

6- Elementals, Nature of disembodied spirits, and spiritualism (320)

7- The Soul and the After-Life (327)

8- Psychometry, Theurgy, and Spiritualism (331)

 

Chapter 10 – (The Inner and Outer Man) The Body/Soul Relationship – Elementals, Spiritualism and Reincarnation

1- Mystery and Science (p. 336)

2- Metaphysics of the Soul (341)

3- Reincarnation and Transmigration (345)

4- Witchraft, spiritualism, and elementals (353)

5- Mediumship and Magic (366)

6- Epidemics of Spiritual Phenomena (369)

 

Chapter 11 – (Psychological and physical marvels) Esoteric Aspects of Embryology, the Will, and Imagination

1- Phenomena of Invulnerability (p.378)

2- The Mysteries of Embryology (384)

3- A Critique of the Despotism of Science and Scientific Methodology (403)

4- Strange Accounts of Ancient Science Validated by Modern Discoveries (411)

 

Chapter 12 – (The Impassable Chasm) The After-Life and Esoteric Aspects of Vampirism

1- Huxley and Tyndall on Modern Science (p. 417)

2- Instinct and Reason; Spiritualism and Materialism (422)

3- Eastern Magic (437)

4- Esoteric Aspects of Vampires (449)

 

Chapter 13 (Realities and Illusion) The After-Life: After-Death Revival and Alchemy

1- The coherence of magic and alchemy (p. 461)

2- Psychic Nature of Animals ( 467)

3- Eastern Magic (471)

4- Re-animation of the Dead (475)

5- Mediumship and Mediatorship (485)

6- Ancient and Modern Spiritualistic Phenomena (491)

7- Levitation (496)

8- Alchemy on the Elixir of Life, the Universal Solvent and the Philosopher’s Stone (502)

9- Ancient Science validated by Modern Discoveries (510)

 

Chapter 14–(Egyptian Wisdom) Egypt, Atlantis and Sacred Architecture

1- Advanced Technology of Egypt (520)

2- The Near East, Ancient America and the Legend of Atlantis (545)

3- Comparative Sacred Architecture

 

Chapter 15 – (India the cradle of the race) India, Atlantis and Eastern Magical Knowledge

1- The Secret Doctrine and Genesis (p. 575)

2- India, the Cradle of Civilisation (580)

3- Atlantis (591)

4- Asian Magical Knowledge (600)

5- Modern Spiritualism and Ancient Theory (607)

6- Accomplishments of Ancient India (618)

 

Book 2 

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