Who is Annie Besant, teacher, lecturer, secularist and theosophist...

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The Many lives of Annie Besant Wood

Minister's wife, student of medicine, raised a prophet, reformer, secularist and more. Annie Besant (1847-1933) was many things in her lifetime - and living in the 19th and early 20th century, all of those things were revolutionary for a woman to be doing.
[Many of the below were not true during her whole life - as they are obviously incompatible.]

She was a medicine student, when women weren't yet allowed into most colleges. Her degree was withheld from her on a technicality.

She was a Reformer and Secularist. Fighting in print and on the lecture platform for causes she believed in. In her English days: freedom of thought, women's rights, secularism, birth control, Fabian socialism and workers' rights.

She was a famous lecturer that drew breath bound crowds.

She was a socialist and even a marxist for a while.

She was a theosophist - losing her trust in atheism and regaining her interest in the religious and spiritual aspects of life. She wrote a lot of books, held hundreds of lectures and raised Jiddu Krishnamurti. more on Annie Besant as a theosophist

She was the second President of Theosophical Society.

She was a president of the Indian National Congress which fought to get independence for India.

Admired by Mahatma Gandhi - she felt his methods weren't peaceful enough. His peaceful methods were still too violent. Given the result - she may not have been all wrong. The bottom line: she fought for what she believed in.

Three of the reasons I love Annie Besant 

Annie Besant admired

  1. She cared deeply about the needs of humanity

  2. She went into anything she believed in with hart and soul

  3. She knew how to be a leader of men, when few women got that chance

Service - a Annie Besant Quotes 

Service is that which is done for love's sake for another. It is not true service which is paid with wages.

From 'The Duties of the Theosophist', quoted in 'Daily Meditations on the Path and Its qualifications', p. 9

What are we here for, save to help each other, to love each other, to uplift each other?

From 'The Laws of the Higher Life', quoted in 'Daily Meditations on the Path and Its qualifications', p.10

Annie Besant Short Bio 

Annie Wood Besant (; Clapham, London October 1 1847 - September 20 1933 in Adyar, India) was a prominent Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule.

Annie Besant before theosophy: socialist reformer and feminist 

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Control of the Tongue! - an Annie Besant quote 

Control of the tongue! Vital for the man who would try to tread the Path, for no harsh or unkind word, no hasty impatient phrase, may escape from the tongue which is consecrated to service, and which must not injure even an enemy; for that which wounds has no place in the Kingdom of Love.

From 'The Masters and the Way to Them', quoted in 'Daily Meditations on the Path and Its qualifications', p.8

Books by Annie Besant  

Thought-forms, by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater

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Thought Power

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The Ancient Wisdom

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Annie Besant: A Biography of Her Vision and Ideas

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The value of Devotion - an Annie Besant quote 

When a man feels devotion to the Supreme, he has turned his back on evil and has turned his face to the goal; he may stumble, stray, even fall, but his face is turned in the right direction, he is going homewards; he must needs become dutiful by the force of his devotion.

From 'The Value of Devotion', quoted in 'Daily Meditations on the Path and Its qualifications', p.4

Victorian Besant

Besant finds theosophy 

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Men suffer from themselves... - an Annie Besant quote 

Men suffer from themselves; they are not bound; and in understanding that ... all the difficulties of the Path will also change their aspect.

From 'In the Outer Court', quoted in 'Daily Meditations on the Path and Its qualifications', p. 3

Annie Besant's Mantra 

This mantra is used in the Theosophical Society Adyar all over the world

Oh hidden Life
Vibrant in every atom

Oh hidden Light
Shining in every creature

Oh Hidden Love
Embracing all in Oneness

May all who feel themselves
As one with Thee

Know they are therefore
One with Every Other



Oh Hidden Life by Annie Besant, the Theosophical Mantra

Besant and Jiddu Krishnamurti - the new world teacher 

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So, what do you think of Annie Besant? 

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What is true Religion? 

There is no division between true religion and noble living; a religion that does not express itself in nobility of living is an empty shell; a noble life without religion is show of its fairest grace.

From 'The Place of Religion in National Life' (1918), found in 'Annie Besant on the Brotherhood of Religions'.

Lenses related to Annie Besant's theosophical work 

Annie Besant joined the Theosophical Society after reading and reviewing 'The Secret Doctrine'. She became Blavatsky's student and later Jiddu Krishnamurti's teacher. Eventually, after the death of Henry Steel Olcott, she even became its president.

More lenses on spiritual topics 

More religion and spirituality resources and More about theosophy today on my spiritual blog.

What do you think about this lady? 

Share your stories, sightings, thoughts, rants, raves...

PaperClipGirl wrote...

Thanks for this lens! I was introduced to Annie Besant recently and started to read her book "A Study in Karma" - very profound book. I am enjoying it so far.

ReplyPosted June 08, 2009

JenOfChicago wrote...

Interesting, I was not familiar with her before reading this lens!

ReplyPosted May 12, 2009

monarch13 wrote...

What a wonderful introduction to a fascinating woman! Rolled to "Wise Women of the World".

ReplyPosted May 12, 2009

jaye3000 wrote...

Very nice lens, never heard of her before, but she seems like she had a handle on it. 5 stars :)

ReplyPosted May 11, 2009

RinchenChodron wrote...

Another wonderful lens 5*s I love Annie Besant! You beat me to it writing this lens.

ReplyPosted May 11, 2009

 
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