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

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 8 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #702 in Religion, #41,728 overall

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 

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Annie Besant before theosophy: socialist reformer and feminist 

powered by Youtube

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  

There was an error connecting to the Amazon web service. Please try again. Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.

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 

powered by Youtube

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 

powered by Youtube

So, what do you think of Annie Besant? 

Loading poll. Please Wait...

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.
featured lens Theosophical Society - theosophy

The cool thing about the Theosophical Society is that it is a great place to learn about religion, philosophy, science and metaphysics - without having to commit to any dogmas. Each member can remain in whatever religion they choose - as long as they...

featured lens The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy

It unites science and religion in a unique synthesis. Changed my life and my world view completely. Contains many of the themes of the modern New Age movement like: karmic evolution, Atlantis, parapsychology, Unity of All Life/everything, unity of al...

featured lens Jiddu Krishnamurti, world teacher

Jiddu Krishnamurti was famous in his lifetime for first being raised as a 'world teacher' and then renouncing the organisation founded in his honor. Paradoxically he spent the rest of his life teaching all over the world: lecturing, talking to people...

featured lens W.Q. Judge - theosophy Books

William Quan Judge is a well respected early theosophical author who, unlike others, did not make a name for himself outside the movement. He worked himself up from poverty to become a lawyer, in his 'outside' life. Inside the TS he was the young par...

featured lens Mme Blavatsky : Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

Blavatsky compared the science of her day, studied the world religions and came up with her own synthesis, which she called 'theosophy', or ancient wisdom.

More lenses on spiritual topics 

More religion and spirituality resources and More about theosophy today on my spiritual blog.
featured lens Geoffrey Hodson books on clairvoyance

Geoffrey Hodson (12 March 1886 in Lincolnshire, England - 23 January 1983 in Auckland, New Zealand) was a occultist, Theosophist, mystic, philosopher and esotericist, and a leading light for over 70 years in the Theosophical Society. He was educated...

featured lens Great spiritual teachers - my favorites and yours

These are some of the teachers - past and present - who will keep reminding us that there IS more to life. There is more to US... Spiritual teachers are the salt that gives flavor to our otherwise somewhat dry western culture. With all the focus on...

featured lens Spiritual Lenses - Katinka Hesselink Net: religion and spirituality

A lensography of my best spirituality lenses as well as a summary of my website. I feature information from various religious traditions like Buddhism, Sufism, Fourth Way and Theosophy. I also pay attention to various spiritual teachers, whether the...

featured lens Theosophy Books - theosophical inspiration

Links to book reviews of theosophical books and a selection of the most famous and inspirational books in the theosophical movement. Books by Annie Besant, W.Q. Judge, C.W. Leadbeater, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Rudolf Steiner, H.P. Blavatsky and more.

featured lens The Best H.P. Blavatsky Books

Blavatsky's public life was spent doing two things: writing and organizing the Theosophical Society. This lens introduces her books: The Secret Doctrine, Isis Unveiled, The Key to Theosophy, The Voice of the Silence, Caves and Jungles of Hindustan, t...

What do you think about this lady? 

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

submit
  • Reply
    daria369 daria369 Jul 15, 2009 @ 6:50 am
    Love the black and white images of her, she seems like she knew where she was going...
  • Reply
    PaperClipGirl PaperClipGirl Jun 8, 2009 @ 9:14 pm
    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.
  • Reply
    JenOfChicago JenOfChicago May 12, 2009 @ 11:49 am
    Interesting, I was not familiar with her before reading this lens!
  • Reply
    monarch13 monarch13 May 12, 2009 @ 3:03 am
    What a wonderful introduction to a fascinating woman! Rolled to "Wise Women of the World".
  • Reply
    jaye3000 jaye3000 May 11, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
    Very nice lens, never heard of her before, but she seems like she had a handle on it. 5 stars :)
  • Load More
Show All

Explore related pages

The Ultimate Questions - religion and spirituality
These are the ultimate philosophy questions we all ask ourselves about religion...
Theosophical Society - theosophy
The cool thing about the Theosophical Society is that it is a great place to lea...
Theosophy Books - theosophical inspiration
Links to book reviews of theosophical books and a selection of the most famous a...
There IS an afterlife
I think there IS an afterlife This lens records various religious beliefs - and...
Anthony De Mello, Christian inspiration from India
Influenced the world through his powerful understanding of the human condition....
What are the important spiritual questions? religious debate!
Let's hear it: what spiritual questions could you ask to get group work onto a n...

Related Topics

spirituality Recommends...

Create a Lens!