In admiration of H.P. Blavatsky
My mentor, renowned theosophical scholar Henk Spierenburg, deserves a page at squidoo. He was best known for his compilations of Blavatsky's work according to subject. With the internet and digital search the most valuable thing about these books is no longer that he compiled the quotes, though it makes for easier reading. No, what really makes them invaluable is the notes and index added to those quotes.
Henk was a firm Blavatsky supporter and believer. But unlike most he came to that point after having done all the legwork. His life story is admirable - reads like the American dream, except it took place in The Netherlands. Two things are the main clues to his character I think: steadfast research and an analytical mind used to computers. But I can personally testify, as can the vagrants of The Hague, that he was generous to a fault as well.
Anyhow, he would not want me to dwell on his person too much, so instead I'll focus on his books on this lens.
What the English books have in common
Given that we can now all search Blavatsky's writings online and on cd-rom, what is most important about these books today is these scholarly notes, and the index at the back of them. Henk was unparalleled in his capacity for making a thorough index. Not for nothing his addition to the Dutch translation of the Nag Hammadi writings was the index.
H.P. Blavatsky on the Gnostics
H.P.Blavatsky on the Gnostics
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The Veda Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky
The Veda Commentaries of H. P. Blavatsky
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The Buddhism of H.P. Blavatsky
The Buddhism of H.P. Blavatsky
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The Inner Group Teachings of H.P. Blavatsky
The Inner Group Teachings of H.P. Blavatsky: To Her Personal Pupils (1890-91)
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Astrology of a Living Universe
Helena Blavatsky's Visionary Philosophy of the Seven Sacred Planets
Astrology of a Living Universe: Helena Blavatsky's Visionary Philosophy of the Seven Sacred Planets
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The New Testament Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky
New Testament Commentaries of H P Blavatsky
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T. Subba Row Collected Writings
First volume
There was already a book, compiled by C. Jinarajadasa, with the most important of Subba Row's articles. But in this book Henk Spierenburg collects all known articles and ads, as usual, a very thorough index as well.
There are two volumes, but I could not find the second one on Amazon.
T. Subba Row: Collected Writings
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The Vedanta Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky
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The full list of books in English by Henk Spierenburg
- H.P. Blavatsky on the Gnostics (1994)
- The Vedanta Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky (1992)
- The Veda Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky (1996)
- The Buddhism of H.P. Blavatsky (1991)
- The Inner Group Teachings of H.P. Blavatsky (1985, 1995)
- Astrology of a Living Universe, Helena Blavatsky's Visionary Philosophy of the Seven Sacred Planets (1997)
- The New Testament Commentaries of H.P. Blavatsky (1987)
- T. Subba Row Collected Writings (Volume 1: 2001; Volume 2: 2001/2002)
All of Henk Spierenburg's books in Dutch / Nederlands
- De Philonische Geheime Leer, De Kabala van Philo van Alexandrië (2001)
- Avadhuta Gita (1998)
- De Pelgrimstocht van de Ziel, Een Oud-Syrische Vertelling (1998)
- Over 25 Incarnaties van de Dalai Lama (2000)
- De Nag Hammadi Geschriften (registers) (2004)
The Secret Doctrine of Philo of Alexandria, about the Kabalah
De Philonische geheime leer: De Kabbala van Philo van Alexandrie
De Philonische geheime leer
H.J. SpierenburgPhilo of Alexandria was a Jewish scholar - philosopher living at the time of jesus, roughly. He left a lot of writings, and in the centuries following his demise, he would be written about a lot. Only Plato got more commentary. But one aspect of his work has been neglected - the fact that he was initiated in the mysteries. Henk Spierenburg shows in this work that the kabalistic tree - usually dated to the 7th century A.D. - is already present in Philo's work. At the end of this book Henk also shows the amazing overlap between these teachings and what is said about the same subject in Vedic Sanskrit texts.
De Avadhuta Gita
De Avadhuta Gita A less well known Sanskrit text about Raja Yoga translated into Dutch.
The Hymn of the Soul, an ancient Syriac tale
De pelgrimstocht van de ziel
De pelgrimstocht van de ziel
H.J. Spierenburg Other titles of this text are 'The hymn of the pearl', 'The song of redemption', 'The hymn of the mantel of glory' etc. Present in one version of the Acts of Paul, an apocryphic Christian work about the work of the Apostle Paul in India, this beautiful tale of a man in a strange land is translated into Dutch by Henk Spierenburg.
About the 25 incarnations of the Dalai Lama
Over 25 incarnaties van de Dalai Lama
Over 25 incarnaties van
de Dalai Lama
H.J. Spierenburg A welcome overview of the history of the Dalai Lamas. A thoroughly unromantic book, in which the bare facts known about these spiritual leaders of Tibet are told.
Index to the best Dutch translation of the Nag Hammadi Texts
Nag hammadi geschriften (registers)
Nag hammadi geschriften
Jacob Slavenburg
& Willem Glaudemans A translation praised by scholars, though they add that the value is mostly due to a thorough reading of the English translations of the Nag Hammadi writings. However that may be, the index is very well done by Henk Spierenburg.
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More by Henk Spierenburg in English and Dutch
- The Three Hypostases or Four Quarters of Âtman
- This article is based on research by Henk Spierenburg. He gave the editor permission to reshape his research-material into an article. Since his demize the editor has obviously not been able to check back with him on changes. The reader can rest assured that changes mostly involve rearranging the material. The quotes and the commentary are Spierenburg's. These comments were translated by me from the Dutch originals into English. Other additions are the conclusion, bibliography and note in the bibliography.
- The Judge Case - A Conspiracy Which Ruined the Theosophical Cause; Review by Katinka Hesselink, editor of Lucifer7
- A review by Katinka Hesselink, with the help of Henk Spierenburg, of a book about one of the pivotal moments in Theosophical history.
- William Quan Judge, na het naschrift
- In Lucifer nr. 6 van december 1996 vinden we een naschrift van de hand van de heer B. Voorham, naar aanleiding van een ingezonden artikel van Rob Pullen en een artikel van schrijver dezes in Theosofia van augustus 1996.
- Over Annie Besant en William Quan Judge, een reactie
- Theosofia augustus 1996, p. 148-155 Over Annie Besant en William Quan Judge, een reactie Henk J. Spierenburg.
- Witte Lotusdag: 8 mei 1891; de sterfdatum van H.P. Blavatsky
- De geschiedenis is meer dan bekend. Op 8 mei 1891 stierf mevrouw Blavatsky in het Londense hoofdkwartier van de Theosophical Society in Groot Brittannië. Natuurlijk zijn er mediums geweest die hebben geprobeerd
So, what do you think of Henk Spierenburg?
spirituality wrote...
in reply to JaguarJulie Thanks for giving this lens it's first rating :) More about theosophy here. Theosophy is home turf for me, buddhism, hinduism, christianity and general spirituality are all fringe in comparison.
Posted August 26, 2009
JaguarJulie wrote...
Interesting lens -- I will readily admit that the term, Theosophy, is new to me. I've heard of theology and philosophy, but not Theosophy until your lens.
Posted August 26, 2009
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