Bruce: "I would think a really good example of the accumulation of a
great deal of very reliable research and the use of valid and
insightful means of logical deduction can be found in The
Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky, founder of the
modern Theosophical Movement, by Sylvia Cranston."

Brigitte: Yes I read Cranston, but if you want to read a
theosophical propaganda book like that it is good to balance it out
with at least the other side like Soloview (an insider, although
hated by theosophists), James Webb, Marion Meade, and Peter
Washington's "Baboon", Bruce Campbell's "Ancient Wisdom Revived"
should also be on the list.

But of course the real valuable books are the once that started
modern historical research in this field, beginning with K. Paul
Johnson's two SUNY books, followed by J.Godwin's "Theosophical
Enlightenment", Deveney's "P.B.Randolph" and "Astral Projection and
the early TS", do you own and studied, these ?
Further there are Maria Carlson, De Tolleneare "Devine Wisdom", and
Proterro's Olcott biography.
If not yet read, all of these are an absolute must if you want to
develop an initial understanding of the subject, after wich you can
try to find your way by researching current more specialized
literature.


It is unfortunate, and I wonder why, an initial impuls fueled by a
series of Theosophical History conferrences seems to have stopped
cold in its tracks. Paul, Godwin, and Deveney have largely
discontinued, ore extremely slowed down their research as in the case
of Deveney who has a since many years announced article coming up in
the July 2002 issue of the TH Quarterly.

But yes it takes more then just reading theosophical propaganda
literature of the religious kind, or hanging around e-mail lists
(that are most easely bombarded by the latter) , although that is a
good place to meet people that are at least interested in the subject
at large.

By the way anybody knows what is currently happening with Rich
Taylor ? He started to work on a thesis at Berkeley University about
Blavatsky and sources (books) about tibet, anybody knows if he
finished this yet ?
Brigitte

PS It simple isn't true that historical research is only an illusion
or "only relative", there is a difference, in fact otherwise notting
would exist. And it has notting to do with hatred that is a judgement
that only springs from your own mind. To get rid of such pre-
conceptions some meditation might be good for you, ask Ian.