Theosophy presents itself as a modern spiritual and philosophical movement that seeks to uncover an underlying “wisdom tradition” at the heart of all religions. It understands reality as grounded in a single, divine principle and views the human being as a multi-layered entity evolving spiritually over many lifetimes. Central to its outlook are ideas such as karma, reincarnation, the cyclical evolution of consciousness, and a universal brotherhood of humanity. Theosophy also affirms that existence is governed by universal laws and that spiritual progress unfolds through ethical living, self-knowledge, and disciplined inner work. Within this framework, advanced spiritual beings—often called “Masters” or “Mahatmas”—are held to guide humanity’s evolution from behind the scenes, preserving and transmitting this ancient wisdom.

Historically, Theosophy arose within a climate of Western fascination with Eastern religions and occultism. The Theosophical Society was founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge, and others, with the stated aims of studying comparative religion, philosophy, and science, and of investigating unexplained laws of nature and latent human powers. Blavatsky, a Russian mystic and occultist, drew on Hindu and Buddhist teachings alongside Western esoteric currents such as Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, and Kabbalah, shaping them into a new, synthetic system. Her major works, *Isis Unveiled* and *The Secret Doctrine*, became foundational texts, articulating a cosmology of multiple planes of existence, cyclic evolution, and a primordial wisdom underlying all faiths.

Theosophy’s engagement with Hinduism and Buddhism is especially pronounced. From Hindu traditions it adopts concepts such as atman (the Self), maya (illusion), cycles of time, subtle bodies, and liberation, while from Buddhism it draws on ideas of suffering, impermanence, compassion, and a universal path of enlightenment. It popularizes in Western contexts the notions of karma and reincarnation, interpreting them within an overarching vision of spiritual evolution. The Society’s later establishment of its headquarters in India further deepened its dialogue with Eastern thought and helped transmit these ideas to a wider Western audience. Through this synthesis of Eastern and Western esoteric elements, Theosophy positions itself as a bridge between traditions, proposing a unifying spiritual philosophy that seeks to illuminate both the cosmos and the inner life.