This book highlights some important continuities as well as differences between the teachings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891), co-founder of the Theosophical Society in 1875, and Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986), the Theosophist who was trained to be the World Teacher. Until now very little has been written of the importance to Blavatsky of an esoteric eschatology and Christology, and their relation to the secret core of her Path of Initiation: the practice of an occult breathless meditation. Similarly, scholarly research has overlooked the evidence that Krishnamurti eviscerated the secret core of Blavatsky’s teaching with his own esoteric interpretation of it, which exists in his published work as the camouflaged core of his teaching.

Offering a fresh appraisal, this work draws on careful exploration of the primary source material of Blavatsky and Krishnamurti as well as his Theosophical mentors Annie Besant (1847-1933) and Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854-1934). It will be of particular interest to students and scholars of esotericism, new religious movements, and the history of religions.