Alice Bailey: biography, books

A woman who had been a devotee of the Christian faith all her life, was engaged in missionary service during the First World War, lectured on theology in Ireland and the United States. But at the same time - the ardent promoter of mysticism, supported the doctrine of esotericism and hermeticism, she organized the Theosophical School herself, taught in it and wrote books, even participated in the mysteries. And this is all about one man, Alice Bailey.

Childhood and youth

Alice Bailey was born into a family consisting of two ancient noble families. Her parents were rich enough to provide the child with a comfortable life, but they passed away too early, struck by the epidemic of tuberculosis. Education of the girl was done by relatives. Discipline was observed very harshly, and for the slightest disobedience there followed a payment that made the child very shy and quiet. In addition, the family was very religious, so from the very childhood Alice Bailey positioned herself as a devout Christian and could not imagine that in the course of time she would preach mysticism. Despite religious orientation, the girl several times tried to commit suicide. To this, she was pushed by loneliness and dissatisfaction with the surrounding world.

At the age of fifteen, in the middle of the day in her own living room, the girl first encountered a vision. He was a tall man in European clothes, but with a turban on his head. And what he said changed Alice's life forever.

The stranger said that she was chosen for important work. But for this it will be necessary to leave the cozy house and spend many years wandering, studying and changing. He also mentioned that success depends only on the girl, on how much she can transform her character during this time and succeed in business. His last words were a promise to appear every seven years with new instructions. This meeting made a strong impression on the young girl.

Missionary Activities

At age 22, Alice Bailey, whose photo could decorate the cover of the fashion magazine, left the house in one of the British colonies to conduct preaching work there among soldiers. She organized a school for the military, where she studied the Bible, helped in hospitals, looked after the wounded. Sometimes I had to read fifteen or twenty lectures a day.

It was in such circumstances that Alice met her future husband, Walter Evans. Together they left for the US, where the husband received the priesthood. At first, the future seemed cloudless. But this marriage was not long, and seven years later the future writer Alice Bailey decided to divorce. Having three small daughters, the woman was forced to work hard and long to grow them and give them a good upbringing. She did not abandon her destiny, although she could return under the wing to her family in the UK.

Second marriage

For the second time, her choice fell on Foster Bailey, and after an official divorce from her first husband, they were married by a legal marriage. Together, the couple became members of the United States Theosophical Society, where Foster was the head of the national section. This allowed the opening of several schools in which it was possible to spread mysticism.

Alice Bailey met with Elena Petrovna Blavatsky, whose works "The Secret Doctrine" and "The Unmasked Isis" became an inspiring impulse for the continuation of the hard work.

Writing Activities

In the same year, 1919, Bailey again receives the guidance of her Teacher, who asks her to sit down for writing a number of works, and they must be read by people all over the world. The author of the books is Alice Bailey, but, as she herself claimed, they were dictated to her by the Teacher, who appears in these works under the name Tibetets. More than thirty years out of her pen came twenty books. All of them somehow contained recommendations, explanations, instructions for readers regarding mystical, esoteric and religious events. Sometimes she allowed herself to insert there a description of her spiritualistic sessions, during which Bailey was transported for long distances, communicated with the late historical personalities and gained knowledge.

School

Together with her husband, the founder of the organization "Lucis Trust" Alice Bailey organized the Arcane School. It provided knowledge of how a person should move along the Path of Evolution, how to enter the Spiritual Hierarchy, how to achieve success in spiritual purification, and the like. Throughout its existence through the school hundreds of people have gone, wishing to acquire knowledge associated with mysticism and hermeticism. The "Lucis trance" mentioned above was engaged in publishing Bailey's books, popularizing them in the mass media.

Autobiography

In the declining years, the students persuaded their mentor to write a book on their own behalf. Initially, she resisted for a long time, but then gave in, deciding that her experience would help others to embark on the path of faith and achieve significant success. In addition, this would be a material proof of the existence of the Hierarchy of spiritual mentors, the world Teachers, which Alice Bailey also mentions. Biography and remained unfinished - the author died. But the followers still published it, albeit in a shortened version, as a tribute to their teacher.

Classification of esoteric schools

In this autobiography, Alice Bailey gives the characteristics and classifies all the schools of spiritual development that exist at that time. In her opinion, they could be divided into four groups:

1. Schools aspiring. Teaching there are mostly ambitious ambitious amateurs. They can not bring something new into the life of their students, since they themselves still do not understand the subject. Their lectures are full of platitudes compiled from books on occultism and old manuals. Among other things, leaders do not recognize any criticism in their address and constantly check their students for loyalty.
2. Schools of teachers. Such institutions are few, in them the teacher only transmits knowledge, not analyzing them from the point of view of his experience, since he understands that it is beyond his power. He does not make claims to the higher powers, rarely comes into contact with them and is more focused on his own experience.
3. Schools of a new type. In such institutions, advanced students are already taught who have reached a certain position in the Spiritual hierarchy. They seek to teach their followers something new and explain the already existing truths from a different point of view. This always presents a certain difficulty, because a person is able to react with a denial of something that does not correspond to his ideas about the truth. People who teach in these schools have a stronger influence on others due to the powerful internal radiation. They expand the areas of their work, they try to reach as many followers as possible. They are entrusted with a difficult mission to found new schools.
4. False schools. There, distorted truths are taught that bring believers down from the true path. Fortunately, Bailey noted, they are few in number, and their influence is short-lived, so that people who have come under him have a chance to return to their starting point and start moving in the right direction again.

Last years

Alice Bailey, whose years of life fell on the First and Second World Wars, left behind a rich spiritual heritage, was a wife and mother, and also a Teacher for many of her followers. She was able to abandon the usual peace, comfort, security in favor of spiritual enlightenment. One act worthy of respect.

In our time, mysticism and esotericism have acquired a somewhat different meaning. They are popularized by mass culture as something supernatural, imparting magical powers or condemning them to fight with evil spirits. It remains to be hoped that the allegorical nature of these images can still be understood by those who are actually seeking to expand the boundaries of their knowledge.