The Ancient Wisdom
Encyclopedia
The Ancient Wisdom is a book by Annie Besant
published in 1898.
In this book, Besant introduces and explains the Physical plane
, Astral plane
, Mental plane
and other planes of existence.
George Farthing has criticized the book, because Besant has introduced new terms like "Etheric body
" into the theosophical literature, which were not used by Blavatsky or the theosophical Mahatmas.
Annie Besant
Annie Besant was a prominent British Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule.She was married at 19 to Frank Besant but separated from him over religious differences. She then became a prominent speaker for the National Secular Society ...
published in 1898.
In this book, Besant introduces and explains the Physical plane
Physical plane
The physical plane , physical world, or physical universe, in emanationist metaphysics such as are found in Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Hinduism and Theosophy, refers to the visible reality of space and time, energy and matter: the physical universe in Occultism and esoteric cosmology is the lowest...
, Astral plane
Astral plane
The astral plane, also called the astral world, is a plane of existence postulated by classical , medieval, oriental and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions...
, Mental plane
Mental plane
The mental plane, or world of thought, in Hermeticism, Theosophical, Rosicrucian, Aurobindonian, and New Age thought refers to the macrocosmic or universal plane or reality that is made up purely of thought or mindstuff...
and other planes of existence.
George Farthing has criticized the book, because Besant has introduced new terms like "Etheric body
Etheric body
The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura...
" into the theosophical literature, which were not used by Blavatsky or the theosophical Mahatmas.