Tomorrow, 8 May, is the Feast of Dame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Russian occultist, philosopher, author, and co-founder of the Theosophical Society. Britannica tells us, “In 1877 her first major work, Isis Unveiled, was published. In this book she criticized the science and religion of her day and asserted that mystical experience and doctrine were the means to attain true spiritual insight and authority. Although Isis Unveiled attracted attention, the society dwindled. In 1879 Blavatsky and Olcott went to India; three years later they established the Theosophical Society headquarters at Adyar, near Madras, and began publication of the society’s journal, The Theosophist, which Blavatsky edited from 1879 to 1888. The society soon developed a strong following in India.”
According to Madame Blavatsky: The Mother of Modern Spirituality, biographers have found it difficult to provide a reliable account of Blavatsky’s life, because in later life she deliberately provided contradictory accounts and falsifications about her own past. We do know that Helena Blavatsky died 8 May 1891 of influenza, at the home of activist and Theosophist Annie Besant in England.
Helena Blavatsky was awarded The Order of the Eagle April 2000 EV.
In honor of Dame Helena Blavatsky, here is a classic Russian recipe from allrecipes.com.
Beef and Beet Borscht
- 1 (1 inch thick) slice bone-in beef shank
- 3 quarts water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups diced peeled beets
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 1/4 cup white vinegar, or to taste
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup sour cream, for garnish
- 2 tbs chopped fresh dill, for garnish
Learn more about Blavatsky:
- Helena Blavatsky, Russian Spiritualist
- Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
- Helena Blavatsky: The Mother of Modern Spirituality
- The Feast of Dame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
