Max Theon
Encyclopedia
Max Théon perhaps born Louis-Maximilian Bimstein, was a Polish Jewish Kabbalist
and Occultist. In London
while still a young man, he inspired The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor
in 1884, but seemed to have little to do with the day to day running of the organisation, or indeed its actual teachings (Chanel et al., Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor).
There is some dispute over whether Theon taught Blavatsky at some stage; the Mother in The Agenda says he did, Chanel et al. considers this unlikely, while K. Paul Johnson
speculates in The Masters Revealed that the Theosophical adept
Tuitit Bey might be based on Theon. The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor claimed to have originated in Egypt in 1870 and been brought to England by Theon in 1884.
In 1885 Theon married Mary Chrystine Woodroffe Ware (Madame Alma Theon)
, and the following year the couple moved to Paris
. In December 1887, the Theons left France for Algiers, where they were later joined by Alma Theon's friend Augusta Roife (Miss Teresa), and acquired a large estate in Zarif, a suburb of Tlemcen
, Algeria. However Theon would still go on frequent visits to Paris.
Theon gathered a number of students, including Louis Themanlys and Charles Barlet, and they established the "Cosmic Movement
". This was based on material, called the Cosmic Tradition
, received or perhaps channelled
by Theon's wife. They established the journal Cosmic Review
, for the "study and re-establishment of the original Tradition". Theon stated that his wife Alma was the moving spirit behind this idea, and without her the Tradition and the cosmic philosophy
would never have come about.
Louis was a friend of Matteo Alfassa, the brother of Mirra Alfassa
(who would later associate with Sri Aurobindo
and become The Mother), and in 1905 or 1906 Mirra travelled to Tlemcen to study occultism under Theon (Sujata Nahar, Mirra the Occultist). The Mother mentions that Sri Aurobindo
and Theon had independently and at the same time arrived at some similar conclusions about evolution of human consciousness without having met each other. The Mother's design of Sri Aurobindo's symbol is very similar to that of Theon's, with only small changes in the proportions of the central square (Mother's Agenda, vol 3, p.454).
The death of his wife in 1908 was a huge blow to Theon, from which he never really recovered. He fell into a deep depression, and cancelled the Cosmic Movement. During this time he was cared for by his followers. He recovered somewhat but never retained his former status. Theon died at Tlemcen on 4 March 1927.
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
and Occultist. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
while still a young man, he inspired The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor
Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor
The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor was an initiatic occult organisation that first became public in late 1884, although according to an official document of the order it began its work in 1870...
in 1884, but seemed to have little to do with the day to day running of the organisation, or indeed its actual teachings (Chanel et al., Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor).
There is some dispute over whether Theon taught Blavatsky at some stage; the Mother in The Agenda says he did, Chanel et al. considers this unlikely, while K. Paul Johnson
K. Paul Johnson
Kenneth Paul Johnson is a historian of esotericism who has written books on Theosophy and Edgar Cayce. He was a member of both the Theosophical Society and the Association for Research and Enlightenment from the late 1970s intermittently through the early 2000s. In 2005 he joined the Church of...
speculates in The Masters Revealed that the Theosophical adept
Adept
An adept is an individual identified as having attained a specific level of knowledge, skill, or aptitude in doctrines relevant to a particular author or organization.-H. P. Blavatsky:...
Tuitit Bey might be based on Theon. The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor claimed to have originated in Egypt in 1870 and been brought to England by Theon in 1884.
In 1885 Theon married Mary Chrystine Woodroffe Ware (Madame Alma Theon)
Alma Theon
Alma Theon , born Mary Chrystine Woodroffe Ware , was an occultist and clairvoyant, and wife and co-worker of Max Theon....
, and the following year the couple moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In December 1887, the Theons left France for Algiers, where they were later joined by Alma Theon's friend Augusta Roife (Miss Teresa), and acquired a large estate in Zarif, a suburb of Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...
, Algeria. However Theon would still go on frequent visits to Paris.
Theon gathered a number of students, including Louis Themanlys and Charles Barlet, and they established the "Cosmic Movement
Cosmic Movement
The Cosmic Movement was the organisation established by Max Theon around 1900, in Tlemcen, Algeria, at the instigation of his wife Alma Theon, whom he declared to be the moving spirit behind the group. Its journal was the Cosmic Review...
". This was based on material, called the Cosmic Tradition
Cosmic Tradition
The Cosmic Tradition is a series of six volumes, and also a cosmological doctrine, authored by Max and Alma Theon around the turn of the 20th century. The books, four volumes of which are available on-line in French, tell a creation myth and the early history of the world, in an elaborate...
, received or perhaps channelled
Channeling
Channeling, or channelling, can refer toscience*Channelling , the process that constrains the path of a charged particle in a crystalline solid.*metabolite or substrate channeling in biochemistry and cell physiology.law...
by Theon's wife. They established the journal Cosmic Review
Cosmic Review
The Cosmic Review was the journal of the Cosmic Movement established by Max Theon around the turn of the twentieth century, at the instigation of his wife Alma Theon, who he declared to be the moving spirit behind this idea....
, for the "study and re-establishment of the original Tradition". Theon stated that his wife Alma was the moving spirit behind this idea, and without her the Tradition and the cosmic philosophy
Cosmic philosophy
Cosmic Philosophy is the name Max Theon gave to the occult teachings given by his wife Alma Theon and himself. It is presented in the journal Cosmic Review, the six volumes of the Cosmic Tradition, and the Cosmic Movement they established in the first decade of the twentieth century.Apart from...
would never have come about.
Louis was a friend of Matteo Alfassa, the brother of Mirra Alfassa
Mirra Alfassa
-Early life:Mirra Alfassa was born in Paris in 1878, of a Turkish Jewish father, Maurice, and an Egyptian Jewish mother, Mathilde. She had an elder brother named Matteo. The family migrated to France the year before she was born. For the first eight years of her life she lived at 62 boulevard...
(who would later associate with Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
and become The Mother), and in 1905 or 1906 Mirra travelled to Tlemcen to study occultism under Theon (Sujata Nahar, Mirra the Occultist). The Mother mentions that Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
and Theon had independently and at the same time arrived at some similar conclusions about evolution of human consciousness without having met each other. The Mother's design of Sri Aurobindo's symbol is very similar to that of Theon's, with only small changes in the proportions of the central square (Mother's Agenda, vol 3, p.454).
The death of his wife in 1908 was a huge blow to Theon, from which he never really recovered. He fell into a deep depression, and cancelled the Cosmic Movement. During this time he was cared for by his followers. He recovered somewhat but never retained his former status. Theon died at Tlemcen on 4 March 1927.
External links
- The Life and Teachings of Max Theon (Aia Aziz)
- Review Cosmique by Pascal ThemanlysPascal ThemanlysPascal Themanlys was a French poet, Zionist, and Kabbalist. His books on Jewish mysticism have been published in French, English and Hebrew....