Wachtmaster, Constance

Constance Georgina Louise was born March 28, 1838 in Florence , Italy . ^[6] Her parents were Auguste de Bourbel de Montpenson and Constance Balkley. The girl remained an orphan in early childhood and was raised in England with her aunt, Mrs. Balkley. In 1863, she married Count Wachtmeister , a Swedish-Norwegian envoy accredited to the St. James Court in London . In 1865 their son Axel Raul was born. ^{[K 2]} In 1868, Karl was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs , and the family moved to Sweden. ^{[8] [K 3]}

In 1875 , four years after the death of her husband, the countess went to Rome , where she lived for several years. ^[8] For two years, from 1879 to 1881 , the Wachtmeister studied spiritualism . In 1881, she joined the Theosophical Society and became part of its London Lodge. ^[9] In 1884, in London, she first met with E. P. Blavatsky. ^[10] From 1885 to 1887 she helped her work on The Secret Doctrine . In 1887, Wachtmeister began working in London at the Theosophical Publishing Company . ^{[10] [11]}

From 1888 to 1895, Countess Wachtmeister was editor of Theosophical Siftings . ^{[5] [12]} In 1890, Wachtmeister became a member of the internal group of the Esoteric section of the Theosophical Society ( Lodge of Blavatsky ). ^[13] In the Box of Blavatsky, she served as secretary and treasurer. ^[5] In 1893, the countess, along with Annie Besant, travels to India . ^[10] In 1894, she lectured in New York . ^[14] In 1895, the countess established a magazine for poor children in India. ^[15] In 1896, she toured the United States and Australia to deliver theosophical lectures. ^[four]

Memories of Blavatsky

With regard to her stay in Würzburg , Germany, Countess Wachtmeister writes that she spent several months with Blavatsky; "shared a room with her and was with her in the morning, day and evening." Wachtmeister had "access to all her boxes and cabinets," she read the letters that E. P. B. received, as well as those that she wrote. ^{[16] [K 4]}

Countess Wachtmeister witnessed many "inexplicable" phenomena that accompanied the transfer of materials that Blavatsky used in her work on The Secret Doctrine. ^{[17] [18] The} Wachtmaster described the case of receiving a letter from Teacher E. P. B. , which was “inexplicably” wrapped in a piece of soap just bought in a pharmacy. ^{[19] [20]}

The countess writes that she witnessed one phenomenon that regularly continued for a long time, which convinced her that E.P. B. was "under the supervision and care of an invisible guard." ^{[21] [22]} Blavatsky suffered from kidney disease for many years, and at the next exacerbation, the competent doctor told Countess Wachtmeister that the patient would not live for more than one day. However, the health of E.P. B. during the night "inexplicably" was restored, much to the surprise and joy of her friend. ^[23]

The countess was entrusted with the work of correspondence, who completed the manuscript of E. P. B., and at that time she received "some ideas" about the content of The Secret Doctrine. ^[16] Wachtmeister claims that the work of correcting, modifying, and correcting the manuscript of The Secret Doctrine proved to be "very hard work":

“I watched all this with joy in my heart, and when the printed copy fell into my hands, I was glad to feel that all these hours of pain, hard work and suffering were not in vain, and that E. P. B. was able to complete her work and bring the world this grandiose book, which, as she told me, will have to wait for the next century to be appreciated. ” ^[24]

• Wachtmeister C. Reminiscences of HP Blavatsky and "The Secret Doctrine" . - 2nd ed. - Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Pub. House, 1976. - 141 p. - (Theosophical classics series). - ISBN 0835604888 .
• Wachtmeister C. HPB and the present crisis in the Theosophical Society. - London: Women's printing society, 1895.
• Wachtmeister C. Theosophy in every-day life. - Sidney, 1895.
• Wachtmeister C. Spiritualism in the light of theosophy. - San Francisco, Calif .: Mercury Print, 1897.
• Wachtmeister C. Practical vegetarian cookery. - Chicago: Theosophical Book Concern, 1897 (co-authored).
• Wachtmeister C. De theosofie in het dagelijksch leven. - Amsterdam: Theosofische Uitgeversmaatschappij, 1905.
• Wachtmeister C. Psychic and Astral Development. - Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2010 .-- ISBN 1162833998 .

in Russian

• Wachtmaster K. Memoirs of E.P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine = Reminiscences of HP Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine / Transl. from English K. Gilevich and E. Lyakhova. - Odessa: Astroprint, 2011 .-- 159 p. - (Archives. Research). - ISBN 978-966-190-329-5 .

• Besant A. An Autobiography. - London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1893.
• Cleather AL HP Blavatsky as I knew her . - Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co, 1923.
• Kuhn A. B. Theosophy: A Modern Revival of Ancient Wisdom . - Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 1992 .-- 381 p. - (American religion series: Studies in religion and culture). - ISBN 978-1-56459-175-3 .
• Ransom J. A short history of the Theosophical Society. - Madras, India: Theosophical Pub. House, 1938. - 591 p. - ISBN 8170591228 .
• Tillett GJ Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854-1934), a biographical study . - Sydney: University of Sydney, 1986. - 1169 p.
• Wachtmeister AR Memories. - London: John Watkins, 1936.
• Senkevich A.N. Elena Blavatsky. Between light and darkness . - M .: Algorithm, 2012 .-- 480 p. - (Holders of secret knowledge). - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-4438-0237-4 .
• MME BLAVATSKY'S COMPANION HERE. The Countess Wachtmeister Will Lecture on Theosophical Questions , The New York Times (September 20, 1894). Date accessed March 23, 2015. "Constance, the Countess Wachtmeister, who, next to Annie Besant, is the most famous woman, in the Theosophical Society, is in this city."
• Constance Wachtmeister (Swedish) (PDF), Idun (April 6, 1894). Date of treatment March 23, 2015.

• Condesa Constance Wachtmeister .
• Blavatsky's instructions to Wachtmeister .
• A New Year's Greeting .