The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. The Findings of Natural Science Reduced to Practical Studies in PsychologyBy J. D. BuckLength6h 42m
About this audiobook
In The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul, J. D. Buck presents a theosophical inquiry into spiritual evolution, reincarnation, karma, and the possibility of humanity's moral and intellectual transformation. Written in the argumentative, essayistic style characteristic of late nineteenth-century occult literature, the book combines metaphysical speculation with ethical exhortation, seeking correspondences among Eastern religious ideas, Western esotericism, and contemporary spiritual philosophy. Its central concern is the "avatar" not merely as a supernatural incarnation, but as a figure for the emergence of higher consciousness and the soul's progressive destiny. The work belongs to the period's broader reaction against materialism and its effort to construct a universal, comparative religion from ancient wisdom traditions. Buck (1833–1916) was an American physician, Theosophist, and influential participant in the early Theosophical movement. His medical training and engagement with reformist religious currents helped shape a style that joins quasi-scientific explanation to mystical anthropology. As a member and later leader within American Theosophical circles, he wrote amid intense debates over spiritualism, occult authority, evolution, and the meaning of human progress. This intellectual setting informs the book's confidence that spiritual development can be approached through disciplined study, ethical conduct, and sympathetic comparison of religions. This volume will reward readers interested in Theosophy, comparative religion, occult history, and the intellectual culture of fin-de-siècle America. It is especially valuable for those wishing to understand how spiritual evolution was presented as both a cosmic doctrine and a practical challenge to individual character. Read critically and historically, Buck's work offers a revealing document of modern esotericism's attempt to reconcile ancient metaphysics with the aspirations of the modern world.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreSpirituality and Religion
Length6 hrs 42 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJul 31, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul (Annotated)
2FOREWORD
3INTRODUCTION
4CHAPTER I
5CLASSIFICATION OF FACULTIES, CAPACITIES, AND POWERS
Show all chaptersShow less
6CHAPTER II
7EMPIRICAL AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
8CHAPTER III
9MEDIUMSHIP, SEERSHIP, AND HYPNOSIS
10CHAPTER IV
11THE MEASURE OF VALUES
12CHAPTER V
13SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
14CHAPTER VI
15THE CROSS IN RELIGION AND THE CRUX IN SCIENCE WITH THE GREAT WORK IN AMERICA
16CHAPTER VII
17THE MODULUS OF NATURE AND THE THEOREM OF PSYCHOLOGY
18CHAPTER VIII
19OUR INDEBTEDNESS TO ANCIENT INDIA
20CHAPTER IX
21HERO WORSHIP AND FOLKLORE
22CHAPTER X
23CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCE
24CHAPTER XI
25CONCEPTIONS AND PORTENTS OF AN AVATAR
26CHAPTER XII
27PORTENTS OF THE PRESENT TIME
28CHAPTER XIII
29THE SEPARABLE SOUL IN FOLKLORE
30CHAPTER XIV
31FROM CONFUSION TO CONSTRUCTION
32CHAPTER XV
33THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY AS A KNOWLEDGE OF THE HUMAN SOUL
34CHAPTER XVI
35THE NEW AVATAR
36Memorable Quotes