Theos-Talk Archives (April 2003 Message tt00118)

Thursday, April 24, 2003

Re: H P B's Birthday -- July 30/31 1831 by the Julian Calendar

Dear Friends and Harry,


I see you have a copy of Sylvia Cranston's book:

H P B -- THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF HELENA BLAVATSKY

Published originally by TARCHER / PUTNAM, New York in 1993, and
several printings thereafter. We are now looking at a 9th
edition, revised and up-dated, and available in paper-back. It
is a fully documented biography and provides sources and answers
to all questions concerning her life, her travels, her reform
efforts in Science, Philosophy, Religion and work.

You will find the date of her birth to be August 12, 1831
(Gregorian calendar) and July 30/31 by the Julian calendar (then
used in Russia.) [ I see you have found it on p. 8 of that
book].

It was for this difference of 10 days to adjust a slight error
that had crept into the Julian calendar [introduced by Julius
Caesar in 46 BC and used up to then], that Pope Gregory XIII, in
1582, restored the exactitude of the calendar and made the
"festival days" repeat themselves almost exactly in Sun-time

In doing this: October 5th 1582 was called October 15th 1582,
dropping 10 days to prevent future errors. A "leap day" was to be
inserted as February 29th every 4 years thereafter. Further,
another special "leap day" was to be inserted every century where
it could be exactly divided by 400 [last done in 2000]. [see
Webster's Dictionary GREGORIAN & JULIAN CALENDAR.]
Encyclopedias also explain this

In Russia this calendar adjustment was not made, As the authority
of Pope Gregory XIII was not recognized by the Old Orthodox
Church -- and the Julian calendar was kept in force.

Our universally used calendar, now named the Gregorian Calendar,
follows that change.

You really ought to read the whole of Cranston's book on H P B,
it is quite a wonderful narrative. It also serves the purpose of
giving us those sources where confusion over her nature, work,
travel, and other doings are dealt with and made clear.

Considering the scope of her writings, we find when we study Her,
she is a Universal Genius.

Although her last body died May 8th 1891, (in my opinion) as a
Nirmanakaya, she continues working and supporting the
THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT.

One could write a separate series of books, including in them her
constructive and reconciliatory statements on a series of
subjects. like


H. P. Blavatsky -- A GREAT ORIENTALIST

H. P. Blavatsky -- A GREAT TRAVELLER IN THE 19th CENTURY

H. P. Blavatsky -- UNIFIED SCIENCE -- LAW -- MIND IN
MATTER

H. P. Blavatsky -- ECOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL REFORMER

H. P. Blavatsky -- CHALLENGES MODERN PHILOSOPHY : SOUL
IMMORTALITY -- LAW -- SOUL EVOLUTION -- SOLIDARITY

H. P. Blavatsky -- RELIGIONS AND BROTHERHOOD - A COMPARISON
OF SOURCES

H. P. Blavatsky -- CYCLES IN WORLD AND UNIVERSAL AFFAIRS

H. P. Blavatsky -- KARMA -- COMPENSATION -- HARMONY --
RESPONSIBILITY

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE SPIRITUAL MAN -- MIND -- SOUL --
CONSCIOUSNESS -- INTELLIGENCE -- INSTINCT -- INTELLECT --
INTUITION

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE PSYCHIC MAN -- EMOTION --
EELINGS -- DESIRES --
URGES -- PASSIONS -- YENS

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE PHYSICAL MAN -- TRACES OF ANTIQUITY
AND THE EVOLUTION OF FORM

H. P. Blavatsky -- LODGES OF MAGIC -- INITIATION -- SECRET
WISDOM

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE UNIVERSE -- PAST -- PRESENT -- FUTURE

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE ASTRAL AND THE PSYCHIC WORLD OF THE MIND

H. P. Blavatsky -- EMOTION AND THOUGHT -- FRIENDS OR FOES

H. P. Blavatsky -- ESOTERICISM AND OCCULTISM -- THE SECRET
WORLD

H. P. Blavatsky -- THE GOAL OF ALL EVOLUTION -- IS THERE ONE ?

H. P. Blavatsky -- REINCARNATION AND SOUL IMMORTALITY ARE OURS

H. P. Blavatsky	-- WHO, WHERE, WHAT IS GOD ?

H. P. Blavatsky -- ADEPTS -- MASTERS -- PROPHETS --
REFORMERS --
IS THERE A LODGE OF WISE MEN ?


and so on.

Best wishes,

Dal

=====================

-----Original Message-----

From: HtinSF
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 8:48 PM
To: Dallas TenBroeck
Subject: Re: THE ESOTERIC SHE

Hi, Dallas---


I must have missed out on an explanation somewhere along the
line.
Exactly when was HPB born?

I went to vol. 35 of THEOSOPHY Magazine. and read THE
ESOTERIC SHE (as well as the two articles following it), and on
page 101
it is said that she "was born on the seventh month between the
30th and
31st day." Does this mean July 30/31 or is there some
peculiarity of
the Russian calendar that I have forgotten?

Sylvia Cranston says HPB was born on Aug. 12 [1831 using the
Gregorian calendar]. That's on page 8; I haven't read the rest
of the book.

I suspect that you have investigated this apparent discrepancy
and can
explain it.

So I shall just wait patiently until the answer appears on my
email.


Thanks. Harry