Blavatsky, Helena

Blavatsky, Helena (Petrovna)

 orig. Helena Petrovna Hahn known as Madame Blavatsky

(born Aug. 12, 1831, Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, Russian Empire—died May 8, 1891, London, Eng.) Russian spiritualist and writer. After a brief marriage, she studied occultism and spiritualism and traveled through Europe, Asia, and the U.S. In 1873 in New York City she became a close companion of Henry Olcott (1832–1907); they and others founded the Theosophical Society (1875; see theosophy). In 1879 Blavatsky and Olcott went to India and established headquarters at Adyar. The society thrived, and she edited its journal, The Theosophist. She claimed psychic powers, but the London Society for Psychical Research in 1885 labeled her a fraud. In poor health, she returned to live in Europe. Her most important work, The Secret Doctrine (1888), was an overview of theosophical teachings.