Tatjana Petzer: Secret teachings around 1900. Occult knowledge from Eastern Europe

Lecture at the exhibition Geheimnis. Ein gesellschaftliches Phänomen [Mystery. A social phenomenon] (12 Oct 2018–10 Mar 2019) in the Museum für Kommunikation Berlin

At the same time as science began to decipher the secrets of man and nature, esotericism, a kind of secret science, also emerged. Esotericism is committed to the scientifically (still) inexplicable, the ›unwritten doctrines‹ (Plato) and spiritual practices of achieving ›higher‹ knowledge. As a reaction to the rationalism and materialism of Western civilization, esoteric teachings originating in Eastern Europe became popular at the end of the 19th century. With Helena P. Blavatsky (1831–1891), Petar K. Danov (1864–1944) and Georges I. Gurdjieff (ca. 1866–1949), the lecture presents three leading voices of modern esotericism and tells the success story of a syncretistic knowledge paradigm based on new connections between science, religion and philosophy and seeking to establish an integral life practice.

This lecture is free of charge.