Editing Alice Bailey (section)

=== With the Theosophical Society ===
[[File:Theosophicalseal.svg|150px|thumbnail|The Society's seal incorporated the Swastika, Star of David, Ankh, Aum and Ouroboros symbols]]
Bailey discovered the [[Theosophical Society]] and the work of [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]]. The Theosophical Society states that Bailey became involved in 1917.<ref>Mills, Joy, ''100 Years of Theosophy, A History of the Theosophical Society in America,'' 1987, p. 62</ref> Theosophist Joy Mills states that in 1918 she became a member of the Esoteric Section of the society.<ref>Meade, Marion, ''Madame Blavatsky, the Woman Behind the Myth,'' [[Music Corporation of America|Putnam]], 1980, p. 468</ref> Theosophist Bruce F. Campbell notes, "She quickly rose to a position of influence in the American Section of the [[Theosophical Society Adyar|Adyar]] society, moving to its headquarters at [[Krotona]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]. She became editor of its magazine, ''The Messenger,'' and member of the committee responsible for Krotona."<ref>Campbell, Bruce, F., ''Ancient Wisdom Revived, a History of the Theosophical Movement'', University of California Press, Berkeley, 1980, p. 151</ref> In 1919, Foster Bailey (1888–1977), who was to be her second husband, became National Secretary of the Theosophical Society. They married in 1921.<ref name="penn2">{{cite book |last=Penn |first=Lee |title=False Dawn: The United Religions Initiative, Globalism, and the Quest for a One World Religion |publisher=Sophia Perennis |year=2004 |page=20 |isbn=1-59731-000-X}}</ref>

The Theosophist published the first few chapters of her first work, ''Initiation, Human and Solar,''<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jw_aQnzCDpwC&q=the+first+chapter+of+%22initiation+human+and+solar%22+appeared+in+the+messenger+theosophical&pg=PA46|title=Children of the New Age: A History of Spiritual Practices|first=Steven|last=Sutcliffe|date=31 December 2003|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=9780415242998|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=we2KvdT3zOsC
| title = Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America
| last1 = Keller
| first1 = Rosemary Skinner
| last2 = Ruether
| first2 = Rosemary Radford
| last3 = Cantlon
| first3 = Marie
| date = 2006-01-01
| publisher = Indiana University Press
| isbn = 0-253-34685-1
| language = en
}}</ref> (p.&nbsp;762) but then stopped for reasons Bailey called "theosophical jealousy and reactionary attitude".<ref name="Campbell, Bruce 1980 p. 151">Campbell, Bruce, F., ''Ancient Wisdom Revived, a History of the Theosophical Movement'', [[University of California Press]], Berkeley, 1980, p. 151</ref> Bailey "objected to the 'neo-Theosophy' of [[Annie Besant]]" and worked with Foster Bailey to gain more power in the American Section.<ref name="Campbell, Bruce 1980 p. 151" /> According to Theosophist [[Josephine Maria Davies Ransom]], she became part of a progressive "Back to Blavatsky movement, led mainly by Mr. and Mrs. Foster Bailey".<ref>Ransom, Josephine, ''A Short History of the Theosophical Society'', Adyar, 1938, p. 452</ref> She outlined her vision for the Esoteric Section of the Theosophical Society; however, her efforts to influence the society failed, and she and her husband were dismissed from their positions.<ref>Ross, Joseph E., ''Krotona of Old Hollywood, Vol. II'' Joseph Ross, 2004, p. 346</ref>

According to historian of religion [[Olav Hammer]], Bailey's early writings on communications with the Tibetan were well received within the society, but society president Annie Besant questioned Bailey's claims of communications with "the Tibetan" and allowed the Baileys to be expelled from the organization.<ref name=hammer65>{{cite book |last=Hammer |first=Olav |title=Claiming Knowledge: Strategies of Epistemology from Theosophy to the New Age |publisher=BRILL |year=2004 |page=65 |isbn=90-04-13638-X}}</ref> According to Bailey, she had come to see the society as [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] and involved with "lower psychic phenomena".<ref name=Keller763 />