METAMORPHOSES OF THE IDEA OF REINCARNATION: THEOSOPHICAL PARADIGMS AND CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATIONS

Abstract

This article explores the transformations of the idea of reincarnation and its anthropological significance in the context of Helena Blavatsky’s theosophical-philosophical legacy and contemporary humanities of the 20th–21st centuries. Reincarnation is examined as a universal law of spiritual evolution that transcends the boundaries of religious-mystical doctrine and assumes the status of an integrative principle uniting philosophy, science, and culture. It is interpreted not as a matter of belief, but as a metaphysical law of the universe, intrinsically linked to the concepts of karma, cosmic order, and the continuous development of consciousness. The study demonstrates that, through Blavatsky’s legacy, the idea of reincarnation gained wide currency in global culture from the 19th century to the present. It further reveals how spiritual concepts of universal scope have informed research in psychology (C. G. Jung’s archetypes, therapeutic practices of hypnotic regression), anthropology (life and cultural cycles, universal mythologemes), cultural studies (the symbolism of immortality and cyclicality), as well as medical and psychotherapeutic practices (overcoming the fear of death, integrating traumatic experience, etc.). The article broadens the interpretive framework of eternal life through the concept of reincarnation, tracing its transformations in the modern era: from philosophical and religious debates to its incorporation into mass culture, literature, and art. It argues that this concept fulfills both therapeutic and worldview functions, fostering meaningful life orientations, aiding in the resolution of existential crises, and facilitating the search for spiritual unity within a globalized society. Ultimately, the article substantiates the claim that Blavatsky’s philosophical heritage opens the way for a new universal humanistic mode of thinking that integrates Eastern and Western traditions, transcends stereotypes and interfaith as well as intercultural conflicts, and lays the foundation for the emergence of a unified spiritual paradigm of the future.