In doing so, Theosophy deals with both the "how," the "why" and the "wherefore" of things and thereby provides a synthesis of both science, philosophy and religion and approaches them as a coherent whole. As far-reaching as the Theosophical teachings can be, in order to form an understanding, they are founded on three propositions. These three propositions are fundamental and their essence can be stated as follows.

Three propositions

1. Boundlessness
2. Cyclicity
3. Essential equivalence of all life

First proposition

(a) An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immutable Principle on which all speculation is impossible, since it transcends the power of human conception and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude. It is beyond the range and reach of thought—in the words of Mandukya, “unthinkable and unspeakable*.”

And although unknowable, this absolute reality is the foundation for the boundless One Life. 

Second proposition

(b.) The Eternity of the Universe in toto as a boundless plane; periodically “ the playground of numberless Universes incessantly manifesting and disappearing,” called “ the manifesting stars,” and the “ sparks of Eternity.”

This proposition concerns Cyclicity. All life manifests periodically only to withdraw to the inner realms after a period of time. This happens in a ceaseless cyclical process of living and dying that occurs at all levels of life. Whether we are speaking of a human being, a plant or an animal, planets, stars and solar systems are all such ‘sparks of Eternity’.

Third proposition

(c.) The fundamental identity of all Souls with the Universal Over-Soul, the latter being itself an aspect of the Unknown Root ; and the obligatory pilgrimage for every Soul—a spark of the former—through the Cycle of Incarnation (or “Necessity”) in accordance with Cyclic and Karmic law, during the whole term.

This proposition shows that all beings are essentially equal. The fundamental equality with the Over-Soul shows that abilities to grow are present within us and, in accordance with the second fundamental proposition, these are continually brought out in a cyclical process of re-embodiment. This development takes place in complex interaction with each other and is essentially boundless.

(* Source: H.P. Blavatksy, Secret Doctrine Vol 1 pp.14 – 17)

Seven Jewels of Wisdom

The three Fundamentals are refined in the Seven Jewels of Wisdom, also called the Laws of Nature, or the Sapta Ratnâni (Sanskrit). These can be seen as different keys in the system of teachings, which together offer a philosophy of life, in which consciousness is the determining factor. The first two Jewels of Wisdom are Reincarnation and Karma, which include all cyclical processes of life and death, in relation to the processes of cause and effect and the doctrine of free will (Karma).

The Jewel Hierarchies show that life unfolds in hierarchies. All living beings are part of a larger whole of living beings. Just as cells are part of the human body, humans are part of the living planet earth, the earth is part of the living solar system and so on into infinity. Everything exists in and through everything else.

In this process of spiritual development, every being is propelled by an inner urge to bring out more and more of himself and become himself. This is the fourth Jewel, Self becoming, that, along with the question of why we should develop, represents the meaning of life. For the fifth Jewel, the Jewel of Progressive Development shows the possibilities of development. It is the meaning of life to perfect ourselves more and more and to bring out more of all the boundless possibilities of the Universe in harmonious cooperation with each other.

Accordingly, in everything we do, we can ask ourselves the question, are we acting for ourselves or are we acting from the point of view of the whole? The motive from which we act forms the essence of the sixth Jewel. The seventh Jewel is the synthesis of the previous Jewels and shows that the essence of all life is ONE and can be known. It is the source from which all life originated and moves back to.

The above gives a brief overview of the system of Theosophical teachings. To form a complete picture of it, it is a matter of studying them in conjunction with each other.