The Conquest of Illusion

by J. J. Van Der Leeuw

Overview

The Conquest of Illusion, written by Dutch theosophist and author J. J. van der Leeuw and first published in 1928, is remarkable for its very clear exposition of the nature of illusion and the need to pierce its veil and find the reality that exists at every moment of time. “We always seek in the wrong direction,” says Dr. van der Leeuw, “we always want more time; we demand even endless time in our quest of immortality. Yet the infinitely greater Reality is ever ours to enter if we but will.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787205505
Publisher:	Muriwai Books
Publication date:	06/28/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	162
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Jacobus Johannes (J.J.) van der Leeuw (Rotterdam, August 26, 1893 - Tanganyika, August 23, 1934) was a Dutch theosophist and author.

He was born in 1893 in Rotterdam to Marius Adrianus Gabriël van der Leeuw, Sr. (1856-1923) and Madelaine van Dam (1868-1929). After graduating in 1910, Koos left for Cologne, Germany to study at the School of Economics. He later opted to change to Law School at Leiden University and received his Ph.D. in 1920.

In 1924 he travelled to Australia for occult training with C. W. Leadbeater, who was at that time guiding young people spiritually in Sydney. Van der Leeuw became a priest in the Liberal Catholic Church and treasurer of the Manor, the villa owned by the Theosophical Society in Sydney. There he also founded the King Arthur’s School for boys.

Back in the Netherlands van der Leeuw was elected as president of the Dutch Section of the Theosophical Society from 1930-1931. He then traveled the world to elaborate on his social-scientific and philosophical ideas and became a member of the London-based New Commonwealth.

Whilst living in London in 1933, he was a regular visitor of Sigmund Freud in Vienna, where he was being analyzed.

He then moved to the United States of America, where he was a university lecturer and a field organizer for the New Education Fellowship.

In 1934 he was invited by The New Education Fellowship in South Africa to hold a lecture during their Johannesburg conference. He purchased a De Havilland Leopard Moth (GA-CCLX) especially for this event. During his return flight from this conference on August 23, just three days shy of his 41st birthday, van der Leeuw died when he crashed into a mountain the republic of Tanganyika.