The cover of this pamphlet contains a picture of “Yogagñani” with the caption “Free Lectures at 3:30 and 8:00 p.m.” The first two pages outline a course in Practical Mantra Yoga, of which the “object is two-fold: (a) to furnish an outline of the principles and purposes of Yoga as a philosophy of life, and (b) to train students in the practical technique of Mantra Yoga Science.” Following a list of benefits one may achieve from this class, it is noted that the course runs six consecutive evenings, after which the tuition is refundable if a student is dissatisfied; moreover, all further classes are free once one has completed this course. Interested people are asked to contact the secretary, “Shila A. Merrell-Wolff.” The last page lists twenty-seven lectures offered by Yogagñani, most of which can be found in this table of lecture outlines. (4 pages)

The original title of this lecture was “Standing in the Presence of the Master.” (1 page)

This lecture is marked as having been given in Kenosha, Wis. (1 page)

This lecture was delivered in Milwaukee; the last line of the outline states “Proceed to No. II under ‘Different Forms of Yoga and their Purpose,’” which follows below. The verso of the page contains the handwritten numeral septillion, that is, 10 raised to the 24th power. (2 pages)

There are two versions of this lecture: the first is a two-page outline of a lecture that was delivered in Milwaukee; the second version is a one-page outline that appears to be an earlier draft. (3 pages)

This lecture was given in Milwaukee, and contains the instruction to follow “What Happens after Death” for Part II. Two versions of “What Happens after Death” were found in the Wolff Archive, but given the subject matter, it is likely that Section II of the longer version is being referred to in this lecture. (1 page)

There are two versions of this lecture; the shorter version may have been an early draft, as Wolff ends with the note to “Continue on page 2.” Neither version is dated, but Wolff refers to this outline in his lecture, “The Mystery of Life and Death,” which is dated January 27, 1929. This lecture is #3 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (2 pages)

Although this lecture is not dated, it is referred to in the lecture “Yoga Science,” which is dated January 20, 1929. (2 pages)

Although this outline is not dated, it is noted as a “Kenosha Lecture” and its subject matter is the practical application of Mantra Yoga. Accordingly, it has been catalogued with the other Kenosha lectures that Wolff delivered in January 1929. (1 page)

This lecture, which has a two-page outline, was delivered in Milwaukee on 3 February 1929, as well as in Des Moines on 28 April 1929. There is also a one-page version of the lecture in the attached file that may be an earlier draft. (3 pages)

This lecture is marked as having been delivered in Milwaukee in February 1929, as well as in Los Angeles in August 1929 and on 12 December 1929. This lecture is #20 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (Note that there are two copies of this lecture in the attached file.) (2 pages)

The lecture was delivered in Indianapolis. (1 page)

This lecture was given in Indianapolis in March 1929; it is #24 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.”(2 pages)

There are two similar versions of this lecture, which is #19 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” The first version was delivered in Denver on June 6, 1929; the second version, which was given in Los Angeles on November 10, 1929, has material appended to the end of the first version (or, it may be case that p. 2 of the first version is missing). These three pages of outlined material are followed by a page that contains a “List of Some Yogic Powers” and some quotations regarding science and humanism. The last list can also be found in this general section of the Wolff Archive under Notes: Quotations. (4 pages)

This lecture, which Wolff had given at least twice earlier in 1929, was revised (both in content and title) before being delivered later in the year in Los Angeles. (2 pages)

Wolff considerably revised this lecture from the one he delivered in March 1929. He delivered it in Los Angeles on three occasions that span a four-year period: October 13, 1929; December 1, 1929; and June 13, 1933. A book with this title was advertised for sale in two works that Wolff published in 1930 (Yoga: Its Problems, Its Purpose, Its Technique and Re-embodiment, or Human Incarnations), but no such volume was found in the Wolff Archive. (3 pages)

This is an early draft of the version that Wolff first delivered in Los Angeles on October 13, 1929. At the end of p. 2 of the outline, Wolff notes “Turn to page four of notes.” These notes, which can be found after the outline, are on  Godolphin Mitford’s essay, “The ‘Elixir of Life’” that was published in the March and April 1882 issues of the Theosophist; these is also a page of notes that contains a quote from the third volume of The Secret Doctrine as well as message from Wolff about the role that consciousness plays in the molding of the world. (8 pages: 2 page outline + 5 pages of notes + 1 page with quote and message)

There are two copies of this lecture, which consists of three outlined pages. Wolff first delivered it in Los Angeles on October 13, 1929 and again in March 1930. (6 pages)

This lecture was delivered in Los Angeles on October 20, 1929. The lecture outline is followed by four pages of notes from The Secret Doctrine regarding “the Serpent, Dragon, etc.” (6 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture on October 27, 1929 in Los Angeles. (3 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture on October 27, 1929 in Los Angeles. (2 pages)

This lecture was delivered in Los Angeles on November 3, 1929 and in Long Beach, Calif. on February 1, 1930; it is #5 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” Note that the content of this lecture is similar to that of “The Trail of Human Lives,” which Wolff gave on July 21, 1929. (2 pages)

This lecture, which is #4 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani,” was delivered in Los Angeles on November 3, 1929. The three-page outline is followed by one page of notes on the difference between the ether of Einstein and Akasha. See also the files “Akasha” and “The Astral Light” in this general section under Notes: Topic Notes for more material that informed this lecture. (4 pages)

This lecture, which is #10 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani,” was delivered in Los Angeles on November 10, 1929. Wolff refers to the “words of the Kwan-Yin,” which can be found in this general section under Notes: Quotations; see also “The Nirmanakaya Robe” under Notes: Topic Notes for more material that informed this lecture. There are two copies in the attached file. (6 pages)

This lecture, which is #27 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani,” was delivered in Los Angeles on November 17, 1929. The first three pages contain the lecture outline; the fourth page contains “Notes re. Civilisation.” (4 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture on November 17, 1929 in Los Angeles, and again in Long Beach on January 26, 1930. There are two copies of the outline in the file. (4 pages)

The subtitle of this outline states that it is a set of “general notes” to supplement the outline of “Astral Light”; since a lecture with the name of this supplement is #11 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani,” Wolff apparently considered the augmented version to be a new lecture. He delivered it in Los Angeles on November 24, 1929. (1 page)

The attached file contains two copies of this lecture, which is #2 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on November 24, 1929. (4 pages)

This lecture was delivered in Los Angeles on December 1, 1929 and in Long Beach, Calif. on February 1, 1930. Although the title is not the same, this appears to be #21 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (4 pages)

The attached file contains two copies of this lecture, which is subtitled “Masters, Adepts and Avatars”; a lecture with this title is #17 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” Wolff delivered it in Los Angeles. (4 pages)

This lecture, which has not been found, is #1 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.”

This lecture is not dated, but is #6 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” The outline is amended with some handwritten notes. (1 page)

This lecture is not dated, but the title is similar to #7 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” (1 page)

This lecture is not dated, but the lecture’s content seems to indicate that this is #8 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” (1 page)

Lecture #9 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani” is titled “Mathematics with Occult Correlations.” No outline has been found in the Wolff Archive with this title; however, this and the following lecture both fall under this general topic. Accordingly, these two lectures have been cataloged as lectures referred to on this list and have been dated as “ca. 1929.” (1 page)

Lecture #9 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani” is titled “Mathematics with Occult Correlations.” No outline has been found in the Wolff Archive with this title; however, this and the preceding lecture both fall under this general topic. Accordingly, these two lectures have been cataloged as lectures referred to on this list and have been dated as “ca. 1929.” (1 page)

This lecture is not dated, but is #12 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” The outline is amended with some handwritten notes. (1 page)

This lecture is not dated, but is #18 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” Wolff’s reference to “keys” in the last line refers to the keys taught by Hari Rama. (2 pages)

This lecture is not dated, but is #14 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; accordingly, it has been dated “ca. 1929.” (1 page)

This lecture, which has not been found, is #15 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.”

There are two versions of this lecture, and the first refers to a point in the second. Although the title is not an exact match, it seems evident that this is #18 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” Neither version is dated; they are listed here as “ca. 1929.” (2 pages)

This is likely the lecture titled “The Hidden Powers of Sound” (#22) in the announcement of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (1 page)

Although this outline is not dated, its subject matter pertains to Mantra Yoga; in fact, this may be another version of Lecture #22 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (1 page)

This lecture, which has not been found, is #23 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.”

This lecture, which has not been found, is #25 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.”

This lecture is not dated, but appears as #26 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani” with a slightly altered title. It has been dated “ca. 1929.” (2 pages)

This outline is not dated, nor does it appear on the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani”; it may be #23 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani.” (2 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture on January 26, 1930 in Long Beach, Calif; #16 in the list of “Free Public Lectures by Yogagñani” has a similar title, but there is no reference to power in this outline. (2 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture in Long Beach, Calif. The outline of this lecture, which is three pages long, is followed by seven pages of notes that Wolff used in its production. These notes come from seven articles published in some early issues of the Theosophist; there is also a quote from The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett. The seven articles referenced in the notes are listed below:

1. HPB: “Are Chelas Mediums,” Theosophist 5 (July 1884): 210
2. HPB: “Mahatmas and Chelas,” Theosophist 5 (July 1885): 233
3. Mohini M. Chaterjee: “Qualifications for Chelaship,” Theosophist 5 (September 1884): 281
4. HPB: “Chelas,” Theosophist 6 (October 1884): 1
5. HPB: “Can the Mahatmas be Selfish?,” Theosophist 5 (August 1884): 266
6. Tsong-Ka Un-Ghien: “Chelas and Knowers,” Theosophist 4 (January 1883): 95
7. HPB: “Chelas and Lay Chelas,” Theosophist 4 (July 1883): 10

(10 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on October 5, 1930. There are two copies of the two-page outline of this lecture in the attached file; the outlines are followed by five pages of notes that Wolff used in the production of this lecture. The first four pages of these notes, which are titled “Notes re. Magic, Black and White,” are based on two sources: an article by “DDK” titled “Adepts and Magicians—Occultism in India” from Theosophist 5 (August 1884): 261; the rest of the notes are taken from volume 3 of The Secret Doctrine. The fifth page is titled “General Notes” and it lists two quotes: the first is from the article “Occult Phenomena” by “An American Buddhist” (Theosophist 5 [August 1884]: 261); the second is from an article by H.P.B. titled “Hypnotism” (Theosophist 2 [February 1881]: 112). (9 pages)

There are two copies of the outline for this lecture, which Wolff delivered in Los Angeles on October 12, 1930. (4 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on October 12, 1930. (2 pages)

Wolff considered Count Keyserling “a bridge between the East and the West,” and gave at least three different lectures on Keyserling and his work. Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on October 19, 1930. There are two copies of this three-page outline. (6 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on October 19, 1930. There are two copies of this two-page outline. (4 pages)

Wolff delivered this lecture in Los Angeles on October 26, 1930. There are two copies of this two-page outline. (4 pages)

This lecture concerns life and death, and concludes that one can “win immortality by transcending-pairs of opposites,” and that the “Keys are stepping stones to this realization.” This is a reference to the “Keys” taught by Hari Rama, in whose organization Wolff was a “disciple” during the late 1920s. The lecture outline is followed by slightly more than a page of typed notes on death. (3 pages)

This lecture was given while Wolff was associated with the Benares League of America, which was founded by Hari Rama. Since Wolff ended his association with this group toward the end of 1930, this outline can be dated before this time. (1 page),/p>

This lecture was given while Wolff was associated with the Benares League of America, which was founded by Hari Rama. Since Wolff ended his association with this group toward the end of 1930, this outline can be dated before this time. (1 page)

Although this and the following outline are not dated, they were likely produced at the time Wolff was studying the work of Keyserling. See “Notes: Book Notes” in this general section of the Wolff Archive for Wolff’s notes on Keyserling’s book, America Set Free; these notes form the basis for this lecture. (2 pages)

Although this and the preceding outline are not dated, they were likely produced at the time Wolff was studying the work of Keyserling. In this lecture, Wolff sketches a general view of this work. There are two copies of this outline in the attached file. (4 pages)

This outline is not dated, but Wolff’s reference to the presidential election between Hoover and Roosevelt is evidence that it was written in 1932. Indeed, the title is somewhat misleading, as Wolff’s intent in this lecture is to sketch a difference in human types, and to address the significance of this division “upon the present political and social issues.” (2 pages)

This outline is not dated. Wolff’s concern in this lecture is the implementation of the New Deal “as permanent policy,” which would seem to place it around the time when Roosevelt’s plan was first being realized. Accordingly, this lecture has been dated “ca. 1933.” (2 pages)

This lecture is dated November 10, 1935, but where it was delivered is not indicated. (1 page)

This lecture is dated August 5, 1935, but where it was delivered is not indicated. (2 pages)

This lecture was part of Wolff’s 1937 lecture series in Chicago—see the Transcribed Lectures and Coursework section for a set of notes taken during this series. (1 page)

This two-page outline is dated March 27, 1938, but where it was delivered is not indicated. (2 pages)

Wolff notes that in this and the following lecture his aim is to clarify the “underlying philosophies of social tendencies.” Both outlines are undated, but have been assigned the date of “ca. 1948” based on the similarity between their content and that of Wolff’s essay, “Peace, Not at the Price of Regimentation.” (2 pages)

Wolff notes that in this and the preceding lecture his aim is to clarify the “underlying philosophies of social tendencies.” Both outlines are undated, but have been assigned the date of “ca. 1948” based on the similarity between their content and that of Wolff’s essay, “Peace, Not at the Price of Regimentation.” (2 pages)

There are two copies of this outline in the attached file: the first is followed by a page with quotes from the Declaration of Independence that Wolff used in this lecture; the second copy has a handwritten note on the first page. Following these outlines are three pages of notes that Wolff used to inform this lecture (as well as his essay, “Peace, Not at the Price of Regimentation”). The first set of notes is likely from the 1951 edition of Mahatma Gandhi, Satyagraha: Non-violent Resistance, which was compiled and edited by Bharatan Kumarappa (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House). The second set of notes, which are handwritten, is from Mahatma Gandhi; The Man Who Became One with the Universal Being by Romain Rolland, translated by Catherine D. Groth (New York & London: Century, 1924). Neither of these books was found in the 2013 inventory of Wolff’s library. Based on the publication date of the first book, Wolff appears to have studied Gandhi in the early 1950s; indeed, Gandhi is mentioned in several of Wolff’s 1951 audio recordings “On the Meaning of Realization.” In fact, Wolff notes that he first learned of Aurobindo while reading Vincent Sheean’s work, Lead, Kindly Light: Gandhi and the Way to Peace (New York: Random House, 1949). See p. 1 of the transcription of part 4 of the audio recording “Mathematics, Philosophy, and Yoga” (Phoenix, Ariz.: 20 November 1966), for this reference. (10 pages)

This brief outline lists two points on sadhana, along with a quote from Aurobindo’s essay, “Yoga and its Objects.” It is dated September 14, 1953. (1 page)

Neither this nor the following lecture is dated. Both are similar in content, but the current lecture is clearly the first production. Based on the reference material used in both lectures, neither could have been outlined before late 1930. This file also contains a page titled “Lecture on Astronomy Notes,” which were taken from chapter 3 of James Jeans, The Universe Around Us (New York: Macmillan, 1929). (3 pages)

Wolff appears to have updated the preceding lecture on astronomy after reading James Jeans’s book, The Mysterious Universe (New York: Macmillan, 1930). Two pages of notes from this book, titled “Astronomy Lecture Notes,” follow the outline of this lecture, which includes an equation, some figures and numerical calculations on the verso of p. 2. (5 pages)

This lecture concerns various occult divisions of the human body, and concludes that by “overcoming or purifying kamic nature, [the] subtle body may be united with higher principles to form [a] body of conscious action after death.” (1 page)

In this lecture, Wolff discusses both chelaship and mediumship, and warns against the latter. (2 pages)

In this lecture, which is not dated, Wolff explains why the title of this lecture is “not a correct presentation” of the problem. (1 page)

This is a list of thirteen discussion points on death. (1 page)

This lecture, which is subtitled “The Significance of Einstein,” was informed by the first two chapters in A. Einstein, Cosmic Religion and Other Opinions and Aphorisms (New York: Covici Friedi, 1931) and by A. Einstein’s contribution in A. Einstein et al., Living Philosophies (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1931). Wolff's notes on these books and a list of quotations Wolff garnered from these works can be found in this general section of the Wolff Archive under “Notes.” This lecture is not dated, nor is it known where it was delivered. (2 pages)

In this lecture, which is not dated, Wolff explains that the “I AM’ is always free. (1 page)

In this lecture, which is not dated, Wolff sketches various means to the realization of the “I AM.” (1 page)

There are two copies of this undated outline in the attached file; in this lecture, Wolff discusses the moral code “taught by sages and mystics of all time.” (2 pages)

There are two copies of this undated outline in the attached file; in this lecture, Wolff discusses the occult significance of light. (2 pages)

There are two copies of this undated outline in the attached file; in this lecture, Wolff discusses masculinity and femininity, and the fact that the emancipation of woman requires a complementary emancipation of man. (4 pages)

In this undated outline, Wolff notes that he is sketching an “elaboration of the idea . . . unfolded last Tuesday.” (1 page)

There are two copies of this undated outline in the attached file; in this lecture, Wolff concludes that “the Path is a movement within Consciousness that destroys the desire for Life (Tanha).” (2 pages)

In this undated outline, Wolff discourses on the idea that “the pranava or OM is the universal name of God.” (2 pages)

This outline appears to be incomplete; the first page is followed by a second page of “Notes on Mystical Psychology.” (2 pages)

This undated outline jumps from p. 3 to p. 5; whether p. 4 is missing or p. 5 is incorrectly numbered is not known (the material covered on p. 4 would have been on “occult science”). The verso of p. 2 (which contains two names) and the verso of p. 6 (which has a hand drawn figure) have been left in the file. The lecture outline is followed by five pages of questions on “Modern Science with Metaphysical Correlations” and a sixth page simply titled “Questions” that contains seven queries on propositions in formal logic. It would appear that this material was designed for coursework. (13 pages),

In this lecture, which is not dated, Wolff compares and contrasts occidental science and yoga philosophy. (2 pages)

In this undated outline, Wolff concludes that “the most significant fact is that the mathematical theory has so often predicted a component before it was discovered.” (2 pages)

There are two copies of this undated outline in the attached file; the subject matter of this lecture is the book, The Secret Doctrine, which was written by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. The outlines are followed by two pages of quotations used in this lecture. The quotations are from Alice Cleather, H.P. Blavatsky: Her Life and Work for Humanity (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co., 1922) and from Curuppumullage Jinarajadasa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888 (Krotona: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919). (6 pages)

This short outline is titled “The Secret Doctrine—Introductory” (1 page)

This outline is the first lecture in a course the purpose of which was to determine “what constitutes the Secret Doctrine in the light of the work by that name.” The verso of p. 3 contains a personal note in which Wolff exhorts “all creatures to enter the Path.” (4 pages)

In this lecture, Wolff sketches the life of Shankara as well as Shankara’s philosophy. (2 pages)

In this undated lecture, Wolff discusses four senses of the employment of the term ‘truth’, the different organs used to determine truth, the principle of “radiation” in relation to truth, and the “supreme importance of discrimination in the determination of Truth.” There are two copies of the outline in the attached file; the first copy contains some handwritten emendations. (6 pages)

Accompanying this one-page outline is a card with a quote from volume 2 of Spengler’s Decline of the West and another by Wolff himself. (2 pages)

There are two versions of this lecture, which is not dated. The outlines are followed by a page that contains a quote by K.H. taken from The Mahatma Letters; Wolff used the quote in this lecture. (5 pages)

An announcement for a lecture in Clarkdale, Ariz.; date unknown. (1 page)

An announcement for a lecture at Stanford University. (1 page)