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The first | '''Martinus''' (born '''Martinus Thomsen'''; 11 August 1890 – 8 March 1981) was a Danish spiritual author and mystic. He is best known for ''[[Livets Bog]]'' (''The Book of Life''), a seven-volume work describing what he called the "eternal world picture," and for ''The Eternal World Picture'', a series of symbolic drawings with explanatory text. His works are collectively titled ''The Third Testament''.<ref>Martinus Thomsen, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinus_Thomsen</ref><ref name="bertelsen">Helle Bertelsen, "Martinus Cosmology," in ''Western Esotericism in Scandinavia'' (Brill, 2016), pp. 254–263.</ref> | ||
== Early life == | |||
Martinus was born on 11 August 1890 in Sindal, in northern Jutland, Denmark. He was born out of wedlock; his mother, an unmarried housekeeper on a farm called Kristiansminde, died when he was eleven. He was raised by his uncle and aunt, an elderly couple who had already raised eleven children of their own. His formal schooling was limited to a village school that focused on hymns, catechism, and basic arithmetic and geography.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
As a young man he trained as a dairyman and worked at dairies around Denmark. In 1917 he moved to Copenhagen, where he worked as a watchman and later as an office clerk at the Enigheden dairy company.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
== Cosmic consciousness == | |||
In March 1921, at the age of 30, Martinus underwent a profound experience of expanded consciousness, which he called "cosmic consciousness." He described it as a state of "conscious immortality" in which he perceived "only life," and in which darkness and suffering appeared as "camouflaged love." He wrote that the experience gave him lasting access to spiritual forces, invisible causes, and eternal world laws that are normally imperceptible.{{ref|21}}<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
Martinus had previously moved in Theosophical circles, but he rejected the suggestion that his experience derived from Theosophical teaching, describing it instead as a direct, independent perception of cosmic reality.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
== Livets Bog and later work == | |||
From late 1922, financial support from friends, including Lars Nibelvang, allowed Martinus to work on his writing full-time. He first expressed his insights through symbolic drawings; he did not begin composing ''Livets Bog'' in prose until 1928, and the first volume was published in 1932. The completed work grew to seven volumes.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
By 1930 he was lecturing to growing audiences. The magazine ''Kosmos'' launched in 1933, and the Martinus Centre at Klint, on Zealand, opened in 1935 as a gathering place for study and lectures. His later works include ''The Eternal World Picture'' and some 28 shorter books, alongside numerous articles and lectures. Nineteen of his books have been translated into English, and his works overall into some twenty languages.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
== Martinus's view of his own work == | |||
Martinus described himself as an instrument through which the analyses in his books were communicated, rather than as their personal originator. He considered himself a messenger in the tradition of earlier religious figures such as Buddha, Muhammad, and Jesus, with the task of spreading a message of "the world's redemption through wisdom and love." He wanted his work treated as a school or institution for a science of life, not as the basis of a new religion, sect, or association built around his person.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
== Death == | |||
Martinus died on 8 March 1981 at the age of 90, at his home at the Martinus Institute in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen. His funeral was attended by around 1,400 people, and he was buried at Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård. Before his death he transferred the rights to his life's work to a self-governing institution, which continues as the Martinus Institute.<ref name="bertelsen" /> | |||
== References == | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[Martinus' work]] | |||
* [[The Living Being]] | |||
* [[Cosmic Consciousness]] | |||
[[Category:Biography]] | |||
Revision as of 09:28, 12 August 2026
Martinus (born Martinus Thomsen; 11 August 1890 – 8 March 1981) was a Danish spiritual author and mystic. He is best known for Livets Bog (The Book of Life), a seven-volume work describing what he called the "eternal world picture," and for The Eternal World Picture, a series of symbolic drawings with explanatory text. His works are collectively titled The Third Testament.[1][2]
Early life
Martinus was born on 11 August 1890 in Sindal, in northern Jutland, Denmark. He was born out of wedlock; his mother, an unmarried housekeeper on a farm called Kristiansminde, died when he was eleven. He was raised by his uncle and aunt, an elderly couple who had already raised eleven children of their own. His formal schooling was limited to a village school that focused on hymns, catechism, and basic arithmetic and geography.[2]
As a young man he trained as a dairyman and worked at dairies around Denmark. In 1917 he moved to Copenhagen, where he worked as a watchman and later as an office clerk at the Enigheden dairy company.[2]
Cosmic consciousness
In March 1921, at the age of 30, Martinus underwent a profound experience of expanded consciousness, which he called "cosmic consciousness." He described it as a state of "conscious immortality" in which he perceived "only life," and in which darkness and suffering appeared as "camouflaged love." He wrote that the experience gave him lasting access to spiritual forces, invisible causes, and eternal world laws that are normally imperceptible. [3][2]
Martinus had previously moved in Theosophical circles, but he rejected the suggestion that his experience derived from Theosophical teaching, describing it instead as a direct, independent perception of cosmic reality.[2]
Livets Bog and later work
From late 1922, financial support from friends, including Lars Nibelvang, allowed Martinus to work on his writing full-time. He first expressed his insights through symbolic drawings; he did not begin composing Livets Bog in prose until 1928, and the first volume was published in 1932. The completed work grew to seven volumes.[2]
By 1930 he was lecturing to growing audiences. The magazine Kosmos launched in 1933, and the Martinus Centre at Klint, on Zealand, opened in 1935 as a gathering place for study and lectures. His later works include The Eternal World Picture and some 28 shorter books, alongside numerous articles and lectures. Nineteen of his books have been translated into English, and his works overall into some twenty languages.[2]
Martinus's view of his own work
Martinus described himself as an instrument through which the analyses in his books were communicated, rather than as their personal originator. He considered himself a messenger in the tradition of earlier religious figures such as Buddha, Muhammad, and Jesus, with the task of spreading a message of "the world's redemption through wisdom and love." He wanted his work treated as a school or institution for a science of life, not as the basis of a new religion, sect, or association built around his person.[2]
Death
Martinus died on 8 March 1981 at the age of 90, at his home at the Martinus Institute in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen. His funeral was attended by around 1,400 people, and he was buried at Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård. Before his death he transferred the rights to his life's work to a self-governing institution, which continues as the Martinus Institute.[2]