He was raised Lutheran and lived mainly in Germany, where he worked for the Theosophical Society and the Kremers Association, of which he was president for some years. He also studied at the University of Hamburg, where he received a doctorate in philosophy. While at the university he met other theosophists, many of whom were in the "Urania Lodge." Urania Lodge was the name chosen by a former group of Martinists and Rosicrucians who had joined forces with the emerging theosophical movement in Germany. He joined Urania Lodge in early 1948 and served as the lodge's chief and as German Secretary of the International Martinist Order. Following his studies at the University, he became a secondary school teacher in Germany and later a faculty member at the European School in Karlsruhe, Germany. During that period he continued his esoteric studies and gave teachings on the esoteric wisdom tradition at Kremers Association meetings and elsewhere.
In the 1960s, Rolf Bodh decided to go to the United States, traveling widely for about a decade before finding a home in Seattle. He became affiliated with the Theosophical Lodge in Seattle, giving talks on theosophical subjects and leading study classes. Following the death of a long-time member of the Lodge, Bodh was asked to edit and publish the Theosophical periodical "Quest". He remained as editor of the journal for twenty years, from 1972 to 1992, and under his editorship, it became one of the most widely-read theosophical publications.
Bodh taught courses at the Seattle School of Metaphysics for some years and also helped to found the Northwest Metaphysical Seminary in Seattle. He gave classes and talks widely in the Seattle area and elsewhere in America and Canada, and continued to write articles for Quest and other theosophical periodicals, especially on the topic of the Masters and Adepts, on which subject he was considered an expert.
Books:
* *Beyond Dogma* (1971)
* *Theosophy: A Study Guide* (1976)
* *Masters of the Way: The Great Teachers in Christian Tradition* (1977)
* *Initiation: The Path of Ancient Wisdom* (1978)
* *The Rosicrucian Enlightenment: A Guide to the Western Inner Mysteries* (1979)
* *The Secret Doctrine: A Study Guide* (1980)
* *The Way of the Disciple* (1981)
* *The Path to Self-Realization: Ancient Wisdom for the New Age* (1982)
* *From Darkness into Light: An Exploration of the Esoteric Tradition of the Western Mysteries* (1983)
* *The Masters and the Path: A Guide to Esoteric Wisdom* (1984)
* *Awakening to Enlightenment: Exploring the Mysteries of the Spiritual Journey* (1985)
* *The Secret Teaching of All Ages: A Guide to the Esoteric Wisdom of the Ages* (1986)
* *Theosophy and Christianity* (1987)
* *The Teachings of the Sages: A Guide to the Sacred Wisdom of the Ageless Tradition* (1988)
Other Works:
* *The Secret Teachings of H. P. Blavatsky: A Commentary on the Esoteric Philosophy of the Hermetic Tradition* (1989)
* *The Golden Thread: Connecting the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Wisdom Traditions* (1990)
* *The Living Flame: A Guide to the Secret Wisdom of the Ages* (1991)
* *The Secret Teachings of the Masters: A Guide to the Sacred Wisdom of the Ascended Masters* (1992)
* *The Theosophical Path: A Guide to the Wisdom of the Ancient Mysteries* (1993)
* *The Wisdom of the Sages: A Guide to the Sacred Teachings of the Ages* (1994)
* *The Secret Doctrine: A Modern Commentary* (1995)
* *The Theosophical Masters: A Guide to the Secret Wisdom of the Ascended Masters* (1996)
* *The Secret Wisdom of the Western Mystery Traditions: A Guide to the Esoteric Wisdom of the Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and Kabbalists* (1997)