Good News

Good News from Julian, California

International Theosophy Conferences Inc. organized an impressive event in the mountains of Julian, California, on August 11–14. Julian is a small but picturesque town about one-and-a-half-hours drive from San Diego.

The theme of the conference was “The Heart of Wisdom, a Concurrence of Science and Spirituality from a Theosophical Perspective.”

During four days, Theosophists from various traditions and different parts of the world listened to excellent speakers and exchanged ideas covering a wide range of topics, such as Theosophical publications, Theosophy and health, Theosophy, education and youth, Theosophy and science, and meditation and mysticism.

Representatives of the Theosophical Society, Point Loma (The Hague), the United Lodge of Theosophists, the Adyar Theosophical Society, and two independent Theosophical groups, underscored the urgent need for Theosophical unity.


Group photo taken after the closing of the event

It was touching and encouraging to observe that a true and respectful exchange took place. Theosophists from different traditions got together on the basis of mutual respect, thus putting brotherhood into practice.

Good News from Russia

Theosophical Work in Russia

Theosophy Forward received this report from Konstantin Zaitzev

For the last two decades Moscow was the center of the Theosophical work in Russia. Most of the Theosophical books were published here, and the Theosophical meetings were held regularly, without interruption.

Our Moscow Theosophical Society is an informal group, very loosely connected with the TS Adyar (through several of its members) and it has no officers. Everyone does the work which he likes or just visits the meetings. Our work is directed to the three objects of the Theosophical Society rather than to the study of Theosophical literature. There are two kinds of meetings. The lectures are conducted fortnightly, but they aren't Theosophical lectures in the sense of giving basics of Theosophical teachings. We listen to the guest speakers who are scientists, representatives of different religions, or just persons having their own original philosophy, and then we try to understand their ideas in the light of Theosophy. Nevertheless sometimes we give our own lectures about our understanding of Theosophy. These meetings are open for everyone and their schedule is published online.


Dutch Theosophists, on the right, visiting Russia

Good News from Naarden – The Netherlands


Garden of Remembrance at the I.T.C.

You are all invited to participate in the following:

Discovering Silence and its Deeper Aspects

A Meditation Retreat based on H. P. Blavatsky’s Meditation Diagram, conducted by Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu

October 12 – 16, 2011

International Theosophical Centre
Meentweg 9 1411 GR Naarden,
The Netherlands

Phone        : + - (0)31—6945121
Email        : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website    : www.itc-naarden.org

Good News from the international TOS

The message from Diana Dunningham Chapotin that you are about to read concerns the TOS’s action in the face of the catastrophic famine prevailing in the horn of Africa. In a world with more than enough to feed itself, all hunger is an unnecessary tragedy. The current famine in southern Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya is an open wound on the world’s conscience.


We want to hold your hand

TOS EMERGENCY AID FOR STARVING FAMILIES IN EAST AFRICA

Good News from Kreivila, Finland

August 16 till 21 was quite a busy week for the members of the Executive Committee and the Council of the Theosophical Society in Europe – Federation of National Societies, since they gathered at the Theosophical Center in Kreivila, Finland. During their meetings on August 16 and 17 they had to address important issues concerning the work of the Federation over the last working year.


Members of the EFTS Council

Good News from Ireland

Glimpses of Theosophical work in Ireland

Theosophically speaking, a momentous event took place at the Malone Lodge Hotel, Belfast in June 2005. The TS in Ireland became one unit, under the umbrella of a Regional Association encompassing all the Theosophists of good standing in Ireland. At that time, there was a Lodge in Limerick, Southern Ireland and Belfast Lodge in Northern Ireland. Within recent years the expanding Study Group in Dublin morphed into a newly chartered Lodge, appropriately named Phoenix Lodge.



Tea break after meeting Belfast Lodge


Members after meeting Belfast Lodge


Coleraine Study Group

Good News from Julian, California USA


Julian, breathtaking surroundings


International Theosophy Conference, August 11-14 – Julian, California

“The Heart of Wisdom, A Concurrence of Science and Spirituality…from the Theosophical Perspective”


Rollin McCraty, Ph.D. – HeartMath
Eugene Jennings, M.D. – Mysticism
Helena Kerekhazi, Ph.D.Cand. – Holistic Health
Joop Smits – Science …and much more

Phones: (760) 765-1090 – (619) 283-0142

$25 Registration 


Program:
http://www.theosconf.org/Conf2011/PROGRAM/program2011conference.html

Or check:
www.theosconf.org

ALL ARE WELCOME

Good News from Finland

Supporting educational projects

The TOS in Finland has been energetically raising awareness about three spiritually oriented educational projects it has chosen to support: a children’s home in southern Finland, the Olcott Memorial School and the Social Welfare Centre at Adyar, Chennai, India.


Children lining up at the Social Welfare Centre at Adyar

Members have conducted two main fund raising events this past year: a spring festival concert with the theme of the love of nature and a Christmas bazaar with beautiful sale items hand made by the members, along with organic food.

Good News from Paris

Diana Dunningham Chapotin

Diana is the International Secretary of the Theosophical Order of Service.  Originally from New Zealand, she lives in France with her husband, Michel Chapotin, who is the national director of the TOS in that country.


Diana Dunningham Chapotin

Diana has been a member of the TS in New Zealand for 45 years and is a life member of the TS in America where she worked for nine years under Joy Mills at the Krotona School of Theosophy.

Her main activity now is ensuring that the Theosophical Order of Service gives as much support to the TS as it can in making the teachings of Theosophy of transformative value in the world. 

Theosophists, as some complain, are not always aware of what is going on around them, maintaining a rather narrow minded world view, or being too busy with their own and typical Theosophical issues. Diana certainly is an exception to this apparent rule, describing herself as not a writing or studying kind of person, but far more an action one.

In Theosophical literature time and time again we are reminded that the only reason why we are here, in this stage of our development, is to reach out to those who are in need, to humbly help, comfort, shelter and guide them, so that they can widen their horizon and grow out of their less fortunate circumstances. That is Theosophy in action, and that is exactly what Diana has done for many years.

Kathleen F. Hall from Canada, in her article Our World, published on Theosophy Forward*, very correctly quoted H. P. Blavatsky from The Key to Theosophy (p 229) "Duty is that which is due to Humanity, to our fellow-men, neighbours, family, and especially that which we owe to all those who are poorer and more helpless than we are ourselves."

Good News from Slovenia

Mary Anderson has been visiting Slovenia for twenty-five years

This year, 2011, marks the twenty-fifth year since our dear guest, Mrs. Mary Anderson, visited Slovenia for the first time.

During these years it was hard to imagine any Slovenia Summer School of the Theosophical Society without her guidance and the regular public lectures, in which she addressed wider audiences.

Whenever she came, she inspired and motivated members of the Theosophical Society in Slovenia with her straightforward and warm conduct, based on a deep understanding and an always fresh presentation of complex Theosophical subjects.

Over the years, her contribution to the promotion of Theosophy in Slovenia has been so positive that it was possible to properly compile a book, in which the editors inserted thirty-three lectures on a hundred and seventy-five large-format printed pages.

Good News from Point Loma – San Diego, USA

An invitation

Herewith we invite you to a four days’ gathering, organized nearby the former Theosophical Headquarters at Point Loma in San Diego, California.


Point Loma Nazarene University (former Point Loma Theosophical Headquarters)

This unique opportunity prompted us to organize this Convivium in the days (Sunday afternoon, August 14 – Wednesday, August 17) following the ITC Conference (Thursday, August 11 – Sunday morning, August 14), which is being held in Julian, Ca. in the scenic mountains an hour east of San Diego.


Point Loma Theater

Everywhere in the world there are Theosophists active, who are in some way connected with the Theosophical activities in Point Loma. Some of those Theosophists know each other for many years, but recently the contacts between a number of ‘Point Loma’ Theosophists in America and Europe have increased and intensified. This contact and interactivity has increased during several theosophical activities in the last five years, for instance the ITC Conferences, visits to each others study groups etc, and the digitalization of the remainders of the Point Loma Archive. During all those contacts an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust has been built: the basis for an effort to look beyond the boundaries of each one’s own Theosophical activities. This has brought to fruition this first Point Loma Convivium to which we wish to invite your participation.

Ken Small  & Herman C. Vermeulen


Ken Small (l) and Herman C. Vermeulen (r)

Click here for more infomation:

http://pointlomatheosophynetwork.net/

Good News from the Net 2

Piet Mondrian's art (1872-1944) always was intimately related to his spiritual and philosophical studies. In 1908 he became interested in the Theosophical movement launched by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in the late 19th century, and he joined the Dutch branch of the Theosophical Society in 1909. The work of Blavatsky and a parallel spiritual movement, Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy, significantly affected the further development of his aesthetic. Blavatsky believed that it was possible to attain a more profound knowledge of nature than that provided by empirical means, and much of Mondrian's work for the rest of his life was inspired by his search for that spiritual knowledge.


Piet Mondrian

The new website www.theartarchives.org * contains the first online archive on Piet Mondrian.

There are only a few extensive archives on Mondrian in the world. Both are situated in The Hague (NL): the Gemeentemuseum, owner of the largest collection of Mondrian paintings, and the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD). The last recently acquired the archives of Mondrian specialists Robert Welsh and Herbert Henkels. These locations need to be visited in person.

Good News from the Net 1

Great developments on the Internet. In this issue of Theosophy Forward, Dan Noga, currently living in Norway and responsible for The Theosophical Community, wants to share to following with you:

. . . .The Theosophical Community was set up in 2008 as one of many projects that have come out of the Theosophical Society in America's Internet Creative Community. At that time, I was the Member Services Coordinator for the TSA and I thought that a social network would be a good way for members of the TS to connect with each other. However, it didn't seem sensible to restrict the site's activity to members of any particular Theosophical organization, since Brotherhood is a core value of the TS. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to do so.

Good News from The Netherlands

Transformation of Consciousness

The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali with Ravi Ravindra, from 17 – 22 June 2011
Organized by the Theosophical Society in The Netherlands


Ravi Ravindra

Location: International Theosophical Center (ITC)
Meentweg 9, 1411 GR Naarden, The Netherlands


The ITC has superb facilities: Crystal Hall, where vegan and vegetarian meals are served


Inside Crystal Hall

For information contact:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Site: www.theosofie.nl

Good News from The United Kingdom

THE EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF THEOSOPHY
6-12 OCTOBER 2011 – ST. ALBANS, LONDON
Convenient train connections from Airports and Central London

A MASTER KEY TO THE ESOTERIC TRADITION

Studies in the ‘Mahatma Letters’



The Messenger by Nicholas Roerich (1931)
‘When the pupil is ready the Master appears’


Speakers
Dr. David Roef, Dr. Pablo Sender, John Gordon M.A., Harold Tarn, Colin Price, Eric McGough, Christian Bodhi and Dr. John Algeo on PowerPoint

INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
Linda Seale
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: +44 (0)208670 7342
3 Sydcote, Rosendale Road, Dulwich
LONDON SE218LH
and
Ingrid Eberhard-Evans
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel/Fax: + 44 (0) 1974 202958
Benglog, Llanddeiniol A
BERYSTWYTH SY23 SAW Wales UK
or book on line at
www.europeantheosophyschool.org

Good News from Julian, California USA


Julian, breathtaking surroundings

Update on Julian International Theosophy Conference - August 11 – 14

As officers of ITC we have “good news” to share with you. The international flavor of our conference increases. We are delighted that more than 20 Theosophists from Holland have already registered for the conference.  In total, we have over 70 people registered at this time. 

We have a wonderful roster of speakers. We will start with speakers from four different Theosophical traditions to highlight our unity at the beginning of the conference. This includes Myrra Lee from ULT, Tim Boyd from TS in A, Herman Vermeulen from TS Point Loma, and two representing Independent Theosophists, Joe Fulton and Jerry Hejka-Ekins. The next morning we highlight Theosophical publications from around the world. The rest of the program will focus on our theme, “The Heart of Wisdom: A Confluence of Science and Spirituality.”  We will have presentations by well-known Theosophists, as well as some new voices.