The Society

This interview was first published in June 2016

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is José Manuel Anacleto, I am from Lisbon Portugal, although I rather consider myself a citizen of the world. I began to study Theosophy in 1979 and I did it with a group of friends, so I didn’t feel the call to join a Theosophical organisation, even at the time when we visited the Theosophical Society in Portugal (Adyar). Later (in 1988) I was one of the founders of an institution, the Centro Lusitano de Unificação Cultural-CLUC (Lusitanian Centre of Cultural Unification), (which is still active today, and is managed by myself), and although it is not strictly a Theosophical organisation, Theosophy is its key reference. At the CLUC, we publish several books and the Biosofia magazine ( www.biosofia.net  ). I give conferences and courses and organise other activities (e.g. meditation practices) which are mostly Theosophical or generally connected to Esoteric Philosophy. In 2001, I became a member of the Portuguese Section of the Adyar Theosophical Society, basically to give my contribution. There, I was active for about 2 or 3 years, but stopped for several reasons. A little later (in 2006) I joined the United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT).

This interview was first published in June 2012

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Eugene (Gene) Jennings, and I am currently residing in the Pennsylvania area. I have been affiliated with the New York City ULT since the mid 1970’s until 1988. Thereafter I relocated to the California area and affiliated with the Los Angeles ULT until 1999. From 1999 to current I have reconnected with the New York City ULT.

This interview was first published in March 2014

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Hi! My name is Liliana Katharine Grossman, and I am from Brooklyn, New York. I have been a student of Theosophy since I could make the decision to go to the Children’s Discovery Circle at the United Lodge of Theosophists, at the age of three or four.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

[This editorial is condensed from a talk given during the openings procedures of ITC 2017 held in Philadelphia from August 10 -13]

One of the three main founders of the TS, William Quan Judge, at one point in time referring to a discussion he had with HPB in London, remembered what she in her own candid way had told him regarding the nucleus:

“You were not directed to found and realize a Universal Brotherhood, but to form the nucleus for one  ; for it is only when the nucleus is formed that the accumulations can begin that will end in future years, however far, in the formation of that body which we have in view.” [From: Yours till Death and after, HPB - Reprinted in Sunrise magazine, August/September 1985].

Many wise women and men have written at length about Brotherhood and its Nucleus, so, what is there still to add?

Theosophists from the various traditions currently meet regularly on the platform of International Theosophy Conferences. Obviously their backgrounds are diverse, Theosophically speaking even very diverse, and although we consider ourselves Theosophists, over the past, let’s say 122 years we’ve gone out of our way to act in a manner among ourselves you wouldn’t expect from folks who are supposed to be tolerant freethinkers, claiming to strive for Brotherhood.

Although it is a bumpy ride at times, we can all agree that Brotherhood exists, being a fact in nature, and in that sense it has always existed and it will always remain. But if we are talking about the realization of brotherhood it is a different question. In this context Adyar-icon Joy Mills often mentioned, that we went astray, we had left our “home”, and that it is time to return to it, but in order to do so we need to heal and have a serious look at ourselves.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Rozi Ulics. I grew up in a little rural town called Mantua, Ohio in the USA. I’ve been a member since 2009.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is David Bruce. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA) and I have been a member of the Theosophical Society since 1985.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Armand, Alexey Davidovich. Moscow, Russia, member of the Theosophical Society since 2000.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Jo Schneider. I am from Minnesota. I have been a member of the TS since 2000, I believe.

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Kathy Gann. I am originally from a small town in South Dakota (USA), but moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1980. I love it here and have never regretted the move. I joined the TS in 1996 after studying theosophy on my own for about 1.5 years.

1. What is your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Jason Marable, I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma (recently moved from Shreveport, LA), and I am proud and honored to say that I have been a member of the Theosophical Society in America for one year in September 2017.

1. What´s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Lalibel and I am from The Hague, the Netherlands. I am connected to the Theosophical Society Point Loma for 2 years now and became a member of this society in September 2017.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

Jan in his home-office in Brasilia, Brazil

In the March 2017 issue of the Dutch periodical Theosofia (Jaargang 118.Nr.1) an article entitled “Consideration” (in Dutch “Overdenking”), appeared in which the author, Saskia Campert, wonders if indeed Theosophists are obliged to be friendly, loving, or compassionate at all times. In the first paragraph of her piece Saskia describes a dialogue she had with a fellow Theosophist who apparently encounters difficulties with simply being nice 24/7 and experiences, especially in the work place, it to be quite burdening to apply what religious and philosophical systems, including Theosophy always seem to emphasize: kindness, tolerance, non-violence, patience and letting go of the ego. She further elaborates on the subject, mentioning that Zen masters are not always that loving but tough and unkind with their students, quotes a few Theosophists and at the end concludes that, if it is needed, Theosophists may certainly stand their ground, providing certain behavior patterns are considered.

I am particularly interested in the question Saskia raises about having to be nice and affectionate all the time and have often asked myself if, during the years that I have been active in Theosophical circles, I was able to be a shining example of affectionate tolerance and loving kindness or not. Much to my regret I must admit that I probably did not pass all the crucial tests that challenged my behavior.