Good News

Radha Burnier, former International President TS/TOS – India

Radha Burnier
Photo © Michel Chapotin, location: Paris in the 1980’s

The Bodhisattvas take a vow of compassion to save others from pain and suffering. In The Voice of the Silence, which advocates the Bodhisattva tradition, the disciple is told:

“Shalt thou abstain from action? Not so shall gain thy soul her freedom. To reach Nirvana one must reach Self-Knowledge, and Self-Knowledge is of loving deeds the child.”

It should go without saying that the basic work of the Theosophical Society is to help humanity to discover the cause of suffering, which is within the mind, and then learn to become free of that suffering by cleansing the mind. For the mind to cease being the source of problems, it must dissolve the centre that is self which it has created. That self, as Krishnamurti pointed out, can be observed best in relationships and in action. He who abstains from action, as The Voice of the Silence clearly indicates, cannot gain freedom, because he has no means of learning about the intricate and subtle ways in which the self operates and is sustained.

Featured Project: Women’s Empowerment, TOS Odisha Region

One of the main focuses of the International TOS over the past several years has been Women’s Empowerment. The TOS Odisha Region leads the way in these endeavours. Recognition of the work being done has resulted in financial assistance from other TOS countries, namely TS/TOS Italy and the TOS in New Zealand. We applaud the initiative of the TOS Odisha Region and the support given by TOS Italy and TOS New Zealand. The women’s empowerment program in the Odisha Region offers several avenues for training for women to better their livelihood and another to help protect young girls and women from violence.

Financial assistance for higher education:

The Mahabharat Group of TOS, Odisha Region has started a project which is a five-year financial assistance programme to poor but meritorious young women for pursuing higher education in college. The annual assistance is Rs.10,000 per student. Currently 25 students are benefiting from this program. A sum of Rs.125,000 per annum (Rs.5,000 per student) has been donated by the members as scholarships in memory of the donors’ near and dear ones. The TS and TOS Italy have kindly extended a matching grant which will ensure the recipients of Rs.10,000 per year for the five year period. The Mahabharat Group expresses its gratitude to the members of TS & TOS Italy for their generous assistance in this worthwhile project. The scholarships were awarded as part of the 5th Regional Conference of TOS Odisha by its Chief Guest, Mr. Abasar Beuria, IFS (Rtd.) former ambassador of India in the presence of TOS India National Secretary, Br. K. Sivaprasad.

TOS Odisha Region having an event

The International Theosophical Centre in Naarden, the Netherlands is going to build a new guest house

[Message received from Michiel Haas]

In addition to a maximum of 2 to 4 special guests who can be accommodated at St. Michael’s House, there are two existing guesthouses. The first one, Arundale guesthouse, is an old structure built way back in the sixties, with a capacity of 10 rooms and ‘shared’ facilities. The second one is the 20-years-old Crystal House with 20 rooms, all having their own bathroom, adjacent to the beautifully designed Crystal Hall dining room.

[Message received from Arni Narendran]

From left to right: Bertie Redwood, Arni Narendran, Dr. Ajay Hora, Dr. Deepa Padhi, Vinayak Pandya, Godrej Dotiwala, Dr. Rajam Pillai, Navin Kumar, Kashmira Khambatta

The 87th Annual Session of the Bombay Theosophical Federation was held between 26^th to 28^th of October. The first two days at the Blavatsky Lodge, French Bridge venue and the last day at the Juhu Theosophical Colony by the Sea.

Dr. Deepa Padhi , International Vice President was the Chief Guest. She is also the President of TOS, Bhubaneshwar. Her keynote speech was on ‘Self Transformation through Wisdom, Compassion and Contemplation”, Sr. Parinaz Gandhi introduced the speaker. Dr. Padhi also released the latest issue of Synergy journal , edited by Hindi Scholar and Gandhian Dr. Rajam Pillai. The journal featured an article on “Theosophy and Art.”

A summary of the European School of Theosophy, 2018

[Message received from Erica Georgiades and Ingrid Eberhard-Evans]

The enclosed summary captures a five-day programme of study-sessions, workshops, lectures, panel discussions, interactive dialogues and meditation practices of the European School of Theosophy (EuST), which took place from 12-17 October 2018 in Pescia, Italy. The EuST brought together some 50 attendees from 20 countries to study and explore Memento Mori: Worldviews on Death and Dying.

Group picture with all participants

The EuST began by playing The Danse Macabre (voix & orchestre) de Camille Saint-Saëns with the baritone Jean-Philippe Biojout, followed by greetings and opening remarks by attendees and visitors, notably Ingrid Eberhard-Evans, director of the EuST, as well as Antonio Girardi, president of the Italian Section of the TS. Conjointly, the greetings of fellow Theosophists from all over the world were played in a video-compilation format and were received with great enthusiasm by the attendees

To watch the video click here

From July 10-13, we were honored to have the opportunity to lead the program for the 24th annual International Theosophical School at Paraiso na Terra in Brazil. For those who are unfamiliar with it, Paraiso na Terra is a vast Theosophical center (also called The Theosophical Institute) located in the center of the country, near the capital city, Brasilia. The place truly is a paradise, with an arid landscape that is punctuated with pools and cascading waterfalls that flow from several natural springs that arise from deep within the earth.

The three mystical elephants heads can be seen from the Institute

Sowing the seeds of Theosophy to students of the Lady Engineer School.

The Naarden gathering in the Netherlands, last July has come out with a strategic planning initiative that will make the Theosophical Society socially more relevant, taking our organization to the next level. Emphasis has been given to education in synchronicity with our founders’ vision.

Sr Kashmira Khambatta and Bro Arni Narendran

The Central Hindu University and The Besant college in Varnasi, The Besant school and the Olcott School and also the Kalakshetra – school of Dance all in Chennai, were founded by Theosophists. More recently, in the Philippines the Golden Link college has been setting high standards in teachers training .

Message received from Bruno Carlucci

José Manuel Anacleto in Brasilia

The Brasilia Lodge of the Theosophical Society in Brasilia, Brazil had the honor to host José Manuel Anacleto, head of the Centro Lusitano de Unificação Cultural located in Lisbon. 

A Theosophist for 40 years, Mr. Anacleto gave a lecture on the topic of time according to the Theosophical perspective. 

An in-depth presentation of some of the philosophical tenets provided by The Secret Doctrine's cosmogenesis, showing that time, as we humans perceive it, is but an illusion in face of the eternal now. 

 
A TOS group meeting in Italy, talking strategy .. setting an example

The Theosophical Order of Service in Italy works in close cooperation with the Italian Theosophical Society, which appreciates and supports its endeavors. Both organizations believe that no Theosophical path is complete without Service to Humankind, in the spirit of Universal Brotherhood.

Martin Leiderman visits the TS Point Loma in The Hague

Martin in a characteristic pose, building a bridge to a deeper comprehension of the Stanza’s of Dzyan

At the invitation of the Theosophical Society Point Loma Blavatskyhouse, Martin Leiderman gave a six-day seminar on the Stanzas of The Secret Doctrine part 1 in The Hague, the Netherlands. Martin is a member of the TS Adyar and lives with his wife Susan in Los Angeles where he leads study groups.

The seminar took place on 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 July for a group of 30 study leaders and speakers of the TS PL, three of whom had come from Germany. Martin and with support of Susan taught in his well-known, friendly, humorous and profound way how to study the Stanzas, which form the basis of The Secret Doctrine. Concepts such as SPACE, Darkness, the circle with the dot, the first, second and third Logos were discussed intensively. Before the Stanza's were studied, the core ideas of the proem had to be clarified.

Message received from Barend Voorham, the Netherlands.

Participants enjoying beautiful Lisbon, from the left to the right: Rita and Paulo Baptista, Barend Voorham, Bruno Carlucci and Alaide Voorham

This very noteworthy news item comes from Zeeland!

Message received from Saskia and Maurits Campert who both are active Theosophists in their region.

Zeeland is a Dutch province in the southwest of Holland (i.e. another name for the Netherlands), bordering Belgium. Before the Romans came, there apparently was a Celtic influence. Originally there were six islands that now have become peninsulas, as a result of the disastrous North-See flood in January 1953, after which a beginning was made with the comprehensive Delta Works, an example of the phenomenal craftsmanship of Dutch engineers. The picturesque cities of Middelburg, Veere and Zierikzee are well-known all over the world.

Part of the Delta Works from the air

About the European School of Theosophy:

The European School of Theosophy was launched in England in October 1982 by Geoffrey Farthing, Ianthe Hoskins and Adam Warcup. Its activities are characterized by a five-day programme of intensive study. The main focus of the School is the research and investigation of the early literature giving rise to the contemporary Theosophical Movement such as HPB’s writings, The Mahatma Letters and more, as well as current developments within the field of humanities and science. Subjects related to Western Esotericism, religions, Eastern and Western philosophies are also often blended into the programme. Opportunity for research projects may be given to bona fide fellows presenting a comprehensive proposal and justification of their aims. The language of the School is necessarily English, its location varies each year but always places that facilitate opportunities to commune with nature, physical activities as well as contemplation and meditation. Since its inauguration in England, the School has met in Austria, Germany, Holland, Spain, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Israel, Scotland and Wales. The School is autonomous and is not part of any organization, Theosophical or otherwise.

The School organizes from October 12 – 17

MEMENTO MORI
Worldviews on Death and Dying

Message received from Jacques Mahnich – France

Jacques Mahnich

At the invitation of Svitlana Gravylenko, President of the Ukraine Regional Association of Theosophists, my wife and I discovered a truly beautiful country where Theosophy is burgeoning again and well-alive. We met with the local Lodge members in Kiev and we participated in the White Lotus Day ceremony (5-6 May) in a public place where lectures on Theosophy-Science were given.

Grow as the Flower Grows

Nancy Secrest – Adyar

Nancy in her office at Adyar

Have you ever watched a flower grow? We can see that it has grown. We can see the differences in it as it turns its face to the sun throughout the day, and closes up at night, but we can’t actually see it doing so. We can see the change in its height or the length of a vine in a day or a week or a season, but we never actually see the stem growing or the vine moving. I have often marveled about this process and our inability to watch it. Sometimes photographers have used film that is speeded up to show us the action of the flower or the vine. Many of us have probably seen this on TV or in a documentary. Then we can see the flower bursting into bloom and the strength and aggressiveness with which the vine works its way out of the soil or even pushes its way through concrete to reach the sunlight. It’s amazing! A seed is planted, watered and placed in the sunlight. Somehow it knows to split open under the ground, from that a little stem is formed that reaches down to form roots and up, forming leaves and continuing to grow to a full-sized plant or even a 100-foot-tall tree. All of this is happening all around us all of the time, but we can’t see it as it happens, not with our physical eyes, because our brains cannot comprehend this extremely slow movement. Does this mean it isn’t happening? Of course not, we see the results, so we know that the plant is growing. We just can’t see the process while it is taking place. Conversely, I remember going to a seminar where we were to “get in touch with” trees. Several of the participants reported that they got the impression that the trees were aware of us only as extremely fast-moving objects that were perhaps a little bothersome, like gnats might be to us. Otherwise our worlds did not interact from their point of view.

Michele and Pablo present: FOHAT PRODUCTIONS

Sharing the Living Power of Theosophy

Pablo speaks

Michele and Pablo Sender are workers for Theosophy and currently live at Krotona, California, USA. Pablo has traveled the world round and lectured on various Theosophical subjects in many countries, accompanied by his wife Michele who conducts meditation sessions and speaks about the application of Theosophy in daily life. They’re truly wonderful and always active folks, so read about this fascinating project of theirs.