Good News

On the Watchtower

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 December 2018 07:05

Radha Burnier, former International President TS/TOS – India

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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.

Good News from the TOS

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 December 2018 07:04

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.

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TOS Odisha Region having an event

Good News from the Netherlands

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 December 2018 07:04

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.

Good News from the Blavatsky Lodge, Mumbai-India.

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 December 2018 07:03

[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.”

Good News from the European School of Theosophy

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 December 2018 07:03

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