Betty Bland
1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?
My name is Betty Bland; I have been a member for over 41 years and have recently completed a nine year term as national president of the Theosophical Society in America. For retirement my husband David and I relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina, where we are settling in, working on house and yard.
2. Are you active in your Lodge/Section and if so, what do you do?
To say that I am active in my Section is an understatement. My many areas of participation and service catapulted me into the role of president which definitely kept me busy. Earlier in my life I started a number of study centers and was active in federations and other related TS groups. I continue to serve on the boards of the Theosophical Order of Service and the Theosophical Book Gift Institute.
3. How did you first learn about Theosophy or come in contact with the Society?
I discovered Theosophy in my late twenties after having a near-death experience, which propelled me into an urgent search to understand my experiences and to put them into the context of a coherent worldview. The first book I read, Gina Cerminara’s Many Mansions, brought me into contact with the basic ideas of the Ancient Wisdom for the first time and it began a love affair with what I very rapidly discovered to be available within the Theosophical Society through its many published works.
Being located at the time in a small town in North Carolina, my only access to Theosophy was through books and correspondence. The discovery that TS books were as near as my mailbox (via the Olcott Library), led me into explorations of many Theosophical ideas and authors. The crowning joy of my search was to develop a correspondence with Virginia Hanson, then the head of the TSA Department of Education. She had a wonderful way of not really answering questions but referencing the books that would allow me to discover my own pathways in trying to solve some of life’s riddles. I was hooked!
4. What does Theosophy mean to you?
Theosophy informs my philosophy of life, my worldview. I cannot imagine my life without this deeper understanding of its purposes. Theosophy also provided me with a way to understand and appreciate the Christianity of my roots while at the same time freeing me of its limiting baggage. Once my rector asked me when I was going to give up my infatuation with Theosophy and dedicate more of my time to the church. I replied, “Never. It is only through my understanding of Theosophy that I can approach Christianity. Theosophy is the foundation for my approach to the spiritual life.” I think that sums it up pretty well.
5. What is your favourite Theosophical book and why?
My favourite book has been a moving target as I have evolved in my studies. At first I would say my favourites were some of the Annie Besant books such as A Study in Consciousness and The Ancient Wisdom, as well as C. W. Leadbeater’s Man Visible and Invisible, because they helped me understand some of my experiences and put them into the context of daily living. Also Leadbeater’s Masters and the Path was tremendously inspiring to me. Throughout my earlier years Krishnamurti’s At the Feet of the Master served as my guidebook for self-discipline and ethical determinations. Now I find The Mahatma Letters and Blavatsky’s Collected Writings to be an endless source of inspiration and challenge, but I recognize that I am still dabbling at the edges. My favorite recommendation for an introductory book is Ed Abdill’s The Secret Gateway. My very long answer to a simple question should indicate my love of books, especially those that enrich life-understanding.
6. What in your opinion is the biggest challenge the TS Adyar (as an organization) is facing at the moment?
The biggest challenge for TS Adyar is to bring our teachings to the world in such a way that we impact 21st century thought and culture. In order to do that we have to be in tune with world events and the latest technology, which is moving faster than most of us can imagine. Engaging the younger generation who have grown up with the newer technologies plus being a leader in the arena of interfaith understanding are two of the most critical factors in achieving this goal.
In addition to engagement with the outer world we must develop individually and corporately a shining example of living as loving, inspired, and sensitive human beings. Whether actually psychic or not, all humans are drawn to this kind of energy. So I feel strongly that we need greater focus on encouraging individual spiritual practice and providing a meeting ground for mutual support for our members to grow in this practice.
We also need to be honest with ourselves in the need to heal from the international polarizations that have occurred over the last several years. We speak of brotherhood and truth as two of our main tenets but we have not been open enough to one another in actual practice. Although we have the gift of being a worldwide organization, we also face the difficulty of being scattered geographically and culturally. Yet, when I have travelled around the globe, I have been struck by how we all as Theosophists have the same problems, interests, and aspirations. So, we should be able to resolve concerns about elections nationally and internationally by setting up scrupulously transparent and stringently monitored election procedures. Misunderstandings need to be a thing of the past.
Beyond our boundaries, I am now seeing opportunities for the separate Theosophical entities to be drawn together for mutual purposes. To this end, TSA will be hosting the International Theosophy Conference in August 2012. As each organization has developed its own character and leadership, one should not dominate another but we can all be in closer contact with mutual appreciation and respect. As I told one member of a different group, we don’t have to get married, but we can recognize each other as close cousins of the same family.
In summary, our greatest challenge and specific mission is to bring Theosophical ideas to bear on the world arena. Theosophy can be and should be a bridge builder, creating a foundation for all faiths and those of no faith to unfold to their greatest potential in bringing humanity into a peaceful and loving relationship with itself and all of creation. This requires a deep commitment of every member to work toward the lofty ideals passed down to us by the founders, who must have seen the coming collisions between cultures and religions of the world. Our world is shrinking rapidly and it is up to us and like-minded people to influence some kind of reconciliation, peaceful reconstruction and sustainable living. What a daunting challenge and glorious possibility lays before us!
7. Is there anything you would wish for the future of the Theosophical Movement?
I have a vision of wholeness and relevancy for the Theosophical movement, incorporating all of the groups who trace their roots back to the founding of the Theosophical Society. With cross-pollination and appreciation of each other, our movement will be vital and applicable to the needs of today. As evidenced by the TSA’s July event featuring the Dalai Lama and involving the interaction of multiple faith communities, the Theosophical Society can enter the worldwide stage of encouraging and building a foundation for interreligious friendship, thus working toward world peace as envisioned by our founders.