The Society

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

The Adyar Theosophical Academy (ATA) 

Many good things are happening in the land of Theosophists at this very moment. To begin with, your editor is excited about the Adyar Theosophical Academy (ATA) project which took off not long ago. In our Good News category you’ll find a write up regarding ATA. Through this e-Magazine and its various platforms on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter you will be kept informed about further developments.

Like it was in the early years of the modern Theosophical movement, when there were various Theosophical educational institutions worldwide, it seems that now, as we have seen in for example The Philippines with the Golden Link College, similar schools promise to operate very successfully.

Most childhood education specialists claim that young children learn best when: they're not pushed too hard; they have an opportunity to interact with their peers; and their parents and instructors treat them kindly. Likewise, children learn best when instruction and educational activities take up only a small portion of their days. This is especially true of children enrolled in pre-school programs since it's not good for young children to be separated from their parents for extended periods of time. Children usually do not benefit in programs with inexperienced teachers and large classroom sizes.

Children taught at an early age usually benefit in the following ways: improved social skills; less or no need for special education instruction during subsequent school years; better grades; and enhanced attention spans.

THIS INTERVIEW WAS PREVIOULSY PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 2015 – Michiel on the photo with his lovely wife Helma

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

My name is Michiel Haas, English speaking people say Michael, it is much easier to pronounce. I’m from the Netherlands. In my youth I was a member of the young Theosophists, then I had my wild period and quit the TS membership. Later I came back as a member. All by all I guess I have been a quarter of a century a member, maybe a little longer, but I have always been a Theosophist.

THIS INTERVIEW WAS PREVIOULSY PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 2017

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 PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED: JUNE 2015

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

I’m Leslie Price, from London, England, and I first joined the T.S in 1980.  

THIS INTERVIEW WAS PREVIOULSY PUBLISHED: JUNE 2017

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

My name is Paul Benedict, I was born in Phoenix, AZ in 1981 and I currently live in Las Vegas, NV, having moved here when I was 10 years old, in 1991. I’ve been a member of the TS since 2007.

THIS INTERVIEW WAS PREVIOULSY PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 2016

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

My name is Zeneida Cereja da Silva, and I have been member of the TS since September 11, 1987.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

Jan, April - 2019

In March and April of 2009 the first articles appeared in a brand new e-Magazine called Theosophy Forward. The start of the magazine was quite an amazing undertaking, because the initiators, including myself, didn’t have any experience in putting such a magazine on the rails. What counted most of all then, was the motivation and intention. All other more technical details were to be solved at a later stage. After a rather tumultuous period that the TS-Adyar had to endure (linked to an election for the International President), the inauguration of Theosophy Forward was a kind of “let’s show that there are also a lot of good things happening” initiative.

I was saddened in those times, because, due to much confusion and misinformation on the Internet – yes, also in 2008 and 2009 fake news was all over the spectrum – a number of Theosophists seemed to have unsurmountable issues with living up to the First Object. It was painful to see that old friendships had broken up, and that every “new” initiative, if not in line with the standards that certain individuals had desperately tried to hold to, was met with suspicion. The urge on the part of a few of us to shine a bright light in the apparent darkness, was most definitely heartfelt. Consequently, Theosophy Forward was born.

In those early days I was fortunate enough to have some very capable folks close to me who were willing to help out, wherever that was needed. For the technical part, my brother Hans provided the sever, situated in the Netherlands, while Gilson Moraes, a sergeant of the Brazilian army who had no connection with Theosophy whatsoever – became the webmaster. Gilson, after more than a decade, is still helping out installing articles! For the editing, writing and compiling, John Algeo became my mentor. Collaborating with him was quite a challenge and it was a bumpy ride at times. I would send articles I had written to him for a thorough check, and in spite of me having thought I had written my very best piece, they often were returned completely in red, with a simple message underneath the epistle saying: “Not good enough, start all over again.” As I said, that was challenging and tough, but in a short period of time I learned so much from him. And for that I will be always grateful.

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

Christopher Dixon. I’m from Wheaton, Illinois in the USA. I’ve been a member of the TSA since 1996.

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

Saskia Campert from The Netherlands (Northern Europe); since May 2005 member of The TS Adyar.

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

My name is Maurits Campert. I was born in 1947 in the small fisherman’s village of Scheveningen near The Hague although my father was born in Zeeland where my wife and I reside after our retirement. If I remember well, I joined the TS back in the nineties. Because in The Hague (where all spiritual currents are represented around the Peace Palace where vibrations seem to be special) all four TS ‘branches’ reside, I had the possibility to join one after the other in between our stays in France, Germany and again France. Being an independent searcher I found it very inspiring to make acquaintance with the different ‘views’. In France as off 1997 we did run a small Theosophical Information Centre in Siorac-in-Périgord for seven years.

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

I am Swathi, from: Bangalore (India) and I have been a members since December 2008 (But I have been associated with TS since 3 generations)

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

My Name is Dr. Varsha Patel. I am from India in the state of Gujarat and I live in Ahmedabad city. I joined T.S in 2004-5.