Theosophy and the Society in the Public Eye

David Grossman – USA 

David Grossman, author and photographer

 Introduction:

David is a professional photographer who lives in the New York region. He is a life-time student of Theosophy and active as treasurer in the board of International Theosophy Conferences. (ITC) Over the past years we have used many of his at times intriguing images. In this issue of Theosophy Forwardhe elaborates on the theme of UNITY; his thoughts on this profound subject are accompanied by a number of his fine photographs. 

Richard Dvořák

Richard is a well-known Theosophist in the Adyar Society. He lives in Germany, is a world traveler and his  photos taken during sessions of the School of the Wisdom, International Conventions, seminars and Federation gatherings, have been widely distributed. He has agreed to show some of his other material on Theosophy Forwardon a regular basis, for which we are very appreciative. He introduces a first series of three magnificent photos with a favorite quote of his from the  Bhagavad Gita.

“You have a right only to action, never to its fruit. Do not let your motive be the fruits of action, but do not be attached to inaction. O Dhananjaya, do your work established in yoga and abandon attachment. Be impartial to success or failure, for yoga is equanimity...Yoga is skill in action.” [Chapter 2, Shlokas 47-48, 50]

Joma the artist

 I am more than happy to inform readers of Theosophy Forwardabout what I have been doing recently. Still working on the “Lumine Stellarum”, which are small projects that can be seen on my website, and my personal Facebook page. Check it out here:

Website, click here

Facebook, click here

Marty Bax – the Netherlands 

The author

[This article is reproduced with kind permission from the author, Dr. Marty Bax.(see photo above)  It previously appeared here: http://baxpress.blogspot.com.br/2017/05/hilma-af-klint-revisited-part-iii-anna.htmlThe piece is notrevised by Theosophy Forward’s editors] 

This time I want to draw Anna Cassel into the limelight. Anna has frequently been mentioned only as as Hilma’s life-long friend and artist-colleague, but again, only fleetingly. From 1882-1887 they attended the Stockholm academy Anna from 1880, Hilma from 1882 onwards. One of their teachers was Count Georg von Rosen (1843-1923). Members of his larger family became members of the Edelweissförbundet. 

Anna Cassel in 1897

Anna, as said, grew up in extreme wealth. Anna, fragile-looking with light reddish hair and always youthful in appearance, had a strong and generous personality. She had both a strong sense of ethics and a passion for art. But she also had a weak health. She suffered from severe asthma and had to retreat to sanatoriums or to the West-coast to recover from bouts.

Before 1908, while recovering from an asthma attack, she met Karl-Erik Öhman, son of a wealthy trader, who also suffered from severe lung problems and had already visited many sanatoriums in Europe. Öhman later became member of the board of the mine Surahammars Bruk.

David Grossman (photo) who loves a cup of Dutch coffee, is a good friend of ours and a gifted photographer. He is a life-time student of Theosophy and active in the board of International Theosophy Conferences. On Theosophy Forward we have used many of his images, and also this time, just as we did in the 4th quarter issue 2017 of this magazine, we publish some, at times provocative photos, which will arouse your fantasy and curiosity. 

He introduces the series with a quotation by William Q. Judge: 

“Theosophists and occultists from the earliest times have held that every object in the world receives and keeps all impressions, not only of all objects that stand before it, but also of all that happens before it; that these impressions are indelible and can at any time be taken off by man's nervous system and from that reported to the mind; and, therefore, that if we possess a piece of stone from the Roman Forum, we can reproduce to the mind, as clearly as a picture, all that happened in the Forum.”

Psychometery by W.Q. Judge, The Platonist, Jan.1884

Joma, the artist

I am more than happy to inform readers of Theosophy Forward about what I have been doing recently. Still working on the “Lumine Stellarum”, which are small projects that can be seen on my website, and my personal Facebook page. Check it out here:

Website, click here         

Facebook, click here        

Am also redoing my studio, adding a small place to privately exhibit my work, allowing me to show visitors to see the original pieces I am working on, instead of referring to the photographs published online.

Am adding more items to my Theosophical Memorabilia and have finished the document regarding the summary of Isis Unveiled, covering editions from 1877 until 1920. 

Have acquired two volumes of HPB’s Lucifer, volume VI, from March to August 1890 and volume VIII, from March to August 1891. You can see a photo underneath. These are very interesting volumes because HPB was alive when these were published, and especially because of the second half of volume VIII, filled with Memorial Reflections on HPB, with original articles describing her last days, her cremation and outlining her mission.

The artist

In a previous issue of Theosophy Forwardin the category THE SOCIETY, you’ll find a mini-interview with Armand, who is a Russian Theosophist. His interview wasn’t the most detailed or longest we’ve ever published over the past years, but Armand is certainly an interesting friend of ours and a very talented artist. 

For the interview click here