Douglas Keene - USA
The author
Theosophy will ever exist throughout the infinitudes of the Future…
H. P. Blavatsky
The future Theosophy itself is assured, although it may be under many different rubrics, for instance, the Ageless (or Ancient) Wisdom, Perennial Philosophy, Gupta Vidya, and many others.
It is Divine Knowledge that is contained in many religious traditions, but often religion is not needed to penetrate these teachings. They will remain eternal, but accessible to seekers and pilgrims on many paths.
Theosophy describes the nature of humanity, the progression of life force expression, anthropogenesis, cosmogenesis, manifestations (or manvantaras) and rest periods (or pralayas) and therefore can be hidden but never destroyed.
Many of these principles were taught in the mystery schools in Egypt, Greece, India and other locations around the world. There always will be a longing for esoteric knowledge and Theosophy has a role to play, now that it’s available and its literature has been distributed widely.
It is in our nature to seek explanations and understanding. We strive to find purpose and relevance. Who are we and what is our significance? Are we transient life forms confined to an average planet circling an unremarkable star, formed by random circumstances? Or are we much greater than we appear? Is our essence immortal? Theosophy addresses these questions. Theosophy is the teaching of the Masters of Wisdom who are guiding our evolution, whether apparent or not. This will take time, which seems lengthy from a human perspective.
We have the makings of a better world. But as we have seen, there are many obstacles to overcome. An attempt to be inclusive is necessary, as when one portion of society benefits at the deprivation of another, then growth is not possible. We must be willing to reach out our hand to all. It’s been a central theme of the Theosophical Society for the last 150 years.
Radha Burnier, our seventh international president, noted in 1986 in an article titled “The Next Hundred Years”, that:
The presentation of Theosophy in the future must be different from what it has been in the past in the sense that it should deal in greater depth with the implications in daily life of the fundamental truths which Theosophy expounds.
She goes on to explain that many of the concepts were very new, at least in the West, during the early years of the Society, such as reincarnation, karma, yoga and meditation. Now that they are more generally established, we must take them to a deeper and more profound level. The Masters helped to establish the Society initially and pledged to support the future of it as long as we, its members, can appeal to the principles of its teachings and conduct ourselves in selfless aspirations. It will largely be left to us to determine which direction the Society may move and its relevance to the world as it progresses along its current path. Our future has not been written, and we need to represent the idealism of the initial founding but translate it into modern language and application. If we can do so, then the Theosophical Society will remain strong and vibrant. If not, it may be one more experiment that failed due to humanity’s immaturity. However, it will never fail entirely, and seeds for rebirth are ever present. We have a very impressive heritage, but we need to continue to evolve to fulfill the seeker’s need for relevance and purpose.
Annie Besant has written:
It [theosophy] gives you, from your life in the heavenly places, touch with powers and opportunities that belong to these ideals in the world of men, and it gives you the possibility there of touch with the Mighty Ones whom here, however unworthily, we strive to follow. So that it is a great thing to be within it, and it means much for the future of you, if you can keep in it.
“The London Lectures of 1907” found in the e-book, The Annie Besant Compendium, location 15047.
Just as an individual can have a breakthrough or achieve a tipping point, reaching an initiation, communities and societies can also reach a transformational stage. Many theosophists have noted, including Clara Codd, that as each individual reaches an enlightened state, it lifts all of humanity, and in fact all nature. She writes “A newly made initiate gives the blessing of Brotherhood to the world.” (From: Comments on The Voice of the Silence,” part 5, Theosophy). We are all slowly inching forward to a new day, a new time with the purification of any one of us. Elsewhere, from the same text, Clara Codd quotes a passage Mrs. Besant has written:
Once that Sowani hath crossed the seventh path, all Nature thrills with joyous awe and feels subdued. The silver star now twinkles out the news to the night blossoms, the streamlet of the pebbles replies out the tale; dark ocean waves will roar it to the rocks surf-bound, scent laden breezes sing it to the vales, and stately pines mysteriously whisper: a Master has arisen, a Master of the Day.