Text of Resolutions passed by the General Council of the Theosophical Society Freedom of Thought As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their re- spective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasize the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society, none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three Objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher, or writer, from H. P. Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his or her teachings or opinions on members. Every member has an equal right to follow any school of thought, but has no right to force the choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion held, or because of membership in any school of thought. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The Members of the General Council earnestly request every member of the Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise the right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof, within the limits of courtesy and consideration for others. Freedom of the Society The Theosophical Society, while cooperating with all other bodies whose aims and activities make such cooperation possible, is and must remain an organization entirely independent of them, not committed to any objects save its own, and intent on developing its own work on the broadest and most inclusive lines, so as to move towards its own goal as indicated in and by the pursuit of those objects and that Divine Wisdom which in the abstract is implicit in the title ‘The Theosophical Society’. Since Universal Brotherhood and the Wisdom are undefined and unlimited, and since there is complete freedom for each and every member of the Society in thought and action, the Society seeks ever to maintain its own distinctive and unique character by remaining free of affiliation or identification with any other organization. 2 THE THEOSOPHIST VOL. 137 NO. 7 APRIL 2016 CONTENTS On Fear 5 Tim Boyd The Neurophysiology of Compassion 10 José Foglia Love and Service: Twin Stars of Brotherhood 15 S. Sundaram Boris de Zirkoff and the H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings 22 Dara Eklund Theosophy Undefined 26 Rafael Marques de Albuquerque Be Always Ready! 33 Svitlana Gavrylenko Theosophical Work around the World 38 International Directory 42 Editor: Mr Tim Boyd NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: Peonies and Canary (Shakuyaku, kanaari), from an untitled series known as Small Flowers. Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760–1849) Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. 3 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mr Tim Boyd Vice-President: Dr Chittaranjan Satapathy Secretary: Ms Marja Artamaa Treasurer: Mr K. Narasimha Rao Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Vice-President: [email protected] Secretary: [email protected] Treasurer: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] & [email protected] Editorial Office: [email protected], Website: http://www.ts-adyar.org The Theosophical Society is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the Society’s Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of goodwill, whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wisdom and prefer its study to its condemnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watchword, as Truth is their aim. Theosophy is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolution. It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in an endless life, opening the gateway to a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the Science of the Spirit, teaching man to know the Spirit as himself and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition. Members of the Theosophical Society study these truths, and theosophists endeavour to live them. Everyone willing to study, to be tolerant, to aim high, and to work perseveringly, is welcomed as a member, and it rests with the member to become a true theosophist. 4 The Theosophist On Fear On Fear TIM BOYD ONE of the core concepts of the Ageless Closer is He than breathing, Wisdom tradition relates to the multi- And nearer than hands and feet. dimensional nature of the universe and of ourselves as individuals — the fact is As time goes on, we become aware that we function on many levels sim- that this is not something that someone ultaneously. The range of consciousness has created as a fiction. We have glimpses within us and our surroundings is limit- of it, our own experiences of this deeper less — everything from the seemingly nature. When this awareness moves unconscious aspects of our being to the beyond being a mere concept to the level highest divine consciousness are con- of actual experience, we are faced with tinuously present at any given moment a problem. Looking out into the world and form the core of our being. As we inhabited by billions of people just like examine this concept more deeply we us, each one of whom is inhabited by that become aware that the most powerful same Divine Spark, we find that there is dimension of our being is the part to an abyss between the higher nature and which we seem to have the least access our normal behaviour. We see wars, from moment to moment. The highest famine, economic imbalance, the whole aspect of our nature is the most hidden. range of self-centred, humanly created There are terms and names that we use problems. Even in our individual lives we to describe it — Higher Self, the soul, the find such contradictions. Divine Spark, the Ego, the individuality, Thus we have to ask if in fact this Âtma-Buddhi-Manas. Some of the quali- Highest is the core and foundation of ties that seem to appear when this higher every being, and what explains our own aspect of our being has a greater sway in behaviour as we interact with others our lives are peace, love, compassion, and with the world around us. It is an and wisdom. important question. One of the things that The poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson beauti- H. P. Blavatsky wrote speaks to this fully describes the closeness and ever issue: ‘Whatever plane our consciousness presence of this higher self in this way: may be acting in, both we and the things Speak to Him, thou, for He hears, belonging to that plane are, for the time And Spirit with Spirit can meet — being, the only realities.’ For example, April 2016 The Theosophist 5 On Fear a fish in water is surrounded by the threatened and in danger. Depending on creatures of the sea, lives in a watery the person, the list of things that can cause world, and has no understanding or such fears is long. There are some for interaction with the birds flying in the air whom spiders would cause them to leave or people walking on the land. the room screaming and crying. Snakes, The same example has been given mice, thunderstorms, and so on are for our consciousness as individuals. common examples, but we also have the A thief, one whose consciousness and same emotional response to other things. attention is focused on stealing, can look Many have a huge fear of standing in at a holy man and all he can see is his front of others and speaking about what wallet or the bag on his shoulder, and they think or believe. The fear of rejection view it as an opportunity to steal. To a by others is a powerful fear. Many others liar, the world is dishonest. To a saint, are afraid of death. every being, whether a holy person, a We feel these fears in the present criminal, a beggar, a priest, or a business- moment, yet we are mentally capable of man, every being and every thing is holy, projecting them into the future, so that because of the plane of consciousness people can be in a state of constant fear on which she functions.