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.
VOL. 140 NO. 5 FEBRUARY 2019
CONTENTS
A Path to Beauty 5 Tim Boyd Giordano Bruno 13 Annie Besant Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism 17 P. C. Kesavan Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom 24 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation 25 Deepa Padhi
Grow as the Flower Grows - II 31 Nancy Secrest Dr A. Kannan 36 Pedro Oliveira Theosophical Work Around the World 38 International Directory 44
Editor: Mr Tim Boyd
NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to:
Cover: Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), or Timber of the Gods, with a partial view of the Ojai Valley from Krotona Institute of Theosophy, California, USA — Photographer: Mrs Cynthia Overweg ______This journal is the official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this journal.
3 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mr Tim Boyd Vice-President: Dr Deepa Padhi Secretary: Ms Marja Artamaa Treasurer: Ms Nancy Secrest 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] // www.adyarbooks.com 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 Vol. 140.5, February 2019 A Path to Beauty A Path to Beauty
TIM BOYD
BEFORE going into the subject, it would Very shortly after that visit the Founders be well and honest for me to issue some- adopted this as the motto of the TS. thing of a disclaimer: due to the vastness Since that time, we have been keenly of the subject, beauty, like truth, being focused on Truth and the search for Truth. inexhaustible and ever present, I can In reality it is the search aspect that guarantee that this narrative necessarily occupies the greatest part of what we do, will be inadequate — an inadequate nar- because Truth itself has a habit of being rative about an inexpressible subject. The illusive or veiled to us. In our approach to best approach would be for us not to this search for Truth, necessarily we have regard beauty as something to be defined, had to place a great deal of our attention but rather to treat our time together this on small “t” truths, and there are many of evening as if we were going to take a those. walk together, much like taking a walk Within the range of the teachings of here in Adyar, where we have forested Theosophy as we know it, there are a few areas, with temples situated within those categories that we address. Some of those forests. We will take a walk around this lesser truths concern the multidimensional subject of beauty, and perhaps during its nature of our universe and of ourselves. course we will be able to catch a glimpse The sevenfold nature of the human being of the beautiful. If so, we will have done and this universe has been one of the truths what we can do. that has been elucidated. We have also In 1880, one year after the Theosophical focused on the fact that this is a universe Society (TS) had moved its operations to in which intelligence is omnipresent. India, Col. H. S. Olcott made a visit to the There is no place where intelligence does Maharaja of Benares (now Varanasi). He not manifest itself. Whether we go from was joined by H. P. Blavatsky (HPB) the mineral to the vegetable, animal, hu- shortly after his arrival there. During their man, devic (angelic), to the higher unseen stay they became acquainted with the kingdoms of Nature, every aspect of it family motto of the Maharaja: satyânnâsti reveals a profound interconnected intel- paro dharma, or “There is no Dharma ligence. That has been one of the truths higher than Truth”, translated by us as, we have tended to focus upon. “There is no religion higher than Truth”. We have also given significant attention
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 5 A Path to Beauty to our role within this universe in which start to reveal a pattern to our inner eye we find ourselves. One of the things that that is imprinted upon the universe at we become aware of is that we have a every level we encounter it. The pattern certain responsibility. We are not merely is the same in all its parts. The relationship a “fortuitous concurrence of atoms” idly we begin to witness is expressed in the passing through the world. In the im- Hermetic axiom: “As it is above, so it is mature phases of our unfoldment we are below. As it is within, so it is without.” insufficiently aware to assume much direc- The more deeply we delve, the more tion. In the Fundamental Propositions of elements of that pattern become apparent The Secret Doctrine, HPB describes what to us. initially spurs our growth — as “natural This pattern describes the nature of the impulse”. We are being pushed, impelled universe, of our experience within it. To by Nature. Much like the wind blows those who have seen more deeply into it, fallen leaves, we are pushed by circum- there is a way that they can describe it. stance and environment. The word they would use for this pattern But the time comes — and it is the would be “beautiful”. There is a profound most important time for anyone who finds beauty to the interconnection that exists, the theosophical work meaningful — and it is everywhere. Confucius made the when the capacity to choose dawns upon statement: “Everything has its beauty, but us. Conscious choices have to be made. not everyone sees it.” This is the circum- In that process of choosing, self-induced stance in which we find ourselves. Every- and self-devised efforts become the focus. thing from the exalted expressions of the So it is self-responsibility and the various great masters and teachers, to the pro- ways in which we interact with the pro- cesses of decay, breakdown, even disease, cesses of unfoldment that become our has a beauty, an order, and a pattern that it focus. This is another one of these truths operates within, and it is all part of this One- — the idea that every one of us is unfold- ness that has been continually emphasized. ing and are participating in that process, In the TS we have spent much less and that there is something magnificent energy in the appreciation or search for that can, and ultimately will, be revealed. beauty than we have in the search for truth. This is also one of those truths. Several years ago, in what now seems These small “t” truths that we have like ancient times technologically, when been given, and to which we continually I traveled my suitcase would always be expose ourselves are much like a ladder loaded down with the books I was reading. up which we climb, step by step. As we Since the advent of e-books and iPads move through this process, we begin to my traveling library consists of 300 to 400 become aware that these are not isolated books that fit in a device the size of a small facts or processes. The interconnection pad of paper. One of those books I travel and interdependence of these many truths with is The Secret Doctrine [SD]. The
6 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 A Path to Beauty other day, out of curiosity, I typed in the the Divine. The 23rd Psalm begins: “The word “truth” to see how many times it Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” The appeared in SD; it appeared 519 times. Lord is depicted as the one who leads and Then I typed in the word “beauty”, and cares for the sheep (us). This psalm con- in the over 1,500 pages it appeared only 38 tinues: “He makes me to lie down in green times. In The Voice of the Silence, a much pastures; he leads me beside still waters. smaller book, “truth” appeared 27 times, He restores my soul; He leads me in paths and “beauty” once. In At the Feet of the of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The Master, basically a pamphlet, “truth” only psalm then goes on to describe other appeared 4 times, and “beauty” 0 times. aspects of the divine protection and trust: This is just a small fact, but it indicates “Yea, though I walk through the valley a predisposition within the TS. We are of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; predisposed toward a focus on truth, with for you are with me; your rod and your the primary means to approach Truth be- staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table ing through lesser, often intellect-bound, before me in the presence of my enemies; truths. So we tend to become fixated on you anoint my head with oil; my cup over- our point of view about the lesser truths flows. Surely goodness and mercy shall that we have encountered. follow me all the days of my life; and So what is beauty? Of course, this is a I will dwell in the house of the Lord question that I cannot satisfactorily answer. forever.” Every child in the Christian What I can do is this. The Western world tradition is exposed to this 23rd Psalm. of Europe and America, and those places Many years ago I was at a function, where the Western nations have left their and there was a well-known theatrical actor footprint, are lands where the religious who was asked to recite the 23rd Psalm, approach to the wisdom tradition draws on which he did. It was remarkable, because the Judeo-Christian tradition. So, the Bible his words were so perfectly formed: the is highly regarded. There is one particular way he projected the words could be heard Book within the Bible, the Book of Psalms throughout the room; his diction was which comprises of 150 psalms. Each one flawless. It was quite an experience to hear was initially written as a song. Some are this psalm pronounced so well. There was songs of praise to the divine, some are also a little old man there. He was a devout petitions for help in times of need, others Christian and had experienced many trials are songs of thanksgiving, and so on. in his life. He came and recited the same For anyone who was brought up in psalm and, in reciting it, his diction and this Western environment, there is one pronunciation were not so good, his voice particular psalm that every person was was soft and did not carry well, but the exposed to, probably even memorized — palpable sense of his union and complete the 23rd Psalm. It is a psalm of trust in the trust in this divine shepherd was so Lord, trust in the protecting influence of profound, that the entire room fell silent.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 7 A Path to Beauty When he finished, some responded by For our purposes as limited, unfolding crying, some by just shaking their heads, human beings, this kind of categorization and the only word they could say was is necessary. As highly as we think of our- “beautiful”. selves, probably we are not so advanced When we talk about beauty, I carry this as we imagine. Similarly, with beauty. In as my best approximation of a definition. today’s world beauty is considered in It does not define in terms of words, many different ways, but a good deal of but in the sense that there is an ever- what we regard as beautiful has been presence around us and accessible to us instilled in us through our culture, families, from moment to moment. Those moments and society. From the moment a soul oc- occur when we stand in that presence, and cupies a body, there is a process of imprint- it is not a matter of thought. When this ing cultural views on to that consciousness. man spoke everyone present found them- Anyone who is born into a family be- selves, at least momentarily, free from comes imprinted with the family genetics, their normal cycle of thought. We had religion, nationality, values, and so forth. been lifted to a doorway, and through it Along with these views comes the per- shown beauty itself. This is the nature of ception of those things which are beautiful. the experience of beauty. Definition is These do not necessarily transfer to other secondary. The experience is based on an cultures. For example, in the United omnipresence. It is not in any way separ- States, for the past couple of decades, the able from truth. With this recitation by the sense of feminine beauty has involved old man came a sense of power, of peace. extreme bodily thinness. In other parts of Often in our consideration of matters the world, fuller sorts of bodies are related to theosophical teachings, it is considered beautiful. For males in Korea not just convenient, but necessary that these days, perfect whitened, flawless skin we divide things into categories. So, for is a sign of the beauty of the moment. In example, in The Voice of the Silence we other places this idea of masculine beauty have the sevenfold enumeration of the looks odd. Buddhist pâramitâs, or perfections All around the world, for various (virtues): generosity (dâna), harmony reasons, wherever you find the brown (ºila), perseverance (virya), patience peoples of the world, there is always a (kshânti), indifference to pleasure and huge industry selling products to lighten pain (virâga), meditation (dhyâna), and the skin, trying to make themselves whiter. wisdom (prajñâ). We tend to focus on The world standard largely projected in them as if somehow they could be isolated this particular time, tends to say that the one from the other, but is it possible to whiter is more beautiful. People in the have generosity and not have wisdom, or northern climates try to get a tan. The to be patient and not have perseverance, or standards of beauty are very flexible, and to separate any of these from each other? really irrelevant to beauty and perhaps
8 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 A Path to Beauty destructive of our capacity to actually coming more and more of a luxury. HPB access the truly beautiful. wrote an article titled “Civilization, the Socrates said: “By beauty, all beautiful Death of Beauty”. The majority of people things become beautiful.” Beauty itself, in today’s world are living in urban not the particulars of the form, is what settings that generally have been planned gives the appearance of beauty to those with little thought for the natural world. things that we perceive. From the physical But there is something about the energetic perspective beauty is something that is patterns in Nature that are stabilizing. fragmented, where we are looking at That is why we always find ourselves people, places, and things, and deter- drawn to it. mining according to cultural values what If we were to look for a basic definition is beautiful. of Nature, it would be something like: In Western civilization we have some- “Everything except humanity and its crea- thing that has been called “the golden tions.” In the world of human creations mean”, or “the divine proportion”, or the rhythms and patterns that are available “the golden ratio”, which describes a in the natural world are subverted. They mathematical proportion that defines are irregular within the human-created beauty. Many feel that it is a universal and world. We feel this, and it is becoming a absolute standard. However, even this growing influence in the world today. standard does not apply to all cultures. In Additionally, from the theosophical point Japan, drawing out of the Zen tradition, of view, we are aware that there are other we have a philosophy of beauty called levels of intelligence that associate them- “wabi-sabi”. Basically, what it identifies selves with Nature and natural settings. as the beautiful requires things that are The devic kingdom lives and dwells in necessarily impermanent, incomplete, and areas such as these, which make them imperfect. The flower design that we have suitable for the encounter with beauty. on our Convention program this year is Those who have had mystical experi- drawn from that flower-arrangement ences feel a union with the Divine. Most tradition of wabi-sabi. So with items that of those experiences have occurred in are worn through use, their impermanence Nature in one way or another. In mystical creates a certain beauty that might not be traditions of the world, just as truth tends there otherwise. In this tradition the strict to be the focus for the Theosophical ap- symmetry of the Western “golden mean” proach, love and beauty tend to be the does not translate as beautiful. mystical approach. The desire to become So how do we access the beautiful that unified with the all-beautiful Divine is the appears in so many different ways? The goal of the mystic. In that process we have most present and immediate access that is had many great people throughout history provided to us comes through our inter- who have had that experience of union, action with Nature. It is unfortunate that who go on to become great healers and the natural world, for many people, is be- teachers for the rest of us.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 9 A Path to Beauty There is a lovely small book of more practical. The Cloud of Unknowing Christian mysticism written in the late 14th is a handbook for mystics. Perhaps not century — a book called The Cloud of all of us are drawn in that direction, but Unknowing. In it the anonymous monk still everyone desires beauty in their who authored it as a guidebook to the lives. A great inventor by the name of approach to the mystical union with the Buckminster Fuller was always thinking Divine, talks about two different phases something on the cutting edge. He made of this process. One is that through love the comment that: “When I am working one directs oneself toward the Divine. In on a problem, I never think about beauty.” his words: “By love, God may be gotten But he adds: “When I have arrived at a and held, but by thought, never.” So by solution, if it is not beautiful, it is wrong.” love one can approach the Divine, but Beauty must be a part of anything that is thought can rise no higher than the planes true; the two are inseparable. of mental activity. During World War II, in Vienna, In this process of approaching the Austria, there was a Jewish psychologist. Divine, what this anonymous monk He and his family were separated and describes is the “cloud of unknowing” that taken away to the concentration camps. we enter into. It is a cloud, an obscuring He never again saw his family. During the quality, that hides from us the presence four years that he spent in different prison of the Divine that we seek, but from the camps he wrote a book that has been directing influence of our love we are described as one of the greatest books of transported into its presence. In order to the 20th century. It is titled Man’s Search actually have the experience of the Divine, for Meaning by Dr Victor Frankl. He he says that there is a second cloud that was a psychiatrist and neurologist who we must generate for ourselves, the developed an approach to psychology “cloud of forgetting”. This second cloud called logotherapy. It became the third is that of withdrawing ourselves from our wave in psychology after Sigmund Freud involvement in our various thoughts, and Carl Jung. desires, friendships, and deeds that we The fundamental principle of his ap- have to do. In the yoga tradition this cloud proach is that we human beings require a of forgetting is referred to as pratyâhâra sense of meaning in our lives, and get that — the withdrawing of the senses from meaning in three ways, the first two of the objects of sensation. It is in this in- which are (1) from the work that we do, between space where we encounter and (2) from our sense of place. To many Beauty, or the Divine. people there are places that give meaning There have been great people who to their lives, such as their ancestral home have worked along this line, both inside or some sacred space. and outside of specific spiritual traditions. However, in the situation in which The method of approach can be made Frankl found himself, these two sources
10 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 A Path to Beauty of meaning were unavailable. Uprooted very much alive with Theosophy and able from his life and practice in Vienna, placed to speak to the younger generation (I was into the brutalizing and demeaning atmo- 19 years old). At that time a group of us sphere of the concentration camps the young people from all around the country normal range of choices was taken away somehow found our way to this man in — when to get up in the morning, what Chicago, and without being aware of it to eat, who he was going to see, or what started a theosophical community. profession he would pursue. In conditions Looking back at that experience that such as these it is a third category, in happened so many years ago, in many addition to a sense of work and place, that ways it was an experiment, not just with gives meaning to life: (3) the freedom and truth, but with beauty. This is because we will to choose, which never disappears. In found ourselves in a neighborhood in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, Chicago that at one time was grand, but we still have the inward capacity to choose. which had greatly declined over the years. He gives examples of how the will to Many people in the area were from dys- choose carried him through his time in the functional families, many buildings had concentration camps. One of the main been abandoned, and one-third of the land things that enabled him to survive the had vacant lots where homes used to be. horrific experience was his conscious We had come to that area to study Theo- choice to see beauty. He comments on sophy, but we also had the advantage of how one day he was eating his daily ration youth, and the boundless energy that of soup. It was far from nourishing and comes with it. described by the prisoners as “dirty Our group pooled the little money we water”. Looking into the bowl he found a had and bought the building next door, floating fish head. He contemplated that which was in bad condition. The very first fish head, the beauty of the scales, the way thing we did was we started to beautify: the eyes reflected light, and the shimmering where there had been no grass, we planted nature of the skin. Its beauty struck him it; where no flower had bloomed in years, as profound. He said that, as a prisoner in we planted flower gardens. Then we took a concentration camp, the beauty of art over some of the vacant lots; we started and Nature struck him as never before. to grow vegetables. The younger people There are always choices we can make. in the neighborhood started to notice this Mahatma Gandhi wrote an auto- activity and wanted to be a part of it. They biography called My Experiments with would ask questions about this “Theo- Truth. I like that title very much because sophy thing”. So we would work in the it speaks to the experimentation we are day, then at night we had classes on all engaged in. In my own experience, I Theosophy with these younger people. came to the Theosophical Society in Any place we could find something Chicago because I met a man who was that needed it, we took it upon ourselves
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 11 A Path to Beauty to beautify it. In that process of beauti- made to establish this coming higher fication, many lives were affected. Many order of being is that in various ways every young people in the neighborhood were such effort receives support and guidance having addiction problems, many suffered from higher sources. Without seeking it from a sense of depression that comes out, we were such a community in Chicago. with an inability to envision a positive If in our theosophical centers we do future. Many of these people would come not have some focus on beauty, then we to talk about depression and ask about also limit our focus on truth. It is very easy what they could do. Often we would put to reflect the view, to call people’s atten- a shovel in their hands and say: “Come tion to something beautiful that points to with us, we’re going to dig up this garden! the beauty that is behind it. In today’s Later we can talk about depression.” It is world there is a growing awareness of the surprising how a hard day of physical encroachment of the non-beautiful, the work helps one forget about depression! harmful, the non-life-affirming. Many of Many young people were affected and us feel ourselves powerless in the face of went on to have dramatic changes in their these things: “What can I do? I’m just one lives. And, really, it was all a result of the small person!” But there is not a person emphasis on beauty. among us who cannot make a beginning, Beauty is attractive, powerful. Just like who cannot choose to see beauty, and re- food, shelter, and love, it is an essential flect meaning in our surroundings, or in the need. When we think about what we can thoughts that we allow to course through do in the theosophical work, sometimes our minds. We have choices in those we limit ourselves unnecessarily. Often we matters as well, whether through action feel as if clothing these truths in words and or inaction we are solving, or contributing, passing those words onto someone else is to the problem. the basis of our work. Clearly, this has Right before us there is a path to the value, but the number of ways that we can beautiful. Right within us it is there, but it impact this world are as limited as the num- only becomes real as we exert the ber of things that we are capable of doing. necessary effort to bring it forward, to make I very much liked what Dr James Tepfer it known, to bring it into the world. said at the end of his talk when he was dis- At the beginning I told you that this cussing Gandhi and Theosophy. He said would be an inadequate narrative about that all over the world today small “eco- an inexpressible subject. I think that was communities” have formed —focused, an honest assessment, but hopefully it has magnetic groups which, consciously or not been without some value. I want to unconsciously, are rooting a new conscious- encourage you to beautify your lives, to ness on the planet by the example of their beautify this world. We have the capacity, living. One of the features of any effort and certainly there is a need. 3
12 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno
ANNIE BESANT
COME with me to Rome, to the Field of in the Campo dei Fiori, the “Field of Flowers, where now stands a statue of Flowers”, in Rome. Bruno, and then come with me backwards Hark! there is a roar, the roar of an through the centuries. angry mob — one of the most terrifying
It is 17 February, AD 1600. A great of sounds, human brutality set loose. The crowd is seething in an open space in an roar swells and swells, discordant yells and ancient city. A confused murmur of voices curses mingle with it. A procession has arises, and some words may be caught: entered by the road, a procession of “A cursed heretic.” “Serves him right.” monks, and it advances through the crowd “Burning too good for him.” “Obstinate along the guarded path. There is a break as a mule.” Monks slip about among the in the procession, and in the midst there people, stirring them to fury. As they pass are guards; within their circle, in a space from group to group, fists are shaken in left vacant that all may see it, a figure the air, clutching fingers are stretched out walks alone. Tall and spare from long as though to seize and rend. In the midst suffering is he, limping slightly, for he has of the crowd an open space is kept by known the torture of the rack; the face armed men, and in the centre of it rises a calm, but very pale from years of prison; high black pole. From the pole dangle the head held high with a touch of defiant fetters — a ring to clasp the neck, a larger scorn; tawny green-flecked eyes, steady one for the waist, others for the ankles; but weary, looking outwards as though at around it are heaped up faggots and some far vision, unseen by all save them; brushwood, and from a brazier nearby mouth set close and firm, curving into a leap up flames, pale in the sunlight. Necks grim smile and turned away as a monk are craned in expectation; faces are turned pushes against it a crucifix of iron; clad to the corner of the space where a road in a hideous robe, with lurid flames opens into it — a road from which a path and grinning devils, ill-painted, grotesque is kept, leading direct to the centre through and abominable, but powerless to destroy the crowd; expectation rises high. We are the dignity of the form it clothes. It is
Dr Annie Besant was the second international President of the Theosophical Society from 1907 to 1933. Excerpts from her book, Giordano Bruno — An Apostle of Theosophy.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 13 Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno. It is the Nolan, going to known it, they would have said was not so his death. well. Presently he began to ask questions The guards chain him to the stake; he — unnecessary questions, troublesome stands there, with back against the pole, questions, very soon dangerous questions and head upraised, gazing into the — and that, said the monks, was very ill. illimitable expanse of space. The flames And then — wickedness — he began to flash up; a cloud of smoke upraises and write, and his caustic wit, at which they hides the strong calm face. Within that pall had so often laughed under the trees in of smoke the martyr dies, but the life has the still evening, was turned on them, and left the frame ere yet the flames have there were gibes, and mockeries, and scorched it and he has gone home — taunting nicknames, and at last, horror of home to the Master he adores, home for horrors, sheer blasphemies. Quick, send short respite, for brief rest, ere he takes off word to the Inquisition to send some again a body, and returns to the work he of its Familiars to crop the wings of this loves. The message he proclaimed in the young eagle, beating against the bars of sixteenth century is ringing through the the monkish cage, where only was wanted world in the twentieth. For he taught the the useful domestic fowl. Ancient Wisdom; he brought to the Giordano Bruno heard of the coming western world the message of Theosophy, Inquisitors, and, having no mind to Messenger from the White Lodge. submit himself to their tender mercies, Filippo Bruno, later called Giordano, over the wall of the monastery he slipped, was born in the ancient town of Nola, near lithe and agile, and took the northward Naples, a place which had kept alive the road. With him was another young monk, memories of Pythagoras, and was a cradle whom he loved as a brother, and who, in of Alexandrian Neoplatonic thought. turn, was tenderly attached to him. Many From his infancy he had imbibed those a light-hearted joke cheered the fugitives ancient teachings, and he grew up in their as they took the way to Rome, for both atmosphere. At the age of fifteen he were young, and both were joyous, and became a monk, and, on his taking the their hearts throbbed high with hope, as vows, he was given the name of Giordano, they faced the unknown future. From that that of a famous Dominican, for the day, until they captured him in Venice, monks were captivated by his brilliant the Inquisitors hunted him over Europe, intelligence, and regarded him as a future but never succeeded in laying a hand upon pillar of their order. Poor monks! They him. Yet through all the many years of augured ill. journeying in Europe, his road led straight For some years the lad studied within to the Field of Flowers in Rome. the library of the monastery, and that, said First the young travellers went to Rome the admiring monks, was very well. But itself — a foolish visit — and soon had to the lad also observed, and that, if they had flee from the Sacred City. Then to Noli, a
14 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Giordano Bruno little northern town — not to be confused Henry III, the King at the time, also lost his with Giordano’s birthplace — and tried changeable heart to the eloquent Italian, to gain their living by teaching. Here and some bright days of Court favour Giordano picked up a lad, one of his followed. But alas, when a professorship scholars, who conceived for him a most was offered to him it was coupled with passionate attachment, and the boy, when the obligation to attend mass, an obligation his master turned northward, clung to him, which Giordano would have none of. declaring vehemently that he would follow Gloomy King Henry, a bigoted Catholic, him whithersoever he went, were it even frowned on his rebellious favourite, and unto death. And truly it was to death the gathering storm warned the heretic to he went, the gallant boy. For the three betake himself out of its range. To England, travelled to Geneva, where the stern Calvin ruled by Protestant Queen Bess went he, had established a religious despotism, and formed a warm and lasting friendship cruel as that of Rome, so that, ere long, with noble Sir Philip Sidney, the pattern threatened by the city authorities, headed of knightly honour. But he went alone, by the equally ruthless Beza, it was for the friend who had fled with him from thought well that, once more, they should his Italian monastery remained in Paris, slip over a wall and flee away. To Lyons lured by the bribes of royal favour and they went, and then to Toulouse, and in safe protection, and the warm heart of Toulouse the Noli lad found his fate. Bruno received a deadly stab ... For the Inquisition captured him, when Presently, even England became too he chanced to be away from his friends, hot for the heretic, and in 1586 . . . once and its terrible tortures racked the boy, more was Bruno a wanderer. . . . [After to force him to betray his master into many years, in] Frankfurt he betook him- their hands. self to publish his last works. And there Giordano made desperate efforts to find came to him the letter that lured him to out what had befallen him, but behind its his death . . . offering him protection and heavy iron-sheeted doors the Inquisition a home. The longing to return to Italy crouched over its prey. And the lad died, burned in the heart of the exile; . . . he smiling in his death-agony and loyal to turned his steps southward and . . . arrived the last, and thus won the right to work in in Venice. ... a future life with him for whom he died. Seized by the dark Familiars of the Northward to Paris went Bruno, sad at Inquisition, thrown into the gloomy prison heart, but soon he lost sadness by plunging cell beneath the level of the waves, he is into energetic work, capturing the hearts brought forth into the torture chamber, and of the Paris students, delighted with the bound upon the rack. .. . The slow turning contrast between his caustic wit and of the wheels strains the muscles well-nigh passionate fervour and the dry-as-dust to tearing; agony intolerable rends every lucubrations of their ordinary teachers. joint. But no word of recantation soils the
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 15 Giordano Bruno writhen lips, and at last, the tortured body, dust on the wheels of an advancing chariot. broken and torn, is cast, a senseless heap, Rapt in that vision, they see not the gauds on the damp floor of its dungeon. of earth; its prizes are valueless, its praises Eight years of prison follow — the last and its blame are but as empty air. They two lightened by renewed debate, for may have their hours of depression, their Rome sought to dishonour even more than agonies of loneliness, their nights of to destroy. How great her triumph, if almost despair. But they have but to open Giordano would recant, and return to the their eyes to behold the Vision Glorious, bosom of Mother Church. He is worn to a and ever in the depths of their Spirit there shadow with long imprisonment; his hair is peace untroubled and an unchanging is white, as the hair of an aged man. His joy. For they abide in the Eternal, and their limbs are twisted and bent. Surely his feet stand unshaken on that Rock. courage must be outworn, his high heart In these modern days the young citizen broken? Nay, his Master has been with need scarcely prepare himself for physical him in the dungeon, has stood beside him martyrdom, for the times have changed, in the torture chamber: “But a little longer, racks are mouldering, fires are quenched. son of mine, and you shall come home to But if he would be a leader, nonetheless me again.” The eyes are bright with must he cultivate within himself the heroic courage as he stands before his judges; qualities which make the martyr. Martyrdom at last, at last, the day of his freedom is now on a higher plane, the plane of the approaches, and the long fight nears emotions and the mind. He must live, not its close. Undaunted his mien; fearless die, a martyr. There are still ideals which his ringing defiance. The morning of his are worth martyrdom; there is still a service triumph at last has dawned, and, in a which demands the sacrifice of all the chariot of fire, he goes home. world holds dear. Fortune, fame, honour As we seek to place ourselves within in the world’s eyes, affection of family and the consciousness of such martyrs, we shall friends, respect of those we love, good ever find them inspired by some vast vision reputation — all that makes earthly life of the future, which transports them out fair and sweet: these, these are the gifts they of the trivialities of the present, and makes may pour out as libations in the service of all that the world calls precious but as the the Masters to the progress of man. 3
Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:44–47
16 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism
P. C. KESAVAN
Introduction: accuracy of the knowledge derived by It was about 11 to 12 thousand years occult power, instead of observations and ago that our early ancestors (Homo interpretations such as with Darwinism. sapiens) made a transition from food In 1859, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin gathering and hunting to cultivation of of Species states that small variations crops and domestication of animals for accumulating in organisms are acted upon milk, meat, and draught. It led to a settled by natural selection. The variations could lifestyle that provided leisure to indulge either enhance or weaken the ability of in a variety of creative activities such as organisms to adapt to a given ecological music, fine arts, sculpture, astronomy, niche; and “natural selection” results in science, and philosophy. Thus a great the survival and reproductive success of evolution of spiritual and cultural ethos individuals or groups best adjusted to their began and humans began to dominate all environment, which leads to their per- other species in the biosphere of the planet. petuation. The organisms which are not The question then is: What drove our adapted to a given environment reproduce ancestors to take to farming, and then to less and less, and finally become extinct. creative thinking, rather than be content Darwin did not know how the “variations” with just satisfying basic physical needs? in the heritable traits of organisms arose. The answer is “curiosity”. The urge was About the same time that Darwin had to know everything about themselves, and finished writing On the Origin of Species, about every animate and inanimate object Johann Gregor Mendel, in Brunn, then in around them. Besides observations and Austria, had enunciated the Laws of Inher- interpretations, a mystical power among itance in 1865. An important contribution a very few unearthed some of the great of Mendelism is that the contrasting pairs secrets of Nature. While Darwinism falls of characteristics, “alleles”, (say, a plant in the former category, occult chemistry with red flowers and another with yellow falls in the latter. Strange but true is the flowers) do not blend in their hybrids but
Prof. P. C. Kesavan is Emeritus Professor in M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai. Talk given at the International Convention, Adyar, 31 December 2018.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 17 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism segregate in their progeny. Also if a tall the sole responsibility accorded to the genes plant with red flowers and a short plant in inheritance and expression of traits and with yellow flowers is crossed, the hybrid elevated the Lamarckian thesis that ac- (the filial generation one or the F1) is quired characters (because of environ- largely a tall one with red flowers, showing mental influence) are inherited. Hence, the the dominance of these two traits over the present paradigm of original Darwinism is short stature and yellow colour. called “extended evolutionary synthesis”. However, in the subsequent progeny More rapid and even directed mechanisms derived by the self-breeding of the F1 of evolution were also discovered. hybrid, there are the tall plants with yellow flowers and short plants with red flowers. Evolution of a living cell and its codes The switchover of the traits is called The universe is said to have been a “recombination”. The Mendelian laws sudden “creation” sometime between 16 unfortunately remained obscure for about to 19 billion years ago. Our solar system thirty-five years until their rediscovery in with its planets, including Earth, is about 1900. A few years later, in 1902, another 4.5 billion years old. Since it has taken evolutionary tool, mutation, was dis- about 11.5 to 14.5 billion years for the for- covered. This is the sudden departure from mation of the solar system, it is plausible the parent type in one or more heritable that an evolutionary process followed. characteristics caused by a change in the The earliest unicellular living organisms genetic material. It could be a very small appeared about 3.0 billion years ago in change (point mutation) or a major one the ocean that is best described as the involving structural or numerical change “primeval soup”. Such a long time taken in the chromosome complement of the possibly denotes an evolutionary rather organisms. It is unfortunate that Darwin’s than an instantaneous, creative process. treatise preceded the discovery of the The fact remains that theological inter- major mechanisms to create variation. pretations of the origin of life by divine With the integration of the new know- creation preceded the scientific reasoning ledge (recombination and mutation), which started in the 19th century by Jean- the original Darwinism became “Neo- Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829), Charles Darwinism” or “Modern Synthesis”. The Darwin (1809–1882) and Johann Gregor 20th century witnessed tremendous ad- Mendel (1822–1884). As against a vancement of genetics and cytogenetics postulate of God’s creation of all species (study of chromosomes which carry the within a remarkably short time, Darwin genetic material along with proteins). In suggested a far slower, evolutionary pro- particular, the roles of environmental influ- cess in which small variations accumu- ences and epigenetics in the control of the lated over long periods of time and these expression of genes were greatly elu- variations could either enhance or dimin- cidated. These findings somewhat reduced ish the organism’s adaptive capacity in a
18 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism given environment and ecological niche. studies, DNA from the bacteria caused It is at this point that “natural selection” the disease in mice; however, when the acts upon this welter of new forms and same DNA was first heat-inactivated and favours the survival and multiplication then injected into mice it did not cause by reproduction of those best-adapted the infection. So, the genetic material is (“fittest”) to the local ecological con- surely DNA. ditions. Those that are not adapted to the The next question was about the prevailing niche are disadvantaged with structure of DNA,which is so designed to increasingly diminishing reproductive fulfil its obligation of self-replication and capacity and hence the population dies out. “transcription” of information to initiate In the social context, the phrase “survival and control various biosynthetic activities of the fittest” could imply that the rich and in a cell (cells, in multicellular organisms). influential people are better adapted to Advances in physics and chemistry, parti- survive in times of calamity (such as cularly in the realm of tools and tech- famine) than the poor and the deprived. niques, helped to elucidate the structure This in fact is true. Darwin did not of DNA. explain how the small variations occurred DNA has a double-helical structure and in the organisms. In his time, the nature its major feature is the four-lettered of the genetic material had not been alphabet, each letter a nucleotide with one known, and more particularly, he pro- of the four different bases, such as adenine bably was not aware of the Laws of (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine Inheritance enunciated in 1865 by his (T). These, in groups of threes called contemporary Johann Gregor Mendel. “codons” or “triplets”, carry the infor- With the rediscovery of Mendelian Laws mation in codes for selecting a specific of inheritance in 1900, and the discovery amino acid. With four different letters 64 of “mutations” in 1902, the mechanisms triplets could be formed; so the genetic of the origin of variations were under- vocabulary has 64 words having infor- stood. The evolutionary biologists incor- mation to pick specifically one of 20 amino porated these findings into “Darwinism”, acids to biosynthesize various proteins. For and the refined version was christened as example, a codon or triplet “GCC” delivers “Neo-Darwinism”, or “Modern Synthesis”. information to pick the amino acid glycine. From the 1950s to 1990s, advance- James Watson and Francis Crick won ment in genetics and cytogenetics was the Nobel Prize for elucidating the struc- truly remarkable, without a parallel. First, ture of DNA. It involves chemistry and that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the physics. But, they had no clue as to how genetic material was unequivocally es- specific “information” is infused/coded in tablished by 1945 using what are called the triplets. At this point it should be noted the “transformation experiments” with that “information” is neither matter nor bacteria which cause pneumonia. In these energy. It is an output of consciousness.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 19 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism As of now, science has nothing at all to who worked with corn/maize) are a part explain the source and structure, if any, in the cell’s tool box for reengineering its of consciousness. Thus, DNA codes re- own DNA for rapid adaptation. Roughly main a mystery. 20 percent of differences between humans No one knows “who” “created” the and primates exhibit massive rearrange- DNA codes and the four-lettered alphabets ment of blocks of DNA via transposition. which contain two purine and two Bacteria develop antibiotic resistance not pyrimidine bases. This is where an “in- only by a slow and gradual process of telligent design” is clearly observed. In random mutations and natural selection fact, a living cell itself is a product of but also by horizontal gene transfer. evolution by design; the evolution here A class of living organisms called is not necessarily a product of random “lichens” are formed by the combination mutations acted upon by natural selection. of algae and fungi in symbiotic relation- For example, many organelles such as ship. The lichens represent “cooperation mitochondria and chloroplasts possibly and survival”, instead of “competition and did not “evolve” within a eukaryotic cell survival of the fittest” as in Darwinism. (with a clearly defined nucleus), but have Many agri-horticultural crops also are the been incorporated from other cells and evolutionary products of crosses between unicellular organisms. two or more different species and doubling of the chromosomes in the hybrids. For Evolutionary processes beyond random example, the two forms of wheat (the mutations and natural selection “durum” for making porridge or South At the outset, it is emphasized that the Indian “uppuma”, and the “aestivum” for rich biodiversity of fauna and flora which making unleavened bread and “chapattis”) form the “biosphere” are the products of neo- have originated through interspecific Darwinism plus various other cataclysmic hybridisation and “polyploidization” of rearrangements within the “genome” (en- distinct goat grasses. This is a much faster tire genetic complement of a cell/organism) evolutionary process than random muta- and symbiogenetic processes. One of these tions and natural selection. While the evo- is the process known as “transposition”. It lutionary processes in the origin of culti- involves rearrangement of the sequences vated wheat have been elucidated based of the bases in a genome. For instance, if on known science, what is not known is a certain original sequence of the genes, “who” directed the goat grasses to become say “ABCDEFGHSYZ” is altered by inver- a major cereal crop and “why”. sion as “ABCDZYSHGFE”, it drastically changes many traits of the organism. The Intelligent Design vs. Darwinism elements called “transposons” (originally Despite significant enhancement of referred to as “controlling elements” by convincing data on accelerated and pos- the Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock sibly more directed mechanisms of evo-
20 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism lution and origin of species, there are real (1996), Michael Behe points out that gaps too; the existing tools and techniques “irreducible complexity” in biological sys- in elucidating “evolutionary gaps” have tems suggests that Darwinism (random their own inadequacies and limitations as variations accumulating over long periods well. Under these circumstances, the reli- of time followed by natural selection) ance on “creation” dominates. The other could not have put together all the neces- interpretation is “intelligent design”. A sary parts in a very short time. The example group of scientists of the “Discovery Insti- cited by him is the bacterial flagellum with tute” based in Seattle, USA
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 21 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism “punctuated equilibrium”. It says that of the Universe, the galaxies, the solar sys- evolutionary progress hovers near zero for tems with planets and satellites are a long periods of time, and then suddenly complete mystery. The origin of Earth’s makes huge forward leaps. For example, biosphere is also a mystery. life forms appeared on Earth about 3 bil- lion years ago, then for 2 billion years, Reason and faith in science there were only simple forms of life, mostly Scientific reasoning does not neces- in the ocean. Then, rather suddenly, about sarily challenge faith in God. In fact 540 million years ago, the fossil records Charles Darwin acknowledged “creation” reveal a leap of unprecedented proportions by God (see S. Dilly, 2012, “Charles known as “Cambrian explosion”, in which Darwin’s Use of Theology in the Origin a massive expansion of life forms occurred of Species”, British J. for the History of in quick succession. This is noted as a Science 45, 29–56). Dilly wrote: “Several challenge to Darwin’s theory of gradualism. theological assertions are central to Darwin’s One view is that “Cambrian explosion” case. Darwin believed life was originally resulting in the sudden appearance of new created by a deistic God who created the forms of life supports the contention of Universe, then abandoned it to the out- Intelligent Design; there is no proof of it, working of fixed natural laws ever after.” though. On the other hand, evolutionary biologists suggest that the intermediary Spirituality in scientific endeavours forms might have been extinct, or else, the Today, science can be divided into one evolutionary pathway was not Darwinian, for developing technologies for economic but one that involved the rearrangement gains, and the other for understanding the of the cell’s own DNA (transposon), gene, universe, including life on Earth. In the and genome duplication, as well as epi- latter — the quest for truth — spirituality genetic control of gene expression. and faith are integral to science. That is The Discovery Institute has a gold mine why several great scientists were also be- in the “Cambrian explosion” and it should lievers in God. As early as 1543 Copernicus explore all possible scientific avenues stated: “Endeavour to seek Truth in all which might elucidate the “punctuated things to the extent permitted to human equilibrium” (Eldredge, N. and Gould, reason by God.” Max Planck (Nobel S. J., 1972, Harvard University, Models in Laureate in 1918 for quantum theory) Paleobiology (pp. 82–115), San Francisco, observed in 1931: “Both religion and Freeman Cooper). The observed “discon- science require a belief in God. For be- tinuous variation” in speciation certainly lievers, God is in the beginning, and for questions Darwinism, but it is not scien- physicists, He is at the end of all con- tific evidence either for sudden “creation” siderations.” Werner Heisenberg (Nobel or an “Intelligent Design”. It is no doubt Laureate in 1932 for the creation of one of Nature’s many secrets. The origin quantum mechanics) stated: “The first gulp
22 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Origin and Evolution of Species: Beyond Darwinism from the glass of natural sciences will turn species. He did assign the role of Creation you into an atheist, but at the bottom of to Almighty God. Later evolutionary bio- the glass God is waiting for you.” More re- logists elucidated many evolutionary path- cently, Stephen Hawking (2007) observed ways that are much simpler, faster, and that God created the integers. directed. As to be expected, there are still gaps in our understanding of the origin and Conclusion evolution of not only species but also of the Charles Darwin laid the foundation stone universe itself. These are in God’s domain of the science of the origin and evolution of and He is indeed the Intelligent Designer.
Our consciousness has two capacities. One is the capacity to accumulate, that is, to accumulate wealth, knowledge, virtues — whatever that may mean. It is a mind that is calculating, planning, trying to hoard. The other is the capacity to observe, to be aware, to learn, to explore — which is not cumulative. That is the outlook of one who says: “I am part of Nature, I am part of all this manifestation of life and I am a student, I have a consciousness that studies all this, that wants to learn about all this. I am not the master, the owner of all this, but I am like a student who is exploring and wanting to find out because I do not really know. I do not know what God is, I do not know what virtue is, I do not know what right action is. I hope to find out.” P. Krishna Education, Science and Spirituality
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 23 Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom
Meditation I am going step by step into what is meditation. Please don’t wait till the end, hoping to have a complete description of how to meditate. What we are doing now is part of meditation. Now, what one has to do is to be aware of the thinker, and not try to resolve the contradiction and bring about an integra- tion between thought and the thinker. The thinker is the psychological entity who has accumulated experience as knowledge; he is the time-bound center that is the result of ever-changing environmental influence, and from this center he looks, he listens, he experiences. As long as one does not understand the structure and the anatomy of this center, there must always be conflict, and a mind in conflict cannot possibly understand the depth and the beauty of meditation. In meditation there can be no thinker, which means that thought must come to an end — the thought which is urged forward by the desire to achieve a result. Meditation has nothing to do with achieving a result. It is not a matter of breathing in a particular way, or looking at your nose, or awakening the power to perform certain tricks, or any of the rest of that immature nonsense. ... Meditation is not something apart from life. When you are driving a car or sitting in a bus, when you are chatting aimlessly, when you are walking by your- self in a wood or watching a butterfly being carried along by the wind — to be choicelessly aware of all that, is part of meditation. Jiddu Krishnamurti The Book of Life
24 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation
DEEPA PADHI
IN the most comprehensive sense, con- Consciousness polarizes itself into a sub- sciousness is one, the plurality of which jective component as Cosmic Intelligence is inconceivable. It is unmanifested, (purusha) and an objective part as Cosmic eternal, infinite, and unqualified. In the Energy (prak·ti), and unfolds itself as the words of Annie Besant: universe with myriads of entities, living and non-living, animate and inanimate, Consciousness is the one reality ... it mobile and immobile. This universal follows from this that any reality found consciousness is only a portion of the anywhere is drawn from consciousness. Unbounded Absolute Consciousness. Hence, everything which is thought, Is. In the Hindu metaphysics as evident in That consciousness in which everything is, the three canonical texts (prasthânatrayi), everything literally, “possible” as well as namely, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad- “actual” ... we call Absolute Conscious- gitâ (BG) and the Brahma-sutras, cos- ness. It is the All, the Eternal, the Infinite, mocentric unity is strongly held as the the Changeless. (A Study in Conscious- basic Truth. “Sarvam khalu idam brahma”, ness, p. 29) meaning “Everything in this Universe Dr Besant uses the word “consciousness” is Brahman (Consciousness)”, says the as synonymous with “life”. Chhândogya Upanishad. The Gitâ says: The One Absolute Consciousness “Of all that is material and all that is creates the universe out of its own Will spiritual in this world, know for certain and when the Consciousness becomes the that I am both its origin and dissolution.” manifested universe, it becomes subject (BG, VII.6). to time and change. This manifested con- The universal consciousness, which sciousness is the universal consciousness, appears as reason and self-consciousness known as God or saguna brahman (the in us, lies dormant in the form of poten- Eternal with attributes). tiality in matter. H. P. Blavatsky (HPB) At the creative phase, the Primordial observes: “Occultism does not accept
Dr Deepa Padhi is international Vice-President of the Theosophical Society, Adyar, and President of the TOS, Odisha Region, India. Talk delivered at the World Congress in August 2018.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 25 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation anything inorganic in the Kosmos . . . . consciousness as well as the universal ALL IS LIFE, and every atom of even consciousness. mineral dust is a LIFE, though beyond Creation in the theosophical sense has our comprehension and perception ... .” two phases — involutionary and evo- (The Secret Doctrine, vol, 1, part 1, stanza lutionary. The former is one of progressive VII, sloka 5 (c), p. 248) materialization of the Cosmic Conscious- This one absolute principle is the ness and hence of monads, from the eternal source of all life, matter, and con- highest spiritual to the grossest physical sciousness in the universe. This implies field of energy. The latter, that is, the an absolute unity that underlies the mani- evolutionary phase, is one of progressive fested world and expresses itself in each spiritualization of the monads from the and every life form. Science now recog- grossest material to the subtlest spiritual nizes the unity and relatedness of all life state. The latter process of unfoldment of forms. To quote David Bohm, a renowned the monads is known as evolution. During physicist: “Ultimately, the entire universe materialization, consciousness is reduced . . . has to be understood as a single un- to six lower levels in which the monads divided whole, in which analysis into get deeply entangled, while during the separately and independently existing phase of spiritualization, it is the monadic parts has no fundamental status.” consciousness that guides evolution. It is Quantum theory forces us to see the the theory of involution which explains the universe not as a collection of physical potency and the promise of the evolution- objects, but rather as a complicated web ary direction leading to self-transformation of relations between the various parts of a and realization of Oneness of Life or unified whole. This fundamental unity Consciousness. underlying the manifest world is called Wisdom consists in the understanding by Bohm “the implicate order”. This and feeling of Oneness with all beings and implicate order corresponds to Universal things; it is an ideal to be achieved in one’s Consciousness, which is the divine ground lifetime. In the words of Radha Burnier: of all names and forms. Wisdom is not found merely through The essential nature of consciousness words, concepts or much reading. Speak- lies in merely being conscious or aware ing about brotherhood and discussing it of whatever exists or takes place in in intellectual terms is quite different relation to it. Animals and plants are from living it; only the latter leads to Wis- conscious but their consciousness is dom. ... Wisdom enables one to practise different from that of humans. Even the brotherhood which springs from the real- inanimate objects contain rudimentary ization of the indivisibility of life; while forms of consciousness. But conscious- the serious effort to live brotherhood leads ness in us has evolved to an extent where to Wisdom. The two are complemen- it is capable of understanding our limited tary aspects of theosophical work. (The
26 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation
World Around Us, section I, chapter 2, less universal essence, the light of everlast- article 2, p. 47) ing right, and fitness of all things, the law of love eternal. The more thou dost be- This is the ultimate in human develop- come at one with it, thy being melted in ment and only human beings have the its Being, the more thy soul unites with potentiality to achieve this end. that which Is, the more thou wilt become For the realization of Oneness of Life Compassionate Absolute. two attributes are essential — wisdom that is the understanding of the universal Compassion is the manifestation of consciousness or the Oneness as the tran- love. Like consciousness, love is uni- scendental ground of all existence, and versal and divine. It is a natural binding compassion for all. In fact, both wisdom force of the Universe. This is the reason and compassion go together. The Buddha why the ancient seers had conceived of underlines that the cultivation of true the Reality as sacchidânanda — sat mean- knowledge (wisdom) and compassion are ing Existence, chit meaning Conscious- the twin prerequisites of enlightenment. ness and ânanda meaning Bliss which is The Dalai Lama says: nothing but pure unifying love. It is not conceptual but experiential. According to Buddhism, genuine com- “Compassion” is defined by the Merriam- passion must have both wisdom and Webster dictionary as “sympathetic con- loving kindness. That is to say, one must sciousness of others’ distress together with understand the nature of the suffering from a desire to alleviate it”. It is not a single which we wish to free others (this is quality. It includes in itself many other wisdom), and one must experience deep virtues like kindness, love, tolerance, em- intimacy and empathy with other sentient pathy, non-violence, giving, selflessness, beings (this is loving kindness). and peace. Peace begins with a loving Wisdom (true knowledge) is some- smile, says Mother Teresa. It can spread thing intellectual relating to the left brain from the individual to the neighbourhood, to the country and to the world at large. and compassion is a highly developed Peace will prevail everywhere for just a emotion that relates to the right brain. smile. Love, peace, and compassion are These two are generally considered as words that signify unity. incompatible. But in reality, they are J. Krishnamurti often said: “You are complementary and are necessary for the world; the world is you.” From this self-transformation and realization of the unity or wholeness comes compassion oneness of Being. In The Voice of the which he explained as “Compassion is Silence, Madame Blavatsky says: compassion. It is not your compassion or Compassion is no attribute. It is the Law my compassion. Sodium is sodium, not of Laws — eternal Harmony . . . a shore- my sodium or your sodium. The moment
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 27 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation you say you are compassionate, you are loving care, and respect. They can never no more so, for a sense of separateness see the world with the utilitarian eyes of comes in, and compassion which flowers materialists, who view others (humans in a state of wholeness disappears.’’ The and non-humans) as objects to be used, Buddha taught compassion for all. Nirvana abused, or enjoyed. They are incapable is not to be sought by a Buddhist for him- of harming others or exploiting the weak, self alone, for that would be selfishness, or killing animals or ravaging a forest. but for all humanity. For they feel all creatures as parts of A well-known Sufi saint said: “If men themselves. wish to draw near to God, they must seek To be identified with all, one has to him in the hearts of men. To bring joy to live in and through it. One needs to live a single heart is better than to build many with other sentient and insentient beings shrines for worship, and to enslave one in order to cultivate the feelings of love, soul with kindness is worth more than care, and compassion. Life in the world setting free a thousand slaves.’’ The is not incompatible with the spiritual teachings of all major religions agree with life. What is incompatible with it is a the fact that compassionate service to all worldly life — “in the senses and of the life forms is essential for the realization senses alone”. Individual human beings, of the One Absolute Principle. The therefore, need to rise in conscious- Masters, saints, and mystics who live on ness above the physicality, that is the the planet are extremely compassionate, body and the separative mind, which as they see the self as abiding in all beings, create their false independent identity and all beings as abiding in the self. for worldly pleasures. In the late nineteenth and early 20th Today humanity is caught in an exis- century, there lived a great saint, Sai, in tential paradox. On the one hand people Shirdi, India who felt the lashes on his across states, nations, continents have own back when he saw a horse being been brought together by the wonders of whipped. On another occasion, he asked science and technology. One can phys- a lady to get some food for him as he was ically reach another part of the world feeling famished. When the lady came within a short span of time. One can with the food, he gave it to a dog that was watch things happening at distant places. barking at that time, and felt his hunger Though we live huddled together in a being satisfied when he saw the dog eat- small space called the “globe”, artificial ing the food. His deep harmony with all barriers have been built to divide human- creatures sprang from his union with the ity in the name of nationality, religion, very source of all beings. language, race, gender, status, and so on. To those who have realized the Whole, Though we have been forced to live to- the Oneness, everything is holy, and they gether, we are yet to learn and practise treat every form of life with compassion, how to live together with love, compas-
28 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation sion, peace, genuine concern, and respect perception of the reality. Needless to say, for each other. the mind and the mental constructs are From the spiritual standpoint, man is individual-specific because every indivi- expected to rise above to realize the unity dual follows their mind of evolution and underlying the diversity. The ancient occupies a particular rung in the evolution seers spelled out the necessity of ex- ladder. So when we perceive the world tending fellowship to flora and fauna, through our mind, it is our own world. even to the so-called inanimate objects, Thus, the mind which is supposed to give because every created thing and being us the true picture of reality becomes a partake of the same essence and are hindrance in the process of perceiving interrelated. The Upanishadic concept reality in its virgin state of Unity. of cosmic family (vasudhaiva kutum- Mind is not the ultimate agent of bakam) is both a social and spiritual knowledge; rather, it is made instrumental ideal to be lived. by consciousness, which is the ultimate But unless we are global in our mind- agent; the ultimate subject of all percep- set, global living shall remain as a mere tions and agent of all actions. But on utopia. The need is to bring about trans- account of blind beliefs, superstitions, formation in the core, shedding the rust mindsets, negative emotions such as and dross accumulated over it across so jealousy, selfishness, hatred, and so on, many years or lives. A change in the per- the mind gives us a fragmented, distorted ception, in the mindset of the individual picture of reality, of beings and things is urgently needed. This change is pos- all around. Therefore, before one starts sible through contemplation and contem- contemplation, the mind needs to be plative practices. Contemplation is aware- disengaged from its material alignment ness. It is constant watchfulness. Com- and made to move inward. This is known mitment is involved in contemplation. as pratyâhâra in Patanjali Yoga. Once the goal is fixed, one is committed In the next step, the mind needs to be to achieve it and generate a continuous focused on one thought or ideation of the process of thought in that direction. supreme consciousness or the Oneness of Contemplation is a means to self- Being. The process of contemplation transformation and broadening of the consists in the uninterrupted flow of mind frontiers of compassion. with that single ideation. These two steps “The mind is the great slayer of the are known as dhârana and dhyâna. With Real,” says HPB. Our understanding and continuous practice, this one thought perception of the world or reality around remains and other contents of the mind us becomes possible through the instru- fade away — get annihilated. As the sense mentality of mind. All knowledge in- of duality dissolves, what remains is only volves a mode of perception and a mode the Consciousness or the Oneness. Con- of interpretation. As is the mind, so is the templation, which starts as a conceptual
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 29 Consciousness, Compassion, and Contemplation practice, becomes experiential. The self yielding place to the new. Human society becomes aware of the Self. Sincere and needs a new meaning, a new dimension committed contemplative practices result to life and a new system. Practical Theo- in experiencing connectedness with all sophy fulfills this need. beings and things that culminate in the Practical Theosophy lays emphasis on union with all — the greater Self, or uni- contemplative practices with resolute will versal consciousness. When one is awake and steadfast commitment, which enables at a deeper level of consciousness, life is one to find the underlying connection and lived in a different dimension, whether it deeper affinity with other beings and is in the family, workplace, or social con- things. As a result, domination, intol- gregation. A perception of such unity nat- erance, and hostility shall make rooms for urally leads to a sense of harmony, sharing, equality, understanding, and compassion. serving, and loving. It is a dimensional The fragmented consciousness shall find shift in the way one perceives and experi- itself as integrated with the universal ences life. Today, the world is in a transi- consciousness, immanent in everything, tional phase. The old order is changing, microcosmic and macrocosmic. 3
Bibliography Annie Besant, A Study in Consciousness H. P. Blavasky, The Secret Doctrine David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order Radha Burnier, The World Around Us J. Krishnamurti, You Are the World S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy C. B. Satpathy, The age of Shirdi Sai
Consciousness is “life becoming aware of its surroundings”. From the primary unit of “feeling”, Consciousness is differentiated into its three aspects — will, wisdom and activity — repeating in miniature the cosmic process in which the triple Divinity ever arises from the One Existence. Annie Besant A Study in Consciousness
30 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Grow as the Flower Grows — II Grow as the Flower Grows — II
NANCY SECREST
THE second pillar of Theosophy, me- others such as loving-kindness, or Metta ditation, can also help us to develop the meditation, we attempt to open our hearts qualities we need to enter the Path. and develop compassion for ourselves and Through meditation we can gain the sense others. Silent meditation on the breath, of calmness and serenity we need to deal some object, or a teacher or other who with the adverse situations that life brings inspires us leads us toward “no thought”, to us. We can learn how to deal with and or emptiness or universal consciousness. maybe even understand difficult people. A. H. Almaas, in Diamond Heart, It has been my experience that if I enter Book Two, p. 19, says: meditation holding a person with whom To see consciousness in its purity is to I am having difficulties in my mind, while experience what is called universal con- wishing for them their highest good, sciousness, to experience the mind as pure remarkable things can happen. consciousness. When you experience the The first time I tried this a beneficial mind as consciousness, it is also know- thing happened for the person with whom ingness, the very element of knowing. I was having difficulties that also took ... It is difficult to describe what universal them out of my life. I was delighted for consciousness or what the mind as con- myself and happy for them as well. That sciousness means, because there are no had worked so well that I tried it again thoughts in it. The moment there are when another difficult situation presented thoughts, the content separates you from itself, and the thought of how to resolve the consciousness. the situation came to mind. The third time I tried this method I saw that it was my Because of this we must experience uni- own behaviour that had caused the pro- versal consciousness to know what it is. In universal consciousness, Almaas goes blem, and I changed it. on to say (p. 20): There are many methods of medi- tation. Through some we concentrate on There is no experience, no experiencer, gaining insight into ourselves. Through no self. . .. the elimination of separateness,
Ms Nancy Secrest is international Treasurer of the TS, Adyar, and international Secretary of the Theosophical Order of Service. Based on a lecture given at the European Congress in August 2017.
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 31 Grow as the Flower Grows — II
the elimination of discrimination. There eruptions of the world. Once the Higher is complete non-differentiation. There is Ego is reached, the knowledge that the Laws no separation, no two, and no thought that and Powers which govern the universe there is one. are infinitely wise becomes instinctive, and peace in the midst of outward throes Is this the Soul-Wisdom of which is inevitable. (pp. 58–59) The Voice of the Silence by H. P. Bla- vatsky (HPB) speaks? It is quite likely So it is the feeling of an inward calm, a its source. Where do we find it? How lack of concern that lets us know we are do we develop it? We have already said moving toward Soul-wisdom, that we have that we must go beyond the intellect. That touched upon universal consciousness. we must have the courage to consciously We feel a peace that outward events seem change ourselves on the emotional and not to touch. As with the unconscious- mental levels of our being, and that medi- ness of activity inherent on the physical tation can help us to reach the buddhic level of our being, the spiritual level level, the next level of our human cons- moves and grows unconsciously as well. titution. Once one aspires to attain Soul- It is our job to work ceaselessly toward wisdom he or she realizes that, as it says Soul-wisdom by consciously addressing in Annie Besant’s Compilation, The our inward nature, thereby altering and Doctrine of the Heart: improving what we think, say, and do in our lives. But the spiritual growth itself The interest that we have in all the affairs happens whether we are aware of it or of this elusive sphere belongs only to the not, usually not. Whole-hearted devotion emotions and the intellect, and cannot to this process is required of those on the touch the Soul. So long as we identify Path as well as trust that our efforts will ourselves with the body and the mind, the bear fruit, that we will gain, to which vicissitudes which overcome the Theo- HPB herself aspired, “the exalted goal of sophical Society, the dangers which threaten Self-realization, that freedom of the Self its life or solidarity, must have a depress- which is the crown of human existence.” ing, nay, sometimes almost a frenzied influence upon our spirits. But as soon as How can the Self be freed? One of we come to live in the Spirit, to realize the my teachers once said that “Love is the illusory nature of all external existence, the realization of Unity”. The terms Unity, changeful character of every human orga- Universal Consciousness, and Oneness nization, and the immutability of the Life seem, to me, to be interchangeable. So within, we must, whether the brain con- we might say, as the Beatles said: “Love sciousness reflects the knowledge or not, is all there is.” feel an inward calm, and unconcernedness, Universal Consciousness, as Universal as it were, with this world of shadows, and Love, is an expression of the harmony remain unaffected by the revolutions and of all that is. There is no conflict because
32 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Grow as the Flower Grows — II it contains no parts, no divisions, no When we think of helping the world, of separateness. It is pure consciousness being brothers to all, we should remember devoid of any thought or anything to rub that the world means also the unwanted up against. There is nothing to judge, who knock at our door at an inopportune nothing to weigh or measure, nothing to moment, the people whom we may dislike be prejudiced against nor biased toward, for some reason, physical or mental, those nothing to fear. It is pure love, a love that whose appearance or ways may be dis- accepts and encompasses everything and agreeable to our tastes, and those whom everyone impartially as a totality. If we we might be ashamed of, if we were of are fortunate enough to touch this con- that company. sciousness, even for a brief moment, we Service, the third pillar of Theosophy, know that nothing else exists. There is can be seen as the point of balance no I, no ego, no personality, only pure between study and meditation through consciousness, only pure love. which we can give energy to HPB’s We have spoken about the benefits of concepts of self-responsibility, ethics and using the first two pillars of Theosophy, altruism. Service is that part of the triad study and meditation, to help us develop which allows us to demonstrate the divine the Soul-wisdom that carries us along the in the world. Through selfless service we path to universal consciousness. We have help to heal suffering humanity. We draw said that meditation can take us to the bud- attention to the woes of the world, and dhic level of our being where we go beyond lead by example in the effort to ease suf- thought. Through our buddhic nature we fering and right wrongs. In the process, also experience the generation of uni- we help ourselves. We grow spiritually versal compassion, which helps us to as we become more and more open to identify with those who suffer and instils seeing the unity of life wherever we look. in us a desire to help. Service can manifest itself as simple acts According to Buddhist teaching com- of kindness performed by an individual passion is the very essence of a spiritual or a group, or as larger and more organ- life, and the main practice of those who ized efforts. It can be aimed at family have devoted their lives to attaining en- members, a neighborhood, a community, lightenment. We have talked about watch- a country, a gender or other class of peo- ing our thoughts, words, and actions in ple, or at animals, and even the planet. relation to others and the circumstances I recently attended a talk given by in which we find ourselves. We must be a TS member. She spoke of living a ever vigilant if we are to tread the path to spiritual life. She talked about self- universal consciousness. We must not responsibility, ethics, and altruism, themes limit our self-improvement to those peo- that ran through HPB’s works. In fact, she ple or circumstances that are pleasing to said that these qualities are necessary for us. In the words of N. Sri Ram: spiritual unfoldment, which she said is our
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 33 Grow as the Flower Grows — II goal, and that “Theosophy is altruism”. laborers, and against child labor. She In fact Blavatsky said: was even jailed for doing so. He who does not practise altruism; he who The First Object of the TS speaks of is not prepared to share his last morsel with universal brotherhood, and in February a weaker or poorer [man] than himself; he 1908 Annie Besant founded the Theo- who neglects to help his brother man, of sophical Order of Service in response to whatever race, nation, or creed, whenever members who wanted to put this concept and wherever he meets suffering, and who into action in their daily lives. The TOS turns a deaf ear to the cry of human mis- fosters a practical living application of ery; he who hears an innocent person theo-sophical principles, and is a way slandered, whether a brother theosophist to demonstrate and practice the oneness or not, and does not undertake his de- of all life. The giving of our time, talents, fence as he would undertake his own — energy, money, advocacy and moral is no theosophist. (Lucifer, vol. I, p. 169) support to those in need is based on compassion and on the acceptance of our Later these words, from Annie Besant, tied together Blavatsky’s altruism, already responsibility toward those with whom we a high ideal, with the sense of Oneness are One. Our TOS motto, “A union of alluded to in the Society’s First Object those who love in the service of all that by saying: suffers”, reminds us of our commitment to the Oneness of All Life. The spiritual man must lead a higher life Even before the TOS was formed, the than the life of altruism. He must lead the TS was no stranger to altruistic action, life of self-identification with all that lives working for the benefit of others, lead- and moves. There is no “other” in this ing the way toward improvements in peo- world; we are all one. Each is a separate ple’s lives. In a talk given in 2014 Diana form, but one Spirit moves and lives in all. Dunningham Chapotin reminded us: Acts of altruism and compassion ran through Blavatsky’s and Besant’s lives. What is interesting, though, is that in those The story of HPB feeling compassion for days the collective action of the members a young woman with children who could and their leaders actually caused the public not afford a ticket to board the ship HPB to associate the TS primarily with social was sailing on, is well known. She ex- reform. Early Theosophist magazines con- changed her first-class ticket for steerage tain scathing commentaries on all kinds class tickets for herself, the woman, and of social, educational, political and reli- her children so that they might travel too. gious abuses of the time. . . . When Col Besant was a social activist long be-fore Olcott appeared on theosophical platforms she was even a member of the TS. She around the world, he did not lecture prin- worked for many social causes, such as cipally on metaphysics; he dealt mostly better working conditions and wages for with such subjects as religious freedom,
34 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Grow as the Flower Grows — II
education for girls, cremation, and agricul- and thorny” road, telling us over and over cultural reform, which may seem innocuous again what to do and how to do it, verbally, to us but at the time they were controversial. in their writings, and by the way they lived their lives. It is up to us to listen, to pick For Mrs Besant and her fellow pioneers, up on the nuances, to emulate their such as Col. Olcott, William Quan Judge, examples. It is up to us to see and under- Isabel Cooper-Oakley and Countess stand that Theosophy is not just head- Wachtmeister, TS life and social respon- learning, not solely study for the sake of sibility were part of an indivisible whole. learning facts and concepts. Can we really Some say that when Mrs Besant cre- learn concepts, know and understand ated the TOS in 1908 it was to give an them, without putting them to use? We independent organizational focus for com- must live what we have learned. We must munity involvement, but, if this was the meditate on difficult concepts and ideas case, in practice little distinction was until we understand them, not just with made between the work of the TS and the our heads but with our hearts and souls TOS. Not much has changed today in that too. We must put into action that which regard. Many of our members, whether we have learned. We must develop Soul- individually, through the TS, or as mem- wisdom if we are truly to tread the Path bers of the TOS give selfless, compas- that leads to Universal Consciousness. sionate service to those in need. Within For us as theosophists the Path to Uni- the TOS such service is given not just versal Consciousness is a blend of con- from a humanitarian perspective, as it is scious study, meditation, and service in many other service organizations, but that requires courage, a purity of life, con- from the conscious perspective of the stant effort and devotion to the “work”, theosophical world view, knowing that to gain unconscious spiritual growth. those we aid are part of the Universal We must grow as the flower grows. As it Brotherhood of humanity, the Unity, the says in The Doctrine of the Heart: Oneness, Universal Consciousness. As Keeping serene and passionless, there is Besant said, the spiritual person “must no doubt that, as the days pass by, one is lead the life of self-identification with all coming more and more within that influ- that lives and moves. There is no ‘other’ ence which is the essence of life, and some in this world; we are all one.” day the disciple will be surprised to find he Clearly Blavatsky, Besant, and others has grown wonderfully without knowing understood universal consciousness, uni- and perceiving the process of growth. For versal love. Their lives prove it as they truly, the soul in its true blooming “grows were shining examples of selflessness, like the flower, unconsciously”, but gain- generosity, and knowledge gained through ing in sweetness and beauty by imbibing such experience. They trod the “steep the sunshine of Spirit. (pp. 73–74) 3
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 35 Dr A. Kannan Dr A. Kannan
PEDRO OLIVEIRA
the Convention, on 31 December, with Dr Kannan present. He was born on 19 February 1924. He obtained a doctorate in Chemistry from Bombay University and specialized in the chemistry of foods, drugs, and water. He did his postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota at St Paul in Dairy Chemistry. Later on he worked as a Public Analyst at the National Dairy Institute, Bangalore, and at the Delhi Municipal Corporation. Dr Kannan’s background as a scientist led him into a distinguished career of service to the TS. At the invitation of N. Sri Ram, the fifth international President On 3 January 2019, on the fourth day of the Society, he moved with his family of the 143rd International Convention of to Adyar, the TS International Head- the Theosophical Society (TS), the inter- quarters, in December 1964. There he national President, Mr Tim Boyd, an- started the Theosophy-Science study nounced that Dr A. Kannan had just group, for which he was also the con- passed peacefully at his home in Adyar. vener. He was the editor of Theosophy, A ripple of surprise and shock went Science, and Yoga and the Bulletin of through the assembled delegates. His Theosophy and Science, as well as the latest book, A Students’ Guide to the journal Holistic Science and Human Masters’ Teachings, in two volumes, Values, which sought to “bring about a published by TPH Adyar, had been re- holistic awareness and commitment to leased by Mr Boyd at the opening of spiritual values”. He was the author of
Mr Pedro Oliveira is Education Coordinator for the TS in Australia, former international Secretary, and later Head of the Editorial Office at Adyar.
36 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Dr A. Kannan books such as The Impact of Theosophy what one had to say, and always nou- and Science and The One Life and Func- rishing a sense of humour. His earnest tional Forms. dedication created a field of inspira- Dr Kannan’s work as a National Lec- tion around him, almost visible to the turer for over 50 years caused him to naked eye. travel throughout India, conducting study The Indian Section of the TS and the classes and giving talks and lectures. He Theosophical Society as a whole lost a was greatly respected and admired among truly great “Theosophist”. If we would TS members not only for his commitment apply H. P. Blavatsky’s definition of this to Theosophy, but also for his gentleness word in the little book Practical Occult- and capacity to listen. After Human Re- ism, Dr Kannan would pass with fly- generation came out in 1990, by former ing colours: international President Dr Radha Burnier, on the essential work of the TS, he utilized It is easy to become a Theosophist. Any the central ideas in it for his several study person of average intellectual capacities, classes in India. and a leaning toward the metaphysical; As mentioned in his A Students’ Guide of pure, unselfish life, who finds more joy to the Masters’ Teachings, Dr Kannan in helping his neighbour than in receiv- supervised the work of the Esoteric School ing help himself; one who is ever ready of Theosophy and Co-Freemasonry Of- to sacrifice his own pleasures for the sake fice. Whenever one visited him in the of other people; and who loves Truth, Theosophy-Science Centre at Adyar or Goodness, and Wisdom for their own at his home, one could not help feeling sake, not for the benefit they may confer that he was inwardly alive, interested in — is a Theosophist. 3
“Life, after all, the greatest problem within the ken of human conception, is a mystery that the greatest of your men of Science will never solve. In order to be correctly comprehended, it has to be studied in the entire series of its manifestations; otherwise it can never be, not only fathomed, but even comprehended in its easiest form — life, as a state of being on this earth. It can never be grasped so long as it is studied separately and apart from universal life.” KH The Mahatma Lettters to A. P. Sinnett, Master Letter No. 23B
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 37 Theosophical Work around the World Theosophical Work around the World
Adyar The 143rd International Convention The International Youth Convention took place from 31 December 2018 to 5 was held at Adyar just before the start of January 2019 with several new features. the International Convention from 27 to The courtyard of the newly renovated 29 December 2018. A group of young Blavatsky Bungalow was the venue for members of the Theosophical Society the customary reception hosted by the (TS) gathered in Adyar to explore the International President, Mr Tim Boyd, “Yogic Life through Bhakti Yoga, Jñâna held on 31 December 2018 at 3.30 p.m. Yoga, Râja Yoga and Karma Yoga”. Each Delegates and guests gathered under the day began with a yoga session conducted shady canopy of the trees in front of the by a yoga teacher, Mr Arul Perumal. This historic building to catch up with old was followed by sessions on the four paths friends and make new ones from all over of yoga with interlaced, theoretical and the world. The following parallel sessions practical elements, and also discussions were held on two days, and elicited a which provided ample opportunity for good attendance: “Meditation Workshop” the exchange of views among the twenty- by Ven. Olande Ananda, “Sacred Spiritual five participants. Songs in Hebrew with English translation” Study walks were organized post lunch by Mrs Dapha and Mr Shmuel Koren, and to visit some of the important sites and “Chanting Workshop” in Sanskrit by Mr departments within the Adyar campus, Harihara Raghavan. such as Garden of Remembrance, various The Adyar Theosophical Academy shrines, Adyar Library, President’s office, (ATA), a proposed centre for transforma- Museum, and others. The days ended with tive education, held a two-day workshop cultural evenings, and a campfire on the during the Convention to explain to and last night. Participants from Argentina, update those interested in helping in the Brazil, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Eng- work of theosophical education for the land, Italy and all over India, were served young that is to be started. Some of the typical Indian food prepared by volunteers salient points are as follows. ATA will be from the Bangalore City Lodge, India, located in the Adyar campus in Besant which was appreciated by all. The pro- Gardens. The objective is to bring about gramme was conducted by members of individual as well as social transformation. the Karnataka Federation of the Indian ATA aims to prepare students for life in Section, who have been associated with all its dimensions, imparting wholesome the Society from a young age and have education in the true sense, with a vision studied the subject in depth. to educate and raise children to become
38 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Theosophical Work around the World
Opening of International Convention of the TS at Adyar Headquarters, 31 December 2018, with Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School students singing a prayer
International President Tim Boyd and Mrs Lily Boyd greeting Convention delegates in front of the Bhojanasala (Indian kitchen)
Vol. 140.5 February 2019 The Theosophist 39 Theosophical Work around the World
President Boyd releasing the two volumes of A Students’ Guide to the Masters’ Teachings by Dr A. Kannan, while congratulating the author during the International Convention. On each side of the President stand the author’s son and daughter, K. Jaikumar and K. Jaishree
Inauguration of the beautifully renovated Blavatsky Bungalow on 1 January 2019, with President Boyd greeting Convention delegates
40 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Theosophical Work around the World
Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Former Governor of West Bengal, giving the Besant Lecture, “Is Conscience Dead?”, on 3 January 2019
Bharatanrityam dancer during an evening dance recital program on 2 January 2019
Vol. 140.5 February 2019 The Theosophist 41 Theosophical Work around the World
Panel Discussion on “Our Work: A Field Beyond Thoughts”, with (fr. l. to r.): Mr Pedro Oliveira (Australia) as the moderator, Prof. C. A. Shinde (Adyar), Mrs Clemice Petter (Adyar), Mr Minor Lile (USA), and Ms Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu (France) on 3 January 2019
Question-and-Answer session with (fr. l. to r.): Mrs Linda Oliveira, General Secretary of TS in Australia; Mr Tim Boyd, International President; and Mr Vicente Hao Chin, Jr, former General Secretary of the TS in the Philippines
42 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 Theosophical Work around the World competent, well-balanced, emotionally Series I and II, compiled by C. Jinarajadasa. mature, socially responsible, morally up- They included an original transcript of the right, and spiritually sensitive individuals. Mahachohan’s well-known letter, letters The Academy will prepare students of advice from Masters M. and KH to a for the Indian Certificate of Secondary number of individuals associated with the Examination (ICSE), with English as the Theosophical Society in the 1880s, as language of instruction. The starting date well as letters to H. S. Olcott from the is planned for June 2019, with classes in Masters Serapis, Tuitit Bey, and Hilarion. lower and upper kindergarten, and Grades Also included in the display was the 1 and 2. It will have 20 students per class famous 1900 letter from Master KH to and a high teacher-student ratio to impart Annie Besant. It was not a handwritten quality education. Fear or competition will letter but text that was precipitated on a not have any place in the learning process letter in transit, which an Indian member, and will not be used as a method of control B. W. Mantri, had sent to Mrs Besant who or motivation in overt or subtle ways. was then in London. The letters contain ATA is looking for highly committed both profound wisdom as well as practical individuals with a diverse range of experi- advice. They not only express how con- ence. Students will have opportunities to cerned the Masters were with the work of widen their perspective by interacting the TS, but also how readily they could throughout the year with theosophists and identify motivations that went against the resource people from various countries. lofty purpose of the Society. The Masters The Academy invites passionate, com- communicated their concerns in direct mitted persons, with a deep interest in edu- and uncompromising language. cation, who like being with children and “Prominent People Associated with are in a learning mode themselves. Direct the Theosophical Movement” was the donations can be made to the TS Treasury topic of a display in the Adyar Museum, Office, marking it for “The Academy featuring important information on re- project”. nowned people who had a major influence The Archives organized a Mahatma on world history. The list included Letters Exhibition during the Conven- Thomas A. Edison, Albert Einstein, tion with the display of a number of Albert Schweitzer, Maria Montessori, original letters that have been published Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, William Butler Yeats and others. 3
He that performeth action as is duty, independently of the fruit of action, he is an ascetic, he is a Yogin. The Bhagavadgita
Vol. 140.5, February 2019 The Theosophist 43 mail.com @g [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] sociedadteosoficachile [email protected] [email protected] Email address [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] gentina Ar eosófica African Theosophist eosófica Chilena est eozófia eosofi eozofija eosofía en Le Lotus Bleu Gangleri T Adyar Ilisos T Revista T T Selección T Le Lotus Bleu Theosofi T Newsletter Sophia The Theosophical Light The Indian Theosophist Magazine The Light Bearer The South African Theosophist Theosophy in Australia The W Theosofie Adyar … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … hlkreis ü Alto) s (1405) Auckland é Aire ve, 09, A W aranasi 221 010 V ADOR estlands, , V Apartado 23 00926 02/ R W T .Lothbury SAL ironkatu 7 C 2, Fin 00170, , BC t., 106 71-Athens V A , EL ve, cnr Accra, Ghana A Agueda 1652 Les Chalet Col venue, No. 03-04 ancouver ves. 12–14, S.E. San Jos venue Centre, Singapore 387 603 A V A . 39, 93138 Lappersdorf A oukourestiou S treatley Theosophical Society V Helsinki San Juan Puerto Rico Estacion Central, Santiago Bagmari Road, Kolkata 700 054 SGAS Quadra 603, N. 20, UK BT52 1T Desa Purwodadi, Kecamatan 67163 Pasuruan, Jawa Timur CEP 70200-630 Brasilia (DF) North Mejia, Poligono, E-7 Mejicanos, San Salvador Sims Nairobi, Kenya Park, Johannesburg PO Box 91523 eosofinen Seura, 4 Square Rapp, 75007 Paris PO Box 1257 Ingolfsstraeti 22, 121 Reykjavik Hauptstr T 25 H-1085 Budapest, Horánszky u. 27. fsz. 10 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA Carrera 6, # 56-40, Bogotá (Chapinero Calle 38, Casilla 11 Sucursal Paseo Estacion, Place des Gueux 8, B1000 Brussels Siget 11, 10000 Zagreb, Republic of Croatia Pje. Florencio Balcarce 71, Buenos … Calle Santa 97 Mountsandel Road, Coleraine, # 12-1475 Deep Cove Rd. Apartado de Correos 6365, La Habana 10600 Dsn. Parelegi no. 21, R PO Box 14525. 00800, 540 Sims B/4-3, Iswarchandra Nibas, 68/1, Pasaje Jauregui No. 2255, La Paz The Address Colonia Universitaria Norte, Calle Julio Level 2, 162 Goulburn St., Surry Hills, NSW 2010 31 S Oberbaumgarten 25, 4204 Haibach im M PO Box 720, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Jr , I N T E R A O L D C Y
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44 The Theosophist Vol. 140.5, February 2019 .in.ua .org.nz [email protected] np@theosophy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] org@theosophy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] imbr enie eosofia [email protected] [email protected] pr eosófico isdom Africa. Email: idlös V eosoficheskoe Obozr eozofska Misel TheoSophia Theosofia The Sri Lanka Theosophist Sophia (The Theosophical Review) Sophia Rivista Italiana di T T T The Quest Heraldo T The Philippine Theosophist Or Circles T Svitoch The Lotus Osiris The Karachi Theosophist Búsqueda 70200-630 – Brazil. Email: Australia Email: … … … … … … … . … … … … … … … … … … … … , Lodge attached to Adyar p , CEP 1018 indsor E 2194, South treets, Örebro Auckland 1022 W , 14 A. Jinnah Road, abacalera T Amsterdam . 06030 Adeta region venue, Ascona A VM o, 10 B, 1150-202 Lisboa eyseer Services Company 76, ã ve. Orlando, Florida, treet, Concord, 2137, Sydney T v fica de Portugal, A , 48, S-702 29 treet, Epsom, ê ó Abidjan 23 Amorín 1085, ., BP äg , Manila alldoreix(Spain) , 85-87 ork , LL61 6NX UK eos Est , Moscow ficer Apto. 122 – Caracas .T icenza Presidential Agency V Y é T † V . Florentino and Iba S . 3924, Adda, Brynsiencyn, Llanfairpwll, A.R.T all d’or Miss Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu, 67 Rue des Pommiers, F-45000 Orleans, France. Email: .O. Box 2431, Doha V B. P Anglesey 08197 - Casilla de Correos 1553, Montevideo Piso 12, 36100 Mytischi Rua Jos San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-1766 P Maththegoda . iale Quintino Sella, 83/E, ia Collina 19, 6612 v Republica de Portugal 152, Breña, Lima 5 opougon, 23 Rue Princesse olsraat 154, 1074 Ulriksborgveien 10, 1533 Moss 18, Belvedere S Ignacio Mariscal 126, Col. Mexicana, Mexico, D.F T Bryn 2-C/60, Maththegoda Housing Scheme, Y Romualda a Socarrás, Edif. de Oro Javier Barrios V S.O., opp. Radio Pakistan, Karachi Sociedade Av 159-52, Novomytischinsky prospekt, Crewing Of PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60187-0270 32803-1838, USA Quezon City Apartado 36-1766 Correo General. Corner P PO Box 9114, Ramat-Gan, Israel 5219002 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QH Kajuhova UI 9, 3000 Celje V Office 3, 7-A Zhylianska St., Kiev 01033 1606 New Jamshed Memorial Hall, M. Carandayty 572, 1621, Asunción A Kalle Posts v … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . … … … … … … … … … … … … Chairman: g om Davis, 9 Ronean, 38 Princess ocieties: T Mrs Isis M. B. Resende, SGAS 603 conj. E s/n. Brasilia-DF Mr Mr Gerard Brennan, 42 Melbourne S Regional Association * orra Buron esident: orales T orstermans T Pr esident: V Pr Chairman: Angels Ana Maria Coelho de Sousa
Alexey Besputin Antonio Girardi Andreas Mikael Isber Mr John Mr Mr Enrique Sanchez Mr Wim Leys Mrs Julie Cunningham Mr M. B. Dassanayake Mr Pierre-Magloire Kouahoh Mrs Nelly Nouel Mrs Ema Ma. de Souza Leal Mr Mr Kouma Dakey Mrs Mrs Mr Mr Lijo Joseph Mrs Magaly Polanco Mr Rosel Doval-Santos Mr Abraham Oron Mr Stuart Trotter Mrs Irena Primc Mr Andrea Biasca-Caroni Mrs Svitlana Gavrylenko Mr Carl Metzger Mrs Isabel Dr Barbara B. Hebert Mr Julio Pomar Calderón Mrs Birgitta Skarbo … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … … … … … … … p p Theosophical Federation: p p Theosophical Federation: Theosophical Federation: to the date of formation ales * enezuela † ogo * New Zealand Norway * Mexico Netherlands, The W Sri Lanka † Ivory Coast * V Uruguay * Italy T Paraguay Portugal Spain Russia † Puerto Rico † Pakistan † Philippines, The Israel Orlando Qatar Scotland * Slovenia * Switzerland † Ukraine * USA Peru † Sweden -American ate refers 1896 1913 1919 D 1897 The Council of the European Federation National S 1922 1926 Inter 1997 Indo-Pacific Pan-African 1925 1925 1902 1997 1925 1921 1921 2013 1925 1948 1933 1954 1935 2012 1910 1992 1910 2013 1886 1924 1895
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