Text of Resolutions passed by the General Council of the Theosophical Society Freedom of Thought As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their re- spective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasize the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society, none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three Objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher, or writer, from H. P. Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his or her teachings or opinions on members. Every member has an equal right to follow any school of thought, but has no right to force the choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion held, or because of membership in any school of thought. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The Members of the General Council earnestly request every member of the Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise the right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof, within the limits of courtesy and consideration for others. Freedom of the Society The Theosophical Society, while cooperating with all other bodies whose aims and activities make such cooperation possible, is and must remain an organization entirely independent of them, not committed to any objects save its own, and intent on developing its own work on the broadest and most inclusive lines, so as to move towards its own goal as indicated in and by the pursuit of those objects and that Divine Wisdom which in the abstract is implicit in the title ‘The Theosophical Society’. Since Universal Brotherhood and the Wisdom are undefined and unlimited, and since there is complete freedom for each and every member of the Society in thought and action, the Society seeks ever to maintain its own distinctive and unique character by remaining free of affiliation or identification with any other organization. 2 THE THEOSOPHIST VOL. 142 NO. 2 NOVEMBER 2020 CONTENTS Inaugural Address to Dr Annie Besant’s Birthday Celebration 5 Tim Boyd A Houseboat Journey with HPB 9 Henry Steel Olcott Krishnamurti and Theosophy 14 P. Krishna and Radha Burnier The Yoga of Theosophy 23 Pablo Sender On True Friendship 29 James E. Tepfer The Seven Rays in Context 31 Rafael Marques de Albuquerque Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom 38 Books of Interest 39 International Directory 40 Editor: Mr Tim Boyd NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to: <[email protected]> Cover: “The Solar Universe is Born” by James Perkins, President of the TS in America (1945–60) and Vice-President of the TS Adyar (1961–71). From his Visual Meditations on the Universe, TPH, Wheaton, Ill., 1984. (More on the symbology of this image by the artist on p. 28 of this issue.) ___________________________________________________________________ This journal is the official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky on 1 Oct. 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. 142.2, November 2020 Inaugural Address to Dr Annie Besant’s Birthday Celebration Inaugural Address to Dr Annie Besant’s Birthday Celebration TIM BOYD ORDINARILY, on the 1st of October, across in such a pronounced way is her in Adyar we would have a meeting in the profound practicality. Many of us dream Hall at the Headquarters’ Building. Our dreams, and that is as far as it goes. She residents and some friends of the Theo- was a person who was able to materialize sophical Society (TS) would be in atten- those dreams in the physical world. dance, but that would be all. Yet, on this That is something for which she deserves day in 2020, due to what many think of great respect. as the negative circumstances of this All of us know something about Annie pandemic, we find a very positive benefit. Besant and the arc of her life. She was We have been forced to adapt to a tech- born in Ireland, and with her family she nology which is bringing us together in went to live in England. The early passion different ways globally. I am sure if in her life involved the Church. She was Annie Besant were alive today, this a deeply devout Christian in the first part would be a technology that she would of her life. From Christianity she went to be using to its utmost. Today I will only atheism and free thought, and was just say a few words, because we have other as deeply involved. From those, her view speakers who will add to the image of evolved to social activism and organizing this great soul. — the need to help the suffering people I have had the pleasure on numerous that she saw in the world. She ended up occasions to speak about Annie Besant as an avowed socialist. In the second half for extended periods, and it is remarkable of her life she embraced Theosophy and that however many times I revisit her life the life of the spirit. These are diverse, there is always some new facet of it that seemingly conflicting backgrounds that reveals itself. Today I would like to briefly you would not think would fit together focus on an aspect that is particularly into any one life, but for her it was a build- important to me about the way she lived ing process. By the time she arrived at her life. the phase where spirituality was so im- She was an idealist — a dreamer of portant, she had developed many differ- enormous dreams — but what comes ent skills that she brought to this work. Vol. 142.2, November 2020 The Theosophist 5 Inaugural Address to Dr Annie Besant’s Birthday Celebration Many of us know people whose ap- required for the development of a com- proach to the spiritual life seems to draw plete social network capable of impacting them away from addressing the respon- the world in positive ways. sibilities of shaping a better world at the Her TS work drew on an even more level of social and political institutions, expansive vision. She was focused on righting so many of the wrongs that exist the development of magnetic centers by in the world. Annie Besant’s approach creating “colonies” of individuals and was the opposite. She is quite well known families who, through their conscious for having said: “Let our spirituality be approach to living together, could in- judged by our effect on the world.” The fluence the magnetic currents of the spirituality she advocated and exemplified world by developing what she described was not some closeted or distanced spir- as “a feeling of true Brotherhood”.