THE THEOSOPHIST

VOL. 129 NO. 4 JANUARY 2008

CONTENTS

Presidential Address 123 Radha Burnier From Within Outwards: The Way of the Universe 138 John Algeo

Foundation Day 144 A. P. Shah Understanding, Sharing, Loving 150 Pertti Spets The Work of the Branches 152 Damodar K. Mavalankar Theosophical Work around the World 156 International Directory 158

Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier

NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover Picture: Graceful Adyar flora — by Prof. A. Chandrasekharan

Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. Presidential Address

To the 132nd Annual Convention of the Theosophical Society Adyar, 26 December 2007

Dear Brethren, I welcome all of you to this 132nd international Convention. The fact that so many members from different countries of the world gather here, shows that they find in the Convention at Adyar something worthwhile and inspiring. There are some who come year after year and this is, in my view, a great encouragement to having the annual Convention at Adyar, the place which the Founders chose, and where many of our most respected leaders spent their life irrespective of the climate and other conditions which may not have been what they were used to. Let us invoke the blessings of our Elder Brethren, who are always at work to encourage people to rise to the heights of human behaviour and living:

May those who are the embodiments of Love immortal bless with their help and guidance this Society, founded to be a channel for their work. May They inspire it with their Wisdom, strengthen it with their Power, and energize it with their Activity.

It is only natural for us to turn our own powers to do the same, until one attention this year to the President- day humanity will have reached a state Founder, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, of unity. and see in his life an example which is The work we have to do is to awaken inspiring for us to follow. Many of our and energize the mind, ours as well as Lodges have been honouring his activ- that of others, to the real purpose of our ities, and are no doubt planning to con- lives. To do this, it is needless to say, we tinue with vigour and enthusiasm the ourselves must become relatively aware work that he began. We are surely aware of the general condition of humanity. that one of the leading characteristics This is not so easy. We often get involved of his life was his utter consecration and in our day-to-day work in such a way devotion to the high aims of our Society. that we give little thought to the basic Col. Olcott may have made mistakes, happenings in the world and the illusions but was ever ready to correct them and which carry humanity in a direction to do the work of uplifting human con- which is not helpful. sciousness to whatever extent possible. If we look more carefully at the pres- Perhaps we need to remember our ent generation, we see that there is a

January 2008 123 The Theosophist dangerous tendency to get lost in the Society tries to bring about this attitude. enjoyments of the time, not knowing what We have no doubt different interests and else to do. The newspapers, which used occupations, some of which have little to to contain more serious matters, are now do with the aims of the evolutionary path. inclined to submit to pressure from people Leaving those alone, we can appreciate who are engaged in trivialities, and the the fact that in spite of all our differences world is being led astray by the ability to and interests, we still remain human, that invent new pleasures. Are we, who claim is, we have something which we all share to be interested in Theosophy, following — our humanness — the qualities essen- suit? How many of us have the strength tially belonging to all human beings. So, to search for light on the true purposes of as we go along trying to reach higher human living and help others to do the levels, we can still, in spite of our dif- same? This is an important question. Let ficulties, feel we are one. There are human us not forget that Col. Olcott and Madame beings who do feel this, and we can say Blavatsky set a new trend to free people that they are united because of it. Others from their absorption in superficialities. of course have to learn to feel it. The first Another thing that they tried to bring Object of the Society is thus of world about was a wider attitude towards life. importance to all of humanity. The minds of members of the Society was The point made in the second Object again and again drawn to human pos- is to turn attention away from just learn- sibilities for living in a new way, and the ing to live comfortably, towards what we mind was guided from purely personal may call higher values. The Theosophical concerns to the larger issues of mankind. Society does not say which particular If human beings become far less con- religion is the best, but it does point to cerned with themselves and much more religion as a whole as something that can with humanity as a whole, the world will lead to human progress. That is why the certainly become different. Conditions are study of religion is encouraged, and slowly leading towards that: the world is becomes part of the objects of the Soci- getting closer in many ways. But does that ety. The study of religion has to be non- help us to wake up to the totality of life, personal and fundamental — religion itself. not only the life of human beings, but of Thus human beings can rise to higher all the inhabitants of this earth? There may levels of knowing and understanding. be differences of form, of emotional and This is a question which arises in the mental attractions, of interests in general, minds of all thinking or aspiring people. but the fact is that we have to learn to travel Similarly, the words ‘philosophy’ and in amity and goodwill towards all to reach ‘science’ convey a great deal to those who an end which is higher and nobler than perceive philosophy not as a sectarian what we have known. set of ideas, but a way of thinking which The first Object of the Theosophical sees everything as part of a whole. The

124 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address true member of the Theosophical Society the major issues, namely Religion, realizes intuitively that there is a whole- Philosophy and Science — the more we ness in all of life, and that there are can begin to understand fully the third. ways of discovering it. Science aids in The third Object of the Society is one this quest, as can be seen more and more that can take a person beyond himself, through its descriptions, telling us that when he reaches a universal level in all the different forms are interdepend- every way, and is not concerned with ent. Science at first seemed to be based small things of interest to the average on separation, but has now come to that human being. Up to now we have tried to point where it sees the unity in the whole make our lives fulfilling, and sometimes process of manifestation. feel that we have succeeded to a certain So Religion, Philosophy and Science extent in achieving our desire, but it does together, in a broad sense, not in a formal not take us very far, because we continue way, can carry us to our natural destin- to cling to the various actions which help ation — that is, towards higher planes to bind us to the pre-human level. When of understanding. Today most people are we become capable of reading poetry engaged in finding out better ways of or solving some of the great riddles physical living, but this is not funda- posed by life, and so on, we feel we have mental. What is important is to make the got somewhere. But universal life needs mind rise from the material to higher no fulfilling of itself, and the word ful- levels of perception, and therefore the filment has no meaning at that level. mind must be used to delve into the nature So if we really investigate Nature and of non-physical relationship. go beyond what we feel can be known, When we come to the third Object, of it will bring out all the powers latent in which we know so little, we can still see ourselves and make us rise above our the importance of it if we can only per- present stature. Knowledge which is un- ceive that the Universe itself works limited, and universal love, which can according to certain laws. There are surmount all the normal difficulties, powers latent in us, on turning seriously have the capacity to see what is actually towards which we will be able to come in front of our eyes but remains hid- closer to the heart of Nature. This Object den because our vision is limited. To can be practised only by people who try put it simply, we come into contact to live according to the other two aims with the Eternal — the most important we very briefly referred to. The more we transformation that will take place — live in accordance with the first two carrying the person from the animalis- Objects — one being the ability to be tic ego-consciousness to the universal in harmony with all, and the other to non-egoistic consciousness. When this leave aside the minor preoccupations freedom is realized, that unit of life which life imposes on us and turn to knows that uniqueness belongs to life

January 2008 125 The Theosophist itself and not to any person in particular. ‘simple’, and wisdom shines from him. When a person thinks, ‘I am virtuous, Such a person takes birth in the world for generous, etc.’, there is no longer any helping others, and if he does so he makes merit in him. Virtue is what it is, because a great difference to the people whom he of the wonderful qualities which we speaks to and contacts. There is only pure know belong to life and not to any person. action: this is a kind of mystic statement Therefore the Greeks said that virtue which we have to reflect on, and the belongs to that whole, to the supreme meaning has to be discovered for our- consciousness, and not to oneself. All selves. Pure action is one in which there the ideas we have are about ‘myself ’, is no reaction to anything. and therefore, from a higher point of So any point in human life where there view, are false. is the strong and clear realization that There are those exceptional persons the whole side of the ego which makes a who out of deep reflection abandon every person think he is virtuous, intelligent, etc., trace of attachment to the ego-concept — is not real, is of value. Virtue is really that they are the holy people. Such people movement from within, just like the sun are sometimes very simple, not even when it rises and casts its light upon the interested in philosophy, but they have world and brings out the shape and been able to drop the ego. They are holy, colours of everything that is lovely and because they are free and uniqueness true. It is love, and lights up the beauty, is flowering in them. All the faculties truth, harmony, and everything glorious develop in a person who is holy and in others. Love is real action. * * * Not all countries have sent statistical Mary Anderson presided. Two days later, information, but statistics from 43 of the a symposium on ‘How Theosophy Leads 49 countries where there are Theosophical to Perfection’ was held. The Section had Lodges and Study Centres had been re- a number of meetings during the year at ceived when this report went to the press, its headquarters with some eminent people totalling 28,142 members. participating, some of whom dealt with the India continues to have the largest work of Col. Olcott. In this way, a few membership even though that member- people who had not known the Society ship has now fallen to 12,444. This is became acquainted with its activities. probably the result of more careful scru- The well-attended North Indian study tiny of the figures and not an alarming camp was held at the Section headquar- situation. ters with HPB’s The Key to Theosophy The 116th Indian Section Convention as the main text. The camp had 106 was held on 27 December 2006 at Adyar. participants from thirteen Federations, Prof. P. Krishna inaugurated it and Miss who studied with Mrs Radha Burnier.

126 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address There were other study camps at which not been certified as a Section. A quarterly the former General Secretary, Mr P.K. newsletter named The Theosophist is Jayaswal, Dr A. Kannan, Prof. R. C. being distributed to members. Apart from Tampi and others presided. this, various books have been printed in The South Indian Conference, under Sinhala, including At the Feet of the the leadership of Prof. C. A. Shinde, was Master and The Buddhist Catechism. centred around the work of Col. Olcott. The centenary of Col. Olcott’s death The General Secretary visited a number has particular relevance to this region, of places and was the chief guest at the since Olcott spent so much energy and Federation Conferences in Bengal and time to give it a new impetus. A number Madhya Pradesh. The Theosophical of functions were organized in leading Order of Service, under the new Nation- Buddhist schools, and other events took al Director for India, Mr B.L. Bhatta- place to create awareness. charyya, has supervised the good work In Pakistan, we had the misfortune done in many places. of losing our much-valued Presidential The financial year that ended in March Representative, Mr Dara Mirza. The 2007 showed a surplus which helped situation is very difficult there, except for to cover losses in previous years. In- the work done by the TOS. When it is vestments increased by Rs. 8 lakhs. The clearer what needs to be done, we will, General Secretary made an appeal for of course, take appropriate action. donations from members so as to be Communication with Bangladesh, says able to repair the buildings and do Dr C.V. Agarwal, Presidential Repre- other important work at the Section sentative, has become less dependable. headquarters. Mr B.L. Bhattacharyya visited all the 5 Among those who passed away were Lodges and the Study Centre, and gave some well known in the Section, par- talks both for the public and for members. ticularly Mr S. Krishnamurthy from Several meetings were held in Dhaka. the Karnataka Federation, and Mr G. Comilla Lodge, founded in 1889, has paid Parmanand of Blavatsky Lodge, Mum- dues up to 2010 and has 42 members. The bai, who had been a member for 56 large Lodge building, which is more than years. The General Secretary has made one hundred years old, is being renovated, a list of tasks ahead, and expects help and the library is kept open once a week. and cooperation from members to ful- Efforts are being made to step up fil these tasks. activities in Chittagong, Kusum, and The report of Mr S.M. Jayatilleke, Besant Lodges, which have faced vari- Presidential Representative in Sri Lanka, ous natural disasters. Members in the mentions the number of members as area subscribe to 37 copies of The 160, but since the area does not have the Theosophist. The Lodges which were minimum requirement of Lodges, it has in Seremban and Penang in neighbour-

January 2008 127 The Theosophist ing Malaysia have sent no report, and Centre, with Dr Ravi Ravindra explor- probably have no activities, but some ing the Aphorisms of Patañjali. Several members from there attended the School Branches have started or continued to of the Wisdom in Adyar. teach yoga and meditation. Much effort The Australian General Secretary has gone into seeing that Branches be- reports on a number of activities, in- come more independent, but the General cluding the certification of two new Secretary says that there is little oppor- groups. A few members are constantly tunity through the studies in the Lodges assisting the General Secretary in her to gain a depth of understanding in work, which cannot be enlarged upon in Theosophy. The format of Theosophy in a short summary. In August 2007 there New Zealand has been changed, and the were 1,328 members, an increase of General Secretary thinks that the new 41 over the previous year. The Section format helps to convey the message of spends at least three times the amount Theosophy to the public. Membership this that all the members pay, and all new year has decreased by eleven, however, members receive a copy of the Section’s and gone down to 982. Among those who guidelines, which contain a brief account passed away during the year were Mrs of the nature of Theosophical work, and Rose Pollard and Mr Gavin Laurie. the responsibility of each member in The American Section has much sup- connection with it. port from the Kern Foundation and the The General Secretary visited many Sellon Charitable Trust, and feels greatly of the centres of work in the Section. indebted to the founders, Mr Herbert Kern Complimentary copies of Olcott’s work and Mr John Sellon, who gave much care were sent to the members, while two of to the Section’s investments and activities. his books, The Buddhist Catechism and The 121st National Gathering coin- Reminiscences, were featured at the an- cided with Olcott’s death centenary and nual Convention in January and on other an international TOS Conference, making occasions. Selected books were sold to this occasion a special one. The theme, the members at subsidized prices. Philip ‘Foundations of Theosophy: Study, Ser- Harris, who was mainly responsible for vice, and Sangha’, reflected Olcott’s vision bringing out the Theosophical Encyclo- for the Society’s contribution to the world. paedia and other valuable publications, The Department of Education continues passed away during the year. The Lodges to develop its services and we are told that are being constantly stimulated in one e-learning is growing in popularity. Many way or another, particularly by Mrs new books, articles, etc., have been made Dara Tatray, Mr Pedro Oliveira, and available. Similarly, the sales performance Mr Brian Parry. has increased. Membership has gone up In New Zealand the School of Theo- to 4,072 because of increased activities sophy was held for ten days at the Tauhara in the centre and various regions. Three

128 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address groups have been certified officially as been given on a wide range of subjects. Study Centres, the total strength consist- In Bangor, Conwy, and Swansea the new ing of 47 Branches and 64 official Study Lodges cannot afford many experienced Centres. Theosophical groups studied speakers, but the English Section has various courses by Dr John Algeo and been helping them. All the members in others. The Library and Archives ex- the new Lodges study Eric McGough’s panded their outreach in various ways, courses on Theosophy. An increasing and the list of publications translated number of new Welsh members attend into other languages is quite impressive. the English summer school and find it The English General Secretary, Mr inspiring and productive. Colin Price, reports that England has 37 Miss Mary Anderson was the guest Lodges, of which the largest and most speaker at the second All-Ireland Con- active are in Bristol and Camberley. Two vention held in Dublin and her talk Branches, including Blavatsky Lodge, produced much interest. Belfast Lodge functioned from Headquarters. Many of had regular weekly meetings, includ- them have focused on Eric McGough’s ing a special display of pictures about study courses, and he has travelled around the President-Founder and a talk by the country in order to help them. Lodges the Organizing Secretary, Mrs Marie and Centres are clustered in three Feder- Harkness, emphasizing his vast and ations, each having its own special quality unstinting service to Theosophy and and characteristic. The bulk of the public Buddhism. We are told that many mem- events held at Headquarters was arranged bers appreciate the bimonthly Study by the Foundation for Theosophical Notes and accompanying letter by Mrs Studies, the Section’s educational charity. Harkness. The study groups in Coleraine Sometimes about seventy per cent of the and Dublin are meeting regularly and members in a locality attended the pro- flourishing, and a new study group is grammes organized by this body. The beginning in Newry. Foundation held meetings in some places The European Federation held its in addition to the summer school in triennial conference in Finland in the Leicester. Mr McGough was appointed to outskirts of Helsinki from 14 to 18 July, be in charge of the scheme for national along with the celebration of the centenary lecturers. The three national officers and of the Finnish Section. The theme was the Executive Committee have worked ‘Compassion — Basis for Peace and unstintingly, we are told, and the growth Understanding’. The guests of honour in membership was maintained, bringing were the Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche the total to 998 at the end of September. and the President of the TS, Mrs Radha In Wales, Cardiff Lodge has seen an Burnier. The number of participants was increase in activities, with better attendance encouragingly high, with 250 attending at lectures. Talks and workshops have the Conference and another 130 non-Finns

January 2008 129 The Theosophist also participating. Col. Olcott’s memory Convention in Finland. There are seven was cherished by many Lodges which Lodges in Reikjavik, the capital, and celebrated his death centenary, and as in two outside. other countries, one issue of Teosofi, the In Norway we have two new members, Section’s magazine, was dedicated to one in Oslo and another in Bergen, which HSO. The Chairman of the Federation and does not seem like a lot, but is in fact a workers of the Lodges met this year in cause for satisfaction, as the Section had September to discuss ‘Challenges of the collapsed to just a few members. The Century — From Ideas to Actions’. The library has been stored in a safe place, Finnish Section has, as we know, close and they hope that fairly soon it will be contact with two Lodges in Estonia, which open to members. Mrs Agnes Gaasemyr, are also active, arranging public lectures Organizing Secretary, is writing monthly in a few places in the country. A jubilee to members. book entitled TS in Finland — 100 Years, As mentioned in previous years, the as also other publications, were brought biggest Section in Europe is the Italian, out. The membership is 458. with a membership of 1,103. One of the In Sweden, work goes on and open many ways in which it has been active is discussion of the fundamentals of the by making available online a list of library Esoteric Philosophy takes place in books. A website of the Section, totally Stockholm, where public lectures are also devoted to its own publications, has been featured. Study went on during the year, created so that one can order books but a Convention was not held, as mem- directly. The circulation of their magazine bers were encouraged to go to Finland, totals 1,300 copies, of which more than says Pertti Spets, the General Secretary. eleven hundred go to members. Italian In Iceland, at the headquarters, several collaboration with the European Feder- meetings take place every week, with an ation at Pescia brought about 60 members attendance of 40-60 people. Tea or coffee together in a seminar, while at a meeting is served to those who come, which near Venice there were about 90 partici- encourages them in this cold country. pants. We are informed that a lecture by Although most of the lecturers are Prof. P. Krishna at Perugia University, members of the TS, they also invite in collaboration with the Chair of Peda- others — scholars, writers, artists, etc.— gogy, aroused great interest. The Italian all making some contribution to Theo- Section has been interested for some sophical thinking. Meditations are held time in helping the Eastern countries, regularly from October to May. Various the Olcott School at Adyar, educational books were published by the Section activities in Pakistan, etc. and made available and the book ser- Among the books studied by the vice has selections for sale. The General Spanish Lodges were The Secret Doc- Secretary attended the Congress and trine, Self-Realization by I.K. Taimni, the

130 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address three Theosophical classics, and other were happy to welcome the Chairman of works. The Iberian Gathering took place the European Federation, Miss Kim-Dieu. near Madrid, with 75 people taking part, Their winter school at Soncek was wholly including 14 Portuguese members. An- dedicated to Olcott and a special meet- other gathering was the summer school ing was held in Celje. The international of the Section, with the theme ‘Unity in Secretary, Miss Mary Anderson, gave Diversity’, which attracted about 135 inspiring public lectures and visited people. H. S. Olcott’s death centenary Croatia accompanied by some members. was honoured in a variety of ways — by A commemorative issue of their maga- the journal Sophia presenting a mono- zine, Theosophical Thought, came out graph on his life, by various books pub- in an improved form. The visit of Mrs lished on their website, by lectures during Radha Burnier in July was welcomed. the summer school, etc. We are told by the Presidential Re- We are told that in Portugal Lodges presentative in Hungary, Mr Thomas are working with enthusiasm and com- Martinovich, that the two Lodges have mitment, and studying various Theo- been active, and a public lecture was sophical books. The year saw the passing arranged every month with 25-50 partici- of one of the early members of the Society pants. Some ‘open meetings’ were held in this country: Mrs Maria Beatriz Serpa monthly to meet new interested people Branco, who attended all of J. Krishna- who have questions to ask. Mr Szabari murti’s talks in Europe and devoted her helped with the publications, which in- life to Theosophy. All the Theosophical cluded Powell’s The Astral Body and a festivities were celebrated, but special booklet about the hundred-year old TS emphasis was given to the work of in Hungary. The international President H.S. Olcott. visited them and they had a public meet- The French-speaking Branches are ing in Budapest and again in Debrecen. active except for Brazzaville in Africa, The President answered questions put which was dissolved because of lack of to her during her stay. The TS in Hun- members. The theme of the Convention gary publishes a periodical which was a homage to Olcott, and the subject helps to disseminate Theosophy. was ‘Devotion and Perseverance on the Lodge programmes continued in Aus- Spiritual Path’. Le Lotus Bleu appeared tria, and they tried to deal with ‘burning’ regularly and has been sent to Belgium, questions within the framework of Theo- Switzerland, Togo, and the Ivory Coast. sophy. The Swiss group is led by the In Slovenia, where they have four Presidential Agent, Mrs Eliane Gaillard, Lodges and 71 members, they are expect- assisted by Pierre Berner, Raynald Fovini, ing some additions of people who are and eighteen other members. This is a seriously interested in the work. All the great success according to Miss Gaillard. Lodges had regular weekly meetings and As in other years, Miss Kim-Dieu

January 2008 131 The Theosophist conducted a seminar in Geneva and Miss had as the highlight of the year a guest Heidi Burch continues the meetings speaker from India, Mr H.K. Sharan, who in the German-speaking areas. Two- toured and made an impact on all the thousand francs are given every year to regions of the Section. Bro. Navin B. the European Federation for the benefit Shah, who succeeded as General Secre- of people in Eastern Europe. Four new tary, has to deal with the decreasing members have been welcomed into the membership of the Section, with only 230 national organization this year, which members in four countries, which is a has given a fillip to the work. big drop from what used to exist when The number of members in Belgium many Indians who are now abroad were is 97, three more than last year. There members in East Africa. The Section are three Lodges in Brussels and five in bookstall, housed in Nairobi, has a rich provincial towns. The Section lost Mrs collection of titles, including books in Ariane Hespel, President of the Lodge in Gujarati and the Section magazine. Charleroi. Other Lodges are continuing as The members in Tanzania, Uganda, and well as possible. They are trying to sell Zambia have to send their dues direct- the house in Brussels, but cannot do so ly to Adyar. They are looking at ways because of an old tenant, who has opposed of renewing inactive Lodges and gen- every move to renovate the building. They erally revamping the Section. Three cen- hope to obtain a building licence, and to tenaries — commemorating Olcott, the construct a new place elsewhere, which international TOS, and Nairobi Lodge — will hopefully begin next autumn. are being observed. In the Netherlands they deeply regret The West African Section has study the passing of Johan van der Poll and also centres in four countries, namely Ghana, of Mr Paul Zwollo, who was a member Cameroon, Nigeria, and Liberia. The of the General Council and active in the membership has dropped from 251 in international field. They are also sorry that 2006 to 240 in 2007. Among those who their membership has been decreasing. died during the year were Mr R.K. In addition, they have a financial short- Ahedor, President of the Lodge in Denu, coming. To remedy this, they have ap- Ghana; and Mr Godfrey Olubi, Regional pealed to members for donations. At the Secretary in Nigeria and President of same time, their Library has an increased Lagos Lodge. We are told that an average membership and people coming for re- of ten enquirers per week in the head- search are growing in numbers, as the quarters office in Accra, Ghana, is nor- Librarian has good contacts with uni- mal. The Section arranges every pos- versities and high schools. The Book- sible programme to attract people to shop has been taken over by O & O, Theosophical ideals. a group linked to the Adyar TS. The General Secretary of the South The East and Central African Section African Section, Mrs Susan Kaschula,

132 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address has visited and lectured at all the Lodges In Bolivia they have had three national and is in regular contact with all of them. gatherings with different subjects and a They are trying to prevent Durban Lodge certain number of joint meetings. Their from closing down. It seems as if this effort studies and programmes have continued will pay off and that there is a growing as usual. In Chile they report an increase interest in Theosophy. The situation of in the number of new members, most of Pretoria Lodge has improved as the them young. The Branches are said to surrounding building development has be very active and articles taken from been completed. They plan to have the Theosophical journals are brought out in biennial Convention in Cape Town and Spanish. In Uruguay The Secret Doctrine attract people there. It was a joy to the and various works by I.K. Taimni and members to find that eighteen people Krishnamurti have been studied during had joined the new Centre in Germiston. the year. Col. Olcott’s death centenary It is more difficult to visit the other two was commemorated. The Section re- centres because of the distance. ceived the visit of Mr Isaac Jauli. The TS in Colombia has only the min- In Argentina, young people are given imum number of Lodges to be called a an opportunity to contact Theosophy and Section. It is active in Bogotá, but its practise yoga, meditation, etc. In May, existence is precarious elsewhere. A Prof. P. Krishna gave public lectures number of courses and public lectures attended by up to 300 mostly young are being held and young Theosophists’ people. In the San Rafael Centre, he and children’s activities are being en- gave talks on ‘Education, Science, and couraged. The Selección Teosófica is Spirituality’ with about 90 persons par- received by about 80 persons. Dr Isaac ticipating. In the same Centre, a training Jauli has been lecturing there and in other workshop took place. Two books were places in South and Central America. published especially to honour Olcott’s There are two Lodges in Venezuela as memory, and the national magazine well as a study group on the island of dedicated three issues to his work and Margarita. A basic course in Theosophy speeches. There are fifteen Lodges and goes on in Blavatsky Lodge, and al- a publishing house whose works are though they are a small group, they are widely distributed. carrying on. In Peru, some changes have The General Secretary of the Brazilian been made with the hope that the mem- Section reports a small increase of mem- bership will increase. Dr Jauli also visited bership as well as an increase in the them and tried to help to improve the work of dissemination, which spreads situation. They are photocopying art- Theosophy through 62 television icles and sending them to their 25 channels to 49 cities. The 25th summer members. The TOS has been active in school of the Brazilian Section was held carrying out charities. in Salvador, Bahia, and focused on the

January 2008 133 The Theosophist Portuguese version of articles by the all of which were well-attended and 24 international President, published under new members joined. A new study group a single title, Learning to Live Theosophy. was formed in Río Piedras. They also Mr Vicente Hao Chin, Jr, gave lectures created a web page. The Presidential which were published in Portuguese. Representative in the Dominican Re- The Brazilian TPH is publishing a trans- public, along with Mrs L. Howell and lation of Col. Olcott’s The Buddhist Cate- Maria Orlich from Costa Rica, conducted chism. The membership stands at 807, a study programme in a mountain loca- and is the biggest in South America. tion. The enthusiasm was great and it In Central America, Costa Rica had was decided to have similar workshops varied activities and a new Centre was again. One of the Lodges showed a started outside the capital, situated beau- series of scientific and spiritual films, tifully in the middle of a forest and next which attracted much attention. The to a stream. They had lecturers from other Presidential Representative generally countries who included Mr Jauli and created vitality and enthusiasm. also Mrs Maria Parisen and Mrs Nelda In Indonesia several books have been Samarel from Krotona. The writings of translated by Mrs L. Michelle, who also well-known Theosophists were studied. prepared a website for the Section. Their In Cuba the theme of the annual Con- Convention was held at Sala Lodge in vention was ‘The Occult Hierarchy, HSO, Surakarta, the subject being ‘Study, and the TS’. Olcott’s inaugural address Meditation, Service’. The new Lodges and excerpts of his last article to Theo- were each supplied with fifteen titles sophists were made available to all in Indonesian. On White Lotus Day, attendees. The Section’s main library pamphlets were distributed along with has been reorganized, and the hours a manual of computer slides. The Philip- changed to suit the public. There are pines Section hosted the Indo-Pacific programmes every Sunday and non- Conference early in November, with about members are welcomed. 160 delegates attending. The theme was The Mexican Section had four Theo- ‘Live to Benefit Humanity’. After more sophical meetings with speakers from than fifteen years of preparation, The other Sections, namely Mr Vicente Theosophical Encyclopedia was finally Hao Chin, Jr, from the Philippines, Mrs published by the Publishing House in Ali Ritsema from Holland, Mrs Nelda Manila. Two new study groups have been Samarel from the US, and Mrs Isis formed and the TOS is active. Resende from Brazil. Some members par- Singapore Lodge continues to focus ticipated in the first Central American on courses in Theosophy; not all the Convention which took place in San participants remain as members, but Salvador. The TS in Puerto Rico consists they get a feel of Theosophy. Two of three Lodges and two study groups, meditation courses were conducted

134 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address and informal meetings were held to forth, have been issued. The Pan-African answer the questions of students. Mr Federation continues to be involved in the Matius Ali, from the Indonesian Sec- activities of the countries in the African tion, visited the Lodge and gave a talk. continent. The Inter-American Federation Lotus Lodge in Zagreb, the capital of held the first Central American Con- Croatia, is made up of members from vention in San Salvador, where Mrs different places, some of whom travel a Ali Ritsema was the guest speaker. The long distance in order to reach Zagreb, Federation organized the visit of several and therefore meetings are not held often. people to various places in the Federation, The Lodge was constituted in Krizevci particularly that of Mr Isaac Jauli, who in October 2007. The largest study group was able to travel to many places to create numbers seven and meets in Zagreb. Miss interest. The President of the Federation Kim-Dieu and Miss Mary Anderson, ac- has encouraged and organized many of companied by Mr Dusan and Mrs Breda the programmes. The European Feder- Zagar, were among the visitors to the ation dedicated the whole year to the Lodge. Other groups meet and study memory of our President-Founder, and Theosophy. Mr Milan Loncar is making it was very happy to have both the great efforts to translate Theosophical international President and Ven. Prof. literature and has so far succeeded in Samdhong Rinpoche as guests of honour publishing Mr S.S. Varma’s booklet on at its Congress in Helsinki. Yama and Niyama as given in the Yoga Activities in Adyar are going on well. Sutra-s. Some of the members partici- The Olcott Education Society carries on pated in the summer school in Slovenia, its work with a good deal of success. The near Koper. Olcott Memorial High School has about The Lodge in the Ivory Coast consists 640 students. The children are engaged mostly of young people who have con- in extra-curricular activities like garden- centrated on studying The Key to Theo- ing, crafts, and gymnastics, in addition to sophy. Their discussions usually turn on the educational activities, which are going the internal state of peace which makes on well. The HPB Hostel is a kind of it possible to be peaceful externally. We additional unit of the School, and has a have received reports also from Ankh total of 24 boys. The Social Welfare Lodge in the Ukraine and Nippon Lodge Centre reopened in June 2007 with about in Japan, which are important, as they help 100 children. They learned alphabets, to bring Theosophy to countries where numbers, songs, and so on. It tries to otherwise we would have no contacts. prepare them for higher education partly The Indo-Pacific Federation mentions by hygienic habits which the mothers Col. Olcott’s activities, which have been have to learn. The Animal Welfare De- publicized throughout the countries in the partment treated about 11,000 animals, area. New information leaflets, and so and did a few animal birth control

January 2008 135 The Theosophist operations and other major operations. The year 2007 is a special one for The Adyar Library and Research our Besant Scout Centre also, for the Centre is happy to welcome Prof. C. A. scouting movement completed 100 years Shinde as Librarian to replace Mrs of its existence. About 20 scout groups Gopalaratnam, her age no longer per- and 2,300 children used the place for mitting her to serve as Librarian. their camping activities, remembering This year the Library brought out a Dr Annie Besant’s role in creating the special journal, the Colonel Henry Steel movement in India. Olcott Death Centenary Commemora- The Theosophical Order of Service tion volume. Mr R. Lakshmanan was did a lot of work during the tsunami and a dedicated staff member who passed its aftermath, and that work continues. away after 46 years of service. All the The highlight of TOS activities this year work of the Library — the acquisition was an international conference held at and cataloguing, preservation, etc.— Wheaton, Illinois, and it mainly tried to is going on satisfactorily. develop an international perspective. After many decades, an Indian reprint Progress was made to expand the team of the classic Isis Unveiled was brought of volunteers to support grass-root work- out in two volumes by the Theosophic- ers. The work of Mrs Jean Gallo, who has al Publishing House. The book is being retired after serving as President of the received well. A revised edition of TOS in the USA for more than forty years, Reminiscences of Colonel H. S. Olcott is acknowledged with gratitude. by various writers was also published I was not able to travel much, but during the year to commemorate the visited a few places in Europe in July. centenary of Col. Olcott’s passing. Many First, I was able to visit Slovenia, where of the reprints were brought out with I gave a series of talks in the morning, attractive new covers or jackets. Future and my companion, Mr G. Gautama, plans include publishing a book of ‘On gave afternoon talks on the subject of the Watch-Tower’ articles by Mrs Radha education. From there I went to Hungary, Burnier appearing in The Theosophist where they were celebrating the centen- from 1980 to 2006, with the title The ary of the Section with the few people World around Us. they have. This included all the members The Archives and Museum received in Budapest and those in Debrecen. many requests, and the card system My main object in going to Europe was makes it possible to have quick access. to attend the triennial Congress of the This year’s Archives Exhibition, as you European Federation, held in Helsinki know, explores Annie Besant’s life. A lot along with the centenary of the Finnish of work has to be done in the depart- Section. From there, I went to our in- ment, but at present we do not have the ternational centre in Naarden and then staff to do it. to England before returning to Adyar.

136 Vol. 129.4 Presidential Address Some of the international Vice- Principles’ with the Secretary of the President’s varied activities included School, Mrs Dolores Gago, ‘Basic Theo- speaking at the summer schools of the sophy and the Future of Man’ with Prof. American and German Sections and, on C.A. Shinde, and ‘Ancient Wisdom and 17 February, at the Olcott death cen- Modern Insight’ with Prof. R. C. Tampi. tennial anniversary in New York City. We have an insufficient number of Dr John Algeo also gave the keynote workers at Adyar. However, during the address at a regional conference on social year, Mr M. Dharmalingam, who is an service, and speaks frequently in Atlanta experienced engineer, joined the small and the American national headquar- staff in the Maintenance Department and ters in Wheaton, Illinois. His numerous has done a great deal of work to improve articles are published widely in Theo- buildings and other facilities. Recently, sophical magazines internationally. Miss Mr Shailendra Agrawal has kindly un- Mary Anderson, the international Secre- dertaken the work of supervising the tary, travelled to many places, including Garden Department. The spruceness of England, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the whole estate is largely due to the Israel, Holland, Slovenia, Croatia, and interest he has taken. Mr J. Suresh, who Ireland, where she either had discus- was the Garden Superintendent, has been sions with members or gave lectures and transferred to the Security Department. seminars to members as well as public I might say on this occasion that all is lectures. All this helped to keep up the well at Adyar and with the Society as a momentum in Europe. In India she whole. It would be nice, though, to have travelled to Juhu (near Mumbai) and a greater presence in many centres where Bhavnagar, where she gave lectures at we have a small membership. But in spite the Gujarat Federation Convention. She of the small numbers, they are noticeably also lectured for the Madras Federation. successful in keeping the ideals of the The School of the Wisdom held two Society before the public. I take this sessions this year as usual. The first was opportunity to convey my best wishes to on ‘New Insights into the Yoga Sutra-s’ the members here and to those who could with Dr Ravi Ravindra in January and not attend the Convention. February. The second comprised three I declare this 132nd Convention open. two-week sessions in November and December on ‘Fundamental Theosophical RADHA BURNIER

How shall we make it real, how shall we make it our own, this wonderful recognition of the Life beyond all lives, of the Self beyond all selves? Only by daily acts of renunciation in the little things of life; only by learning in every thought, word, and action to live and love the Unity, and not only to speak it. Annie Besant, The Laws of the Higher Life

January 2008 137 The Theosophist From Within Outwards: The Way of the Universe (Convention Lecture, Adyar, 27 December 2007)

JOHN ALGEO

THE theme of this convention is taken of inner guidance. But every candle casts from Light on the Path, where these words a shadow, and every great truth can be are written: ‘To hear the Voice of the misunderstood and misapplied. In the Silence is to understand that from with- Bhagavadgitâ, ªri K·shna, after revealing in comes the only true guidance.’ That the ultimate truth of life to Arjuna, adds statement is echoed in The Secret Doctrine these words of caution: ‘You must never (1:274): ‘The Universe is worked and pass on what I have told you to anyone guided from within outwards.’ who lacks self-control and dedication, or These two statements are intimately who will not listen, or who speaks evil.’ connected; they say the same thing on two (paraphrased from 18.67) different levels. The first makes a general We need to understand the general statement, a truth about the universe as truth correctly and apply it to ourselves a whole. The second makes an applied carefully. statement, a directive about our individual The general truth: ‘The Universe is practice. The two statements are about worked and guided from within the macrocosm and the microcosm, the outwards’ universe and our own consciousness. The Annie Besant said Theosophy is like a Secret Doctrine continues by pointing out body of water with shallow pools in which this correspondence: a child may safely wade and depths in As above so it is below, as in heaven so which even a giant must swim. A single on earth; and man — the microcosm Theosophical concept can be understood and miniature copy of the macrocosm both simply, as shallows for wading, or — is the living witness to this Universal complexly, as a depth for swimming. Law and to the mode of its action. We can begin in the shallows, with So, according to The Secret Doctrine, scripture and folk wisdom. In the Sermon each of us is a ‘living witness’ to the truth on the Mount (Matt. 7.16), Christ says,

Dr John Algeo is international Vice-President of the TS and Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, USA, with many academic distinctions to his credit.

138 Vol. 129.4 From Within Outwards: The Way of the Universe ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits’. And ment. And those are two very important he goes on to ask rhetorically: ‘Do men factors, but they are not the only factors gather grapes of thorns, or figs of this- that define us. tles?’ Thorn plants produce prickly spines, For example, environment is more not grapes; and thistle plants produce than the society and culture in which we spiky flowers, not figs. An old folk pro- grow up. The physical environment and verb says, Great oaks from little acorns psychic environment of the land in which grow. Oak trees are no more like acorns we live are also very important factors. in appearance than grapes are like thorn To grow up on the coast of the Bay of bushes, or figs like thistles. But the in- Bengal in Tamil Nadu is quite differ- ner nature of an acorn has an oak tree ent from growing up in a Himalayan potentially within it. And so the oak works valley of Tibet. To grow up in a world from within the acorn outwards to become imbued with the spirit of King Arthur a great tree. It is the dharma of an acorn of Celtic England is quite different from to become an oak. Thorns have no grape growing up in a world imbued with the nature in them, nor do thistles have any spirit of the Sun goddess Amaterasu fig nature. That is simple enough, is it Omikami and the forty-nine Ronin, or not? It is a shallow pool in which a child lordless knights, of Japan. may safely wade. Likewise, inheritance is more than the But the truth of dharma has profound genes we get from our parents. It includes depths. According to Monier-Williams’s skandha-s and dharma. Our skandha-s are Sanskrit-English Dictionary, ‘dharma’ can the karmic fruits of our actions in former mean many things, including ‘nature, incarnations that mould our present character, peculiar condition or essen- forms, feelings, perceptions, predispo- tial quality’. It is a word with depths in sitions, and consciousness. They are which even a giant must swim. forces from the past that push us from The great general truth ‘The Universe behind. But there is also a force from the is worked and guided from within out- future, our vocation or calling that pulls wards’ is talking about dharma. The us ahead — our dharma. Just as the Universe has a dharma, and so do all in oak’s dharma pulls a tree out of an acorn, it — including you and me. ‘Dharma’ as so also within each of us there is a dharma our ‘nature, character, peculiar condition pulling a perfect human out of the im- or essential quality’ means both what we perfect semi-human we still are. It is our really are in the core of our being and what dharma to become fully human. we should do or become during our lives. The great general truth ‘The Universe In the West, it is usual to suppose that is worked and guided from within out- every human being is the product of just wards’ is a statement of the fact that two forces: nature and nurture, that is, everything in the universe has a dharma genetic inheritance and social environ- working within it and guiding its

January 2008 139 The Theosophist development towards a final outward inherent in the mundane, not apart from realization of its dharmic goal. The future it. Theosophy agrees with religion that the is ours. It needs only that we realize it. universe is intelligent and purposeful, and This is a great depth indeed. is by no means limited to the matter that Mme Blavatsky also points out that science can study. the universe ‘is guided, controlled, and Theosophy holds that order and pur- animated by almost endless series of pose are inherent in the very nature of the hierarchies of sentient beings’ (SD 1:274). universe — its dharma — and that uni- That statement is applicable to a con- versal order is mediated by conscious troversy currently raging in parts of the beings, including humans like us, but Western world, where, ever since the also by both pre-human and superhuman Scientific Revolution of the sixteenth and beings. The universe is inwardly alive. seventeenth centuries, two worldviews And its inward life works and guides its have contended for dominance. The older outward forms. The dharma of the uni- of those two is Christian theism, which verse is to develop from denser to subtler imagines the universe as having been forms, from limited to expanded con- created from the outside by a transcendent sciousness, and from fragmentation to personal God. The newer is scientific unity of spiritual awareness. Theosophy’s materialism, which dismisses all talk of worldview is as grandly profound as the creation and God as irrelevant and main- depths of the ocean, but as simple as the tains that the universe just happened, with- assurance that great oaks from little out intention or plan. These two world- acorns grow. views are clearly at loggerheads; neither has room for the other. But there is a The applied truth: ‘From within third, more ancient, worldview — that comes the only true guidance’ of the Ancient Wisdom, the Perennial A recognition of the dharma of the Philosophy, the Prisca Theologia, the universe brings us to the other great truth, Sanâtana Dharma, or — as we call it — the applied truth, concerning how we can Theosophy. realize our own dharma, how we can ‘un- Theosophy holds that the universe derstand that from within comes the only consists of matter endowed with con- true guidance’. Light on the Path refers sciousness acting energetically. It agrees to the Voice of the Silence three times, with science that the hypothesis of an finally connecting it with ‘the only true outside personal creator God is unne- guidance’, which comes from within. In cessary and that there is nothing whatever the first reference we are assured that, once of that sort outside the universe — but it we have experienced ‘the peace’, the Voice also holds that there is a very great deal of the Silence will be always with us: inside the universe that science has no Once having passed through the storm techniques for recognizing. The divine is and attained the peace, it is then always

140 Vol. 129.4 From Within Outwards: The Way of the Universe

possible to learn, even though the dis- speak, who hast conquered desire and ciple waver, hesitate, and turn aside. attained to self-knowledge, who hast The Voice of the Silence remains within seen thy soul in its bloom and recognized him, and though he leaves the Path it, and heard the Voice of the Silence — utterly, yet one day it will resound, and go thou to the Hall of Learning and rend him asunder and separate his pas- read what is written there for thee. sions from his divine possibilities. The third and final reference is the one This is the same promise of ultimate which has provided the theme of this achievement that the following statement Convention: gives us. It says: To hear the Voice of the Silence is to There is a road, steep and thorny, beset understand that from within comes the with perils of every kind, but yet a road, only true guidance; to go to the Hall of and it leads to the very heart of the Learning is to enter the state in which Universe: I can tell you how to find those learning becomes possible. Then will many who will show you the secret gateway words be written there for thee, and that opens inward only, and closes fast written in fiery letters for thee easily to [that is, firmly] behind the neophyte for read. For when the disciple is ready the evermore. Master is ready also. Hearing the Voice of the Silence, Once we have ‘passed through the learning fiery words of wisdom, and storm and attained the peace’, once we experiencing the ready presence of the have passed through the secret gateway Master — these are three metaphors that opens in but not out and closes firmly talking about the same thing, which is behind us, there is no going back. We may being guided from within. linger along the way, but we have Because to ‘hear the Voice of the committed ourselves to a one-way trip. Silence is to understand that from within Eventually the Voice of the Silence will comes the only true guidance’, we must speak to us, and it speaks with a sound know what the Voice of the Silence is and that cannot be ignored. The world in how we can hear it. For that knowledge, which we live seems often to be a con- the best source is undoubtedly that great fusing maze. But the Path is a mono- spiritual guidebook, The Voice of the cursal labyrinth: it provides only one Silence. But before plunging into the very way to go, so as long as we continue deep water of that magnificent book, let walking, we will reach the goal. us dabble our feet in a shallow pool. The second reference in Light on Most people would like to have some the Path to the Voice of the Silence links knowledgeable person tell them what is it with the Hall of Learning: right and what they should do. They want Thou who art now a disciple, able to simple answers to complex problems. stand, able to hear, able to see, able to Religious fundamentalists believe that

January 2008 141 The Theosophist

what scripture says is absolutely right Behold! thou hast become the light, thou and absolutely clear. But it is neither. hast become the Sound, thou art thy Many aspirants want a guru to tell them Master and thy God. Thou art Thyself exactly what they can do to attain the object of thy search: the VOICE un- moksha — ten easy steps to enlighten- broken, that resounds throughout eter- ment. But there are no such set steps, so nities, . . . (verse 99). no guru can give them. People do not Therefore, as Light on the Path says: want complications or options. They just ‘To hear the Voice of the Silence is to want to know what is right, always with understand that from within comes the the assumption that there is a single right only true guidance.’ way. But life is complex, and rightness However, now let us return to the is relative. That is the muddy shallows. caution ªri K·shna gave to Arjuna: We Now let us dip into the depths of The must be very careful to understand these Voice of the Silence. That book talks a fiery wise words, for all words — even good deal about the guru, teacher, or wise words — are capable of being mis- master. And often it seems to be referring understood. Remember, the first quali- to some authority outside of oneself — fication for the Path is viveka, dis- a wise person, an embodiment of the crimination, an ability to distinguish the archetype of the Wise Old Man. To be true from the false. Words may be true, sure, all of us have had teachers who have but our understanding of them may still pointed the way for us to follow. And, be false. How do we recognize the Voice whether we know it or not, all of us have of the Silence? It would be nice to have also served as teachers for others. How- a clear, easy, and reliable test for that ever, the master we are searching for, recognition. But nothing in life is clear, the master whose voice is the Voice of easy, and reliable. the Silence, is not someone outside of Within us are many voices. Jungian ourselves; as The Voice says: ‘Of teachers psychology talks about an archetype of there are many; the MASTER-SOUL is one, the persona. ‘Persona’ is a Latin word Âlaya, the Universal Soul. Live in that (from which English gets the word MASTER as ITS ray in thee.’ (verse 221) ‘person’). That Latin word means pri- The true master, the great master, is not marily a ‘mask’, such as actors wore in any other human being, or even any the Greek and Roman theatres; hence it superhuman being. A gloss to verse 14 means also a ‘role’ that actors played in a of The Voice makes that quite clear. drama, or a role that anyone plays in life, It reads: ‘The “great Master” is the term and thus a ‘personality’. Each of us has, used by lanoos or chelas to indicate not just one, but many personas or masks. one’s “Higher Self ”.’ We are different persons as we interact And the last verse of the first fragment with our children or our parents, with our is fully explicit: friends or with strangers, with those we

142 Vol. 129.4 From Within Outwards: The Way of the Universe trust or those we distrust, with our super- ‘Tell us what we need to know.’ Prajâpati visors and our subordinates, and so on. thundered the syllable DA! And he asked, We also have several different personas ‘Have you understood?’ The humans or masks that we present to ourselves — answered, ‘We have understood that we think of ourselves in various ways. you said to us Datta’, which means Each of the many personas within us ‘Give’, humans being naturally selfish and avaricious. has a voice. And those voices chatter to us as soon as we fall into a role pertaining Last the demons came to him and said, to a particular personal mask. None of ‘Tell us what we need to know.’ Prajâpati thundered the syllable DA! And he asked, those, however, are the Voice of the ‘Have you understood?’ The demons Silence. The Voice of the Silence comes answered, ‘We have understood that you from a much deeper place within. It comes said to us Dayadhvam’, which means from what Mme Blavatsky has called our ‘Be compassionate’, the demons being own special archetype, our individuality, naturally cruel and insensitive. the mânasaputra or ‘child of Wisdom’, The heavenly Voice of the Thunder re- within us. And that source of the Voice peats to all: DA! DA! DA! Control of the Silence is our one true Master. yourselves, give, be compassionate. How do we recognize that Voice? When we hear the Voice of the If we have to ask, we have not heard Silence, it is like that thunder clap, un- it. It is unmistakable, like the Voice mistakable and irresistible, and it tells of the Thunder in the B·hadâranyaka us what we need to know. What it tells Upanishad, which T. S. Eliot refers to in us is so self-evident that we cannot doubt the last part of his poem The Waste Land. it or be uncertain about it. No one can give The Upanishadic story goes like this: us a list of criteria by which to recognize The divine father, Prajâpati, had three it. But no such list is needed to know the sorts of children: the gods, humans, and Voice of the Thundering Silence. It is demons. When they had all completed overpowering. their studies with their father, they Every great book is unique, yet all each came to him to receive the special great books are alike. All great texts have instruction appropriate for them. the same basic message for us, but every First, the gods came and said, ‘Tell us great text says that message in its own what we need to know.’ Prajâpati thun- unique way. The great texts we have been dered the syllable DA! And he asked, considering have one basic message ‘Have you understood?’ The gods an- encompassing two great truths: swered, ‘We have understood that you The Universe is worked and guided from said to us Damyata’, which means within outwards. ‘Control yourself ’, the gods being To hear the Voice of the Silence is to naturally unruly and self-indulgent. understand that from within comes the Then the humans came to him and said, only true guidance. ²

January 2008 143 The Theosophist Foundation Day

A. P. SHAH

I AM happy to be with all of you on the pursue his own investigations, to reach occasion of the Theosophical Society’s his own views, to enjoy full freedom of celebration of the 132nd anniversary of thought on whatever subject may be of its Foundation Day. This is also a sig- personal interest in the search for truth. nificant year for the Society, as it Col. Olcott led an extraordinary life marks the hundredth death anniversary and dedicated the final three decades of its Founder-President, Colonel Henry of his life to compassionately helping Steel Olcott. humanity. Mrs Radha Burnier described In his address, while inaugurating Col. Olcott as a person who stood head the newly founded organization on 17 and shoulders above most people. He November 1875, Col. Olcott said: made his mark in many fields, because wherever he lived and worked, he If I understand the spirit of this Society, manifested the qualities of heart and mind it consecrates itself to the intrepid and which made him worthy to be called ‘a conscientious study of truth. ...We are superior man’, a term that Confucius used. . . . simply investigators, of earnest pur- We, in India, owe gratitude to this man pose and unbiassed mind, who study all for the compassion he showered on our things, prove all things and hold fast to poor and underprivileged and the change that, which is good. . . . We seek, inquire, he brought about in their lives. reject nothing without cause, accept One of the main objectives of the nothing without proof: we are students, Theosophical Society is to promote uni- not teachers. versal brotherhood and harmony among Col. Olcott called the Theosophical the various religious traditions in the Society a ‘non-committal society of in- world. In Col. Olcott’s last message, vestigation’, and successive Presidents signed by him on 2 February 1907, he have emphasized and re-emphasized the reiterated that ‘There is no Religion Higher ideal of freedom of thought upholding than Truth’, and that in the brotherhood the distinguishing characteristic of the of religions lies the peace and progress Society — the right of every member to of humanity.

Hon. Justice Mr A. P. Shah is Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. This article is based on the Foundation Day Address delivered on 17 November 2007 at Adyar.

144 Vol. 129.4 Foundation Day

There are many definitions of religion, have inspired individuals and commu- and most have struggled to avoid an overly nities of faith to transcend narrow self- short definition on the one hand, and a interest to pursuit of higher values and meaningless general one on the other. truths. The record of history shows that Lucretius, the first-century BC Latin poet noble acts of love, self-sacrifice, and and philosopher said: service to others are frequently rooted in deeply held religious worldviews. At the Religion does not consist in turning un- same time, history clearly shows that ceasingly towards the veiled stone, nor religion has often been linked directly to in approaching all the altars, nor in the worst examples of human behaviour. throwing oneself prostrate on the ground, It is somewhat trite, but nevertheless nor in raising the hands before the sadly true, to say that more wars have habitations of gods, nor in deluging the been waged, more people killed, and temples with the blood of beasts, nor in these days more evil perpetrated in the heaping vows upon vows; but in be- name of religion than by any other holding all with a peaceful soul. institutional force in human history. Swami Vivekananda said: In the early literature of the Theo- Religion is realization, not talk, not doc- sophical Society, reference is made to the trine, not theories, however beautiful they evil that has arisen out of the imaginings may be; it is being and becoming, not and illusions of man, which go by the hearing and acknowledging; it is the name of religion: whole soul becoming changed into what The chief cause of nearly two-thirds of it believes, that is, religion. the evils that pursue humanity . . . is Each major religious tradition has tried religion under whatever form and in to show the path of the ultimate Truth, whatsoever nation. It is the sacerdotal answering the question about the purpose caste, the priesthood, and the churches; of man’s existence. Religion, in a sense, it is in those illusions that man looks upon is that vehicle or medium which facilitates as sacred, that he has to search out the realization of the ultimate Truth — the source of that multitude of evils which is ability to see things in their true nature, the great curse of humanity and that without any distortion. Therefore, religion almost overwhelms mankind. Ignorance should provide tranquillity and peace created God and cunning took advantage rather than terror. of the opportunity. It is priestly imposture Charles Kimball, in his book When that rendered these gods so terrible to man; it is religion that makes of him the Religion becomes Evil, says: selfish bigot, the fanatic that hates all Religion is arguably the most powerful mankind out of his own sect without and pervasive force on earth. Throughout rendering him any better or more moral history, religious ideas and commitments for it. It is belief in God and gods that

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makes two-thirds of humanity the slaves Atlantis and ask if modern China can of a handful of those who deceive them produce a gem of spiritual and phil- under the false pretence of saving them. osophical thought fit to place side by Is not man ever ready to commit any kind side with it? Take the teachings of India, of evil if told that his god or gods demand the glorious Upanishad-s, and say what the crime . . . ? For two thousand years modern writer can write with that sub- India groaned under the weight of caste, limity, with that depth of philosophic Brâhmins alone feeding on the fat of the thought, of the Supreme and Universal land, and today the followers of Christ Self ? Take the Gathas of Zoroastrianism, and those of Muhammad are cutting each mangled and fragmentary as they are; other’s throats in the name of and for the can you read them without finding greater glory of their respective myths. there a knowledge which no modern can Remember, the sum of human misery match? Take the Book of the Dead of will never be diminished until the day Egypt, and read its sublime utterances, when the better portion of humanity its deep philosophy, its mystic yearnings, destroys in the name of Truth, morality and say whether in your modern writings and universal charity, the altars of their you will find such thought as that. Can false gods. (Mahatma Letter No. 10) the loftiest flights of morality in the literature of today be put beside the There is no religious cannon or creed ethical teachings of the Lord Buddha, that preaches violence, recommends and does the world find in it the same hatred or attempts to cause disharmony inspiration to noble living that his among people. I do not know of any words have exercised for more than two scriptures that preach violence; they thousand years? preach love and compassion. Every stu- dent of religion agrees almost unani- The evidence is overwhelming that every mously that all religions have a common religion looks back to its Founder for its base, and the evidence that emerges highest teachings. Can an archbishop from the far past as also the recent of today rival the teachings of Christ? present clearly shows the common links Can today’s Muslim Moulvi rival the that bind together all religions, their teachings of the Prophet? Can the Zoro- doctrines, founders, and symbolism. astrian Mobed speak such words as are Dr Annie Besant said that ‘All religions found in his own ancient literature? have one basis and that basis is the Divine Where is the modern Brâhmana who can Wisdom and not human ignorance; it is speak as ªri K·shna and Râmachandra the knowledge given by the sages who spoke, or give us the noble morality that are the spiritual guardians of mankind.’ we find in the ancient literature? She adds: Take the Classic of Purity from China, The proof is clear that Divine Wisdom which, they say, came from far-off underlies all religions.

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Dr T.S. Ramasamy, in Your God My in the doctrines, rituals, and histories give God — Journey of the Quivering Heart, each tradition its own unique identity and has attempted to find the essence of each are of great importance to believers in religion bearing in mind certain principles. these faiths. According to him, the most significant principles in the context of the modern He concludes that the essence of every world are: religion is compassion. He quotes Basaveºvara, a ªaiva saint: ‘Compassion 1. Every scripture has two sides: one, is the essence of religion, is there any temporary and perishable, belonging to religion without compassion — tell me?’ the ideas of the people of the period Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche, in a recent and the country in which it is produced: lecture given in Helsinki for the TS in and the other, eternal and imperishable, Finland, pointed out that our basic problem applicable to all ages and countries. No is the tendency of thinking about one’s doctrine of religion is intelligible save in religion as superior to others. Many a the context of the times. What is context- time, due to ignorance and utter arro- ual and what is universal in the teachings gance, conflict is fuelled when believers of religions should be remembered. from different faiths come into contact 2. . . . the diversity that exists among with each other, each thinking that he various religions is enormously enriching. alone has the complete Truth, that there is something missing or wrong in all 3. Let us be sure on one premise — that others, while their group represents the no single tradition monopolizes the truth true ‘reality’ on earth. He suggested cer- and no religion is an island. tain actions that could be taken to reverse 4. Identifying common characteristics current trends, concluding that ‘above all, among religions is not the same as saying there should be a solidarity among genu- all religions are the same. Clearly, they ine religious practitioners in order to are not. safeguard their faith and conviction’. There is yet another very significant 5. We must not forget that focusing on area where religion can play a major role, the underlying essence of the great trad- and that is to save humanity from the itions should not mean erasing the dif- environmental crisis which the world is ferences between them, or creating a facing today. In the name of development homogenized philosophy. There are mean- and progress, we have destroyed the ingful differences between the great faiths forests, eroded the top soil, changed the of mankind about the precise nature of composition of the atmosphere, depleted God, the relationship between man and the protective ozone layer, tampered God, the nature of the soul, and what hap- with the climate, poisoned the air and pens to us after death. These differences the waters, and made the poorest people

January 2008 147 The Theosophist suffer most from the deteriorating en- ive ozone layer; a global warming un- vironment. The world is facing today precedented in the last 150 millennia; some grave challenges like global warm- the obliteration of an acre of forest every ing. Religion can play an important role second; the rapid-fire extinction of spe- in combating these issues. cies; and the prospect of a global nuclear In April 1988 an extraordinary gather- war that would put at risk most of the ing took place in Oxford. The leaders of population of the Earth. There may well the planet’s religions met with scientists be other such dangers of which, in our and legislators from many nations to try ignorance, we are still unaware. Indivi- to deal with the rapidly worsening world dually and cumulatively they represent a environmental crisis. Representatives of trap being set for the human species, a nearly one hundred nations were present trap we are setting for ourselves. How- at the Global Forum of Spiritual and ever principled and lofty (or naïve and short-sighted) the justifications may have Parliamentary Leaders conference. There- been for the activities that brought forth after, in January 1990, at their Moscow these dangers, separately and together they conference, an appeal signed by a number now imperil our species and many others. of distinguished scientists was presented We are close to committing — many would to the world’s religious leaders. Excerpts argue we are already committing — what of the said appeal follow: in religious language is sometimes called The Earth is the birthplace of our species Crimes against Creation. and, so far as we know, our only home. Problems of such magnitude, and solu- When our numbers were small and our tions demanding so broad a perspective, technology feeble, we were powerless to must be recognized from the outset as influence the environment of our world. having a religious as well as a scientific But today, suddenly, almost without any- dimension. Mindful of our common one noticing, our numbers have become responsibility, we scientists — many of immense and our technology has achieved us long engaged in combating the en- vast, even awesome, powers. Intentionally vironmental crisis — urgently appeal to or inadvertently, we are now able to make the world religious community to com- devastating changes in the global envi- mit, in word and deed, and as boldly as ronment — an environment to which we is required, to preserve the environment and all the other beings with whom we of the Earth. share the Earth are meticulously and The environmental crisis requires radical exquisitely adapted. changes not only in public policy, but We are now threatened by self-inflicted, also in individual behaviour. The historical swiftly moving environmental alterations record makes it clear that religious teach- about whose long-term biological and ing, example, and leadership are power- ecological consequences we are still pain- fully able to influence personal conduct fully ignorant — depletion of the protect- and commitment.

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The response of the religious leaders intrinsically religious. All faith traditions was overwhelmingly positive and signed and teachings firmly instruct us to revere by hundreds of spiritual leaders from and care for the natural world. Yet sacred 83 countries: creation is being violated and is in ultim- ate jeopardy as a result of long-standing We are moved by the Appeal’s spirit and human behaviour. A religious response challenged by its substance. We share is essential to reverse such long-standing its sense of urgency. This invitation to patterns of neglect and exploitation. collaboration marks a unique moment and opportunity in the relationship of For these reasons, we welcome the Scien- science and religion. tists’ Appeal and are eager to explore as soon as possible concrete, specific forms Many in the religious community have of collaboration and action. The Earth followed with growing alarm reports of itself calls us to new levels of joint threats to the well-being of our planet’s commitment. environment such as those set forth in the Appeal. The scientific community The present world environment crisis has done humankind a great service by is not yet a disaster, but, as in other crises, bringing forth evidence of these perils. it has the potential to draw forth previously We encourage continued scrupulous untapped and even unimagined powers investigation and must take account of cooperation and commitment. Science of its results in all our deliberations and religion may differ about how the and declarations regarding the human Earth was made, but they agree that its condition. protection merits our profound attention We believe the environmental crisis is and loving ² care.

Evil has no existence per se and is but the absence of good and exists but for him who is made its victim. It proceeds from two causes, and no more than good is it an independent cause in Nature. Nature is destitute of goodness or malice; she follows only immutable laws when she either gives life and joy, or sends suffering [and] death, and destroys what she has created. Nature has an antidote for every poison and her laws a reward for every suffering. The butterfly devoured by a bird becomes that bird, and the little bird killed by an animal goes into a higher form. It is the blind law of necessity and the eternal fitness of things, and hence cannot be called Evil in Nature. The real evil proceeds from human intelligence, and its origin rests entirely with reasoning man who dissociates himself from Nature.

A Master of the Wisdom

January 2008 149 The Theosophist Understanding, Sharing, Loving

PERTTI SPETS

WHEN we say that we understand means understanding the whole person: another, what do we mean? Perhaps we not only what he is saying, but also his mean that we understand how the other thoughts, values, motives, wishes, and thinks and what he says. But how deeply character. We often say we understand do we understand? Most of our human when we do not really do so. Real under- problems arise through our relationship standing demands that we love each with our fellow beings, when we do not other. When we listen with our hearts, understand them. We may understand we understand better than when we what the other person is saying, but not listen with the intellect. what he means, what his motives are, and Prejudices and fear prevent us from why he says what he is saying. We may seeing clearly. We are often afraid of understand intellectually, but do we really facts and reality. Courage is necessary understand him? in order to see a person in a new light, When we meet other people we know, without previous conceptions. we often already have a finished picture We expect our friends to act in a certain of them. We react and understand ac- way. We do not want them to change. cording to our earlier experiences and We do not recognize them if they the picture we have formed. We carry change too much. It makes us uncertain. the past with us and understand them Thoughts, previous conceptions and through it. Our opinions and experiences ideas obstruct our vision. We trust too influence our relationships and our under- much our own understanding of what the standing. But when we live in the present, other person is saying. That is the foun- and the past is not part of our vision, then dation of our education and our culture. we can really understand each other. The No emphasis is put on other forms of mind must be attentive, without prejudices understanding. and attitudes, without earlier pictures. Intellectual understanding has de- What is sharing? prived us of a comprehensive view of life, Is it giving away things that we no and thus a deeper understanding of other longer need, giving of our affluence? people. Real understanding of others Kahlil Gibran says in The Prophet:

Mr Pertti Spets is General Secretary of the TS in Sweden. Talk given in Helsinki, July 2007.

150 Vol. 129.4 You give but little when you give of your I can start feeling love and compassion. possessions. It is when you give of your- A quiet and calm mind can make us self that you truly give. For what are your more sensitive, as we are not disturbed by possessions but things you keep and guard thoughts. Then there can be understand- for fear you may need them tomor- ing, sharing, and loving. Deep inside us row? . . . And what is fear of need but there are roots of love and understand- need itself? ing. It is not so easy to awaken them. We need to experience deeply, to be open We cannot give and share our under- and sensitive, to put the other person first. standing, and we cannot understand an- This is not easy, as we expect so much other if we do not first understand our- from others. selves. We can give others knowledge, Love is wisdom, and wisdom is love. but not wisdom; self-knowledge is some- But real wisdom and compassion are not thing that we must learn from ourselves. possible unless we understand a person’s Magazines give advice about how to whole situation, problems, suffering, become a better lover. Is it a question of and so on. We can love only when we love or something else? I love you as long forget ourselves and go beyond the self. as you can satisfy my needs and you can ‘Charity seeketh not her own’, said Paul give me what I want. When I have grown the Apostle. Love and compassion is an tired of you I will look for a new love. It active, not a passive, feeling. Love and is popularly thought that jealousy is a sign compassion mean assuming and bear- of love. If we loved our partner more, we ing the suffering of others, helping to bear would not require sole rights, and we their sorrow. We often seek what is ad- would not find it difficult to grant vantageous for us, what we think can freedom of thought and action. We use give us happiness. As we are looking the word ‘love’ also in other connections for our own advantage, we will not find when it is not a question of love, but of love. Clinging to the self stops us from something else. We expect the other experiencing love. person to fulfil our desires, and when he The self must die to the past and live does not, we grow tired and say that we in the present for our hearts to be filled do not love him or her any more. We with love. There is love when there is no also think that it is love when we are need, when we do not seek satisfaction. dependent on each other. Only the mind that is free from the past, We are all the same. Everybody is from preconceptions, prejudices and looking for love. We want to be happy wishes, can love — and understand and and we want to avoid suffering. But if share life with others. Without love and I look at the other person as ‘me’, then it compassion we cannot wholly fulfil our is easier to understand and love him or most important duties — we cannot be a her. When I see myself in the other, then complete person. ²

January 2008 151 The Theosophist The Work of the Branches

DAMODAR K. MAVALANKAR

NOTWITHSTANDING the repeated no Gurus, to take every member, upon protest of the Parent Theosophical So- joining, under their special charge. Mr ciety, there does yet seem to linger in the Sinnett was distinctly warned on this point minds of individual members and of when he asked for the assistance of some some Branches a tendency to look upon adept as the guiding genius of the Simla the whole movement as a school where Eclectic TS, as will be seen on reference Yoga Vidyâ and Occultism may be learnt to his Occult World. No doubt there are in a much more expeditious and easy individual members who have been for- way than heretofore. This arises out of tunate enough to be accepted as chela-s, an ignorance of the laws of Occult Insti- but their acceptance was due not to the tutions and those governing psycho- fact of their being Fellows, but because logical development. Since the com- they had been living the life and have mencement, the Theosophical Society has voluntarily passed through the training and tried to impress the fact that the Laws of tests enjoined upon aspirants for occult Nature are immutable; and no living being, knowledge of every age and nationality. however high and powerful, can ever alter In their case the Theosophical Society was them to suit the convenience of students. only the means of giving them the con- The attempt, therefore, which is now being viction of their intuitive beliefs, and thus made is not to carry on the vain and urging them to follow the promptings of profitless task of finding a shortcut to their inner consciousness. For the com- Brahma-vidyâ, since this is an impos- paratively easy mode they thus had of sibility, but to revive once more its know- gaining the conviction, they have to make ledge, and thus to stimulate a true aspirant up by helping the building-up of the to adapt his life and thoughts to that Theosophical Society and putting it on a standard which will better him and lead secure basis. him gradually to such ways as run their This explanation ought to make it clear courses to the Divine Wisdom. that what the Society expects from all its It will thus be seen that the Theo- Branches and individual members, is sophical Society promises no Teachers, cooperation and help in its grand task of

From Supplements to The Theosophist of January 1884 and March 1884, written as Joint Recording Secretary of the TS.

152 Vol. 129.4 The Work of the Branches uniting the East and the West, the North When once all this is clearly under- and the South, in a Scientific Brother- stood, the only question for solution is hood armed against dissension and con- how best to promote the Cause, and thus sequent failure by the principle of mutual by an unselfish effort for the good of our Toleration and mutual Intellectual Sym- fellow men and their regeneration, to fit pathy. It is an unthinkable proposition ourselves for the higher life of a true co- that any man with average intelligence worker with those who have devoted cannot contribute his quota towards the themselves to the amelioration of the realization of this noble scheme. If each moral and spiritual condition of human- man were but to do his duty to search, ity. There are various ways of accom- investigate, study, digest, and join with plishing this result, but as one man’s his fellow men, actuated by the same meat is another man’s poison, the Parent noble aspirations, in giving to mankind Theosophical Society has always en- the benefits of their labour, the day would deavoured to leave the practical working not be very far off when the Masters of its Branches to their members, who of Occultism might find the necessary are, or should be, the best judges of the conditions to enable them to once more circumstances they have to work under, live in the world as openly and freely as and the material that can be utilized. did their predecessors of times long, Psychology is a vast field wherein long gone by, and give to such a pre- many workers may employ themselves pared people the benefits of Their with advantage. The tastes of individuals knowledge. must differ, but surely there can be found Until that blessed day comes, a duty is two or three in every Branch interested before us: we have to hasten its approach. in the same subject. If a Branch divides And this cannot be done by merely joining itself into various Committees for the the Theosophical Society and without investigation of various subjects of Sci- preparation, training, or qualifications, ence, and communicates its results at expecting the Adepts to place within our general meetings, much good will ensue. reach tremendous weapons of Power, Various articles in The Theosophist and for Knowledge is Power, which in the other publications of the like nature hands of the ignorant and the wicked is might be taken up by different members, fraught with dangers to their holders and the Society given the benefit of every and to humanity at large. Enough has individual exertion. Knotty questions already been given out to bring home to arising out of such studies might be any one, endowed with ordinary intel- referred to the Headquarters in the form ligence, fairness, and desire for know- of an article, or in any other shape which ledge — conviction of the truth of this may be found best under the circum- Science and the Powers it confers upon stances. Every legitimate demand for its devotees. help and assistance has been, and will

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always be, granted by the Founders to Esoteric Philosophy are being gradually their coworkers in this cause of human- given out through the instrumentality of ity. Several other matters of Reform might the Theosophical Society. be undertaken by other Committees, with- Have the critics reflected to what out, of course, infringing upon any indi- causes this fact is due? It is because vidual’s or people’s religious or social the leaders and promoters of the Asso- right. For those who are capable of an ciation find that their labour is not being unselfish impulse to work for the moral thrown entirely upon barren ground, but and spiritual regeneration of humanity, that their work is being more and more there is plenty to do. And it is men of this appreciated, as is proved by important stamp that are the pillars of such a grand additions to its ranks; they thus feel en- movement, which must necessarily de- couraged to continue their arduous task pend upon their cooperation and zeal for more and more cheerfully. But let it be its success. once proven that the work has created no These are the lines upon which interest, and that those for whom exertions Branches are expected to be organized are being made prefer to stubbornly re- and worked. main blind to all higher considerations, and the Theosophical leaders will be * * * * * compelled to drop the work in spite of It is admitted that the Theosophical themselves. Society has been engaged in doing good, Is not the fact that the moral if not with unparalleled success, to humanity; the active support given by people to the that, had it not been for its exertions, Society by joining it acts as a stimulant people would have gone on in their own for renewed work — is not this fact a ways as heretofore, would have paid no sufficient inducement for right thinking attention to the writings of the ancient men not to keep aloof from the move- sages and would have remained in entire ment? Again, the Theosophical Society ignorance of the glorious truths contained being a Universal Brotherhood embraces therein, not because they could not have all humanity: as such it may very well be been found if properly searched into, recognized as one complete organism. but because the earnest spirit of enquiry All its doings are its karma. And just as which has now been raised could never the different organs derive nourishment have asserted itself. It is therefore a from the joint work of the whole body; so duty we owe to the Theosophical Society also each member of this huge organism to encourage and support it by all pos- has a part of its nourishment from the sible means, if we have the least sense accumulated store of the karma of the of gratitude within us. Moreover, it is Theosophical Society as a whole. And within almost every one’s mouth that who will dispute the fact that that Asso- more and more important facts of the ciation has been acquiring an immense

154 Vol. 129.4 The Work of the Branches amount of good karma by its beneficent ciations now existing in the world, the work of increasing human happiness by Theosophical Society is the only one that promoting knowledge and by uniting can be employed to the best advantage together different people into one bond for promoting human happiness by bring- of an Intellectual Brotherhood? ing people to realize the common foun- Still further: it is a well-recognized dation of all Religions. And that the principle that Union is Strength; and Illuminated have therefore adopted it as therefore if any Association could afford the channel of communication between large opportunities for doing good, it themselves and the outer world. is the Theosophical Society. Selfishness As such, it forms the centre of light, having sealed the eyes of the critics to and he who steps into its sphere from the the fact that they form but a part of the outer darkness, comes within the radius Integral Whole, they fail to perceive that of vision of the Blessed Ones. To ad- the good of their Fellow men is their own vance further depends upon his active good. The cloud of self-benefit darkens goodness and work. By joining, he has their mental horizon, through which their got his reward of giving an expression to sight cannot pierce to have a glance at the his sympathy and thus affording moral future results of their attitude. They see support — and that reward is that he no superior advantage within the narrow puts himself in a prominent position range of their vision, and therefore they whence he can be more easily perceived conclude no such advantage exists. They than those who prefer to remain in the cannot understand that of all the Asso- outer darkness. ²

It is the motive, and the motive alone, which makes any exercise of power become black, malignant, or white, beneficent Magic. It is impossible to employ spiritual forces if there is the slightest tinge of selfishness remaining in the operator.... The powers and forces of animal nature can equally be used by the selfish and revengeful, as by the unselfish and the all-forgiving; the powers and forces of spirit lend themselves only to the perfectly pure in heart — and this is DIVINE MAGIC. H. P. Blavatsky, Practical Occultism

January 2008 155 The Theosophist Theosophical Work around the World

Centenary of Occult Chemistry of their careful observations deserve to be The results of the clairvoyant investiga- given wider publicity, especially amongst tions into the sub-atomic structure of atoms the younger generation of scientists. and molecules carried out by Dr Annie It is therefore suggested that during the Besant and Bishop C.W. Leadbeater year 2008, Theosophy-Science groups over a century ago have now been found and other scientifically minded members to be in remarkable agreement with the in various national sections may like to particle-physics findings of modern give some thought to how this centenary physics, although when Occult Chemistry event may be observed appropriately in was published in 1908, it was totally different countries/regions, attracting rejected by the scientific community. the participation of young students and Credit must be given to Dr Stephen researchers from various universities in Phillips, theoretical ‘particle’ physicist of the vicinity. Dr Phillips has consented to the UK for placing these occult findings make himself available for conducting on a firm footing by making a detailed schools/workshops. analysis of the ‘occult chemistry’ results Dr M. Srinivasan has volunteered and pointing out how it agrees with the to follow up any correspondence in present knowledge of the structure of this regard, mainly to coordinate the nuclei in terms of the quark (and even sub- travel programme of Dr Phillips. (You quark) constituents of atomic nuclei. Dr may contact Dr Srinivasan at .) Sensory Perception of Quarks in 1980 (Quest Books) and in an updated version The Theosophical Order of Service of the same, ESP of Quarks and Super- in India strings (New Age Publishers, New Delhi, The south zone conference of the India) in 1999. The clinching evidence Theosophical Order of Service (TOS) in for the veracity of the Besant-Leadbeater India was held in Guntur on 22 and 23 findings is their discovery of the phenom- September 2007, with 77 delegates from enon known to science as ‘isotopes’ and different regions participating. It was publishing the atomic weights of several hosted by Sri Krishna Theosophical isotopes correct to the second decimal Lodge and the TOS in Guntur. place, five years before science even Mrs Radha Burnier was the chief learnt of the existence of isotopes. guest and gave the inaugural address, There is much that science can learn after Dr S. Venkata Rao, President of from this body of work. Both the method- Sri Krishna Lodge and TOS Guntur, and ology of ‘micro-psi’ as well as the results Mr G.V.L.N. Sanjeeva Rao, Regional

156 Vol. 129.4 Theosophical Work around the World Secretary, TOS Rayalaseema Region, the Conference theme and another on welcomed the gathering. Mrs Burnier ‘Interaction on Karma’, and delivered a stressed that the TOS has its roots in public talk, ‘Seeing through Our Heart’. Theosophy, promoting spiritual uplift- Mrs Nelda Samarel, Director of the ment. Mr B. L. Bhattacharya, National Krotona School of Theosophy, con- Director, then spoke on how service is ducted a workshop on ‘Training for the only way to better a human being, Theosophical Workers’ and gave a public and Mr P.S. Mittal, National Secretary, talk on ‘The One Most Important Thing’. explained the administration of the TOS The gathering was organized to re- in India. vitalize the Theosophical movement in In the evening, delegates visited a this region. In El Salvador, as in most of centre for manufacturing artificial limbs. the Central American countries, there is Later, Mrs Burnier addressed the public, only one Lodge, yet despite difficulties, explaining the relationship between and thanks to the devoted work of TS the TS and the TOS, and Mr C.V.K. members, the flame of Theosophy keeps Maithreya traced the life-history of the on burning. President-Founder of the TS, Col. H. S. An Aid Fund was created to help needy Olcott. A discussion ensued on future TS members to attend future IATF events, activities of the TOS in the South. and a Books Aid Fund was created to On the following day, donations were purchase books in Spanish. Private dona- made to a number of worthy projects, tions were received for these Funds. followed by short talks on ‘How to Serve Individually and Collectively’. The USA A Southeast Regional Conference Inter-American Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia, from 9 to The President of the Inter-American 11 November, 2007, on the theme ‘Social Federation, Mrs Terezinha Kind, reports Action as Spiritual Practice’, with about that this gathering, held in El Salvador 90 attending. The National President of from 10 to 14 October 2007, with the the American Section, Mrs Betty Bland, theme ‘Expanding the Theosophical welcomed participants from around the Family’, was the first Central American country. The international Vice-President, Convention. About 40 members from Dr John Algeo, gave the keynote address Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, on ‘Spiritual Practice as Social Action/ Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the United States, Social Action as Spiritual Action’, and Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Re- the President of the American TOS, Mr public, and Brazil participated. Tim Boyd, spoke on ‘An Experiment in Mrs Ali Ritsema, former General Openness: The Life and Work of Bill Secretary of the Dutch Section, was the Lawrence’. The conference ended with guest speaker and gave two talks: one on reports from four discussion groups. ²

January 2008 157 The Theosophist

158 Vol. 129.4 January 2008 159 The Theosophist Theosophical Work around the World

The Theosophical Order of Service Inter-American Conference in India The President of the Inter-American The south zone conference of the Federation, Mrs Terezinha Kind, reports Theosophical Order of Service (TOS) in that the gathering was the first Cen- India was held in Guntur on 22 and 23 tral American Convention, held in El September 2007, with 77 delegates from Salvador, from 10 to 14 October 2007, different regions participating. It was with the theme ‘Expanding the Theo- hosted by Sri Krishna Theosophical sophical Family’. About 40 members Lodge and the TOS in Guntur. from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mrs Radha Burnier was the chief Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the United States, guest and gave the inaugural address, México, Puerto Rico, Dominican Re- after Dr S. Venkata Rao, President of Sri public, and Brazil participated. Krishna Lodge and TOS Guntur, and Mrs Ali Ritsema, former General Mr G.V.L.N. Sanjeeva Rao, Regional Secretary of the Dutch Section, was the Secretary, TOS Rayalaseema Region, had guest speaker and gave two talks: one on welcomed the gathering. Mrs Burnier the Conference theme and another on stressed that TOS has roots in Theosophy, ‘Interaction on Karma’, and delivered a and promotes spiritual upliftment. Mr public talk, ‘Seeing through our Heart’. B.L. Bhattacharya, National Director, then Mrs Nelda Samarel, Director of the spoke on how service is the only way to Krotona School of Theosophy, con- better a human being, and Mr P.S. Mittal, ducted a workshop on ‘Training for National Secretary, explained the adminis- Theosophical Workers’ and gave a public tration of the TOS in India. talk on ‘The One Most Important Thing’. In the evening, delegates visited a The gathering was organized to revi- centre for manufacturing artificial limbs. talize the Theosophical movement in this Later, Mrs Burnier addressed the public, region. In El Salvador, as in most of the explaining the relationship between Central American countries, there is only the TS and the TOS, and Mr C.V. K. one Lodge, yet despite difficulties, thanks Maithreya traced the life history of the to the devoted work of TS members, President-Founder of the TS, Col. H. S. the flame of Theosophy keeps burning. Olcott. A discussion ensued on future An Aid Fund was created to help TS activities of the TOS in the South. members to attend future IATF events, On the following day, donations were and a Books Aid Fund was created to made to a number of worthy projects, purchase books in Spanish and make followed by short talks on ‘How to serve them available at affordable prices. Private individually and collectively’. donations were received for these Funds.

160 Vol. 129.4 The USA A Southeast Regional Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia, from 9 to 11 November 2007, on the theme ‘Social Action as Spiritual Practice’, with about 90 attending. The National President of the American Section, Mrs Betty Bland, welcomed participants from around the country. The international Vice-President, Dr John Algeo, gave the keynote address on ‘Spiritual Practice as Social Action / Social Action as Spiritual Action’, and the President of the American TOS, Mr Tim Boyd, spoke on ‘An Experiment in Openness: The Life and Work of Bill Lawrence’. The conference ended with reports from four discussion groups.

Indo-Pacific Federation The Chairman of the Federation, Mr Pedro Oliveria, reports that he visited Sri Lanka from 28 to 31 October 2007 in order to meet with the Presidential Representative, Mr S.M. Jayathilleke, and a number of other members about how to strengthen the TS work in that country. There is a need to establish regular study of Theosophy at the head- quarters in Colombo. Public meetings are held once a month and the premises have been improved. They would also like to revive Besant Lodge in the same city. Mr Jayathilleke reports that the two Lodges in Badulla are working regu- larly.

January 2008 161 The Theosophist

Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom

What India teaches us is that in a state advancing towards civilization, there must be always two castes or two classes of men, a caste of Brahmans or of thinkers, and a caste of Kshatriyas, who are to fight; possibly other castes also of those who are to work and those who are to serve. Great wars went on in India, but they were left to be fought by the warriors by profession. The peasants in their villages remained quiet, accepting the consequences, whatever they might be, and the Brahmans lived on, thinking and dreaming in their forests, satisfied to rule after the battle was over. And what applies to military struggles seems to me to apply to all struggles — political, religious, social, commercial, and even literary. Let those who love to fight, fight; but let those who are fond of quiet work go on undisturbed in their own special callings. That was, as far as we can see, the old Indian idea, or at all events the ideal which the Brahmans wished to see realized. I do not stand up for utter idleness or sloth, not even for drones, though Nature does not seem to condemn even hoc genus altogether. All I plead for, as a scholar and a thinker, is freedom from canvassing , from letter-reading and letter- writing, from committees, deputations, meetings, public dinners, and all the rest. That will sound very selfish to the ears of practical men, and I understand why they should look upon men like myself as hardly worth their salt. But what would they say to one of the greatest fighters in the history of the world? What would they say to Julius Caesar, when he declares that the triumphs and the laurel wreaths of Cicero are as far nobler than those of warriors, as it is a greater achievement to extend the boundaries of the Roman intellect than the domains of the Roman people! F. Max Mueller From My Autobiography: A Fragment

162 Vol. 129.4 The Power of Sangha in Theosophical Work (Talk given at the Annual Gathering of the TS in America in Wheaton, Illinois)

VICENTE HAO CHIN, JR

ONE encounters the ageless wisdom My first encounter with the ageless mainly through two avenues: books and wisdom was through an orange-robed people. It is the second that I believe has yogi who spoke in our college. After the the greater impact in influencing someone lecture I approached him and asked to be to walk the spiritual path. I may read a taught how to meditate. He did teach me book on karma, and after reading it, nod the following Sunday, and such was my my head and say, ‘Oh, yes, this is true. introduction to raja yoga. It was through I believe in karma’, and end there. It is this that I was introduced to the Theo- rare that reading a book alone will trigger sophical Society, and there I met a lady a basic redirection of one’s life path, al- who was to have an enduring impact though this does happen. But when we in my young life. I have been with the meet someone whose life strikes a chord Theosophical Society since then, and my of truth within us, and when we constantly life has never been the same. get exposed to such persons, then we The first power of Sangha then is the realize the power of such association in chance to begin in this life our initial creating turning points in our lives. steps towards the spiritual path. The There are four facets of this power of right community can kindle the spiritual long-term association with spiritually- fire within. inclined people, in our case, the Theo- But kindling the spiritual fire is but the sophical sangha. First is the chance to first step. This flame must be sustained, begin. We are introduced to a new way and here we encounter the second power of life and worldview when we meet of the sangha, the power to nurture. Being people who embody them. We notice in with a spiritual group like the TS, not just them a different kind of inner power, of an intellectual debating society but a living equanimity, of wisdom that goes beyond spiritual community, enables us to sustain the smartness and cunningness that we our initial effort to tread the higher life. normally see all around us. It is not easy to try to live according to

Mr Vicente Hao Chin, Jr, is General Secretary of the TS in the Philippines, is active in the Theosophical Order of Service, and conducts self-transformation workshops.

January 2008 163 The Theosophist one’s principles. The worldly life has its The third power of the Sangha is the own smart rules that sneer at integrity power to inspire. This of course depends and truthfulness, at spirituality and a lot upon the type of organization or selflessness, at meditation and non- group one is associated with. Speaking of acquisitiveness. It offers so many tantal- my own exposure to the Theosophical izing experiences and sights that it is Society, I may say that encountering easy for one to just get carried away. The certain individuals in the Society has Sangha enables us to sustain our sight of pivotally uplifted my own small efforts, the distant light ahead of us, or, to put it giving strength to my young wings. This another way, to constantly be aware of is possible because we see embodied in this inner vision of the truer life. The certain individuals the fruits of the wis- spiritual community sustains and ener- dom and the worthiness of such a life. We gizes this inner insight, which at the also realize that one day we too can reach beginning is but a series of intermittent such heights, such levels of integration. sparks, and becomes a tiny unsteady The power of example is indeed a very flame, and needs to be gently fanned for potent one. People are the highest em- it not to be blown off. bodiments of truth outside of ourselves. My parents were businesspeople. Being They give us conviction and certainty the eldest in the family I was expected about the validity of the spiritual or to pursue the life of a businessman after theosophic way of life. The deep, bal- graduation. The immediate surrounding anced and exemplary lives of spiritual culture, my uncles and relatives, were of people are the proof that the wisdom is similar business minds. It is hard to say ultimately sound and that the higher life what I would be doing today if I had not is worth spending our lives on. encountered yoga and the Theosophical Finally, the fourth power of the Sangha Society. The weekly association with is the power to teach how to truly serve. Theosophists had a sustaining impact in Again this depends upon the particular my young life, such that despite the fact group that one associates with. When that I was involved in the business world, there is at least one person in the group I was never fully immersed in or carried who exhibits the quality of cheerful and away by it. One becomes like the double- spontaneous service, then we may be headed eagle, capable of seeing in two blessed with the discovery of perhaps directions: the life in the outer world, and the most important activity that a human the life in the inner. This dual vision is being can engage in — the life of service. effort to live the higher life. It keeps Most people are not naturally endowed one’s feet on the ground, cognizing with a service-oriented nature. On the one’s duties and humanity, but at the same contrary, we almost always start with time not losing sight of the reality of our selfishness. The budding spirituality that transcendent nature. inclines towards selfless service needs

164 Vol. 129.4 to be nurtured in an environment that is The Sangha has the power to soften and not cynical about compassion and the melt such encrustations so that one day, giving of oneself. in one life, the soul is ready to let go of It is rather unfortunate that the practi- that centre called the self and awaken cal man or woman is often subconscious- to the Self Universal. ly nurtured to think that one should do Thus the Theosophical community is certain things only when there is a indeed a blessing to those whose lives resultant personal gain from it. In a world revolve around its sphere. It has, first, of competition, the aim is to get ahead, to the power to allow a soul to begin the acquire more, to gain. One even learns that quest; second, it has the power to nur- it is smart to use Machiavellian ways to ture the flame that sustains the quest; surge ahead. I was not lacking in such then it has the power to inspire and exposure. It was the timeless principles uplift the soul to transcending heights; of the ageless wisdom that constantly and finally it has the power to teach how reminded me to look the other way — to to truly serve without self. be willing to lose, to give way, or to assist, The Theosophical sangha, while be- if such would mean lightening the burden stowing blessings and power on the of someone. These principles taught me pilgrim soul, does not demand for itself that there is no such thing as an enemy. any allegiance to any doctrine or dogma. We are all travelers or pilgrims in quest It points not to itself, but to something of a distant paradise. Let us not quarrel beyond it. This is the transcendent power about stones or jewels that we may have of a truly spiritual sangha. One feels truly picked up along the way. We will have to blessed to be under its motherly wings. divest ourselves of them eventually, For our part, let us do our share in and enter the sacred land holding each nurturing the spiritual quality of the other’s hands, not jewels and stones. Theosophical sangha for the sake of Our journey is not independent of future pilgrims to come. Let our pro- each other. We are intertwined in such grammes, activities and gatherings al- complex and mysterious ways that the ways be imbued with a wisp of the eternal. joys and pains of others are really shared And let this begin with our tiniest ac- by us. The spiritual community teaches tions, with the casual words that flow from us how to serve, not in the way a merchant our lips, with the daily fleeting thoughts would give his goods in exchange for that cross our minds, until our own lives something in return, but to give and serve have become permeated with the sound- unconditionally. It is truly a difficult lesson less melody of the song of life, the song to learn because the encrusted ego would of the eternal. Then truly every new like to continue to strengthen itself, and coming pilgrim will be in the midst of a is not willing to let go of its imagined genuinely transformative community, treasures without a corresponding gain. the Theosophical Society.²

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