Kali-Yuga of Brotherhood
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I.S.I.S. Foundation The Messenger of Light The activities of the I.S.I.S. Foundation are based on: 1. The essential unity of all that exists. ® 2. By reason of this unity: brotherhood as a fact in nature. 3. Respect for everyone’s free will (when applied from this idea of universal brotherhood). 4. Respect for everyone’s freedom to build up their own view of life. 5. To support the developing of everyone’s own view of life and its application in daily practice. LuciferFor seekers of Truth Current topics viewed in the light of the Ancient Wisdom or Theo-sophia — the common source of all great world religions, philosophies and sciences Why this journal is called Lucifer Theosophy’s rightful place Lucifer literally means Bringer of Light. Each culture in the East and West has his bringers of light: inspiring individuals who give the initial impulse to spiritual growth and social reform. Spiritual progress in They stimulate independent thinking and living with a profound awareness Kali-Yuga of brotherhood. These bringers of light have always been opposed and slandered by the Repentance works? establishment. But there are always those who refuse to be put off by these slanderers, and start examining the wisdom of the bringers of light in an Brotherhood and open-minded and unprejudiced way. sisterhood? For these people this journal is written. “… the title chosen for our magazine is as much associated with divine ideas From Higgs-particle as with the supposed rebellion of the hero of Milton’s Paradise Lost … to Theosophia We work for true Religion and Science, in the interest of fact as against fiction and prejudice. It is our duty – as it is that of physical Science – to The role of the poles throw light on facts in Nature hitherto surrounded by the darkness of ignorance … But natural Sciences are only one aspect of SCIENCE and TRUTH. Psychological and moral Sciences, or theosophy, the knowledge of divine truth, are still more important …” (Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in the first issue of Lucifer, September 1887) No. 2 | August 2014 Publication of I.S.I.S. Foundation (International Study-centre for Independent Search for truth) Lucifer® Colophon I.S.I.S. Foundation Editors: Barend Voorham, Henk The name of the Foundation [Stichting] is Bezemer, Bianca Peeters, Astrid ‘Stichting International Study-centre for Kramer. Independent Search for truth’. Its registered office is in The Hague, The Netherlands. Chief editor: Herman C. Vermeulen The object of the Foundation is to form Editorial office: a nucleus of Universal Brotherhood by De Ruyterstraat 72-74, disseminating knowledge about the spiritual 2518 AV Den Haag, structure of human beings and the cosmos, tel. +31 (0) 70 346 15 45 free from dogma. e-mail: [email protected] The Foundation endeavors to accomplish this Reactions: object by giving courses, organizing public and The Editorial Board reserves the right other speeches and lectures, issuing books, to make a selection and/or shorten brochures and other publications, and by incoming documents drawing on all other resources available to it. Subscription: I.S.I.S. Foundation is a non-profit organization, This is the fourth free sample of which is recognized as such by the tax Lucifer, the Messenger of Light. For authorities in The Netherlands. For the purposes subscription: mail the editorial office: of the tax authorities, I.S.I.S. Foundation has [email protected] what is called ANBI status. The price of next issues will be about ANBI stands for General Benefit Organisation € 7,- for a paper version and about (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling). € 1,- euro for a digital version. The most important requisites in obtaining this Payment by Internet – creditcard (see ANBI status are: website). • It is a non-profit organization, so it has no earnings. Any profit earned from for Publisher: example book sales, must be fully used I.S.I.S. Foundation, Blavatskyhouse, for general beneficial activities. For I.S.I.S. De Ruyterstraat 72-74, Foundation, this is spreading the Theo- Cover illustration: 2518 AV Den Haag, sophia. (We refer to the statutes, aims and Photograph of the trails tel. +31 (0) 70 346 15 45, principles for further information.) fax +31 (0) 345 24 67, • Board members must meet integrity of atomic particles after e-mail: [email protected] requirements. their collision in a particle internet: www.blavatskyhouse.org • The ANBI must have a separate property, accelerator. In these large whereby a director or policymaker cannot instruments, the particles are © I.S.I.S. Foundation dictate over this property as though it were pushed up to inconceivable No part of this publication may be his own. speed. After their collision, they reproduced or made public in any • The remuneration of board members transform into a fountain of form or by any means: electronic, may only consist of a reimbursement for other particles. Thus indications mechanical, by photocopies, expenses and attendance. recordings, or any other way, without have been found for the prior permission of the Publisher. I.S.I.S. Foundation ANBI number is 50872. existence of a ‘Higgs-particle’. The I.S.I.S. foundation is not responsible for any statement or opinion that is published in this magazine, unless an explicit reference is made. Editorial 78 Herman C. Vermeulen Why Theosophy doesn’t have its rightful place in the world 80 In August 2013, during the International Lucifer Theosophical Conference in New York, Barend Voorham gave the keynote speech. We consider this speech very important, because it gives a solid fundament for cooperation among the different theosophical organizations. From Higgs-particle to gravity to Barend Voorham Theosophia 100 Recently, physicists were able to confirm Kali-Yuga: an age of spiritual the existence of the so-called Higgs-particle. growth or decay? From a theosophical perspective this is a very 84 interesting development, because scientists We are living in a restless age. According to – probably without realizing it – come very some people times are so dark and sinister, close to the idea of a universal Aether: a Contents that we are meeting our downfall rapidly. It fundamental teaching of Theosophia, which is said this has to do with Kali-Yuga, the Iron was taught in all wisdom traditions. Age. Is Kali-Yuga indeed such a dark age? SC Barend Voorham Piercing the mystery behind the poles Karma, mercy and repentance Our poles as organs of our living 93 planet The indissoluble logic of cause and effect is a 105 grand inner incentive towards a noble life. In 2013, Greenpeace made the news with Barend Voorham a spectacular campaign to draw worldwide attention to the risks of oil drilling in polar seas. The knowledge we gain from the Brotherhood and sisterhood? Theosophia shows us why the poles, both Contents 97 ‘outer’ and ‘inner’, have such a particular The main aim of The Theosophical Society significance. is to form a nucleus of active Brotherhood. Henk Bezemer Although many consider this to be a beautiful goal, we sometimes hear criticism as well, even from theosophical students. What about Questions & Answers 111 the sisters, they ask. Are they not part of this » Compassion and suicide too? Then shouldn’t we speak of brotherhood Events 112 and sisterhood? Barend Voorham » Symposium Berlin 14 september 2014 Lucifer No. 2 | August 2014 2 | August No. Lucifer no. 2 | August 2014 | 77 Editorial In February 2013 we published the first English edition of our magazine, Lucifer, the Messenger of Light. It was an experiment. We did not know how the magazine was going to be received. Now, after three editions, we gladly conclude that our magazine plays a not unimportant role in the international theosophical community. Lucifer is read in different parts of the world. From all over the world we got encouraging reactions. Articles were translated into German and Portuguese, and, as we were told, they were studied and discussed at length. We are therefore determined to continue with Lucifer and we are very pleased to present this new edition. It seems that our magazine arrived at the right time. In our troubled world there is a need for Theosophy now more than ever, and since we try to present Theosophy as clear and applicable as possible, we hope that it may contribute to solve the huge problems humanity faces. But Lucifer arrived at the right time in another way as well. Several theosophical groups and individuals are getting closer and are trying to work together in popularizing Theosophy. Like for instance ITC – International Theosophical Conferences, and The European School of Theosophy. We hope that Lucifer can play a role in the inter-theosophical communication. Some of the articles in this edition already came to existence thanks to the contacts we had with our fellow theosophists. Karma, mercy and repentance is meant as a contribution to a discussion which was held in a study group on H.P. Blavatsky’s The Key to Theosophy, where this subject was discussed. In Brotherhood and sisterhood we try to shine some light on the subject of the different sexes and show that real Man is neither masculine nor feminine; a subject that was discussed in the corridors during various international meetings. We publish here also the keynote speech that one of our editors gave at the ITC in New York in 2013. In this talk you will find very fundamental ideas on why Theosophy doesn’t play the role in the world it should play and what we can do to give it its rightful place. In Kali Yuga, an age of spiritual growth or decay we try to counter the pessimistic view of many that our age is too dark to achieve peace and spiritual growth.