IN AUSTRALIA I umber 2 SSN No. 1038-1139 June 2018 volume 82, n INSIDE Can Science Explain Phenomena? Ahimsā Florence Fuller: Theosophist and Artist 2019 National Convention, Sydney Theosophy in Australia, June 2018 INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: The Theosophical Society has its International Headquarters at Adyar, Chennai, India. International President: Tim Boyd International Vice-President: Deepa Padhi International Secretary: Marja Artamaa International Treasurer: Nancy Secrest NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: State Representatives: Level 2, 162 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills Gaynor Fraser - SA/NT NSW 2010 email: [email protected] Phone: +61 02 9264 7056 Gloria Yiangou - NSW/ACT Fax: +61 02 9264 5857 email: [email protected] www.austheos.org.au Franco Guazzelli - WA email: [email protected] email: [email protected] National President: Linda Oliveira Helen Steven - TAS email: [email protected] email: [email protected] National Vice-President: Phillipa Rooke - QLD Helen Steven email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Kari Torgerson - VIC National Secretary: Dara Tatray email:[email protected] email: [email protected] National Treasurer: Beatrice Malka Education Coordinator: Pedro Oliveira email: [email protected] Editor: Linda Oliveira email: [email protected] Editorial Committee: Janice Scarabottolo, Olga Gostin, Patricia Ossenberg, Ruth Holt Subscriptions: non-members $25 p.a. within Australia, $30 p.a. overseas We invite articles or other items of no more than 2,300 words email: [email protected] Cover photo: Shutterstock Photos in this issue by: Dr Helen Lambert, Dianne Kynaston, Linda Oliveira, George Wester and Pedro Oliveira. Photos also sourced from Wikimedia Commons and Art Explosion 600,000 with the authority of Nova Development Corporation, USA. Printer: Kwik Kopy, 320 Pitt St, Sydney. Recycled paper. The Society is not responsible for any statement in this magazine unless made in an official notice. Published quarterly by: The Theosophical Society in Australia. Theosophy in Australia, June 2018 37 IN A June 2018 CONTENTS Volume 82 no. 2 From the National President The Theosophical Society wel- 38 comes students or seekers from 39 Can Science Explain Phenomena? all walks of life, belonging to any religion or to none and who are 46 Ahimsā in sympathy with its Objects. It was formed to assist in showing to 53 Florence Fuller: Theosophist and Artist people that Theosophy exists, and ‘to ascend towards it by studying 57 An Interview with Chris Pang Way and assimilating its eternal verities’. Wisdom is known by a mind that is 61 National Calendar of Events completely open. Therefore freedom of thought and open enquiry are 62 Glossophical Gleanings given special emphasis in the Society. Theosophy essentially refers to 63 2019 National Convention, Sydney ‘Divine Wisdom’, Sacred Know- ledge, which is a transcendent state of 64 Call for Nominations consciousness. In a secondary sense, Theosophy is an ancient yet distinct - State Representatives stream of enquiry, exploring and Education interpreting the truths of existence in 66 terms suited to particular ages, e.g. in Theosophical Order of Service the teachings of ancient India, ancient 67 China, Platonism, Neoplatonism, and, 68 Review since 1875, through the contribution of the TS. At the core of Theosophy 69 News and Notes is the principle of indivisible Unity underlying the diversity of forms. 71 Section Directory The Three Objects of The Theosophical Society I. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour. ~ II. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. ~ III. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in the human being. 38 Theosophy in Australia, June 2018 From the National President Linda Oliveira Some of the offerings in this issue representation of the Lord Buddha. In include scientific perspectives on psi Hinduism, among other things the lotus phenomena; reflections on ahimsā, being represents Sarasvatī, the goddess of the first of the yamas or restraints in Wisdom. The breadth of its physical the yoga tradition; some rich historical symbology is brought out very well in information about Theosophist and artist, this passage from The Secret Doctrine: Florence Fuller; and an interview with The Lotus, or Padma, is, moreover, one of our long-time members. Also, a very ancient and favorite simile for members will be warmly welcomed at the Kosmos itself, and also for man. our January 2019 National Convention, The popular reasons given are, firstly due to take place in Sydney. Information … that the Lotus seed contains within is provided on page 63. itself a perfect miniature of the future Recently it was a pleasure to give a talk plant, which typefies the fact that the during the White Lotus Day celebration spiritual prototypes of all things exist at Blavatsky Lodge in Sydney. Of in the immaterial world before those course, the day is so named because things become materialized on Earth. our President-Founder, Colonel Olcott, Secondly, the fact that the Lotus plant observed one year after HPB’s passing grows up through the water, having its that lotuses grew ‘in unusual profusion’. root in the ilus, or mud, and spreading The legacy of HPB’s reintroduction of its flower in the air above. ... The root Theosophy to the world is substantial; of the Lotus sunk in the mud represents no doubt many have felt much gratitude material life, the stalk passing up for a set of teachings which, if examined through the water typifies existence in more closely, help to give clarity and the astral world, and the flower floating meaning to the perambulations of the on the water and opening to the sky universe, our world and our lives. is emblematical of spiritual being. (vol. I, pp.57-58) The symbolism of the lotus is quite profound, with nuanced meanings in The lotus, when fully open to the sky, is Hinduism and Buddhism. For example, indeed an apt symbol for the blossoming in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the of the spiritual nature in all of us, helping lotus symbolises in one sense the provide some long-term optimism and goddess White Tara, being the female inspiration amidst a troubled world. Theosophy in Australia, June 2018 39 Can Science Explain Phenomena? Brian Harding Introduction Duke University, North Carolina. There, in 1930, he began studying In my title, I use the word ‘phenomena’ ESP – ‘extra-sensory perception’. In rather than ‘psychic events’ or ‘psi 1937, Rhine established the Journal events’, since phenomena was of Parapsychology, a peer-reviewed used frequently in the early days of academic journal. Still published today our Society. The term ‘psychical (by the Rhine Research Centre), it now research’ dates from the founding of also covers consciousness research. the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1882 by Frederic W.H. Later, the beginning of the space age Myers, Edmund Gurney and Henry impacted on parapsychology – psi Sidgwick. The commonly used – research. Edgar Mitchell, lunar abbreviation, ‘psi’, was first used by module pilot on Apollo 14, underwent British psychologist Robert Thouless a transformative experience in 1971, in 1942. Phenomena (or psi) include when he saw Earth from space as he mind-to-mind connection (telepathy), was returning from the Moon. He went perceiving objects or events at a on to become the first Chief Scientist distance (clairvoyance), seeing future of the California-based Institute of events (precognition) and mind-matter Noetic Sciences (IONS) in 1973. Its interactions (psychokinesis). All of current Chief Scientist is Dean Radin. these involve the apparent transfer of His books include Supernormal (2013) information or energy by means that in which Radin summarises work bypass normal human senses. that continues to confirm the reality of phenomena. For example, he says Regular use of statistics and the task the likelihood that telepathy exists of sorting out different psi abilities is as close to proven as science can really began with J.B. Rhine, at establish. Similarly, he asserts that 40 Theosophy in Australia, June 2018 precognition definitely exists. This some of the siddhis – the ones that is the conclusion derived from strict have been repeatedly tested under experimentation using, for example, controlled conditions – are real.’ But the measurement of skin conductance, he points out that this has staggering unconscious changes in the eyes of implications for ‘rational’ science participants, and measurement of brain (what the Masters call ‘your exact activity. The results show that the science’). He says, ‘From a scientific odds against chance are up to a mind- perspective, the mere existence of these boggling billion-to-one. phenomena, regardless of how weak or unreliable they may be, is astounding.’ Similarly, says Radin, ‘historical, If we agree that psychic phenomena anecdotal, case study and scientific (psi) exist, we can move on to ask – evidence’ shows clairvoyance is real. can science explain such phenomena? Amazing results are also claimed in the study of mind-matter interactions – Theories of Psi psycho-kinesis (PK). Modern research has included double-slit experiments In his Entangled Minds (2006, pp.240- and experiments with a Michelson 274), Radin discusses at some length interferometer. various theories of psi and I will use his comments as a framework here. It There has also been much work on is interesting that such theories were ‘intention’. Radin points to Patanjali’s suggested almost from the beginning Yoga Sutras, which suggest, for of psychical research. example, that the act of cultivating loving-kindness may have a field-like a) Signal-transfer theories influence whereby one’s intentions will These theories go back to an address affect the mood, attention, or behaviour in 1899 to the British Association for of people in the vicinity (Sutras III.23, the Advancement of Science by the III. 38). Intentional influence from physicist Sir J.J.