Theosophy News Worldwide 3rd Quarter 2018

This issue was published on 2018-10-06 or 5 years 3 months ago.

Editorial

Steven Otto

Dear friends of Theosophy,

another three month passed by and we have news, pictures and videos from ITC 2018 in Berlin and from the 11th Adyar World Congress in the Theosophical Societies Section and of course a lot of new Magazines (right sidebar). We have Tim Rudbøg's PhD Thesis on Blavatsky (see Blavatsky News within the Article-Section) and the Greetings to the European School of Theosophy (EUST) 2018 or a clip from the Theosophical Congress 1955 (!) in Liverpool in the Video-Section.

And we presenting again an overview what the press outside the movement has written about Theosophy, in the Press-Release-Section. Interesting here, f.e., the Wahsington Post published an article about the author Walter Besant (brother in law of Annie Besant) or articles about the Theosophy influenced Natacha Rambova (Egyptologist, a glamour icon of the 1920s, wife of megastar Rudolph Valentino) and about John Fetzer (known as (former) owner of the Detroit Tigers) and much more.

The Topic of the Quarter in this issue is — no, not TS Adyar, even if we got now a confirmation of what since weeks stirring the rumor pot, not from TS Adyar itself, as usual, but from India Times Theosophical Society to give 7, not 14, acres to educational society (more News from Adyar you get from Theos Talk in the Article-Section — no, it's a kind of a "dirty secret" of Theosophy, see for yourself.

If you missed the last issue, you can download the Collected Writings of Balvasky for free as PDF's (85 MB) or also as TXT-Format (30 MB). [LINKS ARE DOWN!]

Thank you also for your kind feedback. And now I wish you an interesting reading and a peaceful autumn. With kind regards from Germany

Steven Otto
Editor of Theosophy World News

Topic of the quarter

A dirty secret of Theosophy?

There a many contradictions in the original teachings (esp. in the SD). This is (prevailing) not a mistake, but intention.

Contradictions are signs of esoteric veiling. This is obviously. Moreover we have to remember, that only the outlines of the real esoteric teaching were given to us.

"She [HPB] says: "If one imagines that one is going to get a satisfactory picture of the constitution of the Universe from the S.D. one will get only confusion from its study. It is not meant to give any such verdict on existence, but to lead towards the truth". She repeated this latter expression many times." [Source: The "Secret Doctrine" and its Study, Robert Bowen]

So it's not all of the truth itselfs, which is (in esotericism) often veiled with contradictions. This kind of presentation are as well

""the traditional modes of teaching . . . by provoking the perplexity" . . . they [the teachers of HPB] do, or do not relieve — as the case may be." [SD:I:164]

Btw, for how we can nowadays "relieve perplexity" — as we don't have any direct connetcions to the teachers anymore — I refer to the following quote from a teacher:

"Lead the life necessary for the acquisition of such knowledge and powers, and Wisdom will come to you naturally..." [SD:I:167]

This means not practical esoteric, but practical Theosophy:

"The life of altruism is not so much a high ideal as a matter of practice. [...] Therefore it is that the Ethics of Theosophy are even more necessary to mankind than the scientific aspects of the psychic facts of nature and man." [Five Messages from HBP, Letter 2]

That this important point is neglected within the whole movement is disappointing. There is more related to such an ideal live, than assumed today, see f.e. here and here

Contradictions are an important part of the (original) teaching. This becomes also obvious in another letter of the "Five Messages" from HBP:

Orthodoxy in Theosophy is a thing neither possible nor desirable. It is diversity of opinion, within certain limits that keeps the Theosophical Society a living and a healthy body, its many other ugly features notwithstanding. Were it not also, for the existence of a large amount of uncertainty in the minds of students of Theosophy, such healthy divergencies would be impossible, and the Society would degenerate into a sect, in which a narrow and stereotyped creed would take the place of the living and breathing spirit of Truth and an ever growing Knowledge. [Letter 1]

Because of fast increasing knowledge and the fact, that such an appearance like HPB and her circumstances not often can take place, but the work of Theosophy has just began, there are this contradictions and there is no further developement on this path of truth without (solving) the contradictions.

So I wonder (beside the missing willingnes to become a true Theosophist) about the following:

  • First: about the common (?) view, that the contradictions within the teaching are a problem, we have better to conceal.

  • Second: about the lack of theosophical literature or at least a comprehensive analysis that deals with the contradictions within the teaching, as a starting point for further development, because this could lead us to more truth.

  • Third: about an organisation, that promulgate the original teaching ("truth") and which every other interpretation qualify as not part of the (correct interpretation of the) original teaching ("untruth"). Don't missundertand me. Not every contradiction is part of the original teaching, but if the contradiction or the view that arising from that is part of the original teaching, then it is, in fact, a part of the original teaching, nothing more, nothing less. We own (potentially) truth only, if we have at least theorems, without any contradictions.

  • Fourth: about a harominizing core teaching program from another organisation, that wants to define terms of Theosophy, that are "blurred" or not clearly defined, such as the term "monad". Again, don't missunderstand me. To promulgate an overview or simple interpretation of the teaching for beginners of Theosophy is a good intention, but to define once and for all such terms as monad — at least 5 different defintions used in the teachings spring to my mind — is problematic (in face of the pov above).

To come to the end: Everyone, who pretends a consistent picture of the theaching, without mentioning the "problem" (more a chance than a problem, an important task) of the contradictions, and its verry importance and purpose, don't please Theosophy, rather than hinders it, to stay what we all think, what Theosophy is — divine wisdom.

Press outside the movement about Theosophy

Theosophy


A short article at heraldnet.com about Von Braschler, author of “Moving in the Light: The Deb Bennett Story tells us, that he took a break from journalism to work for the Theosophical Society in America headquarters in Wheaton, Illinois.

Theosophical Society to give 7, not 14, acres to educational society we learn from Times of India and not, like so often, from TS itself.


Art


There is an exhibition named Revisiting Visionary Utopia: Katherine Tingley’s Lomaland - Theosophy in Contemplative Community, Education and the Arts in San Diego.

In New York at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from October 12 - February 3 an exhibition about Hilam F. Klint , a theosophy influeneced abstract Painter takig place, as we can read here at artforum.com, also webwire.com reported.

Natacha Rambova, self-taught Egyptologist and academic who donated over 300 ancient artifacts to the UMFA, also a glamour icon of the 1920s, a ballerina and the wife of megastar Rudolph Valentino, explored theosophy and spiritualism in the 1920s, as deseretnews.com reported in the article Meet the Salt Lake native who became a silent film icon and Egyptologist

headstuff.org published an article about Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Writer and Politician and also Blavatsky plays a role in it.


Other


Blavatsky is one of the Four of the world’s most mysterious mystics at newsnation.in

bigthink.com presents the 7 most famous mythical places, on of it, Lemuria, and in this section, Blavatsky is mentioned.

An article about Walter Besant (1836-1901) in the Washington Post, the brother in law of Annie Besant, and his legislating as a writer, asked What if women ruled the world? A Victorian writer gave it some thought. Also theintelligencer.com published this article.

At adventuresinpoortaste.com Theosophy, Blavatsky and The Book of Dzyan is mentioned in relation to H.P. Lovecrafts fictional writings where he mixed in Theosophy or at least the Book of Dzyan, more here: From the stars above: Lovecraft, Cthulhu, and Ancient Aliens

In Five Ways to Discover the Secrets of the Ojai Valley at kcet.org the Krotona Institute of Theosophy is mentioned, also odyssey.antiochsb.edu reported.

A book review at dhakatribune.com about A Hero for High Times’ by Ian Marchant also has a part of Theosophy within. The Books subtitle is “A young reader’s guide to the Beats, Hippies, Heads, Freaks, Punks, Ravers, New Age Fellow Travellers, and Dog-on-a-rope Brew Crew Crusties of the British Isles 1956-1994.

John Fetzer usually know as the former owner of the Detroit Tigers, was influenced on his spiritual journey also by Theosophy, if we believe the article Art Beat: John E. Fetzer's Spiritual Quest publisheds on wmuk.org, also blogtalkradio.com and lansingstatejournal.com reported.

In hindustantimes.com you can read an article about the Theosophist Sonal Mansingh, nominated MP to the Rajya Sabha, named Nominated MPs such as Sonal Mansingh can contribute to the preservation of our plurality.

An article about the former India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru we learn, that he was enthused by theosophy to join the Theosophical Society at age thirteen, as indiafacts.org reported. We can also read an artice about hin and Theosophy in theindianwire.com. An article about his wife, you ca nread in thehindu.com named It’s more than just a feminine touch .

Two other references, on in Ladies in Black, a love letter to Sydney in the Sydney Morning Herald and the other in University of Exeter looks at the best way to summon fairies the Wild Hund


False Allegations


An article full lies was published on wildhunt.org, ""Odinism, which he called a "romantic cult that emerged from theosophy and traveled to modernity through the Nazi party."" what is a myth in the meaning of nonsense.

In Curiouser and Curiouser” — A Journey to the Center of Planet Einstein tht Einsteins was "dismissive of the followers of Theosophy".

The evangelicalfocus.com deals with the phenomena of Gurus and mentioned Blavatsky and Krishnamurti in athe article Wild Wild Country’: When paradise becomes a nightmare.

Blavatsky was a follower of Hitler, what is nonsense of course.

To be true, religion and philosophy must offer the solution of every problem. That the world is in such a bad condition morally is a conclusive evidence that none of its religions and philosophies--those of the civilized races less than any other--have ever possessed the TRUTH. The right and logical explanations on the subject of the problems of the great dual principles, right and wrong, good and evil, liberty and despotism, pain and pleasure, egotism and altruism, are as impossible to them now as they were 1880 years ago. They are as far from the solution as they ever were, but. . . . "To these there must be somewhere a consistent solution, and if our doctrines will show their competence to offer it, then the world will be the first one to confess, that ours must be the true philosophy, the true religion, the true light, which gives truth and nothing but the TRUTH. . . .

From the article "The Theosophical Society: Its Mission and Its Future" by H. P. Blavatsky, published in Lucifer, August 1888 and especially this paragraph HPB has quoted from the so-called "Maha Cohan Letter".

Upcoming events

ITC

International Theosophy Confernce 2019
July 25 - 28, 2019Wheaton, IL, USA
more information

 

TS Adyar (New Zealand)

National Convention 2019
17 January to 22 January 2019Napier, New Zealand
more information

 

TS Adyar

School of the Wisdom
Sessions 2018/19
more information

 

TS Adyar (India)

International Youth Convention
Yoga, 27, 28 & 29 December 2018 in Adyar, India
more information

 

TS Adyar (India)

143rd International Convention
Truth and Beauty: A Field Beyond, 31 December 2018 - 5 January 2019 in Adyar, India
more information

 

European School of Theosophy (EuST, Adyar)

European School of Theosophy
12 to 17 October 2018 in Pescia, Italy
more information

 

News from Theosophical Societies

At the ITC website pictures and videos from the last event in Berlin were published, also the products of the sessions, see here: 2018 Berlin Additional Theosophy Forward published content related to the ITC, see here Message to the participants of ITC 2018 in Berlin and here Impressions of Berlin ITC 2018

You can find on Theosophy Forward also a Summary of the General Council Planning Meeting of TS Adyar.

TS Adyar USA announced Theosophical Order of Service's Campaign for Kindness as you can read here, also two new video-logs of its president Barbara Hebert were published for August and July.

Have a look at TS Adyar India (HQ) latest News, within it's Newsletterlist, f.e. you can find there photos and videos from the 11th Wold Congress (see photos at Mr. Dvoraks photo-site here ), infos about School of the Wisdom 2018/19 or the first International Youth Convention.

TS Adyar Australia published the article Index of all theosophical periodicals in all theosophical journals throughout the world.

Latest News from TOS International you can read in its latest Newsletter with many news inside.

On TOS USA you can information about the SNC 2018 Service Projects.

For all the latest magazines from the different societies, f.e. Theosophy Downunder, have a look at the right sidebar (scroll down a bit) within the section magazines.

Devachan is the idealized continuation of the terrestrial life just left behind, a period of retributive adjustment, and a reward for unmerited wrongs and sufferings undergone in that special life.

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Key to Theosophy (London: Theosophical Publishing Society, 1893), p. 90.

New books

Theosophical University Press

H.P.B. The Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky, Founder of the Modern Theosophical Movement - by Syliva Cranston & Carey Williams, Research Asssistant
read online as html or download for free as PDF
more information

Articles from Theosophical sites

Book of Dzyan Research



Theos Talk



BlavatskyTheosophy.com



Blavatsky News



Theosophy Forward



Montreal Theosophy Project



Theosophy Watch


Videos

Theosophical Congress 1955 Liverpool

Greetings to the European School of Theosophy (EUST) 2018

Videos

See also the Theosophical Playlist from Patrick Sittler

The “Wisdom religion” is the inheritance of all the nations, the world over.

HPB, SD:1:xviii (Itroductory)

Letter to the editor

Jul 2018

Pablo via Mail

Dear Steven,

I wanted to let you know about a *Theosophical Search* website that Joe Hasiewicz, a member of the TS in America, has developed. The link is theosophicalsearch.org.

This website allows you to do a Google or Bing search on specific Theosophical websites or books available online. The search is highly customizable and is great for research and study. It is particularly useful when one wants to Google widely used words such as "karma" or "absolute," but is only interested on Theosophical sources.

Thank you for your work with the newsletter and all best wishes!


Jul 2018

Carlos via Mail

Dear Friends,

Thank you and congratulations for the good work. Carlos

✴✴✴ The End  ✴✴✴

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