Dear friends of Theosophy,
we should congratulate Adyar. Even if different numbers are reported, from 2,264 registered participants from 80 countries [1] to 2,713 from 73 countries [2], the 145th Adyar Convention shows that hybrid events, with digital and analog presence, seem to be the future. I also remember reading that this was the first convention where revenues exceeded expenses.
And to stay with the topic Adyar: Is it really an election, if there is only one candidate to elect? And if this candidate then receives less than 1/3 of the possible votes [5,162 votes received from 15,746 members], is that a success? Are these rhetorical questions? However, one thing was done different with this (re-)election of Mr. Boyd as president of TS Adyar, than seven years ago: It occurred much quieter with much fewer problems (we reported back then, see section News from TS's).
And sometimes it's curious to read the news. Stephen McDonald, new President of TS Adyar Australia, tells us about his recent conversation with HBP and Olcott ("Last night I had a dream or possibly it was a real event.") about the future of his TS and the world. I wonder if he has regular visits now? In any case, he has our attention, even if I would be one thing above all with such a dream (could happen to all of us): very very skeptical.
Beside this I learned who owns an 1888 hand-painted tarot deck bearing the stamp of Madame Blavatsky or that the painter Clarice Beckett, currently with an well reviewed exhibition in Sydney/Australia could be considered theosophically inspired but also, that the abstruse theories of a humanity infiltrated and controlled by "Reptiloids" goes back, according to some media, to... tadaaaa: Madame Blavatsky. Justified? No! If media (NBC-News etc.) do their remaining work like this, I'm not surprised about the loss of confidence, which more and more people experience with mass-media, see the section Press about Theosophy.
We saw a few months ago the efforts to connect Theosophy and the so called far-right QAnon movement, now the next furious step. Will Theosophical Society/ies react as they should, according to HBP? From experience? You guessed it, a rhetorical question.
But nothing is so shocking (and so explaining) as to find that the major part of the organized theosophical movement, whether Adyar, Point Loma, ULT etc., is led by the counterpart of Theosophy, by means of its esoteric schools or sections, see the last issue of this Newsletter. I'm still struggling with this, more on that in the Topic of the quarter: Black magic, abomination, and spiritual sorcery within the Theosophical Society.
On the other hand, we see that people are talking to each other, digitally, in different formats, worldwide, together on many theosophical topics. Of course it would be better to act than to talk only, but maybe a good development and in this broad almost unthinkable just 5 years ago, see f.e. the social media or video section.
And there are many more interesting things to discover here!
I wish you an interesting reading and a peaceful spring. With kind regards from Germany
Steven Otto
Editor of Theosophy World News
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Topic of the quarter | Upcoming (int. or nationwide) events | News from Theosophical Societies | Articles from Theosophical sites | Theosophical Magazines | Press about Theosophy | Twitter | Facebook | Videos | New Books | Letter to the editor | Comments
First: I asked within the last Issue: Must secret theosophical organizations be disbanded immediately? And more than 2/3 of the participants answer this question with a clear YES. After all, a clear majority, who understood the problem, like many before us. What kind of problem you may wonder?
The assertion, supported by Blavatsky and the founders of the movement, that so far every secret society -- and the esoteric schools are such -- has been infiltrated and exploited by the opposite of Theosophy (which 2/3 of the readers of this newsletter see similarly) must have it's visible effects. Even if it concerns ULT, Point Loma and almost all other Societies, let's start with Adyar at the example of the 145th Convention.
It starts with numerous prayers, even though Balvatsky made it clear (f.e. in the Key to Theosophy) that the Theosophical Society does not pray, but rather acts. I wonder what Blavatsky would say about starting a Theosophical Convention with 10 prayers? But it gets much worse, because then, the President (and please don't misunderstand me, it's not about the president here, it's not about people) opened the Convention as follows:
Now let us please rise for the invocation to those Great Ones who guide and protect the Society: 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. I am now pleased to open this 145th Annual Convention of the TS. [Source: Video, PDF]
But this is not only a useless, naive prayer according to Theosophy, because every reader of the Secret Doctrine knows, that we cannot make the "Hierarchies" obedient to us [SD:1:276], nor that those simply override karma because of human desires, no, this prayer (or invocation) asks for blessing, help and strengthening regarding the own Society, or in other words, a prayer to gain one's own advantage!
Yes, the president (and it's not about the person here) does not pray directly for himself, but he (and all members) prays for his society, which he represents as president, just as, for example, a business leader may pray for the success of his company (from which he also benefits). And what do we know about such efforts with the help of spiritual forces? In Blavatsky's words:
Thus, every such “sacrifice” or prayer to God for [selfish] help is no better than an act of black magic. [SD:1:416] [or] ...send up waves of will-power for selfish or unholy purposes! For this is black magic, abomination, and spiritual sorcery. [Key to Theosophy]
So, Adyar starts it's convention (in my opinion) with a "black magic ceremony", which was to prove, or does anyone believe, that this would happen, if the true founders were the rulers of this society (again, it's not about the persons here, they may are a sincere and good persons!)?
And this is what I mean by saying, that by assuming that the opposite side dominates organized Theosophy (indirectly via indirect influences through the esoteric sections, and of course, black magic attracts bad karma, which in turn makes the bad influences stronger again), a great deal of understanding of the situation of the Theosophical Movement can be gained.
Just the tiny tip of a huge iceberg? However, what do you think: Is this a selfish Invocation and therefore a Black Magic-Prayer?
Art
theIndependentbd.com
theConversation.com
25yearslatersite.com
thewire.in
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False Allegations
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wonkette.com/
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The Jerusalem Post
dailynews.com
If the ʺspirit,ʺ or the divine portion of the soul, is preëxistent as a distinct being from all eternity, as Origen, Synesius and other Christian fathers and philosophers taught, and if it is the same, and nothing more than the metaphysically‐objective soul, how can it be otherwise than eternal? And what matters it in such a case, whether man leads an animal or a pure life, if, do what he may, he can never lose his individuality? This doctrine is as pernicious in its consequences as that of vicarious atonement. Had the latter dogma, in company with the false idea that we are all immortal, been demonstrated to the world in its true light, humanity would have been bettered by its propagation.
TS Adyar Australia
TS Adyar Europe
TS Pasadena Australasian Section also published it's March-Issue of its Quarterly.The American Section of TS Pasadena published the fifth Issue of The Spiral Path.
TS Adyar Australia published it's Theosophy in Australia Quarterly, March 2021-Issue, with the first (and directional) editorial of the new president Stephen McDonald.
TS Adyar in India was, as so often, very hardworking, as you can see here with many publications, find all -- as the others -- in the magazine-section of this newsletter too. I recommend the article from Tim Boyd's Presidential Address to the 145th International Convention, as a good overview of various activities of this TS.
TS Adyar Chennai (Adyar-HQ) published the January-, February- and March-Issue of The Theosophist, the recorded sessions of the International Convention 2020 and here the President's Report of Adyars Theosophical Activities (YouTube). And see here the short Message of the re-election of Tim Boyd as International President of the Theosophical Society Adyar for 7 more years.
Do you remember his last election? We reported 2014 here the nominations or about the irregularities and here about the discussion afterwards, what a drama. In this election only one candidate was nominated. Is this even an election, you might ask, but anyway, 15,746 members were eligible to vote and Tim Boyd, as the only candidate, received 5,162 votes or 32,8% (258 were against him, blank or invalide).
TS Adyar America published some articles from the recent Quest Magazine and TS Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse it's new Issue of Lucifer, No. 1 - 2021.
There is a second Issue of The Pan-American Journal of Theosophy Investigation and Paractice from TS Adyar Region Central America and The Caribbean.
The ULT India also published some new Issues of The Theosophical Movement Magazine, see in the magazine section.
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.
TS (Adyar) in Australia
The TS (Pasadena) Australasian Section
The Aquarian Theosophist
United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT)
The TS Adyar Indian Section
The TS Adyar Indian Section
The TS Adyar HQ
Balboa Press Australia
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The function of Theosophists is to open men's hearts and understandings to charity, justice, and generosity, attributes which belong specifically to the human kingdom and are natural to man when he has developed the qualities of a human being. Theosophy teaches the animal-man to be a human-man; and when people have learnt to think and feel as truly human beings should feel and think, they will act humanely, and works of charity, justice, and generosity will be done spontaneously by all.
Thank you - always an…