Dear friends of Theosophy,
first of all, register now for this free and none-commercial newsletter, so you get all of this information every quarter straight into your mailbox.
Do you know the Website archive.org? It's a kind of Internet Archive. There you can find f.e. within the "Waybackmachine" Snapshots from Websites years ago, f.e. a Snapshot from Google.com in 1998. And you can find within the archive beside video-, audio-, image- and software-files etc. also books, especially, which are no longer in print/copyright, see here as one example books from 1493! Interessting and usefull, isn't it?
Maybe this is what HPB described at the end of "Key to Theosophy" as she spoke of the future and "next impulse", as a "large and accessible literature ready to man's hand". I believe, that, what she predict here, was nothing more and nothing less as the Internet itself! But to get to the point and the best:
I stumpled during my research also about an entry named Helena Blavatsky - Ultimate Collection, sounds interesting and it lives up to its promise, because within this you can [LINKS ARE DOWN!] [LINKS ARE DOWN!]download the whole Collected Writings of H.P.B (and all his major books) for free as PDF's (85 MB) or if you want, also in TXT-Format (30 MB), wow, what an extraordinary and epic gift :) [LINKS ARE DOWN!]
I hope you'll spread this message and share it within your network, to spread Blavatsky's Theosophy also digital in its complete beauty.
And what's new? I compiled as every quarter a comprehensive list of news from Theosophical Societies, Articles from Theosophical Websites and a Press-Review, to get an idea, what was written about Thoesophy outside the Movement. And we have -- beside (on the right sidebar) Events, Magazines and Books (Silvia Cranstons HPB Bio also for free Download as well!!) -- again a Topic of the Quarter, the "mopping-up operation" of TS Adyar.
And now I wish you an interesting reading and a peaceful summer. With kind regards from Germany
Steven Otto
Editor of Theosophy World News
You will find the following sections below:
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 an addendum related to the last Topic of the months, the Adyar Insights. There was a personal (Mr. Kind, Chief-Editor of Theosophy Forward) and an semi-official (GC Members to its TS members) reaction from TS Adyar and here now is the "reaction of the reaction" from Mr. Ramadoss, see here To set record straight and a letter to sections members.
The newest development after
Now Mr. Leslie Price from London, another skeptical member oft TS Adyar (England) is under fire, as you can read here:
It looks - not only to me - like a concerted action. Also I got an e-mail two months ago, "a request of moderation" to stopp such "baseless allegations" and the support on social media decreased after I replied, that I only mirror trends, news etc. However,
So this are some examples, what happened to you (as a member of TS Adyar) if you criticize (well grounded or not) the TS Adyar (head) or if you try to restore transparency. You are kicked out! Criticism seems to be not allowed, transparency unwanted.
And if you (still) criticizing, means in the eyes of TS (in proxy of Mr Kind, but not an official statement of TS Adyar) then you
"acting foolishly... in flagrant contradiction with our first object... acting against its spirit". This "very small minority in the TS ... infect the TS (as a) corpus" like "an infected mosquito". (Source here is the current editorial of Mr. Kind, have a look here under the section "About issues in the TS".
And what's the best to do with an infected mosquito? Yes, you are right.
To dehumanize "awkward" (means skeptical) people is always a necessary step bevor you can "kill" them with consent of the mass (killing means here kill the membership), especially, if they are respected. There are many historic examples for such behavior with fatal consequneces. *1)
And the mass, the "remaining 99.8% of healthy, optimistic and constructive members" are welcome, if they act like the leader(s) expect and if they do not criticize... welcome into the brave new world???
No. Thats no ideal, so let me say this:
Now, evident at least for me without an official statement, the decission was, to clean up TS Adyar of the "awkward" people to solve the problem.
This is indeed a solution, but (from my point of view) not the right or best (if not the worsest) one and what this states in regard to the spirit of (the head of) TS Adyar, I leave up to the readers.
---
*1) For a correct understanding: I don't want to insinuate that Mr. Kind want to kill anybody or any membership etc. And for sure, his comparsions with "infected mosquitos" was not intented in this way, as my statement may suggest. He is a respected and commendable member of the Theosophical Movement. But even if we are very angry, such dehumanizing statements are not an option. I think for myself in such situation: Steven, don't get upset about humans. We are all imperfect. You're angry Steven? This is your (deseverd, plenty imperfect) karma, not theirs, think about it. So, Mr Kind, if you read this: Sorry for fingerpointing again. I don't know you personally yet. I believe you doing a great job, maybe sometimes a bit to "enthusiastic", but as I said, who is perfect? It's (and has to be) not against a person, it's (should be always) about a matter - based on facts, opinions, believes etc.
Theosophy
There is an exhibition named Revisiting Visionary Utopia: Katherine Tingley’s Lomaland - Theosophy in Contemplative Community, Education and the Arts in San Diego.
An interesting article of The Besant Lodge in Los Angeles and its incumbent President Stephan Hoeller we can read on newslinemagazine.com.
In the sundaytimes.lk a reader wrote a letter to the editor named Bhante Dhammika has little knowledge of the history of the Theosophical Society (here the original article, the reader relate to).
On feminisminindia.com an article about Annie Besant And Her Dauntless Legacy Of Resistance was published.
Annie Besant is on of The greatest Leaders of All Time, as the Industry Leaders Magazine writes.
The Story Of Sri Aurobindo And Integral Yoga is connected to Theosophy, The Mother And The Revolutionary on swarajyamag.com.
Art
Guggenheim Presents First Hilma af Klint Solo Exhibition in United States from Oct. 12, 2018, to Jan. 27, 2019.
Ted Shawn and his wife, Ruth St. Denis, often considered a mother and a father of modern dance in America, were Theosophy-inspirated, as we ca learn from the article Treasures from Jacob's Pillow' to be exhibited at Williams College on masslive.com, also roadwayworld.com reported
There is in the article Big Sky, Big Dreams, Big Art about Waldemar Januszczak, a British art critic and television documentary producer, also a paragraph about Theosophy.
Agnes Pelton was a modernist painter from United States and also Theosophy-inspirated, as we can read in the article Agnes Pelton: The Familiar Sublime published on The Brooklyn Rail.
Other
In The Guardian you can read an article Helen Macdonald on Camberley, Surrey: ‘No place has so indelibly shaped my writing life’ from and about Helen McDonald, whose live is partly Theosophy-related.
In the article Thoughts on 'Spirit Matters' and student success Jeff Franklin, associate vice chancellor for undergraduate experiences a Universitiy of Colorado, Denver, mentioned Theosophy.
Birders flock to Ojai to catch a glimpse of elusive birds on the parking lot of the Krotona Institute of Theosophy in Ojai, as eu.vcstar.com reported.
Was there an "emotional flirtation" of Jawaharlal Nehruwith, first Prime Minister of India, with Theosophy, as you can read in the article A portrait that got Jawaharlal Nehru wrong on livemint.com
Charlotte Despard, president of the Women’s Freedom League (WFL), was connected to Theosophy, if we believe femalefirst.co.uk in the article 10 Iconic Suffragettes.
The Weekly Crossword on The New Yorker asked in no. 38: Like the highest part of the physical plane, in theosophy.
In the article Infinity War: On the Road to Knowhere about the Movie Infinity War, Theosophy is mentioned.
Ken Luber seems also to be an Theosophy-inspirated Artist, as we can learn in the article Hot ticket ‘Heaven on the Loose,’ a comedy by Ken Luber
Asian Review asked Sri Lanka weighs colonial ballast: Is it better to preserve and build on historical legacy or destroy it? and also H.P.B. and Olcott is mentioned there.
False Allegations
The Vice spread the stupid lie, that Nazi-Ideology was a "Developement of Theosophy" (abuse would be more correct).
On more example of many, here the stupidness of Chuck Foster, testified in his article Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss by Passing through the Gateway Chosen by the Holy Storsh, who think, Theosophy is the same to Massmurder Manson or Scientology.
Some uncommon views of two known persons you can find in this articles Anagarika Dharmapala, Sirhan Sirhan and in both Theosophy plays a monir role.
ScrollIn's shows terrible bad journalism told us, that Blavatskys stories are proofed as untrue, the contrary is correct and the false allegations (f.e. from SPR) are revoked for decades now.
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.
European School of Theosophy (EuST, Adyar)
TS in Germany e.V.
The TS (Pasadena) Australasian Section has published its latest Newsletter-Issue with many News from TS Pasadena worldwide and a lot more, read here the June-Issue (pdf).
Have a look at the latest TS Adyar (HQ) newsletter issues. You can read A Summary of the General Council Planning Meeting, ITC Naarden, the Netherlands f.e. about the "Harmonizing core teachings"-programm and once more an introducing of the Theosophy World Ressource Center. Tim Boyd also has published a new president's video-update, that you can watch here.
TS Point Loma Blavatsky House The Hague published the latest Issue of Lucifer (2/2018) and some other news you can read here. See also some new videos in the video-section of its site.
TS (Adyar) Canada published a short blog-post on its new website about membership and recruiting more members .
TS (Adyar) in America published three new video-logs of its president Barbara Hebert, see here. Also a new article named Magic and the Third Object from the latest Quest Magazine was published.
The TS (Adyar) in Australia has published the Campbell Library Newsletter and the latest June-issue of Theosophy in Australia Magazine (pdf).
Theosophical Order of Service (TOS) international published its latest newsletter see here. TOS USA publishes some news, Update on TOS February Board Meeting, Summer National Convention 2018 and For the Love of Life goes Online.
The ULT London's Spring Issue of its Newsletter was published.
In the Magazine section (right sidebar) you can also find some more theosophical 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.
The TS (Pasadena) Australasian Section
United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT)
The TS Adyar Indian Section
Book of Dzyan Research
Blavatsky News
Theosophy Forward
Montreal Theosophy Project
Theosophy Watch
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.
April 2018
Navin via Mail
Dear Steven, Thanks for this 17th issue of Theosophy World News. I admire your passion for doing all this hard work in compiling all the Theosophy World News. KInd regards.
April 2018
Ebrony via Mail
Dear Steven,
I have read your concerns about the lacking “practical occultism“ in lives of those calling themselves Theosophists, maybe not Theosophists but members of The Theosophical movement..remember HPB said, anyone wishing “to aim high, to work perseveringly, can join The Theosophical Society, but it rests with a member, to become a Theosophist”.
The Theosophical Society provides profound information, knowledge and divine wisdom, Truth, for free minded, spiritually inclined, really and willing people, to freely study without imposing authority, bias or prejudice, without superstition and dogma. This perennial spiritual knowledge and wisdom, itself inspires self-realization according to our measure of understanding. This understanding brings about change, the desired change you would like to see in each one us. It’s unfortunate, if we Theosophists are not representing Theosophy properly, in a respectable manner.
Although it would be good to see numbers of Theosophists who are morally upright, truth and ethical, it is difficult to attain this goal as group... yes we can, but individually. Everyone is doing their best...
Regards,
