Theosophy News Worldwide 4th Quarter 2014

This issue was published on 2015-01-03 or 9 years ago.

Editorial

Steven Otto

Dear friends of Theosophy,

hopefully you got a good start into the new year, but before we go ahead, let's throw a glance backwards.

Beside the 139th anniversary celebration of the founding of TS on November 17, also the 139th annual Convention of TS Adyar occurred at the end of the year and in the video-section you'll find many videos of that event, which was also live-streamed through the web, well done!

Maybe because of the weather, in this quarter were written as many articles as never this year on theosophical websites. I for myself working on "Plasma-Cosmology", a very interesting field of science, that prove the theosophical cosmology, unbelievable but true!

Last but not least, with the theme of the quarter, more of awkwardness then importance, we have a look at a sometimes weird dispute within the TS Adyar. I named it "Justified criticism or a malicious feud?".

And now I wish you a healthy and happy new year and an interesting reading. So far...

 

with kind regards from Germany

Steven Otto
Editor of Theosophy World News

Please share your thoughts and get published here in the next issue. And subscribe this Newsletter, it's free.

Topic of the quarter

Justified criticism or a malicious feud?

In this drama there are two main participants, on the one side, Dave Marsland and his Website Dave's Theosophy Newsboard with some subdomains, in some way supportet through the Yahoo Group "Theos Talk" and Manjeri K. Ramadoss within this group. Both, Mr. Ramadoss and Mr. Marsland, publishing critical Posts about TS Adyar since years, f.e. about irregularitys of the presditents Election, membership-cancellations,legal disputes, felled trees, a "cow issue" also here and so on with many messages to each issue, sometimes also reflected in important indian newspapers, f.e. see here for a legal disput in "The Times of India" or here for the "tree-issue" in "The Hindu".

As follows a few more posts from Mr. Marsland from this quarter and look here for an overview of the latest messages in Theo's Talk

On the other side stands the TS without (so far I know) any direct response of this writings, except of the "Tree-issue" see here a press-release from TS Adar, which is an answer of the related article in "The Hindu", see above, even if it's directly adressed to the TS. And so Mr. Jan Nicolaas Kind take the ring against the accusation or more exactly against Mr. Marsland with some articles posted on his website Theosophy Forward and on his Facebook-Group (UPDATE: Mr. Kind told me, that this articles switch offline soon, see also his "MKR is out"-statement below, except of the open letter, that is also hosted on Mr. Marsland's site):

And also this statement:

"MKR IS OUT! The TS-Adyar is doing very well because we see that MKR, the internet troll from San Antonio Texas, with the international convention approaching has stepped up his activities vomiting one false accusation or insinuation after the other all over his bla-bla site. This grapevine moderator is breaking his own shameful record, but unmistakably proves that there is a lot of Light, because when there is Light, darkness also appears; it is an easy to understand Theosophical principle. As from January 01, 2015 MKR will be out! All relevant articles mentioning his name or site will be deleted from Theosophy Forward. Let’s put Theos talk out of its misery!" Posted on Theosophy Forward FB-Group on December 19, 2014 from Mr. Kind.

I have to exclude myself completely from this drama. Should everyone make his own opinion about it. And so I will end this (at least) here, with a quote from Adolph Knigge (1752 - 1796), a german lawyer, civil servant and satirist, who said:

"The truth is always in the middle, and one man's speech is no man's speech, because both sides we must always listen."

Press outside the movement about Theosophy

Some News and Articles more or less about Theosophy


Indian Express

139th Int’l Theosophy Meet Kicks off

The 139th International Convention of the Theosophical Society began in the city on Friday, with delegates from several countries arriving at the headquarters in Adyar.
read more


The Nation

Two great Buddhist personalities

A close look at the lives of Colonel H Steele Olcott and Mary Mikahala Foster
read more


Times of India

2 Bihari cops from 'Bharat' make it big in 'India'

It may be an interesting coincidence, but the fact is that two Biharis from, what Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi loves to call,..
read more


The Hindu

A bridge with a view

K.V.S. Krishna on panoramic journeys on the Adyar bridge, the wild expanse of Besant Nagar, and lessons with Maria Montessori.
read more


The Hindu

Subdued political sub-text in Jiddu Krishnamurti teachings

Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) continues to engage the minds of the young and the old alike as a fascinating thinker of his times and beyond.
read more


Ancient Origins

Arbatel: The Magic of the Ancients – An Occult Grimoire with a Positive Message

It viewed theosophy in an occult sense, and was perhaps the first written work to do so. Prior to the Arbatel, theosophy was generally used as a synonym for theology.
read more


The Telegraph

How Wassily Kandinsky's synaethesia changed art

The artist, celebrated in today's Google doodle, created the world's first truly abstract paintings
read more


The Wall Street Journal

The Shock of Begonia Pink

Elsa Schiaparelli embodied French fashion, turning women into witty totems of transformation and escape.
read more


The Brooklyn Rail

Rethinking Duchamp

It was also a headquarters for the Theosophical Society which taught Annie Besant’s theory that the mind created abstract “thought forms.”
read more


Dzyan Theosophy

Circle of Asia

Early Theosophists: Encouraged To Develop Their Own System.
read more


The Telegraph

Mahatma Gandhi was a Londoner – let’s honour that with this statue

If the funds can be raised, a statue of the Mahatma will stand in Parliament Square
read more


Indian Express

Iron Lady From Ireland

There is a saying, “When god blesses you financially, don’t raise your standard of living. Instead, raise your standard of giving.”
read more


The Free Express

British India

The book is divided into three parts, one dealing with governance of India under Company rule, another on India’s progress between 1858 and 1947 and the last on Indian influence on western life and culture, a fascinating picture by itself.
read more

 


And some critical, false or unjustified News and Articles (more or less) about Theosophy


Arte Fuse

Cult of Moby, Innocents in the California State of Mind

Damage Mrs Tingley's and Theosophy's credibility...
read more


The Gurdian

Do ghosts exist? Four theories on our fascination with apparitions

brings Theosophy in context with Spiritism...
read more


Times Higher Education

Haunted campuses: tales from beyond the grave

brings Theosophy in context with Ghost's...
read more


Smithsonianmag.com

The Doctor Who Starved Her Patients to Death

brings Theosophy in context with a Murder...
read more


Wunc 91.5

Postlude To A Kiss: Scriabin's Raging 'Poem Of Ecstasy'

Describes the Theosophy inspired Alexander Scriabin as totaly mad...
read more


Patheos.com

Henrietta Mears, Evangelical Optimist

brings Theosophy in context with a selfmurder...
read more


Renew America

Evolutionary cosmologies: religious endeavor to become like God

Calls Theosophy a satanic esotericism...
read more


Renew America

The devil and the Genesis problem

Holds probably HPB for the Devil...
read more


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

Foundation for Theosophical Studies

The Theosophical Summer School 2015
The Relevance of Theosophy: Spirituality in daily living, Friday 31 July - Friday 7 August 2015 in Hillscourt, Rednal, Birmingham, UK
more information

TS Adyar Germany

Annual Summer Convention 2015
25 July - 30 July 2015
more information

The I.S.I.S. Foundation

International Symposium
Rāja-Yoga Education of the Reincarnating Child on May 30-31, 2015 in The Hague
more information

The TS in Australia (Adyar)

Annual Convention 2015
Science, Society and Soul Wisdom, 24.-31. January 2015
more information

The TS in New Zealand Inc. (Adyar)

118th New Zealand National Convention 2015
The Way Forward for Humanity: Achieving Universal Brotherhood, 8-12 January 2015 in Napier
more information

News from Theosophical Societies

The TS Adyar

Foundation Day

Foundation Day will be celebrated on Monday, 17 November 2014 at 5.30 pm in the Headquarters Hall, Adyar
read more


The TS Adyar

Videos of the 139th international convention in Adyar 2014

This year we offer the opportunity to watch the talks on YouTube
read more


Moscow Theosophical Society (Chairman of The Board of Trustees of H.P. Blavatsky & her family Miseum Center, President of the theosophical lodge Anahata)

Report on the 2nd Volunterring Decade in the Museum Center of H.P.Blavatsky & her family

See attached the photographic report and about the 2nd Volunterring Decade in the Museum Center of H.P.Blavatsky & her family which was conducted on 12-21 August 2014 and the information from its Board of Trustees .
Fotos, Video (Youtube)


The TS Adyar Indian Section

Recent Publications

Three new issues of "The Indian Theosophist Magazine"
read more


TS Adyar in America

Donating to the Theosophical Society in America

For over 130 years The Theosophical Society in America has been actively promoting our Three Objects, creating the foundation for a brotherhood with no distinction, a deep respect and interest for all religions and the quest for self-knowledge.
read more


TS Adyar in America

President's Diary

See the video-diary of Mr. Boyd, October and November 2014
watch


ULT LA

Blog of ULT LA

with different postings, mainly quotes from HPB, WQJ and RC
read more


Northwest Branch of The TS Pasadena in America

Theosophy Northwest View

The Newsletter of December 2014 – Vol. 17 Issue 10, with "Sun of Compassion" and "Plant Intelligence – I".
read more


The TS Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse The Hague

New issue of Lucifer: Vol. 3 - 2014

We are glad to present to you the third issue of 2014.
read more


The TS Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse The Hague

Books from Katherine Tingley now online

The Theosophical Society Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse has complemented its online literature with the books of Katherine Tingley.
read more


TS in the Philippines

The Collected Articles of Geoffrey Hodson, Vols. I & II

Here for the first time is the comprehensive collection of all known articles written by Geoffrey Hodson, one of the most prolific and inspiring theosophical writers and lecturers of the 20th century.
read more


TS in the Philippines

Senator Shahani: Speaker in 2014 National Convention

Former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani (above, right) was the guest speaker at the National Convention of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines.
read more


The TS (Pasadena) Australasian Section

The current Newsletter Issue December 2014

National and International Theosophy-News and much much more..
read more


The TS New Zealand Inc

An Interview with Tim Boyd

This is an interesting Interview with Tim Boyd, the International President of the Theosophical Society conducted by Miss Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu, the National President of the French Section.
read more


The TS New Zealand Inc

Our Potential For Change

Talk by Dorothy Bell from Australia, guest speaker at the Theosophical Society in NZ Convention in January 2014.
read more


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.

Theosophical Magazines

The TS Adyar Indian Section

The Indian Theosophist Magazine – October to December 2014
publisher, October (pdf), November (pdf), December (pdf)

The TS (Pasadena) Australasian Section

News-Magazin Issue December 2014
publisher, pdf

TheAquarianTheosophist.com

The Aquarian Theosophist, October to December 2014
publisher, October (pdf), November (pdf), December (pdf)

The TS Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse The Hague

Magazine "Lucifer - the Messenger of Light" 3/2014
publisher, pdf

United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT)

The Theosophical Movement Magazine Issue October to December 2014
publisher, October (pdf), November (pdf), December (pdf)

New books

The TS Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse The Hague

Books Katherine Tingley online
The Theosophical Society Point Loma - Blavatskyhouse has complemented its online literature with the books of Katherine Tingley.
more

TS in the Philippines

The Collected Articles of Geoffrey Hodson, Vols. I, II and III
Here for the first time is the comprehensive collection of all known articles written by Geoffrey Hodson, one of the most prolific and inspiring theosophical writers and lecturers of the 20th century.
more

Articles from Theosophical sites

Theosophy Forward


Theosophical Order of Service (TOS)


Blavatsky News


Erica Georgiades


TheosophyWatch.com


Book of Dzyan Research


Esoteric-Philosophy.com


Sons of Fire


Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK


Videos

Theosophy: The Sun

Theosophy: Culture of Concentration, Part II

What is Theosophy

Theosophy: The Law of Sacrifice

Theosophy: What is Fohat?

Theosophy: The Nature of Light

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

HPB, SD:1:xviii (Itroductory)

Letter to the editor

2014/10/05

Hi Steven!

Thank you for your work again - we got nice and many-folded news!

Before your newest news collection I gathered theosophical news for our theosophical paper magazine in Finland. I collected many same news, but you have some new ones. Thanks for them! I collected especially some international TOS news that you don't have and some Adyar TS news from The Theosophist magazine (which is not online).

May I suggest one site which I think is pretty important: the July-August issue of The Indian Theosophist, which handles The Voice of the Silence and The Key to Theosophy, because these books fulfill 125 years this year.

I agree with you that Theosophists should be more friendly. But I think it is difficult to talk about ethics in the world, because we all imperfect.

With best greetings,

Sampsa

✴✴✴ The End  ✴✴✴

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