Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

Jan Nicolaas Kind

It seems to me that lately many Theosophists are beginning to recognize that the Theosophical movement as a whole is undergoing a transition. While in some quarters there is sheer discontent and frustration, resulting in turning away from the movement, in other quarters one sees enthusiasm and renewed inspiration.

On the one hand, some complain that many in the movement are as deaf and dumb as a box of rocks, while memberships and subscriptions to Theosophical magazines are cancelled; on the other hand, particularly among younger Theosophists, interest in the core teachings is increasing rapidly.

On the downside of this transition, it remains annoying that self-appointed protectors of the cause still try to breathe new life into old conflicts, constantly repeating themselves, forwarding half-truths and lies, and claiming to be the upholders of genuine truth. On the upside, it is plain that many others have concluded that these particular individuals and their messages in fact are insignificant, so their voices are rapidly fading away.

Opinions and ideas expressed in the mini-interviews are exclusively of those who are being interviewed. They don’t necessarily represent the ideas and opinions of the compilers of Theosophy Forward.

The responses of the interviewees are not edited for content. Some contributors give short answers to the questions while others touch upon the subject more elaborately.

Gary Kidgell

1.    What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

Gary Kidgell, Dundee, Scotland. I have been a member of the Theosophical Society since 1994.

2.    Are you active in your Lodge/Section and if so, what do you do?

I am currently the Organising Secretary for the Scottish Section. I have previously been president of the Dundee Lodge for a period totalling eight years. I have recently presented a DVD entitled ‘The Inner Journey’ which has been distributed to national TS presidents throughout the world.

3.    How did your first learn about Theosophy or come in contact with the Society?

I came into contact with the Theosophical Society through a suggestion by a local member to form a Lodge in Dundee. At the time I was running a metaphysics group focussing primarily upon the works of Dr Douglas Baker, Alice Bailey, Madame Blavatsky and other authors whose work is rooted in the wisdom teachings.

4.    What does Theosophy mean to you?

I consider it my life’s work to study and teach Theosophy. I consider the first object of our society to be as noble an objective as that of any organisation on the planet as it is based upon the realisation that we all emanate from the same divine source and that we shall all ultimately return there having fulfilled the objectives of our long evolutionary sojourn.

5.    What is your favourite Theosophical book and why?

It is tempting to offer an answer of the ‘too numerous to mention’ writings as I have derived so much inspiration and insight from any of the works based on the classical teachings which I have read. However, I shall state here Madame Blavatsky’s, The Voice of the Silence and Mabel Collin’s, Light on the Path as their contents are so profoundly inspiring and each offer something new to ponder upon each time that I revisit any of their contents.

6.    What in your opinion is the biggest challenge the TS Adyar (as an organization) is facing at the moment?

In my opinion I consider the biggest challenge for the TS is to enhance both the vitality and the visibility of our organisation worldwide.

7.    Is there anything you would wish for the future of the Theosophical Movement?

Other than the achievement of universal brotherhood, I believe that there is a pressing need for the wisdom teachings to be promulgated amongst all who are willing and able to receive them as potentially they can transform our world if they are applied to areas of life such as religion, science, politics, economics etc.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

Jan Nicolaas Kind

Nowadays life is hardly possible without computers and it is an increasingly virtual environment that we are creating. We can become a virtual member of an organization, we meet virtual friends on Facebook or other social Networking sites, and we can read EBooks on a PC or tablet. We can visit virtual libraries and virtually take books from a shelf, and we can even enter virtual meditation rooms if we choose to do so.

An experiment of the Theosophical Society in Israel in offering some Theosophical principles to the public in simplified and practical form.

Lesson 3 (out of 5 Lessons)

How We Create the Difficulties in Our Lives

Thoughts and emotions are the basis for all our actions and deeds – "The final result begins with a thought.”

Everything we create is created first in our thoughts. Thought is the drawing board for planning a house and without it we couldn't even raise our arm. All the creations we see around us (table, airplanes, houses, paintings) are all the result of thought.

Message from Janet Kerschner – TSA Archivist

Janet Kerschner

Help me collect material for a book about the Theosophical Society and World War II. My particular interest is to show how Theosophists faced the realities of wartime, both on the home front and in combat. The international TS and national Sections embraced the Allied cause in what was considered to be a just war or a karmic necessity. Theosophists served in every branch of the American armed forces, and civilians provided massive support. Members in Europe and Java were persecuted and interned in concentration camps. During the postwar years, members in Europe received huge assistance from fellow Theosophists. I want to show both the uniqueness of Theosophists and their ordinary-mainstream-patriotic qualities. These are questions to ask Theosophists who experienced the war:
•    Were you a Theosophist before WWII? How about your family and friends?
•    How did you spend the war years?
•    Did you become a Theosophist, or did your understanding of Theosophy grow, due to the war?
•    Can you relate any stories that illustrate the Three Objects during the war - brotherhood, understanding of other religions, supernormal experiences?
•    Did you keep in touch with other Theosophists during the war, and what were their stories?
•    Do you know people who tried to maintain a vegetarian diet?
•    Do you know of Theosophists who were pacifists?
•    If on the home front, did you support the TOS and groups like Red Cross in projects to support servicemen, refugees,   and others in need?
•    If in combat, did you carry any Theosophical writings that helped to sustain you?
•    What was the effect of the war on your lodge or study group?
•    What happened to you in the postwar years?

Leaflets distributed by the TS among service men and women during WW II

C. Jinarajadasa in London in 1943

I would love to see photographs, correspondence, works of art and poetry, personal memoirs, newspaper clippings, and lodge papers that would help to illustrate the wartime realities of Theosophists.

Thank you for your help! Thanks also to the Kern Foundation for supporting this project.

Janet Kerschner,
(+) 630-668-1571 ext 353

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Opinions and ideas expressed in the mini-interviews are exclusively of those who are being interviewed. They don’t necessarily represent the ideas and opinions of the compilers of Theosophy Forward.

The responses of the interviewees are not edited for content. Some contributors give short answers to the questions while others touch upon the subject more elaborately.

Doreen Domb

1.    What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Doreen Domb. Originally, I am from western New York State; I have resided in California for 32 years (about 22 years in Los Angeles area, and currently, nearly 10 years in the Sierra Nevada foothills (Grass Valley) of Northern California.  Initially, I became a member-at-large - relative to the TS Adyar - while I was living in Sedona, Arizona during the mid-1980s. [LOGISTICS NOTE: Prior to first settling in California, I had lived and worked at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, during spring-summer 1979.  Bypassing a very long story, I found myself living in Los Angeles by late summer 1979. I returned to Arizona in May 1985 - this time, Sedona - and became acquainted with a newly established local TS group in early 1986. I then became a TS Adyar member at the national level. I returned to Los Angeles in Spring 1986.] Back in Los Angeles once more, I set about searching for a locally established group in the area.  I was *fortunate to have discovered Los Angeles Lodge (TS Adyar affiliate) that – if memory correctly serves - William Judge had founded back in 1894. L.A. Lodge was later renamed the Los Angeles Center for Theosophic Studies (LACTS).  By late 1986/early 1987, I had become a local TS member as well as maintaining my national affiliation. I was quite active in LACTS, which encompassed study group participation, teaching some classes, and being an officer (Vice President; Publicity Director) during my 10 years or so with the L.A. group.     

*In hindsight, I realized that a Theosophical group particularly based in the source teachings/ teachers (HPB, the Mahatmas, Judge) was something for which I’d been searching for quite some time.

An experiment of the Theosophical Society in Israel in offering some Theosophical principles to the public in simplified and practical form.

Lesson 2 (out of 5 Lessons)

Ways to Release and Cope with Anger and Fear

What are emotions?

Emotions are ENERGY!

We are able to transmit emotions from person to person. When we enter a room filled with people we feel the atmosphere – if it is comfortable or charged or laden with discomfort. The energy (motivating force, activity) of emotions carries information to the body and when it hits a body, the body reacts to it.

We become aware of an emotion the moment it finds expression in the body.

Negative Emotions cause contraction – we can experience difficulty breathing or discomfort in the abdomen, diaphragm, throat, etc. This energy collects in the muscle tissue, wears out our bodies and causes great damage. On the contrary Positive Emotions expand – More blood and energy flows through the body and as a result, we feel good. Each emotion has its own vibration and each vibration influences our body in different ways: Vibrations cause our nervous system to activate our glands and our muscles to contract or expand. We identify each emotion by the physical feeling it creates: Emotions like anger, bitterness and jealousy influence our bodies differently than joy, affection, etc.

There are a few basic emotions that we are "programmed for", so to speak: fear, anger, jealousy, love, attachment, attraction to pleasure and repulsion to pain and suffering. Other emotions, like hate, are learned and are based on the above basic emotions.

A Report of Our Interreligious Convention May 12-14, 2011

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Warmest greetings from Israel and all the Israeli Theosophists.

Between the May 12-14 2011 around 140 supporters of interfaith dialogue, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Druze, Buddhists, and Baha'is, from different nationalities and backgrounds, met for 3 intensive days in Neve Shalom village which is situated about 30 km from Jerusalem.