Dara Eklund – USA

It is only natural that Theosophists would be soul-searching at a time when it seems that so many divisive elements are still at work in society. Upholding the ideal that "Brotherhood is a Fact in Nature,” it seems mankind as a whole has not yet acknowledged this Fact.  While mouthing allegiance to "Unity in Diversity,” the diverse elements have not yet been brought into a balanced perspective, much less unity. We observe with the ancient Taoist precept that "The Great Way is very simple, but the people love the by-paths".  Also from the Chinese philosophy we have been shown, that to have harmony in the world one must first have harmony in the individual, the family and the nation. So harmony begins with us, in our hearts and daily lives, by mastering the negative tendencies which have cut us off from our True Being.

As Alice Cary wrote her poem "Nobility":

"True worth is in Being, not seeming - in doing, each day that goes by, some little good - not in dreaming of great things to do by and by… There's nothing so kingly as kindness, and nothing so royal as truth."  We influence the whole of humanity by such simple beginnings.

My thinking on the unity of various Theosophical traditions is, that we already have in place a group of cooperating societies and lodges, in the International Theosophical Conferences organization.  Aside from this group there are many efforts at cross fertilization within the Theosophical Movement.  Here in California several lodges reach out to other traditions for their speakers.  They welcome non-theosophical persons who are in harmony with our ideal of Universal Brotherhood.  In our individual lives and professions our striving and practical application of Theosophia promotes the unity of One Life in all beings.