Diana Dunningham Chapotin
Diana is the International Secretary of the Theosophical Order of Service. Originally from New Zealand, she lives in France with her husband, Michel Chapotin, who is the national director of the TOS in that country.
Diana Dunningham Chapotin
Diana has been a member of the TS in New Zealand for 45 years and is a life member of the TS in America where she worked for nine years under Joy Mills at the Krotona School of Theosophy.
Her main activity now is ensuring that the Theosophical Order of Service gives as much support to the TS as it can in making the teachings of Theosophy of transformative value in the world.
Theosophists, as some complain, are not always aware of what is going on around them, maintaining a rather narrow minded world view, or being too busy with their own and typical Theosophical issues. Diana certainly is an exception to this apparent rule, describing herself as not a writing or studying kind of person, but far more an action one.
In Theosophical literature time and time again we are reminded that the only reason why we are here, in this stage of our development, is to reach out to those who are in need, to humbly help, comfort, shelter and guide them, so that they can widen their horizon and grow out of their less fortunate circumstances. That is Theosophy in action, and that is exactly what Diana has done for many years.
Kathleen F. Hall from Canada, in her article Our World, published on Theosophy Forward*, very correctly quoted H. P. Blavatsky from The Key to Theosophy (p 229) "Duty is that which is due to Humanity, to our fellow-men, neighbours, family, and especially that which we owe to all those who are poorer and more helpless than we are ourselves."
We are linked to our fellow-men and to all creatures living on this planet, there is but one Life, and Diana Chapotin as International Secretary of the TOS, has passionately tried to live up to that duty H.P.B. refers to, and with her team of volunteers has made admirable efforts to make our world a better one.
That is not Good News from Paris, that is Excellent News from Paris.
*Link to article:
http://www.theosophyforward.com/index.php/theosophy/338-human-rights-theosophy-and-the-gypsy-children-of-kosovo.html
If you would like to receive a photographic round-up of the service activities in which Theosophists are engaged, you can sign up for a two-monthly international TOS electronic newsletter. Simply send your name and country to
Diana in action
Diana regularly campaigns for animal rights. Here we see her in action against factory farming.
Like many Theosophists, Diana would like to see massive efforts made to develop alternative methods to the practice of vivisection on animals. Here she is dressed as a monkey and distributing leaflets in the streets of Paris.
Standing against Chinese repression of Tibetan freedom
Diana has been demonstrating against nuclear arms and energy for decades.