Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil
Hello Berlin, hello fellow seekers,
From Brasilia greetings to all participants assembled in Berlin for ITC 2018. The theme for this gathering “What is a Life Worth Living?” is a true invitation for deliberations, dialogues and lots of intensive listening.
Hand in hand, working together
Our spiritual quest, at times it looks more like a struggle, is not always an easy one. Our world in its current state challenges us. When there is much potential, light and hope for a better world, the counter, or dark forces at the same time become dangerously active, trying to eliminate the good, causing disharmony depression and conflict. We can observe that all around us, it is an occult law. We don’t have search for it, it is so visible: intolerance on many levels, while many of our sisters and brothers who, in spite of the so-called connections through smart phones and social media, are so terribly disconnected.
In order to make certain that Theosophists in years to come will still be able to shine light in the darkness, our commitment and trust are essential. It was often said that Theosophy is not a noun but that it is and will always s be a verb. ITC is working for the future and it is doing that here and now in Berlin, because the now is here, another time does not exist. It is the only true moment in which one can express life: the eternal active present.
ITC is on-going experiment, a work in progress of which all of you are a part. Theosophy as such cannot solve the issues the world is facing, but through Theosophy mankind is able to find keys to go inward and start the so much needed process of regeneration and self-realization.
Our lives are worth living and when we listen carefully to the call from within, we know that our daily work, our relationships with others, our contributions, our certain- and uncertainties, our pain but also happiness are deeply interwoven with our Dharma, which stands for righteousness of action, deeds and thought. Most of you present in Berlin are well acquainted with Theosophy, many of you have done remarkable work already, but more is to be done and that’s why you are together participating in yet another ITC gathering. The Masters of Wisdom are to help humanity to come to listen to that call from within. Obviously they aren’t able to do it by themselves. They sow the seeds that will sprout in the consciousness of each of you since it is clear that enlightenment must come from within.
We are not meant to “spread” Theosophy” in a conventional sense, as if it were a religion, we come together, we work together to make sure that what was brought to us through the works of Helena Blavatsky and others remain accessible, so that those who knock may catch a glimpse of that majestic panoramic view that appears once one starts to grasp the basics of the teachings. We are seekers and it is not an intellectual kind of exercise; Theosophy and its concepts are not for the happy few but for all to take note of. The various streams are not organizations for believers, because the idea is that one will come to know, through one’s own self-effort.
The Ancient Wisdom was specifically designed for the task of introducing harmony and peace in situations of apparent fear and separateness. Therefore, we need to take a firm step back from the workings of the phenomenal world and carefully observe what we can do through our work, bringing Theosophy into practice and being true philanthropists and free thinkers. There has to be clarity of what the nature of this universe in which we reside is, if we really aim to achieve unity and wholeness, doing away with all that kept us apart. We do need to understand this and look at the tasks that lie ahead of us. There is so much work to be done.
Nowadays the monster of separation is roaring its ugly head: it is us against them, it’s gay against straight, neo Nazis and white supremacists are marching again with the objective to humiliate those who have a different color, back ground or accent, families looking for a better future are being separated and religious fanatics are mutilating all their teachers and founders tried to convey. It is religion against other religions, the rich are suppressing the poor, while a scary, lost and overweight populist wants to build walls. Well it is the same old story, nothing new under the sun, all this being a consequence of our artificial separateness, our being in the illusionary realms of divisiveness.
Through what we have learned we can set examples and a first step is to eliminate the barriers separating Theosophical streams, all of them, an initiative so well underway now through the platform ITC offers. Being together as you are right now in Berlin is actually a breathtaking experience, you will find that there is so much you have in common and although there are differences, in the core we’re all one and able to show, as in that song, our true colors, like a rainbow.
On this platform it is essential that there is willingness to step away from the characteristics one is accustomed to in one’s own environment, and that prejudices are put aside. ITC is NOT TSPL, NOT THE TS ADYAR NOR THE ULT. Once on the platform we are equal seekers and part of the Theosophical movement. Tolerance for the other seeker isn’t sufficient. Principle should always be that there is unconditional respect, even if there is a difference reading or idea concerning what was brought to us by H.P.B.
I rarely quote, repeating what others have written or said BUT I would to make exception here in order to illustrate what I have just said. William Judge in one of his articles wrote the following:
“ If we attend strictly to our own duty all will act in harmony, for the duty of another is dangerous for us. Therefore if any member proposes to spread the doctrines of theosophy in a way that seems wise to him, wish him success even if his method be one that would not commend itself to you for your own guidance.”
So another ITC is about to take off and I am so sorry I can’t be with you. Our lives are worth living and our Dharma will bring us to that level where we are able to connect and make sense of all the nonsense in the world around us. Let’s work, ponder and dream together. Our movement, vehicle has only been on the road for 147 years, we’ve just started, let’s think of those who come after us, let’s make Theosophy truly a living Wisdom.
My love and good thoughts are with all of you, so it’s goodbye for now from Brasilia, until we meet again.