Good News

An idyllic stream: swimming in natural surroundings at the Theosophical Institute

The Brazilian Section of the Theosophical Society, in conjunction with the Inter-American Theosophical Federation, is organizing an International School and the Second Theosophical Luso-Hispanic Meeting on the grounds of the beautiful Theosophical Institute of Brasilia in Brazil. The theme will be “Theosophy in a Transforming World, Awakening for the Spiritual Perception.” The meeting will be held 8–14 July, 2013.

A very successful Annual Convention was held in Melbourne by the Australian Section of the Theosophical Society during January. The Australian delegates were joined for the week by the current and former Vice-Presidents of the New Zealand Section, as well as one Australian member who is resident in New Zealand and another Australian member who is resident in Switzerland. The theme of “Theosophical Insights and the Contemporary World” was explored in various ways.

Group photo

The public talk by key speaker Professor Richard Silberstein, whose professional area of speciality is neuroscience, was particularly well received in a packed hall. He spoke on ‘Intuition: a Transpersonal and Neuroscience Perspective’.

An exciting conference is scheduled for September 25-27, 2013 in Amsterdam.

“Enchanted Modernities: Theosophy and the Arts in the Modern World” is one of several events planned in a project supported by The Leverhulme Trust with web site hosted by the University of York. The multiyear project has this objective:

Bringing together scholars who are experts on the visual arts, music, sound and literature from all over the world, the Network's events will explore what the visual, material and performing arts can tell us about the relationships between Theosophy, modernity and mysticism c. 1875-1960.

The URL for the project is http://www.york.ac.uk/history-of-art/enchanted-modernities/ . Please spread the word among scholars in these fields of research who might be interested.

International Symposium

On 3 and 4 December 2012 a two-day international symposium on the life and work of Baroness Adelma von Vay took place in Slovenia. It was held at two locations, the first day at the National University Library in Ljubljana and the second at the Žiče monastery near Slovenske Konjice. Contributors from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Greece, The United States, Russia, Serbia and Slovenia sent or presented thirty-three papers exploring Adelma von Vay’s life and spiritistic, philanthropic and healing work.

Joma Sipe’s Graphics Exhibition (Photo by Matej Boldin)

THE PARAMITAS or Transcendental Virtues

International Theosophical Centre, Naarden-Holland, 19-22 July 2012

The wonderful and inspiring Centre

A Silent Retreat based on The Voice of the Silence by H.P. Blavatsky,
with Trân-Thi- Kim- Diêu and circa 25 partakers.

This GOOD NEWS contribution is based on notes taken by participant Els Rijneker. Revision was done by Kim-Diêu

This is an early announcement.

Members belonging to five different Theosophical traditions in one circle during ITC’s meeting in Wheaton last August

Theosophy Forward supports the initiatives of International Theosophy Conferences (ITC) wholeheartedly and will continue doing so in 2013. The annual meeting of ITC held at Olcott in Wheaton last August made it clear that Theosophists from all traditions can respectfully meet on a shared platform. The 2013 annual meeting will be held in the city where it all started in 1875, New York. We will keep you updated regarding this special event.

The dates are: August 8–11, 2013 and the event`s title is “How to Awaken Compassion?  H. P. Blavatsky and the Eternal Secret Doctrine.”

For more information and the registration form click here

Finding a Different Way – Pamela Zane Keys

Introduction

[Pamela Zane Keys is learning via a mystic path leading through an early and valuable Christian experience to special interests in the Sufi Way, Gnosticism and Buddhism. Theosophy, she says, ‘made sense’ of her life. Pamela’s formal studies included Education, Psychology and Theology. She has also travelled widely. Pamela’s teaching has spanned more than fifty years and she enjoys editing TheoSophia, the magazine of the Theosophical Society in New Zealand in which this article was published in March 2012.]

Pamela Zane Keys

While we may think of the latent powers referred to in the Third Object of the Theosophical Society as extraordinary and spectacular, I have recently realized that they may also be small and outwardly indiscernible yet inwardly life changing. Cancer has been my recent teacher and a means of drawing forth something like latent powers in me in simple and practical ways.

We were very happy to have our friend and EFTS Chairman, Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu once again in Slovenia in the week from 17-24 October. First she gave a public talk in Ljubljana on the theme “The Future of Humanity.”

Former Regional Secretaries of the TS in Slovenia, Mrs. Cveta Starič (on the right) and Mrs. Irena Polanc Kristan (on the left) in company of the EFTS Chairman Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu

After her talk in Ljubljana she conducted a weekend seminar near Koper on the Slovenian coast. The theme of the seminar was “Foundations of Wisdom” especially dealing with the questions: The Basis of Consciousness; Can Attention Be Practiced? and What Is Meditation? The talks and the seminar were well attended and the participants showed great interest asking many thoughtful questions, vividly participating in the discussions. Some members of the International Centre of Theosophical Studies and Research – Adyar in Cervignano, Italy also joined the seminar in Slovenia.

Last August, from the 26th to the 31st, the Theosophical Summer School of the Spanish Section took place with an attendance of about 110 participants.

Smiling faces and hard to get all on one photo

According to those present it was a school with an impressive theme, conducted by Mrs. Trân-Thi-Kim-Dieu, who spoke about “Foundations of Wisdom”. The group work in the afternoons, following the talks given by the guest speaker in the mornings, was also much appreciated.

The historical 2012 meeting of International Theosophy Conferences held August 9–12 at Olcott in Wheaton, Illinois, USA, was a success. Representatives from various Theosophical groups and also independent Theosophists made significant steps forward to come together respectfully on a shared platform. During this four-day meeting, delegates from all corners of the globe had the opportunity to meet and discuss important issues.

Participants

On July 7th, 2012, a new Theosophical discussion site officially opened its doors: Theosophy Nexus. Very much a collective effort, it was conceived and built by three Theosophists keenly interested in finding a way to translate the Theosophical group study experience to the medium of the internet in the best possible way. Careful consideration has been given to the mitigation of some of the potential drawbacks of internet group discussion while infusing the same with the best and highest aspects of face-to-face discussions that already occur all over the world. It is our mission to foster a productive, positive and harmonious atmosphere in which participants can share what they have learned in their studies with other fellow students.

We are pleased to make mention of this very special event once more:

Symposium on the life and work of Baroness Adelma von Vay

KUD Logos publishing (International journal for postsecular theoria, poesis and praxis) has recently released the Slovenian translation of the book Spirit, Power, And Matter, originally published in 1870 and written with the help of automatic writing by the then 29-year old Baroness von Adelma von Vay (1840-1925), from Slovenske Konjice (Gonobitz).

Adelma von Vay in her studio

Promoting the application of Theosophical principles - funerals

Following its Annual General Meeting in May, the TOS in France organized a seminar on a rather delicate theme: “Burial, cremation and alternative funeral services”. The seminar attracted more than 50 participants keen to gain a Theosophical perspective on cremation in a predominantly Roman Catholic country where burial is the traditional practice. Participants were presented with a 60-page file containing items such as:

•    Why cremation? The writings of Theosophists and other leading thinkers: H.P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant, C.W. Leadbeater, A.E. Powell, Geoffrey Barborka, Eliphas Lévi, Rudolf Steiner, Alice Bailey, J. Krishnamurti…
•    Col. Olcott’s account of the first cremation organised in the USA
•    Perspectives on burial and cremation in the Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu traditions
•    Perspectives amongst Freemasons, Rosicrucians and Liberal Catholics

SHE – A new TOS Project at Adyar

The Strength, Health & Energy [SHE] Project was commenced on August 12, 2012, on the birth anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky, following the success of The Seeing Eyes for Everyone [SEE] Project, which was started in September, 2007, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Damodar K. Mavalankar. The project aims to address the health & vitality issues of the underprivileged. The first step has been to conduct a battery of tests as part of a Master Health Check-up package for employees & contract workers at the Adyar Headquarters. The process was carried out at Precision Diagnostics, which is a part of the Medall group.

Radha Burnier, the international president of the Theosophical Society - Adyar, recently visited the American section's Olcott headquarters. During her stay she had an opportunity to meet with many long time friends and co-workers, and with staff and volunteers who were meeting her for the first time. On one of the days she spoke with staff about the international character of the TS, its future, and purpose.

For this this short talk click here:

Theosophy Forward publishes photos taken during this historical visit.

Radha Burnier and Tim Boyd

Meeting of the Theosophical Investment Trust with John Kern (l) Augie Hirt and Floyd Kettering

Presenting Ruben Cabigting’s portrait of Radha Burnier

Children present a gift to Radha Burnier during the Bedtime Stories event with Pat Griebler and Lily Boyd (r)

The international president with the Olcott staff

A New Version of the Theosophical Encyclopedia

Widely praised as the best one-volume source for Theosophical terms, the Theosophical Encyclopedia, edited by Philip S. Harris, Vicente R. Hao Chin, Jr., and Richard W. Brooks (Quezon City, Philippines: Theosophical Publishing House, 2006) is now undergoing updating and expansion for a new online version that will be posted on the Web and thus freely available to all who use the Internet. By keeping pace with new developments in technology and information, it will make the Ancient Wisdom yet more available to the modern world.

The new online version of the Theosophical Encyclopedia is calledTheosopedia and is being edited by John Algeo (General Editor), Vicente Hao Chin Jr. (Associate Editor), and Robert Ellwood (Consulting Editor). The print version contains some 1,200 articles by 110 authors; the new online version will greatly exceed those numbers. It will update articles from the print edition and add many new ones, all with sharp focus on Theosophical relevance and comprehensive coverage.

If you would like to contribute to this new version of the encyclopedia, send the General Editor (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) a message listing your areas of interest and add any information you care to share about your background in Theosophy.

Click here …

http://theosophy.ph/theosopedia