Good News

Theosophical Center in Costa Rica

From Maria Orlich in San José, we received the following message regarding the plans for building a Theosophical Center in Costa Rica.

Members meet on the grounds where soon the Center will be constructed

The property for this project is located in San Pablo de León Cortés, about 70 km. from the capital, San José, at an altitude of 1,600 m., with a very pleasant weather. The property is surrounded by a forest of native oak trees which need to be protected, so only a portion of the land is suitable for construction; for now, local authorities have allowed 700 sq. m. for this purpose.

We received a report from Svitlana Gavrylenko in Ukraine. 

This year of 2011 marks the one-hundred-eightieth anniversary from the birth and the one-hundred-twentieth from the date of transition to a different plane of our outstanding compatriot Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. The International Forum, dedicated to Blavatsky's heritage and its value in the modern world, took place in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, on June 23-6.

The Forum was attended by representatives from twelve Ukrainian cities and five cities in Russia. There were also representatives from Spain, Italy, Belarus, and Romania.

Special guests of the Forum were the General Secretary of the Theosophical Society in Italy, Mr. Antonio Girardi, who was accompanied by Patrizia and Sergio Calvi; and a former President of the Theosophical Society in Spain, Mrs. Mercedes Villa Robuste, was also present. She came with her daughter Diana and granddaughter Sarah, so there were three generations of Theosophists.

Although this event took place last June, we are pleased to publish some photos to give readers of Theosophy Forward an impression.

Group photo

Simple Acts of kindness

In recent issues of this newsletter [TOS in touch.online] we have celebrated some simple acts of kindness that no one gets to hear about. Now we feature a Theosophist whose service to the TS has gone largely unseen because it has always been performed in the background.

Bernice "back home" in New Zealand

The President’s Secretary

Bernice Croft acted for ten years as Secretary to our International TS President, Radha Burnier, before retiring last February and returning to her native New Zealand. While many of us around the world wish Bernice a happy retirement, we know in fact, that she is as busy as ever, and has really only changed her service address from India to New Zealand where, amongst other community activities, she has resumed her long-standing membership of Soroptimist International, a volunteer service organisation for business and professional women working to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Her busy life has also included attending the annual ES retreat at The Manor in Sydney, Australia in May, joining a creative writing group and lecturing at the Wellington TS Lodge.    Bravo, Bernice!

Theosophical Center in Costa Rica

From Maria Orlich in San José, we received the following message regarding the plans for building a Theosophical Center in Costa Rica.

Members meet on the grounds where soon the Center will be constructed

The property for this project is located in San Pablo de León Cortés, about 70 km. from the capital, San José, at an altitude of 1,600 m., with a very pleasant weather. The property is surrounded by a forest of native oak trees which need to be protected, so only a portion of the land is suitable for construction; for now, local authorities have allowed 700 sq. m. for this purpose.

Annual visit of the Chairman of the European Federation of Theosophical Societies (EFTS) to Slovenia.

From October 25 till November 1, 2011, the visit of the EFTS Chairman, Ms. Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu, took place. As was the case last year, it was jointly organized by the EFTS and the independent Institute Rman in Koper with the help of a number of Slovenian Theosophical workers.

Lecture at the Creative Center Abram

International Theosophy Conferences Inc. organized an impressive event in the mountains of Julian, California, on August 11–14. Julian is a small but picturesque town about one-and-a-half-hours drive from San Diego.

The theme of the conference was “The Heart of Wisdom, a Concurrence of Science and Spirituality from a Theosophical Perspective.”

During four days, Theosophists from various traditions and different parts of the world listened to excellent speakers and exchanged ideas covering a wide range of topics, such as Theosophical publications, Theosophy and health, Theosophy, education and youth, Theosophy and science, and meditation and mysticism.

Representatives of the Theosophical Society, Point Loma (The Hague), the United Lodge of Theosophists, the Adyar Theosophical Society, and two independent Theosophical groups, underscored the urgent need for Theosophical unity.

Group photo taken after the closing of the event

It was touching and encouraging to observe that a true and respectful exchange took place. Theosophists from different traditions got together on the basis of mutual respect, thus putting brotherhood into practice.

Theosophical Work in Russia

Theosophy Forward received this report from Konstantin Zaitzev

For the last two decades Moscow was the center of the Theosophical work in Russia. Most of the Theosophical books were published here, and the Theosophical meetings were held regularly, without interruption.

Our Moscow Theosophical Society is an informal group, very loosely connected with the TS Adyar (through several of its members) and it has no officers. Everyone does the work which he likes or just visits the meetings. Our work is directed to the three objects of the Theosophical Society rather than to the study of Theosophical literature. There are two kinds of meetings. The lectures are conducted fortnightly, but they aren't Theosophical lectures in the sense of giving basics of Theosophical teachings. We listen to the guest speakers who are scientists, representatives of different religions, or just persons having their own original philosophy, and then we try to understand their ideas in the light of Theosophy. Nevertheless sometimes we give our own lectures about our understanding of Theosophy. These meetings are open for everyone and their schedule is published online.

Dutch Theosophists, on the right, visiting Russia

Garden of Remembrance at the I.T.C.

You are all invited to participate in the following:

Discovering Silence and its Deeper Aspects

A Meditation Retreat based on H. P. Blavatsky’s Meditation Diagram, conducted by Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu

October 12 – 16, 2011

International Theosophical Centre
Meentweg 9 1411 GR Naarden,
The Netherlands

Phone        : + - (0)31—6945121
Email        : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website    : www.itc-naarden.org

The message from Diana Dunningham Chapotin that you are about to read concerns the TOS’s action in the face of the catastrophic famine prevailing in the horn of Africa. In a world with more than enough to feed itself, all hunger is an unnecessary tragedy. The current famine in southern Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya is an open wound on the world’s conscience.

We want to hold your hand

TOS EMERGENCY AID FOR STARVING FAMILIES IN EAST AFRICA

August 16 till 21 was quite a busy week for the members of the Executive Committee and the Council of the Theosophical Society in Europe – Federation of National Societies, since they gathered at the Theosophical Center in Kreivila, Finland. During their meetings on August 16 and 17 they had to address important issues concerning the work of the Federation over the last working year.

Members of the EFTS Council

Glimpses of Theosophical work in Ireland

Theosophically speaking, a momentous event took place at the Malone Lodge Hotel, Belfast in June 2005. The TS in Ireland became one unit, under the umbrella of a Regional Association encompassing all the Theosophists of good standing in Ireland. At that time, there was a Lodge in Limerick, Southern Ireland and Belfast Lodge in Northern Ireland. Within recent years the expanding Study Group in Dublin morphed into a newly chartered Lodge, appropriately named Phoenix Lodge.

Tea break after meeting Belfast Lodge


Members after meeting Belfast Lodge


Coleraine Study Group