The Society

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have you been a member of the TS?

My name is Alexey Besputin. Now I’m living in Moscow. I have been attending the meetings of TS in Russia and Ukraine since 2008. I received my TS membership diploma in 2010.

2. Are you active in your Lodge/Section and if so, what do you do?

I dedicate all my free time to thinking about Theosophical ideas and to the development of the Theosophical movement in Russia. I support six communities in a social network; take part in video editing and content updating of the YouTube channel of the Moscow Theosophical Society; manage content of the official website, Theosophical Society in Russia; organize annual public events of TS in Russia: All-Russia’s Theosophical Conference, held in March with attendance up to 100, All-Russia’s Theosophical Congress, held in November with attendance up to 50, White LotusDay; am editor in chief of the electronic magazine Theosophical Review.

3. How did you first learn about Theosophy or come in contact with the Society?

At first I knew about Theosophy through the books by H. P. Blavatsky, but the real immersion into it, and the genuine interest started because of two books.Once, in winter, when waiting for the local electric train, I entered a second-hand bookshop, just to get a little warmer. I had enough time, and without any hurry I browsed through the volumes on the bookshelves till I came upon a book by Annie Besant entitled: The Riddle of Life: and how Theosophyanswers it. The emblem of the Theosophical Society proudly glared on its cover. Its design was unusual and it attracted my attention. The content absorbed me; half an hour had passed with noticing it. I embarked the train feeling already quite another man! It was the Discovery, a real mystical encounter which was predestined, the starting point of my spiritual search.

Later a book by C. W Leadbeater The Inner Lifecame to my attention, and after reading it, I understood that all the answers to all the questions of my interest are in the Theosophical teachings. The soul had made its choice; Theosophy became the music of my soul.

After the insights and discoveries from reading Theosophical literature I began to inquire if I could meet Theosophists, and soon I found like-minded people of akin spirit. Three years later with the support of the, at that time vice-president, Mahendra Singhal, we formed the lodge of the Theosophical Society in Moscow, for which we are grateful to him. There were no official lodges of TS Adyar in Russia from1917 until 2011, so we had to start the work of creation TS in Russia from scratch.

4. What does Theosophy mean to you?

Theosophy for me was always the key to the understanding of the laws of the Universe and the realization of one’s own predestination. Sooner or later all of us are confronted with the period when questions like “Who I am, and where I’m going to?”arise in our consciousness. I am grateful to our Masters and to the good karma for this luminous Path to come into my life, the Path of Knowledge, Wisdom, Compassion and Service: the Path of Theosophy.

Theosophy was always the source of inspiration and it uplifted my soul, no matter how hard the circumstances of my life would be.Knowledge of the laws ruling the Universe and understanding the law of karma, make us active creators and vehicles for the highest cosmic principles and ideals conducting them to the physical plane.Theosophy changes me, therefore I change the World!

5. What is your favorite Theosophical book and why?

I have no favorite book. In each period of life, a publication comes which helps the consciousness to unfold, to rise to a new level; another step on the ladder of evolution. When a soul is seeking knowledge and it is being revealed, we, in Russia say: “The book has found its reader.”It doesn’t mean that” Someone sought for the book and finally found it, but that the book mystically comes to its reader, because he or she is now ready to attain more knowledge.”

There are three books which I reread cyclically in every two or three years:The Voice of theSilenceand The Key to Theosophy by HPB and Human Regeneration by Radha Burnier. I also enjoy to open at random any volume by W.Q. Judge and read one or two chapters from it.

It enables me to evaluate my daily life, to understand whether am I on the right track, following the ideals, to check if my perception, consciousness, mind, and spiritual heart are pure.

6. What in your opinion is the biggest challenge the TS is facing at the moment?

In my understanding the main tasks of theTShave not changed that much, since the moment of its foundation:

1. To be the source and storehouse of spiritual Knowledge.

2. To be the spiritual library and spiritual research center.

3. For all the seekers for Truth, to be the bridge connecting the spiritual world with the material world.

4. To widen the horizons of consciousness of modern man, from the flat and narrow material ones, into the spiritual, multidimensional, cosmic ones.

5. To become the foundation of the Theosophical worldview, education, and upbringing of modern man.

6. Be the remedy battling egoism. To become the School of Wisdom, Compassion, and Service. Prevent humanity from perishing, due to prevalence of egoism and gross material values in the modern society.

7. To be an ashram and refuge for all those who consciously choose the hard Path of accelerated spiritual evolutionary growth.

8. To be the place where ideas and the ideals of Brotherhood, Unity, spiritual growth, and compassion are not a mere a matter of form, theory or part of an etiquette, but the state of consciousness of every TS member, put by him or her into practice in daily life.

9. To be the place where Theosophy is alive, where it inspires and unfolds the best sides of our soul and character, promoting and encouraging creativity, personal development, and spiritual evolution of the entire society in which we live.

7. Is there anything you would wish for the future of the Theosophical Movement?

My wishes are:

1. More activity, more new projects on the Internet and offline.

2. Increase the number of international projects in which the Theosophists from various countries can take part.

3. To establish an exchange of the international lecturers. To make them available also for the smaller countries.

4. That the entire Theosophical Society and movement is recognizable, having an excellent reputation while providing adequate publicity. To be liberated of the erroneous idea of being in any way associated with fascism, sectarianism, cultism, or black magic.

5. To attain worldwide recognition by the public, state organizations and governmental structures.

6. To have more youngsters and men and women of science added to its membership.

7. To renovate the headquarters at Adyar, turning it into a dynamic and international spiritual research center.

8. For entire Theosophical movement to unite, working together for the Spiritual Regeneration of Humanity.