Our Unity - A New View

Renee Sell – New Zealand

There’s a wonderful parable from The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying that goes like this:

Patrol Rinpoche tells the story of an old frog who had lived all his life in a dank well. One day a frog from the sea paid him a visit. “Where do you come from?” asked the frog in the well. “From the great ocean,” he replied. “How big is your ocean?” “It’s gigantic.” “You mean about a quarter of the size of my well here?” “Bigger.” “Bigger? You mean half as big?” “No, even bigger.” “Is it . . . as big as this well?” “There’s no comparison.” “That’s impossible! I’ve got to see this for myself.” They set off together. When the frog from the well saw the ocean, it was such a shock that his head just exploded into pieces.

Our Unity - About Unity (very subjective reflections)

Thomas Martinovich – Hungary

Theosophy Our Unity Thomas Martinovich 2

“Don’t worry – you can’t fall out of the Universe!” (by an unknown sage)

The main teaching of (modern) Theosophy is that the whole world – including us, as parts of it – is one: a complete unity, without any separated parts. But to experience it as a reality is quite difficult. Why?

Our Unity - A Hundred Buddhas

Patrizia Calvi – Italy

Theosophy Our Unity Pat Calvi 2

“If through the Hall of Wisdom, thou wouldst reach the Vale of Bliss, Disciple, close fast thy senses against the great dire heresy of Separateness that weans thee from the rest” (The Voice of Silence, v. 37).

The divisions within the Theosophical movement are a fact that is certainly in conflict with the principle of universal brotherhood without distinctions. These divisions cause inconvenience to our conscience and entail a sense of failure in our living testing of that principle.

Our Unity - Our Theosophical Unity

Janet Lee – UK

Theosophy Our Unity Janet Lee 2

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Julius Caesar (1.2, lines 140-141)

Shakespeare’s Roman play is about equality, political balance and brotherhood, and the deep problems and conflicts that arise when some claim moral and actual superiority above others and when we each claim we are all good and faultless! Conversely, H.P.B. comes across as a woman who understood herself very well, particularly aware of her own failings and her weaknesses, so that in her own way she was a very integrated person, and therein is her strength and her authority. She was uniquely and authentically herself, and she knew her own imperfections. As above, so below: as without, so within. As Theosophists, we cannot hope to be unified with each other, as the universal brotherhood, if each of us cannot find that inner unity within ourselves.

Our Unity - Spiritual Unity and Cross-Pollination

Joop Smits – the Netherlands

Theosophy Our Unity 2 Joop Smits 

Unity has often been on the agenda of international gatherings of Theosophists. Based on Theosophy, there is no real discussion about the concept of Spiritual Unity. Therefore this forms a common basis for cooperation between various Theosophical organizations. During international gatherings of last 4 years there were fruitful dialogues on how to give Theosophy the rightful place in the world.