Helena Kerekhazi – USA

A Bird’s Eye View of the Theosophical Movement Then and Now

“Night before last I was shown a bird’s-eye view of the Theosophical Societies. I saw a few earnest reliable Theosophists in a death struggle with the world in general and with other — nominal but ambitious Theosophists. The former are greater in number than you may think, and they prevailed , as you in America will prevail , if you only remain staunch to the Master’s programme and true to yourselves” (from a letter to W. Q. Judge, printed in Lucifer 8.46 (June 15, 1891): 291, which he reports is from an 1888 private letter to him).

John Roberts – USA

THEOSOPHIA

A Living Philosophy For Humanity

Volume VIII

No. 6 (48) - March-April 1952

The recognition of pure Theosophy - the philosophy of the rational explanation of things and not the tenets - is of the most vital importance in the [Theosophical] Society, inasmuch as it alone can furnish the beacon-light needed to guide humanity on its true path. - H. P. B. in her First Message to American Theosophists, 1888.

At first glance, it may seem that nothing could be simpler or more plainly stated than is the aim of the Theosophical Movement in the words of H. P. Blavatsky, addressed to a convention of American Theosophists in one of the climacteric years of the nineteenth-century effort: the year of The Secret Doctrine, and the year when the Esoteric Section would be announced. How is it, then, that the Movement today has become such a complex disunity? Why is it that almost none of the simple, plain directions of the Teacher are being consistently followed in the various "branches" of the Movement - let alone the fact that the very existence of rival societies is contrary to the First Object!

Nicholas Weeks – USA

The Aura of All-Being

To make unity among members of Theosophical groups a focus of our unifying efforts would be a mistake. It would be a form of group self-centeredness. Theosophists (like all of humanity) are already a unity within.

To form and maintain a nucleus of Universal Brotherhood outwardly, our intent needs to be far more inclusive than our family of Theosophists. Strive to speak, act and think unity for all beings, human and non-human, here and throughout all realms of space. This expansive attitude excludes no creature from the aura of All-Being.

John Algeo – USA

When we look around the world, we see — not unity, but disunity — not just diversity, but disharmony. We see aggressive opposition between nations, religions, particular sects of religions, races, ethnic groups, and individuals. Can this apparent disunity be reconciled with the concept of unity?

Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines “unity,” among other ways, as “a condition of harmony” and “a totality of related parts: an entity that is a complex or systematic whole.” Those two senses do not exclude diversity from the concept of “unity”; in fact, they imply it. The opposite of a little truth is a falsehood; the opposite of a big truth is a yet bigger truth. Unity is the biggest truth of all.

In the “Proem” to The Secret Doctrine (1:14–20), Blavatsky writes that “the first fundamental axiom of the Secret Doctrine is . . . one absolute — be-ness. . . . The ‘Manifested Universe’ . . . is pervaded by duality, which is, as it were, the very essence of its EX-istence as ‘manifestation.’ But . . . the opposite poles of subject and object, spirit and matter, are but aspects of the One Unity in which they are synthesized.”

The word “unity” comes, via Old French, from the Latin word “unus,” meaning “one,” which in turn goes back to Indo-European, the ancestor of languages including English and most of those of Europe, as well as many of India. So “unity” is not a modern concept, a johnny-come-lately, but rather an ancient word and idea. Indeed, it is part of and fundamental to the Ancient Wisdom of Theosophy.

That Theosophy Forward should have a section devoted to “Our Unity” is therefore wholly appropriate. Let us as Theosophists move forward in unity with one another and in unity with all peoples everywhere — in the spirit of the universal (that is, one-world) oneness that Theosophy recognizes as the basic concept underlying all existence.