After the previous ones —“How to Move Forward?” (2009), “Living Theosophy” (2010), “Our World” (2011) and “Our Work” (2012) the fifth series will be entitled “Our Unity.”
In this new series various contributors will elaborate on the subject of Theosophical Unity.
In the past several attempts were made to unify the various Theosophical traditions. These attempts all failed. In most instances and up until today, those who are aligned with one of the many Theosophical organizations have held negative opinions about their fellow Theosophists because of what they were told within their own circles. Old conflicts, prejudice, ignorance, intolerance, and above all a lack of compassion caused Theosophists to distance themselves from each other, while at the same time all of them assert that “to form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity” is their main objective.
Our planet Earth is the third planet from the sun and is, in diameter, the fifth largest in the solar system. Like a gigantic space craft, it is moving — in communion with the other planets — through space at the vertiginous speed of 72,360 km (some 44,962 miles) per hour toward the constellation of Hercules, while the Milky Way, of which our solar system is a part, is moving toward the constellation of Leo at about 2,160,000 km (some 1,342,161 miles) per hour. Also the earth and its satellite moon move together in an orbit around the sun. All these many movements are made in perfect harmony at incomprehensible speeds. All that exists is functioning in sacred unity.
Our principles of Theosophy — the ideas of karma and reincarnation, the visible and invisible worlds, hierarchies, and so forth — bind us, no matter to what Theosophical tradition we belong. What H.P.B. reintroduced to the world is the ground on which all meet. Nowadays, in the information age, we see that people are looking for a less scholarly and more practical approach to the problems of the world in which we are living, based on insight, appropriate comprehension, and living experience. All of us have something to offer. How do we offer it? Do we have the right attitude towards all this? Where do we stand with integrity in our sense of sister- and brotherhood?
Our time line covers centuries, not decades, so we must learn to think in centuries; we’ve only just begun. If there is one question we really should be concerned with now, it is the question of how we can continue doing Theosophical work, and how each of the traditions could play an active role in this. By doing the work unconditionally, respectfully in oneness, breaking new grounds, each of the groups and independent Theosophists will come up with answers. As we do the work, all our doubts will eventually ebb away.
That land needs to be ploughed
Our unity on a spiritual level was a fact right from the start. It is by all means not a unity for the sake of just unity; it’s far more profound and rooted in the principle that there is but one life and one truth and that all of us are merely representatives of it. Theosophy doesn't teach in the conventional sense, but often functions as a pointer bringing about renewal in our way of thinking. If we make our diversity a binder instead of a divider and work in a true religious spirit, and if are aware of the pitfalls that are undeniably there, we will learn from each other. A truly peaceful, unified, nonviolent, and altruistic world is only possible if the individual transforms, psychologically and fundamentally, because the world is what the individual is. So, the Earth is our land, and that land needs to be ploughed.
Our Unity - We are all from the same root
Herman C. Vermeulen – The Netherlands
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share with you some of my thoughts on Unity. Unity is a fundamental principle in our Theosophical world; not only all our literature breathes this idea but the Theosophia (Wisdom of the Gods) starts from this point of view. Unity is often referred to as ‘the Law of laws’. It is seen as a fact in Nature; wherever we look we see beings working with other beings. No being can live or act or work on its own. Every being in itself is an example of unity, every being works together with millions of other beings.
H. P. B. establishes three fundamental propositions. We find unity defined in the first proposition in the proem of The Secret Doctrine as follows:
”An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immutable PRINCIPLE on which all speculation is impossible, since it transcends the power of human conception and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude. It is beyond the range and reach of thought — in the words of Māndūkya Upanishad, "unthinkable and unspeakable." “
Our Unity - Thoughts on bringing about Greater Theosophical Unity
Gene Jennings – USA
Thoughts on bringing about Greater Theosophical Unity.
Our Teaching, as our Lineage is ONE, The Eternal Wisdom Religion. The Root Base of our “Hierarchy and Holonarchy” The Wondrous Being, is the “Tree” from which all great and truly divine, spiritually known Sages have branched off, inclusive of H. P. B. and her Masters. These sages regardless of time, or cycle, are all directly or indirectly guided by this “Being”, and the Great Souls in its lineage. “It is he again who holds spiritual sway over the initiated adepts throughout the whole world. … It is under the direct, silent guidance of this Maha Guru that all the less divine teachers and instructors of mankind became from the awakening of human consciousness, the guides of early humanity. …” And so to this day do they still act!
Theosophy, as presented by H. P. B. and her Masters, represents the only true expression of this divine system presented in a coherent and integrated form in modern times. This we must realize and accept as the imperishable ground of our currently broken UNITY.
Realizing this, we recognize One Essential Unity and truth of Theosophy, pervading and expressed diversely in the world according to time, culture, geography, spiritual development, and cycle.
To achieve Theosophical Unity and foster mutual understanding and tolerance, as well as cooperative work for humanity, while respecting each traditions “Vows and views”, perhaps we might try to encourage all theosophical representative “leader students” and students, from different, to take time(s) each year, to share, problem solve, and communicate using the Principles and teachings of H. P. B’s Theosophy the different ways to best Serve The World Using The Teachings.
Retreat and dialogue
“Students” should be able to enter into retreat and dialogue, bringing together the diverse elements and emphases of the different traditions showing the direct links of their tradition to the original theosophical principles, teachings and references. If it is genuine spiritual truth, enlightenment and awakening we wish to further in the world such teachings regarding spiritual Wisdom and moral practice, should not deviate from the original teachings morally, ethically, philosophically, spiritually or in any contradictory form if they are to be considered representative of “True Theosophy” being represented to and in the World.
Our Unity - Finding Unity is The Most Difficult of All
James Colbert – USA
Finding Unity is The Most Difficult of All.
For most of us the path of unity is the most difficult. At one moment we may be content with separateness. We may feel safe and without threat. To join with another or others can have the effect that we might lose something of ourselves.
The path of unity is the most difficult
Yet, at another moment, unity is compelling. Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Compassion, Sympathy, Support for others and Unity resonates somewhere within us. There is an almost unconscious nodding of our heads as we let the flavor of the words circulate. The heart has taken the lead and found its rightful place. We sense this is somehow who and what we are.
