Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere
Encyclopedia
Serge Raynaud de la Ferrière (18 January 1916 – 27 December 1962) was a French religious philosopher.
He was born in Paris, France, the son of Georges Constantine Louis Raynaud, who was an engineer, and Virginie Marie Billet. His parents moved to Brussels, Belgium when he was two years old, and his mother died there when he was only five years of age. He studied at several lower schools, and attended the Université Catholique de Louvain
Université catholique de Louvain
The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
where he graduated as a mining engineer in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Although he grew up and studied in Belgium he would return to his native France in his early twenties. [he returned to France when he was released from the army, in 1940. This data is registered in the military files.In 1941, he met Louise Baudin to whom he was married in 1944, and with whom he travelled to America, in 1947].
He founded the Universal Great Brotherhood
Universal Great Brotherhood
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a cultural, non governmental, non religious, non profit, non sectarian organization. This organization was founded in Caracas, Venezuela by Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere and registered with the United Nations DPI in 1949 in Algiers, Africa...
in 1948 in Caracas, Venezuela. It is an organization devoted to merging science, art, and religion.
The Life and Education
At an early age, Serge engaged in para-scientific investigations. He demonstrated an interest in psychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, and began investigating man's relationship with the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
, ancient cultures, linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, parapsychology
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
, esoterism and metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
studies.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he returned to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and worked as a psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
and began his research into the sciences of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
.
The Universal Great Brotherhood
As Yoga continued to persist as the central point of his interest, Serge, without discarding his responsibilities, public activities, or scientific investigations, slowly began to partake in various initiations within the science and ancient tradition of the Great Rishis and Yogis of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
During 1944-1947 he composed various scientific organizations and held many conferences where he expounded upon his theories.
In 1946, he obtained a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Natural Medicine During this same year, as President of the International Federation of Scientific Societies, he asked the French Government to financially sponsor a research expedition to study the ancient civilizations of South America; his request was denied.[Obviously, because he wasn't an academic. The above mentioned institution, F.I.S.S. was only a project, it never really got ahead, there were few meetings and no scientific publications at all].
In February, 1947, he established The World Organization of Cosmobiology
Cosmobiology
Historically, the term 'Kosmobiologie' was used by the German medical astrologer Friedrich Feerhow and Swiss statistician Karl Krafft in a more general sense "to designate that branch of astrology working on scientific foundations and keyed to the natural sciences"....
.
On November 12, 1947, Dr. Serge left Europe and traveled to the American Continent. He arrived at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and established the first center for the Universal Great Brotherhood
Universal Great Brotherhood
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a cultural, non governmental, non religious, non profit, non sectarian organization. This organization was founded in Caracas, Venezuela by Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere and registered with the United Nations DPI in 1949 in Algiers, Africa...
. The Universal Great Brotherhood was created as a non-sectarian, and non-religious establishment, and all philosophies, religions, and cultures are studied with impartiality and preference is held towards none.
After passing through Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, he arrived in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 17, 1948 with the goal of establishing it the headquarters of the institution. Once the center for the Universal Great Brotherhood
Universal Great Brotherhood
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a cultural, non governmental, non religious, non profit, non sectarian organization. This organization was founded in Caracas, Venezuela by Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere and registered with the United Nations DPI in 1949 in Algiers, Africa...
in Caracas was well established, Dr. Serge found a beautiful spot in El Limón, Maracay, in the State of Aragua, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
where he decided to construct an Ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
. Here he gratuitously offered an education to the public which encompassed the study and practice of ancient traditional teachings with the purpose of spiritual, artistic, and mental development. He also established an Initiatic College, Esoteric Center, and Study Center free of charge, as well as a Meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
Center, and Yoga Institute.
In Venezuela Serge met his first and most notable disciples and descendant masters: Jose Manuel Estrada,Juan Victor Mejias and Gil Colmenares ("Elder Brothers"). It is primarily these three disciples who are responsible for establishing the basic principles and structures of the Universal Great Brotherhood, which is a public institution, and the Supreme Order of Aquarius, which is the internal esoteric group that contains several streams and approaches to the establishment of these principles.
In 1949, after a stay of 17 months in Venezuela, he traveled to New York to preside over the International Peace Conference
International Peace Conference
The International Peace Conference was an anti-war conference held on December 10, 2005. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition , and included speakers from Iraq, the United States, and Italy....
held in the month of June. [In New York, he separated from his wife and was taken to court by her, but they never actually got divorced]. From there he departed to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
through Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
He established a center for the Universal Great Brotherhood
Universal Great Brotherhood
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a cultural, non governmental, non religious, non profit, non sectarian organization. This organization was founded in Caracas, Venezuela by Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere and registered with the United Nations DPI in 1949 in Algiers, Africa...
in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Africa and registered the Universal Great Brotherhood, Dr. Serge Raynaud de la Ferrière Foundation with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
DPI (Department of Public Information) in 1949 and met his disciple David Juan Ferriz Olivares after that by letters.
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a member of the United Nations ECOSCOC (Economic and Social Council) and has Consultative Status as of the year 2000.
Pilgrimage
On April 13, 1950, at Hardward IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, he attended the Kumbha Mela, a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
that occurs every twelve years during which all the holy men, rishis, and sages come together along with their followers with the goal of reconnecting and strengthening that connection with what is considered their source.
He continued on with his pilgrimage to Tibet, where he was given the name of Tdashi Sis-Sgan Cakya Rimpochech [by whom?], and reached in the full moon of May of the same year the almost inaccessible summit of Mount Kailas.
After his visit to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, he traveled through Burma, Siam, and other countries of the Far East before arriving in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.[In his Circular Letters, he claims to have been recognized as a boddhisattva, by a delegate to the Dalai Lama, in Burma, in 1950, but the Office of His Holiness has denied they know anything about him or the delegate].
Titles and Honors
Serge visited 43 countries establishing the Universal Great BrotherhoodUniversal Great Brotherhood
The Universal Great Brotherhood is a cultural, non governmental, non religious, non profit, non sectarian organization. This organization was founded in Caracas, Venezuela by Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere and registered with the United Nations DPI in 1949 in Algiers, Africa...
and its branches, which include Study Centers of Universal Wisdom, Ashrams, Initiatic Colleges, Institutes for Perfectionment, Yoga Institutes, Social Services, etc., while also giving more than 2,500 lectures and workshops to Universities, Medical Faculties, Rotary Clubs, The Red Cross, The French Alliance, Cultural Center, Public Schools, Churches, Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
Temples, Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
Chapters as well as Theosophical Society Chapters. [Yet, although he visited many countries, the Brotherhood and some of its ramifications exist in more or less 25 countries, mostly Latin-American, which were not necessarily the ones he visited. For instance, the UGB doesn't exist in the East, and in Europe it only operates in Spain, Italy and Norway].
He was accepted and received everywhere with enthusiasm. He presented a clear and well-balanced teaching, both scientific and metaphysical, neither predominantly orientalist or occidentalist. His teachings were many and varied and included Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, The Bible, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
, Geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
, Cosmobiology
Cosmobiology
Historically, the term 'Kosmobiologie' was used by the German medical astrologer Friedrich Feerhow and Swiss statistician Karl Krafft in a more general sense "to designate that branch of astrology working on scientific foundations and keyed to the natural sciences"....
, Meta-Astronomy, Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, and Hermetic
Hermeticism
Hermeticism or the Western Hermetic Tradition is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus...
Science. Numerous Universities [which ones?] and Societies have conferred titles and honors upon him, and scientists everywhere [who, for instance?] have adhered to his theories.
Research on Serge Raynaud's academic qualifications
For people who would like to know more about his academic qualifications, pls visit:http://escepticosgfu.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/research_on_serge_raynaud_de_la_ferrire_s_academic_titles.pdf
End of Life
Upon returning to Europe, he no longer wore his white vestments that were worn during his public lectures and lived and blended in among everyone else. He settled down in Nice, France in the French Maritime Alps, where no one could recognize him, and began to write The Psychological Proposals, Volumes 1 through 36, [with the help of this secretary and companion, Catherine Cucchietti] and his 61 circular letters. By this time he had already written the books : The Great Messages, Yug, Yoga Yoghism, Art in The New Age, and The Black Book Of FreemasonryFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, with black signifying the color of gunpowder. He died in Nice.
External links
Elder Brother Jose Manuel Estrada had this to say about the book published by the Drs estranged wife.
"Every Spiritual teacher has a Judas".
Further references
- González, O. La Aurora de Una Nueva Era. Ed. GFU, Caracas; 1972
- Alvarez Bravo, Arturo "El Maestre – Cronobiografía", México, D.F; 1988
- Alcalde. C. L. Movimientos Religiosos Libres. Lima; Concynet, 1988
- Raynaud, L.B. de. Los Falsos Maestros, Mi Vida con SRF. Caracas; 1991