Theosophical Society Point Loma-Covina
Encyclopedia
The Theosophical Society is part of a universal, ethical and intellectual Movement, which has been active throughout the ages. This Movement brought forth, in accordance with the cyclic laws of Nature, spiritual impulses, which gave the initial impetus to the great religious and philosophical systems, ever produced by humanity. It were Sages such like Lao Tze, Krishna
, Gautama the Buddha, Jesus the Nazarene, Plato
and many others who brought forth these impulses. They tried to divulge, time and again, the age-old Theosophy among the people and did this always in a form most suitable for that time and opportunity.
Likewise Helena Petrovna Blavatsky founded in 1875 the Theosophical Society in New York. She acted on assignment of her Teachers, indicated by the name of 'Masters of Wisdom and Compassion'. With the knowledge they supplied, a foundation was laid for the Twentieth Century thinking. H.P. Blavatsky died in 1891 after many years of self-abnegation, disappointment, revilement and physical suffering. She left humanity a voluminous number of writings, of which the theosophical standard work The Secret Doctrine is the most well known.
As also the Theosophical Society is an organization formed by people, many divisions took place in the course of the years. Few years after the passing of H.P. Blavatsky two most important branches developed from the international organization. In the Netherlands one branch is known as the Theosophical Society (with headquarters in Adyar, India) and the other (the compiler of this article) as the Theosophical Society, of which the headquarters were respectively in New York, Point Loma and Covina, the latter two in California. At present it is established in the Blavatsky House, in The Hague. After H.P. Blavatsky the Theosophical Society was directed by W.Q. Judge (1891-1896), Kath. Tingley (1896-1929). Dr. G de Purucker (1929-1942), A.L. Conger (1945-1951), W. Hartley (1951-1955), D.J.P. Kok (1958-1985) and H.C. Vermeulen (1985- ).
stems from the Greek 'Theos' and 'Sophia' meaning Wisdom of the Gods. However, Theosophy is no Religion
. It is a Philosophy
of Life, which offers to every human being the possibility to find a solution to the many problems of life. Theosophy is called Wisdom of the Gods because among other things one finds the explanation for the motivations of the human soul, its origin, destination and relation with the cosmos.
The Theosophy, also called Secret Doctrine or Esoteric Philosophy, contains in the first place the principles of morality, with directives for the human thinking and acting. This morality finds its explanation in a huge number of teachings about the laws in the Universe and the structure of Man and Universe. The teachings are not based upon belief, but upon knowledge.
The Theosophy stimulates independent thinking and the search for truth. Science
, Philosophy and Religion, the three different ways to investigate and explain life, are contained in Theosophy. For this reason Theosophy does give explanations as to the how, why and whereto of life. The answer to the question regarding the purpose of life can be found in the Theosophy.
Opposite to this is the fundamental thought of Theosophy:
Life or consciousness is the cause of all that exists.
This basic thought stems from the assumption that there is one omnipresent, eternal, boundless and immutable PRINCIPLE. It transcends the power of human conception and can only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude.
This Principle of Life is the Causeless Cause of all manifested conditioned being. This Principle is neither a God nor a force.
Theosophy teaches that all what lives does so according to Universal Laws. One of these laws is Re-embodiment, which means that Man will be born over and over again. In conjunction with this is the law of Cause and Effect, which points to strict justice in the Universe, in which there is no room for chance, good- and/or tough luck. The character of every human being and the conditions under which he or she lives , are the natural consequences of one's own actions and thinking in past lives,
Man governs his own destiny. That means that every human being is capable, if so desiring, to change one's own life and character and earns one's own bliss. The Path shown to that end is the one of the ideal of a Human Brotherhood by exercising the principles of the morality in daily life.
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, Gautama the Buddha, Jesus the Nazarene, Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
and many others who brought forth these impulses. They tried to divulge, time and again, the age-old Theosophy among the people and did this always in a form most suitable for that time and opportunity.
Likewise Helena Petrovna Blavatsky founded in 1875 the Theosophical Society in New York. She acted on assignment of her Teachers, indicated by the name of 'Masters of Wisdom and Compassion'. With the knowledge they supplied, a foundation was laid for the Twentieth Century thinking. H.P. Blavatsky died in 1891 after many years of self-abnegation, disappointment, revilement and physical suffering. She left humanity a voluminous number of writings, of which the theosophical standard work The Secret Doctrine is the most well known.
As also the Theosophical Society is an organization formed by people, many divisions took place in the course of the years. Few years after the passing of H.P. Blavatsky two most important branches developed from the international organization. In the Netherlands one branch is known as the Theosophical Society (with headquarters in Adyar, India) and the other (the compiler of this article) as the Theosophical Society, of which the headquarters were respectively in New York, Point Loma and Covina, the latter two in California. At present it is established in the Blavatsky House, in The Hague. After H.P. Blavatsky the Theosophical Society was directed by W.Q. Judge (1891-1896), Kath. Tingley (1896-1929). Dr. G de Purucker (1929-1942), A.L. Conger (1945-1951), W. Hartley (1951-1955), D.J.P. Kok (1958-1985) and H.C. Vermeulen (1985- ).
Goals of The Theosophical Society
- To diffuse among men the knowledge of the laws inherent in the Universe.
- To promulgate the knowledge of the essential unity of all that is, and to demonstrate that this unity is fundamental in Nature.
- To form an active Brotherhood among men.
- To study ancient and modern religionReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, scienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, and philosophyPhilosophyPhilosophy 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...
. - To investigate the powers innate in man.
The Three Fundamental Propositions
- 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. There is one absolute reality which antecedes all manifested, conditioned, being.
- The Eternity of the Universe in toto as a boundless plane; periodically " the playground of numberless Universes incessantly manifesting and disappearing", called " the manifesting stars", and the "sparks of Eternity".
- The fundamental identity of all Souls with the Universal Over-soul, the latter being itself an aspect of the Unknown Root; and the obligatory pilgrimage for every Soul - a spark of the former - through the Cycle of Incarnation ( or " Necessity" ) in accordance with Cyclic and Karmic law, during the whole term.
What is Theosophy?
The name TheosophyTheosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
stems from the Greek 'Theos' and 'Sophia' meaning Wisdom of the Gods. However, Theosophy is no Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. It is a 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...
of Life, which offers to every human being the possibility to find a solution to the many problems of life. Theosophy is called Wisdom of the Gods because among other things one finds the explanation for the motivations of the human soul, its origin, destination and relation with the cosmos.
The Theosophy, also called Secret Doctrine or Esoteric Philosophy, contains in the first place the principles of morality, with directives for the human thinking and acting. This morality finds its explanation in a huge number of teachings about the laws in the Universe and the structure of Man and Universe. The teachings are not based upon belief, but upon knowledge.
The Theosophy stimulates independent thinking and the search for truth. Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, Philosophy and Religion, the three different ways to investigate and explain life, are contained in Theosophy. For this reason Theosophy does give explanations as to the how, why and whereto of life. The answer to the question regarding the purpose of life can be found in the Theosophy.
The basis of Theosophy
Theosophy does not depart from a highest God, who has created the Universe out of nothing and supplies the soul to the human being. Neither does Theosophy accepts that the Universe developed in a mechanical way out of primordial matter, in which life is the consequence of the processes in matter and external influences.Opposite to this is the fundamental thought of Theosophy:
Life or consciousness is the cause of all that exists.
This basic thought stems from the assumption that there is one omnipresent, eternal, boundless and immutable PRINCIPLE. It transcends the power of human conception and can only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude.
This Principle of Life is the Causeless Cause of all manifested conditioned being. This Principle is neither a God nor a force.
The consequences of Theosophy for human life
The Theosophy points to the essential unity behind the great variety of forms and expressions of life. This unity is the basis of the entire Nature. This is why Theosophy teaches Universal Brotherhood of all beings as a fact of Nature. This thought of Brotherhood is not based upon sentiment, but upon the structure of the Universe, in which everything is inextricably interconnected and cooperating with one and another. Herein lies the explanation of the principles of morality for the daily walk of life. These are charity, compassion, cooperation and Brotherhood without any discrimination of color, race, nationality, social status or religious conviction.Theosophy teaches that all what lives does so according to Universal Laws. One of these laws is Re-embodiment, which means that Man will be born over and over again. In conjunction with this is the law of Cause and Effect, which points to strict justice in the Universe, in which there is no room for chance, good- and/or tough luck. The character of every human being and the conditions under which he or she lives , are the natural consequences of one's own actions and thinking in past lives,
Man governs his own destiny. That means that every human being is capable, if so desiring, to change one's own life and character and earns one's own bliss. The Path shown to that end is the one of the ideal of a Human Brotherhood by exercising the principles of the morality in daily life.