Theos-Talk Archives (November 2006 Message tt00134)

Dear Konstantin,


Thanks a lot for your comprehensive report. 

The sensation it stimulates in my consciouness is that of a vital, multidimensional and decentralized process. 

There is a lot a things going on in Russia, no doubt.  If this is taking place with some help from Adyar, so congratulations to Adyar. 

Things will purify themselves as time pass. 

As to Mary Anderson, who was representing Adyar TS in Ukraine in one of the meetings you report about below, I met her in Adyar in 1992-93.  She is an honest person who studied HPB and the SD;  and she is a hard-working, sincere idealist, as long as I know.  

I don't see it is correct to mechanically divide the movement as whole in "good blocks" and "bad blocks". Crosbie wrote long these lines. See "The Friendly Philosopher".  Things are more complex than that, although I believe the amount of maya in the Adyar TS is generaly outstanding...  

It is interesting to know that the movement seems to be  better organized in Ukraine than in Russia, although  Russia has a stronger editorial/theosophical activity. 

I wonder if Russia and Ukraine will not play a key role in the worldwide theosophical movement some time in the future. 

People used to say that, occultly,  HPB's magnetism was mainly devoted to three "centers", where her ashes were also destined to:  London UK, New York USA, and Adyar/India.   

But there is a fourth center for her magnetism:  Ukraine/Russia, where she was born (Ukraine belonged to the Russian Empire by then) and where she lived her first years. A culture to whose newspapers she wrote a lot of articles, and shoe importance (family and otherwise) was important for her throughout her life. 

I wonder if the movement in Russia and Ukraine can have a key role to play in the future.

I believe all groups of Blavatsky students would to well in creating links to their Russian and Ukranian brethren.

Let us know of more info about this whenever you can. 


Thanks and regards,   Carlos. 



 
De:theos-talk@yahoogroups.com

Para:theos-talk@yahoogroups.com

Cópia:

Data:Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:22:58 -0000

Assunto:Theos-World Theosophical work in Russia

> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "carlosaveline" wrote:
> 
> > any news about any theosophical work going on in 
> > Russia and Ukraine will be most welcome.
> 
> Dear Carlos,
> 
> Now I forward the information which already exists in English; I've 
> compiled the following of the letters previously written to an 
> American theosophist and from other sources.
> 
> ---
> First, the publishing activity, for it's the largest activity,
> while other types of activity are comparatively insignificant.
> 
> Most of the publications are effected by the commercial publishers
> with collaboration of theosophists. The genre of collections is 
> popular
> because it enables to publish many small books or lectures at once 
> under
> some attractive title. There were several such compilations in 
> previous
> years, so they are not listed. (I think I would make the almost 
> complete
> list of the publications since 1990, but it will take time). 
> Appendixes
> also often used to enlarge the volume, they often are the extracts 
> from
> other authors on the subject.
> 
> There are two types of publishers. Firstly, the big commercial 
> publishers.
> The two of the top three are publishing some theosophical literature.
> Though the variety of titles is not wide, they print them in large 
> quantities
> and distribute effectively. So such books as "Secret Doctrine" 
> (including
> 3rd vol.) and "Isis Unveiled" are always in print. I think that they 
> sell
> no less than 5000 copies each year. I didn't include them into my list
> because I don't know the details, but they are currently available in 
> most
> central bookshops of Moscow and some other cities. Secondly, the 
> specific
> publishers which can be defined as "New Age" publishers. They print 
> more
> wide variety of the titles.
> 
> There are, of course, publications effected by theosophical groups, 
> but
> they are not numerous. As a rule, the publications aren't results of 
> an
> organized work of the group but effected by the efforts of the 
> individual
> members of the groups or persons not connected with any groups.
> 
> 
> ? Theosophical publications for the two last years ?
> 
> 2004
> 
> Blavatsky. Key to Theosophy (with selected articles & Transactions of 
> Blavatsky Lodge) 5000 copies.**
> Blavatsky. Phenomenon of Man (collection of 25 articles). 2000 copies.
> Damodar: Writings of a Hindu chela. 2000 copies.*
> Pavri. Theosophy explained in questions and answers.
> Rogers. Hints to the young occultists. 3000 copies****
> Leadbeater. Masters and the Path. (Full edition). 2000 copies***
> Leadbeater. Astral plane. 2000 copies
> Leadbeater. Devachanic plane. 5000 copies
> Leadbeater. How Theosophy came to me. 3000 copies*
> Chatterji, Holloway. Man: fragments of forgotten history. 3000 
> copies.*
> Anonymous. Dream of Ravana with the comments ascribed to K.H. 1500 
> copies.*
> 
> 2005
> 
> Blavatsky. Key to Theosophy (separate edition) 5000 copies. (2004 ed. 
> also reprinted)
> Leadbeater. Inner Life. (Abridged edition) 5000 copies.
> Besant, Leadbeater. Thoughtforms. 1500 copies.
> Barborka. Mahatmas & their letters. 3000 copies.*
> Taimni. Glimpses into the psychology of yoga.*
> _____________
> * First printing in Russian
> ** First printing of a new translation
> *** First full printing
> **** Reprinted for the first time since 1922
> 
> 
> The list is incomplete; I have mentioned publications in which I took 
> part
> and others by the publishers I collaborate with, so I could miss 
> something.
> 2004 was the most fruitful year, so it shouldn't be considered as the 
> typical.
> 
> 
> ---
> In this letter I'll try to summarize other lines of theosophical work.
> 
> There is apparently no theosophical work in Russia which is directed 
> from
> some center or otherwise organized; all is being done by efforts of 
> enthusiasts
> in different places.
> 
> There are several theosophical groups in different cities and each 
> works
> as it regards the best. The Moscow TS which is an informal group holds
> regular meetings for 15 years. There are members of TS Adyar among
> its active workers and non-members as well. The meetings cannot be 
> defined
> as the lodge meetings, for they are open and everyone can attend. The
> work is going predominantly along the line of comparative study. The
> outside lectures are often invited and then their talks are discussed.
> It is rather exoteric than esoteric society. I've described its 
> methods
> of work in the separate message which I shall quote below. For there
> are different opinion how to promote theosophy (many people think that
> those who are ready shall come themselves) everyone does it as he 
> likes,
> giving lectures (and even giving radio talks, though it happens very
> rarely), writing articles and books.
> 
> Of the other groups TS of Vladivostok is worth to be mentioned. They 
> have
> made archival researches and discovered the papers of the Theosophical
> Society which existed there before 1922, because it was the part of 
> the
> country where communists came later. Though Russian Section ceased to
> exist officially in 1918, the branch in Vladivostok survived and for
> several years worked and kept contact with TS in America. This 
> information
> was quite unknown for us before. This branch gave us Alfred Heidok who
> has translated into the Russian Isis Unveiled, 3rd volume of SD and
> Theosophical Glossary and was the author of the collection of stories
> about the paranormal.
> 
> There are contacts and collaboration between the groups in different
> cities, though not very active. It is exchange by books, films or 
> other
> materials useful for promotion of theosophy. Due lack of theosophical
> multimedia products other are used like film produced by ISKCON, etc.
> Visits of members of one group to another are rare due big distances
> but they happen. Sometimes the groups which were formed soon became
> inactive and cease their work; I'm inclined to attribute it to lack of
> support from the center, though there are many other reasons, of 
> course.
> There were around 10 groups in Russia, but haven't heard anything from
> some of them for a long time, so it would be more safe to talk about
> 5 or so.
> 
> Since 1993 the work for collection of theosophical electronic texts
> began. Now it is probably bigger than any other available in languages
> other than English. First these text were circulated through 
> non-commercial
> network FidoNet, and in 1997 website was created. In 2000 the domain
> theosophy.ru was registered. Now the site has more than 100 unique
> visitors a day, of which only half is from Russia. For many years it
> was the only theosophical site but in 2005 new theosophical portal
> chelas.org with a webforum was created by theosophists of 
> Dnepropetrovsk.
> Besides philosophical issues the forum also used for coordination of
> such work as scanning the books. The collection of English texts was
> also increased by our efforts; they were put online on the foreign 
> sites.
> 
> 
> Here follows the message which I wrote from somewhat other angle,
> for it is about how avoid sectarianism, yet it provides some 
> information
> about style of work of Moscow TS.
> 
> -----
> > I wanted to ask your opinion about what should Theosophical Society
> > do to prevent dogma, sect, cult.
> 
> I don't know whether what I'm going to describe is applicable
> to whole Theosophical Society but it can be done in some branches
> at least. It is practiced in Moscow Theosophical Society (which is
> an informal group having no officials) for last several years and
> the experience has shown that it helped to avoid sectarianism and
> clashes or rivalries among the members.
> 
> First, the brotherhood is regarded an object of prime
> importance and it cannot be neglected for sake of any other
> object. So the statements like "you are wrong" are not
> encouraged. When some topic is discussed, all, who want, one
> by one express their opinions. There are no authorities and
> each opinion is regarded valueable. There can be opposite
> opinions, but criticize of other's opinion isn't permitted.
> Around 5 minutes is given to everyone, so in a hour or a little
> more all opinions are heard.
> 
> There are three types of the meetings. One is a seminar. Someone
> of the members proposes the topic beforehand. At the beginning
> he gives a short introductory speech, 15 minutes or less; then
> everyone speak their opinions as was described above (as a rule,
> in a circle clockwise). At the end the member which is responsible
> for the topic concludes the discussion. The topics may be both of
> abstract philosophical nature and related to the practical work.
> 
> Other two types are lectures delivered by the members themselves
> (often intended to elucidate some theosophical question)
> and by invited lectures who may represent different religious
> traditions, sects, spiritual or scientific schools (often of so
> called alternative science). The questions of the members then
> follow, and in that latter case they can sometimes contain
> acute criticism if the theory spoken out by the guest speaker
> seems to us doubtful. There also often follow comments trying
> to explain new information from theosophical point of view.
> Sometimes the guest speakers are theosophists from other cities.
> 
> No rites or prayers specific to any religion are permitted
> except of one minute of silence on the opening and closing the
> meetings. Each one can meditate or make silent prayer the way
> he likes. Oftenly at the end of the meeting the announcements
> are made about the events of other organizations which could
> be of interest to us. There are believers and non-believers and
> adherents of different theosophical traditions among us,
> yet all are keeping friendly and brotherly relations.
> 
> I cannot vouch that all I have described should inevitably
> eliminate any sectarianism and cultism but at least we haven't
> any. Our style of work has its drawbacks too. Two are foremost:
> there is lack of in-deep study of theosophical teaching (for
> those who want it another more narrow group is planned), and
> there's almost no young people join us.
> 
> ---
> In Ukraine the theosophical work is somewhat better organized; they 
> have a strong group in Kiev which is in contact with Adyar 
> headquarters; regular seminars and conferences are held in capital 
> Kiev and other cities of Ukraine. Yet the publishing activity is small 
> compared with that in Russia.
> 
> CONFERENCE OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY IN CRIMEA (UKRAINE)
> 
> Since june 28th upto july 2th 2006 in Yalta (famous seaside recreation 
> center)
> the conference took part which was organized by the Cultural 
> Foundation "Ankh"
> (Kiev, S. Gavrilenko), Theosophical Society of Yalta (G. Abroskina) 
> and
> HPB Center (Dnepropetrovsk, T. Golovchenko).
> 
> The following topics were discussed:
> 
> Theosophical idea of synthesis in the modern world (prepared by the 
> Kiev group).
> Theosophy as a teaching of the heart (prepared by the Dnepropetrovsk 
> group).
> Music and the spiritual development of man (prepared by the Yalta 
> group).
> 
> Besides of that representatives of Dnepropetrovsk (T. Golovchenko) 
> have
> reported about the works for creation of HPB Museum, while those of 
> Odessa
> (V. Perevalov) about the planned creation of the theosophical center 
> in Odessa
> where HPB and her family lived (the house itself exists no more).
> 
> The following resolution was passed by the participants:
> 
> We, the participants of the International Theosophical Conference,
> being the representatives of the theosophical movement of Ukraine, 
> Russia
> and Belorusia, have taken the following decision:
> 
> 1. To establish, since 2006, annual theosophical conferences 
> "Practical
> Theosophy" which will take place in different cities.
> 
> 2. The informational support of theosophical happenings in the Russian
> language space will be effected by the electronic bulletin "Messenger 
> of
> Unity" which is issued by the Kiev theosophical group.
> 
> 3. During the group meetings and individual theosophical studies to
> effect the meditative connection with our theosophical collegues in
> different countries of the world.
> 
> 4. To invite the TS International Secretary miss Mary Anderson (or 
> other
> international lecturer) in the next year (2007) to Ukraine for leading
> the seminar and school of wisdom.
> 
> 5. Jointly with the September forum in Dnepropetrovsk to call the 
> meeting
> of the Coordination Council of the groups for support of HPB Center.
> 
> 6. In order to provide a possibility of mutual visits and exchange of 
> the
> working experience to call the open meetings in the different 
> theosophical
> groups, dedicated to While Lotus Day (8 May) and TS Birthday (17 Nov).
> 
> 7. To promote circulation of the materials of the Yalta Conference of 
> 2006
> through the groups which are working and mass media.
> 
> Passed by the participants of the Conference, 68 persons which are
> representatives of the theosophical movement of Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk,
> Yalta, Odessa, Moscow, Minsk, Lugansk, Novosibirsk, Gorlovka, Donetsk, 
> Griazi, Sevastopol, Severodonetsk.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
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