Theos-Talk Archives (December 2006 Message tt00830)

BARBORKA BIO


     Geoffrey Avery Barborka, was born 
September 6, 1897, in Chicago, only son 
of Bessie and Vaclav (of Czechoslovakia).  
Vaclav, employed in the family horological 
business, was a musician and Freemason.  
In December 1900 he moved his family to 
the Theosophical Headquarters, Point Loma, 
enrolling his son in the Raja Yoga school, 
and began teaching violin, harp, organ, 
and other instruments.  Geoffrey 
progressed to first grade 1903, high 
school 1911, and college 1915, receiving 
his degree 1920.  In 1923, being over 18 
he became an official member of the TS 
Pt Loma.  He earned a BA 1929, and MA 
1935 from Theosophical University, 
specializing in Languages.  Inheriting 
his father's musical ability, he took 
up the violin, and _The San Diego Union_ 
of April 27, 1908 reported that a violin 
solo by him was the highlight of the 
evening's performance by the Raja Yoga 
orchestra and chorus, and brought vociferous 
applause.  Within a few years he began 
work at the Press, as a stenographer and 
monotype compositor, among other duties.  
He was solely responsible for typesetting 
the entire Point Loma edition of 
_Isis Unveiled,_ and _The Secret Doctrine,_ 
published in 1917, and again in 1925;  
the proof readers marveling at the 
absence of typographical errors.  About 
this time he began language studies, 
developing a proficiency that would later 
serve him well as scholar, author, and 
lecturer. 


    On April 2, 1938, he married Helen 
Ila Beale, who had come to Pt. Loma in 
the early 1920's from her native England.  
Her father, Dr Arthur A. Beale, a long 
time theosophist, was author of _The 
Evolution of Man's Mind._  Geoffrey's 
sanscrit studies resulted in a collaboration 
with the Merganthaler Co. to produce the 
only sanscrit linotype machine in America, 
1940.  In 1941, after 40 years at Pt. Loma, 
the family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, 
where his father became a concert violinist 
with the Chicago Symphony orchestra, and 
Geoffrey was employed as a linotype operator.  
He joined the TS, Wheaton, and began 
classes and talks, introducing them to 
the study of _The Secret Doctrine._ 


      After the war, with the death of 
his father in 1946, and an inheritance 
from a cousin, he planned to return to 
California, but his work on _The Divine 
Plan_ delayed his arrival in Ojai, CA until 
1962, when he purchased a modest house.  
His mother Bessie died there in 1965, Ila 
died in January 1977, and Geoffrey passed 
on September 30, 1982.  During his lifetime 
he authored 11 books, and made several 
trips to England, Canada and elsewhere 
giving lectures.  In 1970 he gave the 
Blavatsky Lecture in London, _H.P. Blavatsky 
the Light Bringer._


     In temperament he was very reserved, 
and early on embraced a degree of asceticism, 
demonstrating extraordinary self discipline 
with total commitment to his studies.  He 
was seldom known to engage in casual 
conversation, remaining attentive and silent.  
Always extremely tolerant of non-theosophical 
groups, he took the time to lecture to a 
wide variety of new age types.  Though reticent, 
he was kind, helpful, and was never known 
to say an unkind word about anyone.  He 
loved tranquility, and Ila deferred to his 
wishes, whispering to overnight guests to 
be hushed in the house.  She, was charming, 
congenial, and sociable, and it might be 
said that she was Geoffrey's liaison with 
the mundane world.  That world was, while 
he was at Point Loma, remote, for he restrained 
himself to it's 350 acres, seldom venturing 
beyond it's confines.  Deliberate and 
focused, he lived his life as he played 
the violin, with careful precision, sans 
vibrato.


Works:

 - Gods and Hero's of the Bhagavad Gita. 
TUP Point Loma, 1939. 
- Man's Potent Force. Greenwich Books, 
NYC, 1956.
- The Divine Plan. TPH, 1961; 6th ed.,1998. 
- A Christmas Story. TPH, 1966.
- H.P. Blavatsky, Tibet, and Tulku. 
TPH, 1966. 
- The Pearl of the Orient. TPH Quest 
book, 1968 
- H.P. Blavatsky the Light Bringer. TPH 
London, 1970
- Glossary of Sanskrit Terms, and Guide to 
their Pronounciation. (also, two audio 
cassettes) Point Loma Pubs, 1972, and later eds.
- Mahatmas and their Letters. TPH, 1973, 1989. 
- Peopling of the Earth. TPH, 1975.
- The Story of Human Evolution. TPH, 1979.
- [Secret Doctrine Questions & Answers, 
Wizards Bookshelf, 2003]


                    (From Robb's Wizard 
Bookshelf's, "Secret Doctrine Questions & 
Answers," by Barborka,  San Diego, 2003)

------------------------


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com