Theos-Talk Archives (December 2008 Message tt00059)

Dear Pedro,

I am glad to hear that you and other students from around the world 
are attending School of Wisdom. Unfortunately I have never had that 
privilege. In times I could afford it, it was denied to me because of 
my disloyalty to the officers. But I have learned from a co-member 
who has been and it is now at Adyar that children in one school there 
have had to sleep on the floor and that they didn't have exercise-
books and pencils, so that she ran to the store to buy them. On the 
other hand I have heard from the distinguished TS officer that she 
was flying around the world only with the most secure aviation 
company, while the difference in price for just one flight would 
probably cover those children needs for one year.

It is no doubt that the TS has made great job giving employment to 
generations of workers coming from the impoverished surroundings, but 
don't you think that it would be even greater achievement if the TS 
would help to organize the Adyar Estate in a way that it would become 
modern self-sustainable spiritual and cultural center managed by 
local people, while the TS would prevalently dedicate itself to call 
public attention upon great social differences in Indian society 
which are only increasing and to propose solutions for their 
diminution. What you think would have Annie Besant done in this 
situation? She would certainly not limit herself to the philosophical 
speculations and the projection of all negative aspects of our 
Society towards her western colleagues.  

Warmest regards,
Anton


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Pedro Oliveira" <prmoliveira@...> 
wrote:
>
> When the plane landed at Chennai last Friday, Mumbai was still 
under 
> a terrorist siege. The terrorists struck at the very touristic 
heart 
> of that city, near the famous Gateway of India. On Saturday 
morning, 
> when commandos of the National Security Guard finally cleared the 
> last hotel in which hostages were being kept, the total death toll 
> was over 170, with more than 300 people injured. There was 
widespread 
> shock and disbelief in India. But India always recovers from such 
> events. 
> 
> Students from Slovenia, Finland, Canada, Australia, Hungary and 
India 
> are attending classes at the School of the Wisdom. The theme 
is "The 
> Mahatmas on Theosophy and the TS". There is half an hour of silent 
> meditation before the morning talk begins.
> 
> The different departments at Adyar are gearing up for the 
Convention 
> at the end of the month. There were strong rains and winds in the 
> last fortnight and some trees were uprooted. 
> 
> I met the President briefly the day after my arrival. She was 
> preparing to go to a meeting at the Government House (Rashtrapati 
> Bhavan). She was invited by the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh to 
give 
> a speech during a book launch. She goes to the office both in the 
> mornings and afternoons. 
> 
> The quiet and natural beauty at Adyar are refreshing. In one 
evening 
> I decided to go for a walk after dinner and took with me a small 
> torch. Near the coconut grove I met one of the many natural 
residents 
> at Adyar: a black scorpion. He (or she) was the sort of creature 
that 
> makes you pay careful attention. We had this silent meeting and I 
> then decided to part company with the illustrious resident when I 
> finally realized he was not going anywhere!
> 
> Some of the workers I had met in 1992 are still here and they 
> apparently remember me. The TS at Adyar has given employment to 
> generations of workers coming from the impoverished surroundings. 
> Many of their children have studied in the Olcott Memorial High 
> School.
> 
> One of the passages we examined recently at the School of the 
Wisdom 
> was:
> 
> "Shall we devote our selves to teaching a few Europeans fed on the 
> fat of the land, many of them loaded with the gifts of blind 
fortune, 
> the rationale of bell ringing, cup growing, of the spiritual 
> telephone and astral body formation, and leave the teeming millions 
> of the ignorant, of the poor and despised, the lowly and the 
> oppressed, to take care of themselves and of their hereafter the 
best 
> they know how. Never. Rather perish the Theosophical Society with 
> both its hapless founders than that we should permit it to become 
no 
> better than an academy of magic and a hall of occultism. That we, 
the 
> devoted followers of that spirit incarnate of absolute self 
> sacrifice, of philanthropy, divine kindness, as of all the highest 
> virtues attainable on this earth of sorrow, the man of men, Gautama 
> Buddha, should ever allow the Theosophical Society to represent the 
> embodiment of selfishness, the refuge of the few with no thought in 
> them for the many, is a strange idea, my brothers." (The 
Mahachohan's 
> Letter)
> 
> Walking around Adyar and its encircling neighbourhood helps us to 
> understand the words of that great Adept. There cannot be Theosophy 
> without a genuine sense of compassion towards those who are poor 
and 
> despised.
> 
> The rains have stopped, the work continues, the crows are 
everywhere 
> and Adyar continues to be pervaded by a sense of uncreated vastness 
> and peace. I miss my litlle black scorpion friend. Perhaps we shall 
> meet again. He has taught me to remain mindful. And he also goes to 
> sleep in the magic quiet of Adyar nights.
> 
> 
> Pedro
>