Living the Ageless Wisdom

OJAI VALLEY, California – The Ojai Valley is adjacent to the beautiful Los Angeles counties of Ventura and Sta. Barbara. The West Napa Valley vineyard fire in 2017 that lasted for about a month started here stretching out to Sta. Rosa. Although I often visited my classmate Minnie and her late husband Jim Martin in Ventura I didn’t realize that Ojai is only 30 minutes away. It is known for the Krotona Institute of Theosophy, which includes the Krotona Library and Research Center, Quest Bookshop and School of Theosophy along with spacious gardens, meadows and woodlands. I had been introduced to Theosophy since 1984 by our mystical friend, Punay Kabayao-Fernandez. Now, as president of Soliman/Raja Lodge, one of 16 lodges of Theosophy in the Philippines, I try to visit Theosophy centers like the 141st International Convention (December 2016) at Adyar in Chennai (Madras), India the world headquarters of Theosophy. A few weeks ago, I also visited the Krotona Institute of Theosophy.

The Krotona Institute of Theosophy

What is Theosophy? Theosophy (Greek, meaning God Wisdom or Wisdom of the Gods) is the modern name given to the system of esoteric teaching, handed down from ages immemorial, which has formed the basis for all the great religions and philosophical systems of the past, Christianity included. It was the title chosen to designate the teachings brought to the Western world toward the end of the last century by Madame Helena P. Blavatsky acting as the emissary of those custodians of the Ancient Wisdom in an attempt to rekindle in Western man the light of the spirit fast being dimmed by materialistic science on the one hand and orthodox religion on the other.

In 1875, Russian nobility Madame Helena Blavatsky went to America and founded the Theosophical Society in New York. In her two great works Isis Unveiled and the Secret Doctrine this great seeress left to posterity pearls of wisdom concerning the true nature of man, his origin, destiny, and relationship to the cosmos. At the death of the founder in 1891, at which time the Society had membership which embraced the entire globe, the theosophical leadership was entrusted to Mr. William Q. Judge and Mrs. Annie Besant.

The Krotona Institute is a residential community of Theosophical Society members dedicated to service in a center where the Ageless Wisdom is studied and lived. Krotona provides educational programs and resources which serve a wide community of spiritual seekers and aspirants for all traditions from around the world. Its residents aspire to live in mutual helpfulness while reaching out to share the profound truths of Theosophy. These truths can change one’s direction of life, bringing about renewal and harmony. With an emphasis on meditation, earnest study and inspired action, Krotona promotes worldwide healing through the uplifting of human consciousness. It seeks to inspire and strengthen aspirants for the opportunities of daily life.

The miniature model of the new civilization

At the 142nd Theosophy convention on Dec. 31, 2017 the main speaker Dr. Dorothy Bell of the Theosophical Society of Australia referred to “warriors” whose visions ignited movements that powered national transformation like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant. She quoted Annie Besant‘s vision of establishing Krotona saying: ”We desire to form in this land a center gradually growing into a miniature model of civilization in which bodies, emotions, and minds be trained and disciplined in daily life into health, poise, and high intelligence, fit dwelling for the divine life. With the spirit of brotherhood practiced everyday, it’s intended to serve as a cradle of a new civilization. We are gods in exile and we are striving to return to our native land, so our center must have high ideals to tread the homeward path.”

Annie Besant had captured the vision of the magnificent scenario in the Divine Plan, marking the stages of the evolution of consciousness in our life’s journey. “We think we’re little units down here doing our thing, but we are part of an incredible plan in a particular time in the evolution of that plan.” She saw that we are on a great pilgrimage – first on the path of forthgoing as she called it, from the Source and descending into the density of material form. Then turning to take the path of return to the Source.

So, in 1927 Besant published a strategy for a working ministry model to grow toward this new civilization. It was a concrete and physical situation, a theosophy community – living, training together in a spirit of brotherhood; translated into action. (Then Dr. Bell asked the TS Convention assembly “Have you a vision? Can it really bond people together as it is manifested in every activity because the hearts of those who share it and work at it, has the spirit of brotherhood?”)  Dr. Besant saw the emergence of a new civilization as the next step in the evolution of mankind founded in the Divine Plan.

The great awakening

Mahatma is Sanskrit for “Great Soul.” It is similar to the English term “saint.” It is applied to prominent and highly spiritual people like Mohandas Gandhi or perfect men called ‘adepts’. The Mahatma Letters, more than 120, were correspondences between two adepts: Master Koot Hoomi with Master Morya and British publisher A.P. Sinnet in India. In 1900 Master Koot Hoomi warned that intellectualism that tends to dominate theosophical discussions, has to be curved. Then Master Morya said Theosophy must be made practical and useless discussion get rid of. Instead Master Koot Hoomi said that intelligence must be channeled to service. Otherwise, the Great Awakening of the new mankind will not happen if it is all, only in the mind.

The golden stairs invocation

“Let us have a few moments of silence, during which we renew our pledge of brotherhood and rededicate ourselves to the search for truth. A loyal sense of duty to the Teacher, a willing obedience to the behests of Truth. Once we have placed our confidence in and believe that Teacher to be in possession of it; a courageous endurance of personal injustice, a brave declaration of principles; a valiant defense of those who are unjustly attacked, and a constant eye to the ideal of human progression and perfection which the Secret Science depicts – these are the golden stairs up the steps of which the learner may climb to the Temple of Divine Wisdom.”

(Erratum: In last week’s column “The Holy Week Miracles at Mt. Pinatubo”: Pilgrimages in Mt. Pinatubo has been taking place every year for 16 years, not 36 years.)