This issue brings a selection of some of the best articles to pass over your desks and those of the Editors, and so comes with a warm thanks to all who contributed.

Don’t miss the short piece on Optimism below, nor the superbly illuminating second part of “Buddhist Meditation” that follows from May, a reprint from the ever-fresh Theosophical Movement magazine of Mumbai, India.

There the claim is made that when this system is practised and has become ”a firm foundation of one’s character, eleven advantages can be expected: One sleeps at ease, wakes up at ease, sees no bad dreams, he is dear to men, he is dear to ghosts, and is protected by the gods. Also, he is not affected by fire, poison and sword. He is able to concentrate his mind quickly, his features are serene, he dies un-bewildered, and even if he may not penetrate any further, he is one who goes up to Brahmaloka or Brahma’s world”

….  such are the effects of adopting such an outlook of “loving kindness”.

Sceptical about reincarnation? Then you may like to read an impartial review of the work of the late, most genial Dr Ian Stephenson by the then Editor of the Washington Post, on the meticulous way he documented evidences of recovered past-life memories in children…. on p 2.

There’s much more besides these gems, here is the index:

Optimism                    1
Reincarnation                      2
On Buddhist Meditation        3
Modern Universities Belong to Middle Ages         5
Eastern thinking puts no blame on a creator         7
Scholars seek to correct ‘mistakes’ in Bible            8
Correspondence                                                           11
Avaaz hits 10 Million!!!                           11
The Indigenous Grandmothers               11
Serbian man becomes ‘human magnet’   11
Wisdom in Action : “Speaking of Adepts”              12

                   ~  ~   ~ 

So we encourage our readers to a take a little time out, print off a hard copy, and settle into some contemplative reading…  and do pass it on to others when you’re finished.

Yours ever, The AQ Editors

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Optimism

The question of optimism in Theosophy should be examined.

It must be clarified that theosophy – as every true philosophy- is about happiness. Thus a natural optimism emerges from the perception that inner (not apparent) happiness or bliss is the natural result of life, when life is lived in a correct way.

The noble eightfold path is in fact the path to happiness or nirvana.

Theosophy can only be seen as the path of woe from the point of view of lower self, which is illusory.

True, suffering is part of life.  No doubt about that.  This is so because life implies illusions and therefore brings about pain and frustration for those vehicles or principles that move at the level of illusion.

Dukkha, pain or suffering , and more literally “insatisfaction” or affliction, is the first noble truth of Buddhism. 

This is so because it is the starting point of the path towards happiness, bliss, liberation, nirvana.

Therefore Optimism in theosophy does not deny probation or suffering. Just the opposite. It enables us to understand tests and frustration, and to learn from them.

True optimism does not distort facts in the vain hope to deny suffering or confirm one’s naïve expectations, pet illusions or vain attachments.

Optimism in theosophy consists in recognizing the fact that for each pain there is a lesson, and often more than one; and that these lessons can be learned in a conscious way, if one sincerely looks for the causes of suffering.

There is no naïve idealization in true Optimism.

Any lasting Optimism is based on Discernment.  Optimism is that confidence in Life that makes one live in peace amidst the perspective of natural disasters that may significantly reduce human population, with no exceptions granted to ourselves or our friends.

True optimism can appear to be severe because it is deep and therefore does not have to appear on the surface for everyone to see and supposedly applaud.

Optimism, or confidence in the Future, is a deep source of the feeling and of the understanding that sustain long-term self-sacrifice.  One needs to have true optimism to make a vow to dedicate one’s life to an ideal, and also to be loyal to such a vow, leaving aside any expectations for short-term and illusory results, including avoidance of personal pain.

Optimism in esoteric philosophy is therefore the ability to see and to get in harmony with the essence of Life, for essence is the territory of Law, and Law is both the vehicle and the source of bliss.

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Welcome to the May Supplement in which you will find all the letters written to the President of the TS Adyar in support of the campaign for Justice to be done in the “Judge Case” – this comes together with an article describing practices in “Buddhist Meditation”, published in two parts starting this month.

Happy reading – here’s the index, and just click on the link below to download the PDF.

And do have a look at Radha Burnier’s reply to these letters . . . . . . . . .  on p 4

Justice to Judge Letters 2011 …………………… p 1

ON BUDDHIST MEDITATION ……………….. p 2

The 2011 Letters on Justice and Ethics……….. p 5

Resources at on-line groups ……………………… p 19

Commentary on the 2011 Letters to India …… p 20

For those who can’t wait till the next instalment, the complete article on Buddhist Meditation is available at http://www.ultindia.org/tm_magazine/TMJune2011.pdf

The conference season is once again upon us, and if you attend these things and are going to the ITC (http://www.theosconf.org/) in California (from 11th to 14th August) here’s a greeting and best wishes for an enjoyable event – it’s not so often one has the opportunity to meet with so many like minded fellows!

Yours always,

The AQ Editors

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Extract from   The Past and the Future

                           by Radha Burnier

Recently several letters have been addressed to the President asking that justice be done to Mr Judge.  About one and a quarter centuries have passed since he was prominent among members.  There are some who favour the actions that he took, and others who do not; are we going to make a judgement on behalf of all the members at this point?  Is this really feasible?  The decision in favour or not, will be only on paper, and people will continue to think of what is possible as they wish and see.  The Society cannot regulate this, and is not called upon to do so.

So, the best thing is to discriminate to the extent that our own intelligence lets us, which may be right or wrong.  What does it matter to others?  Since one cannot shape, or want to shape, what other people think, the Theosophical Society cannot, after one hundred and thirty years, decide what its members should see or think about past happenings.  There is the case of C. W. Leadbeater, who I think was much misunderstood and maligned.  Others may think he was a bad character.  Will our thinking change what he was?  There are many people who, being human, had faults and weaknesses.  By finding out what exactly was the matter, it helps neither them nor us.  Our present attitude towards things is what matters, not the conclusions we may make about what people in the past did.

[ There is a comment in response to this reply on page 1. ]

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With the changes around the world – from the struggle for self-determination and freedom of thought of the ‘Arab Spring’ revolts to the climatic and geographic upheavals – we perhaps forget that children will make our future as much as we theirs.  On our return we’ll inherit the results of those intervening generations, for better or for worse.

So this quarter’s AQ starts with a review of the plight too many of the world’s children, the possible causes, and gives practical advice on overcoming them… and p 10 finishes with the new French film ‘BABIES’, a documentary about four babies’ lives on four continents – well worth a look at the trailer.

We are pleased to report on the ever-swelling ‘Justice for Judge’ annual letter writing protest, on p 4 – if you aren’t one of those who wrote this year, do think about it – we’ll send out reminders March next.  We remain convinced of the need for mutual recognition of the work of WQJ by all parts of the movement if it is to regain its vitality and coherence.

For those living in the US, researcher Dr Sheldrake has launched a new mobile phone Telepathy Test on p 7 and is looking for volunteers – if you have someone you share a close link with do try it… and you get paid for your work!

There are many other items of interest – happy browsing,

The AQ Editors 

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The Pollution of the Soul & its Cure          p 1
‘Sunshine vitamin’ for cancer patients      p 3
The 2011 Letters to India                                p 4
Alchemy in Agriculture                                    p 5
Water remembers… but only for certain people p 6
Keely’s discovery depended on his ‘ether’   p 6
Mobile Phone Telepathy Test                           p 7
Publishing news from TS Pasadena                p 7
Internet and the Movement                               p 7
Parallels Between Rome and America           p 8
Building Global Democracy?                             p 9
The History of the TS in Canada                      p 9
Theosophy Conference 2011                             p 9
WISDOM IN ACTION                                          p 10
Born to Four Different Worlds                          p 10

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Print of a copy or two – double sided if possible - and pass it around.

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May ’11 AQ: The Pollution of the Soul & its Cure

From a correspondent in Vienna, Austria

“Let us roll back the stone of matter from the door of our own inner sanctuary and resurrect the Spirit crucified in us!”

I have just read the Unicef Report from March 2011 and have been shocked about the information therein. 
*  There are 143 million underweight children under five years old;
*  About 100 million children do not attend the elementary school;

*  About 9 million children are fugitives in their homelands because of armed conflicts;
*  About 2 million children are HIV infected.

 An enormous quantity of goods and medicaments are necessary to provide the children with the most needed things: tablets against water pollution, mosquito nets, pencils, exercise books, blankets, sugar-salt mixtures against diarrhoea, peanut butter for deficiency diseases, vaccine against measles etc. This is only an excerpt from a long list of needed goods.

 It must be done all we can to improve the life conditions of those children and their families. There are many international organizations for emergency aid.  Especially we theosophists are responsible that we hear every cry of help.

In The Voice of Silence, 14, we can read, 

“Let thy Soul lend its ear to every cry of pain like as the lotus bares its heart to drink the morning sun.”

However, if we want to wipe out the roots of the misery we must try to find out the main causes for it.

Presently autonomy of the man is the mainstream in the Western World.  The life is short and he should have as much as he can in his life. He has to do all he can to reach this goal. Nobody else is allowed to prevent him from satisfying his passions and desires. As long as we have stored such thoughts in our “thinking machine”, nothing can really be changed.
However, we have the power to choose, to make changes, to weed out these selfish ideas and to store ideas in the fields of charity, justice and harmony. In Raja-Yoga or Occultism, 59, we find the following statement,

“This ‹Mind› is manas, or rather its lower reflection, which whenever disconnects itself, for the time being, with kama, becomes the guide of the highest mental faculties, and is the organ of the free-will in physical man.”

Theosophy makes a point of the fact that Kama (Principle of Passions and Desires) is not caused by the body but is a principle in itself. It is the balance principle from which the ways go up or down.

Marriage is one of the cornerstones of the society of the Western World. However, the legislation is treating more and more marriage as equivalent with other forms of living together. Therefore, marriage is increasingly devalued.

To be married is a decision for the whole life.  Many people are not willing to make such a decision today. To have a happy marriage for the whole life is only possible if there is true love between both partners.
Presently we are differentiating between sexuality and reproductive instinct. The sexuality is separated of the soul. The man wishes to satisfy his sexual desires and no one is speaking of true love.  He considers marriage as an obstacle for fulfilling his sexual desires.  To have a child is considered as a reduction of his personal freedom.

Thy striving of the autonomous man is the cause that he is saying, “I do not want to be loved.”  To be loved means to be dependent on somebody.

In the U.L.T. Pamphlet No. 35, Title Page, we find the following words,
“Educate! Educate! The children are our salvation. Just as the student of occult nature can imbue the new atoms of his body which momentarily replace the old ones, with less vicious tendencies, and thus regenerate himself by moral alchemy and attain the  ›Elixir of Life‹, so can a nation work its own regeneration by educating the new atoms of its national body, its children.”

 
In the Western World, we are crusading against the pollution of the environment. This is understandable and we are entitled to do that. However, we do not admit the pollution of the soul. We defend with a completely wrong meaning of liberty everything of our animal nature.

As long as we do not fight against the pollution of the soul the pollution of the environment will go on and on. The man must recognize that he must control the principle of passions and desires with all his power. If he does not understand the importance of the soul’s ecology he will not be able to stop the pollution of the earth.

We are living in a cycle of transition. Everything in religion, philosophy, science and society is changing rapidly. The humanity must learn to manage these changes. Theosophy can help that we do not lose orientation. We only have to apply the Ancient Wisdom in our daily life. The wounds of our souls and Earth can be healed when we are using the Doctrine of Theosophy.

“Theosophy gives a clear and well-defined object, an ideal to live for, to every sincere man or woman belonging to whatever station in Society and whatever Culture and degree of intellect. Practical Theosophy is not one Science, but embraces every science in life, moral and physical.”  (U.L.T. Pamphlet No. 1, 7)

 
There is only the importance of the market in the economics of the Western World. The states are spending more and more money but are going systematically bankrupt. We are living in a network of fictions. This process cannot go further on.

If we want to correct this process, it will be necessary to develop the ability of reducing our desires. This ability cannot be prescribed from governments. Each of us has to learn that we cannot have all materials things. Therefore, it will be necessary to reduce our present standard of life.  The material desires will have to stay more and more in the background of our lives.

We have to root out our selfishness.  Charity and universal brotherhood is the only solution for our own future and the future of the humankind.  To realize this goal will be the challenge of the Western World.
In The Key to Theosophy, 229, by H.P.Blavatsky, we can read,

“To seek to achieve political reforms before we have affected a reform in human nature, is like putting new wine into old bottles. Make men feel and recognize in their innermost hearts what is their real, true due to all men, and every old abuse of power, every iniquitous law in the national policy, based on human, social or political selfishness, will disappear of itself.”

 
It is evident in the Western World that many have experienced a return of interest in spiritual knowledge, in studies of the inner nature. The bookshops are full of esoteric literature. This is undoubtedly the return of a cycle of interest that has brought back individuals who in past lives took part in these studies or in the Theosophical Movement or some related work.  This interest should not be ignored, as the “right time” may not come again for a long time.

These are only some of the most important problems we have in the Western World. Worldwide we have the problems of drug trade, prostitution of children and slavery trade in the development countries and especially in Africa we have the use of children for soldiers. How can we help to solve all these problems? Each of us has not to go to one of the development countries. Let us observe the cycles of our own little world, planting and harvesting at the proper time.
In The Esoteric Character of the Gospels, 2, we find the statement,

“Christ – the true esoteric SAVIOUR – is no man, but the DIVINE PRINCIPLE in every human being. He who strives to resurrect the Spirit crucified in him by his own terrestrial passions, and buried deep in the ‹sepulchre› of his sinful flesh; he who has the strength to roll back the stone of matter from the door of his own inner sanctuary, ha has the risen Christ in him.”
“Let us roll back the stone of matter from the door of our own inner sanctuary and resurrect the Spirit crucified in us! Let us start our work helping and teaching our neighbours friends and others Theosophy. Let us try to lead them on the right path. Let us do our duty as we see it and resign all personal interest in results. The motive marks the line between black and white. Good motive and ancient wisdom might go hand in hand.”

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This edition of the AQ leads with the campaign for justice to be done in the case of the defamation of William Q Judge’s name.   

As many will know, Judge was one of the principle founders of the 1875 Theosophical Society and a close co-worker with Mme Blavatsky.   But after Mme Blavatsky died he was accused of “forging messages from the Mahatmas” (see theosophyonline.com), whilst no substantiating evidence has ever been produced that could support such charges.

Perhaps you are one of those who have in past years written to our brothers and sisters at the TS in Adyar asking for a change of policy on this historic injustice?  The details of this year’s call to action starts on page 1.  It may now seem a distant and remote issue from our lives in 2011… but don’t let it pass you by too quickly! 

Many students of the philosophy remain firmly convinced that the rejuvenation of the theosophical movement as a whole hinges on this issue …  and this is not, as may seem at first sight some loosely thought through statement, but an observed effect of group dynamics and psychology.  Where there is disunity and factionalism there is weakness and division… where there is unity and co-operation there is strength and vitality.  HPB has written much along these lines, as is known to those familiar with her writings.    Have a  look at the article on p 1 and the links there – and we hope you’ll feel able write to the TS at Adyar with any constructive comments, or leave them at the bottom of this page. 

This is a grass roots movement – with many supporters of WQJ among TS members – and as it’s only right that the leadership should be made aware of these feelings, so if you feel it’s appropriate please do copy your letters to the local TS centres and the National Presidents.  

William Quan Judge - pencil sketch

We also include in this edition a new piece on earthquakes, written in January by an Italian scientist with some interesting views on earthquake prediction – something current in the light of the recent events in Christchurch NZ and in Japan.   

“The forecasting of earthquakes – a feasible goal” is on p 3: it’s followed by extracts from an article by Mme Blavatsky on the remarkable predictor of earthquakes and volcanoes, the 19th c. seismologist Dr Falb - ”Volcanoes & Earthquakes: seeing them coming” is on p 5.  

There is a “Report on The H.P.B Defense Fund – 2011″ on p 6 which provides an update on the project to address the issues around the controversial 2003 Quest edition of published “letters” of Mme Blavatsky – what has become clear to many is that some of the letters (as many as one in every five?) were not written by her at all.  It’s followed by an AQ Editorial comment on p 8.  

These are all the news and articles inside:  

Celebrating “Justice to Judge” in 2011         p 1
The forecasting of earthquakes – a feasible goal     p 3
Volcanoes & Earthquakes: seeing them coming      p 5
Report on The H.P.B Defense Fund – 2011       p 6
The Letters of H.P.Blavatsky       p 8
The Sphinx & the People Egypt’s Revolution    p 9
News Release from Rupert Sheldrake Online   p10
Animals can tell right from wrong    p11
Music and the Paranormal    p 11
B.P.Wadia on the Inner Work     p 12
Haiti ULT celebrates WQJ’s life    p 12
Californian ITC Conference 2011     p 13
WISDOM IN ACTION    p 14
Protest Success: “Cows Belong in Fields”   p 14
WQJ’s “The Path” 1886-96 available on-line      p 14  

We wish you happy reading – please do print off a copy or two and pass them around your Lodge, study group or to like-minded companions, as  efforts will sooner or later bear their fruits.

With sincere good wishes to all our subscribers for the coming period, 

the AQ Editors in LA USA, London UK and London Canada.  

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Celebrating “Justice to Judge” in 2011

The Sixth Year of Letters to Adyar with other activities also taking place

For the sixth time since April 2006, independent students from various countries will be sending on 13th April 2011 a number of open letters to the President of the Adyar Theosophical Society, Ms. Radha Burnier.  

They will be asking her to help stop a century old injustice by re-examining  the Adyar “Case” against Mr. William Q. Judge. Those who have an interest in the future of the theosophical movement are invited to join the initiative, which is a celebration of its dynamic unity.   

Restoring justice with regard to William Judge does more than showing that Adyar Society cares about Ethics and Truth. It gives a large portion of the movement a better chance to benefit from the example of Judge’s life and from the wisdom present in his books. It opens the way to a more intense life of the theosophical effort, by promoting a better knowledge of  its history and by destroying the illusion of separateness.
It stimulates the perception that the movement as a whole is in fact one single magnetic field; that such an aura or energy-field has a center; and that its living center is related to the “blood” – the skandhas and magnetism donated by its main Founders.   

William Quan Judge - pencil sketch

William Q. Judge showed the importance of a non-bureaucratic view of the theosophical effort. The ultimate center of the visible movement is no outer authority. It is in the heart and mind of each student who’s able to understand its goal and its dharma, and who has a profound respect for its sources of inspiration. Such sources are alive, and they are active in the center of the magnetic field of the movement. The action of promoting respect for the founders increases both individual and collective connection to the source.  

It also makes it possible to attain a better vision of the future unity of the movement.  The building of a lasting and true unity depends on the fulfilment of its Dharma.  

This unity won’t be obtained by the practice of outward social courtesy between shells and personalities, nor by blind obedience to this or that “leader” and “authority”. It will be built by facing reality and discharging the movement’s duty towards mankind, which still remains “the great orphan” these days.  

Although the open letters campaign has no attachment to short term results, it acknowledges that progress has been made since 2006.  More specifically in the last two years,  the campaign has started to become an increasingly  multidimensional process. There has been a growing decentralized response from members of the Adyar Society. Several  regional and online initiatives related to William Judge and to the unity of the movement have taken place in different countries around  mid-April, involving members, websites and  lodges of the Adyar Society, and including talks, seminars and online publications.    

The 19^th century process of persecution against Judge within the Adyar Theosophical Society is extensively documented in the book The Judge Case, by Ernest Pelletier and in other books.  

The accusations were based on a campaign of rumours. They seem to have been used as a tool by those who aimed at attaining political power within the organization. No actual, valid proofs were ever presented against Judge. The Judicial Committee appointed to examine the matter declared it could not decide on the issue.  

Every letter in defence of William Q. Judge should be as widely circulated as possible among one’s friends and co-students, or in publications in one’s local language, so that the vindication of Judge takes place at the grass-roots level,  as long as the international leaders of the Adyar Society are unable to act.  These letters stimulate the movement’s ability to learn from its own mistakes. They help people realize that it is a privilege and a blessing to defend the Founders every time they are unjustly attacked, whether from within or from without the theosophical movement.  

Each in his or her own way, style and words, students will suggest for the sixth time next April 13th that Adyar should publicly admit that Judge was innocent of any wrongdoing – or else open the Adyar Archives and show any existing proofs of his mistakes.   

 The agenda includes some celebration. The letter-effort takes place by April 13, which is Judge’s birthday.  Yet as Judge donated his life to the movement, it is the movement  itself -  in its ever-renewing unity and diversity – that is actually being celebrated by these letters and related activities.      

E-mail messages and phone calls to Adyar are good ideas as additional means of expression; but  it is felt that the efficiency of an air mail letter is greater. Envelopes must be addressed to  

Mrs. Radha Burnier, President           The Theosophical Society       Adyar, Chennai        600 020, India.  

Whenever possible,  signed copies of the letters to Adyar should be sent by air mail to the address indicated below. Ms. Radha Burnier sent  kind answers to some of the letters.  

The  correspondence to Adyar has been discussed in previous editions of “The Aquarian Theosophist” and other theosophical magazines.  Special sections with articles on this topic can be found at the websites:  

www.TheosophyOnline.com       www.Esoteric-Philosophy.com        www.FilosofiaEsoterica.com  

Those interested in obtaining more information may also write to  lutbr@terra.com.br   

Air mail contact:  Carlos Cardoso Aveline, Caixa Postal 5111,  Ag. Brazlândia, CEP 72.705-970, Brasília, DF, Brazil. 

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Welcome to the AQ for November – January ’11.  There is much of interest inside – among the contributions we especially recommend the articles: 

• “Who are the Nirmanakayas?” on p 1 which throws some light on the “mysterious brotherhood” of Adepts and Masters behind the movement;
• the piece on a remarkable mesmeric healer, the gentle Braco from Croatia on p 7, 
• and an important one “On the Philosophy of Eating” on p 8 about the right attitude to take while preparing food and eating: it is said we are surrounded by a swarm of elemental lives, some good and some antagonistic to man, attracted to us in relation to our attitude… and
• despite the poor conditions and trials they are going through there is good news from Haiti about a group of Freemasons who have started a Theosophy study group on p 13. 

Messages of the Stars ……………………………………………… 4
Wiki article on H P Blavatsky …………………………………. 12
CORRESPONDENCE …………………………………………….. 13
Questions over George Washington’s vision? ……………… 14
Orpheus (Arjuna) visited the Antipodes …………………….. 15

This comes to you with best wishes for the coming year, 

 Yours fraternally,

the AQ Editors in LA USA, London UK and London Canada.

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Who are the Nirmanakayas?

“Master” is a word used by early students in the T.S. to designate their mentors:  members of the Brotherhood of Adepts.   It is not to suggest any abasement, slavery or servitude by an individual student to “authority.”  It was used as a mark of gratitude, and respect for the fact that there are those, who like the professors in a University, have studied, and learned what Nature can teach and these have delayed their advance to present to us the facts they have verified.  

 All that is to be learned or studied is already in Nature.  We have access to its deepest and most remote “secrets” because we are already One with It. 

The service of others, especially those who know less than we do, or have lesser advantages, is a necessary aspect of personal self-evolution.  The “perfection” (or graduation) that can be achieved in any system of Worlds or on any of the “Globes,” depends on a voluntary compliance with evolutionary laws that are the same for all.  

There is a “rebellious spirit” in most humans, which, at this stage, objects to this.  Or, objects to the use of the word “master.”  On analysis, this may be found to arise because the word is known to have been used in a distorted manner, to abuse the innocence of an inquirer.  This psychological fact (of in­stinctive resistance) ought to be examined impartially, just as why it should be that some accept unquestioningly, the imposition of claims of “authority.” 

“The Masters are the great Guardian Wall… They have control over the minor beings and the minor forces of nature and can hold back catastrophes that would crush us, coming on unchecked from the kingdoms below us, visible and invisible, where in our ignorance we have aroused many inimical forces…. They can control climatic conditions and other material interferences, which might badly affect the right side, that They do. 

 ”those guardians of the primitive divine revelation… had solved every problem that is within the grasp of human intellect, were bound together by a universal freemasonry of science and philosophy, which formed one unbroken chain around the globe.”   from Isis Unveiled, Vol. 1, Pages 37-8. 

See also “A Great Master on the TS” p 2, “Tsong-kha-pa’s reforms” on p 2 and A.P.Sinnett “On the Mahatmas” on p 3. 

“The astral life of the earth is young and strong between Christmas and Easter.  Those who form their wishes now will have added strength to fulfill them consistently.” 

After 2,400 years a new musical code has been publically brought to light in Plato’s writings.  What he hid and why remains to be answered in the years to come – this great research stands to break new ground and may offer the best insights into Plato since Thomas Taylor.

Why did he use a code? A reason for reticence by Occultists (those of the ‘right-hand path’ at least) not to reveal more than a little is their vow of secrecy and to protect those below their degree from the danger of acquiring too much knowledge before time.  This is common sense… do we allow a learner to drive a car unescorted?  Surely not, at least until they have first passed a ‘test’.   Plato followed this rule by inserting knowledge ‘for those who can read’ in a hidden musical code – read about it on p 1,with a commentary from the Secret Doctrine on p 3.

There is more inside, see especially the account of George Washington’s extraordinary vision of the future of the US, part of which has come about – yet a great battle is to come, on p 4; and on p 13 news of the publication of additional ‘Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge’ by HPB now out in hardback, “The Secret Doctrine Commentaries”, which was announced at the ITC Hague Conference in August, which we also report on.

Monitoring Planet Gaia ……………………………………….. 7
Life Ball 2010 in Vienna ……………………………………….. 10
Dionysus on Battles with Atlanteans in N. Africa ……. 12
The Secret Doctrine Commentaries ……………………… 13
2010 ITC Conference at The Hague …………………….. 13

Yours fraternally,

The AQ editors

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Plato’s musical code revealed after 2,400 years

by a Canadian correspondent
A ground breaking new book has been published on the hidden “Musical Structure of Plato’s Dialogues”, being called “A Quick Guide to the Strongest Evidence”.
As the correspondent said who brought it to the attention of the AQ “it seems that he offers the best understanding since Thomas Taylor.”
It was from the CBS radio show “As it Happens” the discussion was Kennedy’s research on the Music and Math concealed in Plato’s work.  He indicated that it was so concealed as to avoid the Greek church dogma at the time.
“But, friend, when you grasp the number and nature of the intervals of sound, from high to low, and the boundaries of those intervals, and how many scales arise from them, which those who came before handed down to us, their followers, to call ‘harmonies,’ and when you grasp the various qualities inhering in the motions of the body, which they said must be measured with numbers and named ‘rhythm’ and ‘metre,’ and when you apprehend that every One and Many should be so investigated, when you have grasped all of that, then you are wise …”
Plato, ‘Philebus’

Let’s see how it was covered in a recent radio broadcast from CBS and then by Dr Kennedy:
“The writings of the Greek philosopher Plato have been credited with providing the foundations for modern Western culture and science.
“And since he stopped his philosophizing about two thousand, three hundred and fifty years ago – right around the time he died – we’ve had plenty of time to go over what he left us.
“Which scholars have done, thoroughly, for centuries, everywhere in the world. So it’s all the more amazing that, despite all that focused attention, a science historian at the University of Manchester (UK) is now saying a significant part of Plato’s writing has been completely ignored. Although, to be fair, that significant part was a bit tough to find.”

Research Scholar Dr. Jay Kennedy says: “there are secret coded messages hidden throughout Plato’s work that will completely transform our understanding of early Western thought and the great scholar himself.”
And luckily for us, Dr. Kennedy has cracked the “Plato code”. No one tell Dan Brown.”
from CBS Radio, to listen again:  http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20100707.shtml 

go to Part 1, at approx 11 minutes into the show.

In Dr Kennedy’s words from his blog and book:
In antiquity, many of Plato’s followers said, in various ways, that Plato wrote symbolically or allegorically, and that his true philosophy would be found in the layers of meaning underneath the surface stories he tells. In ancient religions, sects, guilds, and fraternities, it was normal to ‘reserve’ knowledge to initiates and Plato, they contended, had used symbols to hide his philosophy within his writings.…
I am a philosopher who specialises in an area called the History and Philosophy of Science. This field was transformed a generation or so ago when it was widely recognised that the study of primitive pseudo-sciences was necessary to understand the birth of our modern sciences. To understand chemistry, it was necessary to study alchemy; to understand astronomy, it was necessary to study astrology. Unusually among Plato scholars, I was therefore familiar with the numerology and music theory which was at the heart of early Pythagoreanism. This interdisciplinary preparation enabled me to see and decipher Plato’s musical symbolism.…
Even for those who are not specialists, these results should be thrilling. Western culture is sometimes said to rest on the twin pillars of Socrates and Jesus, two poor men who wrote nothing. Plato’s teacher Socrates launched philosophical and scientific research in Athens, but we know of him primarily through Plato’s writings. The philosophy and science of Socrates and Plato combined with the religions of the East in the Roman period to create central strands of what became modern European culture. Now our understanding of the birth of that culture will need to be reworked. Plato is sometimes thought of as a cold fish who banished poets and pushed the West toward logic, mathematics, and science. Now we know he was a hidden romantic. The philosophy contained beneath his stories mixes science and mysticism, mathematics and God. By understanding our roots better, we understand ourselves better.
…
Perhaps even more surprisingly, Plato’s positive philosophy shows us how to combine science and religion.  Today we hear much of the culture wars between believers and atheists, between those who insist our world is imbued with meaning and value and those who argue for materialism and evolution.
For Plato, music was mathematical and mathematics was musical. In particular, we hear musical notes harmonising with each other when their pitches form simple ratios.
For him, the perception of this beauty in music was at once the perception of a beauty inherent in mathematics. Thus mathematics and the laws governing our universe were imbued with beauty and value: they were divine.
Modern scientists don’t ask where their fundamental laws come from; for Plato, the beauty and order inherent in mathematical law meant its source was divine (a Pythagorean version of modern deism). Plato may light a middle way through today’s culture wars.

Regarding the codes Plato embedded into his writing Dr Kennedy illustrates how this was done:
“… certain patterns of musical symbols are repeated at regular intervals through Plato’s Symposium and mark out the notes of a known musical scale.
“More specifically, the evidence below will show that passages containing subtle constellations of symbols are located at each twelfth of the way through the text of the Symposium. That is, clusters of terms with symbolic meanings are located at one-twelfth, at two-twelfths, and so forth.
“The ancient Pythagoreans reportedly held that the cosmos had an underlying musical or mathematical structure.”
He shows how the analysis of Plato’s dialogues contains these mathematical scales and illustrates them in the texts:

He makes a well-made case for the hidden esoteric meaning in Plato’s works:

The so-called neo-Pythagoreans, also from about the first century BCE, claimed that Pythagorean doctrines were symbolically embedded in Plato’s dialogues. Tarrant summarises the fragmentary remains of these neo-Pythagoreans:
“All this suggests [their] belief that Pythagorean doctrines are hidden in Plato, who for one reason or another is reluctant to reveal them, and that true Pythagoreanism can be teased out of Platonic texts by in-depth interpretation.
“… So it would seem safe to say that something quite esoteric is regularly being detected beneath Plato’s text, concealing details of the allegedly Pythagorean metaphysic that Pythagoreans, almost as a matter of faith, supposed to exist there.”
Full copy of the text from: http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/jay.kennedy/Symp%20Mus%20Book%20pp1-53.271-8.pdf
website http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/jay.kennedy/

“Be kind, for everyone you meet  is fighting a hard battle.”    Plato

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A correspondent recently wrote about the challenges so many around the globe are facing, one of which is the medical mystery of why the number of adults and children with mental illness has skyrocketed over the past fifty years:

“There are now more than four million people in the United States who receive a government disability check because of a mental illness, and the number continues to soar… What is going on?”

As students of philosophy and psychology – which in ancient times were one – we strive to fit ourselves to be able to read the hearts of man… and to be able to heal and help them.  It is the road so many of the Great Sages have taken, to practice the healing arts in both physical medicine and also of the source of many of our physical and mental woes, which lie in the soul.  They are healers of mind, soul and body.

Our correspondent suggests the reason for these mental troubles is answered in H.P.Blavatsky’s prediction that, with the end of the Age of Pisces in 1900 (one of the cycles that is “historic and not very long, but very occult, lasting about 2,155 solar years”), would come a period when:

“psychologists will have some extra work to do,  and the psychic idiosyncrasies of humanity will enter on a great change.”  (from The Esoteric Character of the Gospels by H.P.Blavatsky)

So as the dawn of the new sign of Aquarius leads us to ‘new places’ mentally and psychologically, the lead story in this edition looks at one of the perennial battles man must face, the compulsion and addiction of “the gambler”.  In one sense gambling has been the trade mark of 20th c. consumer society, of hoping and pretending the future will never call upon us.  Karma is either a compassionate healer (if we listen) or stern Nemesis to those who consistently refuse.  Having resolved to ‘listen’ the question becomes “What we can do individually - and for our neighbours collectively - to give the 21st c. a new direction and a brighter aspect?”  Perhaps the best way is by teaching the Law of Compassion, Karma, the “law of laws” – after all, isn’t that how we learnt to listen, cutting as short as we can ours and other’s further suffering?

And isn’t this the best reason for us to continue in the search for answers – until we have reached that state where we see the truth and are empowered by it to help others?

In connection with these ideas, we should also announce the commencement of  the YahooGroup “E-THEOSOPHY” which was founded on 7th July 2010, one of its aims being to examine similar questions, such as:

“How to create better mechanisms for the transition towards a civilization actually based on the principle of universal brotherhood.” 

To join it just email lutbr@terra.com.br - the details and aims are in last month’s AQ – link below:

http://aquariantheosophist.com/2010/05/17/may-2010-aq-new-e-group-for-study-and-research/

Bon courage. Read on, practice the way as best you can, abandoning all personal attachments to the results…

Living a Simple Life ……………………………………….2
‘Artificial life’ breakthrough …………………………….3
The Necessity to Form a United Consciousness …..5
ULT letter 2010 …………………………………………….6
Avaaz Victory saves Whales …………………………….6
Open Letter to Adyar on WQJ Case ……………………7
Your old laptop is needed! ……………………………….7
WQJ & The Adyar TS in London UK ……………………7
WISDOM IN ACTION ……………………………………….8
Druid reduces accidents from 6 to zero ………………8

 The AQ Editors

Click to download PDF of magazine

___________________________________________________

Rig-Veda On Gambling

The following excellent remarks are probably the oldest in the world upon the vice of gambling.  They are found in Rig Veda, X 34.  It is admitted that these Vedic hymns are anterior to the time of Homer and Hesiod.

The Hindus claim an antiquity for them which carries us back thousands upon thousands of years prior to the oldest date allowed by European Orientalists. Those who have a theosophical acquaintance with the Vedas will incline to the estimate of the Hindus, inasmuch as European opinion is constantly altering on the subject, and besides has not had quite a century of experience in which to form itself. Muir says these hymns were composed certainly 1,000 years before our era, but that is too ridiculously low an estimate and will have ere long to be revised upon further proofs and discoveries. The present hymn is given as showing what was then thought of gambling.

_________________

“THE tumbling airborne products  of the great Vibhidaka tree delight me as they continue to roll upon the diceboard. The exciting dice seem to me like a draught of the soma-plant growing on Mount Miyavat. My wife never quarrelled with me nor despised me; she was kind to me and to my friends. But I for the sake of the partial dice have spurned my devoted spouse. My mother-in-law detests me, my wife rejects me. In my need I find no comforter.

“I cannot discover what is the enjoyment of the gambler any more than I can perceive what is the happiness of a worn-out hack horse. Others pay court to the wife of the man whose wealth is coveted by the impetuous dice. His father, mother, brothers cry out: “We know nothing of him; take him away bound!”

“When I resolve not to be tormented by them because I am abandon

ed by my friends who withdraw from me, yet as soon as the brown dice, when they are thrown, make a rattling sound I hasten to their rendezvous like a woman to her paramour. The gamester comes to the assembly glowing in body, asking himself “Shall I win?”

A 4,500 year old die found in excavations at a Harappan period site (near the Indus Valley), perhaps similar to the ones made from the nut of the Vibhidaka tree?

“The dice inflame his desire by making over his winnings to his opponent. Hooking, piercing, deceitful, vexatious, delighting to torment, the dice dispense transient gifts and again ruin the winner; they appear to the gambler covered with honey. Their troop of fifty-three disports itself, itself disposing men’s destinies like the God Savatri whose ordinances never fail. They bow not before the wrath of the fiercest. The king himself makes obeisance to them. They roll downward, they bound upward. Having no hands they overcome him who has. These celestial coals when thrown on the dice-board scorch the heart though cold themselves.

“The destitute wife of the gamester is distressed, and so too is the mother of a son who goes she knows not whither. In debt and seeking after money the gambler approaches with trepidation the houses of other people at night. It vexes the gamester to see his own wife and then to observe the wives and happy homes of others.

“In the morning he yokes the brown horses – the dice; by the time when the fire goes out he has sunk into a degraded wretch. He who is the general of your board, the first king of your troop, to him I stretch forth my ten fingers to the east in reverence. I do not reject wealth, but I declare that which is right when I say: 

“Never play with dice; practice husbandry; rejoice in thy prosperity, 

esteeming it sufficient. Be satisfied with thy cattle and thy wife, the god advises.

“O dice, be friendly to us and no more bewitch us powerfully with your influence. 

Let your wrath and hostility abate: let others than we be subject to the fetters

of the brown ones, the dice.””

_________________

[Original article by W.Q.Judge, Path, July 1893]

Click to download PDF of magazine

http://aquariantheosophist.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/8-jun-2010-aquarian-theosophist-v1.pdf

Leading this month’s AQ is a piece on a new e-study group that is being set up.  Its aim is to use the essential elements of the philosophy to shed light on questions such as how to make a healthier transition towards a wiser civilization, how to assess the vitality of the theosophical movement (whose aim is the right development of humanity in all its aspects – the ethical and intellectual, the psychic and the physical) and ways in which this movement can be revivified.

Have a look and contact lutbr@terra.com.br if you would like to participate.

Now the Editors have a Q for you:

Do you have an old laptop sitting in a cupboard? 

You can put it to good use by donating it - just get in touch with us at tcc@clara.co.uk or the Haiti Lodge haititheosophie@yahoo.fr  – see p 7.

There is plenty more inside – here’s some of it:

Children’s Memories of a Past Life …………………………… 2
William Q Judge – co-founder of the TS ……………………. 2
Philosophy Club is five years young-already? …………… 3
Portraits of W.Q.Judge & HPB …………………………………. 4
The Poetry in Crosbie ……………………………………………. 5
Smart Trees ………………………………………………………… 7
TS & Dalai Lama’s first English language book ……………. 8
People power can work …………………………………………. 9
Other Nestlé boycotts continue ……………………………… 9

The AQ Editors

Click to download PDF of magazine

New e-group for study and research

An E-Group Is Being Planned by www.esoteric-philosophy.com

for On-Going Online Research

The blog www.esoteric-philosophy.com and the website www.filosofiaesoterica.com are making preparations to create a new e-group in English language.

The future Yahoo E-group – whose name has not been chosen yet – will be an independent effort in the theosophical movement.  Three of its main goals are:

1) To promote the study of the original teachings of modern theosophy;

2) To stimulate an individual search for eternal wisdom, which must be made by self-devised efforts;

3) To help students understand and fulfil their duties as planetary citizens, especially at the occult or essential levels of reality.  This must be made through a realization of the Higher Self and a profound conviction of Universal Brotherhood.

The e-group will investigate and discuss topics such as:
 
a) The actual difference between theosophy and pseudo-theosophy, or the doctrine of the heart and the doctrine of the eye;

b) Effective mechanisms – as suggested by classical theosophical literature – for a healthier transition towards the wiser civilizations which wait for us in the future;

c) The history and the future of theosophical movement, including its dharma and duty as examined from the viewpoint of the original programme set by the true Founders, through H.P. Blavatsky;

d) A realistic assessment of the theosophical movement’s vitality today; and an impersonal search for ways to increase it with a long term perspective, in different countries and languages.

Every student of Theosophy or Esoteric Philosophy is invited to make his or her subscription to the new e-group. It is enough to write to the Editors of www.esoteric-philosophy.com at e-mail lutbr@terra.com.br

The intention of the organizers is also to build an online mechanism to gather students of theosophy, wherever and however situated, who are inclined to cooperate on the basis of a broad similarity of aim, purpose and teaching.

Students for whom English is a second language are especially invited, as with their participation the experience of the e-group will be more widely international. Questions, commentaries and suggestions are welcome any time.

Click to download PDF of magazine

You are invited to read these letters, written by individuals from many places, in support of the campaign calling for justice to be done in the case of W.Q.Judge.

Written as they were, by students of Theosophy of all stripes and types, no different to you and me, there is one thing that distinguishes their efforts… the genuine feeling of love for one who none of them knew, but who was perhaps one of the greatest teachers of the sublime wisdom that the US and world has seen since his passing in 1896.

His work and writings – never claiming any infallibility, his “exquisite modesty” wholly ruling it out – lead us ”from the teacher to the teachings”, which was his hallmark and trait, devotion to the cause.   Like his teacher, friend and fellow co-worker and able reformer, Mme H.P.Blavatsky, they leave us with examples of life and conduct that shine more brightly as the decades pass into centuries.

The wide acceptance of WQJ – “the Raja” as he was known to his close associates – must surely come one day. 

It is almost inconceivable that a being of such exceptional virtue and devotion to human advancement and mutual solidarity can remain unrecognised.  Almost inconceivable because – as ever – it depends on us now, who are living and working in the world, to do the right thing, to fight for the restoration of his name, to rouse ourselves even if it takes until our last days and beyond to see the return of fair play and equity.

Why?  Judge’s writings have a sweet simplicity and directness that touches even the most world-weary heart.  

To those who knew and worked with him, who understood him and his mission, and to those who read his writings today, he has earnt and retains a place in their hearts.  And what was that mission?  One could say perhaps, it was a thoroughly practical infusion of the Western material energy with an ‘Eastern’ (in fact universal) consciousness and ethics.

The only ones threatened by the perennial truths he taught are those who hold their pride and ambition higher than honesty and fairness.  Only they have anything to fear from the restoration of his reputation.

So we invite you to wish them, in all sincerity (yes, even with the sweetness both HPB and WQJ showed their detractors, can we follow that?), a speedy recovery of their discerning power and a little modesty.

Wishing you blue skies on your ‘journey’,

The Aq Editors

The 2010 Report on Letters to Adyar

about Justice to W. Q. Judge

Twenty-one Letters or Messages
from 42  People  in Six  Countries

Independent students of Theosophy have been writing from several countries, since April 2006, to the President of the Adyar Society. For five years now, they have yearly celebrated W.Q. Judge’s life and work for humanity while writing about him to the main Adyar leader, Ms. Radha Burnier.  

In fact, the letters to Ms. Burnier are important symbols of something which is wider and creative. National initiatives and local level actions  are considered  of the greatest importance – in addition to the Letters to Adyar.  Remembering  W.Q. Judge’s life and work and creating opportunities to exchange views with Adyar theosophists at various levels are valid actions at any time. 

Two practical examples of the progress recently made by the idea of Justice to Judge were reported from Germany and the United States. 

On April  30, 2010,  German theosophist Ms. Sieglinde Plocki wrote from Berlin that  the website of the Adyar Society  in Germany now mentions William Quan Judge as one of the founders of the theosophical movement. This is a significant step forward.  Sieglinde indicated the link: 

http://www.theosophieadyar.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=67

But Sieglinde added:
“Even more: they put William Judge under the section  “important theosophists” …  there could have been more to honour his work, but this – in comparison to the English language Adyar Website -  is fantastic…”

The second German link is: http://www.theosophieadyar.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=100

From the United States, Nicholas Weeks wrote to the editors of “The Aquarian Theosophist” on May 14th. His message reports that the Adyar Society in North America held a four-day seminar on William Judge in its Krotona Center, in Ojai, California, in April 27-30. The well-attended program was presented by Dara Eklund, Judy Saltzman and Nicholas Weeks, and its title was “William Q. Judge — A Devoted Life”. Such a seminar constitutes another small but significant event along the road leading to justice and ethics.

The news from Berlin and California are good  examples  to be followed in due time by other Adyar Societies and, of course, by their International President.   

As to the Letters to Adyar themselves, their yearly rhythm so far can be somehow summarized in this way:

1) In 2006, six letters were sent to Adyar from four countries.

2) In 2007, we had ten letters, from five countries.

3) In 2008, eleven letters were sent,  from five countries.

4) In 2009, we had nineteen letters, from  seven countries.

5) In 2010, we have twenty-one letters (including one e-mail message), from six countries.

The 2010 countries and their letters are:

United Kingdom – two letters (one from England, one from Scotland);

Mexico – two letters (one of them, signed by twenty people);

Portugal – two letters (one of them, signed by two persons);

Germany – two letters (one of them, signed by two students);

Brazil – twelve letters;

United States of America – one e-mail message.

There are 20 signatures in the letter sent to Adyar from Mérida city, Mexico. Other letters were signed by two theosophists each. 

We have twelve individual letters from several different cities and States in Brazil this year.

The number of countries from which letters are sent has decreased from seven to six. Yet the movement is slowly getting strength. 

In 2009, 45 people signed and sent 19 air mail letters to Adyar from seven countries. 

In 2010, 42 people signed and sent 20 air mail letters  and one e-mail message to Adyar from 6 countries, asking for justice to William Judge.

All of the 2010  letters and the e-ail message are reproduced below.  Of course, this report includes only the letters whose copies have been sent to us. Other letters or messages  may have been sent to Adyar  that we do not know of.

Although there is no reported letter from Canada to Adyar in 2010, an email message from Canadian theosophist and author  Ernest Pelletier  was received on May 4^th.  It expresses Pelletier’s sympathy and support for the movement.   

More can be seen about “Letters to Adyar: Justice to Judge”, in one of the English language sections of  the site www.filosofiaesoterica.com   Its direct link is http://www.filosofiaesoterica.com/lettersadyar  

One can also see texts on this subject at the blog www.esoteric-philosophy.com  and at the blog of “The Aquarian Theosophist” http://aquariantheosophist.com/

The organizers have no short term expectations about “results”.  But they say:

“The law of karma never fails. Every small effort, made in the right direction, inevitably produces good results – often in invisible ways.”

[Contact with the organizers: lutbr@terra.com.br ]

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