June, 2004 The Philippine Theosophist 1

Brotherhood, Study and Meditation

THE PHILIPPINE
Theosophist
A publication of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines
1 Iba Street, Quezon City, Philippines, Tel. No. 741-57-40
Vol. XLVI, No. 2 October-December, 2017

CONTENTS

1 Editorial Note

2 Poetry

3 The Stream and

the Desert

4 Gems of the Path

5 The Human Project

6 The Power of Spiri-

tual Community in
Theosophical Work

7 Meditation Corner

8 Preparing for Perfection

9 The Ideal of Service

10 Reincarnation: Fact
or Fancy?

11 Questions and Answers

12 To Find the Joy

13 News and Events

14 Directory of Lodges
and Study Groups

“The light of Unity break ing through the screen of

sep a ra tion con sti tutes the glory of life.”
—N. SRI RAM
2 The Philippine Theosophist October-December, 2017

Editorial Note
Jose Victor Peñaranda, Vice President of the TS in the Philippines, affec-
tionately known to us as “Bimboy,” passed away last September 23, 2017.
Throughout his life, his mission was to bring about change. First was
change in society. In his youth, he was an activist who had to hide under-
ground because the authorities wanted to arrest him during the Martial
Law period of Marcos. Later, he devoted his years to social developmental
work, not just in the Philippines but also in Bhutan and Macedonia. It was
in his later years, after he encountered the Theosophical Society, that he de-
voted the rest of his life to another kind of change — inner change. He im-
mersed himself in the self-transformative and spiritual work of the Theo-
sophical Society, giving lectures and conducting seminars not just to
theosophists but to government officials, educators and the public in vari-
ous parts of the Philippines. Bimboy was also a poet, having published three
books of poetry for which he had received national awards. Many of us will miss him as a friend and
co-worker. He has inspired many among us because of his deep sense of dedication. And the work is not
yet finished. We will continue it in another life. Till we meet again, Bimboy. –– VIC HAO CHIN JR.

Unpredictable
I am morning light
when mush rooms on bam boo
fences
blow spores in the air,

Poetry di vin ing for op po sites in quiet

agreement.
I am untouchable, unpredictable,
The following is a selection of Bimboy Peñaranda’s
soluble in magic spells, rhythm of
most recent poems: rivers.
Likeness When someone looks at me
lush and curious,
Memory, a scent with eyes of opal delight
wondered if it
of cinnamon and flavor of tarragon, I bend molave into a rainbow
was my fate
Lingers where gravity to tell a story.
to save
is weakest and my presence leaps. — August 14, 2017
all sorts of seeds
I, who have been made discarded Jose Victor Peñaranda was the
in the likeness of song, embrace from our kitchen,
vice president of the Theosophical
The sadness of sand and stone. Society in the Philippines.
to care
Only the beating for fallen stars The Philippine
of small wings in the forest
can create a lullaby for stars.
abandoned
Theosophist
before dawn. Vol. XLVI, No. 2, Oct-Dec, 2017
Only moss will dare to care As I was about
for driftwood at nightfall. to open Published by the Theosophical So-
ciety in the Philippines, 1 Iba Street,
How surprising, quite unsettling the door to the library, Quezon City. Tel. No. 741-57-40; Fax
when someone invites me I felt a sensation No. 740-3751. Views expressed herein
do not necessarily represent those of
to watch the rice fields in moonlight on my forearm, the editors.
to free ourselves of paradise. a bristle on my skin, Editorial Board: Vicente Hao Chin Jr.
Jose Victor Peñaranda
— June 6, 2017 something Joselito B. Cendaña
Fate slight and green: Digital Preparation and Lay-out:
As I crossed Lea M. May
An innocent clinging,
Circulation: Monaliza Brocoy
a path in the garden a mantis praying. Antonio Manalo
my mind turned — July 5, 2017
June, 2017
The Stream and the Desert
I
n the distance, high atop an an-
cient moun tain range, a
stream sprang from its hidden
source and made its way down the
mountainside. No obstacle could
keep it from mov ing. When it
reached the earth, it didn’t slow
down. Many creatures refreshed
themselves in its waters and it re-
newed the earth.
E v e n t u a l l y , h o w e v e r, t h e
strength of the stream lessened. Its
flow began to slow. Gone were the
trees and mountains that had been
its companions, and the earth it
travelled on became drier. It could
feel a great heat burning its back,
as it tried in vain to move forward.
“What is happening?” it asked.
“What is this vast sea of dry death?
Why can I not cross you?”
“I am the desert,” came the an-
swer, “We cannot co-exist.”
The stream refused to give up.
Conjuring its strength, it surged
for ward from be hind. But the
desert was vast, and far more pow-
erful. It wasn’t long before it had
eaten up the stream’s new waters.
For days things continued in
this manner, with the stream at-
tempting endless iterations of its
old maneuvers, yet being rebuked
and broken down by the desert with
each attempt. Yet the flow from the
mountain range continued, crawl-
ing endlessly forward to the same
dry death here. There was no way
out. This indeed was hell.
Just as it had given up, however,
something caught its awareness.
The winds were stronger today
The Philippine Theosophist
than they had been for weeks, and
there was a dune in the distance
that was losing some of its sands to
them. The stream watched as the
dust swirled into the sky, relin-
quishing itself to an invisible force
that was as powerful as it was de-
ceptive. As it looked on, a whisper
began to stir the earth and air
around it: “Surrender . . .”
But the tiny stream was afraid.
Pushing forward was all it knew.
The ways of the wind could not be
trusted. The wind could mean its
end forever.
The wind picked up. The stream
could feel its cooling presence on its
back, its promise of lightness and
release in the skies above, and a
longing began inside of it to let go,
but it was terrified. It could not
bear the thought of non-existence.
The wind continued its seduc-
tion, beginning to take droplets of
the stream’s water to the sky, de-
spite its resistance.
“There are lands far across the
desert where I will drop you once
again . . . There you will be a stream
again and flow once more."
Finally, the stream gave the full-
ness of its body to the sky, and as it
evaporated, soaring high above, it
could sense the desert smile, as it
had so many times before, and
eventually it came to be released,
softly, on the top a distant moun-
tain, where once again it began its
flow. And here, in this new land,
the stream finally began to under-
stand what it really was. 
— From Wisdom Pills
3
Gems of the
Path
The deep est re al iza tion of
meditation is that your being is a
non-being. It is a nothing, a vast
emptiness without boundaries. It
is a no-self. The feeling of self, of
“I” is false.
SWAMI DHYAN GITEN
It is only with the heart that
one can see rightly. What is es-
sential is invisible to the eye.
ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPERY
Imagine that every person in
the world is enlightened but you.
They are all your teachers, each
doing just the right things to help
you learn perfect patience, per-
fect wisdom, perfect compassion.
THE BUDDHA
Other people do not have to
change for us to experience peace
of mind.
GERALD JAMPOLSKY
Life will give you whatever ex-
perience is most helpful for the
evolution of your consciousness.
How do you know this is the expe-
rience you need? Because this is
the experience you are having at
the moment.
ECKHART TOLLE
Spiritual opening is not a with-
drawal to some imagined realm
or safe cave. It is not a pulling
away, but a touching of all the ex-
perience of life with wisdom and
with a heart of kindness, without
any separation.
JACK KORNFIELD
It does not matter what comes
towards you, you must make it a
steppingstone to stand on.
SADHGURU
October-December, 2017
The Human Project
Tim Boyd
A
t this point in my life, I have
done a significant amount of
travel, yet there are still cer-
tain things that never cease to
amaze me. Often, I find myself
waking early in the morning to go
to the airport. Within a few hours, I
am getting off of a plane in a place
whose flora and fauna, geography,
climate, language, and customs
have shifted dra mat i cally from
those of “home.” The outfits people
wear, the ways they recognize and
celebrate divinity, the foods they
eat, even the way they eat their
foods can seem so different. While
visiting with my wife’s family in
the multicultural city of Singapore,
more than once I have had the ex-
perience of eating breakfast with
my fingers, lunch with a spoon and
fork, and dinner with chopsticks,
depending on whether I found my-
self in an Indian, Eurasian, or Chi-
nese community.
One side effect of travel is that
you find yourself exposed to a host
of differences, but also to similari-
ties. Just scratch the surface, and
shared, even universal, qualities
appear. The costumes we wear are
made of different materials and
The Philippine Theosophist
have different styles and colors, but
we all wear clothing. The foods and
the instruments we use to feed our-
selves differ, but we all eat. The
names, symbols, and imagery for
the local concepts of divinity vary
widely, but everywhere people at-
tempt to reach out to something
beyond their limited selves.
As much as we cling
to the idea of our-
selves as separate in-
dividuals, when we
actually look, it be-
comes apparent that
we are subsumed in
some larger life.
One of America’s dubious gifts to
the world is the modern shopping
mall. It may be surprising to some,
but originally the shopping mall
was conceived as a community cen-
ter where people would converge
not only for shopping, but also for
cultural activity and social interac-
tion. In Chennai, India, where I
spend a good deal of time these
days, the phenomenon is relatively
new. On those occasions when I
4
have found my self at one of
Chennai’s glit ter ing new West-
ern-style malls, I have been im-
pressed, not with the products or
shops, which closely mirror those of
the rest of the world, but with the
people and the vitality. Except for
the oldest and the poorest, all types
of people find their way there.
For someone like me, the vision
of humanity on display is both fas-
cinating and awe-inspiring. Thou-
sands of people stream through the
place on weekends and holidays.
From one of the upper levels, look-
ing down at the movement of peo-
ple, their collective motion literally
resembles a river — a flow of hu-
manity. Although each person and
family has their separate thoughts
and particular destination, collec-
tively all are moving as one body.
Like a river, the human flow has its
eddies where families break away
from the motion and the children
play their games alone, oblivious to
the surrounding crowd; or where
young couples sit simply talking
and enjoying a “private” moment
together before rejoining the flow.
As much as we cling to the idea
of ourselves as separate individu-
als, when we actually look, it be-
comes apparent that we are sub-
sumed in some larger life. What is
so impressive is the solidarity of
the human experience. However
much we may cherish a sense of in-
dependence and individualism, our
participation in a greater whole is
undeniable and at times breaks
through to our normal awareness.
Since its founding, the Theo-
sophical Society has espoused a
worldview that embraces the unity
of the human family. Its First Ob-
ject, “to form a nucleus of the uni-
versal brotherhood of humanity,”
has been emphasized again and
again from the Society’s early days
until now. This unity of the human
family, expressed as “universal
brotherhood” in the language of the
late 1800s, must be understood on
many levels.
In our times, it is easy to lose
sight of how radical the idea of a
uni versal brother hood “without
5 The Philippine Theosophist
distinction of race, creed, sex, caste,
or color” was in 1875, when the Ob-
jects were first formulated. In the
US, the Civil War had ended in
1865, so, just ten years prior to the
TS’s founding, laws in the US. per-
mitted slavery. At least in the
southern part of the country, any
person who could afford it could
purchase another human being of
African descent and own him or her
as his personal property. In his in-
augural address for the TS deliv-
ered on November 17, 1875 in Mott
Memorial Hall in New York City,
Henry Steel Olcott referred to this
condition, saying that 30 years
from that time, Americans would
be “ashamed . . . of ever having
owned a slave or countenanced hu-
man slavery.” It would take an-
other 45 years before it would be
legal for women to vote in the US.
After the holocaust of World
War II, and the genocidal struggles
preceding it, the newly formed
United Nations adopted a Univer-
sal Declaration of Human Rights.
This declaration expanded on the
language of the TS’s First Object in
stating that human rights were un-
affected by “race, color, sex, lan-
guage, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.”
This level of understanding of
the human fraternity has since
been accepted and encoded in law
worldwide. This rapid evolution in
the collective worldview should be
considered remarkable progress.
Yet from the perspective of the
First Object, it is superficial. The
changes of the last century and a
half relate merely to rights and leg-
islation. The universal brother-
hood of the First Object relates to
being. In Buddhism, and in H.P.
Blavatsky’s The Voice of the Si-
lence, there is the con cept of
paramitas, or “perfections.” The
last of these perfections is Wisdom
— the direct perception of Reality
or Truth. One component of this el-
evated state of seeing is the recog-
ni tion of “de pend ent aris ing,”
which is to say that there is nothing
that exists that is not composed of
countless other things and condi-
tions. Everything arises dependent
on other things.
One example that is sometimes
given is a simple thing like a chair.
The question is asked, “What is a
chair?” Whether it is a three-legged
stool, an elaborate throne, or some
interpretive modern art rendition,
we all can recognize a chair when
we see one. But what makes it a
chair? Is it the wood? The glue or
nails used to construct it? Is it the
rain and sunshine that made the
wood grow? Is it the carpenter? The
idea in his mind? Carried to its logi-
cal extreme, the existence of a
chair, or anything else, ultimately
depends on everything there is. At
The universal brother-
hood at the heart of
the Theosophical
movement is rooted in
Oneness.
a fundamental level, all things are
interdependent. Buddhist monk
and noted international teacher
Thich Nhat Hanh coined the term
“interbeing” to stress this idea.
The Theosophical perspective on
human interdependence adds some
specificity to this idea. In The Se-
cret Doctrine, HPB makes the point
that our habit of regarding our-
selves as independent units needs
rethinking. HPB depicts the hu-
man condition from the point of
view of consciousness — that hu-
manity as a whole and its compo-
nent units (us) are composed of gra-
dations of intelligence. The human
being “arises” dependent upon the
interblending of three evolutionary
streams (spir i tual, in tel lec tual,
and physical) and upon the hierar-
chies of in tel li gent be ings that
guide and direct those streams. She
writes, “Each of these three sys-
tems has its own laws, and is ruled
and guided by different sets of the
highest Dhyanis or “Logoi.” Each is
October-December, 2017
represented in the constitution of
man . . . and it is the union of these
three streams in him which makes
him the complex being he now is”
(The Secret Doctrine, 1.181). From
the perspective of the Ageless Wis-
dom, humanity, and we human be-
ings, are more like a cooperative
project than independent entities.
While this way of looking at our-
selves may seem challenging, it is
not as unfamiliar as we may think.
At the most basic level, we are all
aware that our physical bodies are
composed of literally trillions of in-
dividual cells, each with its own
needs, direction of growth, and ex-
pression of consciousness. Within
the body, these individual cells join
together to form the organs, the
heart, brain, liver, kidneys, etc.,
each organ having its own needs,
function, and consciousness that is
significantly more expansive than
are those of the participating cells.
With the addition of the “soul,” or
spiritual consciousness, this combi-
nation of diverse lives and func-
tions becomes that greater life
described as “me” or “I.”
The universal brotherhood at
the heart of the Theo soph i cal
movement is rooted in Oneness.
There is no road to a genuine spiri-
tuality that does not lead us toward
a deep en ing aware ness of our
shared experience. The Bible de-
scribes the human condition in this
way: “In him we live, and move, and
have our being” (Acts 17:28). That
Di vine Con scious ness is ev ery-
where present, expressing itself in
us and as us. Our role is to know it,
not as a mere idea or concept, but as
the essential truth of our being.
The motto of the TS is “There is no
religion higher than Truth” — and
there is no truth higher than One-
ness.  — From Quest, Winter 2017
Tim Boyd is the international
president of the Theosophical
Society.
jjj
Quantum physics thus reveals a
basic oneness of the universe.
ERWIN SCHRODINGER
6 The Philippine Theosophist
The Power of Spiritual Community
in Theosophical Work
Vicente Hao Chin Jr.
O
ne encounters the Ageless
Wis dom mainly through
two avenues: the first is
through books, and the other is
through people. It is the second
that I believe has a greater impact
on influencing someone to walk the
spiritual path. I may read a book on
karma, and after reading it, nod my
head and say, “Oh, yes, this is true.
I believe in karma,” and end there.
It is rare that reading a book alone
will trigger a basic redirection of
one’s life path, although this does
happen. But, it is when we meet
someone whose life strikes a chord
of truth within us, and are continu-
ously exposed to such a person, that
we realize the power of such associ-
ation in creating turning points in
our lives. Allow me to share four
facets of this power of long-term as-
sociation with spiritually inclined
people, in our case, the Theosophi-
cal community.
The first is the chance to begin.
We are introduced to a new way of
life when we meet people who em-
body such a life and worldview. We
notice within them a different kind
of inner power –– one of equanimity
and wisdom that goes beyond the
smartness and cunningness that
we normally see all around us.
My first encounter with the Age-
less Wisdom was through a or-
ange-robed yogi who spoke at our
college. I do not remember what he
talked about, but after the lecture I
approached him and asked to be
taught how to meditate. The follow-
ing Sunday, I received my introduc-
tion to raja yoga, which led me to
Being with a spiritual
group like the TS, not
just an intellectual
debating society but a
living spiritual com-
munity, enables us to
sustain our initial ef-
fort to tread the path
toward the higher life.
the Theosophical Society. There I
met a lady who was to have an en-
during influence on my young life. I
have been involved with the Theo-
sophical Society ever since, and my
life has never been the same. The
first power of the community, then,
is the chance to begin our initial
steps towards the spiritual path in
this life. The right community can
kindle the spiritual fire within.
October-December, 2017
Kindling the spiritual fire is but
the first step. This flame must be
sustained, and here we encounter
the second power of the communi-
ty, the power to nurture. Being with
a spiritual group like the TS, not
just an intellectual debating soci-
ety but a living spiritual commu-
nity, enables us to sustain our ini-
tial effort to tread the path toward
the higher life.
It is not easy trying to live ac-
cording to one's principles. The
worldly life has its own smart rules
that sneer at integrity and truth-
fulness, at spirituality and selfless-
ness, at meditation and nonacqui-
sitiveness. It offers so many tanta-
lizing experiences and sights that
it is easy for one to get carried
away. The community enables us to
sustain our sight of the distant
light ahead of us, or, to put it an-
other way, to constantly be aware
of this inner vision of the truer life.
The spiritual community sustains
and energizes this inner insight
that begins as a series of intermit-
tent sparks and becomes a tiny un-
steady flame that needs to be
gently fanned for it not to be blown
out.
My parents were businesspeo-
ple. Being the eldest in the family, I
was expected to pursue the life of a
businessman after I graduated.
The people around me, the immedi-
ate surrounding culture, my uncles
October-December, 2017
The power of example is a very potent one. Peo-
ple are the highest embodiments of truth outside
of ourselves. They give us conviction and cer-
tainty about the validity of the spiritual or
theosophic way of life.
and relatives, were of similar busi-
ness minds. It is hard to say what I
would be doing today if it I had not
encountered yoga and the Theo-
sophical Society. The weekly asso-
ciation with Theosophists had a
sustaining impact in my young life,
such that despite being involved in
the business world, I was never
fully immersed in or carried away
by it. One becomes like the dou-
ble-headed eagle, capable of seeing
in two directions: the life in the
outer world, and the life in the in-
ner. This dual vision is one of the
most crucial stages in one's effort to
live the higher life. It keeps one's
feet on the ground, cognizing one's
duties and one's humanity, but at
the same time not losing sight of
the reality of our transcendent na-
ture.
The third power of the spiritual
community is the power to inspire.
This, of course, depends upon the
type of organization or group one is
associated with. Speaking of my
own exposure to the Theosophical
Society, I may say that encounter-
ing certain individuals in the Soci-
ety has pivotally uplifted my own
small efforts, giving strength to my
young wings. This is possible be-
cause we see embodied in certain
individuals the fruits of the wisdom
and the worthiness of such a life.
We realize that some day, we too
can reach such heights, such levels
of integration.
The power of example is a very
potent one. People are the highest
embodiments of truth outside of
ourselves. They give us conviction
and certainty about the validity of
the spiritual or theosophic way of
life. The deep, balanced, and exem-
plary lives of spiritual people are
The Philippine Theosophist 7
sonal gain from it. In a world of
com pe ti tion, the aim is to get
ahead, to acquire more, to gain.
One even learns that it is smart to
use Machiavellian ways to surge
ahead. I was not lacking in such ex-
posure; however, the timeless prin-
ciples of the Ageless Wisdom con-
stantly reminded me to look the
other way –– to be willing to lose, to
give way, or to assist, if doing so
the proof that the wisdom is ulti- would mean lightening the burden
mately sound and that committing of some one. These prin ci ples
our lives to the higher life is worth taught me that there is no such
it. thing as an enemy. We are all trav-
Finally, the fourth power of the elers or pilgrims in quest of a dis-
spiritual community is the power to tant paradise. Let us not quarrel
teach how to truly serve. Again, this about precious stones or jewels that
de pends upon which par tic u lar we may have picked up along the
group one associates. When there is way. We will have to divest our-
at least one person in the group selves of them eventually and enter
who exhibits the quality of cheerful the sa cred land hold ing each
and spontaneous service, we may other's hands, not jew els and
be blessed with the discovery of, stones.
perhaps, the most important activ- Our journeys are not independ-
ity that a human being can engage ent of one another, but intertwined
in the life of service. in complex and mysterious ways so
that the joys and pains of others are
Most people are not naturally
really shared by everyone. The
endowed with a service-oriented
spiritual community teaches us
nature. On the contrary, we almost
how to serve; not in the way a mer-
always start with selfishness. The
chant would give his goods in ex-
budding spirituality that inclines
change for something in return, but
towards selfless service needs to be
nurtured in an environment that is to give and serve unconditionally.
not cynical about compassion and It is truly a difficult lesson to learn
the giving of oneself. because the encrusted ego would
like to continue to strengthen it-
It is rather unfortunate that the
self, and is not willing to let go of its
practical man or woman is often
imagined treasures without a cor-
subconsciously nurtured to think
responding gain. The spiritual
that one should do certain things
(continued on p. 12 )
only when there is a resultant per-
Med i ta tion Cor ner
We tend to think of meditation as inactivity. I think many people
think of meditation as something either that prepares us for action or
perhaps refreshes us after action, but the more you meditate, the
more you realize that meditation is not an inactive path. It is not out-
side the sphere of action, rather it is at the center of action. Meditation
we could describe as “pure action.” It is the highest form of human ac-
tion and because it is pure action, it takes us into the realm of “pure
being.” The one who follows this path rejects nothing. We reject noth-
ing of our own selfhood and we discover ourselves integrated, all our
powers, all our gifts, the total gift of our creation integrated, in har-
mony with the source of our being, in harmony with being.
John Main in Silence and Stillness in Every Season
8 The Philippine Theosophist
Preparing for Perfection
Jose Victor Peñaranda
I
t is said that perfec-
tion is the goal of hu-
man evolution. Since
it is our destiny to be per-
fect, it is only reasonable
that we become familiar,
as we aspire, with aspects
of this ultimate condition.
We need to have a glimpse of
what is in store for us in the
future or succeeding lifetimes
and know what it means to embark
on such a journey.
Let us recall Christ – Christ as a
state of being rather than a person.
The ideal in the early Christian
tradition is to reach a state of one-
ness with the divine spirit inherent
in each one:
Till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ (Ephesians
4:13).
Having attained this conscious-
ness, one loses the grand illusion of
self-centeredness, and perceives
the essence of the truth of having
been always with the great All, the
absolutely Infinite. Christhood or
adeptship brings full and conscious
one ness with the Christ-nature
(Atma –Buddhi / Spirit-Soul) in ev-
ery human being. We actualize our
divinity. This interior unification
allows the Ascended or Perfected
One to share with every human be-
ing his or her spiritual gifts, as an
act of love and out of renewed duty.
In theosophical literature, one
who has attained human perfection
is called an “Adept,” which corre-
sponds to the Arhat of Buddhism,
or the Rishi of Hinduism, or the
Christos-saint in Christianity.
Since being Christ is an inner
condition or state of being, it is
a b o u t t r a n s c e n-
dence or going be-
yond the per-
sonal ego. It is
about the un-
ion of the indi-
v i d u a l c o n-
sciousness
with the Uni-
v e r s a l C o n-
sciousness (the
microcosm and
the mac ro cosm
are one). It is about
Nirvana in Buddhism
or Fana in Islam or Ascen-
sion in Christianity — fully awake
to our original, divine state.
Treading the Path, therefore, is
a journey of unfolding our divinity
and a stage-by-stage development
of the personality. The goal is inte-
gration, but our divine individual-
ity should master the personality.
Christhood or
adeptship brings full
and conscious oneness
with the Christ-nature
(Atma-Buddhi /
Spirit-Soul) in every
human being.
What we develop in the journey
are inherent faculties, especially of
the mind, to contemplate and real-
ize the one pure consciousness. Nir-
vana or Fana is experiencing the
bliss of existence, of being absorbed
in oneness with the Absolute or be-
ing immersed in the Void. We are
usually at a loss for words when at-
tempting to de scribe those mo-
ments of illumination when one is
drawn to participate in the holiness
of what is timeless, or when the
October-December, 2017
God and the God-like fuse into a
union of superlatives.
According to Nagarjuna, the an-
cient Buddhist sage, “When one at-
tains to Nirvana, one does not ‘go’
anywhere, it is one’s perception to-
ward and attitude about the world
and the things in it that have
changed. But the causes of one’s
samsara no longer exist.” Samsara
(the cycle of repeated birth, death,
and re birth) con notes “aim less
wandering,” slow progress or with-
out implication to one’s evolution in
c o n sc i o u s n e s s. T o o v e r c o me
samsara is to dissolve the misery of
being ignorant and to end the suf-
fering caused by egotistic indul-
gence.
The flower of spirituality in us
cannot bloom if we haven’t mas-
tered the demands of our physical
and emotional bodies through a
mind illumined by the Buddhi prin-
ciple, the transcendent faculty of
the inner self that transforms suf-
fer ing into con science. Hel ena
Blavatsky once said, “Only one in-
flexible rule has been ever binding
upon the neophyte, as it is binding
now, the complete subjugation of
the lower nature by the higher.”
In the Self-Trans for ma tion
Seminar of the Theosophical Soci-
ety, the “Self-Mastery” sessions
deal with the purification of the
personal self, while the “Transcen-
dence” sessions deal with the disci-
pline of the mind to awaken the
higher levels of consciousness. This
process of purification from psycho-
logical conditionings is a crucial
stage in releasing ourselves from
physical stress and emotional dis-
tress, to be able to enjoy our rela-
tionships with people and to recog-
nize what is beau ti ful in and
around us.
To experience beauty in Nature
or in other people is to experience a
sense of wholeness, of being able to
October-December, 2017
partake in the mystery of the sa-
cred. Taking the Path is an exqui-
site opportunity to abandon a life
engrossed with feeding or defend-
ing the ego and to be thankful for
recovering the grace in living. Em-
phasis is given to serious study and
cultivating an ethical life. While
the divine is latent in us, each one
has to work diligently for redemp-
tion. According to Annie Besant,
“The Spirit cannot manifest in the
ignorant or in the immoral man.”
At a certain point, the one who
seeks perfection makes a vow to
gain enlightenment at the shortest
possible time, to be worthy of help-
ing others in gaining enlighten-
ment. Thus, the aspirant chooses
to take the Path of Hastened At-
tainment or the Path of his own
Resurrection. Upon gaining perfec-
tion, one may decide to forego eter-
nal liberation or ascension from hu-
man condition. By doing so, the
Perfected One makes the supreme
choice to reincarnate immediately,
to help others recognize the Path
and to take the Path. The Perfected
One assumes this role without tam-
pering with the duties of those be-
ing assisted in dealing with their
own karma.
The Christ triumphant is called
“savior” by participating in our life,
and not by substituting himself or
herself for us. Salvation remains
an individual choice and effort.
Those who learn from the Christ
perfected acquire the will and wis-
dom to be liberated or saved.
The curious mind will ask: so
how many reincarnations do I have
to go through in order to attain per-
fection? The question is valid and
may be understood in relation to
human preoccupation with time.
Mahatma Koot Hoomi once gave an
answer and this is recorded in the
Mahatma Letters: “ . . . one life in
each of the seven root races; one life
in each of the 49 sub-races — or
7x7x7 = 343, and add 7 more. And
then a series of lives in offshoot and
branchlet races; making the total
the incarnations of man in each
station or planet 777.” One is awed
by these statistics, but we cannot
The Philippine Theosophist
com pare what hap pens in the
realm of the timeless with what
happens in geo logic or historic
time. Could a morning dewdrop en-
capsulate a century of recollec-
tions? Besides, what is far more im-
portant to us is the present, who
and where we are now.
The journey to perfection is in a
sense a prac tice in unity. One
learns to identify individual con-
sciousness with the consciousness
of people he or she interacts with
everyday. It is a process of develop-
ing sympathy to empathy, develop-
ing the capacity to understand the
Treading the Path,
therefore, is a journey
of unfolding our di-
vinity . . . The jour-
ney to perfection is in
a sense a practice in
unity.
limitations in others, their fears
and failures, their hopes and hap-
piness. It is a process of transcend-
ing the notion that we are different
and separate from others, that the
problems of society are not our
problems, or that we have nothing
to do with the devastation of the
world we live in or with healing it.
Only by reflecting on our human
condition and contemplating on
our divine heritage can we verify
the unity of life, and engage ac-
tively in the interdependence of all
existence.
Taking the Path of Hastened At-
tainment also means quietly and
humbly seeking the spiritual mas-
ter within, the intuitive voice that
comes from the most sacred source,
the wellspring of what becomes our
conscience. It implies a commit-
ment to the study of the Ageless
Wisdom and to cultivate life skills
leading, possibly, to becoming a pu-
pil of the Mahatma or the Adept.
No one is excluded in taking the
9
Path. The qualifications for initia-
tion into this mystic adventure is
enumerated and explained in the
booklet, At the Feet of the Master:
Dis crim i na tion; Desirelessness;
Six Points of Right Con duct
(Self-con trol as to the mind;
self-control as to action; tolerance;
cheer ful ness; one-point ed ness;
confidence) and Love. And of all the
qualifications, love is the most im-
portant.
Out of love springs the resolve to
be concerned and caring, and to will
for the happiness of those you care
for. It is for this reason that the vow
is made not to harm living beings
and to be always alert for opportu-
nities to help and heal. It is also
love that impels us to serve uncon-
ditionally and to rest in contempla-
tion of the Eternal.
The spiritual in each one inevi-
tably translates into acts of service
because it is the nature of the inner
life to flow outwards, to offer and
share. Such actions seek nothing in
return.
Goals of service have been ex-
pressed previously at the historical
beginning of the Theosophical Soci-
ety:
· To minimize the sum of misery in
this world;
· To forget the self in working with
others;
· To eliminate selfishness and sub-
stitute love as the rule of the
world;
· To live to the highest that is
within us.
On the Path to perfection, one
realizes that social awareness can
only be shaped into consensus by
those who are self-aware and ready
to serve. The sea of social change
can ef fec tively be life-giv ing if
drained by rivers of self-trans-
formed individuals.
In treading the Path, we learn to
make the best of ourselves — physi-
cally, emotionally, mentally — in
whatever situation we are in, not to
exalt the future position of perfec-
tion, but that we may be worthy to-
day of becoming instruments of
goodness or disciples that the Mas-
(continued on p. 12)
10
The Ideal of
Service
Luke Michael Ironside
O
ne need not look far to per-
ceive the dilemmas that af-
front our world today. It is,
in fact, impossible to walk down the
street without observing suffering
of some kind; and though we may at
times close our eyes and ears to the
facts, the problems of life will al-
ways again rear their ugly heads.
We are each of us entangled in soci-
ety’s web of issues and are thus
each responsible for our responses
to these; our actions or lack thereof.
Simply stated, society is the out-
ward expression of our collective
karma: we are its cause, and its is-
sues, the effect.
Theosophy has at times been ac-
cused of attracting dreamers to its
cause, and here a misconception
arises that Theosophy seeks to es-
cape from the world and in so doing
retreat from the great issues of the
time; a misconception that Theoso-
phists are rather too metaphysical
for the practicalities of societal life.
Too often do we hear this reproach
that Theosophists are somehow di-
vorced from the great battle of the
day, from that which touches hu-
manity at its deepest point. And yet
this is far from the truth of what it
The Philippine Theosophist
means to be a Theosophist.
It should be clear to the shrewd
student of these teach ings that
Theosophy was never intended as a
merely philosophical pursuit. In-
deed, it is the duty of every Theoso-
phist to set right the misconception
that his is an idle life; and this is to
be achieved not by argument but by
This idea of service
stands at the bedrock
of what it means to
live the theosophic
life. It is for this very
reason that G. S.
Arundale refers to
Theosophy as “the
way of service.”
action. There is a profound truth to
the proverbial assertion that ac-
tions speak louder than words. We
may here appropriately quote Dr.
Annie Besant in her statement that
it is better to “remain silent, better
not even think, if you are not pre-
pared to act.” The role of the Theos-
ophist in relation to the affairs of
society is not, then, one of blissful
October-December, 2017
escape in the utopian clouds of re-
nunciative indifference, but rather
that of a collaborator and activist,
ever willing to lend the helping
hand by the means of true theo-
sophical service. Such a one is a
builder and co-worker in the estab-
lishment of the ethical and righ-
teous foundations of society; his
mission is to set firmly the corner-
stone of universal brotherhood over
which the bricks of social order will
be gradually laid.
This idea of service stands at the
bedrock of what it means to live the
theosophic life. It is for this very
reason that G. S. Arundale refers to
Theosophy as “the way of service” in
his short 1919 work of the same
name. The relationship between
The oso phy and so ci ety may be
readily grasped when one recog-
nizes that the application of Theo-
sophical principles to societal ac-
tion results in altruism. Altruism
may thus be rightly understood as
the central principle of the Theo-
sophical worldview. This, then, is
prac ti cal The os o phy; al tru ism
through selfless service to human-
ity, where one’s actions are solely
for the purpose of helping and ben-
efitting his fellow man, and in this
way to pur sue the Bo dhi sattva
ideal. For it is in the pursuit of this
path of compassion that one may
alleviate the suffering of the world
in those ways best suited to his
abilities.
Blavatsky, writing in her second
letter to the American Convention
of Theosophists, says of altruism
that it is —
the keynote of Theosophy and the
cure for all ills; this it is which the
real Founders of the Theosophical
Society promote as its first object —
UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD.
When considering Theosophy in
regards to its relationship with so-
ciety at large it is well to reflect
upon the aforementioned first ob-
ject of the Theosophical Society,
this being: To form a nucleus of the
universal brotherhood of humanity
without distinction of race, creed,
sex, caste, or color.
It is this ideal of universal broth-
October-December, 2017
erhood and tolerance of diversity
that rests at the heart of the Theo-
sophical perspective on altruism
and social development.
The current condition of our so-
ciety is rooted not in order but dis-
order, not law but lawlessness; this
is the karmic consequence which
faces us on every side, from which
arises the mass suffering and dis-
content that bears striking witness
to the failure of our modern civili-
zation. The masses thirst for the
sweet nectar of brotherhood and
justice and yet find their cups filled
instead with the bitter waters of
discontent; from this is bred the ha-
tred and malice so that so plague
our present society. Our natural
state of unity and coexistence with
our fellow kin is daily contradicted
in our societal lives, until that brut-
ish point is reached where brother
turns against brother; fa ther
against son. The mass disdain for
natural law threatens to set ablaze
the very constructs of our society;
to burn to ashes the systems by
which we interact one with another
— yet as the Hindu cosmology so
articulately teaches, it is only by
the Destructive Principle of Shiva
that the ground may be cleared for
the emergence of something new.
Perhaps from the wreckage of our
worn-torn world we may attempt
anew to build a civilization, one
founded upon the ideal and fact of
universal brotherhood and the fun-
damental oneness of life.
The one point on which all can
agree is that the current state of af-
fairs is a dissatisfactory one, and
yet the process by which we bring
about change is an issue for conten-
tion among the differing schools of
Reincarnation:
Fact or Fancy?
Reincarnation is not an exclusively Hindu or Buddhist concept, but
it is part of the history of human origin. It is proof of the mindstream's
capacity to retain knowledge of physical and mental activities. It is re-
lated to the theory of interdependent origination and to the law of cause
and effect.
The Dalai Lama (Preface to The Case for Reincarnation)
The Philippine Theosophist
thought. By what method, then,
may we begin to move forward in
our quest for progress; and where
lies the common ground on which
we may each of us stand?
The change must be-
gin as an internal
one; we must first
aim to train and dis-
cipline ourselves be-
fore we seek to
confront the chal-
lenges of the world.
The change must begin as an in-
ternal one; we must first aim to
train and discipline ourselves be-
fore we seek to confront the chal-
lenges of the world. In our immedi-
ate circles, we can place before our
associates those ideals that shall be
so clearly of noble character, so evi-
dently wise, so pure of intention,
that they shall win the loyalty of
the intellect while likewise gratify-
ing the hankerings of the heart.
Those things which are of an intel-
lectual and spiritual nature must
be set in the place of materialistic
urges upon the altar of our atten-
tion –– that Man may emerge from
his infantile state in the gold chests
of his lower nature and thus ascend
towards the real gold of the Spirit.
This change occurs with the rec-
ognition of the lust for luxury and
wealth — the multiplicity of mate-
rialistic wants — as being the mark
of an inferior development in con-
11
sciousness; here the low and the
base are understood for what they
are: the muddy ground at the base
of the mountaintop of Man’s evolu-
tion through which one must toil to
climb to greater heights of spiritual
attainment.
The desire for material goods is
rooted in the condition of combat
and competition; this being for the
reason that material goods are fi-
nite and limited, and thus inequal-
ity in terms of material wealth is
the necessary condition of a materi-
alistic society. Possession by one
individual or group of a material
good excludes possession by an-
other; hence, conflict occurs. Prog-
ress towards peace must therefore
necessarily arise through an ap-
peal to the intellectual and spiri-
tual aspects of life, and not that of
materialistic gain.
We must, finally, foster a sense
of faith in humanity and appeal to
that which is best in Man; we must
invoke the Spirit and not the beast.
It is duty that must be laid as the
foundation of society, for in duty is
contained the ideal of universal
brotherhood from which the garden
of peace may bloom.
The keynote of our current age is
progress. We are concerned, now
more than ever, with the develop-
ment of human society, and by
such, to climb higher upon the lad-
der of Man’s evolution. The major-
ity of our human race today are yet
in the fourth race, and yet it is the
fifth race that is leading this pro-
gressive development. The advent
of the sixth race is still far on the
horizon, though it is this last which
will strike the keynote of unity and
brotherhood in the spirit of service
to all.
The fundamental reality of the
unity of life is the central truth of
the coming race, and it is from this
understanding that we will emerge
into a higher state of being. Thus do
we stand at the threshold of a new
renaissance that is founded on the
cornerstone of brotherhood and al-
truistic service for the betterment
of mankind.
(continued on p. 13)
12
The Power of Spiritual...
(continued from p. 7)
community has the power to soften
and melt such encrustations so
that one day, in one life, the soul
will be ready to let go of that
center called the self and awaken
to the Self Universal.
The Theosophical community is
indeed a blessing to those whose
lives revolve around its sphere of
influence. It has, first, the power to
allow a soul to begin the quest; sec-
ond, it has the power to nurture the
flame that sustains the quest; it
has the power to in spire and
upliftthe soul to tran scend ing
heights; and, finally, it has the
power to teach how to truly serve
without self.
The Theosophical community,
while be stow ing bless ings and
power on the pilgrim soul, does not
demand for itself any allegiance to
any doctrine or dogma. It is a com-
munity that points not to itself, but
to something beyond itself. This is
the transcendent power of a truly
spiri tual community. One feels
truly blessed to be under its moth-
erly wings.
For our part, let us share in nur-
turing the spiritual quality of the
Theosophical community for the
sake of future pilgrims to come. Let
our programs, activities, and gath-
erings always be imbued with a
wisp of the eternal. And let this be-
gin with our tiniest actions, with
the casual words that flow from our
lips, with the daily fleet ing
thoughts that cross our minds, un-
til our own lives have become per-
meated with the soundless melody
of the song of life, the song of the
eternal. Then, truly, every new pil-
grim will be in the midst of a genu-
inely transformative community,
the Theosophical Society. 
Vicente Hao Chin Jr. is the presi-
dent of Golden Link College Foun-
dation and past president of the
Theosophical Society in the Philip-
pines.
The Philippine Theosophist
Preparing for Perfection...
(continued from p. 9 )
ters can use in their work in this
world and in this life.
In a busy or troubled environ-
ment, there is usually a greater
need or urgency for the individual
to find inner peace. When there are
persons who live in poverty and
helplessness, the challenge is to
fulfill their basic needs so they can
turn their attention from mere sur-
vival to the spiritual.
The theosophist who perseveres
can help awaken inner potentials
and release the spiritual energy of
individuals to surmount both phys-
ical and psychological difficulties,
but he or she must first become a
wor thy as pi rant. An im por tant
task is to be aware of lucid mo-
ments of prac ti cal ful fill ment.
Soonly, the experienced can blend
pain, grief, and sorrow in the same
mindscape with kindness, beauty,
and the joy of existence.
A teacher has said it before:
Should one take the Path, do it not
for any other reason, but for love. 
Jose Victor Penaranda was the
vice president of the Theosophical
Society in the Philippines.
FFF
Be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect.
THE BIBLE
Per fec tion is achieved, not
when there is nothing more to
add, but when there is nothing
left to take away.
ANTOINE DE -EXUPERY
If virtue promises happiness,
prosperity and peace, then prog-
ress in virtue is progress in each
of these for to whatever point the
perfection of anything brings us,
progress is always an approach
toward it.
EPICTETUS
October-December, 2017
Questions
&
Answers
Q: Do animals have souls?
A: Theosophical literature af-
firms the existence of soul in ani-
mals. Helena P. Blavatsky states
that animals have five principles
(as opposed to seven in a human
being), and that they reincarnate
almost immediately to higher ani-
mal organisms after death. These
five would then be manas (mind),
kama (desire), prana (vitality),
linga-sarira (etheric double), and
physical body. She points out,
however, that in animals the up-
per triad (Atma-Buddhi-Manas)
is “absolutely dormant” (even in
higher animals), suggesting that
she is referring to the higher men-
tal (arupa-manas) as dormant
rather than the lower men tal
(rupa manas).
H. P. Blavatsky points out that
Christian and Biblical teachings
similarly affirm such a view. The
Old Testament ascribes nephesh
(soul) to animals. The Catholic
Church in turn affirm that saints
have resurrected dead animals,
such as the feats of St. Francis of
Assisi, St. Isidore of Spain, and
St. Nicholas of Tolentino. Such a
resurrection can only be possible
if the soul sur vives phys i cal
death.
The belief in the absence of
souls in animals has led to cruelty
to animals, such as in the practice
of vivisection, the use of animals
for laboratory testings, and hunt-
ing for sports. The latter practices
are strongly opposed by many the-
osophists.
Vicente Hao Chin Jr. (Extracted from “Soul of Animals,”
Theosopedia.)
(see more on next page)
October-December, 2017 The Philippine Theosophist 13

efforts should be made with a view to

The Ideal of Service...
(continued from p. 11)
Hence, we must raise high the
flame of hope, keep ever bright our
thoughts, and pure, our inten-
tions. It is for us who are Theoso-
phists to pave the way for realiza-
tion of peace, brotherhood, the
bring ing to gether of cul tures,
classes, and nations, the eradica-
tion of hostilities, and the recogni-
tion of our shared responsibility to
our fellowman and the world we
each of us inhabit. Thus must we
prepare, each and all, for the com-
ing trials ahead. The discovery of
our role — of our dharma in the
cosmic play — is the duty of every
Theosophist; we are each of us
suited to those methods whereby
we may have the most beneficent
impact on the progress of our soci-
ety.
Blavatsky, speaking of the role
of the Theosophist in relation to
society, wrote the following words:
Every Theosophist is bound to do
his utmost to help on, by all the
means in his power, every wise and
well-considered social effort which
has for its object the amelioration
of the condition of the poor. Such
their ultimate social emancipation,
or the development of the sense of
duty in those who now so often ne-
glect it in nearly every relation of
life.
The Theosophical Society, past
and pres ent, has al ways stood
firmly upon this foundation of ser-
vice. We see this manifested in the
activism of Dr. Annie Besant in the
fight for women’s rights as well as in
the Indian campaign for democratic
rule. Likewise in the formation of
the Theosophical Order of Service,
which is founded on the ideals of
creative and humanitarian action
in the fields of education, social wel-
fare, animal rights, and environ-
mental concerns.
It is in this spirit that we must
progress boldly into the future, each
assuming joy fully the part they
have to play. Service to one is ser-
vice to all, and no act is too small or
insignificant from the Theosophic
perspective. Every action counts,
and the seeds we sow today may one
day grow to encircle us in the fields
of compassion and love. 
Luke M. Ironside is the president
of the Pandacan Lodge of the Theo-
sophical Society in the Philippines.
Questions
&
Answers
(continued from p. 12)
Q: If ani mals have souls,
how should we treat them?
A: The keynote of Mme. H. P.
Blavatsky’s worldview was the
just and moral treatment of all be-
ings in nature. This is part of the
First Object of the Theosophical
Move ment, Uni versal Brother-
hood. . . . The foundational teach-
ing of Theosophy, as expressed in
The Secret Doctrine, is “the funda-
mental identity of all souls with
the Universal Over-Soul . . . every-
thing in the Universe, throughout
all its kingdoms, is conscious,” and
endowed “with a consciousness of
its own kind and on its own plane
of perception.” Because we share
the same Di vine Par ent and
monadic ancestry with animals,
we must treat them as our youn-
ger brethren in the evolutionary
ladder and take care that they are
not harmed in as far as they can
also feel pain like we do. (Extracted
from “Animal Souls, The Heart of Good,” The-

To Find the Joy osophy Watch.)

Q: Is meat-eating in align-
There is no finer joy than to live for others, to put our own selfish ten- ment with esoteric teachings?
dencies away. It is the highest form of yoga to endeavor to focus one’s at- Meat eating is something that
tention towards another, to give our devotion to others as if to God — for every esotericist should try not to
does not God lie within all? do. It is one of the horrible things
It takes an inner hand to gently guide our attention out to others, to that belong to the present stage of
all the lives around us, great and small: the plants that need watering, our humanity. . . . The idea of kill-
the spider that’s trapped indoors, the dog that needs to play, the child ing our unfortunate fellow beings .
who speaks, the husband or wife who needs companionship, the neigh- . . in order to live on their carcasses
bor fussing with his mower or building a new fence, or a grandparent is indeed a beastly one; and in the
who needs a helping hand. All of these are wonderful moments in which higher degrees in this our Order,
to draw ourselves out and make life a little better for those around us. meat eating is not permitted at all
— not so much because it is a
Self-centeredness and self-absorption is a hard nut to crack. But with crime, but from motives of com-
fortitude, it can be done. And once the sweet meat is tasted, there is the passion and from reasons of bodily
dawning of a new age for the inner man. He sees the fruitlessness of all purity. Actually, we do not need
his past toils to acquire things. He knows the worthlessness of striving meat. Flesh foods have a stimulat-
for self. Happiness has been discovered to lie elsewhere, in the happi- ing effect on the body, and also a
ness of his brother. grossening, coarsening effect.
Doreen Melbrod (Theosophy Northwest View, October 1999) (Extracted from G de Purucker's Dialogues — KTMG 5)
14 The Philippine Theosophist October-December, 2017

News and Events

Zen Roshi Sr. Sonia Punzalan Conducts Session at the TSP Hq
The TSP National Headquarters sponsored a 3-hour Zen meditation session conducted
by Sr. Sonia Punzalan, a Zen roshi and Catholic nun, with the assistance of Zen teacher
and healing priest Fr. Efren Borromeo and jiki Jay Batoon. Sr. Sonia led the practice of
zazen and body movements. She also shared with the audience the basic quality of con-
sciousness nurtured in Zen: seeing things as they really are.

Series of Self-Transformation Seminars Conducted

A series of Self-Transformation Seminars were conducted by Vic Hao Chin Jr. in vari-
ous parts of the country. The first was held in Urdaneta, Pangasinan last June 9 at the re-
quest of its city mayor which was attended by all the city government's department
heads. Another was conducted for university librarians in Mindanao last May 4-5 at the
Ateneo de Davao University. The Philippine Librarians Association then organized a
Self-Transformation Seminar in Cagayan de Oro last July 27-28, and in Davao City last
August 31 and September 1 at the University of Mindanao. The latest seminar was held
at the National Headquarters last Aug. 13, 19 and 20.

Monthly Yoga Sessions Launched

Regular monthly yoga sessions have been launched at the TSP National Headquarters.
The sessions are conducted by Dr. Andrew Navarro, a yoga teacher who has trained in India.

Self-Transformation Seminars in Finland

The Theosophical Society in Finland hosted two Self-Transformation Seminars in
Kreivila, Finland last June 25 to July 5. The first seminar was for the members of the TS in
Finland, and the second one was for TS members in Sweden. Both sessions were conducted
by Vic Hao Chin Jr.

The Spiritual Film Club Formed

A group of young TSP members launched the Spiritual Film Club last May. The group,
together with other interested TSP members, meets once a month to watch, and discuss
about, films that are theosophically relevant. They have shown Awake: the Life of
Yogananda, Bee Season and Zen: The Life of Zen Master Dogen, among others.

Billy Tan Conducts Yoga Laughter Session at the TSP Hq

Bro. Billy Tan of Malaysia conducted a lecture and session on Laughter Yoga last
March 5 at the TSP National Headquarters. Billy is also a clinical hypnotherapist.

Ven. Bhante Sujatha Conducts Lectures for the TSP

Ven. Bhante Sujatha of the Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, Illinois, USA, conducted
several lectures for the TSP last January on the subjects, “The Art of Happiness,” and
“Healing through Loving-Kindness Meditation,” and also a retreat on “Mindfulness and
Loving-Kindness Meditation” at the Golden Link College.

Vic Hao Chin Jr. Elected as General Council Member

The General Council of the Theosophical Society unanimously approved the election
of Vic Hao Chin Jr. as an Additional Member of the General Council upon his nomina-
tion by TS International President Tim Boyd.
October-December, 2017
Directory of TSP Lodges and Study Groups
Ahimsa Study Group
Coordinator: Norma Garbanzos
Meeting: Every Saturday 6:00 p.m.
RVS Building, La Salle Avenue
Bacolod City
Amor Study Group
Coordinator: Michael C. Andrade
Meeting: Weekends 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Sabino Residence c/o Bro. Joyce Cary
Sabino, Damula-an, Albuera, Leyte
Tel.: (Cel.) 0916-5427153
Bacolod Lodge
President: Ferdinand Yulo
Coordinator: Norma Garbanzos
Meeting: Every 1st and 3rd Sunday
Venue: 82 St., Ignatius Avenue, Dona Juliana
Heights, Bacolod City
Bataan Study Group
Coordinator: Norve Cruz
Meeting: Every 2nd and 4th Sunday
Venue: East Calaguiman, Samal, Bataan
Tel.: (Cel.) 0917-5762407; 0929-7256762
Bohol Lodge
President: Ludwig Quirog
Meeting: Every Thursday 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Cora Ponteres residence, 120 P. Garcia
Avenue, Mansasa District, 6300 Tagbilaran City
Cebu Lodge
President: Lovorn Ang
Meeting: Every Saturday 6:30 p.m
Venue: 2nd Floor, Pan de Malunggay, Juana
Osmena St., Cebu City
Tel: (Cel) 0943-5202891
Golden Link Theosophical Lodge
President: Rekha Nahar
Meeting: Every 2nd and 4th Saturday, 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Conference Room, 2nd floor, Main Build-
ing, Golden Link College, Camarin, North
Caloocan City
Tel: (Cel.) 0918-9146901
Logos Study Group
President: Bert Cabrera
Meeting: Every 1st and 3rd Saturday, 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Unit 304 Page 1 Building, Acacia Ave.,
Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang,
Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila
Tel.: (Cel.) 0917-9451758
Manila Lodge
President: Mona Brocoy
Meeting: 1st and 3rd Sunday, 11:30 a.m.
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
1 Iba St. cor. P. Florentino St, Quezon City
Tel.: (02) 7415740; (Cel.) 0927-4034983
The Philippine Theosophist
Provincial Areas
Celestine Lodge
President: Lucia Alerta
Meeting: Every Sunday 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Abalayan Subd., San Jose
8002 Digos City
Tel.: Res. - (082) 553-2839/ Off. - (082) 291-1021
Godea Lodge
President: Anita Sescon
Meeting: Every Saturday 7:00 p.m.
Venue: No. 3A Concepcion Apt.
San Miguel Village,
Pala-o, 9200 Iligan City
Tel.: (063) 351-7081, 223-0126
Email: bbtrodil@yahoo.com
Iloilo Lodge
c/o Lisa Montero, Lily Que
Meeting: Every 1st and 3rd Sunday, 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Au Wong residence, Diversion Road,
Manduriao, Iloilo City
Tel.: (033) 320-3950; (Cel.) 0919-8592504/
0919-3027998
Maharlika Lodge
President: Dionisio S. Cervantes
Meeting: Every 2nd and 4th Thursday
Venue: Josie B.D. Cartago residence, Road 4,
Dona Vicenta Village, Davao City (near Ponce
Suites Gallery Hotel)
Tel.: (Cel.) 0923-5714743/ 09255120523/
0917-7211130
Muñoz Lodge
President: Clemente Madarang
Meeting: Every Sunday 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Purok Curva, Bgy. Bantug, Science City
Metro Manila Area
Pandacan Lodge
President: Luke M. Ironside
Meeting: Every 2nd and 4th Sunday, 11:00 a.m.
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
1 Iba St., cor. P. Florentino St.,
Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila
Tel.: (02) 7415740/ (Cel.) 0919-6477503
Email: lukeironside@tutanota.de
Rizaliana Lodge
Meeting: Every Saturday 6:00 p.m.
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
1 Iba St., cor. P. Florentino St.,
Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila
Tel.: 741-57-40
Saturday Inquirers Group
Coordinator: Luke M. Ironside
Meeting: Every 1st and 3rd Saturday, 3:00 p.m.
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
1 Iba St. corner P. Florentino St.,
Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila
15
of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
Tel.: (Cel.) 0908-2889821
Ormoc Lodge
President: Arnulfo Lumangtad
Meeting: Every Sunday 5:00 p.m.
Venue: District 4, Aviles St. corner Juan Luna
St., Anilao Riverside Ormoc City
Tel.: (Cel.) 0905-5036527/0928-9509412
Palompon Study Group
Coordinator: Arnold A. Arapoc
Meeting: Saturday 3:00 p.m.
Venue: 635 Lopez Street, Bgy. Guiwan 2,
Palompon, Leyte
Tel.: (Cel.) 0926-2213388
Satsang Lodge
President: Dr. Mary Anne Cabrera
Meeting: once a month, always on a Thursday,
6:00 p.m.
Venue: Cafe Georg, Banilad or Persian Palate,
Mango Square, Mango Ave., Cebu City
Tel.: (032) 253-7098
Toril Study Group
Coordinator: Jun Aling
Meeting: Every Saturday 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Blk 5, Macleod, Daliao
Toril, 8025 Davao City
Urdaneta Study Group
Coordinator: Ramil San Juan
Venue: Blk 3, Lot 21 Doña Loleng
Urdaneta, Pangasinan
Tel.: (02) 741-5740;
Email: lukeironside@tutanota.de
Soliman Lodge & Raja Lodge
President: Dr. Preciosa Soliven
Meeting: Every 2nd and 4th Sunday, 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Room 601 or Rooms 704-705, Operation
Brotherhood (OB) Montessori School, 3 Eisen-
hower St., Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila
Tel.: (Cel.) 0917 945 1758 (text only)
Theosophical Research and Study Group
Meeting: Sunday 6pm; inquiries
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
1 Iba St. cor. P. Florentino St.,
Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila
Tel.: 741-57-40/09178987794
Email: president@ts-pandacan.org
Vidya Lodge
Meeting: Every 1st and 3rd Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Venue: TSP National Headquarters
Tel.: 741-5740
16 The Philippine Theosophist October-December, 2017

The Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society was formed at New York on
November 17, 1875, and incorporated in Chennai (Ma-
dras), India, on April 3, 1905.

Its three declared Objects are:

· To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Hu-

manity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or
color.
· To encourage the study of Comparative Religion,
Philosophy and Science.
· To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the
powers latent in man.

“Theosophy is the shoreless ocean of universal truth,

love and wisdom reflecting its radiance on the earth,
while the Theosophical Society is only a visible bubble
on that reflection. Theosophy is divine nature, visible
and invisible, and its Society human nature trying to as-
cend to its divine parent.”
H. P. BLAVATSKY
Key to Theosophy

The Theosophical Society in the Philippines ENTERED AS THIRD CLASS MAIL MATTER
1 Iba St., Quezon City, Philippines AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE
UNDER PERMIT NO. 751, DATED MAY 24, 1995
POSTAGE PAID

TO: