NATIONAL CAPITAL 2008 PROGRAM 

January 2008

The Seven Rays The Seven Rays, also called the Dhyani Chohans or the Seven Thrones are those primal entities and qualities that emanate from the One Source, discussed in many esoteric philosophies.  Gwendolyn Reece will give an introductory lecture on the concept of the Seven Rays.

The Spiritual Properties of Water About 70 percent of the planet is covered in water and the human body is about 62 percent water.  Dr. Aleksandr Smirnov will explore the spiritual properties of water in this lecture.

The Elemental Kingdoms Julia Rogers will host a short visit to this nonphysical part of our total environment and introduce some of its denizens:  devas, thought forms, nature spirits, poltergeists.

The Esoteric Path of Philosophy Philosophy is the Love of Wisdom.  It is, indeed, one of the great occult and mystic paths.  It is only in recent history that Philosophy, as it is often taught, has lost its roots and become dry and detached.  Dr. Gwendolyn Reece provides a crash course for those who have not had a chance to study philosophy and for those who want to explore this ancient and important spirtual path.

February 2008

Reincarnation Reincarnation is one of the foundational theories in many religions. Julia Rogers will discuss how it works, how we remember past lives, —and why we don’t.

The Many Kinds of Love In honor of Valentine’s Day, Gwendolyn Reece will explore the various concepts covered by our English term “love.”

Practical Theosophy A panel will share some of the practical applications of Theosophy that they use in their lives.  Come and share your thoughts with us.

The Indigo Children Many people have noted some significant changes in our young people.  More and more children seem to be being born with what many consider to be “paranormal” abilities.  Nancy Ann Tappe, a psychic, noted in the 70’s that more children were being born with an “indigo” aura.  Vladka Shikova will explore the theories about the Indigo Children

March 2008

Introduction to Indian Philosophy A basic understanding of the fundamental underlying principles of the main schools of Indian Philosophy and their vocabulary is essential to understanding Theosophical literature.  Dr. Gwendolyn Reece presents a crash course introduction to these Indian philosophical schools.

The Reformation The Protestant Reformation fundamentally altered Christianity, which is one of the predominant spiritual traditions of the West.  Elaine Barber will help us understand why the reformation occurred and what it means.

Nonviolent Communication How many times have we inadvertently caused harm with our words?  This is a common human experience.  Benjamin Gaylord will introduce us to Nonviolent Communication [NVC], a powerful system to have in your spiritual toolbox as you walk through your daily life.

The Glamours The glamours are some of our most significant spiritual challenges.  Sometimes defined as illusion/Maya mixed with desire, they must be faced in the course of growth.  Emily Doan will discuss the nature of the glamours.

Apocalypse, Part I Julia Rogers begins a series of three talks on the Apocalypse of St. John, as it is explained by a pupil of H. P. Blavatsky.  The slides that illustrate her talk are from a 14th -century manuscript now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

April 2008

Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy Concluding her three-part crash course in philosophy, Dr. Gwendolyn Reece presents an introduction to the main schools and ideas of Buddhist philosophy and its vocabulary.

The Counter-Reformation In response to the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church underwent its own reforms.  Elaine Barber will help us understand the Counter-Reformation and what it means.

The Apocalypse, Part II Julia Rogers has been reading Theosophy for 70 years and really studying it for 40.  She still finds it the most interesting and delightful subject in the world. This is the second of three presentations of the Theosophical view of the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

An Analysis of the Titanic Disaster in Terms of Global Consciousness The level of global consciousness, prevalent in 1912, led directly to  the tragic sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic.  The three main factors that led to this tragedy are ignorance, fear and arrogance.  Samuel Barr will discuss these factors as key points during his audio-visual slide presentation.

May 2008

The Glamours This lecture will be based on the seminal work Glamour: A World Problem by Alice Bailey.  The glamours are some of our most significant spiritual challenges.  Sometimes defined as illusion mixed with desire, they must be faced in the course of growth.  Emily Doan will discuss the nature of the glamours.

Apocalypse, Part III Julia Rogers concludes her series on Revelation, the most mystical and symbolic book of the Bible.  “The sole subject of the Apocalypse is the process of transcendental self-conquest.  There is only one actor in the whole drama–St. John himself.  The cast of thousands are personifications of the forces of good and  evil within him.  He emerges from the purifying discipline as the Conqueror–the self-perfected Man who has regained his place in the eternal Divine world.”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Graciela Stukey, a long-time student of Theosophy, will discuss Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.  This classic spiritual text is one of the foundations for Raja Yoga.  Graciela’s talk is informed by Alice Bailey’s text, The Light of the Soul

June – September 2008

SUMMER STUDY COURSE – All are welcome!!! During the summer we will be undertaking an open group study of the text, An Intuitive Approach to the Stanzas of Dzyan.  The Stanzas of Dzyan are the basis for The Secret Doctrine by HP Blavatsky.  This study consists of eight lessons and is highly recommended for conveying the central ideas in such a way that it actively promotes the development of the spiritual intuition.

October 2008

Chinese Face Reading Barbara Finch will discuss Chinese face reading is a part of Form analysis, one of the Chinese Five Arts.  There is so much to be read in a person’s face and ears, which make up a map of the person’s life.  You can determine a person’s health, wealth, personality, ability to attract a mate, and even get an indication of his/her longevity.  Find out what you can learn about yourself and others just by reading faces!  Bring a mirror so that you can study your own face as we go through the material.

Druidic Tree Wisdom Each tree in the sacred grove of the Druids has its own wisdom.  This wisdom is embodied in the trees themselves and in the ogham.  Gwendolyn Reece will introduce the wisdom of ogham.

Death and After ‘Death‘ is not the opposite of ‘life,’ but one of the phases of living—a change from one to another, phases following each other in a cycle of living and learning.  Julia Rogers will discuss this most important topic.

Symbols of Transcendence and Yoga With Jyotir Vakyananda and Abhipadananda. One of the commonalities between all paths of yoga is the key role of ‘symbol’ in bringing the contents of the subconscious mind into the light of consciousness.  This is a critical step in the practice of yoga. The swamis will discuss this use of symbols in the context of major life transitions.

November 2008

Living the Higher Life What are the principles involved in living the higher life and what are the difficulties students encounter in trying to apply these principles to their daily lives? How do we overcome our habitual, evil propensities and strengthen our noble qualities thereby helping to uplift our families, our nation and humanity as a whole?  Longtime student of Theosophy, Tuncay Dantzler, will share her insight with us.

Self-Knowledge in the Light of Theosophy: Introduction Part one of a series.  Julia Rogers, a long-time student of Theosophy, will begin a six month series of talks, beginning with Who We Are, Why We are Here, and Where We are Going.

Druidic Tree Wisdom, Part II Each tree in the sacred grove of the Druids has its own wisdom.  This wisdom is embodied in the trees themselves and in the ogham.  Gwendolyn Reece will finish taking us on a tour of the sacred grove.

December 2008

The Pursuit of Happiness Be happy and you will be good.  Was Krishnamurti mixed up about the old saying or stating a profound truth?  Julia Rogers presents a Theosophical understanding of happiness and how it differs from pleasure.

Moses: A Theosophical Interpretation Dupree Davenport, a long-time student of Theosophy, will discuss the life and teachings of the Old Testament patriarch in light of the wisdom of Theosophical teachings.

Managing your Energy for a Balanced Life In time for the holidays and New Year’s resolutions, Gwendolyn Reece will address practical theories and strategies for managing your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energies for a healthy and balanced life.

Self Knowledge in the Light of Theosophy: Involution and Evolution The Big Picture: We ARE the prodigal son.  Julia Rogers continues her series, focusing on Theosophical principles as an aid in spiritual growth.  Perhaps “be ye perfect” does not mean what you may have thought.