NATIONAL CAPITAL LODGE 2018 PROGRAM
Members’ Meeting: 11 PM
Public Meeting: 12 PM
January
January 6 O Hidden Life
Cancelled Due to Inclement Weather
January 13 The Necessity for Reincarnation
Reincarnation, a central concept in theosophy, postulates that after the death of the body, the consciousness that was animating a person returns to live in a new human body to continue its journey in the cycle of birth and re-birth. During this session, we will read and discuss an article by William Judge, one of founders of the Theosophical Society. Printed copies will be available. Those who prefer to read in advance can find the text at:
http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/reincar/re-wqj.htm
January 20 O Hidden Life
This Universal Invocation, also known as Universal Prayer, was written in 1923 by Annie Besant, then president of the Theosophical Society. Even though invocations have been used by every civilization from time immemorial, the “O, Hidden Life” verses were given to theosophists to be passed on to generations to come, especially in times of great hardships. We will explore together the content and meaning of this great invocation.
January 27 The Three Objects
Theosophy encourages complete liberty of thought and its students can belong to any spiritual tradition or none. The only requirement for membership in the Theosophical Society is resonance with its Three Objects. We will explore these Three Objects, their inter-relationship and ability to be interpreted on many different levels.
February
February 3 Progress in the Struggle against Global Poverty: Is Victory in Sight?
The community of nations has set a target date of 2030 for the elimination of abject poverty in the world. Substantial progress is being made, but serious obstacles remain in some nations. In this presentation, Bill Katzenstein will provide a history of the problems of dire poverty and lack of development in poor countries. Efforts to improve the livelihoods of the poorest of the poor, major successes to date, and related issues and problems will be elaborated.
February 10 Elementals Part I
We humans are one of seven life-waves (“kingdoms”) active on earth. We know a little about the material three: animal, plant (e.g., microbes) and mineral (e.g., weather) — and prosper in proportion to our knowledge. We know almost nothing about the immaterial three, the elemental kingdoms, and sometimes suffer accordingly. Come and learn about the theosophical point of view on elementals presented by Julia Rogers.
February 17 Elementals Part II
A further discussion on the elemental kingdoms as part of our earth’s “involving” life waves.
February 24 Pablo Sender: Enlightenment! Sudden or Gradual? Video Program
When we speak of “enlightenment,” what may come to mind is the image of a light bulb within us suddenly switching on, illuminating the darkness of our delusions with the all-pervading light of wisdom. This experience happens suddenly and with a sense of great surprise and wonder. But does enlightenment always occur suddenly? Is there a gradual process of spiritual unfolding that comes about as a result of cultivating a path of training?
March
March 3 The Baha’i Faith and World Peace
Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá’í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of humanity. The Baha’i community also considers universal peach the supreme goal of all mankind and is confident in the advent of international peace as the next stage in the evolutions of humanity. Mr. Vasu Mohan will join us to discuss how this vision has persisted throughout the ages and why the Baha’is believe it is at long last within the reach of the nations.
March 17 Altruism in Theosophy
Theosophical teachings stress the importance of altruism. Join us for a roundtable discussion of the basis for altruism, its role, and issues that can arise from its application.
March 24 Chakras
Chakra, an old Sanskrit word that literally translates as “wheel” or “circle”, is believed to be a psychic-energy center in the human body in the esoteric traditions of Indian religions. With this talk, Susanne Hoepfl-Wellenhofer will discuss the differences between the Eastern and Western systems and the role of the Theosophical movement in bringing this knowledge to us. She will explore the meaning of the seven basic chakras, the positive and negative archetypes associated with each one of them, their demons and different ways to stimulate the chakras.
March 31 Closed for Easter
April
April 7 Sacrifice: A Spiritual and Philosophical Exploration concerning Sacrifices to the Gods
Offering of food, objects or the lives of animals to a higher purpose has been a part of human religious practices for thousands and thousands of years. Sacrifice to the Gods is at the core of ancient Hellenic religion. This talk considers the meaning of sacrifice, the forms and specific practices from within Hellenic religion. We will also consider how a regular practice of sacrifices can be developed within a contemporary context.
April 14 Francis Bacon on Adversity and Anger
One of the leading figures in natural philosophy and scientific methodology in the period of transition from the Renaissance to the early modern era, Francis Bacon (1561–1626) wrote on questions of religion, society and ethics. Famous for his brief essays written in aphoristic style, he challenged his contemporaries to explore old topics through a new lens. During this discussion, we will discuss two short essays on Adversity and Anger.
April 21 Goals and Aspirations from the Secret Doctrine’s View Point
We all set personal goals, which are usually objective, measurable and reachable with sufficient effort and perseverance. We also hope to achieve subjective and intangible results, which we call aspirations and usually tie to our higher ideals. Our guest speaker from the ULT will explore how we could approach these two closely connected concepts with the Secret Doctrine in mind.
April 28 Book Club: Magic: White and Black by Dr. Franz Hartmann
This inspiring book covers fundamental elements of Magic and its philosophy and purpose. We also learn that spiritual powers must be developed before they can be exercised and what conditions are necessary for their development. A free copy can be downloaded at: http://blavatskyarchives.com/theosophypdfs/hartmann_magic_black_and_white.pdf
May
May 5 The Tao — the Way — and Taoism
The deeply mystical Tao Te King is a fundamental text of the Chinese mystical tradition. Julia Rogers will discuss it in the light of Theosophy, showing similarities to the essential concepts of many religions.
May 12 Harnessing Thought Power to Change Our World
Round table discussion on how expectations and thought forms guide our personal lives and society as a whole. Be prepared to share what you have learned from Theosophy over the years as well as personal observations, contemplations, speculations and beliefs.
May 19 Orpheus and His Teachings
Nowadays Orpheus is considered a legendary musician, poet and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. Yet, his mysteries and teachings predate Classical Greece and originated in ancient Thrace. According to Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, his teachings resemble more those of India than Greece. The story of losing his wife Eurydice, descending to the underworld and returning to Earth is an esoteric account of afterlife, reincarnation and purification before the cycle of life and death is complete.
May 26 Closed for Memorial Day
Summer Study
The Bhagavad Gita
We will be studying the Bhagavad Gita for our summer program. Each participant is welcome to choose their own translation. Please be sure to read the assigned chapters prior to the meeting and come prepared to discuss.
June 16 Chapters 1 and 2 (offsite)
June 30 Chapters 3 and 4
July 14 Chapters 5 and 6
July 28 Chapters 7, 8 and 9
Aug 11 Chapters 10, 11 and 12
Aug 25 Chapters 13 and 14
Sept 8 Chapters 15 and 16
Sept 22 Chapters 17 and 18
October
October 6 Cults, The Occult and Theosophy
The prospect of being drawn into a cult is a fear that dissuades many from joining spiritually-oriented groups. Yet many of us yearn for a community of like-minded people to help us along on the path. In our inaugural meeting of the Fall Season, our Lodge will explore this topic as it relates to Theosophy. What is a cult? What are some of its warning signs? Are cults related to the study of occultism? And is the Theosophical Society itself a cult? Join us for a round-table discussion exploring these questions and many of the misperceptions surrounding Theosophy and the Theosophical Society.
October 13 Clairvoyant Investigations into the Structure of Matter
Special Time: 11:30AM-1PM
In this talk, TSA National Speaker and Mid-West Federation President Andy Clewell reviews the detailed clairvoyant observations into subatomic structures by TSA pioneers Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater. The findings from their “occult chemistry” were published prior to corresponding scientific discovery validating the internal structure of atoms, previously unknown elements, the isotope and theories in quantum mechanics and superstring theory. Presented at TS Lodges across the south and as a plenary address at an international conference of Co-Masons, this talk has elicited prolonged discussion and explains why science is so fundamental and important for our spiritual studies.
Andre Clewell joined the Theosophical Society in 1995, is past president of the St. Petersburg FL Lodge, current president of the TS Mid-South Federation, and is a National Speaker. With a Ph.D from Indiana University, he is a widely recognized leader in the field of ecological restoration and gives lectures on ecospirituality, occult chemistry and traditional Theosophical topics. Andy resides near Tallahassee, Florida and is active in the Tallahassee Study Center.
October 20 The Theosophical Seal
The emblem or seal of the Theosophical Society consists of seven elements that represent a unity of meaning. It combines symbols drawn from various religious traditions around the world to express the order of the universe and the spiritual unity of all life. In this experimental workshop we will conduct a meditative exploration of each element of the seal, drawing on our own intuition to tease out and discuss our insights into this important symbol.
October 27 Edgar Cayce
Susanne Hoepfl-Wellenhofer will present on this American psychic and author. Cayce was a member of the Theosophical Society for a short time in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been called the “sleeping prophet” and the “father of holistic medicine,” and is the most-documented psychic of the 20th century.
November
November 3 Means, Motive and Opportunity – The Keys to Change
TSA National Speaker and Board of Directors representative Doug Keene will discuss how the universe speaks to us and offers us opportunities for change. Are we listening and willing to respond positively when a door may open? What are the ingredients that coalesce during this process? How should we bring these experiences to our world? Is there a theosophical perspective? He will describe how these forces have impacted his own life, particularly his decision to live and work in Africa. Some of the challenges and hopes he saw in Lesotho will be presented.
Doug Keene has been a member of TSA since 1980 and currently serves on the TSA Board of Directors, representing the Eastern District. He is a family doctor who has practiced more than 30 years and has an MPH in Global Health. Doug is currently a nursing home medical director and lives with his wife Risa in New Hampshire.
November 10 Introduction to Alchemy in Bollinger Tower – An Architectural Ballet
Join us for a presentation by special guest, Emmy-winning composer Thomas Bramel, on his score for orchestra and chorus Alchemy in Bollinger Tower – An Architectural Ballet. This hour-long ballet in 15 musical movements was inspired by the Tower Carl Jung built near Bollingen, on the shores of Lake Zurich. The ballet is Mr. Bramel’s attempt to express, in the emotional language of music, the rich symbolism of the Tower. Excerpts from the ballet will be played with introductory remarks given by the composer.
November 17 The Evolution of the Soul
We are going to have a roundtable-discussion led by Julia Rogers about the evolution of the soul and reincarnation.
November 24 Closed for Thanksgiving
December
December 1 The Gunas
In Theosophy and other spiritual philosophies, the Gunas are three major qualities or tendencies underlying every particle of matter. These qualities are called sattva (purity, equilibrium), rajas (passion, activity), and tamas (ignorance, inertia) and are present in every particle of creation. John Calvello will present on how variations in their activity manifest the variety in creation.
December 8 Using and Opening the ‘Eye of the Heart’ for the Advancement of Human Brotherhood
In our-days when conflict arises, we often have a rational approach to emotional problems. This approach often bares no fruit nor solves anything. Power often wins over reason. In our society today, it often feels as if the blind are leading the blind. Bulling and lying has become the norm. Human brotherhood seems to be deteriorating as we speak. How can we offset this? In this discussion our speaker will try to pass on a light for an emotional world that he won through a life-long search to understand the relationship between power and love and a resulting life-changing experience.
December 15 Groundhog Day Screening and Round-table Discussion of Karma
Special Start Time: 11:00AM-1PM
The movie “Groundhog Day” has been described as a metaphorical depiction of karma in action. Starring Bill Murray, this engaging tale of a conceited weatherman who requires repeated attempts to get life right will entertain and educate. To be followed by a roundtable discussion.
December 22 Closed for Christmas
December 29 Closed for New Years