PROGRAM 2021
January 2nd, 2021 – This meeting will not be recorded
12PM Roundtable-discussion: How is Theosophy helping you manage the current challenges or has helped you to manage other crises?
Join our first public meeting in 2021 where all participants are invited to share their own personal experience on how Theosophy is helping them through challenging times.
1PM Esoteric School of Theosophy – Information Session
Do you have questions about the Esoteric School of Theosophy? Please join us for a half-hour question-and-answer session immediately following our public program on the purpose, qualifications and application process for membership in the EST.
Januar 9th, 2021
The Astral Light with Susanne Hoepfl-Wellenhofer
Astral Light is a term used by the French occultist Eliphas Levi to refer to the medium of all light, energy and movement. In his view the astral light was a fluidic life force that fills all space and living beings. H.P.B. adopted the term and used it in her writings. The Astral Realm is a non-physical dimension of existence; this sphere is made of astral matter, a subtle form of matter which is said to be translucent and radiant. Join us for a presentation about this important principle in Theosophical teachings.
January 16th, 2021
Recent Contributors to Theosophical Perspectives with Veronica Boutte
From Shankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta to the second decade of the 21st Century, we will watch samples of how several philosophers, scholars, and authors are introducing new modes of understanding the basic tenets of Theosophy.
January 23rd, 2021
The five Levels of Consciousness by Jean Gebser with author Jeremy Johnson
Jean Gebser mapped the mutating structures of human consciousness, the topology of mind from archaic to magic to mystic to mental to integral. His work inspired generations of inquiry. Please join us to find out more about Jean Gebser’s work from author and editor (Revelore Press) Jeremy Johnson whose own books expand into the visionary work of this intellectual mystic. Jeremy Johnson is the President of the International Jean Gebser Society.
January 30th, 2021 – This meeting will not be recorded
Celebrating Julia Rogers: Please join us to celebrate the long life of this remarkable woman who passed away on October 31st, 2020 at the age of 98. She was a second-generation Theosophist, and Theosophical teachings molded her life from an early age. She wore every hat in the Washington DC Lodge and gave over 100 lectures at the Lodge. She was a guiding light for many of us and we invite everyone to share their personal experiences with Julia.
February 6th, 2021
Seven Ways to Become Your Higher Self with Sue Prescott from the Seattle Lodge
Spiritual teachers and gurus emphasize getting in touch and becoming one with our Higher Self. How is this done? What actions are taken to complete this? From the many guidelines that have been taught, the top seven practical steps will be discussed that teach us to purify ourselves and tune our vehicles of consciousness—the mind, heart and body—to become one with the consciousness of the Divine Self. Join Sue Prescott as she explores the teaching stories and the guidance from spiritual traditions around the world that show us how to become effective channels for the Divine energy from our inner Spiritual Self.
February 13, 2021
God, Evil, and the Occult Philosophy with Ed Abdill, national speaker of the TS
What do the Masters have to say about God, evil, and the occult philosophy? What the adepts have to say about these questions may shock some, but if we carefully consider what they have to say, we may replace false beliefs with facts, and be the better for it.
February 20, 2021
Implications of Theosophy and the Evolutionary Path for Society with Gwendolyn Reece
The first aim of the Theosophical Society is to form a nucleus of the universal “brotherhood” of humanity without any distinction of race, sex, caste, color or creed. Theosophy includes a path for world-engaged mystics and gives an implicit charge to Theosophists to do their work in such a way that it can help give birth to a global society built on a new pattern. Gwendolyn Reece, a Theosophist, Pagan Priestess, and activist discusses the implications of major Theosophical ideas for the way we should thrive to rebuild human societies.
February 27th, 2021
Keys and Gates: Virtues for living from The Voice of the Silence with Betty Bland, national speaker of the TS
Theosophical teachings provide helpful advice for living more fulfilling lives. In The Voice of the Silence we find the Paramitas, or virtues, which provide signposts and keys for resolving the human predicament. As we stumble through the difficulties of life, we become our own jailers, tangled in our emotions and difficulties; however, we can open our eyes to the gates and use the keys for our freedom.
March 6th, 2021
An Exploration of the seven principles of The Human Being with Ed Moskowitz from the Olcott Lodge
Please join us for a presentation with Ed Moskowitz that will include activities to experience the seven principles that comprise the Human Being (that means you).
March 13th, 2021
Ethics in the Age of Greed: Finding One’s Way in a Morass of Immorality with Doug Keene, national speaker of the TS
How can we understand ethics in the modern world? Are ethics fixed or adaptable to time, place and circumstance? We will begin this talk by reviewing classical ethical theory and contrasting approaches to ethical challenges. Then we will consider an overview of Buddhist ethics followed by a look at ethics in Hindu literature, especially from the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras. Finally, this will be tied to modern theosophical thinking, particularly regarding comments by HPB as well as later writers.
March 20th, 2021
The Hero with a Thousand Faces with Vladka Shikova
In his 1949 most influential work with the same title, Joseph Campbell explored different mythologies from all over the world and for the first time in Western intellectual history, suggested that all hero stories share a similar mythological basis. Not only did Campbell introduce the concept of the hero’s journey to popular thinking, but he also began to popularize the very idea of comparative mythology itself – the study of the human impulse to create stories and images that, though they are clothed in the motifs of a particular time and place, draw nonetheless on universal, eternal themes.
March 27th, 2021
The Lives of Alcyone with Susan Brown from the Seattle Lodge
Please join us for a talk based on the two-volume set of “The Lives of Alcyone”. This is an account of the last 49 lives of Krishnamurti as researched by Charles Leadbeater and Annie Besant. They were first published as a series of articles entitled “Rents in the Veil of Time” in “The Theosophist” of April 1910. This series links together many lives of persons in consecutive order, throwing light on the workings of reincarnation and karma.
April 3rd, 2021 – CLOSED FOR EASTER
April 10th, 2021 – This meeting will not be recorded
Roundtable-Discussion: Theosophy speaks of the doctrine of the root races. These races are whole epochs of history in which the whole of humanity partakes. According to H. P. Blavatsky’s magnum opus The Secret Doctrine we are presently in the fourth round of our planetary chain, and we are in the fifth race of that round. It is our task, and the task of coming generations, to build the sixth, coming race. Please read the following article by Seymour Ginsburg “The Task of Becoming a Sixth Race Man” before our meetings to be prepared for a discussion: https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/2394-the-task-of-becoming-sixth-race-man
The article from 1988 Ginsburg mentions in this article is attached (see below) for those who are interested.
April 17th, 2021
The Philosophy of Plato with Phil White
Plato, a student of Socrates, was an Athenian aristocrat who was born during the 5th century BCE. The writings of Plato, while influenced by Socrates, were also heavily influenced by the Orphic Cults, the Eleusinian Mysteries, and especially the Pythagoreans. One of the key ideas from Plato and Pythagoras is that the world of symbols, also called Plato’s forms, is somehow more important than most would think. We will explore the ideas behind Plato’s philosophy, specifically Plato’s forms, and their relationship to theosophy and metaphysics.
April 24th, 2021
The Sons of Fire and Spiritual Experience with Adrienne Black
Spiritual Experience shimmering within realms of Cosmological Light, unveils the myriad transcendental spheres and harmonies. Whilst the Journey unfolds, countless Wonders of Infinite Being, within and around us, reveal breathtaking complexities simplified by Love, Wisdom and Surrender. Emanuel Swedenborg’s sojourn and embrace of the Divine is an expose on what it means to be a Spiritual Being in the Here and Now, recognizing the Breadth of the Unfathomable Self in the Fullness of Forever.
May 1st, 2021
The Square and the Compass–Masonic Tools to Live By with Sue Prescott from the Seattle Lodge
The origins of Freemasonry go back into antiquity. The principles not only include a moral code of living but also a mystical component for inner spiritual development. Join Sue Prescott, a 3rd Degree Mason, as she explores the meaning of the Masonic symbols and rituals, which have relevance in our lives today.
May 8th, 2021 – This meeting will not be recorded
Roundtable discussion: We can find Theosophical principles in everyday life but also in literature. What pieces of literature have you read in which you saw Theosophical themes? How did this affect you? Please join us and share your personal experience and thoughts with all participants.
May 15th, 2021
Max Heindel with Susanne Hoepfl-Wellenhofer
Please join us for a presentation about Max Heindel, a Danish-American Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He is the founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship and the author of several books spreading the teachings of Esoteric Christianity. He was a member of the Theosophical Society from 1904-1905.
May 22th, 2021
Movie and discussion: The Return of the Hero with Betty Bland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zQp8k8_13I) The speaker suggests that heroism may be found wherever and whenever any one of us is willing to be of service to others in times of need.
May 29th, 2021 – CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
SUMMER STUDY
The Kabbalah
A Study Course by Richard Smoley
If you would like to participate please send an email to
DCLodgeTS@gmail.com
and we will send you a copy of the course
Please be sure to read the assigned lessons prior to the meetings and attend prepared to discuss. We meet on the Saturdays indicated below from 12:00 till 1:00 pm. We are discussing the Secret Doctrine, volume II on the same Saturdays from 11:00 until 11:50 am. If you would like to attend those session please let us know via email (DCLodgeTS@gmail.com).
June 12th Lessons 1 + 2
June 26th Lesson 3
July 10th Lesson 4
July 24th Lesson 5
August 7th Lessons 6 + 7
August 21th Lesson 8
September 11th Lessons 9 + 10
September 18th Lesson 11
September 25th Lesson 12
October 2nd, 2021
“Ask me Anything” with Richard Smoley
Richard Smoley, editor of the Quest magazine, national speaker and author of numerous books will be our guest for an impromptu Q&A session, also referred to online as “Ask Me Anything” (AMA). Participants are requested to bring questions about Theosophy, Spirituality, Science, or Social Issues reflecting current trends or ancient wisdom. Please note:
- Only one question per participant.
- Make sure your question is clear, succinct and articulated in one sentence.
This should be a fun exercise for both speaker and questioners!
October 9th, 2021
The Mystery of Motion with Luke Ironside
The Secret Doctrine postulates motion as one of the Absolute, Parabrahman. Motion pervades every aspect of existence – being rooted at the heart of all life and consciousness in the Cosmos. In Theosophical terminology, this is represented by the Great Breath – the eternal and ceaseless motion of the one Absolute Reality in its perpetual cycles of activity and rest known as the “Days and Nights of Brahma.” This talk will examine the seeming paradox of Motion within Absoluteness through an exploration of Madame Blavatsky’s own comments on the topic.
October 16th, 2021
Plato’s Apology: A Theosophical Consideration with Gwendolyn Reece
Socrates was literally considered a hero (was revered in hero cult) for his practice of philosophy and founding a new philosophical method. However, he was condemned to die by Athenian democracy and lawfully executed, giving him the status of a martyr for philosophy. Plato’s Apology describes the self-defense of Socrates and reveals a tremendous amount about what it means to live a life devoted to the love of wisdom. Gwendolyn Reece will discuss what this text reveals to us from a Theosophical perspective.
October 23rd, 2021
Roundtable discussion with Veronica Boutte:
UNDERSTANDING THE UPANISHADS WITH DEBASHISH BANERJI
Dr. Debashish Banerji is Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and Chairman of the East West Psychology Department at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is the author of Seven Quartets of Becoming: A Transformative Yoga among many other books about Sri Aurobindo and Integral Yoga. From 1991 to 2005, Banerji served as the president of the East-West Cultural Center in Los Angeles, one of the earliest institutions in the U.S. to introduce a scholarly and cultural perspective on Indian spirituality and the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and his collaborator Mirra Alfassa (The Mother).
In preparation for our conversation, you should watch the following video in its entirety (43 minutes). I think that you will find it not only informative, but very revealing of the meaning of the Upanishadic scriptures to the demands of our time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzpfxuqLo-I
October 30th, 2021
“On the Progress of Humanity: Towards a World Free of Poverty” with Bill Katzenstein
“The international community a decade ago set a goal of eliminating abject poverty throughout the world by 2030. Substantial gains have been achieved towards this end. In this presentation, the methods and scope of global development assistance will be reviewed, and ongoing progress detailed. Current challenges including the impact of Covid will be discussed and an outlook ventured.
November 6th, 2021
Becoming and the Affirmation of Self-Consciousness in Hegel’s Phenomenology with Adrienne Black
Please join us for a brief introduction to some of the terms and concepts employed in Hegel’s Phenomenology and his Science of Logic. Terms, such as Sense-Certainty, Perception, Self-Actualization, Being and Nothingness are discussed as the initial dialectical movement and the discernment of Absolute Spirit as it uncovers Itself as the ‘All That Is’.
November 13th, 2021
When Do We Open to Oneness with Danelys Valcarcel
The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875, is a worldwide movement whose primary object is to promote Universal Brotherhood based on the realization that Life, in all its diverse manifested forms, visible and invisible, human and non-human, is indivisibly One. The essence of Theosophy itself is this fundamental Oneness. This presentation suggests some practical means by which you can best apply this knowledge to illumine our lives and strengthen our own individual paths toward true spirituality.
November 20th, 2021
“Ask me Anything” with Pablo Sender
Pablo Sender, international speaker and author of two books will be our guest for an impromptu Q&A session, also referred to online as “Ask Me Anything” (AMA). Participants are requested to bring questions about Theosophy, Spirituality, Science, or Social Issues reflecting current trends or ancient wisdom. Please note:
- Only one question per participant.
- Make sure your question is clear, succinct and articulated in one sentence.
This should be a fun exercise for both speaker and questioners!
November 27th, 2021 Closed for Thanksgiving
December 4th, 2021
“Human Consciousness after Death” with Desiree Scherini-Holmes
Theosophy teaches us that consciousness never ceases, regardless of the physical death of the body. As physical beings we may yet wonder about the experience of past lives and communication between the embodied and disembodied, (as C. W. Leadbeater termed living and dead). This talk will cover some of the current science and investigations into the concept of consciousness and correlations with Theosophical teachings.
December 11th, 2021
The First Object and Gender Identity
The Theosophical Society was one of the first organizations in the Western world to open its doors to all people – regardless of social standing, race, sex, creed or any other distinction. Today we are called to expand and deepen that inclusiveness to include those of all gender identities. What is gender identity? How has it been portrayed
in Theosophy? And how can we better understand and respect the gender experiences of all people? Join us for an overview of this very timely and oft-misunderstood subject.
December 18th, 2021 – Please watch movie before the meeting!
Movie and discussion: Pablo Sender: The Mystic Quest for Divine Darkness: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4tgDZ3wkTM). While the term “darkness” is normally related to the idea of evil, Christian mystics have frequently used it to refer to the highest aspect of God. Coincidentally, the secret Stanzas of Dzyan that Blavatsky published in her masterpiece, The Secret Doctrine, refer to the ultimate reality as the Darkness.” The seemingly paradoxical use of this term is not just an odd poetic license. It has an important meaning, both as a metaphysical concept and as a lodestar in the individual journey toward the Divine.
December 25, 2021: Closed for Christmas