At our study meetings we have been studying Dr Annie Besant’s ‘The Ancient Wisdom’ on the second Wednesdays of the month, at 7.30 p.m. in the Basement Meeting Room. BCVS, 25 Sunbridge Road, Bradford BD1 2AY.  The meetings for the rest of the year are on 12^th Oct. and 14^th Dec.  It would be lovely if you could join us.  Note: there will NOT be a meeting in November.

A word from the Lodge President

From what members are saying, the bi-monthly meetings at 66 Kirkgate, Shipley, are appreciated and enjoyed.  I feel it is a good opportunity for members to bond as a group, as well as a chance to learn.  So far we have covered astrology, numerology, the interpretation of dreams and the seven rays.  The possibilities for future meetings are an exciting challenge!  Suggestions for topics are welcome, as are people volunteering to lead a particular subject.  You do not need to know anything about a subject beforehand, but need a willingness to do some research.  No one is pretending that these sessions are anything other than introductory; so far at least.  Also, no one will be pressurised into doing a presentation, so relax if you do not feel able or willing; these afternoons are supposed to be enjoyable!

The subjects so far, and for the foreseeable future, have a lot to do with learning more about ourselves, so that we can develop and also see what we need to work on, and learning about other people, so that we can understand them better and perhaps be more patient, sympathetic, etc.  This is very much the practical side of being a theosophist and would come under what is called the Heart Doctrine, as it involves the development of Love, compassion and devotion.

The other approach is that of the Eye Doctrine, which involves the attainment of wisdom through knowledge.  Some people decry the study of books and it is true that all head-learning would be too much, we need some kind of balance between the two Doctrines, depending on where we are at – which as personalities we probably don’t know!  However, as students of Theosophy we do need to delve into esoteric philosophy and the actual study of theosophical books is part of the training that leads naturally to spiritual awakenings, as well as the acquiring of knowledge from their contents.

MAN is fundamentally beautiful and perfect, but is a fragment of divinity.  It is because he does not realise his wonderful nature that he allows himself to be led astray by his passions, his ambitions, by the selfish and evil forces in the world.  He is a slave to the senses of his lower self, because he is not yet awake as a soul.  The eternal danger which threatens man's happiness is self-absorption; let a man but turn outwards to dedicate himself to a noble, unselfish work, and then he breaks away the chains which bind and imprison divinity.

THE supreme fact we must learn to understand is that man is not just a creature of flesh and bone, of many evil passions and emotions and a few virtues; there exists in him a spirit, tender and beautiful, waiting for release.

EVERY karmic difficulty, every pain and trouble, is not intended merely to "pay a debt to karma"' to restore the universal equilibrium which has been disturbed by our actions, but all of them have also the purpose of drawing out of us the divine within us.