Theosophical Society

## Minneapolis Theosophical Society

Minneapolis Lodge
Now meeting at United Spirit Building, 3204 Como Ave. SE, Minneapolis (651) 414-0545.
contact: Jenny Besant
commcode: adyar@theo.rel

Our lodge is one of the oldest lodges in the country, personally chartered by H.P. Blavatsky and H.S. Olcott in 1887. Our theme for the year is “Other Times, Other Passions.” We host a lecture series open to the general public at United Spirit Building, 3204 Como Ave. SE, Minneapolis (2 blocks west of Hwy 280 on Como Ave.) 7-9 on the second Monday night each month Sept. through June. Refreshment. Free parking. $4, members. $6, non-members. $10, couples & families. We also host a book discussion series 7-pm on the second Monday night each month Sept.. through June at the home of K.H. Steel. (Free) Our film and discussion series is also open to the general public 7-9 pm on the fourth Monday night each month at 3204 Como Ave. SE, Minneapolis. (Free)

About Theosophy
The term “Theosophy” comes from the Greek theosophia, which is composed of two words: theos (“god,” “gods,” or “divine”) and sophia (“wisdom”). Theosophia, therefore, may be translated as the “wisdom of the gods,” “wisdom in things divine,” or “divine wisdom.”

The word “theosophy” was first used in writing during the 3rd to the 6th century of our era by the Alexandrian Neo-Platonic philosophers. They used this term to denote an experiential knowledge that came through spiritual, not intellectual, means. In the course of time, several mystics and spiritual movements in the West (mainly Christian-based) adopted the word “theosophy” in their teachings. Among them we can find Meister Eckhart in the 14th century, Jacob Boehme in the 17th century, and Emanuel Swedenborg in the 18th century, and others. In the last quarter of the 19th century Mme. Blavatsky, Col. Olcott, and a group of like-minded people, founded the Theosophical Society, thus bringing the term back into light again. They claimed the work of the TS was a continuation of previous Theosophists, especially that of the Greek and Alexandrian philosophers.

In the modern Theosophical movement the word “Theosophy” has been used with several different meanings:

a) It is frequently used to describe the body of teachings that were given through Mme. Blavatsky and other Theosophical writers. This body of knowledge is frequently called “modern Theosophy” (with capital T).

b) It is also used to refer to the universal Ancient Wisdom underlying all religions, which can be found at their core when they are stripped of accretions, deletions, and superstitions. This is sometimes referred to as “ancient” or “timeless” theosophy.

These two usages refer to a body of teachings transmitted by different sages, in different parts of the world, and at different times.

c) As we have seen, theosophia refers to a Divine Wisdom, that is, a state of consciousness in which the sage or mystic goes beyond his or her mind and gets a direct, supra-conceptual, perception of Truth. This is the primary meaning of Theosophy.

It is important to notice that the intellectual study and daily practice of Theosophy is only a means to reach the real theosophia, or inner enlightenment. As we become more mindful of this, we open the door to a flash of insight which comes from the part of us that is Divine. The process of becoming more and more receptive to these theosophical insights is the spiritual path.

*Huh. Didn’t think these guys were still around. I mean, we all studied these guys in Pre-Awakening Magical Thought, but I would have figured that their intellectual successors, the Atlantean Society , would have replaced them by now.*
-PracticalJoik

*The Atlanteans have, to be frank, debased the original pure teachings of the theosophia by giving into the superstitions of this Modern Dark Age, this simple primitive belief in ‘magic’. Even so-called ‘scientists’ have fallen for the fallacy that somehow, the basic laws of the universe have changed and now everything is magical? Really? These so-called ‘magical’ abilities are powers that have always resided within this race of humanity but are only now becoming widely known. The Awakening was a change in our viewpoint, not in the basic reality of the universe. Modern ‘Mages’ who have a vested interest in keeping this knowledge secret, have been studying these matters for a mere half-century, as opposed to the two hundred years of intense study that has resulted in Theosophy.*
-Omphalos

*Wait, was that… psionics? They’re psionicists? In the 2070’s? Thought they went out with flatscreen jackets, neo-native hairdos and all the other embarassing fads of the 2030’s? LOL!*
-VisionFist

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