The Theosophy Society - Adyar is the name of a section of the Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875. Its headquarters moved with Blavatsky and president Henry Steel Olcott to Adyar, an area of Chennai in 1883. The designation 'Adyar' is added to clarify that this is the Theosophical Society with headquarters there, after William Quan Judge were separated by Besant and formed his own organization, known as the "Theosophical Society - Pasadena" with its International Headquarters in Pasadena, California.
The presidents of the Theosophical Society - Adyar have included Annie Besant, George Arundale, C. Jinarajadasa, Nilakanta Sri Ram, John Coats and Radha Burnier.
US National Section of this organization is called the Theosophical Society in America located in Wheaton, Illinois.
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H.P. Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge and others founded the Theosophical Society on 17 November 1875 in New York City. The American Section split off with William Quan Judge as its leader. Henry Steel Olcott remained president till his death in 1907.
The Theosophical Society is open to anybody who supports its three objects, regardless of belief, social custom orFounders
H.P. Blavatsky standing behind Henry Steel Olcott (middle seated) and Damodar Mavalankar (seated to his left). Bombay 1881 H.P. Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge and others founded the Theosophical Society on 17 November 1875 in New York City. The American Section split off with William Quan Judge as its leader. Henry Steel Olcott remained president till his death in 1907. [edit]Aims & ideals
To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man. [edit]Monastic / Non-monastic The Theosophical Society is open to anybody who supports its three objects, regardless of belief, social custom or marriage status. Celibacy is neither encouraged nor discouraged, each member being free to decide his/her own way of life. [edit]General philosophical outlook Universal Brotherhood Belief in theory of Karma Belief in Reincarnation There exists a Consciousness (Logos), Universal and Individual Immortality of Man [edit]Spiritual discipline The practice of brotherhood regardless of race, creed, sex, color, or any other difference is recommended. Nothing is mandatory. Members are free to have any or no spiritual practice at all. [edit]Administrative set-up The organization has a highly autonomous setup in that lodges and sections are fully autonomous. The President gets involved in National Section matters only when there is some dispute between them. Otherwise the President does not interfere in the matters of the sections or lodges. The President is nominated by the members of the General Council and then elected by members all over the world. President holds office for seven year period. The Vice-President acts on behalf of the President as necessary and assists him or her in various ways. The Secretary handles worldwide correspondence, maintains records including statistics of the worldwide membership of the Society, its Lodges and Sections, and is responsible for producing an annual report. He/she is also the Secretary of the General Council and the Executive Committee of the Society. This Committee, which meets a number of times each year, implements the decisions of the General Council, and makes financial and administrative decisions relating to the Society's Headquarters. The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Society, and prepares an annual financial report. Locally members are organised in lodges. When a country has at least seven lodges, these can be gathered in a national section. Lodges and sections have a democratic organisation in which chairperson, secretary, treasurer and optional other officers are elected. Similarly officers o marriage status. Celibacy is neither encouraged nor discouraged, each member being free to decide his/her own way of life.
The practice of brotherhood regardless of race, creed, sex, color, or any other difference is recommended. Nothing is mandatory. Members are free to have any or no spiritual practice at all.
The organization has a highly autonomous setup in that lodges and sections are fully autonomous. The President gets involved in National Section matters only when there is some dispute between them. Otherwise the President does not interfere in the matters of the sections or lodges. The President is nominated by the members of the General Council and then elected by members all over the world. President holds office for seven year period. The Vice-President acts on behalf of the President as necessary and assists him or her in various ways. The Secretary handles worldwide correspondence, maintains records including statistics of the worldwide membership of the Society, its Lodges and Sections, and is responsible for producing an annual report. He/she is also the Secretary of the General Council and the Executive Committee of the Society. This Committee, which meets a number of times each year, implements the decisions of the General Council, and makes financial and administrative decisions relating to the Society's Headquarters. The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Society, and prepares an annual financial report.
Locally members are organised in lodges. When a country has at least seven lodges, these can be gathered in a national section. Lodges and sections have a democratic organisation in which chairperson, secretary, treasurer and optional other officers are elected. Similarly officers of the national sections are directly elected by the members of that section in a business meeting.
The Theosophical Society is organised in lodges and national sections. These organise meetings for religious study and lectures. Members individually practice any kind of meditation or other spiritual practice they choose.
Olcott Memorial High School provides free education, uniforms, books, and two daily meals to impoverished rural children in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.[1]
When the Tsunami hit South India and many of the people living near the Adyar-compound were affected, the Theosophical Society, through the Theosophical Order of Service, helped them survive and later helped (and is still helping) to reclaim their lives. Similar activities were undertaken after the Hurricane that destroyed much of New Orleans in 2005.
The influence of the Theosophical Society has been major, especially considering its small size. The new age movement involves many of its main characteristics especially holism and eclecticism. In Modern Art Kandinsky and Mondriaan are both famous and both were influenced by theosophy.
The leadership of the Theosophical Society at Adyar was responsible for promoting young Jiddu Krishnamurti as the new "World Teacher" during the first few decades of the 20th century. Charles Webster Leadbeater, one of the Society's leaders at the time, had "discovered" fourteen-year-old Krishnamurti in 1909, and considered him the likely "vehicle" for the expected reappearance of the Maitreya. However, as a young man in 1929, Krishnamurti disavowed his expected "mission" and disassociated himself from the Theosophical Society and its doctrines and practices. Over the next six decades he pursued an independent course, becoming widely known as an original, influential thinker and speaker on philosophical and religious subjects.[2]
It is remarkable that many members of the Theosophical Society are ardent students of his philosophy.
| Part of a series on |
| Theosophy |
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| Founders of the T. S. |
| Helena Blavatsky · Henry Steel Olcott William Quan Judge |
| Theosophists |
| Annie Besant · Abner Doubleday Geoffrey Hodson · Archibald Keightley C.W. Leadbeater · G. R. S. Mead Isabel Cooper-Oakley · William Scott-Elliot Alfred Percy Sinnett · Brian Stonehouse · Katherine Tingley Ernest Wood |
| Philosophical concepts |
| Round · Initiation |
| Organisations |
| Theosophical Society TS Adyar · TS Pasadena TS Point Loma-Covina · TSA Hargrove United Lodge of Theosophists |
| Theosophical texts |
| Isis Unveiled · The Key to Theosophy The Secret Doctrine The Voice of the Silence More... |
| Theosophical Masters |
| Sanat Kumara · Maitreya Manu · Djwal Khul · Morya Kuthumi · Paul the Venetian Serapis Bey · Master Hilarion Master Jesus · Master Rakoczi |
| Related topics |
| Agni Yoga · Alice Bailey · Anthroposophy Ascended Master Teachings Benjamin Creme · Esotericism Jiddu Krishnamurti · Liberal Catholic Church Living Ethics · Neo-Theosophy Order of the Star in the East |
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