Author Archives: Ron

G.I. Gurdjieff: Waking Up from the Sleep of Daily Life

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
November 15, 2:00 PM  • Presented by Richard Smoley, Theosophical Society National Speaker

Am I asleep? Many people have found themselves asking this question. The great spiritual teacher G. I. Gurdjieff said that human beings are actually asleep in day-to-day life, and that we habitually walk around in a low-grade hypnotic stupor. What is the nature of this waking sleep, and what is the way out of it? Gurdjieff’s teaching, which he called the “Fourth Way,” tries to answer these questions.

Continue reading →

Sunday Afternoon Public Program Schedule

Posted on by

November 2020 – January 2021

Here is our complete schedule for November through January. Please check our News page for updates. Each upcoming presentation will be announced there several days in advance, in addition to any time changes, cancellations, etc.

Times: 2:00-3:30 PM Sunday afternoons
Location: Zoom. We presently are meeting via Zoom until further notice due to lock-down restrictions. Please see the individual event entries on our News page for Zoom details.

Continue reading →

Why Study Theosophy?

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
November 8, 2:00 PM  • Group study hosted by Lee Haga

Fundamentals of Theosophy: In our first program of this series, The Portland Lodge of the Theosophical Society offers the first “Fundamentals of Theosophy” program of our Fall 2020 season. This presentation will provide the public with a unique chance to interact with a panel of three Society members as they discuss why they find the ancient, divine wisdom of Theosophy to be a spiritual oasis in a world filled with tensions and divisiveness between many religions.

Continue reading →

Reincarnation

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
March 8, 2:00 PM • Group study hosted by Lee Haga

Fundamentals of Theosophy: Several ancient religions, philosophies, and schools of thought, including Theosophy, accept the concept of Reincarnation as a logical alternative to just having one chance, or life cycle, to “get it right” on the spiritual plane. As expressed in the Third Proposition of Theosophy, each of us, as “sparks” of the Divine, must embark on an obligatory pilgrimage, or journey, through many cycles of incarnations in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Continue reading →

Karma, Reincarnation, and Astrology

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
February 16, 2:00 PM • Presented by Judith Hill

The great American psychic Edgar Cayce stated that we could know something of our past life activities by observing our current life’s “proclivities”. Our natal chart provides an accurate portrait of these proclivities; and thus, provides a window into our previous life attainments, (both negative and positive). Furthermore, ancient astrological traditions abound regarding “karma” as shown in the birth chart. One idea is that we are reborn at a time that best reflects us, and our self-generated karmas. However, we must expand this term “karma” to include five distinct types of cause-and-effect. Continue reading →

Kharma/Dharma // Dharma/Kharma

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
February 2, 2:00 PM • Group Study hosted by Lee Haga

Fundamentals of Theosophy: It can be said that “Kharma” and “dharma” represent two sides of the same “coin.” These two ancient laws are intrinsically linked as the primary, impersonal forces shaping all past, present, and future life cycles. Kharma has often been defined as “fate” and “Dharma” as duty, but these definitions can be sometimes misleading. In Theosophy, Kharma expresses the impartial, scientific law of “cause and effect,” or ” for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction on all of the planes”. Dharma refers to the inner truth of an individual as it unfolds. Please join us as we explore these two profound laws. Continue reading →

Mind, the Great Slayer of the Real

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
January 26, 2:00 PM • Presented by Michael Nagel, MA

HPB says, “The Mind is the great Slayer of the Real. Let the Disciple slay the Slayer.”  Of course, HPB doesn’t mean that we do away with the mind. Rather she suggests a relationship to the mind that does not slay Truth. For if the Real is lost, then the disciple is lost in Maya.

Michael’s presentation will explore how the mind enshrouds reality. The nature of that reality will be pointed to. He will present practical take-home techniques for ‘slaying the slayer’ from such diverse traditions as Patanjali, esotericism, Dzogchen, Gurdjieff, and psychology. A resource list for further study of this essential point for inner development will be shared. Q&A will follow. Continue reading →

The Theosophical View of Man and His Seven Fields

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
January 5, 2:00 PM • Group study hosted by Lee Haga

Fundamentals of Theosophy: Interpenetrating the dense matter of our physical world are other higher fields composed of frequencies. In the same way, man has higher fields composed of these finer grades of matter that permeate his dense physical body or vehicle. Please join us as we discuss man’s seven fields and their conveyances of expression and importance. You will never think the same about your potential impact! Continue reading →

The Cyclic Law of the Universe

Posted on by

Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
December 8, 2:00 PM • Group study hosted by Lee Haga

Fundamentals of Theosophy: This Cyclic Law also includes the Identity with the Oversoul, which states that we are each connected as sparks of the Divine to the Universal Oversoul. As such, every spark, soul, or being must travel through its own specifically designated time span, or cycle, in this world until that spark is “extinguished” and returns to be absorbed into the Oversoul.

Continue reading →