Sunday Afternoon Public Programs
November 5, 2:00 PM  •  Presented by Kurt Leland

Theosophical teachings posit the existence of a parallel evolutionary scheme to that of human beings, populated by nonphysical intelligences that are responsible for the creation and maintenance of life on our planet and its associated nonphysical realms — the deva evolution. The term deva is Sanskrit for “shining one,” and is roughly equivalent to what Westerners call angels. This evolution, which includes nature spirits at the lower end and mighty archangelic beings at the upper end, has exerted a fascination for composers for centuries, challenging them to depict such beings, their nonphysical realms of being, and the states of consciousness associated with them. Come listen to music inspired by nature spirits and devas!

Kurt Leland is a National Lecturer for the Theosophical Society in America. He is also an award-winning composer and the author of eight books. His latest is Rainbow Body: A History of the Western Chakra System from Blavatsky to Brennan, published in November 2016. He has also compiled and annotated Invisible Worlds: Annie Besant on Psychic and Spiritual Development (2013). On September 30 – October 1, 2017, he will co-chair an international conference in London on the life and work of Annie Besant, second International President of the Theosophical Society, in honor of the 170th anniversary of her birth on October 1.