Krot F14 Cover .indd - Krotona Institute of Theosophy

Wisdom’s
Reach
Krotona Institute
School of Theosophy
Fall 2014
46 Krotona St, Ojai CA 93023-3901
Hwy 33/150 at Krotona & Hermosa Rd
805 646-1139, fax 805 646-1144
schoolinfo@krotonainstitute.org
www.krotonaschool.org
Wisdom's Reach
September 19 – 21
Martin Leiderman
The Evolution of Symbolism in Art, Religion
and Occultism ......................................................1
September 23 – 26
Ed Abdill
Masters of Wisdom: The Mahatmas, Their
Letters and the Path............................................2
September 30 – October 3
Dorothy Bell
Working with the Wisdom, a Living Power .....3
October 3 – 5
Robert Ellwood, Richard Ellwood
Religion and Spirituality in the Internet Age ...4
October 7 – 10, 14 – 17
Fernando de Torrijos
The Voice of the Silence: Seven Keys, Seven
Portals ..................................................................5
October 18
Fernando de Torrijos
Silent Mindfulness Meditation Retreat .............5
October 28 – 31
Cynthia Overweg
Hearts of Fire: Women Who Blazed a
Wisdom Path ......................................................6
November 1 – 2
Cynthia Overweg
When Silence Speaks: Opening to Our Inner
Wisdom Retreat...................................................7
November 4 – 7
Elena Dovalsantos
The Secret Doctrine ............................................8
Noviembre 14 – 16
Rodolfo Garbalosa, Gaspar Torres
Repercusión de las Ideas Teosóficas en las
Grandes Religiones ............................................9
KROTONA INSTITUTE OF THEOSOPHY
Linda Oliveira, President
Guru Prasad, Executive Vice President
Maria Parisen, Director, Krotona School of Theosophy
Class Recordings Fall 2014
(Request Audio-Recording list for previous classes.)
Evolution of Symbolism in Art, Religion and
Occultism, 1415 ................................................................... $28
Masters of Wisdom: The Mahatmas, Their Letters and
the Path, 1416........................................................................ $28
Working with the Wisdom, a Living Power, 1417 ................ $28
The Voice of the Silence: Seven Keys,
Seven Portals, 1419 .............................................................. $50
Hearts of Fire: Women Who Blazed a Wisdom Path, 1421 .. $28
Repercusión de las Ideas Teosóficas en las Grandes
Religiones, 1424 .................................................................. $28
Total CD cost
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1-4 sessions:
$4
$7
5-10 sessions:
$5
$9
11-20 sessions:
$6
$11
More than 20:
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Krotona School of Theosophy
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1415
Martin Leiderman
Weekend Seminar
The Evolution of Symbolism in Art,
Religion and Occultism
September 19 – 21
Friday eve 7:30 – 9, Saturday 10 – noon, 2 – 4 pm
Sunday 10 – noon
In The Secret Doctrine, Helena Blavatsky traces the progression of symbols which describe the universe from its emergence to its present metaphysical and physical state. These
symbols represent the Platonic Ideas, Archetypes or Forms
necessary for the universe to manifest itself from its state of
rest. They also represent the laws of nature, forces, divine
beings, virtues and fields of consciousness. Throughout
history, artists, seers and scientists have expressed their
visions and insights through such symbols. This class
will explore various aspects of symbol language and
how theosophical ideas and principles influenced artists
like Kandinsky, Mondrian, Delville, the architect-designer
Bragdon and many others.
Weekend $35, Single Session $10
Martin Leiderman, an industrial engineer by profession, is
a founding member of the West Los Angeles Theosophical
Study Center and serves on Krotona’s Board of Directors.
He guides programs internationally for the Theosophical
Society in the areas of theosophy, symbology, and
philosophy. His classes combine beautiful illustrations and
comparative study with lively discussion.
About Krotona School of Theosophy
Since 1967, the Krotona School has helped
students deepen their understanding of the Ageless
Wisdom. The School emphasizes education for
spiritual renewal so students may orient themselves
to eternal truths in a changing world.
As an integral part of the Krotona Institute, the
School supports the work of the Theosophical
Society and its three objects that encourage: 1)
the unity of all people; 2) studies in comparative
religion, philosophy, and science; and 3)
investigation of unexplained laws of nature and the
spiritual powers latent in humanity.
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Ed Abdill
Four Mornings
1416
Masters of Wisdom: The Mahatmas,
Their Letters and the Path
September 23 – 26
Tuesday – Friday 10 – noon
This course draws on the Mahatma Letters to bring the
Masters to life, shattering the misconceptions about them
by allowing them to speak from their letters to say who they
are and what differentiates them from the average person.
We will highlight some of their most important teachings,
including their views on death and reincarnation, karma,
science, the path to adeptship, and more. Most importantly,
we will make it clear that the central purpose of their work
is far more profound than most people can imagine.
Series $35, Single Session $10
Ed Abdill is past director and vice president of the
Theosophical Society in America. He has presented
internationally for the Society, contributed to its journals,
and has been featured in the Society’s coursework used
by theosophical centers worldwide. He authored The
Secret Gateway: Modern Theosophy and the Ancient
Wisdom Tradition and Masters of Wisdom: The Mahatmas,
Their Letters, and the Path to be released in 2015 by
Tarcher-Penguin.
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Dorothy Bell
Four Mornings
1417
Working with the Wisdom, a Living
Power
September 30 – October 3
Tuesday – Friday 10 – noon
In 1890, Helena Blavatsky ended her message to the
Americans,“May Theosophy grow more and more a living
power in the lives of each one of our members.” This
class will explore how the daily operation of a Theosophical
worldview – a new mind for a new world – may work
in this sacred journey of spiritual empowerment. We
will experiment with how theoretical knowledge may be
transmuted into “real perception and direct experience”
of the hidden, living Reality (Taimni); and look at how
this new mind may relate to Annie Besant’s vision of a
new civilization.
Series $35, Single Session $10
Dorothy Bell, BA, MEd is a Fulbright Scholar in professional development of teachers and a trained counselor.
A past member of the Australian TS national executive
committee and education unit, she has presented theosophical programs and published articles internationally. Her
special interest is spiritual psychology and experimenting
with ways of building the bridge ‘from there to here’ in
becoming who we already are.
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Robert Ellwood, Richard Ellwood
Weekend Seminar
1418
Infinite Information, Worlds Without
End: Religion and Spirituality in the
Internet Age
October 3 – 5
Friday eve 7:30 – 9, Saturday 10 – noon, 2 – 4 pm
Sunday 10 – noon
This course will survey the great changes, and potentially
even greater changes, the Internet is making in religious
and spiritual practice and consciousness. We will observe
the screen as a source of information about groups and
their teachings, the home of religious blogs and chat rooms,
online proselytizing, and a range of examples of actual religious practice online. Finally, we will consider what might
be called cyber-apocalyptic, the idea that the Internet is
profoundly changing our way of thinking about philosophy
and spirituality, leading to world-changing future developments such as the technological linking of all minds into an
almost infinite cosmic consciousness.
Weekend $35, Single Session $10
Robert Ellwood, PhD, is emeritus professor of religion at
the University of Southern California. He has served as
vice president of the Theosophical Society in America and
as director of the School of the Wisdom at the TS international headquarters in Chennai, India. Dr Ellwood has
published widely both professionally and in the Society’s
journals and has authored books on comparative religion
and theosophy. His newly published textbook, Introducing
Religion: Religious Studies for the Twenty-First Century,
is in its fourth edition.
Richard Ellwood, the son of Robert Ellwood, is a graduate
of Happy Valley School (now Besant Hill) in Ojai and a
former resident of Krotona. After working as a computer
technician for the Theosophical Society at its Wheaton,
Illinois headquarters, he returned to join the staff of Besant
Hill School, where he is now director of technology. He
also assists with a theosophical study group for Besant Hill
students which meets at Krotona.
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Fernando de Torrijos
Eight Weekday Mornings
1419
The Voice of the Silence: Seven Keys,
Seven Portals
October 7 – 10, 14 – 17
Tuesday – Friday 10 – noon
This year is the 125th anniversary of The Voice of the
Silence. Helena Blavatsky compiled this poetic book of
selected passages out of concern that many students were
not ready to explore the mysteries of the esoteric traditions. “Each candidate needs to understand that to walk
this path a purity of body, and a still greater purity of mind,
heart, and spirit are needed.” We will gather to renew our
commitment to awake, study and put into practice those
instructions extracted by HPB from The Book of the Golden
Precepts mastered by the Bodhisattvas of Compassion.
Recommended reading: The Voice of the Silence (HP
Blavatsky) and The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Shantideva).
Series $60, Single Session $10
Fernando de Torrijos
Saturday Retreat
1420
Silent Mindfulness Meditation Retreat
October 18
Saturday, 9:30 am – 5 pm
Today is going to be that perfect day in which you are inviting yourself to STOP, BREATHE AND RELAX, to explore
the meaning of being human, the meaning of being alive, in
silence, in the company of others. The structure of today’s
retreat is similar to those Fernando has taught for over 20
years, for patients and health professionals interested in the
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program designed
in 1979 by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn. We will practice traditional
forms of mindfulness meditation with other meditations for
cultivating forgiveness, equanimity, and loving-kindness.
Offered only as a full day. A box lunch is provided,
or participants may bring their own vegetarian lunch.
Refreshments are offered mid-morning and afternoon.
Bring comfortable clothing, a mat or blanket to lie on the
floor, and a meditation cushion if you have one.
Retreat $35 + $12 box lunch.
Pre-registration required.
Fernando A de Torrijos, See page 6 for biographical
information.
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Fernando A de Torrijos, former director and teacher
of mindfulness-based programs at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness
and the Department of Psychiatry, continues to provide
these teachings as a consultant to institutions, health
professionals, and educators. He is a former director of
the Theosophical Society in America, has worked at the
international headquarters of the Society in Chennai, India,
and presents workshops and seminars internationally.
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Four Mornings
Cynthia Overweg
Hearts of Fire: Women Who Blazed
a Wisdom Path
October 28 – 31
Tuesday – Friday 10 – noon
The search for a deeper understanding of who we are,
where we come from, and where we are going are perennial
questions at the center of human existence. They activate
our spiritual inquiry and help us realize how much we don’t
know. Together, we’ll explore the longing for answers and
how it captivated the hearts of three remarkable women:
Mary Magdalene, wrongly cast as a repentant harlot, but
also as “the Apostle to the Apostles”; Sufi mystic and
former slave, Rabi’a al-Adawiyya, who wrote ecstatic
poetry 500 years before Rumi; and Yeshe Tsogyal, a
revered yogini who helped bring Buddhism to Tibet. They
were trail blazers who overcame tremendous obstacles, and
gave us a spiritual legacy which burns like a fire that never
goes out.
Series $35 Single Session $10
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1422
Weekend Retreat
Cynthia Overweg
When Silence Speaks: Opening to
Our Inner Wisdom
November 1 – 2
Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday 10 – noon
The stress, turbulence and violence of the world can be
overwhelming. We long for a place to retreat and feel
refreshed by a sense of beauty and quiet. But how do we
find the peace we long for? Where is that quiet space we
need? In our weekend retreat, we’ll explore quietude,
gratitude, and inner harmony inspired by the wisdom of
Teresa of Avila, Ramana Maharshi and The Voice of the
Silence by HP Blavatsky. We’ll gather in a communion of
Stillness, active listening, and exchange with ample time
for solitude and reflection as we move deeper into the silent
mystery within.
Offered only as a weekend. A box lunch is provided for
Saturday, or participants may bring their own vegetarian
lunch. Refreshments are offered mid-morning and afternoon
Retreat $35 + $12 box lunch.
Pre-registration required.
Cynthia Overweg is a spiritual storyteller, writer, educator
and documentary filmmaker. For many years, she has
studied the works of HP Blavatsky, the teachings of
Ramana Maharshi and Christian mystics. She leads
contemplative retreats to bring a greater sense of Stillness
to the stress of everyday life. Her documentary work has
won awards from the National Endowment for the Arts
and the American Film Institute. For more information:
www.cynthiaoverweg.com
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Four Mornings
Elena Dovalsantos
1423
Our Origins and Destiny: Reflections
from The Secret Doctrine
November 4 – 7
Tuesday – Friday 10 – noon
The story of human evolution as told in The Secret Doctrine,
Volume 2 (Anthropogenesis) is akin to the stuff of legends.
Fascinating and intriguing, it challenges modern day beliefs
and hypotheses while drawing clues from contemporary
science, the major religions, and mythology to explain the
age-old questions of where we come from and where we are
going. Join us on the journey of the pilgrim soul through
the ages as we explore what the archaic records say about
the many unexplained curiosities concerning mankind’s
past. This class presents a more rational, comprehensive,
and philosophical explanation of evolution and the purpose
of our existence than science or religion alone have been
able to offer thus far.
Series $35, Single Session $10
Elena Dovalsantos, PhD, MBA, has a doctorate in chemistry, taught at the university level, and worked as a research
scientist for many years. Born to a theosophical family, she
is a life-long student of the Ageless Wisdom, assisted in the
publication of several theosophical books, and is past president of the Theosophical Society’s Beacon Study Group in
San Diego. Elena and her husband are Krotona residents.
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Rodolfo Garbalosa, Gaspar Torres
Weekend Seminar in Spanish
1424
Repercusión de las Ideas Teosóficas
en las Grandes Religiones
14-16 de Noviembre
Viernes 7:30 – 9 pm, Sábado 10 – 12 y de 2 – 4 pm
Domingo 10 – 12
Muchos de los seguidores y hasta clérigos de las grandes
religiones en el momento actual han abierto sus mentes a
ideas que el Movimiento Teosófico ha ido impregnando
en estos últimos 130 años. Aunque, nuestro seminario
enfocara esos efectos principalmente en el cristianismo,
también considerara algunas de esas influencias en las otras
religiones. Algunas de estas ideas teosóficas a desenvolver
serán, la reencarnación para la concepción de una justicia
divina, el concepto de la vida material como ilusión y la no
interpretación literal o dogmática de las escrituras sagradas.
Seminario completo $35, una sola sesión $10
Rodolfo Garbalosa se hizo miembro de la Sociedad
Teosófica en Cuba en el año 1956 y continua siendo un
miembro activo de la ST en América. Es el actual VicePresidente de la Logia España en Los Angeles y conduce un
ciclo de estudios sobre “La Vida Interna” basado en escritos
de CW Leadbeater.
Gaspar Torres ha servido como Presidente de la Sección
Cubana de la Sociedad Teosófica. En capacidad de
conferencista ha llevado el mensaje de la Teosofía a
eventos teosóficos en Adyar, la Sede Internacional de la
ST, la Cuenca del Caribe y reuniones de la Federación
Teosófica Inter-Americana así como que coopera con el
trabajo de la ST internacionalmente. Actualmente reside y
trabaja en Krotona.
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Registration
E-mail schoolregistrar@krotonainstitute.org, write, phone,
or fax, for reservations.
Scholarships
Scholarship assistance for accommodations and class
tuition is available for some programs to qualified
members of the Theosophical Society and other serious
students. You may request an application at the time of
registration.
Course Tuition
Patron tickets include all events of the Fall term: $276.
Tuition fees help us to provide quality programs. For
students who are able, donations above the suggested fees
are greatly appreciated.
Accommodations
A limited number of comfortable apartments with kitchens
are available for students. Most accommodations are
shared. Krotona School provides accommodations at the
lowest possible rates: $40 per person per night, and $230
per person per week.
Priority is given to members of the Theosophical Society
and to those registering for two or more weeks.
Getting Here
Students arriving by air may fly into LAX and take a
shuttle to Ventura, or fly to Burbank (Bob Hope Airport)
and take a train or shuttle to Ventura. We can arrange for a
driver to meet you in Ventura and bring you to Krotona.
Driving Directions to Krotona Institute
From Ventura: Ojai/Hwy 33 exit from 101. Drive 12
miles. After passing Villanova School, take the next
left (Krotona St on the left, Hermosa Rd on the right). Two
stone pillars mark the entrance.
From Ojai: Krotona is on Hwy 33/150 at Krotona and
Hermosa Streets, .6 mile south of the “Y”.
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Krotona School of Theosophy
Maria Parisen, Director
46 Krotona St, Ojai CA 93023
805 646–1139, Fax: 805 646–1144
schoolinfo@krotonainstitute.org
Krotona Library and Research Center
Lakshmi Narayan, Librarian
2 Krotona St, Ojai CA 93023
Tuesday – Friday 10 – 5, Saturday & Sunday 1 – 5
805 646–2653, library@krotonainstitute.org
Krotona Quest Bookshop
Carol Nicholson, Manager
47 Krotona St, Ojai CA 93023
Wednesday – Saturday 12 – 5, Sunday 1 – 5
805 646–0873, bookshop@krotonainstitute.org
To register for classes, please complete and mail to
Krotona School, or register by phone or email.
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$40 deposit is required and is refundable until two
weeks prior to the program.
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11
We Are Grateful
Herbert A Kern, a theosophist and industrialist, generously supported the Krotona Institute
of Theosophy from 1958 to 1967. Since 1966
the Kern Foundation, with Herbert’s son, John,
and grand-daughter, Louise, as advising trustees,
has supported the School with generous grants,
enabling it to operate at its present level, bringing
lecturers to Krotona, and offering scholarships.
We are grateful for Herbert Kern’s vision and for
John’s and Louise’s dedication to supporting the
School over the years.
Emily B Sellon, who shared her vast knowledge
of theosophy with her students, and John A
Sellon, an investor, were visionaries who devoted
their lives to theosophy. It was their wish to
support the Krotona School of Theosophy. We are
grateful to their sons, Peter, Michael, and Jeffrey,
for their generosity and dedication to the support
of the School in their parents’ names.
Friends of Krotona
The Krotona Institute of Theosophy is a community of members of the Theosophical Society dedicated
to the creation of a spiritual center where the Ageless
Wisdom may be studied and lived. Krotona is a vibrant
center that reaches out internationally to share the
profound truths of Theosophy. These truths can change
one’s direction of life and bring harmony and spiritual renewal. Krotona’s unique atmosphere lends itself
to meditation, self-reflection, and deep study, offering a
healthy balance between the meditative life and inspired
action.
Those who are in sympathy with the ideals of the
institute are invited to join Friends of Krotona. Friends
receive two newsletters annually containing information
about Krotona, its programs, and plans. Contact Guru
Prasad, Executive Vice President, 2 Krotona Street, Ojai
CA 93023-3901, or info@krotonainstitute.org to learn
more about the Institute and become a Friend of Krotona.
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