School of the Wisdom

1 to 11 November 2011

Theme: Meditation and Its Practice
Director: Prof. V. V. Chalam

During this session the following subjects will be explored: Mind and its working; mastery of the mind; why meditation? the science of meditation; hindrances to meditation; some meditation techniques: breath (Ānāpana) Meditation; walking Meditation; insight (Vipassana) Meditation; loving kindness (Mettā) Meditation.
This session is deemed to be a meditation retreat. Daily practice of meditation will be an essential component, in addition to talks.

Prof. V. V. Chalam joined the TS in 1944 and has delivered lectures for it in India, England and the United States. He is a former National Lecturer of the Indian Section of the TS and has spoken at the School of the Wisdom in the past. He has contributed a number of articles to Theosophical journals, including The Theosophist. Dr Chalam is the author of two books: Enlightened Living and Blissful Living.

14 November to 2 December 2011

Theme: The Path of the Spiritual Aspirant
Director: Prof. C. A. Shinde

Spiritual strength and courage are essential for the aspirant to move forward on the path to perfection. Pride is the greatest obstacle on the path for every human being. It is the sense of pride that mars the spiritual progress, for pride is a fetter that clings to the aspirant up to the very end. The path to spiritual perfection is the process of becoming what we are: qualitatively we are Buddha. This need not be an intellectual recognition only but a deep spiritual realization. Spiritual perfection is possible only when there is inner order or harmony. In this session we shall explore this subject in depth and attempt to discover the truth – the unchanging Self within.

Recommended Reading:

The Voice of the Silence by H.P.B

Light on the Path by Mabel Collins

Practical Occultism by H. P. Blavatsky

The Way of Wisdom by N. Sri Ram

Human Regeneration by N. Sri Ram

Prof. C. A. Shinde is a Retired Lecturer on Zoology from the Shivaji University at Kolhapur and from the Bharathi University in Pune, both in Maharashtra, India. He is the Librarian of the Adyar Library and Research Centre at Adyar and a National Lecturer for the Indian Section of the TS. He has taught at the School of the Wisdom in the past and has contributed articles to Theosophical journals, including The Theosophist.

5 to 16 December 2011

Theme: Astrology and the Wisdom Tradition
Director: Mr Ricardo Lindemann

The following subjects will be considered during this session:
What is Astrology; The Principle of Polarity; The 12 Signs and their Correlation with the 12 Apostles in the Last Supper of Leonardo Da Vinci; The Law of Cycles and the Second Proposition of The Secret Doctrine; The Four Elements and Three Qualities; The Rising Sign; The Twelve Astrological Houses; Planets, Luminaries and the Septenary correspondences to The Secret Doctrine; The Aspects and the Zodiac; The Astral Chart; Discrimination and Existential Planning; Astrology, Karma, and Free Will; Astrology, Science, and their Origin in the Mystery Schools; The Unity of the Mystery Schools and the Wisdom Tradition.

Mr Ricardo Lindemann is a former National President of the TS in Brazil and one of its National Lecturers. He has been a student of Astrology for more than thirty five years and has written books on the subject besides having lectured on it widely. He has contributed many articles to Theosophical journals, including The Theosophist.  

9 January to 2 February 2012

Theme: Explorations in the Rig Veda
Director: Dr Ravi Ravindra

This four week course will explore some of the most significant sections of the Rig Veda, the oldest text in any Indo-European language and the most authoritative scripture in the Hindu tradition.  Among the sections to be studied are those dealing with the origins of the cosmos, the natural order (rita), sacrifice (yajña) and the sacred Gayatrī mantra. Particular attention will be given to the Tenth Mandal which contains the Purusha Sukta and the Nasadiya Sukta.  The Nasdiya Sukta is quoted extensively by HPB in The Secret Doctrine before the Stanzas of Dzyan.

Any translation of the Rig Veda will do.  Recommended translation of the Tenth Mandala is Rig Veda Samhita: Tenth Mandala by R. L. Kashyap (Sri Aurobindo Kapali Sastry Institute of Vedic Culture, Bengaluru).  Accompanying this is a useful short pamphlet called The Basics of Rig Veda. A good reference book is Secret of the Veda by Sri Aurobindo.
 

Professor Ravi Ravindra is Professor Emeritus in Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada where he taught courses in Physics, Philosophy and Comparative Religion. He is the author of many papers and of several books, including Whispers from the Other Shore, The Yoga of the Christ, Science and the Sacred, Krishnamurti: Two Birds on One Tree, and  The Wisdom of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras. He has conducted a number of sessions at the School of the Wisdom in the past.