Dr James Tepfer

United Lodge of Theosophists in Santa Barbara, California, USA

What does it mean -- in the classical sense -- to ‘spiritually individuate’, to become a self-determining, creative contributor to the uplift of the whole of society? To the whole of mankind? In what way can our deeply felt sense of responsibility for the spiritually, intellectually, and economically impoverished of the globe ignite a subtle heart-fire within us that summons the progressive incarnation of our radiant, immortal individuality? Finally, what life-long lessons can we extract from the transformational impact of exceptional statesmen such as Lincoln, Eisenhower and Mandela -- harbingers of the “universal civilizations” of the future? All of these crucial questions will be explored and telling historical examples cited for the sake of clarifying our understanding of wise and responsible acts of compassion.