1. “The Alchemy of Theosophy”

Linda Oliveira, TS Australia

Theosophical teachings can be of immense interest, but have they had a qualitative effect upon the way in which we live our life?  Perhaps even a transformative effect?

The spiritual unfoldment of a human being requires what we can regard as an alchemical process.  Alchemy has been commonly understood as a medieval form of chemistry, the chief aim of which is to discover how to turn ordinary, or base metals, into gold.  The production of gold was therefore a traditional function of an alchemist.  In time, alchemy become associated with the search for the universal solvent and the panacea. 

Madame Blavatsky described alchemy as the ‘chemistry of nature’.  She taught that it has three essential aspects:  cosmic, human and terrestrial.  In the human context, she equated the mysterious process of the transformation of lead into gold with the transformation of personality into pure, homogeneous Spirit.  She referred to the Soul [Manas] assimilating Spirit (Buddhi).  I would suggest that this is the very heart of human alchemy.   Through this rather mysterious process of assimilation, there is an emergence into the One Life.   In such a state, love is discovered as the only Reality – as Dante described it in The Divine Comedy (‘Paradiso’, 3): ‘Love, that moves the sun and the other stars.’

2. “Theosophy – The Philosopher’s Stone”

Mr Shikhar Agnihotri, Assisting Executive to GM