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Welcome to the 24th e-newsletter of The Foundation for Theosophical Studies, which lists our events for the next ten days at the London headquarters of the Theosophical Society in England.
This week in our feature article, Alan Perry outlines changes to the Dhyana Centre programme. Dhyana meets at 50 Gloucester Place every week. On Sunday, Robert Woolley expands into a whole afternoon on his cultivation of the sacred garden, which was begun at Summer School this year. In the evening, local clinical hypnotherapist Leila Hart introduces us all to techniques of self-hypnosis. On Wednesday, George begins a new course on
Thank you for all your comments so far about the newsletter. Please keep sending them and let us know if there are any topics you would like us to feature in the future. We also welcome contributors willing to submit the featured article. Do please forward this newsletter to your friends and fellow TS members and encourage them to sign up!
And if you can't get to 50 Gloucester Place, you can always buy CDs or tapes of most of our events. |
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Very best wishes,
Colyn Boyce
Publicity and Administrator
The Foundation is an educational charity which uses theosophical principles to promote knowledge and the study of religion, philosophy and science; which also researches the laws of nature and the powers latent in man; and which promulgates the unity of all people |
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This Week at 50 Gloucester Place |
SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER 2007
2 pm: DESIGNING YOUR SACRED GARDEN
 Robert Woolley
Your garden is a spiritual space. It can be a valuable support to almost any spiritual practice if it is designed to incorporate the relevant symbolism, and engage the senses through shape, colour, scent, texture and movement. Learn how to help your garden help you on your spiritual path. In the first half of this workshop we shall discuss how spiritual symbolism works in a garden setting. In the second half you will use these principles to create a design to support your own spiritual practice. An active student of Theosophy for over 20 years, Robert Woolley focuses on methods of making esoteric teachings real in our lives. He has designed gardens for spiritual use, setting up experimental sacred gardens on allotments in Northamptonshire. Arranged by the Theosophical Society in England.
£10, £7 concessions , £5 TS members
4.45-5.45 pm: THEOSOPHY: Way to Self- Discovery - Introductory Course on the Ageless Wisdom
 Colin Price
An informal on-going class in which the basic teachings of Theosophy (Greek for Divine Wisdom) are explored and discussed. In this class we will consider the sevenfold nature of humanity and the cosmos and how karma and reincarnation are involved. The book Deity, Cosmos and Man will be used as the main source text for the meetings.
Colin Price is National President of the Theosophical Society in England.
Admission free
6 pm: TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND
 Leila Hart
In tonight's talk, Leila will explain how negative 'triggers' and beliefs can enter and create unwanted effects and outline how they can be de-activated and released. She will show you how you can take back control, work on your own issues and make positive changes using a simple method that takes only 10-15 minutes each day. The daughter of two doctors, Leila Hart is a full-time clinical hypnotherapist, qualified in hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and NLP.
£7, £5 concessions + TS members
MONDAY 8 OCTOBER 2007
7-8.30 pm:SELF REALISATION CENTRE
 Christian Bodhi
Every Monday until 10 December 2007
The centre is dedicated to the practice of self-realisation, based on Blavatsky, Alice Bailey and Maitreya's teachings. It will provide education in Ancient Wisdom and its day to day application. The meetings are in a form of workshops: offering meditation, signing of mantras and spiritual songs of all religions, text study, free discussion and artistic enterprise (e.g. music, drawing and film making). A due attention will be given to personal growth and emancipation. Your active participation and passion for the community is expected, and your creative contribution is more than welcome. We hope to create a supportive and friendly group where members can feel at home and have an opportunity for individual and group growth.
Christian Bodhi is a long-term student and lecturer of Ageless Wisdom, experienced in Raja, Jnana, Laya and Bhakti Yoga. He is educated in philosophy and science, and he is a student of Bioenergetics school of psychology. Christian is committed to spiritual path through individual, collective and global illumination and transformation.
Admission £3
TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER 2007
7-8.30 pm: THE SECRET DOCTRINE
Victor Hangya
In the midst of today's materialism and ruins of old religions you are invited to join the excavation of the perennial wisdom! The tool used in our exploration is The Secret Doctrine, which claims 'logical coherence and consistency' and expects to be treated as a 'working hypothesis', so freely accepted by modern science. The SD sheds light on some of the greatest mysteries concerning Man, God and the Universe.
Victor Hangya has been exploring the Ageless Wisdom for more than 20 years.
Admission free
WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER 2007
7 - 9pm:
GNOSIS, MAGIC & MYSTICISM II
(10, 24 October; 7, 21 November)
George Sieg
This course introduces methods and techniques of applied occultism. Drawing on many Northern and Southern traditions, it covers the cultural and modern relevance of Western esotericism, as well as historical and contemporary occult practices, including magical theory; concentration and meditation; spiritual and elemental magic; and the use of magical runes, sigils, arcana, and 'alphabets of desire.'
George Sieg is researching his MPhil/PhD at the University of Exeter's Centre for the Study of Esotericism.
Admission: £8 (£6 concessions) each night or £24 (£18) if paying for entire course
THURSDAY 11 OCTOBER 2007
6.45 pm BLAVATSKY LODGE:
Connecting with Archangels for Wisdom and Healing
Carolyn Williams
Open meeting of the Blavatsky Lodge
£5 (£2 members of Blavatsky Lodge, £3 other TS members)
Read on... |
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THE JOY OF MEDITATION: Changes to the programme |
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 By Alan Perry
New beginners' group on Tuesday:
The Dhyana Centre has developed a new teaching system for meditators aimed at focusing more on the needs of beginners.
Traditionally the DC has provided regular beginners' courses, both weekday and weekend, after which students are expected to move into the intermediate groups held on Tuesday and Friday. This has worked well for most but a significant number of people have indicated that they would prefer to spend more time exploring and practising the rudiments before moving on to longer periods of silent 'dhyana'.
To cater for this need, the DC has transformed its Tuesday intermediate group into a standing beginners' group.
These weekly sessions will be practical and interactive but also involve readings, discussions, learning new techniques and practising old ones, and generally spending more time on things that necessarily have to be glossed over on the beginners' courses.
This 'Joy of Meditation' group will take place every Tuesday 7pm - 9pm, interspersed on advertised dates with 3 week courses to go back over the basics and allow new people to join.
(Ideally, newcomers to the DC should come along on a Tuesday after attending a course or weekend intensive but no-one will be turned away if they come without doing so).
This group will no doubt develop its own new clientele as future introductory courses and intensives progress, but it may also appeal to some existing meditators, in particular those who find the requirements of the intermediate group a little daunting.
Whatever else, there will always be a silent meditation on Tuesday - albeit a lot shorter than some of the hardened yogis may like.......
Next intensive, Saturday 13th October:
And for those wishing to start on the meditative path, the DC is holding another of its regular weekend intensives on Saturday 13th October from 2pm - 6.30pm.
These practical workshops are aimed at absolute beginners and teach the fundamentals of meditational yoga, after which students can then come along to the Tuesday group or, if they are feeling more confident, to the intermediate group on Friday.
OM Healing:
Another development of note within the DC has been the creation of an OM Healing Group.
This harnesses the unique power of the OM chant for use as a healing tool. Following trials over the last two months, this is now fully established and an eagerly-awaited part of the mainstream DC calendar.
Sessions are currently planned to take place on the first Friday of every month, starting promptly at 8.15pm and lasting one hour; the next sessions will therefore be 5th October and 2nd November, but it is also hoped to do one on Tuesday 23rd October at 8pm.
The dates of these sessions will always be advertised on the DC website - www.dhyanacentre.org , see the Calendar page - so please check there to confirm dates.
It is also essential to email the Centre in advance on info@dhyanacentre.org to let them know you are coming.
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