A Blueprint for Practical Action
Based on the Original Theosophy
Carlos Cardoso Aveline

Studying the birth of a planetary consciousness is
one of the main goals of the Lodge
In the first days of November 2009, the
office of the United Lodge of Theosophists in Los Angeles recorded the creation
of a lodge of the ULT in Brazil, which would include associates from Portugal.
Seven years later,
the inner and external growth of the lodge led it to declare its
independence from the ULT, disassociating its work from the federation of
groups whose Western focal point is situated in Los Angeles.
In 2009,
the Lodge is Born Inside the ULT
The recording procedure started on 21 October 2009, when the letters of
11 students, already associates of the ULT, were sent to Los Angeles.
The documents -
signed by ten students from Brazil and one from Portugal - requested the new
theosophical work to be registered in the archives of the United Lodge as a ULT
Lodge in Brazil. Their public work had begun in 2007.
The United Lodge
of Theosophists was founded in the United States in 1909 with the goal of
preserving the original proposal of the theosophical movement. It now has some
30 lodges and ten study-groups in approximately 15 countries.
Since the
foundation of the movement in 1875, it was the first time in 2009 that an
active theosophical lodge emerged in Portuguese language which was entirely
dedicated to the authentic theosophy, including of course its interdisciplinary
and intercultural dimensions.[1]
This took place in the year of the first centenary of the ULT.
During seven
years, between 2009 and 2016, the Brazilian-Portuguese Lodge grew in inner
strength, and the articles it published got readers from different parts of the
world, in more than one language.
In 2016, the Declaration of Independence
The unfolding of
the work brought about increasing responsibilities.
On 14 September 2016,
the active voluntary workers of the association decided to form an Independent
Lodge of Theosophists, with no nominal or organic link to the United Lodge in
Los Angeles.
The independent
Lodge will thus be free to work with more autonomy and to conduct its own
research on a number of topics. It aims at expanding the bridge between the
original theosophy of Helena Blavatsky and the humanist culture in Western
countries.
The association
has various websites in English. It publishes since 2012 the monthly electronic
journal “The Aquarian Theosophist”, which was founded in the year 2000 by
Jerome Wheeler. In October 2013 “The
Aquarian” published in paper the book “The Fire and Light of
Theosophical Literature”.
The monthly
journal “O Teosofista” circulates in
Portuguese since 2007.
In 2014, “The Aquarian” published in Portuguese
an annotated translation of the classic work “Light on the Path”, with a
preface and notes highlighting for the first time in any language the point of
view expressed by Helena Blavatsky on that work.
The lodge directs the
e-groups E-Theosophy (in English)
and SerAtento (in Portuguese). Among other tasks, it also maintains a significant number of
Facebook pages.
One of the
priorities of the Lodge is studying the birth of planetary consciousness, a
process which brings about the awakening of universal ethics and brotherhood.
While learning
lessons from the past, the independent theosophists work at helping build a better human future.
Applying their own discernment of right and wrong according to the original
teachings of Theosophy, they use with realism the power of positive thought.
Independent Lodge: the Influence of
Numbers
Pythagoras
revealed that the universe is built on the basis of subtle Geometry and
Mathematics. Helena Blavatsky thought the same as the Pythagoreans and Jews regarding
the power of numbers. Her whole life occurred in relation to numerological
influences, and “The Secret Doctrine”,
her best-known work, examines the numerical cycles presiding over the periods
of manifestation and repose of the cosmos and significant celestial bodies.
The cycles of
cosmic life also guide the evolution of each human being, and social activities.
The influence of
the cycle of one hundred years is well known in Theosophy.[2] Many, however, do not pay attention to the fact that the
Mahatma Letters refer to the existence of an occult cycle of 107 years, which
combines the power of the one hundred years’ cycle and the energy of number
seven. [3]
The fact relates
to the Independent Lodge.
One hundred years
passed between the foundation of the ULT in 1909 and the creation of the
Brazilian-Portuguese Lodge in 2009.
There are 107 years between the founding moment of the ULT in 1909 and
the establishment in 2016 of the Independent lodge.
Nothing takes
place by mere chance, and Life constantly renews itself. Through small facts and
humble initiatives, each student of authentic theosophy can make the difference in the process of
rebirth which the wisdom of altruism is undergoing on a planetary scale.
NOTES:
[1] The Viscount of Figanière (1827-1908), a personal
friend of Helena Blavatsky and her family, lived in Russia as a diplomatic
representative of Portugal and was a member of the theosophical movement. He
also lived for several years in Brazil. Figanière was probably a member of
HPB’s Esoteric School during her life. His 744 pp. book “Estudos Esotéricos”
(“Esoteric Studies”) was published in Lisbon in 1889 and presents an accurate
description of the work for mankind done by the Masters of the Wisdom and their
disciples. Figanière’s writings are mentioned twice in “The Secret Doctrine”
and he had a number of articles published in the magazines “The Theosophist”
and “Lucifer”* while HPB was alive. However, he founded no theosophical lodge
in Portugal. A Portuguese study-group of the ULT was founded in the 1990s, but
soon got inactive. (*The word “Lucifer” is the ancient term for the planet
Venus: the word has been distorted since the Middle Ages by ill-advised
theologians.)
[2] On the cycle of 100 years, readers will
find in our associated websites the article “The Theosophical Movement,
1875-2075”, by C. C. Aveline. The revealing text “The Number Seven”, by Helena
Blavatsky, is also available in our websites.
[3] “The Mahatma Letters”, TUP edition,
Pasadena, CA, USA, Letter XLVII (or 47), page 272.
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