Yuriy Gorbunov
Chapter 2. Conference in Dnepropetrovsk
I read “The Secret Doctrine” and "Isis Unveiled" by H.P. Blavatsky greedily and hastily. They gave forth more questions, than they gave answers to. And so, on finding out about the conference, dedicated in lighted remembrance of the Great Mother of contemporary theosophy, which was naturally arranged for Dnepropetrovsk where she was born in 1831 (it was then called Ekaterinoslav), I set out along the road.
In mid-September 1991, the Dnepropetrovsk weather was warm, almost summer like. It could not be any other way on that day. As those honoring the words of H.P. Blavatsky flew into the town from various republics and cities of the Soviet Union, the inhabitants firstly were surprised to find out about she, who was such a great compatriot. From India, Radha Burnie, international president of the Theosophical Society flew in, and from Moscow Valentin Sidorov, president of the international association ;Peace Through Culture;, and author of several books about Nicolas Roerich, a poet and writer. For the first time in the Soviet history, were gathered Roerich adherents, disciples and people who during Soviet times had secretly undertaken the study of theosophy.
A group of young theosophists headed by Dimitri Popov presented the question of the re-establishment of the Russian Theosophical Society as an independent association within the body of the International Theosophical Society. Valentin Sidorov insisted on the creation of an Association of Friends of H.P. Blavatsky, including the international organization ;Peace Through Culture;. Later the Theosophical Society refused to admit the Russian Society and I could not understand why it happened so.
When I wrote from America a letter to Adyar headquarters, they courteously replied, that the question of the possibility of creating a Theosophical Society in Ukraine might be resolved by two European Presidents – in Paris and in Magnitogorsk (in Russia).
Today in the world there are quite a number of independent theosophical organizations. It is doubtful whether anyone really knows, how one differs from another. The fundamental ideals proposed by H.P. Blavatsky for the forming of an International Theosophical Society, support all theosophists. Small differences between groupings are natural, though not essential. The range of oriental studies, introduced into theosophical circulation, is so broad, that they allow most of the separate associations to co-exist and live together. Their number will increase and Masters of humanity. H.P. Blavatsky wrote of them as, "Adepts of increase with the years, and they all call humanity towards unity, brotherhood, love and goodness.
That it was possible to hold two conferences (the first on "The Spiritual Unity of Humanity" in April of the same year, was organised by the Philosophical Society of the Soviet Academy of Sciences and was held in Sochi, a Russian resort in the Caucasus), gifted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of USSR, and dedicated to the year of H.P. Blavatsky, and that UNESCO had declared the Year of H.P. Blavatsky, tells us a lot; for in Russia the process of democratic change had irreversibly begun. In recent Soviet times, through reading theosophical books, a man could be declared mad and put into a mental hospital, but now the Soviets hold international conferences, dedicated to our great compatriot, who opposed to any division of humanity according to class, nation, race, or adherence to any of the various religions or sects.
There are many ideological streams in modern theosophy. It demonstrates the complex synthesis between Western and Eastern philosophy, and the synthesis of religions, mystical studies, occult knowledge and science. The principles of a materialistic outlook, and of a vulgar materialism, which limits to the physical and does not understand spiritual essence, were subjected by H.P. Blavatsky and her followers to ruthless criticism. Aspiring to assert the primacy of spirit over matter, and of Absolute Mind over Absolute Being, they called people to listen to the precepts of the sages and Mahatmas (Great Souls), to live according to truth and the laws of the White Brotherhood the higher degrees, elevated Beings, who have attained full control over their lower principles. They live in such a manner that they are beyond the hindrances of human flesh, and they possess knowledge and strength according to that stage which they have reached in their spiritual evolution."
The foundations of Theosophy, laid by H.P. Blavatsky, received further development through the works of her followers. Slavic theosophy was introduced through the works of Helena Roerich. She took the beginnings of her foundation work from two sources: from Slavic folk religious tradition of the Altai Belovodje (White Waters) and the Indian religious and philosophical traditions, symbolised in the Himalayas, with their snowbound peaks and home to the legendary Shamballa, inhabited by the Masters of humanity, or the White Brotherhood. Blavatsky and Roerich wrote and spoke of it, as all their works were written under dictation from these Masters. And so Theosophy is Divine Wisdom, or the Wisdom of God.