TOS-intouch3

Issue 27 – August 2013    International TOS conference report

 

 

Contents of the photographic report

 

+     A warm welcome to the Olcott estate
 

+     Opening the TOS conference
 

+     Our talks, workshops and discussions
 

+     Joyful outreach
 

+     Swapping stories about our activities
 

+    Conference highlights and cherished memories

 

 

 

Dear fellow-members of the TS and TOS around the world,

The least that can be said of the international TOS conference held in late July at Olcott, the National Centre of the Theosophical Society in America, was that it was vibrant!  This issue of our e-newsletter brings you a photographic report, along with a surprise.

A societal problem that emerged spontaneously at the conference as one of great concern was that of discrimination and violence against women.  After seeing the PowerPoint account of the amazing multifaceted work carried out by Dr Deepa Padhi, President of the Mahabharat group of the TOS in Odisha (Orissa) State in India, a number of members suggested that we highlight it on our website, providing information on how to support her.  So here we are. You will love reading of Deepa’s latest initiatives that appear as our Featured Project here. 

A very important document for understanding and administering the work of the TOS was released at the conference – the Principles of Organisation for the TOS.  It is also available on our website.  If you want to understand how the TOS is currently structured, what its vision and aims are or what its relationship is with the Theosophical Society, this document will be of value as a reference.  If you need a set of sample rules for local and national groups, you’ll find them there.  If you are needing succinct statements about the TOS and its work, feel free to copy them.

We also draw your attention to our beautifully designed TOS International Handbook just released and available as a pdf file. It contains not only the Principles of Organisation document but many useful and inspiring resources.  Don’t miss, for example, the article on Page 39 entitled Serving in our communities.  It provides a host of ideas for service work in our own communities and advice on how to get started.  Ideas are listed by theme: animal concerns, environment, healing and well-being, peace, social welfare and justice.

The short talk delivered at our TOS conference by Birendra Bhattacharyya, National Director of the TOS in India, appears on the website as our Featured Article.  It is entitled Service as Sacred Labour. Possibly the most touching part of our brother Birendra’s talk was the ten minutes of ad libbed words he shared about the inspiring effect his mother’s courage had on his life.  We will try to bring these to you in a later issue.

So now take a few minutes to enjoy this photographic souvenir of a special event in the TOS calendar and journey with us to the headquarters of the TS in America, situated in the city of Wheaton, Illinois, close to Chicago. You can access the souvenir through the link above or through the list of topics on the side bar of this page.

Remember that the newsletter is designed to be read while you are connected to the internet.

Please also consider sending photographs of your TOS activities and news items that might be of interest to fellow TOS members. We would welcome your contributions by email to the editors at carolyn.tosinternational@gmail.com.

With best wishes in putting theosophical principles into action,

Carolyn, Diana and Geoffrey

 

 

 

 

 

Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.

Mattie Stepanek

 

 

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