Sri Sankaracharya, founder of the non-dualist philosophy Advaita Vedanta, said that the mind is both the cause of our ignorance and its liberation. How is this possible? The theosophical view explains that our mind has two aspects -- personal and spiritual. The former is our everyday mind associated with desires and emotions and frequently producing conflict and frustration. The spiritual aspect of our mind has the ability to perceive life from a...

What is evolution? Is it a blind process of adaptation as proposed by science or is there a purpose behind it? The Theosophical teachings postulate a complex process of evolution that takes place not only at the physical level, but also in the intellectual and spiritual dimensions.

In this set of talks given for the Living Theosophy series, Pablo Sender discusses the purpose of our existence according to Theosophical teachings, to develop the divine seeds present in every human consciousness. This growth, which began with primitive man and ends with an enlightened being, takes eons to accomplish. Explore the natural laws and processes that affect the soul's journey through life and death.

The Secret Doctrine was H. P. Blavatsky's magnum opus and central to the development of the modern esoteric philosophy. The core of this work is the "Stanzas of Dzyan," a collection of secret aphorisms that describe the development of the universe and humanity from an esoteric point of view. Pablo Sender explores all the Stanzas having to do with cosmogony, as well as Blavatsky's commentary upon them, in a three-part series of 6 classes each. This...

Who are you and what are your potentialities? What is your destiny? These questions form the basis of any spiritual seeking, yet the answers given by different traditions vary widely. Is humanity inherently limited, needing a savior to deliver us from suffering and spiritual ignorance, or are we already enlightened and all we have to do is be what we really are. Which view is right? Can they both be correct?

How did the universe come about? Was it created out of nothing? Of what is it comprised? Is there anything other than the matter we perceive through our senses? The topics in this series: Introduction, From Chaos to Cosmos, A Cyclic Model of the Universe, and The Seven Dimensions in Cosmos and Self, will explore these and other related questions as outlined by the Theosophical teachings.

Everyone is searching for happiness. Some think it can be achieved through acquiring possessions, power, or position, but many have found that this is not true. Others believe that spirituality can lead them to happiness, only to discover that a spiritual discipline frequently implies effort, inner conflict, and renunciation. So, many wonder--what is happiness? And is it attainable? The speaker explores the nature of happiness from an esoteric perspective...

Modern spirituality frequently regards spiritual practitioners as individuals, but the Theosophical tradition offers a cosmic account of the origin and essential nature of human consciousness. This approach regards the individual as a microcosmos - a limited reflection of a multidimensional cosmos that includes physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects. Learn more about this concept, including the unique set of tools for meditation and daily practice...