Tim Boyd-Presentation
Sunday, July 19, 2:00-3:15
New Solutions. Ageless Sources.
It has become a common perception that we are in challenging times, pushing toward an uncertain future. While this may be so, what is truly new? Has the nature of humanity changed, or has our access to higher sources of knowledge and wisdom ceased to exist? Are we isolated and powerless in the face of change?
One of the enduring values of the Ageless Wisdom tradition is that it is ageless—suited to all times and conditions. It invites us to remember who we are and to recognize the vast resources available to us through a dawning awareness.
Tim Boyd was born in New York City. In 1974, he moved to Chicago and joined the Theosophical Society. Together with Bill Lawrence, a TS member and mentor, and others, he founded a Theosophical spiritual community in Chicago’s inner city. The group held classes on the Ageless Wisdom, meditation, and healing, worked with at-risk and disadvantaged youth, transformed vacant lots into award-winning organic food gardens, and placed beehives on the roofs of local buildings. They formed a business focused on renovating deteriorating residential buildings, creating housing for low- and middle-income families, and helping stabilize neighborhoods through the training and employment of local youth. Tim’s involvement with the Theosophical Order of Service and the Chushul orphanage in Tibet led to an audience with the Dalai Lama, resulting in the TSA sponsoring his visit to Chicago in July 2011, a two-day event attended by ten thousand people that raised $400,000 for educational projects aiding Tibetan communities worldwide. In 2011 and again in 2014, Tim was elected President of the Theosophical Society in America, and in 2014 he was elected International President of the TS. During his time in office, he has overseen the renovation of its Adyar, India campus, the founding of its second school (the Adyar Theosophical Academy), the revitalization of the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary, the globalization of the School of the Wisdom, the founding of the Adyar Eco Development project, and the active involvement of young members in meaningful work of the TS. He has spoken to members and groups on all continents and has published monthly articles in The Theosophist magazine. He is the author of On the Verge of Wisdom.
Barbara Hebert-Presentation
Saturday, July 18, 10:45-12:00 p.m.
Olcott: Our Spiritual Home
Many perceive our national headquarters, Olcott—named in honor of the president-founder of the Theosophical Society—as a spiritual home. With a century of service as both a spiritual and administrative center, it resonates with the dedication and devotion of staff members and seekers alike.
In this interactive presentation, we will explore a number of personal recollections and contemplate ways in which we can maintain Olcott as a spiritual home for Theosophists into the next century.
Barbara Hebert, Ph.D., is a third-generation Theosophist who has been involved in local, regional, and national offices throughout her years of membership, including two terms as National President of the Theosophical Society in America, and has had a long career as a mental health practitioner and educator.
Elena Dovalsantos-Presentation
Sunday, July 19, 10:30-11:45 p.m.
Creating the Future We All Want
The theosophical tradition offers a breathtaking vision of existence, one in which human potential is vast, evolutionary, and largely untapped. But is this luminous future anything more than an inspiring myth? And if it is real, how do we move toward it in an age often described as the darkening twilight of kali yuga?
This talk explores the larger destiny envisioned for humanity, why it matters now more than ever, and the practical steps that can help us accelerate our collective unfolding.
Elena Dovalsantos, Ph.D., serves as Resident Head of the Krotona Institute of Theosophy. A third-generation Theosophist, she has shared her insights and teachings across the United States and internationally, offering talks that illuminate both the depth and contemporary relevance of theosophical wisdom.
Martin Leiderman-Presentations
Saturday, July 18, 9:00-10:15 p.m.
Discovering and Exploring the Theosophical Path to Illumination and Self-Realization Part1
We all have experienced spiritual and mystical insights. Do you recall the first moment you felt a deep connection with others, nature, and the universe? What was it like when you first heard that the Theosophical Society promotes “Fraternity,” and the idea of exploring the occult nature of the human being and the metaphysical laws that govern the universe?
The beauty of Theosophy lies in equipping students of the Divine-Wisdom with the vocabulary and tools to comprehend their experiences and to facilitate their growth.
In this two-part lecture, we will delve into the teachings of H.P. Blavatsky, as presented in her books such as The Secret Doctrine, The Voice of the Silence, and others, as well as from Plato’s dialogues and the teachings of the Buddha and Buddhism. These sources offer invaluable guidance on our pursuit of Illumination and Self-Realization: the Spiritual Road to the Mystical Path.
Martin Leiderman-Presentations
Monday, July 20, 9:00-10:15 p.m.
Discovering and Exploring the Theosophical Path to Illumination and Self-Realization Part 2
Martin Leiderman, born in Venezuela, is a retired Industrial Engineer and a long-time student of Theosophy, a Life Member of the Theosophical Society in America, and a national and international lecturer in both Spanish and English whose videos can be watched on YouTube. Along with his wife, Susan, he led the West Los Angeles Theosophical Study Group for over twenty years and served for eighteen years on the Board of Directors of the Krotona Institute of Theosophy in Ojai, CA. In addition to studies in Theosophy, particularly The Secret Doctrine and The Voice of the Silence, his interests include Ancient Egypt, Plato and the Neoplatonists, Hermetic literature, alchemy, and the comparative symbology of ancient traditions.
Mitch Horowitz-Presentation
Monday, July 20, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
The Three Objects
The three founding objects of the Theosophical Society express an ethical and metaphysical vision and their impact on modern life. This talk explores their meaning and relevance.
Henry Olcott: Seeker’s Progress
Henry Steel Olcott’s extraordinary career encompassed his life as an agriculturist, lawyer, and journalist, along with his culminating journey as a spiritual seeker, founding Theosophist, and social reformer.
Mitch Horowitz is a PEN Award–winning historian, writer, and lecturer who explores the intersections of metaphysics, ethics, and self-transformation. His books include Occult America, The Miracle Club, Modern Occultism, Daydream Believer, and Practical Magick. He is featured in Critics’ Choice–nominated and Sundance-premiering films, as well as numerous television shows. David Lynch: “Mitch is solid gold.”
Richard Smoley-Presentation
Monday, July 20, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Mysteries of Time
Time lies at the basis of all our experience, yet many sources, from present-day science to the Ancient Wisdom, suggest that it is illusory. How can this be?
In this talk, Richard Smoley explores some of the fundamental questions about time. Why is it so vital to our experience, yet so hard to describe or understand? How does our experience of time depend on the cognitive structures of our own minds? Is there any way of perceiving reality beyond these limitations? What does eternity mean in this context?
Drawing on sources ranging from Theosophy and Hindu philosophy to the Kabbalistic text Sefer Yetzirah (“Book of Formation”), this exploration inquires into the mysteries of time.
Richard Smoley is editor of Quest: Journal of the Theosophical Society in America and the author of thirteen books on spirituality, philosophy, and religion. His latest book, Seven Games of Life, was published in May 2023. His previous works include Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition, Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism, A Theology of Love: Reimagining Christianity through “A Course in Miracles”, Supernatural: Writings on an Unknown History, The Essential Nostradamus, Conscious Love: Insights from Mystical Christianity, The Dice Game of Shiva: How Consciousness Creates the Universe, and Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions (with Jay Kinney). Formerly editor of Gnosis: A Journal of the Western Inner Traditions, he lectures internationally for the Theosophical Society and other organizations and has been featured in numerous YouTube videos.
Juliana Cesano-Presentation
Tuesday, July 21, 9:00-12:00 p.m.
Life the Teacher, Love the Healer: A Workshop for Radical Transformation
The next step is often the very one we resist. It is the step that invites real transformation. Much of our life can become an elaborate effort to avoid it. By having more, knowing more, or achieving more, we may find ourselves distracted from the quiet movement of the Soul, which is urging us toward the next stage of unfolding—both individually and collectively.
Theosophy reminds us that every experience contains within it the seeds of wisdom. When approached with awareness, the challenges and tensions of life point toward the path of conscious evolution. This workshop offers a space to pause and listen more deeply so that the next step on the path may naturally emerge. Through reflection on key theosophical principles, self-observation practices, dialogue, and meditation, we will remember together how life itself is the field for inner transformation.
9:00: Talk, “Four Realities and One Law”
9:45: Practice 10:00: Sharing
10:15: Break
10:30 Talk, “Three Laws and One Ideal”
11:15: Practice 11:30: Sharing
11:45: Workshop Closing
Juliana Cesano is a third-generation Theosophist who has been actively involved with the Theosophical Society’s work for over 25 years. She currently serves as the Member Education Director and the National Secretary of the Theosophical Society in America. She is an international speaker, and her main focus over the past 15 years has been the transformational power of contemplative practices.