Frans Wittemans, Vrijmetselaar, Theosoof, Rozenkruiser, Martinist en Pacifist
Door Christian Vandekerkhove
232 Bladzijden | 2023 | Softcover | Sharanam Books | ISBN 9782808325738
Frans Wittemans is bekend als de auteur van de “Geschiedenis der Rozenkruisers”. Hij was inderdaad Rozenkruiser, maar ook Vrijmetselaar, Theosoof, Martinist, Advocaat, Senator en Pacifist. Frans Wittemans heeft zijn stempel gedrukt op de cultuur, de politiek en het spirituele leven van België en Europa. Dit boek is gebaseerd op de herinneringen van reeds lang overleden vrienden van Wittemans, aangevuld met opzoekingen in een aantal archieven, onder meer het persoonlijk Wittemans-archief van de auteur.
Sojourns of the Soul: One Woman’s Journey around the World and into Her Truth
By Dana Micucci.
278 Pages | First Quest Edition 2011 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608985.
One Woman’s Journey around the World and into Her Truth.
‘And there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do – determined to save the only life you could save’. – Mary Oliver ‘The Journey’.
Sojourns of the Soul is the quintessential armchair travel book for the spiritual seeker. Dana Micucci’s touching memoir chronicles seven sacred journeys that span 14 years of Micucci’s life, during which she explores the connection of inner growth to world travel that eventually leads to her own enlightenment. Unlike other inspirational travel books, Sojourns of the Soul provides a rare mix of in-depth wisdom and literary insights from the holistic view of an experienced female traveler.
From Chapter 3: ‘Egypt to Eternity’ (p. 101):
” ‘This mystery must be unveiled some day’, wrote H.P. Blavatsky in Isis Unveiled. ‘The answers are there. They may be found on the time-worn granite pages of cave-temples, on sphinxes, propylons, and obelisks . . . . They key was in the keeping of those who knew how to commune with the invisible Presence, and who had received, from the lips of mother Nature herself, her grand truths. And so stand these monuments like mute forgotten sentinels on the threshold of that unseen world’. “
More Details Dana Micucci gives a compelling account of her growing spiritual illumination through visits to some of the most sacred places on earth. Her lively, engaging narrative takes us through the Australian outback, Angkor in Cambodia, the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, Lhasa in Tibet, Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in New Mexico and Machu Picchu in Peru. As her travels progress, Micucci links each visit to the awakening of a particular chakra – the chakras being the seven energy centers of the body in Hinduism, associated with progressive enlightenment. In the afterword, Micucci reflects on how her experiences continue to shape her life after resuming her career as a journalist in New York City. She finds she is more tolerant, can engage in daily activities with more heart-centered awareness, and can sustain states of joy and gratitude for longer periods of time. Readers who yearn for long-delayed adventure won’t be able to put this book down. With the added benefit that it is not just a journey log but more of a seeker’s manual in which travel is simply the vehicle, they will find it’s unnecessary to travel to far-flung places for the spiritual inspiration available in their everyday lives. As Micucci says, “Each day brings new remembrances of our divinity, of the Divine presence in all beings, and of our eternal connection to each other. I am so grateful to be here NOW . . . with you.” Sojourns of the Soul is neither a theoretical tome nor an otherworldly quest; rather, Micucci takes you on an actual journey as she interacts with the wisdom on the earth in a natural and colorful manner. She returns ‘home’ with wonderful insights and a clearer vision of what matters most. The same thing will happen to you as you tag along with Sojourns of the Soul. This book has universal appeal. You will appreciate this delightful journey as a skillful, professional writer engages those magic places and people that continue to live in our souls. —Dr. Don Beck, founder of the Center for Human Emergence and CEO of Spiral Dynamics Integral. Sojourns of the Soul is a rainbow bridge through time and space. Dana Micucci uses her colorful journeys into diverse cultures to learn for herself and teach us, her readers, about the powers of transformation—and the ecstasy of being fully present in every moment. —John Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of Hoodwinked and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. In Sojourns of the Soul, Dana Micucci delves into the wisdom and spiritual traditions of other cultures. This is a powerful and rich book describing a passionate journey towards wholeness that emphasizes movement beyond fears and judgments. Dana’s brilliant prose carries you along as if you were journeying right alongside of her. This is an important book in a time when the search for meaning is so urgent. —Sandra Ingerman, author of Soul Retrieval and How to Thrive in Changing Times. An easy read, elegantly written, this is the gripping story of a woman’s profound transformation, with travel as a spiritual teacher. It is a vivid experience, both well researched and inspiring. —Gay Luce, Ph.D, transpersonal psychologist, author and three-time recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Journalism. Nothing opens the eyes of a soul like a dive into an unknown pool. Dana Micucci’s journeys into the unknown have transformed her life and she unravels the exciting details in these masterful tales. Sojourns of the Soul is an uplift to the spirit of any armchair traveler. —Jan Phillips, author, No Ordinary Time—The Rise of Spiritual Intelligence and Evolutionary Consciousness. Reading Dana Micucci’s memoir, Sojourns of the Soul, was like ‘being there too’, as she eloquently describes her powerful and evocative life changing experiences at some of the most sacred and ancient energy centers on the planet. On one hand her story is extremely entertaining. It makes me laugh. It brings tears to my eyes. I see myself more deeply and gain greater clarity of my own journey of the soul through her words. Dana also gives the reader much interesting background information about each of the ancient civilizations she profiles. These people are no more, but they have left their legacy and their messages in stone for us to find and decode. . On a deeper level I am reminded of the timeless nature of my own sojourns of the soul and of the guiding lights within each of us that assist all of us on our eternal journey. I am reminded that faith, love and the trust to follow my own inner light is the generative power that will allow me to create all that I am and all that I have the potential to become, now and forever. —Judy Satori, Spiritual Channel, Author, Teacher
The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky – Insights into the Life of a Modern Sphinx
By Daniel H. Caldwell.
451 Pages | First Quest Edition 2000 | Hardcover | Quest Books U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607941.
‘A psychological enigma, a puzzle for future generations, a Sphinx!’
So reads the self-portrait of Helena P. Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), the leading esoteric author of the nineteenth century. Others called her ‘the lady with the magical eyes’. A world traveler and student of religions, Madame Blavatsky was among the first to bring Eastern Wisdom to the West. Her writing affected W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, L. Frank Baum (The Wizard of Oz), Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Scriabin, and many others.
These first-hand accounts lead us into the fascinating world of Madame Blavatsky’s soirées, sites of the astounding phenomena that made her a cause célèbre. Famous as magnets for freethinking intellectuals, these gatherings were a forum for her unconventional ideas that anticipated the spiritual and ecological movements of today. But the depth of this enigmatic Sphinx – as related here by family, friends, and even enemies – transcends the fads of time.
From Chapter 1 – ‘Russia 1831 – 1849’ (p. 1):
” Helena was an exceptional child, who at an early age was aware of being different from those around her. Her possession of certain psychic powers puzzled her family and friends. At once impatient of all authority, yet deeply sensitive, she was gifted in many ways. A clever linguist, a talented pianist, and a fine artist, she was yet a fearless rider of half-broken horses, and always in close touch with nature. At a very early age she sensed that she was in some way dedicated to a life of service and was aware of a special guidance and protection. “
More Details This volume recites firsthand accounts of the teachings and enigmas of the Theosophical Sphinx. Through it, the reader enters the fascinating world of Madame Blavatsky’s soirees — famous as magnets for freethinking intellectuals and the sites of remarkable and remarked-upon phenomena, as related here by family, friends, and enemies. Includes over 35 black and white photos from the Theosophical archives. Daniel Caldwell, Master of Library Science, is one of the world’s leading authorities on H. P. Blavatsky’s life and works.
Subba Row – A Lonely Disciple
By N.C. Ramanujachary.
59 Pages | First edition 1993 | Softcover | Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 8170592151.
T. Subba Row, an outstanding figure in the early days of the Theosophical Society after the Founders, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 – 1891) and Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832 – 1917) came to India, was highly respected for his wide-ranging erudition and knowledge of esoteric philosophy and practice. Such, he played an important role during the formative years of the Society. His speeches and writings contained in two publications, The Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gītā and Esoteric Writings, strike the reader even today by their range and depth.
N.C. Ramanujachary born in 1935 at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, India, is a long-standing member of the Theosophical Society. A member of the Authors Guild of India, he is well known as short-story writer in Telugu, with the nom de plume SRIVIRINCHI.
From page 42:
” Madame Blavatsky had to face the accusation, that ‘Isis Unveiled’ was written with the help of Subba Row. She countered this in a letter dated January 9 1886:
I made Subba Row’s acquaintance on the day I first arrived to Madras, in 1882. Saw him for a week and then when we left Bombay for Madras to live, in January 1883, had exchanged with him a few letters till then. How could I write ‘Isis’ with his help, I in New York, he at Madras and perfect strangers to each other? “
Mystical Verses of a Mad Dalai Lama
By Glenn H. Mullin, Foreword by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
270 Pages | First Quest Edition 1994 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607003.
The Tibetan tradition of mystical verse is brought stunningly to life by renowned translator Glenn Mullin through these spontaneous outpourings of the ecstasy of enlightenment. Step into the visionairy of the outspoken and unconventional Second Dalai Lama, who was ‘crazed’ by the wisdom of the nature of reality. Prefaced by a readable and comprehensive introduction to the life and times of this wise exponent of spiritual knowledge, these poems are shining, lyric illuminations of Buddhist life. Each is prefaced by a translator’s preamble.
From Chapter 11 – ‘A Prayer of Pure Aspirations’ (p. 193):
Part One: A Call to the Guru:
” Most kind root guru, who always rests
On a sun and moon above my head,
I, a humble disciple, call out to you
With emotion surging in the depths of my heart.
From wherever you may physically be in this world,
Send forth a mystical emanation to heed me.
Reveal your radiant countenance to me;
And may we never ever become parted. “
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