Printed in the Summer 2023 issue of Quest magazine.
Citation: Georgiades, Erica, "Theosophy in Today’s Ukraine: An Interview with Svitlana Gavrylenko" Quest 111:3, pg 4-7
By Erica Georgiades
Svitlana Gavrylenko is general secretary of the Theosophical Society in Ukraine. She became a member of the TS in 2000. She is PhD and assistant professor in mathematics (probability theory) at Ukraine’s National Agrarian University, now retired. She is also the head of the organizing committee of the annual international forum Spiritual Development for Man and Society and of the Council of the Committee for Ethics and Humanitarian Expertise. This interview was originally conducted for the YouTube channel of the European School of Theosophy (EuST).
Erica Georgiades: Dear Svlitana, I am very happy to see you. Thank you for being here with us today. To begin, why did you not leave Ukraine when the war started?
Svitlana Gavrylenko: You see, this was not my mental, logical decision. This was my inner position without any variants. My only move was from my home to our TS headquarters; both are in the center of Kyiv. I did it four days before the war started. I felt that this is now my place.
Erica: How is the humanitarian situation over there?
Svitlana: There is no person in Ukraine who has not been touched by the war. This is an extraordinary test for everyone. Huge queues formed from the very first day of the war to military offices and formation points of territorial defense units. They were men and women, pupils, students, pensioners. Military operations began on a very wide front line; shelling and offensive operations began in the north, east, and south of the country. Because of this, millions of people were displaced in search of safe places to stay. Some of them left the country, and the majority moved to the central and western regions. It was a major humanitarian problem, for the solution of which both state services and volunteer organizations were involved in Ukraine and in most European countries. Thus Ukraine gave an impetus to reveal the spirit of brotherhood in the world. We greatly appreciate this spirit of Unity.
Erica: War is such a cruel thing: it separates family and friends, affects animals, and devastates the environment. In such difficult moments, it is important to have courage. I recall the words of Martin Luther King Jr: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.” In this way, we can move forward with infinite hope in our hearts, while of course always trying to avert the evils of war and actively working for peace. Could you please share with us what have you been doing to improve the situation over there?
Svitlana: Most of the members of the TS remained in Ukraine; some moved to the western regions. Undoubtedly, at the call of the heart, they began to look for opportunities to help people. At first, it was help for refugees and displaced persons. Many sent financial aid for the military and hospitals. After some time, huge destruction was revealed in the cities and villages that were freed from occupation. People needed the most necessary things. Our colleagues from the Theosophical Order of Service from different countries of the world came to the rescue. They sent their financial support, and our volunteers used these funds to provide humanitarian aid. We are very grateful to everyone for such cooperation.
I also want to say that there is another side to our work as Theosophists. We all know about the power of thought.
Erica: We know how a small positive thought in the morning can change the entire day—how a positive attitude in face of hardships can give us and those around us strength to move forward, paving the way for better and brighter days. In this way, we have organized online meditations from the first days of the war.
Svitlana: From the first days of the war, we felt very much the mental help of all those who sympathize with the Ukrainian people and cooperate with us, and the spiritual help of the subtle planes of existence and contact with them. From the first days, we started conducting short meditations for the protection of Ukraine with the reading of the Universal Prayer (“O Hidden Life”) according to the scheme 8–12–8. We invite our friends to join. This scheme has already been worked out since the time of Covid, which can be supplemented by an appeal to subtle forces for help for the people of Ukraine. Some of our branches hold their own internal daily meditation online meetings. At the all-Ukrainian level, joint meditations are held every Thursday at 9 p.m. to strengthen the core of the Brotherhood, support and protect Ukraine, and unite all the Light forces of the planet.
One more piece of news: there are three groups of the Order of Healing in Ukraine. They now work online. We have developed a special ritual to assist in the transition to other worlds all those killed and martyred during military operations. We feel a great need for such work in today’s situation and conduct it regularly and weekly, separately from the main service of the Order of Healing.
Erica: It is very inspiring to know you all have been doing joint meditations, focusing on peace and siblinghood. Is the TS in Ukraine active?
Svitlana: Oh, yes. Two years of experience of online activism during Covid-19 allowed us to confidently continue our activism during the destabilizing period at the beginning of the war. For some members, the only problem was the availability of an Internet connection. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the work of the Theosophical Society should be continued and even deepened. From the first days, the idea arose that it is precisely in these conditions that our work is extremely necessary both for ourselves and for the people around us.
Moreover, right now we in Ukraine are passing the most important test for truly carrying out the idea of Brotherhood. It is precisely in the conditions of crisis that people begin to realize the priority of the spiritual component in the life of individuals and societies, as well as to put universal human values above personal values. So popularization of the ideas of Theosophy is important and timely right now.
Erica: Yes, it is precisely in moments of crisis, as you say, that people begin to realize the importance of changing their lives, prioritizing what really matters: the well-being of others, the land, and the world we live in. So what kind of work you have been doing?
Svitlana: First of all, I want to note the intensification of TOS activities. Theosophists are trying to be effective in a broad volunteer movement that has swept the whole country. No one remains indifferent. This includes assistance to refugees and displaced persons, informational assistance, provision of essentials for residents of cities and towns liberated from occupation, help to hospitals, and assistance to animals. We are very grateful to our TOS colleagues from different countries of the world for the financial support that makes it possible to carry out our TOS humanitarian support actions. This is really a practical realization of the idea of Brotherhood. Many thanks to you, dear Erica, for your hearty participation in such an activity. I would like to especially note the active help of our TOS colleagues from Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, America, Germany, Greece, France, Slovenia, and other countries.
Our regular activities continue. All our permanent local groups work online, all-Ukrainian events are regularly held, we invite foreign lecturers, and Internet resources are constantly updated: the website, the Facebook page, the TOS information blog, the YouTube channel. Magazines are published in electronic form: two monthly magazines: a newsletter for members and Herald of Unity (on general esoterics). Our main TS magazine, Svitoch, is published every two months, and another magazine, Theosophy and Science, comes out twice a year.
The only thing missing is physical communication, personal contacts, and touch. We want to hug our brothers and sisters, sit next to them, talk. But probably this is not the only case here.
Erica: Solidarity is the foundation of our humanity. If we cannot help each other, be there for each other in challenging moments, what would the world be? What would our humanity be? The TOS is certainly doing such a wonderful work by offering support. We also want to see you all, sit close to you, and have close contact. I am sure that this will soon will be possible, and that very soon these dark days will be a thing of the past. You have planned a pilgrimage tour to Dnipro, Odesa, and Kyiv for visiting places connected with HPB and getting to know the TS work in Ukraine. Can you share with us what places Theosophists would visit and see in this pilgrimage?
Svitlana: Yes, we have such a dream. We already expressed such a proposal at the meeting of the TS General Council just before Covid. This proposal was met with great interest and enthusiasm. Now we probably have to wait for the end of the war. We are waiting for such an opportunity and will be happy to see our brothers and sisters in the motherland of Helena Petrovna. You will be able to feel the special energy of this land, its powerful, indomitable spirit; you can breathe the air of the house where she was born and enjoy the steppe spaces where she spent her childhood years. This will be a journey to her origins, to her primary points of entry in her extremely significant incarnation, which had a planetary significance and determined a new era of evolution of humanity’s consciousness. For an initial acquaintance, we offer our guests a visit to Dnipro, Kyiv, and possibly Odesa as well.
Undoubtedly, the key place is the house where HPB was born in Dnipro. Since 2009, the Museum Center of HPB and her family has been established there, it is a state institution. As soon as the war is over, we will again resume preparations for the reception of guests. It will be a special joy for us to see our friends and give them the opportunity to visit the sacred places of the motherland of HPB.
Erica: It will be truly wonderful to have the opportunity to visit Ukraine. In fact, since 2018 I have been entertaining the idea of organizing the EuST in Ukraine, but soon Covid and the war started, and that was no longer possible. We were planning to host the EuST at the Blavatsky house. Dо you know the current condition of Blavatsky’s house?
Svitlana: Museums are cultural assets; they are closed during the war. The most valuable exhibits have been evacuated or hidden in a safe place. The building itself has security. It is currently not damaged by the explosions, but the war continues.
Erica: Cultural assets are important, but not as important as the well-being of others and the environment. Is there anything we can do to help our brothers and sisters in Ukraine?
Svitlana: Thank you, dear Erica, for your kind heart and for this question. There is no doubt that today museums are not the primary recipients of funding in our country. Since the beginning of their existence, volunteers have done a lot of good deeds; volunteer meetings were held twice a year. Thanks to such public efforts, today it is possible to gather and hold exhibitions in this building. When you come, dear Erica, and see everything with your own eyes, you will get the answer to your question about helping the Museum Center. As for helping Ukraine, your prayers, meditations, good wishes, and letters mean a lot to us today. Ukraine really needs help and does not hide it. You were one of the first to respond and offer help.
Erica: Is there anything else you would like to say?
Svitlana: I am very grateful to you, Erica, for the invitation to this conversation. I want to convey greetings from all the Theosophists of Ukraine to brothers and sisters all over the world. Today we really need your support and help. As soon as peaceful times come, we will be glad to see you in our place and meet you personally. I am sure that in these difficult times, humanity has taken a step towards Unity and Brotherhood. Let’s keep the link! I hope for meeting again at the soonest opportunity.
Erica: I am very grateful to you, Svlitana, for accepting the invitation to be here with us today. I want to convey greetings to all Ukrainians, and to assure you we are doing our best to help the situation improve. As soon peace is established, we will visit Ukraine and join the wonderful pilgrimage you envision. We wish you all strength and perseverance, moving forward with infinite hope in your hearts, for certainly better and brighter days will come.
If you wish to assist in humanitarian and animal welfare efforts, please contact Dr. Svitlana Gavrylenko at info@theosophy.in.ua.
Other resources:
Website: www.theosophy.in.ua
TOS info: https://ukr-tos.blogspot.com/
FaceBook page: www.facebook.com/theosophy.in.ua
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_Gfg8YO5iaXekyxPf0p_Gg
Telegram channel: https://t.me/Theosophy_in_Ukraine
Telegram chat: https://t.me/+ilwrNVYEe0hlZjRi
Erica Georgiades is the director of the European School of Theosophy and the School of Wisdom. She is also the vice president of the Theosophical Society in Greece.