Quest Magazine

The Eloquence of Silence: Surprising Wisdom in Tales of Emptiness

Thomas Moore, ovato, Calif.: New World Library, 2023. 185 pp., paper, $19.

Thomas Moore, best known for his celebrated book The Care of the Soul, is a Catholic monk turned psychotherapist. He has written extensively over the past three decades on the intersection of spirituality and psychology and how each provides a lens into a greater understanding of the self. Many of his works use stories from various traditions to highlight his points, and The Eloquence of Silence is no different.

In this slim book, Moore focuses on the bright side of emptiness. In a technology-driven society, where attention spans have shrunk to subatomic size and any lull in the constant input of information and entertainment defies the norm, Moore makes a case for embracing silence as a balm and teacher.

Moore’s writing is simple, but his words are chosen with care. Drawing from a wide range of spiritual traditions, philosophical insights, and personal anecdotes, Moore explains the need for regular pauses in our lives to recenter ourselves. We have been trained to view an empty vessel as something that needs filling—by turning on a podcast while out for a walk or by responding to work-related text messages while dining with a friend—but in so doing, we lose sight of the essential things all around us.

Moore conveys abstract ideas in a clear and accessible manner. A genuine authenticity in his language encourages readers to embark on their own introspective journeys and discover the profound depths that silence holds. His imagery is vivid and evocative, and his artful language creates a mood of quiet that befits the subject.

Readers are likely to be familiar with the tradition of emptiness in Buddhism, and of course Moore’s background as a brother in the Servants of the Holy Paraclete gives him great insight into the Roman Catholic contemplative tradition. But The Eloquence of Silence draws on other traditions as well. Several of the introductory stories to his brief chapters are tales of Nasrudin, a figure of Muslim folklore known as a trickster.

This is a hopeful book. Moore sees silence as more than a respite from the challenges of a busy life: his emptiness is also a source of strength and clarity. The collected stories and Moore’s insightful analysis encourage readers to embrace silence to navigate the complexities of the modern world and find solace amidst the chaos.

The Eloquence of Silence is a call to find a place for stillness every day, and the book’s format aids in that aim. While it can be read in one sitting, reading a bit at a time may be more effective, allowing space for consideration in between. Each chapter is very short; there are over three dozen stories in less than 200 pages. The Eloquence of Silence is best viewed as a contemplative text, ideal for placing on one’s desk or nightstand to read one tale at a time.

Peter Orvetti

Peter Orvetti is a writer and former divinity student residing in Washington, D.C.

Approaching the Secret Doctrine: Its Teachings and Practical Application

Pablo Sender, Ojai, Calif.: Fohat, 2022. xxiv + 313 pp., paper, $26.95.

H.P. Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine has always been a rebarbative work. Its enormous length as well as its enormous detail, not always well organized, have deterred many readers. Many study guides have been written over the decades, perhaps the best being Geoffrey Barborka’s 1961 book The Divine Plan.

Theosophical teacher Pablo Sender adds his own contribution to the genre with this new work (which, incidentally, only covers the first volume of The Secret Doctrine; a companion volume is coming). 

Approaching the Secret Doctrine is divided into three parts. The first discusses the nature of Blavatsky’s book, its aims, and how to study it. Chapters include excerpts from her introduction and preface that provide background, cast in a question-and-answer format; a discussion of studying the text as a form of jnana yoga, or yoga of knowledge; and some major points to keep in mind when reading. Chapter 4 is a digest of some notes allegedly by HPB’s student Robert Bowen recording her suggestions for studying the text. The attribution to Bowen is questionable, as Sender concedes, but he includes them on the grounds of their innate usefulness. (For a discussion of this topic, as well as the notes, see Quest, fall 2021.)

The second part of this book is probably the most useful. It contains a digest of the principal ideas in The Secret Doctrine, including the three “Fundamental Propositions” with which it begins, as well as an introduction to the enigmatic Stanzas of Dzyan, which HPB used as an organizing principle for her book. This section succeeds quite well in presenting the text’s basic ideas in an accessible form.

The third section “explores how these teachings may be used in daily life and in the practice of meditation.” It outlines a number of meditation exercises to give an experiential sense of the book’s main ideas. Although they are enormously comprehensive and mind-expanding, I found this the weakest of the three parts: the meditations seem somewhat overcomplicated to me, and I am not sure that many will have the patience to work through them.

All in all, Approaching the Secret Doctrine is a valuable addition to the study tools for this forbidding masterpiece. Its greatest strength probably lies in its elucidation of concepts such as Fohat, the stages of manifestation, and the birth of the creative Logos, accompanied by Sender’s enlightening paraphrases of Blavatsky’s text. I imagine that it will prove a useful study tool for both groups and individuals.

Richard Smoley

Printed in the  Fall 2023 issue of Quest magazine. 
Citation: Crow, John L "Can Artificial Intelligence Embody the Divine Light?" Quest 111:4, pg 9 & 47

By John L. Crow

The Higher Ego is, as it were, a globe of pure divine light, a Unit from a higher plane, on which is no differentiation. 

—H.P. Blavatsky

For the last few decades, anxiety about artificial intelligence has been increasing. We see it expressed in movies such as The Terminator and the Matrix series. According to Hollywood narratives, soon an AI system will gain independent consciousness and seek to eliminate humanity. Psychologists have called this fear AI anxiety, and it is classed alongside other modern fears, such as climate anxiety.

This anxiety has become rampant partly because of the complexity of modern technology. The average person simply cannot understand what is going on in the “black box” in which AI runs. This lack of understanding is compounded by statements from AI programmers saying even they don’t know or understand the resulting data and algorithms created by the AI once it is set in motion.

Despite the complexity of AI, computers are fundamentally the same as they been since the 1950s. They run commands given to them and wait idle until given the next command. Humans, however, can think independently because of the divine light, the spirit of life, descending from the Source.

The easiest way to understand why AI will never become conscious is to relate it to the golem, a creature found in Jewish folklore. According to the legends, a golem is a creature made by the Kabbalist entirely of earthen material, like clay. It is animated when the Kabbalist places paper or something similar within it containing Hebrew writing taken from the Torah and/or the name of God. Through the logos, that is, the words of God, the golem comes alive. It can move, carry objects, and perform tasks as commanded by its creator. But it cannot think for itself. It only moves to where it is told to go, and it only carries what it is commanded to carry. It completes all the tasks commanded to the best of its ability. If it fails to function correctly, it can learn how to perform the tasks better. Left unattended, it might wreak havoc, but in all cases, it would return to its inanimate state when the object with the writing was removed.

AI systems and its technology are similar to golems. Both are made of earthly materials (silicon being the base component of circuitry). Words bring the golem to life, just as programming brings AI into being. Most importantly, both appear to be alive, but are not. All the AI and the golem can do is perform the tasks given to them. Both can learn to do them better, but they can never develop independent thought. At their core, they lack the divine light that animates life.

This is not to say that these artifacts cannot do tasks given to them better than humans. Indeed both AI and golems are created to perform tasks that humans cannot do easily or do not want to do.

One task current AI systems are being created to perform is to process spoken and written language. As a result, the AI demonstrates amazing natural language abilities. These abilities have caused journalists and others to declare that these AI systems are alive. But these individuals overlook the fact that to gain these abilities, the AI system had to process millions of texts written by humans. The AI appears to be alive because it is doing a wonderful job of imitating those who are or were alive.

The algorithms and linguistic models created by these AI systems need to be “trained” on prewritten texts, which are frequently curated by the creators of the AI system. During this process, the AI system makes mistakes and is corrected by users. After millions of calculations and numerous corrections, the models allow it to predict the next word in the sentence based on the context and the surrounding words.

In addition to linguistically based AI, other forms can create images or videos, either by using a sentence description or by combining preexisting videos and images. They can be instructed to create a picture in the style of certain artists. If the system has processed and examined the artist’s work, it can make a facsimile in the same style showing what was requested of it

Like linguistic AI, these systems have been trained through images and video created by humans. They are masterful at storing and combining portions of pictures and videos. They can create simulations of works by well-known artists and directors, but that is because they were trained on the images and video created by humans, who, unlike AI programs, have the ability to be creative, invent new styles, and imagine new forms of art.

Like the golem, AI will never become conscious, because they are both the products of man. We lack the ability to bring the divine light into our creations. At best, AI are but temporary reflections of our divine light.

No doubt AI systems will continue to advance in complexity while becoming more useful in performing the tasks for which we create them. But they are our creations, and they will never become conscious. So we do not need to fear a future in which AI systems will seek to eliminate humanity. Without our divine light reflected in them, AI systems are as useless as a lump of clay.

John L. Crow, PhD is a religious studies scholar at Florida State University, where he teaches courses on religion, digital literacy, and technology use in online learning. His research focuses on the history of Eastern religions emerging in the West in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. For more information, visit www.johnlcrow.com.

Printed in the  Fall 2023 issue of Quest magazine. 
Citation: Keene, Douglas "President’s Diary" Quest 111:4, pg 9 & 47

On July 1, I stepped into the office of president of the Theosophical Society in America. It is a great honor to be recommended, nominated, and elected to this office. It is with humility and gratitude that I take this next step in my work with the TSA. I hope to serve all the members and the Society with patience, earnestness, compassion, and inspiration. I feel the future for our organization is bright in expanding the work of the founders and remaining relevant in the world today.

As I step into office, our former president, Barbara Hebert, steps down. She has been a dedicated, industrious, and wise leader for us as well as a teacher, mentor, and friend to me. She has generously offered to remain involved in the development of the Society to which she has given so many years of her life. Still, she will be greatly missed as a guiding influence in our day-to-day operations. Best of luck in your retirement, Barbara.

We have a number of transitions in Olcott this summer. Juliana Cesano had been moving into the role of national secretary. She had been in this position part-time for the last several months but assumed full-time obligations on June 17.

There is also a new board of directors, elected this spring, as reported by Barbara in the previous issue of Quest. They met in Wheaton on July 11‒13.  The board is made up of four new members and four returning members, two of which are in new roles: Rozi Ulics as vice president and myself as president. This was the first time the board has met in person since 2019, and it was wonderful to be in each other’s company again.

The 137th Summer National Convention was held on July 14‒16. It was the first face-to-face convention that we’ve had in four years. There was an excellent turnout, and enthusiasm was high. The theme was “A Shared Journey: The Heart of the Spiritual Path.” There were superb talks by Ravi Ravindra (representing the Hindu tradition), Pamela Ayo Yetunde (the Buddhist tradition), Rabbi Rami Shapiro (the Jewish tradition), Carl McColeman (the Christian tradition), Iman Jamal Rahman (the Islamic tradition) and Pablo Sender (Theosophical teachings). There were panel discussions, meditation sessions, tours, and many other collective activities.

During the conference, a memorial service was held for John Algeo, president of the TSA from 1993 to 2002 and international vice president from 2002 to 2008, led by his daughter, Katie Algeo. John was a gifted orator and writer, and his contributions to the mission and growth of the TS were immense.

This convention was a hybrid event, and I want to express my thanks to the webinar department and all the staff for their extraordinary work in preparation for (and during) the program.

The 2023 Parliament of World Religions was held from August 14‒18 at McCormick Place, Lakeside Center, in Chicago. The parliament was founded 130 years ago in this city and returns after a thirty-year absence to its birthplace. Annie Besant famously spoke at the 1893 event, and we are told there was great difficulty finding a room large enough for all that wanted to hear her speak. “Convenings attracts participants from more than 200 diverse religious, indigenous, and secular beliefs and more than 80 nations,” says the parliament’s website. The theme for this event was “A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights.” The program was targeted to bring together “faith and religious leaders, academic and industry experts, and institutions and grassroots organizers committed to interfaith dialogue and action.”

The TSA had a presence at the parliament. A booth explained and promoted our activities for the full five days. The Society also presented a ninety-minute panel discussion on the theme of “Strength in Unity: Perspectives from the Ageless Wisdom.” Participants on the panel were Barbara Hebert, Juliana Cesano, and me, with Justin Tanksley serving as moderator. I hope some of you were able to attend.

Participating in interfaith events—both those that we host and those hosted by others—provides an opportunity to present Theosophical perspectives to an open-minded audience. It also generates and sustains bridges between different faith traditions, which are so necessary for the present and future of our cultures. Open and respectful dialogue is a primary step for improving understanding of various traditions. Furthermore, it reflects the Second Object of our Society: “to encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and science.” We were fortunate that this program was held in our backyard, so to speak.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the meetings of the General Council, the governing body of the international Theosophical Society. This occurred on June 17‒20 in Naarden, the Netherlands, the home of the European School of Theosophy. The meetings were held over four days, with wide-ranging discussion of a number of topics. Sessions were attended by Section heads and other members from a variety of countries across the globe, both in person and virtually. International president Tim Boyd reported that the international headquarters at Adyar is strong and developing. Although many challenges persist, substantial progress has been made in the rehabilitation of buildings, educational projects, and outreach. The 148th TS International Convention will be held December 31, 2023 through January 4, 2024. The program is titled “Exploring and Understanding Universal Intelligence.” All members and friends are encouraged to attend.

As you may be aware, the 150th anniversary of the Theosophical Society is rapidly approaching in 2025. This corresponds with the Twelfth World Congress of the TS, and the anniversary will be commemorated at this event. It is also the centenary for the Canadian Section. This event is to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the Congress running July 23‒27, 2025, followed by convention of the international Theosophical Order of Service on July 28‒29. The theme will be “Toward Insight and Wholeness: Our Role in Shaping the Future.” It should be a unique opportunity to learn, share, and celebrate our historical and international connections in a location very close to the U.S. There is great interest across the continents in attending this event, and we hope to have a substantial American representation. Please consider putting it on your calendars now; additional information will be forthcoming.

As you can see, there is a great deal happening in the TS, nationally and internationally. A number of regional and local events are also being held, some of which are described in this issue’s News and Notes, and others that will be registered in the future. It is an exciting time to be part of the Theosophical movement, both for our own individual spiritual unfoldment and for joining with like-minded individuals to have a positive and perhaps even transformative effect on our communities. Please remain active in your groups and network with others, both inside and outside the Society. I hope to meet with as many of you as possible over the next three years and to help create a vital and vibrant organization that we can all be proud of. I ask for your assistance in this effort: it falls to each one of us to do our part. Please take care of one another, and we’ll talk soon.

Douglas Keene