Barbara Velazquez: Theosophy

As part of our new series introducing Ethical Culturalists to the philosophical and spiritual gifts of other religious paths, Barbara Velazquez will speak about Theosophy.

Dr. Velazquez will discuss the history of the Theosophist Society and its purpose. She will present an overview of its teachings, philosophy and practice including: the three objects, Truth, Spiritual Practice, Universal Laws, 7 Principles and Spiritual Evolution.

Dr. Velazquez is an active Theosophist. The Theosophist Society is composed of students belonging to any religion or to none. Its members are united by their approval of the Society’s Three Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together people of good will whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. In accordance with the Theosophical spirit, most Theosophists regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They hold that belief should be the result of individual understanding and intuition rather than mere acceptance of traditional ideas, and that it should rest on knowledge and experience, not on assertion. Truth should therefore be sought by study, reflection, meditation, service, purity of life, and devotion to high ideals. For more information, see https://www.theosophical.org.

Dr. Velazquez earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Seton Hall University in 1999 and is in private practice in Maplewood, NJ. She is a founder of several non-profit organizations and programs including the Spiritual Unity Network, the Taskforce for Humanity Coalition and the NJ Kindness Campaign. She is a trustee on the SOMA Community Coalition on Race and serves on the Executive Committee. She was also chair of the committee that organized the Cultural Heritage Festivals held in Maplewood in 2014 and 2015. She has been a student of Metaphysics for nearly 40 years and has been a member of the Theosophical Society for 18. She currently serves as Vice President of the Surya Theosophical Study Group which meets in Maplewood.