View source for Argentina, Theosophy

The last decade of
the 18th century saw the appearance of a group of very
special people, bred in the ideals of Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity. Known as the Generation of the 90’s, they
greatly influenced the political and economic organization
of the Latin American nations. But, above all, they
laid the foundations of an American culture and thought.
Especially in Argentina they set, from public office, an example
of moral conduct which was the inspiration of the
generations to come.

In this environment flourished the first Theosophical
Lodge “Luz” (Light), which was founded in Buenos Aires,
on January 7, 1893. Its first President was Antonia Martinez
Royo and the house where it was established could be
seen up to 1953 almost unchanged. Meetings took place on
Sunday afternoons and the main feature of this period was
that most of the members were well-known public persons:
deputies, senators, writers, scientists, teachers,
among them Federico W. Fernandez, Alejandro Sorondo,
Leopoldo Lugones, Alfredo B. Palacios, Joaquin V. Gonzalez,
Jose Ingenieros, Rodolfo Moreno, names that can be
found nowadays in any book concerning Argentine history.

Argentina has been the center of the theosophical
movement in South America. Consequent upon the establishment
of Lodge “Luz” in Buenos Aires other Lodges
were formed in neighboring countries: Uruguay, Chile,
Paraguay and Brazil. As there were three Lodges working
in Buenos Aires when Henry OLCOTT visited that city in
1901, he suggested the foundation of a South American
Section, appointing Luis Scheiner as his correspondent,
but this did not take place until 1930.

On July 6, 1919, the representatives from eight Argentine
Lodges, one from Uruguay and one from Paraguay,
making a total of 264 members, formed the Argentine Section
of the Theosophical Society. Several magazines were
published. The first General Secretary was Federico Valles
Vargas and the following General Secretaries succeeded
him:<br>

:Mario Martinez de Arroyo<br>
:Alfredo Escardo<br>
:Annie Mannie Gowland<br>
:Adrian Madril<br>
:Arturo Montesano Delchi<br>
:Carlos Stoppel<br>
:Honorio Folquer<br>
:Raul Wyngard<br>
:Jose Maria Olivares<br>
:Mariano Calvo<br>
:Enrique Gossweiler<br>
:Nazareno Rimini<br>
:Andrea Ponde<br>
:Luis Spairani<br>
:Manuel Farinish<br>
:Juan Vinas<br>
:Juan Cassibba<br>
:Juan Carlos Palmeri<br>
:Nora Spairani<br>
:Silvia Blajer<br>
:Jorge Cesano<br>
:Silvia Liliana Pastore<br>

Journals. Pre-Sectional.<br>
:1895: ''Luz Astral''<br>
:1898: ''Philadelphia''<br>
:1905: ''La Verdad''<br>
:1912: ''La Estrella De Occidente''<br>
:1913: ''La Cruz Del Sur''<br>
:1917: ''Ondas Buddhicas''<br>

From 1919 on<br>
::''Teosofia En El Plata''<br>
:1944: ''Revista Teosofica Argentine''<br>
:1958: ''Teosofia''<br>
:1972: ''America Teosofica''<br>
:1981: ''Informativo Teosofico''<br>
:1990: ''Cambios''<br>

Since 1947, the translation into Spanish of ''The Theosophist''
has been undertaken and published regularly and distributed
to all the Spanish-speaking countries.

In 1954 there were 65 Lodges, 98 Groups and 1531
members. Acharacteristic of this period was the formation
of many Lodges that lasted only for a short time.

In 1992 there were 500 members, working in 28
Lodges in Argentina and one Lodge in Paraguay. The premises
in the following cities belong to the Section: Buenos
Aires, Rosaria, Cordoba, Mendoza, San Rafael, Carlos
Paz, Mar del Plata, Rio Cuarto, San Lorenzo and La Plata.

The General Secretary and the National Council work
in Buenos Aires. The National Journal ''Cambios'' is published
quarterly. It is sent to members, public libraries,
schools, universities, etc. An important activity is carried
on by the Department of Information, in the city of
Rosario, which prepares slides, audio-visuals, and videos
for rent and distribution among Lodges and for the public.
Workshops and training courses are often held all over the
country to train members on group work speech, study
techniques, research, etc. In 1985 the Theosophical Society
took part in an Educational Congress organized by the
Argentine National Government, with the presentation of a
project on education based on theosophical principles.

An outstanding event in the activities of this Section
since 1990 is the participation in an International Book
Fair, which is held in Buenos Aires every year. About a
million people visit this Fair and it is a good opportunity to
sell books, distribute leaflets and programs of activities in
the different centers. Lately, similar activities have been
started in inland towns.

A Summer School is held for a fortnight every year,
and a Winter School for a week. National gatherings are
held in different parts of the country all year long. Radio
programs have been broadcast for the last ten years in several
cities.

The Argentine Printing Press was founded in 1953, and
dozens of theosophical books have been printed in Spanish
and distributed to the Spanish-speaking countries. Books
are not only sent to the Sections but also to public bookshops.

The Argentine Section is building, little by little, a
camp — Colonia Teosofica — in San Rafael, province of
Mendoza, a region near the imposing mountain range of
Los Andes. The design includes a five-wing star shaped
building to be used for dormitories, dining room, lecture
room and library. At present three wings have been built
and Summer and Winter Schools are held there, with the
presence of members from different provinces and also
from neighboring countries, such as Brazil, Uruguay,
Bolivia and Chile.

Young people took an active part in the Argentine Section
from an early time. In 1962 an Argentine Federation
was formed and then an Inter-American Federation (1973)
which was active for several years. The main characteristic
of this movement was that it was not apart from the Sectional
activities but participated actively in everything carried
on by the National officers. At present, several groups
are working in the country and holding Summer and Winter
Camps.

The ROUND TABLE was founded in 1905 and it is still
working in several cities.

The THEOSOPHICAL ORDER OF SERVICE has also been
working for a long time. In 1990 it was revitalized thanks
to the appointment of a new Director and the implementation
of new activities.

The South American Federation which worked between
1930 and 1962 held its first Congress in Argentina,
in April 1930.The idea of a Federation that could include the whole
of the American continent was always cherished by the Argentine
members. Juan Vinas, a well-known lecturer,
started traveling through the different countries in order to
strengthen the links between them. Finally, when the
Inter-American Federation was definitely formed in 1972,
Luis Spairani, from Argentina, was elected as its first President.
He gave the Federation a strong impulse which set
the direction of the work in the years to come.

[[Contributors|N.S.]]