Argentina, Theosophy in

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:

Mario Martinez de Arroyo

Alfredo Escardo

Annie Mannie Gowland

Adrian Madril

Arturo Montesano Delchi

Carlos Stoppel

Honorio Folquer

Raul Wyngard

Jose Maria Olivares

Mariano Calvo

Enrique Gossweiler

Nazareno Rimini

Andrea Ponde

Luis Spairani

Manuel Farinish

Juan Vinas

Juan Cassibba

Juan Carlos Palmeri

Nora Spairani

Silvia Blajer

Jorge Cesano

Silvia Liliana Pastore

Journals. Pre-Sectional.

1895: Luz Astral

1898: Philadelphia

1905: La Verdad

1912: La Estrella De Occidente

1913: La Cruz Del Sur

1917: Ondas Buddhicas

From 1919 on

Teosofia En El Plata

1944: Revista Teosofica Argentine

1958: Teosofia

1972: America Teosofica

1981: Informativo Teosofico

1990: Cambios

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.

N.S.