The Theosophical Order of Service: the ideal of altruistic service

The Theosophical Order of Service:

the ideal of altruistic service

History

Founded by Annie Besant in February 1908

Response to members wanting to actively promote the first object of the Theosophical Society – to form a nucleus for the universal brotherhood of humanity

The focus is on service through a sense of oneness with all life.

The only law of living is the law that helps others; to the extent that you forget yourself, you are free to help the world. N. Sri Ram

The purpose of the TOS

The TOS offers a framework in which:

individuals may work along self-selected lines of service for the uplifting of humanity and the protection of the planet;

the practical application of theosophical principles to issues of contemporary concern may be explored;

social action as spiritual practice is honoured and nurtured.

The TOS today

The TOS currently has branches in some 30 countries. Work is carried out in such areas as:

PeaceSocial welfare and educationAnimal welfareThe environmentHealingEmergency relief

The TOS and the UN

The United Nations was built on spiritual principles and universal values such as peace, human rights, human dignity and worth, justice, respect, good neighbourliness, freedom, respect for nature and shared responsibility.

TOS groups connect with many UN designated International Days.

Service activities around the world

Providing vocational training programs for rural womenFunding and supporting childcare centres and orphanagesEstablishing and funding schoolsProviding educational scholarshipsProviding medical and dental health-careProviding mobility aids, spectacles and hearing aidsHolding meditations for world peace and healingProviding blankets, clothing and food in emergencies

Service activities around the world

Promoting non-violenceFunding and supporting veterinary care and animal sheltersConducting talks and seminars to raise awareness of environmental, health, animal welfare and social issuesWorking with communities on sustainability projects Working in soup kitchens for the homelessAdopting and supporting women’s refugesCampaigning on contemporary issues such as violence against women.

The ideal of altruistic service

It is that kind of caring that constitutes a constant and continual radiation of love, without judgement and without irritation. It is a willingness to give of oneself, doing whatever the moment requires. Joy Mills

Qandeel home-schools in Pakistansymbolising the light of learning spreading out from a lantern.

Children should above all be taught self-reliance, love for all men, altruism, mutual charity, and, more than anything else, to think and reason for themselves. We would… devote time to the development and training of the inner senses, faculties and latent capacities. … We should aim at creating free men and women, free intellectually, free morally, unprejudiced in all respects,and, above all things, unselfish.H.P. Blavatsky in “Key to Theosophy”

Golden Link College in the Philippines

Lumen School on the island of Negros in Central Philippines

We help others, not by interfering with their lives nor by imposing our ideas on them, but always by acting in a spirit of sympathy and self-identification with them in their troubles and joys. N. Sri Ram

Famine relief in Kenya – sustaining a village

Forming a cooperative

Putting in a water bore

Providing fruit trees and seeds

Teaching skills for earning a living.

Supporting a flooded village in Hungary

Promoting independence through providing mobility aids in Assam & Arunachal Region, India

Promoting independence through providing vocational training in India

Of all the qualifications, Love is the most important. In daily life this means two things – first, that you shall be careful to do no harm to any living thing; second, that you shall always be watching for an opportunity to help.

At the Feet of the Master

The aim of the TOS is altruistic service

Inner spiritual work

Outer action:service in thought, word and deed

service with no intention of benefit to oneself or of one’s own agenda.

There can be no greater purpose in life than to serve — service to the One in many forms. It must not be so-called, limited service, but real service, which is direct and sincere, in which the consciousness of self is forgotten. N. Sri Ram