Thoughts on the Future
Thinking about the future is essential, for understanding it—even if only fragmentary and extremely approximate—is a true treasure. It is not merely a “magnet” that inspires us with the happiness of a future life. Based on what the future will be like we can structure the daily practice of our entire incarnation, our service, our esoteric research, and so on. This is similar to how the daily routine on a ship depends on where the ship is sailing, under what conditions it will travel in future, how long the voyage will last, and what conditions await it at its destination. By understanding the purpose of the journey and having a fundamental understanding of the future, its conditions, and the needs of humanity, we can structure our path now — every day and every year — in relation to this grand goal.
To begin with, we can look at the characteristics of the current period in the world that have already emerged — the trends present today that will, in all likelihood, intensify over time.
The defining characteristics of our time: acceleration and unity
Unity is hard to achieve in our divided world, yet there are powerful external forces that bring about a certain degree of unity, shaping our earthly experience and creating new conditions for it. Let’s name some of the most significant ones:
1) The speed of information exchange ensures that anyone who wants to know what is happening around the world is constantly informed. A number of forces are making great efforts to limit the flow of information, but, by all appearances, it is extremely difficult to impose such restrictions in our time. I believe that, one way or another, informational unity will prevail, and all attempts to hinder it will face powerful resistance.
2) Global trade and the global interdependence of all nations’ economies create conditions where the interconnectedness of material factors reaches new levels — something happens in one part of the globe and instantly affects the entire world in countless ways.
3) The ease of travel across our planet. It is burdened in recent years by well-known events — pandemics, wars, sanctions. However, though they have an impact that is quite strong, is also temporary and in no way alters the overall trend. All the while, countries — especially those with developed economies — continue to develop transportation including the improvement of its accessibility and speed.
4) The language barrier is being broken down thanks to automatic real-time translation powered by artificial intelligence and the widespread and ever-increasing availability of mobile internet coverage. We are entering an era where technology allows people who speak different languages to communicate in real time without barriers.
5) The unity of interest groups in the digital environment is becoming increasingly evident, regardless of country of residence, geographic location, or nationality. For example, communities of gamers, people united by a hobby, activists in a particular cause, and so on, live and work together online, know one another, and have their own rules and values, without even knowing the name of their neighbor on the same floor.
6) Common threats: we are already familiar with nuclear weapons, pandemics, and environmental problems, which unify the conditions of our lives across different nations and countries. Now there is the factor of artificial intelligence, which is set to have a massive (yet far from entirely predictable) impact on the global human experience of our time. Of course, this is not the last technological achievement to pose potential threats, regardless of borders, nationalities, languages, and so on.
All of this places us in a “same boat” situation.
So, these factors are already present and constitute very powerful forces that are leading to the unification of our experiences as human beings incarnated on Earth during this period. Under these conditions, the integration of different mentalities—different civilizations, peoples, and countries—is accelerating and intensifying. The spread of ideas gains tremendous speed under these conditions and exerts a rapid and powerful influence on the majority of the Earth’s population, regardless of geographical boundaries. Tim Boyd, International President of the Theosophical Society, spoke at the Congress of the TS in Russia in 2025 about the Mahatmas’ foresight — which is astonishing to us — as they began their work to disseminate the ideas necessary for humanity’s evolution in the 19th century (more precisely, a new effort and a new phase of such dissemination), so that in our time, when we find ourselves in such circumstances, the necessary foundations would already have been laid and the fundamental concepts required for a more prosperous existence of humanity on Earth would, at the very least, be widely present in the consciousness of our Race.
It is worthwhile to mention that the theme of the Conference of the TS in Russia held in Kemerovo in early April 2026 — which echoes the theme of the Theosophical Society’s International Congress, “One Life, One World: The Spirit of the New Humanity” — is particularly interesting because it refers to spirit. Spirit, of course, is what unites us, but it is also what precedes us. The spirit hovers over the waters before manifestation begins. From this perspective, we can observe that the unity toward which we, as human beings, must strive — and toward which all of nature is moving in its evolution — is already here. However, a considerable amount of time will pass before it is fully realized, and on this evolutionary path, we will need to overcome many obstacles.
Two Categories of Knowledge
Having looked at the present, we can now reflect on the near future.
As we explore the wise sources we study, we find, it seems, two categories of information given to us that shed light on the future. The first tells us about the past, revealing the operating laws — that move nature and influence our life — the understanding of which will allow us to comprehend the future. The second provides direct knowledge of the future. However, we also see, I believe, that these two categories differ greatly in scope. The first is very abundant, while the second is extremely limited.
The reason for this likely lies in the mystery of the future. Misunderstanding is bound to arise if any knowledge is revealed before it becomes accessible to the mentality of each cycle. This misunderstanding greatly complicates the proper assimilation of such fundamentals; therefore, esoteric knowledge is generally revealed very gradually and very carefully, and even more so knowledge directly related to the future.
It should be noted separately that in any search or research, we should always listen to our intuition, which comes to us from a plane where there is neither past nor future, but only the eternal present, and keep in mind moral imperatives — especially altruism, which flows from the Unity of humanity and of all that exists.
Urgency and Danger
Let us turn to H.P. Blavatsky’s article “The New Cycle,” whose content is directly relevant to the topic we are considering. She speaks of the danger that threatens us: by remaining captive to materialism, humanity is doomed to be swept away by the approaching spiritual flood, to lose its footing, and to perish in an unknown element. This same article also tells us of the urgency of the work to transform consciousness: the great cyclical crisis has already begun, a mystical force is rising unstoppably, and human consciousness must free itself from prejudice and blind materialism in order to continue its evolutionary development.
“The strong current which rises from the watery abyss, from the depths where lie the prehistoric learning and arts swallowed up with the antediluvian Giants — demigods, though but mere outlines of mortal men — that current strikes us in the face and murmurs: “That which has been still exists; that which has been forgotten, buried for aeons in the depths of the Jurassic strata, may reappear to view once more. Prepare yourselves.’.”
Thus, the world is entering a period of “great intellectual and psychic crisis.” Those who remain within the confines of a materialistic worldview are unprepared for this and are losing their footing. They may be swallowed up by the “abyss of the unknown,” because they do not perceive reality beyond the limits of physics and chemistry. The article states that the hope that the wave will carry them to shore on its own is illusory: “it may well happen that a lifeless body will be washed ashore.” And also, that those who do not choose the path of mystical evolution will be “tossed by the waves, driven by the winds, reeling in that element which is so terrible because unknown, he will soon find himself engulfed.” The point, of course, is not merely physical death, but spiritual defeat. What exactly is being discussed here, and what exactly is the danger?
I believe its character can be to some extent understood by referring to a letter from the Maha Chohan:
“The intellectual portions of mankind seem to be fast dividing into two classes, the one unconsciously preparing for itself long periods of temporary annihilation or states of non-consciousness owing to the deliberate surrender of their intellect, its imprisonment in the narrow grooves of bigotry and superstition, a process which cannot fail to lead to the utter deformation of the intellectual principle; the other unrestrainedly indulging its animal propensities with the deliberate intention of submitting to annihilation pure and simple in cases of failure, to millenniums of degradation after physical dissolution.”
In other words, it seems the danger lies in the fact that this Spark given to us (the understanding of this “Spark” principle, as presented in The Secret Doctrine and other key works of the theosophical tradition, is fundamentally important for understanding what a human being is) will not return home “with interest,” but will either be distorted by dogmatism, losing its power and, likely, the ability for further successful evolutionary development (or suffering a delay), or will get extinguished by materialism that indulges animalistic passions. It suffers in a foreign land far from its Home, much like the prodigal son in the biblical parable. One might say that this concerns the energy of those Rays which our Spiritual Ego, the Manasaputra within us, sends forth each time at the moment of our incarnation to create the new personality, saturating our personal microcosm with these Rays incarnation by incarnation. Thus, the skandhas of these personalities are perfected with each new life, and the great moment of the merging of the Spiritual Ego (the Higher Manas) and earthly consciousness (the Lower Manas) gradually approaches. However, the danger pointed out to us likely lies in the fact that this process may be hindered by the aforementioned negative factors, due to which this energy may fail to return Home to its Source, unlike the prodigal son who returned to his father.
To be more specific, and using the context of the same article in an effort to better understand the future, we can identify three reasons why we might be engulfed by the approaching “resistible billows of an unknown element”:
1) being entrapped by materialism,
2) attempts to remain neutral in the struggle between two opposing forces (evolutionary mysticism and anti-evolutionary materialism),
3) the illusion of freedom, when it may seem that the ordinary life of modern society already meets the demands of the future.
Thus, this can lead to the consequences mentioned earlier, or to prolonged karmic blindness in future incarnations. In order to meet the requirements of the cycles of psychic evolution, one must be open to mystical perception (what exactly this is in the context of this article is a separate and interesting topic), ready to accept the truth about life beyond the gross plane of matter.
This is very important. It is pointed out as a danger that the consciousness of a vast number of people will face! What portion of humanity? Half? The majority? Almost everyone? Who knows… And, although we, as always, do not know the exact timing, this is spoken of in a tone of obvious urgency. Precisely so that human consciousness can keep pace with the cycles of psychic evolution, which are moving inexorably forward, the Great Teachers are making enormous efforts to introduce into the mentality of our Race ideas that accurately reflect the nature of things, purifying it of prejudices and materialistic blindness.
Reflecting further on how people’s consciousness might encounter such a challenge in practical experience, one can imagine the following. If today a person is not ready to accept the living realities of the psychic and spiritual nature, as well as their manifestations (such as the phenomenal power of thought, the immortality of the soul and consciousness, reincarnation, the existence of Beings standing on a higher step of evolution, the existence of powers inherent in humans but currently dormant within us, and so on) then they can still simply live a life of denial, limited by physical perceptions. At the same time, one can at least hope that, perhaps at some point during this very life, they will undergo an experience that will give their consciousness an evolutionary impetus and make the recognition of these realities and manifestations possible for them. But what will happen if the fundamental conditions of earthly existence change because evolutionary cycles bring about a shift in the character of the psychic atmosphere in which humanity lives, and these factors and forces manifest themselves quite clearly, so that the eyes and ears of this person — who is not yet ready for spiritual perception and thinking — begin to bring them constant and direct evidence, steadily and inevitably filling their life? The second volume of The Secret Doctrine offers us an allegory of the “quagmire” of physical, incarnated life, into which we descend, beginning with the Third Root Race, and from which we emerge during the Fifth, and especially the Sixth, and perhaps the Seventh. It seems that the evolutionary Wave is slowly but steadily sweeping humanity — willing or not — out of this quagmire, and will not wait for those whose eyes have grown accustomed to the gloom of the marshy depths, much like the prisoners in Plato’s cave, accustomed to the darkness of their dwelling.
In today’s popular culture, there is an example familiar to many adults, teenagers, and children that offers a somewhat humorous illustration of these important principles: Uncle Vernon from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. I believe that esoteric truths often find their way into human consciousness and the mentality of the age through works of art, poetry and fiction, and therefore many capable and talented authors can become vessels of high inspiration, the source of which we can attempt to assess based on the value of the ideas expressed by these authors. The global reach of this work and the vividness with which it illustrates principles related to the themes of this article make such images a significant factor. Thus, using this character as an example, we see how a consciousness unprepared to accept “miraculous” manifestations that go beyond the bounds of familiar, limited materialism reacts. Ignorance produces fear and fear and hatred are essentially one and the same; consequently, one of the most common reactions is to try to completely shut that which transcends the ordinary and habitual out of one’s life, or better yet, to destroy it.
Now, leaving this valuable fictional example and coming back to our reflection, if there is nowhere to flee, for all the conditions of earthly existence have changed once and for all, and it is impossible to destroy them, what then? Probably then — a shock and a categorical choice: either the earthly consciousness is ready for a certain flexibility, acknowledges and opens itself to experiences beyond the reach of the gross senses, thereby proving its viability, or it actively turns away from evolution and, likely, faces destruction.
Plato’s The Republic presents us with the well-known and magnificent allegory of the cave, which has already been mentioned above. It is remarkable how accurately it corresponds to the explanations given by the Mahatmas in their letters regarding the principles of working with human consciousness (including the gradual character of such work). Such work is done by them and has been done throughout countless millennia, unfolding cycle after cycle. Let us now quote a long passage from The Republic, filled with a clear and precise exposition, which sheds light on the topics we are discussing:
“– And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error.
At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, - what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, - will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?
– Far truer.
– And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him?
– True.
– And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he ‘s forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities.
– Not all in a moment, he said.
– He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves; then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the spangled heaven; and he will see the sky and the stars by night better than the sun or the light of the sun by day?
– Certainly.
– Last of he will be able to see the sun, and not mere reflections of him in the water, but he will see him in his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contemplate him as he is.
…
– Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?
– To be sure, he said.
– And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the den, while his sight was still weak, and before his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.
– No question, he said.”
Thus, using this most useful allegory, combining the explanations from the article “The New Cycle” as well as some other sources, such as “The Mahatma Letters,” we can surmise that the evolutionary cycles themselves will “drag” us “up a steep and rugged ascent” and will not let go until they force us “into the presence of the sun himself.” This can happen through the transformation of the psychic environment, of the universal conditions in which humanity exists in our world. The description of the problems mentioned in the excerpt from “The Republic” – the problems that such a cave dweller, torn from the darkness into the bright light, will face – can provide us with important clues.
At the same time, the Great Teachers guide us through this gradual process (first seeing shadows, then reflections, then the objects themselves, etc.) with many of their works and undertakings, including the very important project known as the Theosophical Society and Movement.
Thus, in such a situation of evolutionary choice, it may not be merely hundreds of millions or billions of members of our human family who find themselves in this position, but likely all of us. Of course, the cycles are very gradual, but they are also unstoppable, and we see how the Masters and H.P. Blavatsky explain all this to us with a clear sense of urgency.
The Struggle for Existence
We should mention one more factor that hinders the smooth evolutionary development of humanity and threatens it. This is what is called in the Maha Chohan Letter “struggle for life.”
Bearing in mind what has been said regarding freedom of information and the consolidation of human experience, while all processes in our lives are accelerating, let us consider how this combines with the following:
“… how …are we to deal with … that curse known as the “struggle for life,” which is the real and most prolific parent of most woes and sorrows and of all the crimes? Why has that struggle become the almost universal scheme of the universe? We answer, because no religion with the exception of Buddhism has hitherto taught a practical contempt for this earthly life, while each of them, always with that one solitary exception, has through its hells and damnations inculcated the greatest dread of death. … Teach the people to see that life on this earth even the happiest is but a burden and an illusion, that it is but our own Karma, the cause producing the effect, that is our own judge, our Saviour in future lives, and the great struggle for life will soon lose its intensity.”
With the advent of increasingly sophisticated technologies, the accelerating pace of information exchange, and the growing integration of global experience, this danger also increases proportionally. Its source is a wrong attitude toward life — ignorance or even active denial of the laws of the psychic and spiritual nature. Consequently, these are factors that humanity must overcome under the guidance of the Great Brotherhood of Adepts.
On the Inner Causes of Unity and Division
The root causes of disunity are the kleshas, the mental defilements. Of course, there are special spiritual practices for directly overcoming and eradicating them, but for us, people of modern civilization, anything involving direct inner transformation is difficult, since from the cradle to the grave our attention is directed outward and remains fixed there. And so in this case, it makes sense while applying such spiritual tools and efforts to the best of one’s ability, at the same time, to see the importance of the path of external action. This path, by the way and moreover, has the virtue, if practiced properly, to beneficially influence our consciousness and, so to prepare us better to the same spiritual practices in its turn. On this path the most important is to realize that altruism occupies a central place as a principle, as a motive, and as their external expression in action! This is a direct counter to selfishness and the illusion of a separate, independent existence, which is the root of all suffering. Altruism weakens the struggle for existence and compels us to remember life beyond gross matter.
“In view of the ever increasing triumph and at the same time misuse of free-thought and liberty, … how is the combative natural instinct of man to be restrained from inflicting hitherto unheard of cruelties and enormities, tyranny, injustice, etc., if not through the soothing influence of a brotherhood and of the practical application of Buddha’s esoteric doctrines.”
Egoism is the source of craving (trishna) — which follows sensation in the 12-link chain of Nidanas — the dual force that seeks to attract and retain what is pleasant on the one hand, and to repel and keep at a distance what is unpleasant on the other. The more powerful the factor of egoism or selfishness, the stronger this attraction-repulsion, which is expressed in thoughts, words, and deeds, creating a paradigm of life characterized by a powerful struggle for life. These two factors: a) materialistic denial of the realities of existence beyond a single physical life, or b) the distortion of thinking by the “boxes” of exoteric religious dogmas, imprison consciousness within this paradigm, creating the troubled and burdened modern human life.
What counters this primary factor of selfishness? Altruism. It, too, always has an inner dimension and an outer expression. And the inner is always primary, and always the more difficult. A sincere motive of altruism cannot help but be expressed in corresponding goals, thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. However, since this interdependence works both ways, it is essential to practice altruism. That’s because, in other words, we do not only express our inner content through our actions but also powerfully reinforce our views and understandings by putting them into practice. This is not a sentimental appeal in the spirit of general moral exhortations, but a real and most effective spiritual practice.
What is the direct opposite of selfishness on the level of human society as a whole? – the building of Brotherhood. The Mahatma Letters explain:
“Unless you join several, and organize somehow or other, I am afraid I will prove but of little help for you practically. My dear friend, I have my “proprietors” also. For reasons best known to themselves they have set their foot upon the idea of teaching isolated individuals.”
The Great Teachers work through groups and collectives, one may suppose, precisely because where there is a group or collective sincerely united by a pure motive — division and ego, which are the primary source of all the aforementioned problems and misfortunes — have already been overcome to a certain extent. Consequently, such a union is evolutionary; through its unity, it has proven its evolutionary orientation and viability. It is closer to the True Ego of humanity — the Brotherhood of the Great Teachers — and, therefore, a stream of energy can be sent to it and access granted to a certain next portion of knowledge.
Therefore, the founding of the Theosophical Society specifically to promote practical unity and counteract the very cause of all evils was the most pressing necessity in the 19th century, even in spite of the well-known words of the Mahatma:
“…when one regards the magnitude of the task to be undertaken by our theosophical volunteers, and especially the multitudinous agencies arrayed, and to be arrayed, in opposition, we may well compare it to one of those desperate efforts against overwhelming odds that the true soldier glories to attempt.”
Reflecting on this, it seems fair to say that the Theosophical Society has, as it were, two agendas. The maximum program is to help transform the world by forming, as stated in the Society’s first Object, the actual nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood. The minimum program is to do everything within our power to provide a refuge for those who need it in our world (which today lives in a state of militant selfishness) — for those sensitive souls who seek the pure air of spirituality at a time when it is not very easy to find. This program includes creating and preserving a beneficial environment for the spiritual maturation of those who feel within themselves the call to selfless Service.
Both are, as it were, united in a quote from the article “The Beacon of the Unknown”:
“…and let them perish by the sword, they who kill by the sword. What concern of ours is that?
Theosophists are powerless to stop them. That is true. But it is in their power to save as many survivors as possible. Being a nucleus of a true Brotherhood, it depends upon them to make of their Society an ark destined, in a future not too distant, to transport the humanity of a new cycle beyond the vast muddy waters of the deluge of hopeless materialism. These waters are rising and at the present moment flood all the civilized countries. Are we going to let the good perish with the bad, afraid of the hue and cry and the ridicule of the latter, either against The Theosophical Society or ourselves? Are we going to see them perish one after the other, one from fatigue, the other vainly seeking the ray of sunlight which shines for all, without throwing them a plank of salvation? Never!”
From this perspective, we are probably on such a plank. Indeed, the reasons for gratitude we should feel toward the Founders and all the sincere workers of the Theosophical Society and Movement are boundless.
“All of us have to get rid of our own Ego, the illusory apparent self, to recognise our true self in a transcendental divine life. But if we would not be selfish we must strive to make other people see that truth, to recognise the reality of that transcendental self, the Buddh, the Christ or God of every preacher.”
Reading these words in the Maha Chohan Letter as well as numerous other comments found in Theosophical literature, I believe we may come to the conclusion that the minimum program is still insufficient. After all, the Society was founded precisely to create the core of the universal Brotherhood, for the practice and development of altruism. If we do this, if we follow these goals in our lives, applying all the strength we have, then, when the cycles draw near, we can be sure that now, in this incarnation, we have truly done everything that was possible!
The words and explanations of “Lamrim” from the section outlining the principles of Bodhichitta and the Bodhisattva Path resonate in perfect harmony:
“At this stage of a person of great capacity one’s happiness, glory and strength are measured by how much care for others one can assume, for focusing only on your own welfare is a trait shared even with animals. Consequently, the fundamental orientation of a great person is to focus solely on achieving the happiness and benefit of others. …
Such a person, however, cares for the welfare of others, thus rising above animals — and in this lies precisely their glory, happiness, and strength. …
…my own welfare loses nothing from being absorbed in the welfare of others.”
Not merely the lase quarter
We are now in the year 2026. A quarter of the 21st century has passed, and less than 50 years remain until 2075. As we reflect on the future, we clearly recall the extremely important words with which “The Key to Theosophy” concludes:
“…during the last quarter of every hundred years an attempt is made by those “Masters,” of whom I have spoken, to help on the spiritual progress of Humanity in a marked and definite way. Towards the close of each century you will invariably find that an outpouring or upheaval of spirituality—or call it mysticism if you prefer—has taken place. Some one or more persons have appeared in the world as their agents, and a greater or less amount of occult knowledge and teaching has been given out. If you care to do so, you can trace these movements back, century by century, as far as our detailed historical records extend.”
And if we add here another explanation:
“Among the commandments of Tsong-kha-pa there is one that enjoins the Rahats (Arhats) to make an attempt to enlighten the world, including the “white barbarians,” every century, at a certain specified period of the cycle. Up to the present day none of these attempts has been very successful. Failure has followed failure. Have we to explain the fact by the light of a certain prophecy? …”
And finally, also the following:
“Like an immense boa-constrictor, Error, in every shape, encircles mankind, trying to smother in her deadly coils every aspiration towards truth and light. But Error is powerful only on the surface, prevented as she is by Occult Nature from going any deeper; for the same Occult Nature encircles the whole globe, in every direction, leaving not even the darkest corner unvisited. And, whether by phenomenon or miracle, by spirit-hook or bishop’s crook, Occultism must win the day, before the present era reaches “Shani’s (Saturn’s) triple septenary” of the Western Cycle in Europe, in other words — before the end of the twenty-first century “a.d.””
What, then, will we have as the result?
Saturn’s triple septenary — if we take its orbital period around the Sun as 29.5 years and multiply it by 7 and then by 3 — comes to 619.5 years. If the end of the 21st century is the moment when this period is set to expire, then what happened 619 years prior to that? It was approximately the year 1480 — that is, the last quarter of the 15th century. If Tsongkhapa gave this commandment (whether he established it completely anew or renewed it) and if we look at when he lived (1357–1419), it turns out that this was the last quarter of the 15th century — the first (and current at that time) century after he completed his incarnation. Thus, by the end of the 21st century, this cycle of dispensations of the Great Brotherhood (the True Self of humanity), the cycle initiated by the great Tsongkhapa (author, we can perhaps say, of the “Project Tibet” and the traditions of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas, reviver of the Buddha’s Teachings, etc.) will have elapsed. This period is equal to 21 cycles of the planet Saturn and clearly holds a greatly important esoteric significance.
If we look at the 1480s, we find that this period indeed marked a powerful resurgence of esoteric knowledge in Europe, known as the “Hermetic Revival.” For instance, Marsilio Ficino translated the Corpus Hermeticum — texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus — into Latin, making them accessible to scholars; this period also saw the explorations and achievements of Pico della Mirandola, with his work on Kabbalah and other sciences. He attempted to synthesize esoteric knowledge and proclaimed human freedom as the central idea of it all; he also taught that magic is the knowledge of nature’s hidden laws, not superstition.
“Occultism must win the day.” In the West, including Europe, occultism must prevail. Trying to understand more fully the meaning of this powerful phrase and carefully reading the passage to which it belongs, it can seem that it is materialism that must be evolutionarily overcome to some new degree until the end of this century.
So, by all appearances, this will not be an ordinary final quarter-century, which draws nearer with each passing year and is now less than 50 years away.
What will life be like in the future?
To conclude our reflections, we can surmise the following: at the end of this cycle and the beginning of the next, the clash of worldviews will continue. Those who have embraced mystical knowledge and a life beyond the visible will begin — most likely in a more tangible way — to shape their own Golden Age. People will unite not based on external characteristics, but on the quality of their energy or aura, their emerging abilities, as well as their actions and motives. This will become a new fundamental factor that will gradually, yet increasingly, begin to shape human society and its experience.
The obstacles to the development of human consciousness and the dangers mentioned will inevitably be eliminated over time, because evolution itself is moving in this direction, and their existence is becoming incompatible with the new stages of human and natural development. But not everyone will be ready for this. The masses will inevitably face an evolutionary choice. The initiative of the Great Brotherhood, which we hope to see powerfully manifested in the last quarter of this century, will help those capable of weathering this crisis and advancing along the ascending evolutionary scale, thus, perhaps, gradually manifesting the Satya Yuga of the new cycle. Therefore, under these conditions, the work of the Theosophical Society to prepare consciousness and disseminate spiritual knowledge (work based on the unity of the Theosophists themselves) is invaluable. And let us say it once more: in the future, we will need to know that we truly did everything that depended on us in this incarnation.