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Krotona School of Theosophy
Spring 2026

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Meditation and Exploration
of the Yoga Sutras

Ravi Ravindra

March 3 – 6

Tuesday – Friday, 10:00  – Noon PT

Zoom

In these four gatherings we will begin with nearly a half an hour long meditation, followed by an exploration of the significant teachings in Yoga Sutras, the great spiritual text attributed to Patañjali. There is a strong emphasis in this text that the whole purpose of the manifested universe (Prakriti) is to serve the Divine Energy (Purusha) which has created the universe. A searcher needs to inquire how the individualized Prakriti in me, which is my body-mind, can serve the individualized Purusha in me, which is the spiritual element that has taken on my body-mind for its own evolution. We will explore the specific obstacles that interfere in the spiritual journey of a seeker and the practices that can help.

Recommended Reading: The Wisdom of Patañjali and Yoga Sutras by Ravi Ravindra

Single Session $15, Series $50

Click here to register.

Ravi Ravindra, PhD is professor emeritus at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, where he taught in the departments of physics, philosophy and comparative religion. He has authored many papers in these fields and several books, including Pilgrim Soul; the Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism; Science and the Sacred; the Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and The Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Navigating the Battle of Life. Ravi travels and teaches internationally as well as online.

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Exploration of the Katha Upanishad

Ravi Ravindra

March 10 – 13

Tuesday – Friday, 10 – noon PT

Zoom

Katha Upanishad is an ancient text in the Indian tradition and is regarded as one of the primary Upanishads. This Upanishad contains the first mention of yoga as a practice of liberation, defining yoga as the steady control of the senses and mind, leading to a supreme state of stillness. In this text, an archetypal searcher Nachiketa, whose name literally means “one who does not know,” implying that he does not already have a conclusion, but he is interested in learning, encounters Yama, the Lord of Death and also the Maintainer of dharma, the cosmological order. The important question that arises is: Is death the end? What dies and what does not die? Some aspects of the teaching in this Upanishad resonate in the Bhagavad Gita.

Recommended Readings:

Katha Upanishad by Swami Ambikananda Saraswati.

The Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Navigating the Battle of Life by Ravi Ravindra

Single Session $15, Series $50

Click here to register.

Ravi Ravindra, PhD is professor emeritus at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, where he taught in the departments of physics, philosophy and comparative religion. He has authored many papers in these fields and several books, including Pilgrim Soul; the Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism; Science and the Sacred; the Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and The Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Navigating the Battle of Life. Ravi travels and teaches internationally as well as online.

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Embodying Unity: Art, Work, and the Spiritual Life

Daniela Yamez Arrey

March 10
Tuesday 7 pm
Onsite and Zoom

This talk explores the unity of matter and spirit through lived experience, artistic practice, and conscious work. Drawing from years of communal life at Saint Elmo Village and from an ongoing land-based project in the foothills of the Andes, Daniela shares a vision of spirituality not as abstraction, but as embodied action. Rather than presenting theory or doctrine, the talk offers a deeply human narrative about creativity, service, simplicity, and courage—inviting listeners to reconnect with their own inner voice and creative responsibility in the world.

$10

Click here to register.

Daniela Yamez Arrey is a multidisciplinary artist based in San Rafael, Argentina. Her work integrates art, ecological construction, perma-culture, and community-oriented practices. Through land-based projects and educational initiatives, she explores how creativity, spirituality, and service can converge in everyday life.

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Walt Whitman: A Living Voice Across Time

Joseph Miller

March 28

Saturday 10-noon, 2-4 PM

Onsite and Zoom

Walt Whitman’s poetry speaks to the heart of many. This may be because Theosophical principles and concepts underlie much of his work. Initially viewed as scandalous and unruly, Whitman was a man ahead of his time whose work has remained timeless. Today he is considered one of the most beloved poets and writers of our day because he teaches us what it means to be truly human. This workshop will explore Whitman at many different levels: as a Theosophist, as an inspiration for artists, (including the presenter himself), and as a voice to aspiring poets and those wanting to delve deeper into their own spiritual nature.

Participants are encouraged to bring a journal for this insightful experiential workshop.

Single session $15. Full day $25

Click here to register.

Joseph Miller is a writer, singer and musician with a BA in Philosophy from University of California. In 2006 Joseph was awarded a Santa Barbara Indy for his play Walt Whitman, Radical Patriot. From 2012 – 2015, he created and hosted “The Classical Now” on station KCSB-FM. Joseph has been an associate of the United Lodge of Theosophists Santa Barbara for more than 40 years. He frequently contributes to the theosophical journal Vidya as well The Theosophist, Quest Magazine, and the website Theosophy Forward. His article Walt Whitman and Theosophy is scheduled for publication in the Summer 2026 issue of Quest Magazine.

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Death Café: Tea, Cake, and Conversation

Francine Oller and Ananya Sri Ram

April 14

Tuesday

7:00 PM

Onsite only

Inspired from the work of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz’s “Death Mortels,” Death Cafes became more well known in the US by Jon Underwood and a team of other people. The objective behind a Death Café is “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” It is not a support or counseling group, but a place for people to sit together over cake and tea to discuss in an “accessible, respectful and confidential space” about death without “an agenda, theme. or objective.”

Donation

Click here to register.

Francine Oller has been a student of Theosophy since 2009. She is continually inspired by the reflection of the Ancient Wisdom in her life.

Ananya Sri Ram comes from a Theosophical family. She serves as director of the Krotona School.

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Radiance and Reflection: The Making of Mandalas

David Orr

April 25

Saturday 10am – noon, 2 – 4 pm

Onsite and Zoom

The Mandala has long served as a symbol representing the universe. C.G. Jung noted that although the mandala is most often associated with Eastern thought, the form has appeared in myriad cultures for centuries. In his introduction to The Red Book, Sonu Shamdasani noted that Jung “held that the mandala represented one of the best examples of the universality of an archetype.” David Orr will take you through his own work with Mandalas, discuss their use across cultural and philosophical spectrums, then open the process to attendees. The series will demonstrate how the mandala appears in myriad belief systems, exploring similarities between various uses of the form—ranging from ancient celestial maps, sacred geometry, and contemporary diagram used in particle physics. David will guide your own creation of mandala symbology using elements of your own mythology. Sessions will include artist lectures, mandala making, and group discussion.

Single Session $20, Series $35

Click here to register.

David Orr is a visual artist based in California. He exhibits his work internationally, and has spoken about it at a wide range of venues including Cal State LA, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Death Salon, Dublintellectual Ireland, The Director’s Guild of America, The Mütter Museum, The New School, Parsons School of Design, The Philosophical Research Society, Reed College, Tibet House NYC, and UCLA. He is a member of The Long Now Foundation, a non-profit that “aims to provide a counterpoint to what it views as today’s “faster/cheaper” mindset and to promote “slower/better” thinking.”

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Integrating the Spiritual with Daily Life

Catherine Ann Jones

May 1 & 2

Friday and Saturday

10am-noon, 2-4pm

Onsite and Zoom

Today the world hangs on a slender thread, and that is the psyche of man

                 –CG Jung

Deeply embedded within many is the desire for God or Truth. This begins a pilgrim’s journey towards finding a spiritual goal. In the process, all too often the separation between daily life and the spiritual widens creating obstacles in daily life and relationships. How do we integrate finding what we seek, yet live daily life harmoniously from the depths? C. G. Jung said that the way to wholeness is integration. That is, integrating all parts of one’s self. All answers lie within. Using visualizations, poetry, and short writing prompts we will explore the vital importance of integrating the spiritual with daily life.

There is no life without consciousness; there is no consciousness without life.

                 –Annie Besant

Single session $15, Both Days $50

Click here to register.

Catherine Ann Jones is a Fulbright Research Scholar to India studying shamanism, teaching graduate school (The New School University in NYC, USC Film School in LA., Pacifica Graduate Institute) as well as writing workshops globally. She is the award- winning author of eleven produced plays, eight books (The Way of Story), several Hollywood films (The Christmas Wife, Unlikely Angel (Dolly Parton), and the popular television series, Touched by an Angel. For online courses and writing consultations, visit wayofstory.com