Clara Codd Letters

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Clara Codd

ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION - WE ARE STILL ADDING SCANS OF LETTERS
ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION - WE ARE STILL ADDING SCANS OF LETTERS
Clara Codd was a very popular lecturer and write in the Theosophical Society based in Adyar, Chennai, India. She conducted a large correspondence with people on five continents. Bi-monthly circular letters were one means by which she kept in touch with her friends and associates. From 1945 to 1968 she wrote 137 letters that included accounts of her personal experiences mixed with elements of history, travelogue, inspiration, and also practical advice about life on the spiritual path. They were duplicated by means of cyclostyle[1] or mimeograph by friends who also assisted in the distribution process.

Letter Number 1

History of letters

Five years after her death in 1971, The Theosophist published an account of the letters:

As many of you know Clara Codd had a very extensive correspondence with members all round the world. So in 1945 she began her "correspondence group" as she called it and each member received a duplicated bi-monthly letter. In this she was helped by friends in different countries who organized the duplication and mailing of these letters which continued until her 92nd year. Her first letter came from South Africa and her last from England...

In her first letter she wrote, "The group does not meet regularly on the physical plane. It is a soul group. There are no pledges or bonds to bind this group together beyond the one of mutual love and trust which already binds it. Every day I think of each of you and pray the blessing the Master upon you all and upon your growth and work. Because we are an affectionate and sincere group there is a corporate life which reinforces every member of it. The younger and less experienced are stimulated by the older and more experienced"...

Clara's last letter was written from England in November 1968 when she was 92 years of age. For 23 years she had, without a break sent letters six times a year to her group all over the world. In this letter she wrote, "I hope you found there letters helpful in daily life, for that is what I wanted them to be, I did not want them to be intellectual or studious... do your best to approach your own Higher Self, the God-head within you. Do not lean too much on books and teachers. Learn mostly from life itself with all its events and problems."[2]

Digital images of letters

Clara Codd's letters are being scanned in the Archives Department of the Theosophical Society in America.

Number Date Place Where Written Link to PDF of letter
1
1945 monthday South Africa
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
1958-59 December-January Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Link to letter
80
1959 February-March Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Link to letter
81
1959 April-May Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Link to letter
82
1959 June-July Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Link to letter
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
1961 April-May St. Michael's, Huizen, Holland
Link to letter
93
94
1961 August-September Krotona, Ojai, California, USA
Link to letter
95
1961 October-November Krotona, Ojai, California, USA
Link to letter
96
1961-1962 December-January Krotona, Ojai, California, USA
Link to letter
97
98
99
100
Camberley, Surrey, England
101
Camberley, Surrey, England
102
Camberley, Surrey, England
103
1963 February-March Camberley, Surrey, England
Link to letter
104
Camberley, Surrey, England
105
Camberley, Surrey, England
106
Camberley, Surrey, England
107
Camberley, Surrey, England
108
Camberley, Surrey, England
109
Camberley, Surrey, England
110
Camberley, Surrey, England
111
Camberley, Surrey, England
112
Camberley, Surrey, England
113
Camberley, Surrey, England
114
Camberley, Surrey, England
115
Camberley, Surrey, England
116
Camberley, Surrey, England
117
Camberley, Surrey, England
118
Camberley, Surrey, England
119
1965 October-November Camberley, Surrey, England
Link to letter
120
1965-1966 December-January Camberley, Surrey, England
Link to letter
121
Camberley, Surrey, England
122
1966 April-May Camberley, Surrey, England
Link to letter
123
1966 June-JUly Camberley, Surrey, England
Link to letter
124
Camberley, Surrey, England
125
Camberley, Surrey, England
126
Camberley, Surrey, England
127
Camberley, Surrey, England
128
Camberley, Surrey, England
129
Camberley, Surrey, England
130
Camberley, Surrey, England
131
Camberley, Surrey, England
132
Camberley, Surrey, England
133
Camberley, Surrey, England
134
Camberley, Surrey, England
135
Camberley, Surrey, England
136
Camberley, Surrey, England
137
Camberley, Surrey, England

Notes

  1. Eleanor Stakesby-Lewis, '"Miss Clara M. Codd" Theosophical Journal12.4 (July-August, 1971), 23.
  2. Assistant Editor, "Clara Codd's Letters" The Theosophist 98.10 (October, 1976), 29.