olcott and blavatsky founded the theosophical society back in 1875 to investigate the philosophy of the occult sciences and since my arrival in sydney in 1988 i have frequented many a lecture at the wonderful adyar bookshops where i have enjoyed hours perusing the  literature they stock. while i never belonged to the society i respected their investigations and integrity although sometimes i felt some of the recent new age stuff they stocked seemed a bit weak and vague, generally they catered for all enquiring minds from a number of perspectives. the bookshop had many incarnations but always managed to maintain my interest and it came to my attention just recently it was closing down so i went to pay my respects and popped in. most of the stock had gone, it was the dying hours. 
i looked at the small pile of books that were being sold for a few dollars, i picked up 'nivarna, an occult experience' by george arundale.
i spoke to a lady behind the counter. i told her how much the bookshop had meant to me, and how sorry i was to see it go, she smiled and pointed to a poster behind her. 
it was a photograph of the earth from space and above it had in bold letters, 2012 everything changes. i smiled, she smiled and i though to myself in a strange kind of way how poetic that was that they had just embraced this idea, i wondered if they as a society knew something i perhaps just felt in my bones. 
we spoke for a while, shared a little connection and then i left a little piece of history behind.