Helen Savage was born in England to Harry M. Savage and Florence (Hudson) Savage in 1899. She was the fifth of six children: Charles, Frances, Florence Madaline, Violet Elsie, Helena Katherine, and Arthur. The family immigrated to the United States in 1900 and settled in Point Loma, California. In 1974, the Eclectic Theosophist referred to Helen as “a third generation Theosophist….” This is probably why the family became part of the Lomaland community.
Lomaland was established in 1897. Katherine Tingley bought a piece of land at Point Loma, California. She was joined by Dr. Gottfried de Purucker, and by 1900, the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society (UBTS) established their headquarters there. The group desired to be self-sufficient and developed an agricultural program that raised a variety of fruits and vegetables. Tingley’s goal was to serve produce year-round. The Raja Yoga School also opened the same year. In 1901, an open-air Greek theatre and temple were erected. By 1914, Lomaland had its own college, and by 1919 a theosophical university. Many other buildings were erected on the property including a hotel, a textile factory, a joinery, a bakery, and publishing house. Around 60 percent of the community was female, many holding executive positions. Today, the existing buildings are part of Point Loma Nazarene University.
The Savage family moved to Lomaland just in time for the children to attend Raja Yoga School and Academy. The academy was a boarding school where over 300 students lived in group homes known as Lotus Houses. Children from poor families could also go to school without paying tuition. Along with their studies, the students acted in classical dramas and learned to play at least one instrument. Madaline was six years old when they arrived, and Helen was just a toddler. Charles participated in the theater, in a vocal duet, soon after their arrival.
Unfortunately, their father, Harry Savage died in 1902 at the age of 39. But, by 1910, the family was completely involved with the community. Their mother was employed as a servant, Charles and Frances were teachers. In 1930, four of the children still lived at home. Charles was married and was an assistant secretary for the Theosophical Society. His wife Louise was an accountant. Madaline was an assistant secretary, Elsie a private secretary, and Helen a librarian at the society.
Helen was a librarian at the Theosophical Society until 1932 when she became literary secretary to Dr. G. de Purucker until 1941. In Eclectic Theosophist, no. 24, September 15, 1974, she wrote: “Apart from legend, which usually holds a secret truth, the teaching of the human race is in its essential nature “born from the Sun.” When through long evolutionary cycles of preparation, suitable vehicles were developed, our solar ancestors lit in us the light of mind. Thereafter we became self-conscious, responsible for our own destiny. …The future history of the evolution of the human race will be growing toward this supreme goal. For those who have reached a high stage of development, and are ripe for the supreme testing of initiation, the currents of solar energy, we are told, are running strong.”
Helen and her sister, Elsie, traveled to England with Dr. de Purucker and went on a continental lecture tour from 1932-1933. They spoke at the International Theosophical Headquarters classes in Sanskrit, Astronomy and Public Speaking to a large group of students and gave a public lecture, The Great Rhythm, at Queens Gate in England. Helen “spoke on behalf of those younger members of Point Loma, who have the rare privilege of having lived at Point Loma all our life. To us, as our Leader has so often said, Lomaland is not a place so much as it is an ideal; and it exists wherever there are loyal Theosophical hearts working, as are you, the various presidents of the national Sections and of Lodges, and all the other Comrades here assembled. Lomaland is like a cable with threads interlacing over the world.”
Helen was associate editor of the Theosophical Forum under G. de Purucker, editor, in 1937. She published Psychic Powers, through the Theosophical University Press in 1940. She was single until 1945 when she married Lester Adrian Todd in San Francisco. After a long, fulfilling life, she passed in 1993 in San Diego, California.