Selections from the Agni Yoga Series
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society , October 19, 2004
In rejecting responsibility, man deprives himself of a most wonderful feeling and of a personal, affirmed, creative force. Man, transmuting the fires of Space into forms, cannot cast aside his responsibility. Each form created in Cosmos will correspond to the form of the spirit. All generated forms will correspond to the forms created by the spirit in its ceaseless striving toward perfection. The feeling of responsibility must raise the cosmic creativeness.
When the spirit develops in the direction of Infinity, then the feeling of responsibility acquires the power manifested by the Creators of Cosmos. Begin to realize personal responsibility and strive toward cosmic responsibility. There is the step of personal responsibility, the step of responsibility for human thought, the step of responsibility for human evolution, the step of responsibility for a better future. When thinking will be perfected, it will be possible to say that the time of construction of a better future is near. Infinity I, 73
Being saturated with wrath and blind to the light of cosmic reality expels one from the chain. It is difficult to foresee how this contagion of the spirit will spread. The sowers of contagion carry the responsibility for all humanity. The understanding of responsibility must be developed limitlessly. The human spirit, being a creator, bears the responsibility for all its actions. Let us not be afraid to meet responsibility. We are responsible not only to ourselves but to Cosmos. Of course, Cosmos sends succor, but humanity thinks of altering it to fit its own understanding. Infinity I, 48
How great is the responsibility of mankind for all the engenderings which have caused such destruction! Each engendering in its turn produces its destruction, and the planet is engulfed in stifling gases. Therefore, it is so important to assume a higher destination of life as a striving toward the true Living Ethics. It is impossible to bring into order the earthly and supermundane spheres without this purification. The present is revealed as the time for introspection and adoption of these great designations, for the battle between Light and darkness is at hand. Fiery World I, 137
Realization of responsibility for the spirit and for religion has been put by humanity in the last place. The tribunal of regulated society is concerned with preserving the physical body, making mangling of the body liable to prosecution. But existing laws and temples do not concern themselves with the millions who have been mangled in spirit. With justice has Urusvati pointed out the stern responsibility which religions must bear. The uniting function of religion truly has not been awakened on the planet. That sacred power of the Earth, instead of uplifting, has been turned by mankind into production of that obvious disunity which is as a cleaving sword. And priests, and brahmins, and temple servitors all have distorted the cosmic ordainment. Fiery World I, 216
The Equilibrium of the World rests upon the foundation of Being. So powerfully is life affirmed when the higher manifestation is kept in the consciousness. Each lofty thought will be a pledge of the spirit's striving. And in an endless chain of action and thought can be expressed all new trends of evolution. Space affirms its tensions which conform to the actions and thoughts engendered on the Earth. The more responsible is humanity for all its engenderings, for the Subtle World is thus held back in its development, just as is the whole chain of evolution on the Earth. Therefore thought about spirituality must enter into life, but as a true understanding of the Fundamentals of Existence. Fiery World I, 240
The great heat is not only from physical causes but from a chemical condensation which has gathered over the planet—the forerunner of the Fiery Epoch. People pay no attention to such signs, but it is primarily people themselves who can improve the situation. Malice is a condenser of heavy chemism. People do not want to believe that their inner laboratory has a cosmic significance. People ponder over various useless things, but they do not wish to reflect about their own importance and responsibility. Fiery World II, 19
The essence of fiery advancement comes from various affirmations of spirit. The chief factor will be the development of self-activity. In self-activity will be contained love for Hierarchy; in it will be contained a feeling of responsibility and a true understanding of Service. Thus when We speak of self-activity, one should understand that it includes all qualities of higher affirmation. Fiery World III, 39
It is necessary to overcome the feeling of the void. Behind this illusion crawls much that is harmful; irresponsibility appears, and the maya of plunging into emptiness results, followed by dissolution in it. But then, what about the seeds that are indissoluble? From the realization of them will be built up an understanding of the space being completely filled. Such a condition will be the basis of responsibility. Thus, let us begin with the seed of spirit and then broaden the thought to include all space. Brotherhood, 164
In brotherhoods it is advised that mutual ridicule and defamation be avoided. Even in complex circumstances it is possible to find positive factors, and by such stones it is less dangerous to cross the stream. Abuse, like a thistle, grows rapidly, and with it there is no advance. Frequently, words are employed which call forth emanations not at all good. Each word impresses a glyph upon the aura. Man must take the responsibility for his own engenderments. Brotherhood, 241
Since the worlds are on trial, each particle of them is being tested. One may foresee that someone will be terrified at such a supposition. But only injudicious thought can stand in the way of welcoming the law of evolution. Through expansion of consciousness one grows to love this incessant motion; would it be better to remain in the unchanging prison of errors and delusions? On the contrary, it is much more joyous to sense the constant testing, which engenders the feeling of responsibility.
In each cooperation on the path to Brotherhood responsibility will be the basis of growth. Brotherhood, 531
Great beauty is contained in the acceptance of full responsibility. The vouching of the heart will be that feeling of pathos which will uplift the primary energy. It will often be asked, How to increase this power? By the vouching of the heart. Conscious responsibility will be the beautiful impeller of energy. Thus does the Brotherhood teach. Brotherhood, 579
Likewise, let us welcome those schoolteachers who can find an hour to talk to their pupils about the dignity and responsibility of man, about the primary energy, and about the treasures belonging to all peoples. Brotherhood, 601
Thus, when I say that thinking beings participate in world-creation, it can be understood literally, not allegorically. It follows then, that man has a great responsibility for the quality of his thought. Each kind and strong thought produces beautiful vibrations, but an evil one strews Earth with deadly dross. Supermundane I, 213
How then can We impress upon the human mind that right now we are experiencing a fiery Armageddon in which much can be destroyed? We want to draw special attention to this so that people will understand how much depends upon them. Let us not be afraid to repeat "how much." Let these words make it clear that each microcosm is responsible for the macrocosm. Do not assume that such a comparison is out of order. The bond between the microcosm and the macrocosm is the foundation of the world. Supermundane II, 253
Urusvati knows that the majority of people, instead of choosing responsible cooperation, prefer to remain in a state of passive learning. They prefer to be listeners and readers, and when the hour comes for them to demonstrate the power of Spirit they disperse. Supermundane II, 403