Selections from the Agni Yoga Series
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society, January 31, 2006
And Origen continues: “Therefore, we cannot consider God as being a particular incarnation, or as incarnate at all. God is Uncompounded Spiritual Nature, excluding all complexes. He is intelligence, and at the same time the source and origin of all intelligence in Nature and Creation. God, Who is the origin of everything, should not be considered complex; as otherwise it might appear as though the elements that have created everything considered complex existed before their very origin.” Letters of Helena Roerich, I, 12 September, 1934.
You undoubtedly will encounter this objection. “Why are the higher worlds and science spoken of on the same page?” Those who speak thus, fail to understand the Higher World and belittle science. People of such limited intelligence are very widely scattered, and because of their heartlessness are extremely malicious. They occupy various public posts and therefore are able to whisper in many places. To contradict them would be useless. Every man of heart will rejoice at each proper understanding of the Higher World. Each wise man esteems a word in the defense of science. Aum, 234.
Let us now turn to the great philosopher, Anaxagoras. The foundations of his Teachings seemed new for many centuries. Even today, his theory of the indestructibility of matter as the fundamental substance can be considered new, and his idea of the Highest Intelligence could easily have been conceived by modern scientists. Supermundane I, 166.
Long ago, the Thinker taught His disciples to pay attention to short, swift thoughts. “The sparks of the Highest Intelligence pierce us like lightning. Blessed is he who knows how to keep them in his heart. Indeed, you should perceive them with your heart, which cannot be burnt by their flame, whereas the brain could be seared.” Supermundane II, 250.
Truly, one can see evidence of supermundane activity by observing events on Earth. People are inclined to regard earthly events as an accidental sequence because they refuse to admit the presence of the Supermundane Mind. The ancient wisdom, however, was already aware of the Great Intelligence, or Nous. Such thinking permitted a balanced understanding of earthly events, but at present, despite the advances in science, progress in philosophy has lagged, thus engendering many calamities for which people cannot find a wise solution. Supermundane III, 520.
Now, regarding a definition of the grades of Intelligence. Of course, what the Mahatmas call “an active Power, an immutable, therefore an unthinking Principle” (Mahatma Letters ) is the principle of Life or Consciousness (and therefore the foundation of Intelligence), being infinite, eternal and absolute. The Cosmic Intelligence is the Hierarchy of Light or the Ladder of Jacob. In addition, the Crown of this Hierarchy consists of the Spirits, or Intelligences, who have completed their human evolution in this or another solar system, the so-called Planetary Spirits, the Creators of the worlds. These Creators of worlds or planets are the Master Builders of the present and the future Universe. In the days of the Pralaya They are in charge of the great Vigil of Brahma and They mark the next cosmic evolution. Therefore, the crown of Cosmic Intelligence does not depend on the Manvantaras; verily, They exist in the dimension of Infinity. Thus, the Highest Hierarch of our planet is one of the most resplendent Gems in the Crown of Cosmic Intelligence. Letters Of Helena Roerich I, 6 December 1934.
The Cosmic Magnet is the Cosmic Heart, or the consciousness of the Crown of the Cosmic Intelligence - the Hierarchy of Light. Precisely, the Cosmic Magnet is the bond with the higher worlds in the order of Be-ness. The bond of our heart with the Heart and Consciousness of the Highest Hierarch of our planet leads us into the majestic current of the Cosmic Magnet. Letters Of Helena Roerich I, 6 December 1934.
Each planetary cycle, or Round, has its limit for the development of the human organism, and with each new cycle the degree of achievement rises. Thus, Manas, or the highest intelligence on our Earth, will receive its full development in the Fifth Round and in its Fifth Race. Meanwhile, we are still in the Fourth Round and in the time of the consummation of its Fifth Race; hence, for our Round, Manas has already reached the apogee of its development. And with the birth of the Sixth Race, or rather, with its confirmation, because there are quite a few people who already belong to the Sixth Race, we shall enter the epoch of the development of spiritual consciousness, whose foundation lies in the heart. Letters Of Helena Roerich II, 23 September 1937.
In the “Sacred Teaching” there is an explanation clarifying this meaning. “Thus SATAN,” once he ceases to be viewed in the superstitious, dogmatic, unphilosophical spirit of the Churches, grows into the grandiose image of one who made of terrestrial a divine MAN; who gave him, throughout the long cycle of Maha-kalpa, the law of the Spirit of Life, and made him free from the Sin of Ignorance, hence of death.” Actually, such a “Satan,” as you already know, is the combination of those High Spirits, who, together with the Fallen Angel brought to humanity the light of intelligence and the great gift of immortality. Therefore, it is precisely They who should have been called the “Light-Bringers,” or Lucifers. The Fallen Angel lost his right to this name. Of Helena Roerich II, 3 December 1937.
Could you but see the cliches of the first creations, you would be horrified. The chief obstacle is that matter can be acted upon only by matter. To construct a bridge from the spirit to the Brotherhood was not so difficult, but to establish a normal link between the Brotherhood and the people is unspeakably difficult. Men, like parrots, repeat the remarkable formula, “Death conquers death”—but they do not consider its meaning. Illumination, II:IV:21.
The Cosmos is in process of creation through pulsation, that is, by explosions. The rhythm of the explosions gives harmony to the creation. Indeed knowledge of the spirit carries the thread of the Cosmos into manifested life. With a shining sword the new step should be cut free. It is necessary to recognize when to hold back the flowers of light lest they again be dissolved in the mist of the elements. Community, 42.
If We are told about a form that will exist unchanged for a millennium, We will first of all regret the un-progressing nature of the spiral of energy around such a structure. Great action will ever be Our joy. We call destruction creation if it contains a striving to the future. Conscious creation of a new current of energy leads to an understanding of cosmic currents. Therefore, ponder the need to manifest motion in thought as well as in action. Agni Yoga, 142.
The accidental is pre-laid in the consciousness. Even the worlds can be molded by the accidental, with no evident cause, because creation issues from the accidental. We are Guardians of the laws but We respect the accidental, because motion is inherent in it. It would, however, be wrong to direct everyone to the extremes of possibility. In other words, not every foundation can support a heavy roof. Agni Yoga, 313.
Have you thought about the spirit-creativeness on the future planets? Is it possible that all began with you and will end with you? Does any process cease? The chain of worlds is endless; where one planet crumbles another one is born. Truth wrestles with death, and when skeptics say, “It is the end,” We say, “It is the beginning!” Understanding of the manifested evolution will reveal the triumph of Truth. Shall we not share in the triumph? Shall we seal our vessels still empty? Shall we reject the transmission of the power of consciousness? When I say utilize the manifested rays, when I say fill the chalice of knowledge, when I say design the best creations through straight-knowledge, when I say strength lies in the limitlessness of knowledge – it means lend an open ear to the cosmic whirls, it means search the radiance of Fohat, it means manifest understanding of the music of the spheres. Infinity I, 5.
You are right in asserting that the Lord Buddha had to give the concept of Nirvana to the world because there are few who are willing to labor eternally for the creation of new forms. Nirvana is only a step in the endless cosmic periods. Our disciples, accumulating the earthly inheritance, can rejoice, transporting themselves with striving consciousness toward the higher worlds. Is it not better to serve the manifestation of the great eternal re-working and transformation from the lower to the higher than to be slave to stagnation? Infinity I, 28.