Selections from the Agni Yoga Series
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society, December 2, 2014
1. Do not turn away from your friends--in My Name can you enlighten them.
Have courage--be true disciples of the Master. Teach them to love the world of spirit.
Sow the wisdom sent unto you. The Call, 70
2. There is an inner meaning in all things.
On your mission point out that neither the cares of the house nor want have kept you
from the path to Us… They will say to you, “You are fortunate to have friends and helpers.”
But you, too, have lived among hearts of stone. The Call, 172
3. Unity is pointed out in all beliefs as the sole bulwark of success. Better attainments can be affirmed if the unity of coworkers is assured. One may cite a great number of examples when mutual trust among the coworkers helped in lofty solutions. Let people, from home and hearth up to the spatial preordinations, remember about the value of cooperation. The seed of labor withers without the moisture of reciprocity. Let us not look backward too much. We hastening fellow-travelers shall become weary if we jostle each other. We shall realize a beautiful meaning if we can introduce the great concept of friend. Community may consist only of friends. Community, 4
4. Urusvati knows that some of Our predictions in scientific and social fields have already been realized. Our thought reaches the minds of many scientists. Though they may not realize why they have started research in a certain direction, We must not upset them by saying their thought was inspired, since they do not believe in the transmitted continuity of ideas. We must not thrust this concept on those who believe that they are the only source of their ideas! Therefore, should you notice that someone has obviously made use of your ideas, do not object. Let everything useful grow in all fields.
But it is regrettable when scattered ideas provide only fragments of an intended whole. Yet even in such cases We shall say, “Let every seed grow that is of benefit to humanity. Let all friends become accustomed to the sowing of ideas without rivalry, and without infringing upon one another's rights. One should rejoice at every harvest.”… Let friends rejoice with Us when somewhere a branch of knowledge has already blossomed. Even if the gardener is not close in spirit to us, let us seek the best that is in him. Let us not reject anything in which there may be a seed of evolution. Supermundane II, 437
5. Let us not delude ourselves into thinking that people will easily understand true values, although everyone preserves in his heart the beauty of higher communion. And how much stronger this grows when one has friends to whom one's highest feelings can be confided! This sharing becomes a kind of amplifier, and with united striving the surrounding atmosphere will be purified. Thus will people understand which deeds are the best. Let them also find the balance between earthly labor and glimmers of illumination. Supermundane II, 440
6. I can give joy only to him who has adopted the community not in conjurations, not with incense burning, but in daily life. The Teacher can send a helping ray, but He will not engage in combat if the given sword be turned against the friends of the community. The sword will then turn into a lightning scourge. Community, 33
7. It is well to assemble for the unifying of thought; thus you create a spatial beneficence. Such thought is prayer: you do not think of self, you gather together for the Good. Assistance to friends is so far removed from covetousness.
I consider those hours worthiest which are spent in sending thoughts to friends and to all who are in need. Aum, 73
8. The community, being a fellowship first of all, sets as a condition for entrance two conscious decisions; labor without limit and the acceptance of tasks without rejection. It is possible to eliminate faint-heartedness by means of a two-fold organization. As a result of unlimited labor there may be a broadening of consciousness. But many people, not bad otherwise, do not envision the results, being frightened by incessant labor and enormous tasks. And yet they have accepted basically the idea of the community. It would be harmful to include these yet weak people in the community; but in order not to extinguish their striving one should not cast them out. For this it is useful to have a second organization--friends of the community. Herein, without forsaking the customary order of life, these newcomers can become more deeply conscious of the community. Such a two-fold organization permits the preservation of a far more concentrated sincerity in the work….
Friends of the community provide the possibility of having a reservoir without danger of betraying the bases of the Teaching. Friends of the community do not conceal their weaknesses, and this gives the possibility of successfully strengthening them. Indeed, We use the word “friends" because for the Occident this term is more understandable. Among Ourselves We call them disciples of a certain degree, but the West poorly contains Our concept of discipleship. Therefore, let us keep to the better-known designation of friends of the community. Community, 133
9. There are many signs by means of which one may form an opinion as to the loyalty of a disciple…. In seeking signs of fidelity one should observe how the mutual relations are developed. One should understand how important is a manifest nucleus of two or three co-workers fortified by a fiery esteem for Hierarchy and for each other. By these signs may a fiery loyalty to Hierarchy be determined. Loyalty between friends, co-workers, is a pledge of devotion to Hierarchy. A nucleus of two or three friends, co-workers, can manifest the strongest support for great works…. Thus is affirmed the chain of loyalty which inevitably leads upward. On the path to the Fiery World one should recognize the beauty of loyalty. Fiery World III, 80
10. Only one who is led by karma to the Great Service can become a trustworthy co-worker. One cannot impose a love for labor. Any coercion in this domain will only provoke aversion. He who knocks should be welcomed, but to gather idlers from the bazaar is not wise. Everyone can observe that friends approach by special paths, and neither ancestral nor racial considerations have any meaning.
It is especially important to understand that We do not expect large numbers of co-workers, and We ourselves are not many. But even a small community is valuable, for in addition to earthly assistance, the cooperation of the Subtle World can be summoned. Supermundane I, 66
11. I revealed to you new images--learn to discern.
It may be painful to see even your friends unmasked,
But knowledge and truth are above all. The Call, 205
12. Urusvati knows well that one cannot use any earthly measures to identify Our friends. It is not possible to demonstrate to an earthly understanding the broad dispersion of Our co-workers. They can be found in many different places, even in opposing camps, and can be found on both sides in a battle. One cannot explain such contradiction to an earthly consciousness, but Our Abode does not act in accordance with earthly laws. A broadened consciousness can understand that there are ties beyond earthly laws. Is it so difficult to imagine that Our friends can be found in different parts of the world and that, using the local languages, they try to restrain human madness? They may not even know about each other, but will nevertheless act for the same General Good.
On many occasions Our friends have asked Us to provide a sign by which they might recognize each other, but such attempts always ended badly, because traitors were often the first to make use of the signs. We therefore rejected these outer distinctions….
Our co-workers will never call themselves initiates, nor will they boast of being superior. Our measures are above all earthly degrees. Even if Our friends are sometimes required to accept earthly distinctions, they at least know their true value. Once upon a time, when one of Our Brothers appeared at a state gathering wearing decorations, His friend smiled and remarked on how heavy his medals and awards must be. Our Brother answered, “The doorkeeper's keys are not so light either!” Thus must earthly distinctions be understood. Supermundane I, 67
13. Urusvati knows how often even the simplest of Our Indications are distorted. For example, We spoke about the need to carefully attend to the protection of our friends, and to provide help when necessary. It would seem that such advice is quite clear, but people often will see in this an opportunity to criticize their friends. Wherever the worm of condemnation breeds, one cannot expect a harvest.
Now let us understand the difference between condemnation and fair judgment. Everyone knows that there are crimes for which a severe judgment is deserved, but ordinary, everyday criticism is superficial and harmful. Often, when criticizing others, people attempt to compel them to act as they would wish them to. They do not want to understand that each bird has its own song and that it is wrong to force it to sing an alien tune. One can even kill the singer, but nothing will be gained.
It is regrettable to see how people impose their will on others, and it is even worse when these violations are committed in the name of Good. When We speak about concern for the protection of our friends, We have in mind the most solicitous care, and not tactless criticism. Supermundane III, 466
14. Ponder how to strengthen your friends.
Maintain pure air in your dwellings, project to those who come best wishes, and await Us intently. Let each community await its Teacher, for a community and a Teacher constitute the ends of one and the same column. Even in daily trifles it is necessary to remember the foundation of the house. Again we arrive at the necessity of altering the quality of the consciousness; then the transition is easy. Community, 91
15. People will finally apprehend what powerful influences surround them. They will realize that all their routine life manifests a great reaction upon their destiny; they will learn to consider attentively each object; they will surround themselves with true friends and guard themselves against destructive influences.
Thus the salutary energy helps in the reconstruction of life. Aum, 385
16. New ones will come. New ones will come. New ones will come.
Count your friends. Look for the gates to open to their coming ascent.
Maintain the feathers of your arrows, else they fall limp and powerless.
Learn to fly. The Call, 286