Selections from the Agni Yoga Series
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society, January 12, 2016
1. The goal and the meaning of existence is to strive upward beyond the limits of the known, and to help one another. Illumination, II:V:12.
2. You are right, it is most essential at present to think about podvig — people should understand podvig in daily life. Life is meaningless without podvig. And how expressive is the Russian word podvig, indeed, it has no equivalent in European languages. In this word there is a whole sense, the whole quality of aspiring action forward toward self-sacrificing podvig, into the future, into evolution! Letters of Helena Roerich II, 1 October 1935.
3. Your chapter about striving is quite good. It would be useful to connect this striving still more closely with the concept of podvig by introducing this idea as the sole meaning of life. Much is said about podvig in the books of the Teaching. Indeed, only podvig can nourish our spirit and accelerate evolution. Indeed, achievement and heroism must be thoroughly taught in schools. “Let children call themselves heroes and apply to themselves the qualities of remarkable people. Let them be given books of clear account, wherein the faces of toil and of will have been depicted without any soft coatings. Even for medicinal purposes this valiant call of life is irreplaceable. Such material must be given without delay.” Letters of Helena Roerich II, 11 October 1935.
4. The illusion of life is created only by the thought which limits the cosmic expressions. But the true meaning of life impels striving into Infinity. Illusion is a drug, but the basis of striving lies in the affirmation of the endlessness of our tasks. Infinity I, 45.
5. The meaning of life is affirmed in the human consciousness when the understanding of man's role in the Cosmos is revealed. The world is then designated by Us as a field for action in the name of the good of humanity. When the spirit apprehends the truth that Macrocosm and microcosm are inseparably bound together, a conscious bond is established, and cooperation with the cosmic energies becomes possible. But how helpless people are when they lead a form of life isolated from cosmic currents! Indeed, life is transformed when the spirit consciously ascends, understanding the leading principle—Hierarchy. Only when the perception of a guiding Hierarchy is consciously affirmed will humanity realize its true role in the Cosmos. Each link is connected with the next link leading upward. How poor is humanity, in whose consciousness the concept of the great cosmic laws is not affirmed! Only the creativeness of the spirit manifest will bring the worlds closer together. On the path to the Fiery World let us remember about the connecting law of Hierarchy. Fiery World III, 67.
6. Urusvati knows how difficult is the art of the Good, which is how We describe the continuous, creative good will. One must learn how to discriminate between isolated, accidental good thoughts and actions, and conscious good will.
People themselves complicate this idea by fabricating numerous slogans which only confuse weak minds. They repeat, for example, “He is so kind, he would not hurt a fly.” But We say, “He might not harm a fly, but indeed will kill the poisonous snake that threatens the life of his brother.” To say this, one must first know which fly is harmless and which snake is deadly! Books can provide this information, but one must know how to look for it.
Much work is required before one can discern goodness. It is even more difficult to detect all the inner motives of the human mind. One should not judge only by outer deeds, but must examine motives. This art can be learned from the ancient sages. The circumstances of those days were quite different, but the scope of human thought was the same. Legends perhaps exaggerate the facts, but the essence of true achievement remains unchanged.
Thus, while studying the arts, let us not forget the art of the Good, which requires assumption of full responsibility and an understanding of the meaning of life. It is the most difficult of arts, but it speeds the way. An unskilled sculptor can ruin a block of marble, but an unskilled doer of good can break many hearts! Only by hard work can a sculptor become skilled. Likewise, only profound contemplation can perfect the art of the Good.
The Thinker never tired of calling His disciples to perfecting the art of the Good. He said, “A field should be fertilized to produce good crops, and it is the same for the human soul.” Supermundane II, 309.
7. Urusvati knows that those who do not ponder upon the goal of existence during their earthly lives prepare a dark future for themselves after death. Urusvati saw a woman who, though good and kind from an earthly point of view, never thought about the meaning of life. When she crossed into the Subtle World she was utterly helpless, and did not even know how to accept the help of her Guide. Urusvati performed a good deed by visiting this disembodied soul and showing her that help and guidance were very near.
Most people cannot understand that even having such a fine quality as kindness while in an earthly state is not sufficient, for it is also necessary to think about the future path while still on Earth. Even if such thinking is elementary, it nevertheless will develop the imagination. Without some idea about the next world the disembodied soul is confused by its new and incomprehensible surroundings. If, while still on Earth, man cultivates thoughts about the joyous experiences that await him in the next world, he develops his imagination and prepares himself for entry into the corresponding spheres.
It is within human capability to greatly facilitate entry into the Subtle World. Indeed, great is the joy when one can enter these new conditions as if into a welcoming home, to find there all those for whom one has yearned, and to sigh with relief that one more earthly journey has been fulfilled. But such a state of mind can only be the result of conscious imagination. Therefore, please understand why We direct you to everything that develops the imagination. We know how gradually this precious quality must be attained. We would not be able to help mankind without making use of imagination, which goes hand in hand with foresight!
The Thinker taught the development of the imagination, without which the third eye could not be opened. Supermundane II, 380.
8. Urusvati knows that thoughts about eternity need not be linked to thoughts about death. If a bee flies into the house the right response is to set it free. And this is the common expression–to set free, in order to fly to freedom. Cannot the same be said about man? If he is in bondage here on Earth, and free in eternity, then joy must surely be found there. But thought about eternity will cause joy here, too. One who thinks about the meaning of life, about soaring over earthly obstacles, knows how to feel joy.
The unknowing ones think that lofty thoughts are always filled with sadness and boredom, but the one who has tasted knowledge will be filled with joy in life. Even thinking about his past errors will bring him joy, because he knows that the realization of one's errors is the true way to leave one's misconceptions behind.
Some wonder how it is possible to speak of joy during times of hardship. But it is on the wings of joy that one flies over the abyss. When man has reached impassable rapids he cannot turn back and must fly over them in order to circumvent the danger. It is happiness that the wings of joy are always with him. The beauty of the universe helps to call forth from the depths of the consciousness sparks of joy. And this is one more page of Our Inner Life.
The Thinker referred to the stars as the sparks of Joy. Supermundane III, 578.
9. Can we draw a clear-cut line between monotheism and polytheism. Can we mention even one religion which proclaims a strict monotheism? Verily the whole meaning of life is unity in multiformity. In the Christian religion there is the most obvious polytheism. The concept of God the Father and his incarnated Son, Jesus Christ, cannot be considered monotheistic. Is not the pagan Trinity laid in the foundation of the Christian religion? And what about all the Angelic Host, and the Ladder of Jacob? Verily, it can be repeated here that those who see the mote in their brother's eye do not see the beam in their own. One certainly has the right to assert that the Christian Church took the benefit of heredity from the despised pagans but distorted and diminished a great many lofty concepts. Letters of Helena Roerich I, 31 May 1935.
10. We should think more about self-perfectment and about helping one's fellow men, according to one's strength and abilities. Therein lies the whole vast task of man, the entire meaning of Existence. Letters of Helena Roerich II, 7 May 1938.