One should protect oneself in consciousness and create an invulnerable armour of nerve emanations. Even severe epidemics cannot develop if people master their consciousnesses.
The time that separates us from the moment when we will finally be together in the Hall of Culture to talk about the future and Cosmos, has unfortunately lengthened. But that doesn’t stop us from staying in touch with each other. Nor does it prevent us from drawing on Agni Yoga as a light source that can illuminate this moment of darkness.
We are experiencing a great global crisis, in the sense that it no longer affects only one area of the Earth, but involves all continents and nations, and all the individuals who live there. In some places the health emergency is stronger, in others it is only just beginning, in others it is not yet manifest, but only foretold. In any case, we are in a state of emergency that crosses the entire planet like a wave, raising waves of fear and causing states of objective difficulty.
Like other Teachings, Agni Yoga contains many forecasts of what is now happening; we could also use the word “prophecies”, since it was written in the early 1900s. But the attitude of Agni Yoga is, more than prophetic, “rational and materialistic”, in the sense that it repeatedly advocates a marked adherence to reality, both visible and perceptible through psychic sense organs, realities considered both true and demonstrable. Above all, a sufficiently expanded vision may include the recognition of the causes of each phenomenon through its effects, which were already implied in the causes themselves.
We therefore leave to others the formulation of hypotheses about the contingent facts that caused this epidemic, and, through the vision of Agni Yoga, we try to focus on the deeper and broader causes in time and space. Above all, we are interested in knowing what suggestions the Teaching offers us to deal with this situation to the best of our ability and also to obtain the best of opportunities.
I believe that we all already connect what is happening with what is going on in the general state of the world, even if the precise connection “cause – effect” between the great problems of humanity – ecological exploitation, human exploitation, selfishness, injustice, competition, absurd wars, improper distribution of resources, just to name a few – and the action of a microscopic virus, could escape us. Whenever we deviate from the higher Laws that govern the Universe, we are inevitably called upon sooner or later, by the consequences themselves, to take note of what we have done and to take responsibility for it. This is the great Law of Karma, which gives rhythm and balance to the entire Universe.
But Agni Yoga, in addition to sanctioning these “causes of evil” already experienced (in whatever form they present themselves) offers us an extra stimulus, attributing the origin of certain diseases to the fiery and new energies that are falling on the Planet and that impact on the bio-psychic structure of humanity. Because we are not ready to accept these energies and assimilate them into our bio-psyche, they cause all kinds of unrest, in many different fields and levels.
From Heart 584:
‘One should not forget about the fiery epidemics that are on their way. Numerous reminders are spread throughout the history of humanity. Especially now, when various energies are being widely utilized in spite of a lack of research on their nature and potential side effects, people need to keep in mind that a return blow is possible. Scientists should pay attention to the peculiar nature of many illnesses. One should not just explain them away by claiming that they arise whenever the whirlpool of society condenses. The causes are far deeper, and Our Advice about the education of the heart is very timely.’
Fiery World 1, 262:
‘Let humanity become accustomed to transmitting and receiving thoughts. But it is not useful when the fiery substance is mixed with intruding coarser currents. True, such a manifestation indicates to what an extent the fiery element is already intensified in humanity, but it will not be of benefit if, unrecognized, it breaks into undesirable regions. Indeed, these outbreaks may reach such proportions that they can become destructive. I affirm that fiery epidemics can begin precisely from such disturbances. When I speak of equilibrium and goal-fitness, I wish to remind about the harmony of all life.’
Our gaze must therefore turn, in seeking the causes, simultaneously with the past and what comes with it, and to the future and what comes from it: to be ready to recognize and integrate the new energies that are advancing and, to do this, to free and purify space, collective and individual, from old waste.
The main tool for performing both of these actions is, for Agni Yoga, the Heart, which knows how to unite and harmonize different worlds.
And it is precisely the heart that can make us available to a wide range of other instruments, all very concrete, applicable, simple. I’ll mention a few:
- The reception and use of the unusual, meaning by this term everything that we would not expect and that is free from any prediction. The Unusual has a deconstructing power that, while on the one hand poses sometimes considerable challenges, on the other it frees us from crystallized and blocking habits and attachments. What’s more unusual than a tiny virus that brings the world and all its certainties to its knees?
- The tangible experience of interdependence between different beings and countries, beyond geographical, cultural and social distinctions. Once this reality is touched, it becomes absurd to want to separate and defend by artificial means what, by its nature, is one.
- The wealth generated by the qualities of the Heart: trust, solidarity, empathy, compassion, cooperation, goodwill, courage… qualities essential to dealing with this great crisis.
And a couple of even more specific and powerful tools:
- The one with the mysterious name of “Tactica adversa“, which is about asking the question: what more and better can I conquer by using, and not only countering, the energy of the adversary, which in this case is the virus? What can I conquer thanks to the problems it creates for me?
- -The intensification of psychic energy, a concept very dear to Agni Yoga. It is so much of the all-pervasive Fire that a consciousness is able to absorb and make its own. It is that “portion of fire” that we manage to activate within ourselves, in our consciousness and up to every cell of our body. It goes without saying that our immune system is also strongly activated by it.
Hierarchy 418:
‘One should protect oneself in consciousness and create an invulnerable armour of nerve emanations. Even severe epidemics cannot develop if people master their consciousnesses. An experiment with the substance of psychic energy would indicate what powerful antiseptics people carry within themselves. For this, two conditions are necessary: the first – realization of psychic energy; the second – realization of Hierarchy as the sole path for the increase of psychic energy. One should not look upon Hierarchy as something abstract. One should realize firmly that it is the most powerful life-giver. We call it the primary remedy. But even a pill must be swallowed and an ointment applied. There is no effect from a remedy that is in a trunk. Likewise, the Benefaction of Hierarchy must be taken by striving. Thus, an irrevocable striving will afford a healing result.’
Perhaps it is precisely this, the contact with a higher and subtler sphere of Life in whatever way we want to call it – Hierarchy, Guides, Masters, Christ, Heaven, Luminaries… – the most powerful instrument, which synthesizes in itself all others and makes us adept at using them all on a concrete level. It is the ability to “be in the world but not of the world” and to place an area of our consciousness in that space of Cosmos from which we can draw light, love and strength; while with other parts of us we try to juggle the complex microcosm generated by the small virus.
See you in October, to share the fruits of our workout!
Marina Bernardi
President Community of Living Ethics