AGNI YOGA WEB TV
SERIES
“SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF AGNI YOGA”
BROADCASTING 3
Exercise “Invulnerability”
Dear Agni Yogis,
we had already
said in the last Broadcasting on the exercise "Transformation into a
spiritual Being": The time of introduction is over. The basis is laid. Let
us now start to walk the path together.
What is our goal?
We wish to develop the immeasurable potential of our Eternal Individuality!
We want to become
greater! We want to create the spiritual beings of the 6th race, who are far
superior to the old man!
We want to
strengthen the power of our soul, the psychic energy. We want to refine and to
sharpen our inner, spiritual senses!
Let us look once
again at some of the higher faculties of our spiritual nature which we have to unfold:
A non-material being is not bound by the
limitations of matter, time, and space. It can walk through walls and closed
doors. Like X-rays it is capable of looking through
dense objects and of reading in closed books. It can perform levitation, which
means to rise from the ground like St. Joseph of Copertino and other saints,
walk on the water like Jesus, sit on the water like a yogi (Nicholas Roerich “Lotus”),
walk through
fire and even fly (Nicholas Roerich “Higher
than Mountains). It is immune to diseases. It can practise telekinesis,
that is, like Uri Geller move objects solely with its spiritual power. It is able to send thoughts like a transmitting station as well
as to receive and to understand thoughts like a radio. It is
capable of understanding foreign languages and of communicating, like
St. Francis of Assisi, with animals (Nicholas
Roerich “St. Francis of Assisi”). Like Jesus, it can heal with its spiritual
power and predict the future like a prophet.
Agni Yoga – and
thus our school – offers a complete program for the development of these higher
skills. Of course, this is a long way over many incarnations. We do not promise
that you will learn to fly during this lifetime. However, when you progress
systematically step by step and practice daily, you will soon be able to see
the first results.
*****
Our training
program says: If your higher self is to grow greater, you must start with
gaining invulnerability.
Becoming
invulnerable is the first step in shaking off the old, mortal man. The
invulnerability of his soul is the most important quality of the man of the
future. On this are based all other achievements.
Invulnerability
becomes inviolability and invincibility. Inviolability and invincibility result
in fearlessness and freedom. On fearlessness and freedom are based your
superiority and your greatness.
Immortal and
invulnerable – thus you are like a god!
As long
as
all possible impacts of circumstances or human beings can still hurt you, your
transformation into a spiritual being living eternally is not yet complete,
because such a creature is not affected by material influences.
*****
Of course, we are
talking about the invulnerability of your soul, your Eternal Individuality.
Invulnerable is not the body, but the spirit.
The defence of the
body is a matter of physical exercises, for example, toughening up or martial
arts. The invulnerability of your true higher self is attained through
spiritual exercises.
*****
I would like to
mention that we are showing here and in the other Broadcastings on spiritual
exercises not a theory, but a living practice that has proven itself over thousands
of years of testing and which is presented today by Agni Yoga in an up-to-date
form.
Only exercises
which I am practicing for a long time already are being offered to you.
Invulnerability – a Potential
"I
have learned: An immortal is invulnerable because he lives forever and no one
and nothing can do him any harm. Thus, if my true, higher self is already
invulnerable, why do you then propose to teach me today how to arduously
acquire that very property?"
The answer is:
Invulnerability is a potential. You have the opportunity to
become invulnerable. Whether you are vulnerable or invulnerable depends solely
upon you yourself!
The age-old
principle applies:
Become
who you are!
This means: There
is a gigantic potential lying dormant within you. It is up to you to develop
it.
Your body, as a
material being, will always be defeated by the greater number and power of the
others and therefore remains vulnerable. Your Eternal Individuality, however, a
spiritual being, you may render invulnerable.
Section I: Basics
Nicholas Roerich “Glory of the Himalayas”
1. What is a Violation of the
Soul?
It is obvious what
an injury to your body is: A wound, that others or you yourself inflict on you
out of clumsiness; an illness, a weakness or an impairment of its functions.
The body signals such a damage through pain.
With your
spiritual being, your Eternal Individuality, however, it is not so clear what a
violation means. Let us look at some examples.
*****
What hurts you? In
the first place, it is really the dear fellow men: family, relatives, friends,
acquaintances, neighbours, colleagues at work, superiors, subordinates,
customers. They all cause trouble, disappointment and even attacks in
abundance. Exactly those who are closest to us often give rise to the deepest
sorrow.
There are
violations of your pride, your dignity or your vanity, as well as moods that
bother you.
External events
such as wars, hardship, poverty, unemployment, illness, bad weather and many
more endanger your peace of mind.
Finally, there is
your own imperfection: Hopes are disappointed, expectations do not come true,
projects fail, what has already been built up falls apart or is destroyed, and
good intentions are shattered. You put the blame on yourself and feel inferior.
*****
In general, we can
say: When you lose your balance, your inner peace, the superior point of view
from above the circumstances, when you allow yourself be
dragged down, then your soul is "downcast" in the true sense of the
word.
Your spiritual
being is hurt when it has suffered damage, when it falls ill or weak, when its
(spiritual) power, the psychic energy sinks, when its functions are impaired,
when it is not in its normal, healthy state. Your soul signals such a weakness
through suffering.
The
ideal state of your Eternal Individuality is a state of high vibration.
This is the state
in which you are when you have performed the exercise “Elevation”. The
spiritual part of your being is hurt when its vibration drops
and it falls down from the "Elevation"
state.
2. Violation through your own
Thoughts and Feelings
“What
is it that causes an injury to my soul? Is it really the external events that
hurt me?”
No! Realize: All
violations of your spiritual being are caused by your own thoughts and
feelings! You are not hurt, you feel hurt!
Always remember:
Nobody hurts you.
Nothing hurts you. You hurt yourself – with your own thoughts and feelings!
The material
conditions (the behaviour of fellow men, a stroke of fate) are no more than the
external occasion for your thoughts and feelings. One man suffers while in the
same circumstances, another can already rejoice.
You too can learn
to smile, whatever happens to you, and thus become invulnerable.
*****
This means: It is
not the material conditions that matter, but the attitude which you take towards
them, the thoughts and feelings with which you react to them. You can master
your thoughts and feelings, but not the external events.
*****
We had already
said: An immortal is invulnerable because he lives forever and no one and
nothing can harm him. Today we go one step further:
This knowledge of
the intellect alone is not sufficient to become truly invulnerable. At this
level you only think you are invulnerable. But that does not necessarily mean
that you actually are invulnerable.
It is of the
utmost importance that you recognize:
Being invulnerable
means: You no longer feel hurt, whatever happens to you.
You are
invulnerable when you rejoice, how ever you fare!
Joy
at achievement is a shield of beauty. You already know how abysses have been
crossed through joy and trust. Not only courage, but precisely joy makes you
invulnerable. (Fiery World II, 110)
3. Invulnerability – a State of
the Consciousness
We had already
said and today we confirm: Our consciousness is the true reality (Broadcasting
"The Significance of Consciousness"). This means in our context:
If you do not feel
hurt, whatever happens, you are not hurt.
There are higher
and lower states of the consciousness. For example, elevation and joy of being
as well as doubt and despondency.
A high
consciousness, taking the standpoint of eternity and understanding obstacles as
opportunities for its spiritual ascent, is pleased with what a less developed consciousness
perceives as a violation.
We recognize:
Invulnerability is
a state of the consciousness.
However, no one
else than you alone determines the state of your
consciousness. It is entirely in your own hands whether you are exalted or
depressed.
Invulnerability
is in the heart. (Heart 582)
4. You determine the State of
your Consciousness
In
order to attain invulnerability, you must establish a state of
consciousness in which your Eternal Individuality is not affected by all that
which your perishable personality (physical body, body of feelings, body of
instincts, body of thoughts) experiences as an injury.
To put it in
scientific terms: You place yourself in a state of higher vibration, in which
your soul does not respond to low vibrations, is no longer receptive, is immune
to them.
*****
Since you can
determine the vibrational state of your soul yourself, it remains true: Unlike your
body, you can make your higher being invulnerable, how ever
the external circumstances may look like into which you have been exiled.
If your soul is
nevertheless hurt – that means: feels hurt! – the
fault is yours alone. There comes to light a weakness which you must overcome.
5. Responsibility
At the end of the
first Section of this Broadcasting, let us mention another important point: If
you can determine your thoughts and feelings, the state of your mind yourself,
that means at the same time:
You alone, nothing
and no one else, is responsible when it comes to a violation of your Eternal
Individuality.
Do not be
childish! Do not scold "bad table" the furniture against which you
have bumped!
Do not be misled
by psychotherapists who try to "cure" even a 60-year-old by making
him believe that the blame for his botched life does not lie with him, but with
his parents and their imperfect education.
*****
Take at last the
responsibility for your life and your state of mind! Stop indicting the circumstances
or other people with thoughts or words like:
"You
are to blame when I suffer because you said this or that. You make me unhappy
because you do this or that. I am disappointed because this or that happens or
does not happen."
This wrong
thinking, which creeps into our consciousness almost every day, must come to an
end! No one is responsible for any injury to your soul – except you yourself!
Section II: Practice
What can, what do
you have to do in order to make yourself invulnerable?
How exactly does the exercise "Invulnerability" work?
1. Establish the State of the
Consciousness “Invulnerability”
Nicholas Roerich “River in the Himalayas - Santana“
We had discussed
already several times (Broadcastings "The Secret of Immortality" and
"Exercise Elevation") how you can create a sublime state of
consciousness in which you are invulnerable:
*****
When you listen to
the music of the great masters, for example Beethoven, Bruckner or Mozart, you
feel the greatness, the power and the invulnerability of your true, eternal
being with a certainty beyond all reason.
In this state of
mind, really nobody and nothing can do you any harm. You stand sovereign like a
king above the insignificant earthly affairs. You greet with a superior smile
all the little arrows fired at you.
*****
When you draw your
consciousness out of your perishable body and move it into your soul, when you
look at yourself and at the circumstances in which you are living from up there
with the eyes of your Eternal Individuality – then really none of that can hurt
you, what throws your perishable personality into turmoil.
*****
By the exercise
“Elevation”, we learned how to put our soul in a state of purity, power, and
joy of being, regardless of the external conditions.
*****
You will achieve
the same effect when you step forward to the face of your teacher in
meditation: The sacred atmosphere of his ashram and his very presence elevate
your mind, protect you and make your inner being unattainable for anything
material or inferior.
When
our consciousness is completely transported into the domain where there is no fear and depression, then we are invulnerable to any
filth. (Fiery World II, 72)
It is of the
utmost importance that you recognize:
This elevation is
not imaginary. It is an experience!
It is a spiritual
reality, namely a state of your soul. In this one moment you – your true self –
are really great, powerful and invulnerable.
*****
Words are
incapable of describing in more detail this state in which the soul feels its
power and greatness. You have to experience it
yourself: Someone is trampling on you, on your body, your pride or your dignity
–while your Eternal Individuality remains unaffected and preserves its
sublimity.
*****
The scientific
reality of this experience is demonstrated by its repeatability: When you have
reached this state once, you can establish it once more again
and again.
*****
Here we encounter
again one of the key points of Agni Yoga: The external circumstances are
meaningless. Important alone is the mental attitude you take towards them.
Of course, you
need knowledge of the intellect for such an attitude: For example, you have to know the law of rebirth and the meaning of suffering
and obstacles, otherwise you cannot rejoice at an apparent misfortune.
But this
intellectual knowledge alone is not enough. You must go further: Shape and
educate your Eternal Individuality in such a way that it really does not suffer
any more under any conditions and preserves its superior smile in all
circumstances.
“How
does such an education look like?”
2. Meditation in the Morning
First, you have to create the state of the consciousness
“Invulnerability” in the morning meditation. At the beginning of the day you take the higher point of view of eternity, of your
soul. Up there you are really unaffected by the events
down in the material world.
This elevation is
more than intellectual knowledge. It is a state of the consciousness, a
spiritual reality!
Put on this state
of consciousness like a solid armour, from which in the
course of the day all attacks will bounce off.
3. Meditation in the Evening
If during the day
something hurts you, postpone this feeling to the evening. Get over it in the
evening meditation. Do not end the day in a depressed state of mind! Get up
again! Restore the state of elevation!
At the feet of the
teacher you recognize, even more, you feel that your true self is not affected
at all by the apparent violation.
Your spiritual
armour has suffered one or the other dent in the struggles of earthly life.
Those you will need to mend in the evening.
4. Meditation during the Day
So far, our
exercises were designed to produce a sublime state of the soul in the morning,
midday, and evening meditations. We stick to that. During these times, at
least, you are in a state of high vibration.
The next step is:
You must learn to overcome an upcoming weakness immediately. Even in the course of the earthly day, you can instantly take a
short "time out", a moment of uplifting and meditation as soon as you
feel hurt.
*****
Such a short
“emergency meditation” succeeds the better, the more faithfully, reliably and
successfully you meditate in the morning and in the evening. Only when you have
learned to find your inner peace during the "normal" meditation
times, you can tackle the much more difficult exercise: In
the midst of earthly activity to get up again immediately within a few
minutes or seconds after a crash.
*****
This practice
requires constant vigilance, an exercise that we shall discuss in more detail
in one of the following Broadcastings. You should immediately ward off the
slightest attack on your peace of mind, so that no larger wound can result.
Do not indulge in
self-pity, do not give in to a negative feeling, but fight it right away!
After
every crash, you have to get up again immediately!
The great goal is:
Continuously maintain a sublime state of your Eternal Individuality! Do not
allow a longer lasting drop in vibration to happen!
Like
the lotus remain unaffected by anything that approaches you!
This is an eternal
practice that never ends. In weak moments, over and over
again, your soul feels mistakenly hurt although it is intrinsically
invulnerable. You have to overcome this weakness again and again.
*****
Look forward to
every new day! It offers countless opportunities to strengthen your spirit
through this exercise.
Make use of every,
even the smallest occasion to grow: At the cash desk in the supermarket, before
the authorities, at work, within the family. Constantly you may train not to
allow anything to disturb your elevated state of mind.
5. Take Refuge with the Ashram
of your Teacher
Nicholas Roerich “Star of the Morning“
There is a
wonderful Buddhist mantram the meaning of which is
reflected in Section 201 of the Book “Community”:
I
take refuge with the Teaching, with the Teacher and with the Community.
This is the most
important spiritual exercise, a cure-all for all kinds of injuries: Leave the
material sphere for a moment in spirit. Take a break from your everyday life.
Move your
consciousness into your Eternal Individuality. Allow your soul to visit its
homeland, the spiritual world. There it seeks the protection of the higher
powers, enters the Ashram and steps forward to the face of the teacher. In this
sacred atmosphere of high vibration, there really is no one and nothing that
could hurt it.
Through
the heart one is able to transmit one’s consciousness
along the Chain of Hierarchy, thereby increasing one’s strength and making
oneself invulnerable. (Heart 582)
In the presence of
the teacher, personal touchiness cannot arise at all. Here, the cosmic goals of
the Hierarchy are being pursued! Here, the concern for the well-being of your
small, insignificant perishable ego withdraws completely to the background.
The
Middle Ages have beautifully expressed this refuge with the protection of
Higher Beings by the symbol of the Madonna of Mercy: The Queen of Heaven
spreads her cloak protectively over those people who are close to her.
You will find
protection and security not in the material, but only in the spiritual world.
When
the link with the Master is strong, mountains can be moved. Striving to
Hierarchy creates that culture about which so much is spoken. Dead are those
who presume that by means of earthly Maya they can create strongholds. It is as
unwise as children dreaming to build a fortress out of mud! Only the world of
the spirit is truly strong, for it is indestructible and invincible. (Hierarchy
146)
A firm connection
to the Hierarchy makes you immune to injuries.
Whoever
is in his consciousness in contact with the Higher World is steadfast and
invincible; he has given to his spirit a freedom which is indestructible and
reaching out into Infinity. (AUM 204)
Section III: Examples for the Healing of Violations
Let everything
that we have discussed so far become concrete. Let us look at some examples
from everyday life. How helps, what advice does the soul doctor give in order to prevent or heal injuries to the soul through a
change in consciousness, or thoughts and feelings?
How does the
wonderful promise become true:
He
who thinks beautifully will not suffer! (Brotherhood 160)
1. Death
Dürer “Death“
One of the heaviest
violations of the soul we may suffer is the death of a beloved person. What
does the soul doctor say in such a case?
First, he must
point out the foundations of existence: The beloved one is immortal, his
existence was not destroyed. He has passed over to a higher, better world. If
he really is a soulmate, you will soon meet him again – at the latest in the
afterlife.
Nothing
can separate souls bound by love. (From the Mountain Top Vol. I, Lesson “Love
is God”)
The soul doctor
will lead his suffering patient to the realization: Basically, you are not
grieving for the deceased, who is now doing better than before. You are
grieving for yourself, for the loss you have suffered. You fill yourself with
self-pity. That in actual fact is an egotistic
feeling.
2. Humiliations
Tintoretto “Crucifixion“
Manyfold are the
injuries to the soul that we have to suffer because of
the behaviour of other people: We are tormented, cheated and
disappointed, our trust is being abused. Like Jesus we are wrongly accused, mocked, humiliated, tortured and
crucified.
The soul doctor
says: Think it over! Feel it over! Is your eternal being really affected by
such rude actions?
*****
Beings who stand
higher than you on the ladder of Hierarchy will never hurt you. At most they
try to lovingly point out wrong behaviour. If you experience that as a
belittling, a humiliation of your pride, the mistake lies entirely with you!
*****
Creatures who stand
below you on the hierarchical ladder may indeed treat you coarsely.
In
this case, however, it is your task to stand above such assaults and, according
to the example of Jesus, to assert your greatness and your dignity even against
the most terrible attacks.
If you still feel
hurt (though your higher self is invulnerable), this indicates a weakness of
your Eternal Individuality that you must overcome.
*****
The one who has
hurt you is probably not a soulmate and not near to you at all. A stranger,
however, a small, ignorant person you must not allow to get so close to you
that he can violate you.
You have to clearly keep your distance from people (and other
beings) who stand lower. Treat them like little children! Lead them lovingly
and if necessary severely on a better way!
You cannot
accomplish this task when you yourself have fallen: You can only lead others to
the heights when you stand higher than they.
*****
When you have to deal with enemies, you certainly must not think
about injury at all. In this case, you have to take up
the fight, defend yourself, and defeat the evil forces.
The
most savage assault is broken by the rock of the unconquerable spirit. (AUM 6)
3. The Depravity of the World
Picasso “Guernica“
Some of you are actually suffering from the state of the world. They mourn
the ignorance and coarseness that prevails everywhere, both in public and in
private, leading to an excess of violence, suffering and war, and finally to
the destruction of the planet as a whole.
The soul doctor
advises:
You
are living among tigers, among ignorant barbarians, in a primitive, uncivilized
world. You have to face this fact. (Briton Riviere “Daniel in the Lions’ Den”)
It is your task to
improve the situation, to raise your environment. If you allow yourself be dragged down by the terrible conditions, you will spoil
your mission.
4. Failure
Finally, many are
tormented by failure. Projects into which you have invested a lot of energy
fail, dreams or desires are not fulfilled. Then you feel weak and incompetent.
The soul doctor
says: Change your thinking, thereby you will overcome your suffering! Did you
really strain all your forces? If your skills are not up to the task, look for
another project that suits you better. Or raise your strength and try again
later. If, on the other hand, the time for realization is not yet ripe, wait
patiently for a better opportunity.
As a matter of
fact, this apparent injury is also based on a selfish feeling: You feel hurt
because your expectations were not fulfilled.
5. Violation – an egotistic
Feeling
These examples may
suffice. They show you the way to overcome all other violations or to prevent
them from arising at all: You have to change your
thoughts and feelings, your attitude towards the challenges of life. Then you
will become invulnerable.
At the end of this
Broadcasting, we submit a sentence for you to ponder upon:
A violation is
basically a selfish feeling.
It disappears as
soon as you become aware that, in view of the mission of your Eternal
Individuality, the well-being of your perishable personality is utterly
insignificant.
6. Control your Thoughts and
Feelings
We realize:
Acquiring
invulnerability is a matter of controlling your thoughts and feelings!
You are
invulnerable when you do not allow the feeling of being hurt to arise, or when
you immediately dismiss it.
We will address
this topic and take a closer look at it in one of the forthcoming
Broadcastings.