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.