Helena Roerich - Letters of Helena Roerich II (1935-1939)

Agni Yoga Society, Inc., New York

www.agniyoga.org

1967 by Agni Yoga Society.

Published 1967.

Reprinted November 2016.

From the Publisher (1967)

The original edition of this book was published in Russian in 1940 by the Latvian Roerich Society in Riga.

The publishers express their sincere appreciation to Mme. V.L.Dutko for her fine work in rendering the first English translation. We also take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to all those members of the Agni Society whose assistance and untiring work have made the publication of this book possible.

Agni Yoga Society is honored to present the Letters of Helena Roerich, Volume II as an integral part of The Teaching of Living Ethics.

LETTERS TO EUROPE

16 July 1935

I read with deep emotion your letter with the description of the solemn day on which the Society was opened. Thus was inaugurated one more beautiful movement as a bulwark against warring darkness. I know how much of your hearts aspiration and self-sacrificing work went into the foundation of this pure nucleus of Light in the name of victorious culture! You are therefore the first to receive my ardent greetings and the joy of my spirit at this beautiful celebration of your achievements. Please give my heartiest greetings and best wishes to the Administration and all the founding members of the Society, who worked for this benevolent goal. May this stronghold grow in strength, and may it courageously, luminously, and joyously utilize its forces on the path of service for the General Good.

I was also touched by your reaction to the lofty idea of the Banner of Peace, and I would therefore like to ask if you would consider establishing within your Society a permanent committee for the promotion of the Pact and Banner of Peace? It should be possible to unite those groups already existing, thus achieving solidarity and accord in actions. Think it over.

I find your precautions for guarding the Society against the penetration of undesirable members extremely useful. It is indeed important to guard against the harmful element from the very beginning. Do not attempt to enlarge your activities too much. Primarily, the nucleus of the Society should be worked out and brought into harmony. Large numbers were never a guarantee of success.

I understand your complete joy in associating with flaming hearts. I knew and still know such joy. However, years of experience have taught me to be more reserved and not to trust impulses too easily, and especially of those who have just approached the Teaching. In the beginning, we all march like burning torches; but later, under the action of the unfailing occult laws, our true nature begins to reveal itself more rapidly, and certain characteristics, that we did not even suspect we had, come to the surface, qualities which otherwise perhaps would have remained unrevealed until the next incarnation. The Great Teacher says in The Mahatma Letters, "As the water develops the heat of caustic lime so does the teaching bring into fierce action every unsuspected potentiality latent in him [the aspirant]."

And now regarding your questions: One must bear in mind that during the whole expanse of their lives all the Great Teachers, and Mahatmas, or the White Brothers, were Bodhisattvas. Maha-Chohan, or Great Lord, is the title of the Lord of Shambhala. The duties connected with this appointment are undertaken alternately by the White Brothers, according to their individual tasks. The Seven Chohans correspond to the Seven Kumaras of The Secret Doctrine, but esoterically there are eight of them. All these Seven Kumaras were the Lords of Fire, who endowed humanity with Mind.

As for the brothers of darkness, these are certainly encountered within humanity itself. They are very numerous, and no wonder, for their path is the path of gratification of the base passions. The percentage of true workers of Light is very small; likewise, the percentage of "fireflies" is not large, the more so in that their ignorance and lukewarmness, or non-resistance to evil, work for the benefit of the brothers of darkness. It is difficult to imagine how skillful are the spirits of high degree among the brothers of darkness who consciously work for disunity. It is said that they love to use those who approach the Teaching of Light and who attach themselves to communities established for the Common Good, yet are not firm in devotion and convictions. Playing upon their waverings and by instilling doubt, they are able to bring on confusion and deterioration. That is why caution is advised with the new untested souls when they approach the Teaching. The brothers of darkness are very fond of brilliant intellects developed at the expense of heart, for through them they can act most subtly. Indeed, only the crudest spirits attack and make use of low consciousnesses. "If humans are threatened by devils, the Archangel is accosted by Satan himself! If small devils bother brothersSatan himself besets hermits." And as it is said in the first volume of Leaves of Moryas Garden: "I know thee who scratches at the door. Thou hopest upon the shoulders of a guest to enter My House. I know thee. Thou hast become subtle and resourceful, even more resourceful than many of Mine. Thou has fastened thy clasps and prepared thy garments. Thou hast even studied all My expressions. [Emphases added] I hear thee pronounce even JOY. But here I shall stop thee. Thou dost not dare pronounce the joy of Love. Thy joy is the joy of hatred. But behind hatred is hovering the loathsome shadow of doubt. And doubt is not worthy of a shield. I will receive thy arrows in My Shield. But if thou wilt persist. I will send thee with a smilebut one." Thus, let us protect ourselves from all those who waver.

You ask when the brothers of darkness came into existence. Strictly speaking, they came at the same time as the Brothers of Light, from the moment that there appeared a spark of intelligence and of conscious, that is, free, will in man. With the first glimpse of discrimination comes the first concept of good and evil, and the already conscious will directs man hither or thither. But an entirely organized camp of the brothers of darkness began to function in Atlantis, during the Fourth Race. Their great battle with the Sons of Wisdom, or Light, ended in victory for the latter and in the destruction of Atlantis.

At the head of the Sons of Light stands the Archangel Michael. His adversary in the camp of darkness is Satan (who still bears the name, Lucifer, although he lost the right to this name long ago); at one time he was amongst the great Kumaras, who bestowed the light of Mind upon the poor Earth-dwellers, who lacked it. In connection with this, read the legend about Lucifer in On Eastern Crossroads [On Eastern Crossroads, Legends and Prophecies of Asia, (New York, Frederick A. Stokes company, 1930).] . This legend is based on a great Truth. Thus, the Prince of the World is now fighting for his very existence. The predicted great Armageddon of our race is in full swing. And again the Archangel Michael, with his resplendent host, is fighting against Lucifer. Of course, victory is always with the forces of Light, but dreadful cataclysms are unavoidable. That is why the strongholds of Light are so essential-during the approaching threatening time they can give shelter to all the Forces of Light. Although the decisive moment is behind you there is still time for many children to grow old. Thus the destiny of the world is in the hands of humanity. The planet can be saved only if there is a resurrection of the spirit, only if the consciousness is liberated from the phantoms of the past and directed toward the construction of the New World on the basis of a new understanding of cooperation and knowledge. As I have already written on these themes, I will quote from one of my letters, it might be helpful to you: