Vladimir Antonov - Agni Yoga

Translated from Russian by
Mikhail Nikolenko and Anton Teplyy

Correctors of the English translation:
Keenan Murphy and Hiero Nani

This book presents a positive analysis of the Teachings of Agni Yoga recorded by Helena Roerich and describes how to use this knowledge in practice for spiritual development.

The book is addressed to those aspiring to real cognition of God and spiritual self-realization.

The term Agni Yoga was introduced to the western public by the Roerichs Nicholas and Helena []. They learned it in their expedition across Central Asia from mountain dwellers. This term means Mergence with Divine Fire or Path to such Mergence. Fire in this context is a flame-like state of the Highest Divine Consciousness. The Divine Consciousness can assume this form when It enters Its Creation.

The Roerichs developed the Teachings of Agni Yoga and brought them to Russia and other countries of Europe and America. And now the term Agni Yoga is firmly associated with their names.

The Roerichs were a remarkable couple: he was a zealous traveler and talented painter, she was his constant companion. Helena Roerich possessed a prophetic skill the ability to converse with God. Records of these holy conversations were collected in fourteen volumes titled Living Ethics .

What do these records represent? They are very non-uniform, some parts of the text are hard to comprehend, some parts are not edited literally, profound truths are mixed sometimes with jokes of God or with long series of meaningless phrases. Why do they look so?

The point is that according to the intent of God these records were not meant for publication in their original form: He suggested publishing only thematic selections of them [].

The reason for the qualitative diversity of the text is the following. God, with the purpose of training the prophetic skill of Helena Roerich, insisted that she make systematic, everyday records []. However, it did not happen always that there was actual material for the current moment. And then Helena Roerich, waiting for words from the Lord, was given almost meaningless series of beautiful phrases. It is a typical case in prophetic contacts.

And such jokes as: the legs feel cold because the entire energy has been used for the kindling of the heart were meant only for encouraging the tired travelers in hard moments.

Another point that needs to be mentioned about these texts is the broader meaning of the terms fire and fiery , which was expanded to psychoenergetical processes and phenomena. It was done with the purpose of filling the readers with the spirit of struggle. However, to understand these Teachings correctly, one has to differentiate the concepts of the Divine Fire and the fiery manifestations of the psychical activity of people.

The texts of Living Ethics and expressive paintings of Nicholas Roerich are filled with fiery energy. It was one of the most distinctive features of the spiritual movement initiated through the Roerichs.

The movement of Agni Yoga contributed a lot to the spiritual awakening of many people, first of all in Russia where there was mainly atheism instilled by the Communist Party and religious ideology degraded to the level of fairy tales. In most valuable precepts found in the books of Living Ethics , God once again presented people with explanations about what is God, what is man, what is the Evolution, what is the meaning of life. He showed people the possibility of attaining Perfection and abandoning the cycle of suffering, the way to cognition of God and to the highest self-realization in Mergence with Him.

The Teachings of Agni Yoga were given not as a soporific but for saturating the entire life! []

Let us consider now the main points of the Teachings of Agni Yoga.

The main Aspect of God is the Primordial Universal Consciousness dwelling in Its Abode, in Agni Yoga this Abode is called the Infinity . God can be viewed also as the Father and Mother of everything existing. It is a Unity of Many a Merged Whole of all the Perfect Ones, Who, as Consciousnesses, flowed into God. This United Consciousness rules the entire world []. People call It differently in different languages: God, the Creator, Jehovah, Allah, Tao, Ishvara, Mother of the World, Adibuddha, Svarog, etc., yet It is one for all beings of the universe.

The structure of the universe is multidimensional. It is represented by the strata (eons, lokas) of multidimensionality. The strata of multidimensionality differ by the level of subtlety. They are inhabited by consciousnesses of different levels of evolutionary development. The subtler the consciousness is the higher is the layer where it dwells.

The highest subtlety is represented by the Primordial Consciousness, which dwells in the highest, primordial layer.

The Path of the evolutionary ascent is the path of the refinement of the consciousness and establishing it in higher and higher levels of subtlety.

And the Infinity is the acme of human capabilities [].

Speaking of the Infinity, let us not imagine it as something void, but (let us know it) as something filled with (Him Who lives in) incessant (evolutionary) ascent [].

So, individual consciousnesses dwell as if on the steps of a multidimensional stairway. It is to the summit of this stairway that everyone has to aspire. This stairway does not lead us upward but into the depth of the multidimensional Creation into the Creator. The Guide on this Path is the Consciousness of the Highest Spirit (Which) is intense Fire [].

The Forces of the Hierarchy].

The entire power of creativeness is based on the Hierarchy. Only with full awareness of Great Service, can one understand the beauty of Spirit and the might of the Hierarchy. Space summons you to the fulfillment of the great law! []

Only full understanding of Great Service can imbue disciples with the aspiration to the Hierarchy. When the creativity of the (human) spirit encompasses Great Service, all paths to Us become open. []

(Say): I love You, O Lord, and I am devoted to You, O Master, and I revere You, Teacher! Thus, with devotion one can open new locks.

Verily, if you are constantly aware of the presence of God in your lives, you already know the shortest path to Us.

Be aflame in your hearts and create with love! []

The meaning of human life consists in the growth of individual consciousnesses [], that have to develop and merge ultimately into the Creator.

First everyone develops in the usual worldly activity. Ones quick advancement becomes possible with the development of an intense aspiration to empirical cognition of God.

This aspiration has to become passionate, fiery then such a person receives full support of the Hierarchy of the Forces of Light.

On the Fiery Path there is no loneliness nor emptiness, there is only a breaking away from the earthly world and an irresistible attraction to the Fiery world! []

The daring ones know that the joy of spirit is found only in achievement. Thus they do not seek recognition from others, for their achievement is a crown woven by labor and striving!

Only the heroes of spirit know the true attainment!

Thus the daring ones will be freed from the selfhood. They know true service for the good of humanity.

On the Path to the Fiery world, let us remember daring! []

Aspiration with the heart to the Lord is the first condition on the Path to the Fiery world! []

The path of advancement through the stages of self-development implies, first of all, an ethical transformation of oneself. It also includes formation of correct, strong aspiration and ridding oneself of such vices as: