The Banner of Peace and the Art of Visualisation

An Unexpected Gift and Mechanism from the Banner of Peace

Is it possible that coworkers striving for peace around the globe may have a visualisation tool at hand gifted to us in the form of the Banner of Peace?

Originally conceived as the flag that would fly over the treasures of Humanity* in times of conflict to protect them from destruction, could the simple symbol designed by Nicholas Roerich ignite the fire of peace in the heart – to bring the fire of love – to places, spaces and issues in need of a new dynamic equilibrium?

The Tibetan Master DK speaks of the significance of the development of the Art of Visualisation leading to a sense of livingness in form. (The Rays and The Initiations, p123.)

The emergence of the screen arts in the form of cinema and television are indicative of Humanity’s growing capacity to visualise through the construction of images and sound to tell stories.  With the invention of the mobile phone (which literally puts in the hands of hundreds of millions of us the capacity to capture what we see and sequence a visual and aural flow of communication) we’re all in training in the Art of Visualisation – and the internet provides a mechanism for interconnectedness, participation and sharing through resonance with like minds and hearts.

The beauty of the symbol of the Banner is its simplicity.

Three circles or spheres within a larger circle or sphere.

The symbol of the three circles/spheres is an ancient one – observed by Nicholas and family throughout their travels in Aisa and the Himalayas.  The symbol is universal and ubiquitous – capturing the triune nature of existence.

What Nicholas did that was new was to encompass the ancient symbol within the larger circle/sphere: a simple, yet profound, addition that revealed the synthesis underpinning the circles/spheres.

Thus, for instance, the three circles/spheres have been referred to as:

The Past Present and the Future

Roerich’s larger circle/sphere encompassed them in Eternity with the implicit invitation to find a true equilibrium between the time periods within the compass of Eternity (rather than getting lost in the illusion of separation and death).

The three circles/spheres could also refer to:

The Manifest World, the Subtle World and the Fiery World

In this case, Roerich’s larger circle/sphere encompasses the three worlds of existence in such a way that invites us to identify within all worlds simultaneously lest we lose our balance by being overly pre-occupied with any one – most commonly the most dense, visible world into which we incarnate – the Manifest World.

The Spirit of Peace = the Spirit of Equilibrium
Peace=Equilibrium

We know that the Spirit of Peace is also known as the Spirit of Equilibrium.

Our sense of balance and proportion is thus intimately connected to the deepest aspect of equilibrium – not the personality of equilibrium, not even the soul of equilibrium, but its essence, the Fire or Spirit of Equilibrium.

In the same way our sense of balance and proportion is intimately connected to the deepest aspect of peace – not the personality or the soul of peace, but its deepest aspect, its essence, the Fire or Spirit of Peace.

In writing to her coworkers, Helena Roerich said:

There are very few whose thinking is broad enough to enable them to realize that the Banner of Peace expresses a new step in the development of the consciousness of humanity. Such consciousness will be built upon the conception and awareness of the great significance and sacred inviolability of the creations of human genius. The next step could be the acceptance of the Hierarchy of the Spirit. Letters I, 15 November 1934 »

She also said:

The Banner of Peace is the great requirement of the future. It is essential as a great touchstone for the development of the consciousness of humanity. Letters I, 5 March 1935 »

A Word about the Heart

Before we get to how we might work with the Banner of Peace, let us consider the boundless expansiveness of the Heart.

It is said in the Agni Yoga teachings that within the heart there is “a feeling that embraces all humanity” and that one’s “kind-heartedness is measured not so much by good actions” but by “one’s inner kindliness, which kindles the light that shines in the darkness.” And that in this sense, the heart is truly “a transnational organ” that we’re to think of “not as one’s own, but as something that belongs to the entire world.” (Inspired by Heart, sloka 7.)  Truly, we reside within the One Heart sub-standing all hearts.

Thus, as we engage in an experiment with the Art of Visualisation, our identification is with, and within, the one all-embracing Heart.

The Banner of Peace Visualisation

So how might we work with the Banner of Peace as a visualisation tool?

Use whichever meditative process works for you to bring yourself into the place of Stillness, Silence and Solemnity of the Heart.

With the eyes of the Heart scan the globe, observing areas within the Manifest World that are currently embroiled in what appears to be an intractable conflict.

Select an area to focus and, take a few moments to:

• • Firstly, observe the energies and forces in play in the Manifest World.
  • Secondly, trace the threads of what you see within the Manifest World back to the Subtle World and observe the sub-standing energies operating from this deeper identification.
  • Thirdly, transfer awareness into the Fiery World, the world of causes or origins, and again, absorb and apprehend what’s emerging in awareness in relation to your focus.
  • Fourthly, using the sacred geometry contained in Banner of Peace, identify with the synthetic knowing of the outer sphere simultaneously aware of the three worlds as adjustments unfold to create a new point of equilibrium between the worlds.
  • Fifth and finally, within the ever-present Fire of the Heart, hold this new point of equilibrium as the Banner of Peace over the point of focus on the globe. Indeed, it may also be over the whole planet and observe what happens as the banner precipitates and distributes the energies of fiery equilibrium.

The visualisation is intended as a service activity to consciously work with the gift of the Banner of Peace and its potential to bring a new dynamic equilibrium to our beautiful blue planet as its universal evolutionary journey unfolds.

Acknowledgement:
Gratitude to WikiCommons for the Banner of Peace
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*For background articles on the Banner of Peace see:
https://sydneygoodwill.org.au/a-deep-dive-into-the-history-of-the-roerich-pact-and-the-banner-of-peace/
https://sydneygoodwill.org.au/90th-anniversary-of-the-roerich-pact-and-the-banner-of-peace/