Sydney Goodwill Goodwill is love in action
One of the gifts of the Agni Yoga Teachings is the spirally-rigorous articulation of the energetic fire at the heart of words we use in the Manifest World.
Take joy for instance. Commonly defined as an emotion, state, expression or source of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure or elation in the Manifest World. Its synonyms include rapture and bliss. Its antonyms – grief, sorrow, unhappiness and misery.
The Agni Yoga Teachings invite an expansion of our understanding and experience of joy within its subtle and fiery dimensions. This expansion embraces the revelation of the reservoir of joy’s real power and how Humanity can harness it for evolutionary purposes. In the spirit of geometry, taking the dodecahedron as a frame, gathered here are twelve facets of the energetics of joy from the Agni Yoga Teachings for reflection.
1.Rhythm of Joy: Although a book could be written about joy, the Hierarchy prefers to give glimpses of joy, linking them with thoughts about dangers. Each discourse is given in a certain rhythm. Reiteration generates an accumulation of precipitations, providing an increased power of psychic energy. There are innumerable joys and each one touches a particular combination of nerves centres. Supermundane, 333.
2. Spiritual Joy is Fiery Joy and is luminous: It originates from a desire for Light. Impediments to experiencing it are depression, despondency, irritation and anger. Fiery Joy expands consciousness, and draws all the best qualities toward itself, like a fiery magnet. Supermundane, 810.
3. Joy of Being: does not depend on personal circumstances, success, or wealth. Amidst the most grievous difficulties, persecutions, stress, injustice, illness and insult the eyes may fill with fire, the bowed head may rise and a new strength emerges through the heart as we tap the highest currents, commune with Hierarchy and spiritualise the entire surrounding atmosphere. Supermundane, 281.
4. Fiery Joy is being able to live in the future: knowing that the continuity of life within the infinite chain of being is a reality. Supermundane, 529.
5. The realization of joy grows through conviction, not through the acquisition of things. There is no condition that cannot be turned into joy. The Abode of Hierarchy is saturated in joy. The most intense battles are filled with joy. Without it there is no action. Supermundane, 55.
6. Joy generates power: it must be recognized, and realized. Humanity possesses the great gift of cognizing joy. Joy-blockers are gloominess, sadness, despondency, discontent, malice, irritability. A new supply of strength comes every time we allow ourselves to be joyous, for there is an intensity in joy that opens the next gate. There is the Muse of Joy who responds only to beautiful words and thoughts. She comes only by the path of Beauty. Supermundane, 231.
7. The Healing Power of Joy: In ancient India there was a community of physicians who were called “creators of joy.” They believed that for successful healing the patient had to be surrounded by joy. They learned that the healing properties of joy that attract the best vibrations, both mundane and supermundane; by this method, the patient’s condition was improved and a cure proceeded successfully. Supermundane, 843.
What an indestructible immunity is created through joy! Supermundane, 559.
8. Supermundane Joy = Solemn Joy =The Torch of the Supermundane World = The Gateway to the Subtle World: One should train oneself to discern solemn joy and allow beautiful images to accompany one’s thoughts. These highest harmonies help to elevate one’s vibrations to enter the gates to the Subtle and Supermundane World. Supermundane, 750.
9. Gathering all sparks of Joy: Thought about eternity will cause joy here too on Earth. One who thinks about the meaning of life, about soaring over earthly obstacles, knows how to feel joy. Everyone experiences misfortunes but one should not become attached to them. Even thinking about past errors will bring joy knowing that the realisation of one’s errors is the true way to leave misconceptions behind. One must learn to gather all sparks of joy, then the boat of Charon will not be needed. Supermundane, 639.
10. Joy and the Beautiful: Humanity is uplifted when it associates with the Beautiful, looks at the Beautiful, listens to the Beautiful, thinks in the ways of the Beautiful. Each grain of the Beautiful turns humanity into a co-worker of Higher Forces. Live always with a dream about the Beautiful, and you will be given joy and love. Supermundane, 783.
See article about the role of the Banner of Peace as the Banner of Beauty in saving the world. https://sydneygoodwill.org.au/the-banner-of-peaces-role-in-saving-the-world-as-the-banner-of-beauty/
11. Joy – in its power – is equal to love: Each experience of joy in the good, even the most ordinary, heightens one’s vibrations. Especially powerful is the joy based upon realization of the Supermundane World where one’s consciousness should become so close to the supermundane consciousness that one’s heart would not be able to live otherwise. Supermundane, 823.
12. Joy is a Special Wisdom: Creativity – as the basis of evolution – can be strengthened by the wellspring of cheerfulness. Cheerfulness is a special technique. Creative patience and cheerfulness are the two wings of the worker. New Era Community, 163.
Be joyous through the command of the entire consciousness, in order to create that luminous thread which unites all worlds. Hierarchy, 96.
The discipline of Good is a self-generated joy. The calmness of a yogi is not due to detached imperturbability, but to an inner, flaming joy. Supermundane, 559.
Within the Manifest World, our capacity to hold our equilibrium is tested daily by a myriad of challenges, however, we are responsible through thought, word and deed for what we apprehend, transmit and distribute into near and distant space.
Master Morya reminds us to:
“Remember that you have been designated a guardian of space. You can restore health to it or can defile it. You cannot aspire to the Supermundane World if you are a source of deadly poisons. With your every breath you send either restoration of health or destruction into space.” Supermundane, 764.
We are co-creators of the health of inner and outer space. With every breath, thought, word and deed we participate – consciously or unconsciously – in the restoration of health or harmful destruction of space. Like a boomerang if we emanate sorrow, it impacts and then returns to us as sorrow multiplied. Likewise, every spark of joy sent infuses near and distant space. The atmosphere of joy – with its creative, magnetic, generative healing power – strengthens the building of Humanity’s future for the Common Good. And, in the circulation of life, on its return, restores health and vitality. Inspired by Agni Yoga, 618
May we choose the dynamic power of that rare bird of joy moment to moment!
Acknowledgements
All 12 facets have been edited. For the full version of the slokas refer to www.agniyoga.org. Initial definition of joy from Dictionary.com. Title Image: Starry Night on the Rhone by Vincent Van Gogh from Wikimedia Commons. Graphics created by author.
