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  • Wisdom for practice
  • Wisdom is applied knowledge
  • Wisdom spreads itself

Wisdom for practice

Wisdom is for practice, not for continuous speaking. If we keep on speaking about the Masters, the Rays, and the Hierarchies, we are only missing our duties for the present.

Wisdom is applied knowledge

Knowledge, when applied becomes wisdom. We gain a lot of knowledge, but it has to be applied in daily life, then it transforms itself into wisdom. Through wisdom we will experience the existence.

Wisdom spreads itself

We need not be anxious to spread the wisdom without working it with ourselves. It is a wrong understanding if one thinks that he can spread wisdom. Wisdom knows how to spread itself. It only needs channels.

Fire and Flame

Visible and Invisible Fire

Fire and Flame When we look at a piece of wood, we see matter, but not the fire that is concealed in matter. Where is the fire in a candle before it is being lit? It is there already, yet still hidden. When lightening, we initiate a process in which the fire contained in the candle manifests as a flame. The wax contains the fire which then accumulates in the wick where it gives birth to the flame. Without the oxygen in the atmosphere, life in space, the flame cannot burn. And without the fire in the wax, the flame cannot come to be either. The material of the candle is exposed to heat and melts; it is consistently transformed for the flame to continue to burn.

The matter, which releases the fire contained in the wax, is one aspect of the flame. Another aspect is the fire that exists in space. It descends into the candle in the form of oxygen and enables the flame to burn. The fire in matter as well as the fire in space is not being recognized. The only possibility for us to actually see fire is to see it in form of a flame. The flame is the bridge between the invisible fire in matter and the invisible fire in heaven. It is a medium between the unknown and the known. Thus, there are three stages of existence: the pure existence, the material existence, and the existence that lies between the two, where one can experience matter and spirit. The soul is the medium or the channel through which spirit can descend into matter.

We say that there is nothing between two objects, only space. We cannot perceive the fire that exists in space, because it exists in the most subtle form of the ether. It is of electrical nature. Nobody has been able to “see” electrical current yet; still, we know that it exists and that it can be utilized. It has no form and no colour, but a vibration - the humming sound. If one touches an appliance, one can feel the streaming of electricity: one becomes electricity.

The Three Fires

Electricity is the most refined form of life in space. It is also referred to as pure consciousness, the background-consciousness of everything that exists in creation and from which everything emanates. Master Djwhal Khul, whose name means “a garland of fire”, talks about electrical and cosmic fire in his books. In the scriptures, fire is referred to as the “Father in Heaven.” God exists all the time, but He can only be perceived if He descends into the shape of a flame. If we assume absolute space to be electrical fire or spirit, the flame is called the soul or the solar fire. The power, which animates matter, is called the frictional fire or also intelligent activity. It animates matter in the mineral, plant, animal, and human realm. The higher mind is the flame of the light of the soul. As long as we do not operate as souls, we are unable to perceive the electrical fire because it exists beyond the subjective.

In truth, it is just one fire that exists in three states: the electrical fire in space expresses itself as solar fire and fire by friction. The three fiery signs of the zodiac symbolize those three great fires. Sagittarius stands for the fire inside of matter, Leo represents the transforming fire, and Taurus the electrical fire. For everything, from atom to cosmos, fire, or absolute energy, forms the basis. It is the essence of the entire existence and is latently present in everything. Fire is invigorating and stimulating; it transforms the subtle into the gross and vice versa. In the bible, it says, “Our God is the consuming fire.” He has formed the whole creation with the help of fire, and through the fire, he can assimilate it again. This fire, the fire in all worlds, is called “Agni” in the Vedas and “Ignis” in Latin. Yoga means unification, and Agni Yoga means to unify with the highest fire and to be transformed by its presence. It is a process to purify all bodies, to establish a pure etheric body, and to become one with the light. All great masters have done this. They went through the fire and were purified. They surrendered to the divine Plan and have accomplished the greatest things for humanity.

The Fire Ritual

Through rituals, the divine Plan is imitated in a symbolic way to address the corresponding intelligences. Already when we read about it, the described intelligences are activated and awaken in us. Honouring the fire is one of the oldest rituals. There are human beings who practice spirituality and, during the hours of dawn, sit in front of a flame, because during this time the energies ascend while they withdraw with the setting of the sun. Initiates work with the flame to especially replenish their will, particularly when they are occupied with great tasks; and then they conduct everything in a very effective manner.

To ignite an external fire is a symbol for the ignition of the internal fire. The external flame symbolizes the becoming of the solar fire or light. We can carry out a fire ritual and call on the fire inside of us. The fire ritual helps to burn instincts that are dangerous to us. When unwanted or emotional thoughts bother us, we can light a candle, look into the flame, and visualize it in our forehead. Then, we imagine how it combusts all the impurities in us. Thoughts are products of the fire. We deliver them to the fire and ask it to combust impure thoughts and to present us with thoughts filled with light. Sitting silently before the fire, we can pray to it, “Please burn those thoughts that are a problem for me.” However, we may not deal with the invoked energies in a wrong way, because that would be playing with the fire. If we handle it carelessly, we will burn ourselves. This is one of the reasons why deep wisdom is never advertised. It is for those who search for it.

Working with Fire

To kindle the spark of fire within us, air needs to be supplied. This is the work that takes place with breathing. The flame gets bigger when we consciously inhale and exhale slowly, softly, deep, and evenly. If we do 27 (3×9) such breaths before meditation, the body is charged with fire. The place of the fire is thereby the point at which inhalation transforms to exhalation and exhalation to inhalation. Working with breathing can combust certain negative character traits in us and eliminate our connections to seeds of future karma.

When we eat, it is nothing else but a fire ritual at which we sacrifice food to certain intelligences or Devas and supply food to the digestive process. If we view the mouth as a sacred altar for the fire, we will not irresponsibly consume everything possible, because there will be consequences. We should eat with a sensation of offering the food to the Lord of the Fire and maintain this feeling. A prayer goes: “I am thankful to the Lord for the food made available. I offer this food to the Lord of Fire, for his distribution to the Devas within the body. May the Lord be pleased. May the Devas be pleased with this act of mine.”

Of the directions, the south-east is the place of fire; ideally, the kitchen should be in this direction and cooked should be in alignment with it. The north-east is the meeting point of spirit and light, where stillness is transformed into will; it is good for meditation and rituals.

The seed sound of the cosmic fire is the sound “Ra”; it has the power to purify, to protect, and to guide. RHA is known as the sun god to the American Indians. RHA-AAM is also the God of Fire of the Egyptians. The mantra RAM is the oldest mantra on this planet since long before Rama came as an incarnation of those energies. Ra stands for spirit, Ma for matter. This sound is recited and written repeatedly to burn impurities in us, thus to make the personality in us transparent. This is also called working with fire.

When the fire has done its work on the fuel, there is nothing left that can keep burning the ash. Ash out of a fire ritual is considered sacred, because it signifies a part of the matter which was purified by the fire and survived it. From that, the tradition to put ash on the forehead originated.

Hence, contemplation of fire is one of the most important spiritual exercises.

Sources used: K.P. Kumar: Agni. The Symbolism and the Fire Ritual / seminar notes. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.