| Agni Yoga | |
|---|---|
| Founders | Helena Roerich andNicholas Roerich |
| Practice emphases | |
| Conscious striving in one's daily life | |
| Related schools | |
| Theosophy | |
Agni Yoga (Russian:А́гни Йо́га) or theLiving Ethics (Russian:Жива́я Э́тика), or theTeaching of Life (Russian:Уче́ние Жи́зни), is aNeo-Theosophicalreligious doctrine transmitted byHelena Roerich andNicholas Roerich from 1920. The termAgni Yoga means "Mergence with Divine Fire" or "Path to Mergence with Divine Fire". This term was introduced by the Roerichs. The followers of Agni Yoga believe that the teaching was given to the Roerich family and their associates byMasterMorya, theguru of the Roerichs and ofHelena Blavatsky, one of the founders of the modern Theosophical movement and of theTheosophical Society.
Agni Yoga is a path of practice in daily life. It is theyoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, of responsible, directed thought. It teaches that the evolution of theplanetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind. According to Helena Roerich, Agni Yoga is thesynthesis of allyogas. In all theancient Hindu scriptures, the approaching Fiery Age was predicted. Agni–Fire, which to a varying degree is at the heart of all yogas, will saturate the atmosphere of our planet, and all the branches of yoga will be merged into a fiery synthesis. Agni Yoga is a firebaptism.
The most significant features of Agni Yoga are cosmism anduniversalism. They are expressed in the interpretation of any phenomena of human existence from the point of view of their cosmic significance and interrelation with the being of theuniverse.
Agni Yoga played a significant role in bringing knowledge ofAsian religions to theWestern world. Living Ethics has an international following and has thousands of adherents. The ideas of the Teaching of Life have exerted an influence on otheresoteric movements and philosophies.[1]
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Agni Yoga is a synthesis of allyogas. In all the ancientHindu scriptures the approaching Fiery Epoch has been predicted. It is said thatAgni – the Fire that is found in varying degrees at the foundation of all yogas will saturate the atmosphere of our planet tremendously, and all the branches of yoga will be fused into a fiery synthesis. Verily, Agni Yoga is a fierybaptism.
The termAgni Yoga means "mergence with fire" in Sanskrit. This term was introduced to the Western public byNicholas Roerich andHelena Roerich.[3]
Agni (Sanskrit:अग्नि) is theVedic and Living Ethics' "god of fire", who marks immortality and is the symbol of life. Agni is one of the highest gods in theRigveda. In Agni Yoga it is the creative fire of the universe, the root of the "Fire of Space"; and the "psychic energy", the powers of the human mind and heart, particularly those manifesting in love, thought, and creativity.[4] In the original myth found in manyIndo-European cultures Agni is a bird-like being, that brings fire from the gods to mankind. Alternatively, this messenger brings an elixir of immortality from Heaven toEarth. In the earlyVedic literature, Agni primarily connotes fire as a god, reflecting the primordial powers to consume, transform and convey.[5]
Yoga (Sanskrit:योग;pronunciationⓘ) is one of the six orthodox schools ofHindu philosophy. There is a broad variety of yoga schools, practices, and goals inHinduism,Buddhism, andJainism. Yoga is a group ofspiritual,mental, andphysical practices or disciplines which originated inancient India. The termYoga has been applied to a variety of practices and methods. In Hinduism these includeJnana Yoga,Bhakti Yoga,Karma Yoga,Laya Yoga andHatha Yoga. The termRāja Yoga originally referred to the ultimate goal of yoga, which isSamadhi (Sanskrit:समाधि,Hindi pronunciation:[səˈmaːdʱi]), but was popularised bySwami Vivekananda as the common name forAshtanga Yoga. In the Ashtanga Yoga tradition,Samadhi is the eighth and final limb identified in theYoga Sutras of Patanjali.[6][7]
Aum orOṃ (Devanagari:ॐ),listenⓘ, is a sacred sound and a spiritual symbol inHinduism,Buddhism, andJainism. This word has threephonemes:a,u, andm, though it is often described astrisyllabic despite this being either archaic or the result of translation.[8][9] It signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness orAtman.[10] The twelfth book of the scriptures of Agni Yoga is called "Aum". Aum, as this book says, was a synthesis of sonant strivings. Prayer and inward concentration are excellent attainments which render healthful the state of the spirit. Each one in his own way has contributed a manifestation useful to spiritual concentration, whether he sought the solution in music, in song, or in the dance; man was striving to create a particularly exalted state of mind, promoting the reception of the higher energies.[11]
Ur orAditi (Sanskrit: अदिति "limitless"),[12] in theVedas and Living Ethics is the mother of the gods and all twelve zodiacal spirits from whose cosmic matrix the heavenly bodies were born. As celestial mother of every existing form and being, the synthesis of all things, she is associated with space and with mystic speech. She is mentioned nearly eighty times in theRigveda: the verse "Daksha sprang from Aditi and Aditi from Daksha" is seen by Theosophists as a reference to "the eternal cyclic re-birth of the same divine essence" and divine wisdom.[13] "Ur is the root of the Light of Fire", it is stated in the holy writ of Agni Yoga.[14]
Shambhala (Sanskrit:शम्भलः,Tibetan:བདེ་འབྱུང;) is the birthplace ofKalki, the final incarnation ofVishnu, who will usher a New Age –Satya Yuga. Shambhala is ruled byMaitreya.[15] TheKalachakra Tantra prophesies that when all is lost, Kalki will emerge from Shambhala to vanquish the "Dark Forces" and usher a worldwideGolden Age. Shambhala is also calledShangri-La.[16]
The creation of the human form is regarded as the highest cosmic task.
It is a most heinous treason to know the Teaching and not apply it.
Morya is one of theMasters of the Ancient Wisdom within modern Theosophical beliefs.[20] He is one of theMahatmas who inspired the founding of Theosophy and Agni Yoga.[21] He has written and dictated the letters with the goal of elevating mankind and bringing a New Age.[22] Master Morya will physically incarnate in order to be the Manu ("progenitor ") of the newroot race.[23][24]
Tara Urusvati (The Light of the Morning Star) is the spiritual name ofHelena Roerich (1879–1955) in Agni Yoga andRoerichism.[25] She was a teacher and healer as well as the inspired co-author of the Agni Yoga series of books, the first English books about Living Ethics and the Roerichs' relationship with their guru.[26] Each of the 935 paragraphs of the book "Supermundane" begins with the word "Urusvati".[27] In the epilogue of the book "Agni Yoga" she is called the Mother of Agni Yoga.[28]
Fuyama is the spiritual name ofNicholas Roerich (1874–1947) in Agni Yoga andRoerichism. He was an internationally acclaimed artist, conservationist, archeologist, humanitarian and peacemaker.[29] Nicolas Roerich called Urusvati "She Who Leads" in his creations.[30]
Karma (/ˈkɑːrmə/;Sanskrit:कर्म,romanized: karma,IPA:[ˈkɐɽmɐ]ⓘ) means action, work or deed. It also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual influence his future. Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and future suffering. With origins inancient India'sVedic civilization, the philosophy of karma is closely associated with the idea ofrebirth in many schools ofIndian religions, particularlyHinduism,Buddhism,Jainism andSikhism.[31] Karma works as one of the great principles of cosmic action.When man realizes the power of karma and strives to express the best aspirations, his path is parallel with the universal energy. The universal energy attracts the creative strivings. The future and the infinite are thus being built, written in the holy scripture of Agni Yoga.[32]
Spiritual evolution is thephilosophical,theological,esoteric orspiritual idea that nature and human beings andhuman culture evolve either extending from an establishedcosmologicalpattern (ascent), or in accordance with certain pre-established potentials. The phrase "spiritual evolution" can occur in the context of "higher evolution", a term used to differentiate psychological, mental, or spiritual evolution from the "lower evolution" orbiological evolution of physical form.[33]
The concept of spiritual evolution is also complemented by the idea of acreative impulse in human beings, known asepigenesis.[34]
Agni Yoga, in general, is a Neo-Theosophical religious doctrine[35] transmitted by the Helena and Nicholas Roerichs from 1920. The followers of Living Ethics believe that the teaching was given to the Roerichs' family[36] and their associates by Master Morya, the guru of Roerichs and Helena Blavatsky, one of the founders of the modern Theosophical movement and the Theosophical Society.[37] The Teaching of Life is a path of practice in daily life. It is the yoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, of responsible, directed thought. It teaches that the evolution of theplanetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind.[38]
The most significant features of Agni Yoga are cosmism and universalism. They are expressed in the interpretation of any phenomena of human existence from the point of view of their cosmic significance and interrelation with the being of the Universe.[39]
"TheNew Age movement is the cultic milieu having become conscious of itself, in the later 1970s, as constituting a more or less unified "movement". All manifestations of this movement are characterized by a popularWestern culture criticism expressed in terms of a secularizedesotericism."
TheTheosophical Society was officially formed inNew York City on 17 November 1875 byHelena Blavatsky,Henry Steel Olcott,William Quan Judge, and others. It was self-described as "an unsectarian body of seekers after Truth, who endeavour to promote Brotherhood and strive to serve humanity". After a few years Olcott and Blavatsky moved to India and established the International Headquarters atAdyar, inMadras.[41]
Madame Blavatsky (Upasica – this spiritual name means a female lay disciple. So the "Teachers" called her[42]) insisted thatTheosophy is not areligion, although she did refer to it as the modern transmission of the "once universal religion" that she claimed had existed deep into the human past. The motto of the Theosophical movement is: "There is no Religion higher than Truth".[43]
Theosophical organisations regard it as a system that embraces what they see as the "essential truth" underlying religion, philosophy, and science. Theosophical groups allow their members to hold other religious allegiances, resulting in Theosophists who also identify asChristians,Buddhists, orHindus.[44]
The termNeo-Theosophy was coined by Ferdinand T. Brooks around 1912. This term used by the followers of Helena Blavatsky to denominate the system of theosophical ideas expounded following the death of Blavatsky in 1891. This material differed in major respects from Blavatsky's original presentation, but it is accepted as genuinely Theosophical by many Theosophists around the world.[45] Daryl S. Paulson associates "Neo-Theosophy" withAlice Bailey.[46] She introduced the termNew Age –Age of Aquarius.[47]
Other Neo-Theosophists includeRudolf Steiner's contemporaryPeter Deunov, andSamael Aun Weor.Dion Fortune andAleister Crowley were also influencers of the leading edge of the Theosophical movement. Some examples of Neo-Theosophists today includeBenjamin Creme[48] andVictor Skumin. So, in 1990, Skumin, based on the theosophical concept ofspiritual evolution, proposed a classification ofHomo spiritalis (Latin: "Spiritual man"), the sixth root race, consisting of eight sub-races (subspecies):HS-0 Anabiosis spiritalis,HS-1 Scientella spiritalis,HS-2 Aurora spiritalis,HS-3 Ascensus spiritalis,HS-4 Vocatus spiritalis,HS-5 Illuminatio spiritalis,НS-6 Creatio spiritalis, andHS-7 Servitus spiritalis.[49]
Russianphilosophy as a separate entity started its development in the19th century, defined initially by the opposition ofWesternizers, advocating Russia's following the Western political and economical models, andSlavophiles, insisting on developingRussia as a unique civilization. The latter group includedNikolai Danilevsky andKonstantin Leontiev, the early founders ofEurasianism. "Slavophilia" was an intellectual movement originating from 19th century that wanted theRussian Empire to be developed upon values and institutions derived from its own early history. There were also similar movements inBulgaria,Croatia,Czechoslovakia,Poland, andSerbia. Depending on the historical context, its opposite could be termedSlavophobia, a fear ofSlavic culture.[50]
The discussion of Russia's place in the world has since become the most characteristic feature of Russian philosophy. Notable philosophers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries includeVladimir Solovyev,Vasily Rozanov,Lev Shestov,Leo Tolstoy,Sergei Bulgakov,Pavel Florensky,Pitirim Sorokin. In its further development, Russian philosophy was also marked by deep connection toliterature and interest increativity,society,religion, andRussian cosmism.[51]
Vladimir Solovyov described his encounters with the entitySophia in his works, such asThree Encounters andLectures on Godmanhood. His fusion was driven by the desire to reconcile or unite with Orthodox Christianity the various iterations of the RussianSlavophiles' concept ofsobornost. His Russian religious philosophy had a very strong impact on theRussian symbolist art movements of his time. His teachings onSophia, conceived as the merciful unifying feminine wisdom of God comparable to the HebrewShekinah or various goddess traditions, have been deemed aheresy byRussian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and as unsound and unorthodox by thePatriarchate of Moscow.[52]
Nikolai Fyodorov was aRussian Orthodox Christian philosopher, who was part of the Russian cosmist movement and a precursor oftranshumanism. Fedorov argued that humanity is the culmination ofevolution, as well as its creator and director. Humans must therefore direct evolution where their reason and morality dictate. Fedorov stated that the struggle against death can become the most natural cause uniting all people, regardless of their nationality, race, citizenship or wealth. He called this the "Common Cause". Fedorov thought that death and afterdeath existence should become the subject of comprehensive scientific inquiry, that achievingimmortality and revival is the greatest goal of science.[53]
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a burst of scientific investigation into interplanetary travel, largely driven by fiction writers such asJules Verne andHerbert Wells as well as philosophical movements likeRussian cosmism. In 1903,Konstantin Tsiolkovsky published the first serious scientific work on space travel. His work was essentially unknown outside theRussian Empire, but inside the country it inspired further research, experimentation and the formation of the Society for Studies of Interplanetary Spaceflight.[54] Tsiolkovsky wrote a book called "The Will of the Universe; Unknown Intelligent Forces" in which he propounded a philosophy ofpanpsychism. He believed humans would eventually colonize theMilky Way. His thought preceded the Space Age by several decades, and some of what he foresaw in his imagination has come into being since his death. Tsiolkovsky did not believe in traditional religious cosmology, but instead he believed in a cosmic being that governed humans.[55]
The ideas of the Russian philosophers and cosmists later were developed by those in thetranshumanist movement andRoerichism.[56][57]For example, the Russian scientistVictor Skumin argues that theCulture of Health will play an important role in the creation of a human spiritual society into theSolar System.[58][59]
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Information aboutVedanta andBuddhism spread inWestern countries in the first decade of the 20th century. In the United States of the 1920s, when the voices in religion were arguing overfundamentalism andmodernism as the only available choice, and long beforeShangri-La had become a popularly accepted myth, a vanguard movement was promoting the alternative of the wisdom of theEastern world.[61]
Theosophy proposed the existence of a society of Secret Chiefs called theGreat White Brotherhood. The members of this Brotherhood, in belief systems akin to Theosophy andNew Age, are said to be perfected beings of great power who spread spiritual teachings through selected humans. The members of the Brotherhood may be known as theMasters of the Ancient Wisdom or theAscended Masters. They are referred to by Theosophists as Elder Brothers of the human race,Adepts,Mahātmās, or simply as the Masters. The first person to talk about them in the West wasHelena Blavatsky, after she and other people claimed to have received messages from them. These includedNicholas Roerich andHelena Roerich, too.[62] She emphasized that knowledge was the leading path of all great Teachers. Knowledge will permit a free and vital approach to the great Teaching, as vitally real as is the great Matter itself.[63]
When Nicholas Roerich died, his wife is believed to have carried on the work prescribed by Master Morya, "I exist only due to the ray of the Great Master, who said it was necessary for me to remain because no one could replace me as I worked under the highest Cosmic Sign, and this century was in need of my attainment". The main aim of Helena Roerich was to spread the message of Agni Yoga.[64]
The Agni Yoga Society was founded in 1920 by Helena and Nicholas Roerich. It is a non-profit educational institution incorporated in 1946 under the laws of theState of New York, and is supported entirely by voluntary contributions and membership dues. The organization was located in the buildingMaster Apartments. The aims of the Society are embodied in the philosophy that gives it its name—Agni Yoga—as contained in the books of the Agni Yoga Series published by the Society. In them is found a synthesis of ancient Eastern beliefs and modern Western thought and a bridge between the spiritual and the scientific.[65]
Unlike previousyogas, Agni Yoga is a path of practice in daily life. It is the yoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, of responsible, directed thought. It teaches that the evolution of the planetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind. Though not systematized in an ordinary sense, it is a teaching that helps the student to discover moral and spiritual guide-posts by which to learn to govern his or her life and thus contribute to thecommon good. For this reason Agni Yoga has been called a "Living Ethics". Speaking about the role ofpersonality in thespiritual evolution of mankind,Helena Roerich wrote:[66][67]
The greatest benefit that we can contribute consists in the broadening of consciousness, and the improvement and enrichment of our thinking, together with the purification of the heart, in order to strengthen our emanations; and by thus raising our vibrations, we restore the health of all that surrounds us. True, it is impossible to increase our store of psychic energy without the help of the Teacher; however if our hearts are open and purified, and if our organism permits it, the Teacher will not tarry in manifesting himself.
TheLatvian Roerich Society is one of the oldest society established by the Roerich family. In 1920 Vladimir Schibayev, while being inLondon, met Nicholas and Helena Roerich. InRiga they created a group of people to study Agni Yoga and other theosophical literature. In 1928, Schibayev went toIndia, to become the secretary of Roerich.[68]
In Riga the place of the leader of Latvian Roerich Society was taken bydoctor-homeopathFelix Lukin. He and his sonHarald Lukin conductedclinical trials and many naturalmedications that they received fromSvetoslav Roerich of the Himalayan Research Institute namedUrusvati.[69]
In 1936Richard Rudzitis officially became the president of the Latvian Society. During his lead, the books of Living Ethics, the works by the Roerichs,Helena Blavatsky's and works by Rudzitis himself were published. In 1937 the first conference ofBaltic Roerich Societies took place. The Latvian Society was renewed in theSoviet Union in 1988. Harald Lukin carried the RoerichsBanner of Peace. The new president Gunta Rudzite, the daughter of Rihard Rudzitis, held contacts with many people of the republics in theUSSR who were interested in the ideas of Agni Yoga. On 2005 the Roerich Society received social beneficial status in theRepublic of Latvia.[68]
Nicolas Roerich is known as a thinker and a builder of life. His art and writings are an evocation to beauty, knowledge, and culture. His vision is captured in his philosophical statement of the Master Institute of United Arts which he formed inNew York City in 1921:[70]
Art will unify all humanity. Art is one – indivisible. Art has its many branches, yet all are one. Art is the manifestation of the coming synthesis. Art is for all.
Louis L. Horch and Nettie S. Horch financed and directed the Master Institute that taught the fine and dramatic arts. For much of its existence, the Master Institute was housed in theMaster Apartments, designed byHarvey Wiley Corbett in 1929 for Roerich and built on the site of the former Horch mansion at 310 Riverside Dr. in New York City.[71]
Roerich planned to realize the educational concepts at the institute. He invited as teachers such famous people asGeorge Bellows,Claude Fayette Bragdon,Norman Bel Geddes,Stark Young,Deems Taylor,Robert Edmond Jones, andLee Simonson.[72] Intensive work was in process under direct supervision of Roerich. Nicholas gave lectures, organized new classes, for example classes of music and sculpture for the blind. Many representatives of American science and culture expressed their willingness to educate students in accordance with the proposed curriculum. There wereFelix Salmond,Ernest Bloch, andMichael Fokin. In theInstitute of United Arts in New York City also taughtRockwell Kent,Claude Bragdon,George Bellows, andNorman Bel Geddes.[73]
Some contemporaries were skeptical spiritual mission of Nicholas Roerich. But those who embraced his philosophy experienced something transformative in his canvases. Roerich's name is universally known not only as a master of the brush but also as a thinker and a builder of life. The works of the artist are an evocation to beauty, knowledge, and culture.[74]
Roerich's family moved toIndia in December 1923. They settled inDarjeeling, a town in theIndianstate ofWest Bengal. It is located in theLower Himalayan Ranges at an elevation of 6,700 ft (2,042.2 m).[76]
From 1925 to 1928, Roerich took part in aCentral Asia expedition, that traveled through hard-to-reach and little-investigated regions ofIndia,China,Soviet Union,Mongolia andTibet.Sikkim was the starting point of the expedition. During the expedition, research in topics such ashistory,archeology,ethnography,history of philosophy,arts andreligions, andgeography was conducted. Rare manuscripts were found, and rich linguistic materials were collected. Special attention was paid to the problem of historical unity of cultures of various peoples. In 1925, Helena Roerich began to translate an extensive selection fromThe Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett. She also wrote a book entitled "Chalice of the East", which was published under the pen name "Iskander Khanum". Helena Roerich's manuscript "Foundations of Buddhism" was published in 1926, atUrga, where her expedition was staying at the time. In this book, the fundamental philosophical notions of Buddha's teaching were interpreted.[77]
The plethora of materials collected during the Central Asia Expedition became the foundation for the establishment of the Himalayan Research Institute namedUrusvati inDarjeeling in 1928. A few months later the institute moved toNaggar inKulu Valley.[79]
The center engaged in scientific exchange with 285 institutes, universities, museums, and libraries around the world.George de Roerich was a world-renowned scientist,Orientalist, andguru.[80] His monumental translation of theBlue Annals (Tibetan:དེབ་ཐེར་སྔོན་པོ),[81] and his 11-volume "Tibetan-Russian-English dictionary withSanskrit parallels" were published in 1934.[82]
One of his main focuses for the center was to bring people to the institute who practiced and lived the cultures being examined at the center. George Roerich was the director of the Himalayan Research Institute namedUrusvati for 10 years.[83]
Svetoslav Roerich was in charge of the work of the Natural Sciences Department. He carried out unique researches in various fields of thenatural sciences. At the basis of his scientific investigations was understanding of nature as one whole that is inalienably connected with the cosmic laws. The scope of his interests:cultural studies, comparative religious studies andphilosophy,botany,mineralogy, Tibetanpharmacopoeia,chemistry and itsalchemical sources.[84]
The work of the Himalayan Research Institute was based on wide international cooperation.[85] Majorscientists and cultural workers collaborated with the Institute Urusvati, including the Soviet academicianNikolai Vavilov, the biologist and biophysicistJagadish Chandra Bose, theBengalipolymathRabindranath Tagore, the father of Indian journalismRamananda Chatterjee, the Indianphilosopher andstatesmanSarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the Swedish geographer and explorerSven Hedin, and many others.[86]
The Journal of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute (U.J.) published articles on various aspects of science and culture. The publications presented a multi-level perception of the authors who were looking for a new integration of different cultural models into the mainstream of Agni Yoga.[87]
The Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York City was originally located in the Master Apartments at 103rd Street andRiverside Drive (Manhattan), which were built especially for Roerich in 1929. Now the museum is located in a brownstone at 319 West 107th Street on Manhattan's Upper West Side. This museum is one of the most off-the-beaten-path of Manhattan's museums, a collection of works by Nicolas Roerich, who lived on the Upper West Side for a time in the 1920s. The brownstone has natural scenes from the Himalayas, where the artist spent two decades of his life. Roerich usually painted in stark tempera, with orange skies or deep blue mountains.[88]
Currently, the museum includes between 100 and 200 of Roerich's works as well as a collection of archival materials and still attracts pilgrims from throughout the world. The mission of the Nicholas Roerich Museum is one: to make available to the public the full range of Roerich's accomplishments. They cover the realms of art, science, spirituality, peacemaking, and more.[89]
The Museum seeks to realize the ideas of Agni Yoga on the role of culture in the evolution of the world and evolution of the human consciousness. Information about these ideas of Roerich's is always available. The museum also provides an opportunity for young musicians to perform in front of an audience on a voluntary and free basis.[90]
The Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York is the largest center of Roerich-related activity outside ofRussian Federation.[91]
The International Center of the Roerichs (Russian:Междунаро́дный це́нтр Ре́рихов) is a non-governmental public association of citizens and public associations incorporated on the basis of their common interests in the cause of study, preservation, and popularization of the Roerich family heritage.[36] The center is an associated member of theNon-Governmental Organizations Association under theUnited Nations Department of Public Information. Conducting its activities, this international public organization proceeds by applying the law of the states in which its structural divisions are acting, theUnited Nations Charter, norms ofinternational law and international legal acts related to the center's sphere of activity.[92]
The Museum named after Nicholas Roerich (Russian:Музе́й и́мени Н. К. Ре́риха Междунаро́дного це́нтра Ре́рихов) contains the Roerichs' cultural heritage passed on to the Soviet Roerichs' Foundation (now International Center of the Roerichs) bySvetoslav Roerich in 1990. It carries in itself a new cosmic worldview. The core of Roerichism is the philosophy of cosmic reality – Agni Yoga, which develops the idea of a close relationship between mankind and thecosmos, contains knowledge which assists in understanding the specific features peculiar to the new evolutionary stage of mankind's development.[93]
The World Organisation of Culture of Health (WOCH) – Internationalsocial movement "To Health via Culture'" (Russian: Междунаро́дное обще́ственное Движе́ние «К Здоро́вью че́рез Культу́ру») was founded in the year 1994.Victor Skumin was elected to the post of the president-founder of this organisation. The WOCH operates in accordance with the charter registered with theMinistry of Justice of the Russian Federation.[94]
In Agni Yoga much attention is paid to health. So in the bookSupermundane (paragraph 525) recorded the words ofMaster Morya, addressed to Urusvati,[95]
Urusvati knows that people are responsible for three aspects of health. First, their own health; second, the health of the planet; and finally, the health of the supermundane world... People must safeguard their own health, not only for themselves but also for those around them. The human organism, though seemingly small, is a powerful repository of energy, and truly dominates its earthly environment.
It is from these positions that WOCH approaches the solution of problems related to health.[96] As the holy scripture of Agni Yoga says, physicians can be true helpers of humanity in the ascent of the spirit. The intellect of a physician must be reinforced by his heart. The physician must be a psychologist, and he must not ignore the wondrous psychic energy.[97]
Professors Verhorubova and Lobanova fromTomsk State Pedagogical University argued (2012) that, in accordance with the concept of the culture of health, proposed bySkumin, culture – spiritual, mental, and physical – determines the status of human health. And health – spiritual, mental, physical – is a prerequisite for achieving a higher level of culture.[98] The culture of heath is an integral sphere of knowledge that develops and solves theoretical and practical tasks of harmonious development of people’s spiritual, mental, and physical strength, health improvement of biosocial environment that provides a higher life creative level on this basis (by Skumin and Bobina, 1994).[99]
The World Organisation of Culture of Health, in order to promote international relations, has established a link with the International Buddhist Meditation Centre. Theanthem of WOCH (To Health via Culture) consists of fourstanzas. The capital letters each of the four stanzas form the wordAgni.[100][101] Another anthem by Skumin is termed "Urusvati".Helena Roerich is known as theTara Urusvati in Agni Yoga andRoerichism. This anthem begins with the phrase, "The fire of the heart ignites Urusvati, she teaches the spirit take-off on the wings of the grace". Six morehymns have the names: "Heart", "Shambhala", "Morya", "Ur", "Agni", and "Sun".[101]
TheRussian Orthodox Church criticises Agni Yoga asNew Age:[102][103]
The ideology of the New Age serves outstanding contemporary philosophers:Gregory Bateson,Ken Wilber,Paul Feyerabend. On a grand scale is the creation and support of international organizations, contained in the ideology of the New Age. InRussia and inUkraine, the international movement "To Health via Culture", based on the teachings of Agni Yoga, operates and has a great publishing activity.
The WOCH has its own publishing house ("To Health via Culture"), which has the right to publish the books with theInternational Standard Book Number (ISBN).The Journal of the World Organisation of Culture of Health (″World Health Culture Organization″) is based inNovocheboksarsk. The journal has received theInternational Standard Serial Number (ISSN) 0204-3440.[104] The main topics of the magazine are the dissemination of ideas of culture of health,holistic medicine,Roerichism, and Agni Yoga.[105]
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The beginning of the religious and philosophical book series of Agni Yoga was delivered on 24 March 1920.[108] These records eventually became the holy scripture, consisting of a series of books with a total volume of about five thousand pages.[109]
Many works ofNicholas Roerich andSvetoslav Roerich, asartists, are thematically related to Agni Yoga. Roerich's artistic works tell about the internal needs of the individual and about the ways of their realization. Roerich's paintings are a kind of "Teaching of Life", on the spiritual development of mankind, about culture and its role in human life. They are a conversation about theeternity.[110]German-bornNew Age andambient musicianKarunesh (Bruno Reuter) believes that Roerich's paintings have healing properties. The same opinion was expressed earlier byVictor Skumin.[111][112]
![Nicholas Roerich. Bhagavan Ramakrishna.[113] Between 1930 and 1945](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBlagoslovennaj_dusha.jpg)
![Nicholas Roerich.Command of Rigden Djapo. 1924.[114]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCommand_of_Rigden_Djapo.jpg)
![Nicholas Roerich. Mother of the World.[115] 1924](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMother_of_the_World.jpg)
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)The instrument of this growth is the Dharma which is the path of the Higher Evolution. The term 'Higher' here refers to the mind - the basis of spiritual evolution. In contrast to the Higher Evolution, the biological (or Darwinian) evolution is known as the Lower Evolution.
Since the mind was given to man, it is this original creative impulse, epigenesis, which has been the cause of all our development[...]
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