As a reminder, your subscription to Meditation Monthly International needs to be renewed by the year’s end. Since 1982, Meditation Monthly International has served as an instrument of communication, designed to share and distribute the principles and deepest Teachings of the Ageless Wisdom. It continues to be read by an increasing number of people from around the world. And now, through the convenience of the Internet, the “web-version” of MMI is available via e-mail through WMEA’s Internet site.
The White Mountain’s (WMEA) web site on the Internet continues to receive a high volume of traffic from those interested in the Ageless Wisdom. This site was established in 1995, providing us with many opportunities to meet and visit with spiritually dedicated students all over the world—from those who have been on a spiritual journey for many decades, to seekers who are presently awakening to their inner divinity.
If you are familiar with WMEA’s web site, thank you for your interest. The Group’s webmaster most recently added two new sections to the site, one that includes the WMEA choir singing a beautiful and ancient Indian prayer, the Gayatri. Additional plans are “in the works” to add two more sections: one directed to teens, and another which will bring previews of WMEA group activities, discussions and insights. We encourage you to stay in contact with the headquarters of the WMEA through its web site, as well as by visiting us in person when you are in the Prescott, Arizona area. If you have plans to visit the area, please give us a call so that we can be ready to greet you.
The month of October marks the 16th anniversary of the founding of the White Mountain Education Association. The anniversary will be celebrated with a banquet, and a program that will include a beautiful and original composition for voice presented by the WMEA choir in combination with a choreographed sacred dance. The choir performance of the sacred music will later be posted to the web site for all to enjoy.
Please also note that a joyful and solemn celebration of the life and creative works of Torkom Saraydarian will take place at the WMEA center on November 1. Because of limited space, if you plan to attend, you must call the office prior to the celebration to register your name and the names of those who will be attending the celebration with you.
Shanti
Joleen Dianne DuBois, President
The Spirit of Courage
From the Teachings of Agni Yoga
How I wish to strengthen you in courageous patience, fearlessness and resourcefulness! Only thought and a great consciousness will conquer everything. Therefore, use all means to broaden your consciousness by absorbing with all your essence every line of the Teaching. A profound and many-sided consciousness and the application of the Covenants of the Teaching into life will give you the key to everything because you will possess a synthesis. Letters of Helena Roerich, Vol. I, p. 44
I beg of you not to be annoyed by my remarks. I know that you are courageous and are able to become a serious disciple and co-worker; that is why I write to you without sentimentality and compliments. You remember how the Teaching says, “The Teaching is not soothing syrup.... only the spiritually strong can reach the goal and become accepted disciples. The Teaching of Living Ethics is beautiful in its vitality and austerity and in the brevity of its clear formulae.” Letters of Helena Roerich, Vol. I, p. 207
...We are approaching now—or rather, we have already entered—the threatening
heroic times in which many nations will be tested. Therefore, it seems
to me that everything heroic, everything that uplifts the consciousness
of a nation and evokes the achievements of the spirit, should be at present
particularly encouraged. You know that I am very much against narrow nationalism
or chauvinism, but I am always profoundly touched by the esteem with which
the peoples of the nations regard that which is beautiful and heroic in
their own countries. Do not mistake this for a call to militarism! No,
but events are such that all of us should be ready to become warriors of
the spirit and with spiritual weapons find courage to defend our spiritual
achievements. It is a consolation to hear of the spiritual searchings of
the young generation, and we should not miss this moment but should be
ready to give them that for which their spirit longs. The Teaching of Life
is exactly the right and all embracing answer to all the questions of the
spirit! Not a single domain, not one problem of life is neglected in these
Covenants. On the contrary, every situation is treated from many angles
and many points of view, and advice is given for most practical application.
So many beautiful discourses are possible with searching souls! Just
do not drive away those who are knocking. At the same time, great discrimination
must be practiced in order to prevent the approach of the doubting ones.
Letters of Helena Roerich, Vol. I, pp. 245–6
In the Teaching of Gotama Buddha and in the Teaching of Bodhisattva Maitreya, given by Him to Asanga, according to the tradition in the fourth century, the maximum development of energy, courage, patience, constancy of striving and fearlessness were first of all underlined. Energy is the basis of everything, as it alone contains all possibilities. Buddhas are eternally in action, immobility is unknown to Them. Like the eternal motion in space, the actions of the Sons of Conquerors manifest in the worlds.... Letters of Helena Roerich, Vol. I, pp. 365–6
All who can strive, who can be strong, persevering and courageous, should gather together. True warriors of spirit are needed, ones who are not afraid to raise the sword for the Light and for the Common Good. Thus, the Saints and Bod-hisattvas of Tibet are pictured with a sword—the symbol of fearlessness, of valor of the spirit. If one is timid, he had better leave, for verily he will not be able to stand the fire of the New World. The Teaching is not for the weak and the cowardly. The regeneration of the spirit and the true comprehension of Life, illumined by the complete rainbow of Infinite Beauty, is at hand. Yes, the revolutions and shiftings of the consciousness are needed; otherwise, there comes death and decomposition. Such is the Cosmic Law. Letters of Helena Roerich, Vol. I, p. 502
I welcome your firmness. Do not be
distressed by the uncovering of the true faces of people and by the unavoidable
loneliness. This disclosure of the true faces of people is inseparable
from the great school of life, and on the last step you encounter betrayals.
In all the Teachings is engraved the symbol of the drinking of the chalice
of poison by all Carriers of Light. The beauty of achievement is truly
emphasized by these manifestations of darkness. The most significant events
are followed by monstrous betrayals. And so you should be courageous and
firm, and should not be perturbed by any monsters. As it is said—one
should learn from the examples of aggression. Letters of Helena Roerich,
Vol. II, p. 90
Courage in Everyday
Life
By John Ka’a
As students of the Teaching, we have adopted the goal of consciously striving to contact our Soul. Exercising courage in dealing with the challenges of normal living moves us toward that goal in a very real way. While we may often think of courage as a quality demonstrated in the face of great danger by extraordinary people, we should remember that the courageous heroes about whom we have all heard were initially just like you and I—ordinary people who were given a challenge. In meeting that challenge, they responded with their highest consciousness, and in so doing, they connected with their Soul. “Courage comes from soul consciousness.... Daring and courage come into being when a person is in contact with the Self.”1 Accepting these words of the Teacher, perhaps we can begin to actively look for opportunities to connect with our Soul through courage.
For what kind of opportunities should we be alert? Four types of challenges will be considered here. First and most easily recognized are those situations that we normally avoid because they provoke fear in us. With a little thought, we can all identify major fears as well as minor ones, such as snakes, heights, public speaking, and the like. Choosing to overcome these common fears can be a remarkable experience, a lesson I learned quite dramatically a few years ago. I was talking to a friend about the importance of facing our fears when he suddenly suggested we go sky diving. The idea was not at all appealing, to say the least, but I couldn’t refuse without embarrassing myself. (There’s a lesson about guarding one’s speech in there somewhere!) So, I accepted the challenge. I can still vividly recall the moment when, perched in the open door of a small airplane flying at three thousand feet, I confronted my terror (fear is much too weak a word). After a couple of false starts, there came a moment when I knew I had to act. I closed my eyes, arched backward into emptiness, and counted to five as the instructor had taught. Only then did I open my eyes to see the wonderful sight of my parachute billowing overhead. That’s when the unexpected happened. The terror that I had been experiencing only a moment before suddenly disappeared and was transformed into tremendous exhilaration! I felt wonderfully free, joyous, and powerful, and I whooped and sang on the return to earth, which came all too soon. In looking back to other times when I overcame fears, I recall that on those occasions, I was charged with some of the same positive feelings (although usually less intense). Consequently, I can now see that any push beyond one’s self-imposed limits leads to an expanded sense of self; this, when understood from the standpoint of the Teaching, is in fact a contact with the higher Self. “...Contact with your true Self means to have an experience of freedom from all limiting walls of your personality in which you see the vision of your future becoming.”2
A second kind of opportunity for practicing courage appears when we encounter
unrighteousness. For example, imagine a situation where a man is abusing
an animal or a child. Many people might hesitate to intervene because of
the possibility of the abuser turning his wrath on them personally.
In another example, we might avoid speaking up when we hear a coworker
being slandered for fear of losing a friend or of being slandered ourselves.
In these examples, there is a perceived danger (physical or emotional)
to our self, and this danger must be faced with courage, with right action,
despite the fear. At those unexpected times in daily life when we encounter
unrighteousness and the opportunity to stand up for others or for principles,
we can draw on the words of the Teacher: “Selflessness is the foundation
of courage. To be courageous means to give yourself for others, to detach
yourself from your self-pity, touchiness, and security.”3
Further, when facing an unrighteous situation, we can ask ourselves the
following question: “Here and now, am I going to make the personality choice
or the soul choice?” When we consciously decide to act as a soul, then
we will find the courage to act.
Just as we must take a stand against injustice to others, we must also find the courage to stand up for ourselves, if need be. This idea is sometimes hard for students of the Teaching to accept because it is misinterpreted as encouraging selfishness. In fact, just the opposite is true. If we allow others to disparage, devalue, or mistreat us, then we are identified with our personalities and that, in effect, is selfish. For example, if you allow someone to repeatedly take advantage of you, you will likely find that you begin to harbor angry, resentful thoughts against that person. In addition, you might begin to feel despondent or discouraged or even helpless. How will such reactions help your striving? We have to avoid those by simply refusing to accept unrighteousness directed at us. Of course, this does not mean to counterattack, but rather to act with calmness, firmness and dignity to stop the problematic behavior, or to withdraw from the situation. In so doing we are practicing being the Self and not the self.
Finally, a fourth arena for practicing courage is in the facing of oneself. “The courageous man challenges his own personality. He faces himself as he is, as he was, and then he tries to surpass his level through labor and discipline.”4 This is not an easy or a pleasant task. None of us like to be confronted with our shortcomings, and typically it is easier for us to see the weaknesses in others while remaining totally unconscious of our own faults (which, of course, are glaringly obvious to our friends). Still, the effort must be made to see ourselves clearly and to perfect our imperfections. Fortunately (or not, depending on one’s awareness), life has a way of presenting us problems that reflect our illusions and glamours. These may take the form of internal signals, such as anxiety or guilt. Also, external situations, such as interpersonal conflict or failures of various kinds, can point up the need to examine our assumptions, motives, and behaviors. While not all problems are self-created, when they emerge in our lives we must at least examine the possibility that we have contributed to their birth or to their continuation. This must be done impersonally, with courage. Whether we do it alone or with the help of a loved one, teacher, or counselor, we can be sure that each sincere self-confrontation will lead us onward toward the goal.
In thinking about courage in daily life,
it will be helpful to maintain the perspective that obstacles in our lives
are, in fact, gifts. “...Everything that opposes you increases your wisdom,
energy, ingenuity, and power.... We never grow if we do not confront obstacles
or hardships. One of the games of life is to create obstacles. All creation
and manifestation is an obstacle put there for the spirit to overcome.”5
Knowing this, let us heed M. M.’s advice to “bless the
obstacles” and to face them with courage!
1. Torkom Saraydarian, Challenge for Discipleship (Sedona, Az.:
Aquarian Educational Group, 1986) p. 54.
2. Torkom Saraydarian, The Psyche and Psychism (Sedona, Az.:
Aquarian Educational Group, 1981) p. 969.
3. Ibid., pp. 969-970; 4. Ibid, p. 976
5. Torkom Saraydarian, New Dimensions in Healing (West Hills,
Ca.: T.S.G. Publishing Foundation, Inc., 1992) p. 687.
The Man in the Well
by Kathryn Agrell
A man awoke one day and found him self at the bottom of a very deep, dark, yet empty, well. He could not recall how he had arrived in such a curious circumstance, nor did he have the slightest idea of how to remedy his situation. If he looked straight up he could see the light of day, but all around him there was simply darkness. He was very tired, and the cold and the damp created such a feeling of drowsiness within him that he soon fell fast asleep.
Many centuries passed.... 
A man awoke and found himself at the bottom
of a very deep, yet empty, well. It was dreary and damp, and the man shivered
from the cold. He could not recall how he he had come to be at the bottom
of this very deep well. His sense of confusion created in him a terrible
feeling of dread. He was alone and afraid, and did not notice the light
at the top of the well. He sat down and wept.... Many centuries passed.
A man awoke and found himself at the bottom of a very
deep, yet empty well, and he thought, However did I end up here? I must
find a way out. He looked up at the point of light and knew that to be
his destination. He felt along the wall to discover that the face of it
was smooth. Farther up the well, the man thought he could distinguish a
change in the wall’s texture. It appeared rough and uneven, perfect for
climbing, perhaps, but the change lay just beyond his reach. Struggling
to scale the slick wall but each time falling back, he began to realize
the impossibility of the task. The man sat down upon the cold stone floor
of the well and began to pray, “O Point of Light, I am so alone. Please
help me find a way out of this darkness.” Fear and fatigue enveloped the
man and he soon fell into a deep sleep.
In the dream he saw himself scaling the walls of the well and reaching the top. He dreamed that he was fearless, and he understoood that the light meant that he was not alone. But the dream soon transformed itself into a dreadful phantasm, in which the man saw himself grow old and die at the bottom of the well.... He awoke with a start, his heart pounding. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw beside him a young child, who was weeping.
“How did you come here?” asked the startled man.
The child said softly, “I lost my way.” Then
the child began to sob, “Please, do not let me die here. Help me find my
way back home.” The man did not answer at first, for he knew that if he
helped the child to reach the roughhewn part of the well, he would be alone
once more.
“The walls are too smooth for climbing,” said the man
harshly. “And the way up is too far.” The child began to weep once more.
The man felt a terrible pain in his heart. Ashamed, he placed his arm around
the child to comfort him, and prayed silently for greater fogiviness and
understanding.
As time passed, the child grew to accept his fate, but at the same time, the flame of the man’s consciousness was also growing brighter. One day, the man realized what he must do. “You will leave this dreadful place,” he said to the child. “Stand upon my hands, and as I lift you up, place your fingers upon the wall and tell me what you find there.”
The child smiled and climbed upon the man’s hands, and the man lifted him up as high as he could. The child felt along the wall of the well. The wall was indeed rough, and there were hollows just large enough for a child’s foot and protrusions of rock just large enough for a child’s hand to grasp. “I can climb the wall!” cried the child. He quickly bounded up the side of the well, never looking down, never looking back. When he reached the top, the child climbed over the edge and disappeared into the light of day. “You are free,” said the man quietly, and then he smiled.
A burst of light appeared at the top of the well, and an Angel reached down Her hand and pulled the man from the well. “In sacrificing for the child,” said the Angel, “you have saved yourself.” The puzzled man gazed at the Angel and then at the beautiful surroundings.
“Am I home?” asked the man.
“Oh, no,” replied the Angel, placing Her
hand in the man’s hand. “Your journey has just begun.”
Then the two walked on.... toward an even greater Light.
“To be courageous means to give yourself for others, to detach yourself from your self-pity, touchiness and security.... Every little act of selfless service, every little act of welcoming risks on behalf of others, slowly carries you up to your true Self.”
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