This statement from the Agni Yoga teachings gives us a glimpse of the scale of the principle of hierarchy. In this short commentary inspired by the Agni Yoga teachings, Joleen DuBois President of the White Mountain Education Association, offers us a few windows through which we can consider our own relationship with ‘the idea of hierarchy’ and its place in our consciousness.

‘Precisely, the idea of Hierarchy is a cosmic concept, a cosmic law. The whole Universe exists, is nourished, and is supported solely by this principle. In Cosmos each form has at its foundation a nucleus, and each center of striving lives by the principle of Hierarchy. The Cosmos acts by the attraction toward the affirmed powerful center. Precisely, in Cosmos, the lower principle is subordinated to the higher. Otherwise, what would be the foundation of evolution?’

Letters of Helena Roerich I, 10 September 1934

This seed thought says, “…the lower principle is subordinated to the higher.” This suggests that as we climb the ladder of evolution on a gradient scale, each step of the ladder leads to the Most High. Each step depends on the former steps and extends to the higher steps. One level receives from above and passes to below, receiving higher potentials and transmitting them to lower levels. As one goes higher on the ladder, they provide more powerful energy to the lower.

We can take comfort in the organized process of advancement, realizing that this process is a cosmic law based on the idea of Hierarchy. The whole chain of evolution advances together by the cosmic law of Hierarchy. It is the law of future, hope, striving, and synthesis. Once we realize that we are in the current of the Law of Hierarchy, time will no longer be wasted.

“…the Cosmos acts by the attraction toward the affirmed powerful center.” Once a person accepts that they are in the chain, the ladder of evolution (Jacob’s ladder), they live a responsible life to receive from the higher link and transmit to the lower link the purest essence of what they receive. The Law of the Hierarchy enters into our soul and leads us back toward the open ocean of Divine consciousness. Even the Hierarchy as a whole is progressive because the members respond to zodiacal cycles, solar cycles, Shambhalic cycles, and human evolutionary cycles. Masters follow the Cosmic clock and try to find opportunities to help us.

The seed thought also says, “In Cosmos, each form has at its foundation a nucleus, and each center of striving lives by the principle of Hierarchy.” A Master can be regarded as the nucleus of a group; a Master can help build new groups and new organizations if They have people who are keeping in step with the Hierarchy. Masters can also withdraw their attention if the group is on the way to disintegration, just like they withdraw their attention from churches and other organizations but also from religions because the hardest thing for a religion is change.

The heart as the link in the chain. Precisely the heart is the link between the worlds, and only the heart can respond to the heart of the Lord and to the entire Hierarchy. One may be bereft of sight and hearing, but the heart will be the best substitute, and even a more subtle expresser of the essence. Hierarchy, 219

We are told that Christ, having reached such a state of unfoldment of the heart, could heal people with His touch and with His thoughts. He was able to establish contact with the Cosmic Heart. It is the state of the hearts all over the world that conditions international events and planetary disturbances or brings great harmony, health, and culture. We know that this planet is protected by great Hearts. The grouping of these Hearts is called the Hierarchy of the planet. It is this Center that is the source of all healing rays for our physical, emotional, and mental disturbances, as well as global disturbances, disorders, or sicknesses. That is why we are told to contact not only our heart but also the Planetary Heart for healing, enlightening, and transforming our being.

A disciple’s heart needs to be unfolded and synchronized with their higher centers and subtle senses to respond to the heart of the Lord and Hierarchy. The disciple should strive to build the higher parts of the Antahkarana from Atmic and Monadic to Divine. The disciple needs to develop courage and strength to stand in contact with Higher Lives to pass Their impressions to those who serve. The disciple must prepare him or herself to be able to receive telepathic messages from the Master through their heart. It is possible that if the disciple is not attentive, focused, and ready in his or her heart, communication will not help them.

By Joleen DuBois