Blessed be the ways of Beauty!

Today we celebrate the fourth heliocentric conjunction of the year between Mercury (4^th Ray) and Earth (3^rd Ray, not sacred), which turn in harmony their inner Eye to the radiant splendour of the Sun/Vulcan (1^st Ray). Light and Harmony resonate in Space and nourish the transfiguring power of the solar Heart, the supreme Model of every heart that beats in tune with the One.

Many times, and since time immemorial, man has questioned what beauty is and what relationship it has with the various forms of art and knowledge that Humanity has forged in its millennial journey.

“A construction of new fundamentals will be contained in the establishment of equilibrium and of coordination between science, art and life. For an equilibrium is needed based on a survey of all affirmations”. (Fiery World III § 93)

Man has also glimpsed Beauty in the laws and formulas investigated by pure sciences, in the expressive multiformity of language, in the magnificence and in the colourful multiplicity of all forms of nature, in the truth of right human relationships, in short, in every form – either visible or not – which somehow reaches human perception.
As a matter of fact Beauty appears to us through a double register: on the one hand it is the imprint of the Infinite, on the other it is the door through which the Infinite reveals itself in the finite. Infinite and finite meet, mirror each other, approach until they touch and, in the best of cases, merge. Thus they are no longer distinguishable and the Spirit shines through matter.

“In Beauty will Infinity be manifested. In Beauty the teachings of the Seekers of the spirit are illumined. In Beauty we do not fear to manifest the truth of freedom. In Beauty do we kindle radiance in every drop of water. In Beauty do we transform matter into a rainbow”. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden II § 322)

Beauty is therefore a double-sided mirror: it reflects the supernal as well as the material, it is a channel of light and yet it touches – and is embodied in – the heaviness of forms. As Plato used to say “Beauty is difficult”.

And man, who in every moment of his life has to do with Beauty, too often walks these paths of Beauty in an unconscious and discontinuous way, at times exalting himself and trembling in the face of the power of Beauty, at times bending it to his own ends, sometimes destroying every form of beauty because unable to see its value and truth, sometimes still descending into the underworld of the ego and of matter in the illusion that the freedom which Beauty and Art consign to man is the freedom of disorder, of recklessness, of pure chaos.

“Urusvati remembers how steadfastly We care about protecting the Beautiful. Foreseeing the events of Armageddon, We work to spread abroad Our suggestions about the best methods for preserving the world’s treasures. We know that the forces of darkness will use all their efforts to prevent the fulfillment of Our urgent precautions. They understand very well that a work of art emits the most powerful emanations, and can serve as the best weapon against their attacks. The forces of darkness attempt to destroy art, or at least divert the attention of people from it. It must be remembered that a work of art deprived of attention loses its power of transmission, and its benevolent energy is arrested. There is no living contact between a cold spectator or listener and art that is beyond his understanding. The concept of creative thought is profound and such thought permeates a work of art, which then becomes a strong magnet and a collector of energy. Thus, each artistic creation lives and assists in the exchange and accumulation of energy. Even in the midst of Armageddon one can experience the influence of works of art. Concern about precious art can preserve a whole era”. (Supermundane I § 122)

So let’s leave human diatribes and follow the indications of the ageless Wisdom, capable of teaching how to build “according to the rule” those bridges towards the infinite that man has called Art.

“Pure art is the true expression of the radiant spirit. Through art you gain the light”. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden I § 2)

This indication alone would be enough to dispel any doubts regarding not only the power of Art, a vehicle of Beauty, but also regarding the connection of Art with the One, whose Light can be revealed when the inner mirror is clear and transparent.
Man works with Art because this is the tangible sign of his creative activity, of his being co-creator in a cosmos of fiery spirits, all of which create.

In particular, in this phase of the cycle of the Plan, it becomes even more urgent and vital to turn to cultivate Art and Beauty as tools for the reorientation of Humanity on the evolutionary path.

“Remember, Art is the one vital medium of the coming culture. Through Beauty will you approach. Understand and remember. I have entrusted you to pronounce Beauty. I bid you pronounce Beauty. You, my daughter, said—Love. And you, my son, said—Action. And you, both, said—Beauty”. (Ibid § 333)

“The miracle of Beauty in the adornment of our daily lives will exalt mankind. Raise high your light. Illumine the beauties of My Temple. Teach the Joy of Beauty. Teach the Happiness of Wisdom. Teach the Bliss of Love. Teach the Glory of Unity with God”. (Ibid § 45)

These are the inner actions that Man has to carry out to manifest his creative power: turning to Beauty, learning the art of thinking and working “artfully”, that is, according to co-measurement, with courage, by means of a golden rule, raising every thought, every feeling, every action towards the Infinite, for the Common Good.

“When psychic energy occupies its due position, when woman enters as the protectress of culture, when cooperation is made the basis of the structure—then all life will become transformed. Knowledge and creativeness will occupy their manifest position. I say manifest in this sense, that even amid remote ages may be found examples of understanding of the significance of science and art”. (AUM § 424)

“It is almost impossible to find people who are devoted to the art of thinking. In the simple matter of Olympic Games people are ready to award crowns to the winners. But where is there recognition and encouragement of thought? One’s ears are almost shattered by the applause accorded the jumpers, yet each leap of thought is suspected and ridiculed. Let the manifested fighters for thought gather together!”. (Ibid § 550)

The art of right thinking is therefore the Art that will allow Mankind to offer its gifts to Space, that Art which is a prelude to the fulfillment of the Human nature and will have its seal in the Art of Living.

“One can become accustomed to making use of art as a condensation of forces. A work of beauty can produce not only a heightening of activity but also a sharpening of forces. But one should accept this fact consciously and learn to make use of emanations of creativeness”. (New Era – Community § 224)

In these dark and confused times it is therefore urgent and necessary to ceaselessly merge our thoughts into a common and unanimous effort on the paths of Art and Beauty, since “Whosoever proclaims Beauty shall be saved”. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden I § 199)

“The pledge of happiness for humanity lies in beauty. Hence, We assert art to be the highest stimulus for the regeneration of the spirit. We consider art to be immortal and boundless. We make a demarcation between knowledge and science, because knowledge is art, science is method. Therefore, the element of Fire intensifies art and spirit-creativeness. Therefore, the wondrous pearls of art can actually uplift and transmute the spirit instantaneously… Verily, the pearls of art bring exaltation to humanity, and the fires of spirit-creativeness give a new understanding of beauty to humanity”. (Hierarchy § 359)

“Therefore, the vitality of art, which guards the divine fire, gives to humanity the saturation by that fire which kindles the spirit and imbues all worlds. Hence, the wondrous torches of the beauty of creativeness are so precious for humanity. We have seen how the creations of art have transformed men — something all the book-learning in the world cannot do. Thus the Banner of Beauty and Peace unites the world. Thus spirit-creativeness saturates space”. (Ibid § 366)

Blessed be the ways of Beauty!