We dedicate this post* to the idea of “server”, approaching it from an etymosophical point of view, as we had announced some time ago when exploring the Idea of Man.
Let us begin with a firm point, which is to be engraved in us, because it is the interpretative key to any reflection: the etymon of “server” is the same as “sun”.
Be like the ray of the sun, like the song of the bird.
(Agni Yoga Series, Leaves of Morya’s Garden I § 163)
“Server” derives from the late Latin servitor, which originates from the classical language verb servio/ire, “to serve”, “to take care of”: the word service is published in the Glossary (only in Italian), which we will study in more detail here.
The word develops from the Indo-European root *SWṚ -, which the linguist Franco Rendich considers to be composed of the following sound elements: “the arrival [ṛ/ar] of the good [su] as light and sound”, “to shine”, “to turn one’s eyes to the light”, “to look”, “to play”, “to sing”.
It is thus an etymon that primarily expresses the idea of light and at the same time the idea of sound.
Ancient languages testify to derivations from this original strain, bringing to life the word “sun”: svar (Sanskrit), helios (Greek), sol (Latin).
We note that in Sanskrit, svar also meant “sky”, and that in Greek, the verb hopáō, “to see”, originally meant “to connect with the light of the sun”, as it derived from the same etymon: in the development of the language, the initial s has fallen, replaced by the harsh spirit.
Similarly, the Latin language has originated the verb servo/servare, which had numerous meanings: to watch, observe, preserve, guard, watch over, save.
We thus realise that the Latin verbs servio, “to serve”, “to take care of”, servo, “to observe”, and also salvo, “to save”, are correlated terms that originate from an identical root expressing the connection with sunlight, with the act of watching, and that the nouns servus, servitor originally expressed the idea of “one who watches, one who guards”.
For the sake of completeness, let us also note that the same root *SWṚ- has given life to words expressing the idea of sound and song: e.g. the Sanskrit svara, “sound”, the Greek eorté, “singing in honour of the gods”, the Latin susurro, “whispering, bees buzzing, humming”. [1]
The diamond guarded by the root of the word “server”, when detected, makes its facets shine, indicating one who watches, who observes, who guards, who raises hymns, who is in contact with sunlight: in short, an Agent of Light and Sound.
Other iridescences are radiated by the ramifications that the root has produced in modern languages: e.g. English has developed the noun ward, German has created the verb wehren, “to defend”, and French has extracted the verb guérir, to heal; these are words that in different but related ways all express the idea of guarding.
[…] It is time to say to the Light, “I come as your helper, and to the sun itself I’ll extend my hand. As long as the silver thread stays unbroken, the stars themselves shall be my armor.”
And so humanity has been ordained a simple path. At last the idolatry of symbols is being erased by the ray of Light. And We shall be allowed to be not gods but coworkers. This is the dictate of simplicity. (Leaves of Morya’s Garden II § 270)
The purpose of these notes is to help us to be ever more aware of the role we are playing as “servers”, in order to implement it with ever greater clarity, responsibility and joy.
As members of the New Group of World Servers (NGWS), we know that we are intermediaries between Humanity and the Hierarchy, that we are therefore called to a worldwide task, and that all work is based on the assumption of a hierarchical vision of Reality, in which each life unit places itself at the service of the more evolved ones, in order to contribute to the common and progressive Good, in ever greater consciousness and freedom.
It is conveyed to us by the esoteric trans-Himalayan Teachings that service is a scientific process revealing the faculties of the soul, that the law of the same name is the 3rd among the seven laws of soul life, designed to meet the demands of the evolutionary Plan, and that it is sister to the 5th law of Group Progress or Elevation, a fundamental reference for the subjective and intuitive work of world groups, united by the will-to-Good, who embrace the idea of the One Planetary Server and in anticipation of 2025 are becoming active through intergroup cooperation even at the manifest level.
There are innumerable connections between the NGWS and the Light: this Group is referred to by the Teachings as the Ajna Centre or “inner directing eye” of our Planet, and “is ruled by Taurus, and to it that divine Taurian energy brings “illumination and the attainment of the vision”. This group is, figuratively speaking, the “bull, rushing forward upon a straight line with its one eye fixed upon the goal and beaming light”. But what is that goal? It is not the goal of Self-illumination, for that lies far behind; it is the goal of providing a centre of light within the world of men and of holding up the vision to the sons of men. […]” [2]
In further broadening our vision, we are helped by an indication from the Teaching: “[…] Service is essentially a scientific mode of expressing love-wisdom under the influence of one or other of the seven rays, according to the soul ray of the serving disciple. The whole problem is one concerning our planetary Logos. It might be said (in order to make our theme comprehensible to you) that the evolutionary process—from the standpoint of the ordinary human being—is to make the non-sacred planet, our Earth, responsive to cosmic impacts thus bringing more inter-related and inner integration into the logoic body of expression. […]” [3]
At the same time, we are advised to remember this other indication:
“[…] All who respond to the life-giving force of Aquarius and to the light-giving force of Taurus can and will work in the New Group of World Servers, even though they have no occult knowledge and have never heard of their co-workers under that name. Forget this not.” [4]
As we recognise ourselves as agents of light and sound, embracing the hierarchical perspective that on this planet urges us to serve all kingdoms of nature – just like the sun does – and feeling the responsibility and urgent need to collaborate in the divine Plan, we perceive that we are coworkers in the service of creation.
We can then truly rejoice in hearing the song of St Francis, who had stripped life of all outward forms to clothe it with God:
[…] Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, cum tutte le Tue creature, spezialmente messor lo frate Sole, lo qual è iorno et allumini noi per lui.
Et ellu è bellu e radiante cum grande splendore: de Te, Altissimo, porta significazione. […]
(Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.)
and in heeding the voice of Agni Yoga:
The whole Universe is the Body of the Almighty,
and We express the command
of the highest manifestations of the Supreme Will.
The servitor awaits upon the Lord, and the All-Merciful
helps us to find the best attire for the Festival of Light. […]
(Leaves of Morya’s Garden I § 123)
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[*] Today, as it regularly happens at intervals of about three months, the heliocentric conjunction between Mercury and Neptune occurs, a planetary aspect associated with the harmony of language.
[1] Franco Rendich, Comparative etymological dictionary of classical Indo-European languages. Indoeuropean-Sanskrit-Greek-Latin, pp. 498-99
[2] Alice A. Bailey, Rays and the Initiations, p. 233
[3] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 494
[4] Alice A. Bailey, Rays and the Initiations, p. 233
