THE MYSTERIES OF SHAMBALLA
Foreword
In general, the word Shamballa brings to mind an inaccessible, mysterious, secret and remote place. Although it is true that according to some researchers Shamballa may be considered a "physical place", other more learned inquirers, those who devote themselves to study the great arcane secrets of Nature, also believe that it lies hidden in the impenetrable and mysterious etheric regions of the planet, where only great Initiates are allowed.
However, in the inner circles of the Hierarchical Ashrams, Shamballa is also mentioned as a "state of consciousness of the planetary Logos" which, in a way, we are all part of. Thus, the access to the gentle but greatly dynamic Retreats of Shamballa -considered either as a physical place by the prophane, an etheric realm by the learned, or a state of consciousness of the planetary Logos by the spiritual disciples- will always be controlled by the tests, difficulties and crises related to the process of initiation that must be faced and overcome before anyone is able to enter its wonderful inner sanctuaries. This is the first great truth to be stated as we start our study anent Shamballa.
Several years ago, after I had completed an Ashramic task given to me -to write about the activities of the Devas or Angels in living Nature- the Master suggested that I write on the subject of Shamballa. I then replied that it was unlikely that I would be able to do so given my lack of knowledge about this all-inclusive and mysterious planetary center. The Master smiled and reminded me that I had said something similar when He first approached me to write about the Devas. "Everything is within Shamballa: kingdom, races, men and all living creatures -He told me- you should only seek to make yourself aware of this fact in your meditation, and as you write. The rest will come effortlessly." And as he uttered these words, some events came up to my astral vision, events which I had never considered important, but which, according to the Master, were to be crucial as my life unfolded.
The publication of my previous esoteric books, my developed intuition and the state of constant attention that I had been able to establish in my consciousness were -according to the Master- proofs of past spiritual accomplishments. "Therefore," concluded the Master, "do not worry too much about this new suggested work, but carefully keep in mind the mystic key that must be used to gain entrance to Shamballa, as well as the protective Mantrams to overcome the power of the Asuras who guard the entrance of the sacred Doors. These Asuras must be overcome by the skillful practice of "serene expectancy." Serene expectancy develops the Crown center and man’s spiritual will to unbelievable limits, to the point that an enabling Mantram may turn the hinges of some of the Doors leading to the sacred Realm where the Lord of the World dwells.
Readers of my previous books may have noticed how frequently I use the term "serene expectancy" in developing my ideas, particularly in the book "Introduction to Agni Yoga", a book attempting to describe the state of awareness required to consciously penetrate the mysterious Realms of Shamballa. Serene expectancy holds the mystic key of the initiatory process and with it, the magical Mantram of power required to open some of the sacred Doors.
The facts about my life mentioned by the Master, that is, the crucial events in my karmic existence, were much related -as I was able to later verify- with the gradual development in my consciousness of this mystic state of serene expectancy to which I was introduced as part of some luminous activities originating in my Ashram. Many other well qualified members of the Ashram also participated, according to the plan which this group was entrusted to implement. I was able to clearly see these lifelong trends projected in the astral light of my own karmic events -a vision made possible by the Master- and a retrospective review of such events made it clear the unfathomable depth of a Master’s vision. Neither time nor the laws of the three worlds may keep secrets away from a Master’s vision.
The decision to write about Shamballa, as suggested by the Master, immediately took shape in my consciousness. For several years, in my books as well as in my articles and talks, I became attracted to subjects somehow related to this wonderful and ineffable spiritual center.
The current tension is huge and the tension associated with Shamballa is in fact terrific, particularly on the international arena, in the fields of politics, economy, science and education. It is Sanat Kumara’s intention, the glorious Lord of the World, to speed up the course of planetary events, particularly those related to humanity. Many cosmic considerations are involved in such creative endeavor that, of course, we would not be able to disclose as they belong to an inscrutable karma of the planetary Logos of the Earth scheme. However, some secret Ashramic teachings about the significance of major current events are related to a an indescribable crisis being faced by Sanat Kumara which, as we are told esoterically, is a necessary stage before attaining the Fourth Cosmic Initiation in the near future. This initiation -which would make the Lord of the World aware of the cosmic buddhic plane- will have profound implications for humanity, the Fourth kingdom of Nature, due to some numerologic and magical relationships which relate the human being with the creative activities of the ruling Logoi of the Constellations, solar Systems and planetary Schemes. Let us review some of these relationships:
a. The Fourth Cosmic Initiation to be attained by our planetary Logos through Sanat Kumara.
b. The fourth Cosmic Plane, the Cosmic Buddhic Plane.
c. The Constellation of Libra, the Heart Center of the cosmic System to which our solar System belongs.
d. The Fourth Cosmic Ray of Harmony and Beauty.
e. Our solar System, a physical universe of the Fourth order, meaning that it is evolving in a fourth Chain of its cosmic system.
g. The Fourth chain in the planetary scheme, the fourth planet in the scheme, our Earth, and the fourth round active within the mystical and inexpressible center of the fourth chain.
h. The Fourth Creative Hierarchy of human Monads, the seed-bearer of humanity.
i. The Fourth Kingdom of Nature, all Humanity.
j. The Fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict which rules the Fourth Kingdom, being a distorted expression of the Fourth Cosmic Ray of Harmony and Beauty.
k. The Fourth etheric subplane of the solar System’s physical plane, through which the chemical elements underlying the structural foundation of all physical forms are created.
l. The Fourth etheric chackra or heart center in the human frame, focal point of all somatic and spiritual activity.
m. The Fourth Yoga, communicated to conscious humanity from Shamballa, esoterically called Agni Yoga, the Yoga of Synthesis, and mystically, the Doctrine of the Heart.
Please note that, following an ordered process of analogy, we may find some of the necessary relationships that will allow us to ascertain some the mysteries about Shamballa, particularly those that karmically relate humanity with the current initiatory crisis of the planetary Logos and produce within humanity the terrific tensions, problems and difficulties to be seen everywhere but which, if seen from the inner perspective, may also be interpreted as a great opportunity for a major spiritual emergence, as can be observed in the life of many disciples and a many other intelligent people and men and women of goodwill throughout the world.
I will finish this Foreword to "The Mysteries of Shamballa" warning the reader that most of this book must be intuitively absorbed, given the important message which it attempts to convey. As usual, the safe means to higher understanding and intuitive development is the principle of analogy, as stated by Hermes Trismegistus many centuries ago.
It is my heartfelt wish that the ideas in "The Mysteries of Shamballa" may be of assistance to those earnest spiritual aspirants in the world really interested in discovering the eternal secret of their human existence and its infinite and transcendent link to the Cosmos. Such is my greatest hope and my most sincere prayer. --VBA