Fravasham

The term "Fravashi" derives from the Avestan word fravaṣi, believed to stem from a root meaning "to protect" or "to choose." This concept first appears in the Avesta, the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, dating back to the first millennium BCE.

Absolute spirit. Freya or Frigfja (Slcand.). In the Edda, Frigga is the mother of the gods like Aditi in the Vedas. She is identical with the Northern Frea of the Germans, and in her lowest aspect was worshipped as the all-nourishing Mother Earth. She was seated on her golden throne, formed of webs of golden light, with three divine virgins as her handmaidens and messengers, and was occupied with spinning golden threads with which to reward good men. She is Isis and Diana at the same time, for she is also Ilolda, the mighty huntress, and she is Ceres-Demeter, who protects agriculture — the moon and nature. Frost Giants or Hrimihurscs (Scand.). They are the great builders, the Cyelo])es and Titans of the Norsemen, and play a prominent part in the Edda. It is they who build the strong wall round Asgard (the Scandinavian Olympus) to protect it from the Jotuns, the wicked giants.

In the ancient wisdom of Zoroastrianism, the Fravashi emerges not merely as an ancestral spirit but as the very spiritual archetype or guardian angel of every being, a divine aspect that pre-exists and survives the earthly form. Mircea Eliade, in his seminal works on comparative religion, often explored such concepts of the divine double or spiritual guardian, finding parallels across diverse cultures. The Fravashi, as described, is an active, benevolent force, embodying the principles of Asha, the cosmic truth and righteousness central to Zoroastrian belief. It is the spiritual blueprint, the ethereal essence that yearns for and actively works towards the triumph of good over evil.

This concept offers a powerful counterpoint to modern existential anxieties that often isolate the individual. The Fravashi suggests an inherent interconnectedness, a spiritual lineage that provides an unshakeable foundation of support. It is the part of us that remembers the divine origin, the part that, as Henry Corbin might suggest in his exploration of imaginal worlds, participates in a higher reality. The practice associated with the Fravashi, though not explicitly detailed in Blavatsky's brief definition, would historically involve rituals and prayers to honor these spirits, seeking their guidance and protection in maintaining Asha in the world. It is a reminder that our individual struggles are part of a larger, cosmic drama, and that we are never truly alone in our pursuit of righteousness.

The notion of a spiritual essence that actively protects and guides, even after death, speaks to a deep human longing for continuity and meaning beyond the ephemeral. It posits a universe where spiritual solidarity is not a metaphor but a tangible reality, a cosmic network of benevolent presences safeguarding the ongoing struggle for light.