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New Era Community (1926) - 122:
Who can dictate to the chemist that he employ only one group of elements? Who can force the historian and the philosopher not to touch historical facts? Who can order the artist to use only one color? To knowledge all is disclosed. New Era Community (1926) - 180:
The great artist Asvaghosha preferred the bazaar and the public square, in order to find the way to the people's heart. Beauty teaches aspiration. Brotherhood (1937) - 96:
96. Once there was an artist who wished to depict thought, but did not know what symbol would be best to express it. One philosopher suggested the conception of a cloud formation, because thought dwells in space. Another thinker believed that a starry heaven would be better. A third suggested that lightning would provide an austere representation of thought. A fourth proposed the idea of leaving the canvas blank, inasmuch as earthly eyes cannot catch a thought, and any form would be too crude for the light of the energy. Brotherhood (1937) - 183:
183. An artist once was ordered to draw a symbolic representation of faith. He executed a human figure expressing inexorableness. The face was uplifted to Heaven, and on it was an expression of unbreakable striving; the very look was filled with fiery radiance. The whole appearance was sublime, but from under the folds of the garment there seemed to be wriggling a small black snake. When the artist was asked what meaning was carried by his dark addition, which was out of keeping with the splendor of the picture, he said, "It is the little tail of unbelief." Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 53:
It will be asked how We adorn Our Abode. Indeed, We do adorn it. Each one of Us was at some time an artist. One can draw from one's Chalice of accumulations and attainments many treasures of creativeness and express them in the various realms of art. If people would learn to know and to understand their former lives, they could draw much benefit from past experiences. But people do not know how to use their former achievements wisely. This simple truth requires an excruciating process of assimilation. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 60:
If an artist were to depict Our Abode even approximately, the product of his imagination could be used as a teraph. But the best teraph is the human heart. A powerful magnet is developed from heart to heart, and such an attraction can be strong, even physically. The attraction to Our Heart can increase so greatly that it would be impossible to restrain it. This is called "the Fiery Chariot." Such fiery sensations require great harmony, otherwise they can turn into a chaotic whirlwind. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 155:
History has recorded that objects belonging to the Teachers were scattered in various ways. For example, paintings by S.G. were left in France, England, Germany, and the Netherlands and attributed to others. Most of His paintings were destroyed by the artist, but a few were left with the Van Loo family. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 185:
The Thinker taught that just as the artist convinces his audience, the physician influences his patient, and in this way the artist and the healer derive their power from the same Source. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 185:
"The builder of a temple is not restricted to the use of only one kind of stone, and will select the best from all of nature. Only then can he be a true artist." Thus spoke the Thinker. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 246:
Let us take as an example a person who writes many letters. If he writes with only himself in mind, he will not achieve the right results. And he is mistaken if he thinks that he is writing to only one person in particular. A letter full of lofty thoughts does not belong only to the author, or to the one to whom it is addressed, but to all of humanity. We should not be concerned with who will benefit from our thoughts. In addition to our personal intent, the letter is being sent into space, and it is not for us to worry where the thought it contains will find shelter. The only concern we ought to have is that our thought should serve for good. Perhaps it will be received somewhere in an entirely unexpected language, or enter the consciousness of a child and be expressed by him in later years. Perhaps the thought will reach a person who is leaving the earthly state and will be applied in the Subtle World, or it may be of help to that person during the crossing. Perhaps workers will be inspired by the thought, spiritualizing their monotonous work. The thought will help a sick person by giving him faith in his physician, or elevate a woman far beyond the boundaries of her domestic duties. The thought will whisper to the warrior opportunities for heroism. The thought will point out to the farmer the planetary significance of his labor, for the farmer is responsible for the crust of the planet, and a letter to him will be essential. You must write to the architect, to the judge, and to the artist. It does not matter if some letters do not arrive at the intended time. Let him who writes letters remember that he has many readers; so much the worse if the contents of the letter are base or insignificant. Harmful thoughts should not be recorded.
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