Heart (1932) - 325: 325. Is not a blow upon the heart like a stroke upon a harp or zither? Does not the reverberation of the heart speak of invisible strings, which are the extension of the nerves into the subtle state? Is it not scientific to observe these blows upon the aura, when the eye, or heart, or Chalice, or crown of the head, very obviously receives repellant arrows? Yet it is noticeable how much more strongly the heart reverberates than all the other centers. It is not without cause that the heart is called the Sun of Suns. Should not the act of transmitting to far-off distances be regarded as a subtle, but completely natural condition? It is necessary to subdivide the realm of so-called hysteria into many divisions. At present it ranges from obsession to refined spirituality. Of course, one should not permit such contradictory confusions, for it is distinctly unscientific to throw everything into one pile, merely in order not to distress the brain with deliberation. Otherwise St. Theresa may fall within the definitions of obsession and the most loathsome demon will be brought closer to the altar. It is inadmissible to agree to the confusion of various conditions! Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 638: 638. It is said, "Do not enter Fire in inflammable garments, but bring a fiery joy." In this indication lies the entire prerequisite for communion with the Fiery World. Verily, even the garments of the Subtle World are not always suitable for the Fiery World. So, too, the joy of ascent must transcend any earthly joy. It must shine, and by its Light be a beacon to the many. Who, then, can deride joy and Light? The mole does not know the attraction of light; and only an evil spirit does not understand what joy is! When you rejoice at flowers, when you seek in thought to penetrate into their wondrous structure, into the creation of a small seed, when you value the fresh fragrance, you already have contacted the Subtle World. Even in the flowers of Earth, in the plumage of birds, and in the wonders of the heavens, one can find that very joy which prepares one for the gates of the Fiery World. Chiefly, one must not be dead to beauty. Where can one find a better setting than beauty for devotion, for aspiration, for indefatigability. Amidst earthly conditions one must learn to find that which is applicable to all worlds. There will be no time for deliberation at the moment of crossing into the Subtle World; the illumination by joy can and must be instantaneous. Thus, consciousness is actually preserved by joy. But one must not lose even an hour here on Earth in learning to rejoice at each flower. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 318: When a person says that he will think about something, he has already thought about it. The fiery decision already exists within him and when he says that he will think, he refers to the act of intellectual deliberation. It is instructive to observe the duel that takes place between mental and fiery decisions. The intellect can often distort a fiery decision, but the fiery seed itself remains intact. It secretes itself in the depths of the consciousness and reappears often. It is lamentable that man stubbornly refuses to accept the various states of consciousness that exist within him. This very awareness would help him to treat the process of thinking with caution.
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