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New Era Community (1926) - 125:
125. My young friends, again you have been gathered in the name of the Teaching and again you have had an evening with guests. Whereas, it has been said and repeated that the hour of discourse about the Teaching must be devoid of ordinary gossip. Even though this hour may be more infrequent, yet its quality must be upheld. You approach by round - about ways, you surmount the fatigue of the working day, you bear a particle of the common good; but the accumulated objects of the familiar room break up your striving, and imperceptibly you become dusty boarders. Moreover, one of you, observing what is taking place, becomes a self-appointed overseer and sinks into the pettiest irritation. The fabric of the communion is torn and an unworthy mending is begun. We urge you, even if for only an hour, to be consciously responsible people. If an hour a week is difficult for you, then better meet only every fortnight. Learn how to exclude at that time all troublesome beastly habits - smoking, drinking, eating, shallow gossip, dealings in small affairs, censure, anger. Upon being assembled, remain seated several minutes in silence. If then one of you will not find the strength to enlighten his consciousness, let him silently go back into cold and darkness. We are enemies of all compulsive magic, but a natural control of consciousness must become the prerequisite of real construction. Surely for one hour one can dismiss personal ventures. If this be difficult, how then can you think about progress and growth of consciousness? An ox knows about chewing its cud but does not advance farther than digestion. Make an effort to give your discourses beauty, simplicity and purity. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 475:
475. Communions in spirit constitute a considerable part of earthly existence and doubtless belong to the fiery nature. Not only do they occur during sleep but during our waking state we also feel many reflexes from such communions. No one, not even the coarsest person, would dare to deny that at times he has felt certain contacts or thought-suggestions from outside. The Teacher may point out that such contacts may be received from many sources either along the thread of Hierarchy, or from the Subtle World, or from earthly inhabitants. It is very characteristic that a thought coming from the outside is forgotten quite easily. Not without reason did the ancient wisdom advise drinking a draught of cold water after such thoughts, as though a molten substance were in need of cooling to retain its form. This ancient advice is not without foundation. Thought coming from outside seemingly sets the centers aflame and should be engraved, as it were, in order that it be transformed into conventional energy. The same applies to dreams and visions. We not only receive fiery impulses from outside, but our subtle body exerts its entire fiery essence in order to condense the perceptions and intensify the conviction. It can be observed how the fiery perception collects all the most characteristic details. At times one is surprised at the degree of observation and the easy flexibility of the fiery eye, as compared to the earthly one. One can write down many dreams and sensations which will reveal the sharpness of the collected details. Often the fiery creativeness condenses details. It does not lie, but combines all the homogeneous parts. Therefore We strongly advise that close attention be paid to the fiery sensations; in them lies truth - molded by Fire, the genius. It may take decades to perceive through intellect what fiery illumination effects almost instantaneously. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 646:
646. Churning is a symbol of cosmogony. He who has accepted so simple a process as the symbol of a great action, has verily understood the correlation between microcosm and Macrocosm. On the physical plane spiral rotation is the basis of the accumulation of substance, and thought also acts in an identical way. From the Summits down to chaos, Space is intensified by the spirals of consciousness. Thought spirally transforms itself into substance, permeating all Cosmos. One must understand and accept the transformation of thought into substance. This welding preserves the supply of substance, for thought is inexhaustible. On Earth much benefit may be reaped from the realization of the substantiality of thought. People are especially fearful of overtiring the brain, but this is absurd because thought cannot cause excessive fatigue. Mental disease is caused by numerous other excesses. Smoking, drinking, sexual overindulgence, lack of sleep, overeating, irritation, a wearying depression, envy, treason, and many horrors of darkness cause the overstrain which is ascribed to mental labors. As a prophylactic force, thought not only does not occasion fatigue but contributes to the interchange of higher substances. To blame thought for overfatigue is equivalent to expulsion of Agni from the heart. Both conductors connect humanity with the Higher Worlds; one must value these threads without which one can sink into chaos. In the West, religion signifies the link with God, with the Highest Principle; this means that every tie must be cherished, and the most important intercourse will be through the fiery thought process. Therefore, one must free oneself from the fear that thought can cause fatigue. But if you notice fatigue during the process of thinking, seek other causes; usually they are nearby. Perhaps the cause is not in you. Perhaps poisoned air has entered through the window or the firewood is not pure. Petty causes often produce grave consequences, and it is especially deplorable that a light-bearing thought should be regarded as the source of fatigue. Thought is health, renewal, interchange of substance - thus let us understand the salutary quality of thought. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 384:
384. Warnings are useful in all cases. Earthly ailments ought to be anticipated. It is impossible to provide people with a panacea if the conditions of life are not purified. People dream about deliverance from cancer, that spiritual scorpion, but they do nothing to preclude its germination. You already know that the remedy given to you is one of the best against cancer, but it is also necessary to make use of vegetarian diet, and not to indulge in irritating smoking and drinking. Furthermore, one must expel imperil, and then the indicated remedy will be a good shield. But people usually do not wish to renounce all the destructive excesses, and they wait until the scorpion stings them. Likewise do other terrible diseases spread, as the dark gates are held open for them. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 25:
25. As the highest humility and the highest self-renunciation, should one accept the Image of Those bearing the full Chalice of self-sacrifice. They carry a heavy burden in the heart. They bear the brunt of the tension manifested by humanity. They carry the burden of the entire discrepancy. Such humility is redemption. Who will give himself wholly to the achievement of drinking the cup of poison? Who will take upon himself the Fiery Shield for the good of humanity? Who will resolve to accept the fiery energies? Who will manifest the understanding of the entire Cosmic tension? Verily, he who is in consonance with the Higher Forces. Mankind is accustomed to demand Good, but very rarely does man think of giving. Hence the humility of a saint who carries a fiery chalice is regarded as the highest humility. The fiery chalice holds the essence of the saving of the spirit of mankind and the atonement. Thus, let us remember and manifest understanding. AUM (1936) - 407:
The latest interpreters have attributed a symbolic meaning to the saying in this way: "living water" denotes the ocean of wisdom; "the head" means the summit of cognition. Whereas, the writing had a medicinal significance. The disciple asked the Teacher to let him drink the magnetized water which had stood by his bedside. Many sayings can be found about the magnetization of water. On ancient images figures can be seen drinking from a vessel or sacred source. Brotherhood (1937) - 473:
473. Anemia is usually considered to be a blood deficiency, but this factor is not of fundamental importance. It is but a result of an outflow of psychic energy. Thoughtless physicians assume that it is possible to restore strength by drinking blood, but they forget that the inflow of strength will be one of appearance only. It is the same as trying to illumine a large house with a single match. Taking in blood produces much harm; this substance requires study and adaptation. That is why We do not in general advise such mixing of blood. Essentially, it is unnecessary. Increase in psychic energy is attained by the simple expedients of which We have already spoken. But in this let us see to it that there be not found in the vicinity someone who absorbs the energy. Indeed, it can be absorbed consciously and unconsciously. Each irritation, each despondency will definitely absorb the precious energy. When the fundamentals of Brotherhood are being taught, first to be eliminated are all those elements which are adverse to psychic energy. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 372:
Also remember that a large number of useful instructions are distorted. Let us take, for example, the question of food. We are decidedly against a meat diet. The normal progress of evolution has been retarded in part because of the eating of meat. Yet there are instances, such as a shortage of food, when dried or smoked meat may be eaten as an emergency measure. We are decidedly against the drinking of wine. As an intoxicant it is inadmissible, but it can be used in the treatment of certain illnesses. We are decidedly against all narcotics, but there may be cases of such unbearable suffering that a physician has no choice but to use them. There are those who may object to this, and ask if it is not possible to use suggestion against pain. Of course, it can and should be used, but it is not easy to find a person with sufficient power of suggestion.
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