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New Era Community (1926) - 133:
133. The community, being a fellowship first of all, sets as a condition for entrance two conscious decisions; labor without limit and the acceptance of talks without rejection. It is possible to eliminate faint-heartedness by means of a two-fold organization. As a result of unlimited labor there may be a broadening of consciousness. But many people, not bad otherwise, do not envision the results, being frightened by incessant labor and enormous tasks. And yet they have accepted basically the idea of the community. It would be harmful to include these yet weak people in the community; but in order not to extinguish their striving one should not cast them out. For this it is useful to have a second organization - friends of the community. Herein, without forsaking the customary order of life, these newcomers can become more deeply conscious of the community. Such a two-fold organization permits the preservation of a far more concentrated sincerity in the work. If however, a formal entrance into the community itself be allowed, one will be obliged periodically to eject the unfit ones. In other words, the community will cease to exist altogether. It will be simply an institution under a false label, beside which the Sanhedrin of the Pharisees would be a highly righteous establishment. Agni Yoga (1929) - 540:
540. True, people make contact with many kinds of energy, but in most cases in a very limited way, and they experience only one aspect of the energy. Out of this limitation can arise many dangers. For example, universal electrification is of benefit to civilization, but since people approach it too one-sidedly, the artificial saturation of space by electricity may cause dangers. One can receive discharges of considerable strength in places highly charged with electricity. But if the cause is intensified so also will be the effects. Thus, instead of just a powerful discharge, mass destruction can occur. Likewise, one can envision the overfilling of space with currents of many kinds of energy, causing most unexpected disturbances in life. Infinity - Book 1 (1930) - 164:
A recognition of the subtle energies as the source of our manifestations would inspire man to envision the power of light and not become inrooted in the power of the shadow. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 346:
346. The pupil must also remember about divisibility of the spirit. One must strive in the consciousness so as to realize the presence of the Teacher in spirit. Those who envision the nearness of the Teacher are not quite wrong. This is better than light-mindedly to forget entirely about the Teacher. Those who memorize the words of the Teaching are not so wrong. In school, passages of texts are learned by heart to strengthen the memory. So, also when the Teaching burns within the heart, it is affirmed by brief irrevocable formulas. For some, it is easier to assimilate precise expressions. Do not prevent each one from following the path of his own karma. It is better not to force when one's individual fires are evident. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 556:
556. One must have not small imagination to begin thinking of the Fiery World. One must be able to envision Hierarchy up to the Fiery World, and when the highest imagination has become exhausted, one will have to find all daring to turn to the great Fiery Images. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 572:
572. One cannot fail to be amazed at the persistent refusal of people to envision the manifestation of the all-pervading fiery element. One can turn to the trite example of oxygen in its solid, liquid, gaseous and even etheric states. People will accept such action of substances quite calmly but never apply this striking example to the fiery element. Fire is lodged too strongly in people's minds in its coarsest form; but so utterly undeveloped is the human imagination that it cannot conceive the extension and refinement of the crude form into infinity. People will say, "Why don't we see the Fiery Beings?" Thus, they prefer to blame the Fiery World rather than ponder upon the state of their consciousness. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 612:
612. If the Sublime Beings testify that they have not faced the supreme Origin of Origins, this should not be construed as a form of negation. On the contrary, this testimony of the sacred infinitude of the Supreme World only proves how unencompassable is the concept of Sublime Light. He is right who knows the path toward Light, but only the ignorant, in conceit, will presume that the brain can evaluate the Sublime. One must learn to comprehend the oneness of the path of ascent. In the radiance of the microcosm one can envision the parallel with the Infinite. One must learn to value each drop of dew reflecting the myriads of worlds. By way of experiment, one may reject all negations. A manifestation of Hierarchy should be accepted exultantly. The directed consciousness can lead the spirit's eye to the string of pearls which loses itself in Infinity. One can understand the reverence for the concepts of concordance and co-measurement. One can raise the spirit toward Light and fly over masses of darkness. Does one not fly in dreams, and are not such flights inherent from childhood? The spirit remembers these qualities of other worlds. No earthly obstacles can deprive the human heart of the concept of flight, and the very same heart will teach reverence for the Origin of Origins. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 621:
621. It is a natural desire to want to know how the transitions into different spheres are accomplished. It is not difficult to understand that purified Agni is the decisive factor. If we gradually fill a balloon with combustible gas, it will begin to rise proportionately. If a balloon cannot retain the gas it will descend. This is a crude example of the principle governing transition into the various spheres of the Subtle World. The subtle entity can ascend by itself if its fiery seed is appropriately filled. Fire - the transmuter - helps to assimilate the new and higher conditions. Agni facilitates the understanding of the language of each sphere, because the intercourse of beings becomes more refined as the ascent is made. Of course, the high Guidance does not forsake the striving ones, but for assimilation of Guidance devotion is needed. Thus, a being can ascend the ladder - there is no other symbol which can more accurately define the ascent of the spirit. If a being is detained on one step, the cause is apparent in the aura. So many travelers quite unexpectedly find themselves a few steps lower! The usual reason for such retrogression is some earthly remembrance which engenders cravings. The Guide considers a store of patience indispensable to protect those who stumble. But one should not draw too frequently upon this precious energy. The being who can discover the cause by himself will actually ascend more quickly. Truly, ascent is accompanied by the joy of new companions, and finally the earthly asp of envy falls away, and thought-creativeness is no longer impeded by the currents of malice. But one should prepare even now for mobility of consciousness. A torpid consciousness obstructs the striving of Agni. Thus, let us envision perfectly clearly the ladder of ascent. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 161:
"The third battle resounds in the Infinite, in space, between the subtle energies and the waves of chaos. The human imagination is too limited to envision these battles in Infinity. Human intellect comprehends earthly collisions, but is incapable of looking into space and imagining the powerful storms and forces working there. Only when human emotions are completely controlled can man start thinking about the invisible worlds. One should develop such thoughts, for they alone will make man a conscious co-worker with the Infinite forces."
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