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New Era Community (1926) - 240:
240. Could one remain satisfied with a life of personal enrichment? Could one appropriate for oneself the free primary matter which saturates every object? Learn to sense the inevitable presence of matter in each object. Often people agree upon acknowledging the matter in a distant ether, but they consider it absurd to acknowledge the matter in objects fashioned for everyday usage. Whereas, recognition of lofty matter in each object raises one's concept of all the details of life. Agni Yoga (1929) - 10:
When a child plays with a newborn kitten, his mother rejoices at his courage, loathe to note that the kitten is still blind. When a youth toys with the soul of his comrade, the spectators marvel at his daring, not seeing the shackles binding the wretched soul. When a man denounces an assembly of judges, the witnesses admire his courage, not knowing that the daring of his threat has been bought with the jingle of gold. When an aged man comforts himself by deriding death, his friends delight, unmindful that fear has fashioned his mask of derision. Agni Yoga (1929) - 249:
Put a question about the purpose of life and you will receive only senseless answers. While space itself cries out for energy and decisiveness, the crowd continues to remodel its old caftans. For example, treaties have brought humanity to its present disasters; and still new treaties are being written on the basis of these worthless texts. New garments continue to be fashioned out of useless remnants. Agni Yoga (1929) - 486:
486. At present, people are not aware of the action of metals upon psychic energy, but in antiquity there was a great understanding of this. Magnets, and also alloys made of seven, eight, or nine metals were studied. As you know, many images were fashioned using alloys of metals, and instructions were given to worshipers to touch them with their hands. Thus, under the guise of a reverent act, a beneficial effect on the psychic energy of the worshiper was obtained. These primitive practices are no longer followed, and they have not been replaced by anything rational. Astrochemistry is recognized, radioactivity and magnetism hold the attention, but these are all directed only upon the body, whereas the most essential, psychic energy, is forgotten. Notice how colored glass, used as a filter, acts on the psychic condition. Metals and their combinations will act still more strongly. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 367:
367. One should remember about harmful objects. People are sometimes willing to acknowledge a certain significance in teraphim fashioned for the purpose of influencing people. But, after all, many objects carry upon them accumulations of influences. Not rare are the objects made in an hour of hatred, fatigue, terror, or despair; they will carry these sendings with them into the world. And if they fall into the hands of an owner who is under the same astrochemical conditions, they will act in accordance with the message with which they have been suffused. Sociologists are trying to improve working conditions. This is right, but in addition the spiritual level of the workers should be raised. It does not matter whether they create great things or small, the poisonous saliva can saturate them equally. For natural magnetism there is no need of special black magic. Black fire fills every evil heart, therefore let us be very observant in regard to objects. One may recall that Apollonius of Tyana never touched objects that were unfamiliar to him. First he looked at them carefully, especially when they were ancient. When one of his disciples wanted to put a ring on his finger, the Teacher warned him against touching poison. A deadly poison was discovered concealed in the ring. And Apollonius added, "Such poison is less deadly than the poison of the heart." One should not regard the sayings of the sages as remote symbols. Often they have a literal meaning, which must be remembered and applied. We do not go to a shop to purchase clothing infected with smallpox; yet this infection will be only a one-thousandth part of the contagion present. How often have I stated that the accumulations of thought are far more virulent than poisons! Just as fire deposits a patina upon a vessel, so is the fire of thought irremovable when it saturates the surface of an object. Among purifiers eucalyptus is useful, for it contains much fire. All living fire is also useful. Much infection has been destroyed around bonfires. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 618:
618. Everywhere it is indicated that suffering is the best purifier and means of shortening the Path. This is undoubtedly true under the existing conditions on Earth. But could there have been Creation with an unalterable condition of suffering? No. Indeed, the Great Creativeness does not foresee a need for suffering. With terrific zeal people drive themselves into the circle of suffering. For millenniums people have tried to become mere bipeds. They try to weigh down the atmosphere of Earth with malice. Verily, every physician will bear witness that without evil there would be no suffering. Let us designate the ability to avoid suffering as a step toward Good. Truly, the passage of the Good through the furnace of fire eliminates the sense of suffering. Thus, fiery transfiguration even on Earth lifts one beyond suffering. One should not evade suffering, for without suffering earthly achievement does not exist. But let each one ready for achievement kindle the fires of his heart. They will be the indicators of the Path, and a shield not fashioned by human hands. Someone has asked, "How does the Lord discern those who approach him?" The answer is, "By the fires of their hearts." If we are astonished by the power of Fire that even here envelops us and saturates our garments, then we can understand how supernal is the glow of the fires of the heart along the Chain of Hierarchy!
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