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Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 247:
247. The tremors of Earth become stronger; ask those who have a double pulse how much it is increased. Undoubtedly, all that is related to fiery energy has been augmented and intensified. People strengthen these regions by the order of their living and thinking. Nothing so irritates the fiery element as disorderly thinking. Formerly people were, at least sometimes, taught to think. Not infrequently scanning and memorizing the laws of life awakened the current of thought. But the awakening of cravings and of egoism can lead to disorderly thinking. Amidst these mere fragments chaotic fury is engendered. Why invoke destruction? Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 248:
248. Reading without the heart's functioning, even memorizing, helps but little. One can even compile a table showing how much the participation of the heart evokes true understanding. Let this not be understood as an abstraction. By its quality the pulse indicates how much heart participation assists the manifestation of perception. Such a concept draws one near to the Fiery World. It is tedious to listen to babblings which lack the heart quality, particularly since the number of printed books is reaching frightening proportions. Rarely has the quantity been so at variance with the quality! In this is also revealed a sign of heartlessness. We encourage each burning of the spirit. The flaming heart is a torch of the Fiery World. One should become accustomed to delving into the meaning of what has been said; and for this, translations into different languages are useful. Thereby is developed a precision of understanding. The Teacher must always rotate a concept so that it contacts the consciousness of the disciple in its full scope. Though urgent, it is impossible to accept many concepts at the first reading. One must return to them, as has been said, under all the shades of color of morning and evening. Even the night will bring a ray of understanding. You yourselves have seen how strangely people form opinions about what they have read. When they hear about the Messiah, they merely think - isn't he a demon? When they read about the heart, they are afraid - isn't it sorcery? This means that demons and sorcery are very familiar to them. The man who is pure in heart will not think first of all about darkness. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 42:
The heart's feeling is sensed not in the words themselves but in their sound. There can be no irritation in harmony. Malice cannot exist where the spirit ascends. It is not by chance that in antiquity the epic scriptures were sung, not only to facilitate memorizing but also for inspiration. Likewise, it is rhythm and harmony that protect us against fatigue.
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