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Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 2.8.4:
2.8.4. Do not make enemies. This is an enjoinment to all. Know your enemies, beware of them, stop their actions, but bear no malice. And if the enemy comes of his own accord under your roof, give him warmth, because large is your roof and the newcomer shall not take your place. But if it is difficult to overcome a deep feeling, then cover it with the smile of Light. New Era Community (1926) - 98:
I wish to recall to you how the Blessed One showed consideration even for the adversaries. This book is read at the entrance to the community. The newcomer must be forewarned about many perplexities. It often appears that contradictions are insoluble. But, wayfarer, where are the contradictions when we see only an abundance of road signs? The abyss is barred by the mountain, and the mountain is bounded by the sea. Shoes for the mountains are not suitable for the sea. But those who enter are obliged to change hourly their armor. Not only mobility, not only quickness of thought, but the habit of changing weapons is needed. It is not so easy to become accustomed to change of weapons. Beside the feeling of ownership stands habit, and it is difficult to replace addiction to objects by adaptability of consciousness. For superficial thinking it may seem mere playing upon words, but how necessary it becomes for the leaders guiding the destinies of nations to understand this distinction of concepts! New Era Community (1926) - 190:
190. One may ask how to know a newcomer. Indeed not by words. Better take the old method of the East - by the eyes, the gait, and the voice. Eyes cannot deceive, and, though gait and voice can indeed conceal the truth through a particular skill, the combination of all three is unmistakable. New Era Community (1926) - 209:
209. You have already seen how I put questions to a newcomer. From the replies it was possible to form an opinion about the qualities of the newcomer. Each one of you will be obliged to teach those who come to you. If they begin with a question, reply with a question of your own. You know how the quality of a question gives direction to the next question. It is inadmissible to allow inexactness to creep into the essence of the question. Often this first diffusiveness lies like a grease spot on a coverlet and becomes indelible. The hour will approach when you will tenaciously insist on questions on the part of the one with whom you speak. But the first questions must come from you. And first of all ask what has drawn him to you. And then ask him to tell when for the first time he felt the worthlessness of contemporary life; and then let him relate how the first conception of the Teacher arose in his consciousness. Let him tell how he understands achievement. Does he feel the difference between the evidence and the reality; and can he realize the community within his consciousness? Thus, it is necessary to get at the weeds of desires and dreams. Be not afraid to appear stern; certainly far worse are soft, rumpled cushions. Sternness will produce roots, and if there be also an indication of intensity, then will be created the manifestation of the bridge. New Era Community (1926) - 220:
You can imagine the number of people who are striving toward Our Community. So many testimonies, so many approving attitudes, but into the basis of judgments only reality is placed. Thus comport yourselves in the founding of new communities. See that family ties have no significance. See that former friendship and enmity be carefully examined; that no testimonies bend a resolution - personal examination, personal testing, personal responsibility. I advise you to begin the testing with a proposal to rest, not to work. Each one who is glad not to work is no co-worker of yours. You may ask whether the services of the newcomer are recognized by ungrateful humanity. Each complainer is no co-worker of yours. You may ask whether he himself is responsible for the past or others are. Your co-worker will not impose responsibility for his past on others. Furthermore, note that, left alone, he does not move objects about. The man who is imbued with the importance of what is around him, does not disturb any process unknown to him. The man who knows something of the essence of objects, displays care with reference to your arrangement. Look after the silent ones especially sharply. Agni Yoga (1929) - 484:
If you imagine your highest attainment, even it will be ugly when compared with perfection. Our labors primarily have dissatisfaction at their base, it is the impetus for Our searching. But to the newcomer the most difficult question will be, "Brother, can you contain eternal dissatisfaction?" Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 564:
564. Let us relate another tale about the heart. "Some people gathered together to boast of their prowess some exhibited their muscular development; some boasted of taming wild beasts; one estimated strength by the hardness of his skull, another by his swiftness of foot - thus the various parts of the human body were extolled. But someone remembered the heart, which had remained unpraised. Then everyone began to think about how the strength of the heart could be estimated. Finally a newcomer said, 'You have discussed various types of competition, but you have forgotten one near to the human heart - a competition in magnanimity. Let your teeth, fists, and skull be at rest, and vie with each other in magnanimity. It will speed the path of the heart to the Fiery World.' It must be confessed that everyone became greatly concerned, for they did not know how to manifest magnanimity. And so the manifestation of love remained undiscussed, because even the gateway to it was not admitted to any place in the contest of prowess." Verily, if magnanimity is found, then love will kindle the fires of the heart. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 253:
253. Only the experienced heart apprehends the Maya of not only despair but rapture. It is not easy to show that rapture and exultation are not far removed from despair in their chemism. Exultation without a foundation does not resemble the wise joy when the whole heart vibrates with the Cosmos. In general, most people cannot endure residence on the Earth in continuous tension. Yet it is possible to inure them to conditions in certain chemical laboratories, where the newcomer is completely unable to breathe and where those who work there regularly do not even notice the pressure. Such an example must convince one of how possible it is to accustom oneself to constant vigilance, as to a magnet of tension. Whoever places a foot upon the ladder of ascent finds the initial step difficult. Thus Maya passes into conscious realization of the cosmic tension. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 355:
355. It has already been mentioned that certain peoples used to greet each other by smelling. It may be said - what a dog-like custom! But even in this ugly custom there is a reminder about psychic energy, which was used when people by means of smell, touch, hearing and the eye determined the essential nature of a newcomer. Nowadays there has remained the custom of handshaking, which is also not far from the other strange custom. People have forgotten about magnetism and about spiritual infection. They talk a great deal about hygiene, but they do not consider that contact in itself has significance. Especially at present, during tension of fiery energy, one must think carefully about each created current. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 96:
96. When the fiery spirit plunges into the supermundane spheres the Subtle Spheres are not foreign to it, because this spirit has known the spatial manifestations. Thus the newcomer can acclimate himself in the strata of the Subtle World. A sensation of joy accompanies the entrance into the Subtle World. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 294:
Sometimes the Thinker advised a newcomer to wash his hands, because an evil thought could have settled on them.
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