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New Era Community (1926) - 239:
How fortunate it is if a new place can be found which enhances the potential of the preceding one. Do not limit a plan by deciding upon one place only - the essence of the plan is important. Agni Yoga (1929) - 142:
All have heard about the coming of the New Era. Can the new arrive in inaction? It is better to welcome a new blind puppy than an aged parrot that repeats old things. Examine the stream of the Teachings of life that have been given to humanity. Each, without affecting the preceding, opens new gates to knowledge. The enduring realities of life are fundamental to each given Teaching. Therefore they should be studied not for learning, but for application to life. Only in this way can you create the current of energy. Agni Yoga (1929) - 158:
All preceding Yogas, given from the highest Sources, took as their basis a particular aspect of life. Now, at the dawn of the age of Maitreya, there is needed a Yoga comprising the essence of the whole of life, all-embracing, evading nought. One remembers the example of those unignitible youths in the biblical legend who valiantly sacrificed themselves to the fiery furnace and thereby acquired power. Agni Yoga (1929) - 161:
161. Let us see wherein lie the similarities and differences between Agni Yoga and the preceding Yogas. Karma Yoga has many similarities with it as far as earthly realities are concerned. But when Agni Yoga provides ways to the realization of the far-off worlds, the difference becomes apparent. Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga are all separate from the realities of routine life, and because of this they cannot enter into the evolution of the future. Of course, an Agni Yogi should also be a Jnani and a Bhakti, and the development of the forces of his spirit makes him a Raja Yogi. How beautiful is the possibility of being fit for performing the tasks of the future evolution without rejecting the past conquests of spirit! One should not boast of bringing innovation, because only by a synthesis of the old and the new is a renewal of possibilities attainable. Agni Yoga (1929) - 416:
416. Each era chooses its new, corresponding Teaching, when all previous Teachings have become distorted. People tend to cling to these twisted distortions of the faith of their forefathers, yet no new Teaching ever excludes preceding ones. Little attention is paid to this fact, for the followers of every Teaching like to build their success on denial of the previous Teachings. But it is easy to prove the continuity of what people call religion. In this continuity is sensed a single stream of one energy. Calling it psychic energy, we speak of the Sophia of the Hellenic world or Sarasvati of the Hindus. The Holy Ghost of the Christians manifests signs of psychic energy, just as do the creative Adonai of Israel, and Mithra of Persia, full of solar power. Certainly, no one doubts that the Fire of Zoroaster is the Fire of Space, which you now study. Infinity - Book 1 (1930) - 240:
240. The implanting of the Magnet for cosmic principles proceeds as a most lawful action. Human activity is governed by similar conditions. The action preceding each manifestation is the magnet which draws on that which follows. Therefore, the creativeness preceding the manifestation of the Magnet is that Primordial Source which fills Space. Hierarchy (1931) - 294:
294. Sometimes one can demonstrate the most complex laws by means of the simplest apparatus. The law of karma is complex, but take the Ruhmkorff coil or any other electric coil and you will get a graphic image of karma. The current runs along the spiral uninterruptedly, but the protective winding is subject to all external reactions; moreover each thread contacts the thread of the preceding round, carrying upon it the consequences of the past. Thus, each hour changes karma, for each hour evokes the corresponding past. Thus, one can contact the entire line of past experiences. Heart (1932) - 170:
170. When one wishes to make a speech in an unknown language, it is unwise to prepare oneself only on the preceding eve. If one desires to come out with a new instrument, it is unwise to prepare oneself on the eve of one's appearance. If one wants to cross into the Subtle World, it is unwise to begin preparations on the preceding eve. It is terrible when a man who during his entire life has turned away from thought about the Subtle World begins like a negligent pupil dimly to repeat the unrealized words only on the eve of crossing. The fact of the inevitable crossing is announced by all Teachings. It is said, "We shall not die, but change." It is impossible to speak more briefly, it is impossible to speak more affirmatively. It means that one must know the language of the Subtle World; it means that one has to acquire the right of entrance in complete consciousness, but this is impossible to attain on the eve before. One may begin to instill horror instead of joy, and thus violate the law of life. But, as you know, the best conductor is the flaming heart. With such an inextinguishable lamp it is not terrifying to cross the skies and meet the Guiding Ones. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 99:
99. If it is difficult sometimes to concentrate thought, also it is not easy sometimes to get rid of thought. However, this quality also must be attained. Physicians have noticed haunting thoughts. Such a state can be the result not only of obsession, but also of inertia of the brain centers. One must know how to set aside, as it were, a useless intrusive thought. To this end one may perform little exercises, forcing oneself to consciously put aside a thought, as if massaging the brain. Many people fail to understand at all what We are talking about, but such immobility of the brain must be routed by different tasks, so that a preceding thought in no way colors the following one. Such a coloring usually deprives the new formations of preciseness. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 280:
280. Esteem people who not only speak but also act. Affirm the ability to understand action. The hardships of these times have resulted from disorganization. The cause of such disorganization is absurd in its insignificance - the cooperation of hearts has been forgotten. Meeting together in prayer, people forget how to attune themselves for service. Whereas, such a condition is indispensable and is easily attained; for this it is merely necessary that people help one another. To preserve an unusual frame of mind means to proceed to the Fiery World. Under the ordinary conditions of life such a frame of mind is not easy, but precisely it must not be set aside. One should not enter the temple otherwise than prayerfully. In prayer existence is uplifted and made better; therefore each prayer, as also each exaltation, must be better than the preceding one. Each step of the ladder of the spirit must be traversed. How majestic is the Ladder to the Fiery World, which has in a year three hundred sixty six steps by day and three hundred sixty six by night! Every step is distinct from every other, and let each one be better than the preceding one. Joy toward the Teaching, will it not be a true adornment of a step? In each joy for the Teaching is already contained new cognition. Often one cannot express in words this step, given in joy. It is indisputable, and what a veritable mountain is ascended in the prayer of joy! Pains are alleviated by it, the task is made successful by it. No one and nothing can block this joy. Thus shall we have the advantage of success. The same thing may be wished to all, because on the ladder of the spirit there is no crowding. Let each one rejoice at the sheer beauty of a new step. Why should anyone go backward? But it is difficult and burdensome to lose what has been already traversed. Downfall is always harmful, even for the body. One can imagine how ruinous it is for the spirit, for the fiery being. Contact with Fire already produces a special kind of tissue, which glows on the upward, and is reduced to ashes on a downward path. The ladder of ascent is the measure of magnanimity, consequently magnanimity may be achieved daily. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 468:
468. The expenditure of psychic force takes place voluntarily and involuntarily. Lofty spirits continue the sowing of good unceasingly. In this it must not be forgotten that the refined consciousness cannot avoid a certain weariness. Such fatigue is very diversely expressed, but usually it falls on the physical organs, which are far more subject to illness. Therefore We counsel a wise caution. It is difficult to stop the flow of psychic forces, but it is always useful to protect one's physical forces. One should not interrupt the current of Good, but each caution will be but a strengthening of this beneficient stream. The fiery path especially must be guarded by a wise circumspectness. We have already considered many fiery qualities, but no fewer still remain. Only the unwise will look into the succeeding book without assimilating the preceding ones. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 397:
397. Innumerable are the causes of diseases, and science must analyze these causes. In this it is necessary to have in view the structure of all planetary life. Analyzing diseases one should study the spiritual and physical currents. Likewise the environment has its influence, for group aura proves to have a strong effect on a sensitive organism. We have often heard that during epidemics the better people are the first to depart into the Subtle World, and such diseases often carry off many sensitive spirits. This needs to be investigated, for not always is insufficiency of psychic energy the cause of falling ill. "Microbes" of spiritual infection which saturate space actually overburden the sensitive organism which provides a large store of psychic energy. It can be traced how often in critical moments an illness solves the accumulating drama of life, and often a third spirit takes upon himself a burden created near him, bearing it voluntarily and with tense care. Physicians must very attentively investigate the circumstances surrounding and preceding illnesses, for they may discover a hidden key to many sicknesses. AUM (1936) - 560:
560. Certain people strive to obtain only the new, not caring about the assimilation of the preceding. There are many dangers in such leaps into unknown ground. It is not always possible to trust such people. It is doubtful if they can guard what is entrusted to them. Brotherhood (1937) - 21:
There can thus be observed different kinds of people. It is possible to convince oneself particularly as to how strong atavism is. The desire for food containing blood is augmented by atavism, because the many preceding generations were saturated with blood. Unfortunately, governments pay no attention to improving the health of the population. State medicine and hygiene stand at a low level. Medical supervision is no higher than that of the police. No new thought penetrates into these outworn institutions. They can only prosecute, they cannot help. Brotherhood (1937) - 35:
35. Be not surprised that, speaking about Brotherhood, I mention the primary energy; there are two reasons for this. The first lies in the fact that approach to Brotherhood requires the development of the primary energy. Without this, with the centers sleeping, realization of such subtle perceptions is impossible. On such most subtle vibrations is built Brotherly cooperation. The second thing to be remembered is that not everyone has read the preceding writings, in which psychic energy is spoken about. Each book must contain the basic conditions for improvement. It would be cruel not to give even brief allusions to the preceding, wherein something invaluable has been dealt with. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 433:
433. Urusvati knows that even the Great Ones have manifested different qualities in each incarnation. Observing a whole series of incarnations, one can see clearly the necklace of accumulations. In this regard it is particularly instructive to note the great variations, succeeding one after the other. It should not be thought that qualities are accumulated by any earthly way or that each incarnation is a continuation of the preceding one - the law of evolution is far more vast in its outlines. From the supermundane heights it is easier to see just how the spirit must perfect itself. There is no contradiction in the fact that the spirit develops in accordance with supermundane processes.
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