New Era Community (1926) - 97: 97. On the path do not rest under a rotting tree. In life have no dealings with people with extinguished consciousness. An undeveloped consciousness is not as infectious as an extinguished one. The extinguished consciousness is an actual vampire. It is impossible to fill from without the abyss of the ignorant consciousness. Precisely these people absorb one's energy uselessly. As a result of being with them, enormous fatigue is felt. They must be avoided like a stench in order to bar the way to the fluids of decomposition. It is difficult to distinguish the boundary line between lack of development and extinction. But one quality will be unquestionably indicative Lack of development will or may be accompanied by the palpitation of devotion, but an extinct crater is full of cinders and brimstone. The Teaching does not refuse to expend energy on the undeveloped, but there is a degree of extinction at which the abyss is not to be flooded with a new substance. Only a cataclysm, with its terror of unexpectedness, can melt a congealed lava. New Era Community (1926) - 140: Traveler, how do you imagine the path beyond the limits of the earthly crust? So many forces have been expended for defining the life beyond! It seems to people that they will at once sink into a state of groundlessness. This faint-heartedness is a result of undeveloped observation. Agni Yoga (1929) - 293: 293. Especially harmful are crossed currents. Even in the physical life, people prefer arrows coming from one direction to those coming from many directions. One can easily understand the depression of mood caused by arrows flying above one's head from unknown directions. When such a saturation of space cannot be avoided, it is especially important to guard one's health. The blood pressure increases, and the tension of the centers causes depression. A single known enemy, however strong, is better than these unrecognizable taps. The Teacher is especially attentive at such times, especially if the fires of the centers are already strained. But these life explosions are unavoidable. Every affirming conscious activity will evoke a vortex of thought, and if one's spiritual development is already great, then the counteraction of unbridled spatial waves is also great, and burdensome. Naturally, people with undeveloped centers do not even notice the shower of arrows, but this does not mean that they should be envied. We speak of constant joy, but this joy is a special wisdom. Agni Yoga (1929) - 344: Often people will not look at reality, but insist on their own misperception. People will ask why demonstrations of the subtle energies are so rare. Tell them that on the contrary, they are continuous, but the human eye and ear do not care to recognize them. When the human eye does glimpse them, it is usual to convince oneself that they were imagined. This is the attitude of an undeveloped consciousness. Agni Yoga (1929) - 422: Therefore We bid humanity kindle the fires of striving and achievement simply. This panacea deprives no one of anything, and it can be discovered through study. The manifestations of light are embryos of fire. They are the rudiments of forms that often remain undeveloped. Agni Yoga (1929) - 545: When you are spreading the Teaching, do not wonder why so few understand its urgent necessity. In immature thinking, one trait prevails - ideas about the future are distorted. The approach of something may be felt, but the undeveloped consciousness refracts the perceptions. It is unnecessary to cite instances of people's rejoicing before disaster and celebrating before defeat. Infinity - Book 2 (1930) - 281: 281. The extent to which the conscious realization of cosmic attractions remains undeveloped is evident in human creativity. Toward what are efforts being directed? In what channel are all strivings gathered? By what impulse is humanity moved? Let us manifest understanding. Usually man dissipates his energy in an aimless striving to a vegetative life, excluding himself from the cosmic chain. Therefore, We say that a man can create his own world as a part of the World Community or become a link with the Cosmos and thus become a cosmic co-worker. Thus, striving brings one to Infinity. Heart (1932) - 211: 211. Let everything be done for the sake of Good. Let each action unfold new achievements. Let the thought of service accompany each deed. Let the command of Good react upon everything, like the most vivid image of the Teacher; the Teaching of the Heart is indivisible from Good. Who, and what, then, besides the heart, can vindicate or indict one's motives? The purity of the heart is disclosed by Fire. How often it has been necessary to speak of this vital application of Fire; nevertheless, neither in the home nor at school is the fiery purifier spoken about. And could a teacher who has never even thought about reality, speak of Fire? Attestation does not yet mean firmness of consciousness. Hence, how assiduously one must observe and re-examine the events of one's own life. Frequently, important signs surround us and disclose the significance of our future, but undeveloped attentiveness prevents one from discerning the convincing reality. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 6: 6. One must manifest special caution. You can see how even the morals of a nation change. Hence, ignorance reacts to the pressure of the atmosphere. One must observe that ignorance clearly affirms the foundations of darkness. One can imagine how easily the undeveloped brain deteriorates when the heart is silent. The morals of the peoples droop like a withered apple tree. Thus the danger of fiery epidemics is now great. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 143: 143. A headache may have many causes, but it also may come from the non-acceptance somewhere of mental sending; this can also be reflected as needle pricks in the heart. Hence, I am so anxious that this harm should not take place. With some people a routine of negation is formed imperceptibly, and it becomes, as it were, a habit to feel offended. On the basis of these errors, people become impervious to the manifestations of mental sendings. In this state the most benign thought recoils from the obstruction of resentment. Moreover, the thought may return and only cause trouble to the sender. One should urge everyone not to do harm. Besides, a touch-me-not attitude is most petty and is nurtured by an undeveloped consciousness. Thus, in everyday life there exists a routine of resentment. It must be recognized and ejected as a most noxious insect. Petty earthly feelings are turned into a fiery Gehenna. 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) - 644: 644. Bliss, Nirvana, Divine Nearness and all analogous terms for the higher state are usually understood in an earthly sense. Thus, Bliss is always understood as an ecstatic oblivion and the rapture of some kind of indolent rest; but oblivion may be understood only as the erasure of all earthly means and examples. Truly, why such limited earthly ways, when one can already act through the higher energies? Is it possible to identify Divine Nearness with indolence and immersion in oblivion? Such a correlation is contrary to the very meaning of approach to the Highest Principle. This conjoining with the Highest, this transformation through the higher energies, primarily impels one to an increased tension of all forces. Even in extreme tension a man must not lose hold of himself. But amidst the contacts with fiery radiances, the seed of the spirit will be kindled the more, and its striving toward thought-creativeness, unrestrainable. One may wonder why people try to limit and disparage the significance of the Fiery World. They wish to clothe it in earthly limitations and also stipulate that the inhabitants of other worlds must exist in earthly bodies and dwell in earthly conditions. Only an undeveloped imagination can limit the Universe to such a degree. Therefore I so greatly emphasize the development of imagination as the basis of striving toward the Higher Worlds. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 183: 183. Much has been said about life in the Subtle World. The accounts often appear to be contradictory, but again let us take earthly examples. The diversity of earthly situations is astonishing, only undeveloped eyes are unable to distinguish great numbers of subtlest manifestations. When We speak about earthly situations, We usually have in mind only uniform groups, but We cannot enumerate the entire complex of volitional creativeness. Therefore Our definitions will depend upon the theme of the discourse, or upon the quality of the consciousness of Our listener. Likewise among the truest descriptions of the Subtle World there will always be found groups, corresponding most closely to Our designs. Thus, let us not criticize the diversified aspects of information about the Subtle World. If the earthly world is stately, then the Higher Worlds are progressively majestic and multiform. AUM (1936) - 89: Likewise it may be observed that through spiritual development people free themselves from the unpleasant odors which are natural to undeveloped organisms. Let us realize that the Higher World can transform even the composition of the blood. Let us not think that such reactions are supernatural, on the contrary, they are most natural. When a man returns from the pure outdoor air he emits a fragrant odor. Equally fragrant is the consciousness overshadowed by Grace. AUM (1936) - 294: 294. Nothing can vindicate the self-generation of poison, it is the equivalent of murder and suicide. Even the most undeveloped people sense the approach of such a poison-bearer. Distress, anxiety and fear enter with him. Many physical diseases break out as a result of the infiltration of imperil - just as if a firebrand had worked its way in. Brotherhood (1937) - 29: 29. It may be asked why such a needed weapon is not entrusted to everyone. Each one does have it, but it is often closed up behind seven locks. People themselves are to blame that they lock up their greatest treasure in the cellar. Many, even after hearing about such energy, are not eager to learn about the means of its discovery - so undeveloped is love of knowledge!
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