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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. Heart (1932) - 101:
101. One should co-measure one's forces when they are demanded in all directions. The significance of the battle can be understood when the tired warriors return for a new battle. Verily, the first task of a Yogi is in the distribution and economy of forces. Not without cause do the generous of heart refrain from uselessly gesticulating. At present, caution is especially needed, for the energy should not be dissipated by superfluous expenditures. One should be on guard. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 134:
134. Competition is one of the difficult concepts. Only the fiery heart understands how many measures may be placed upon the light and upon the dark side. A pure understanding of self-perfection will not evoke competition. Where the consciousness is wild and unrestricted, there competition leads to mutual destruction. Envy nests around competition. It leads to the most subtle crimes. Cooperation must bring balance to the misunderstood competition. It is not easy to fix for oneself the boundary of a reasonable competition. The word competition itself is already dangerous; in it is expressed jealousy, in other words, a corrupt devotion. Therefore, it is best wherever possible to replace the concept of competition with that of perfectionment. A great number of concepts must be revised from their contemporary connotation. It should be acknowledged that a just history of beliefs would reveal the roots of many most perverted concepts. Care should be taken that the language of the basic ideas be resounding and as clear-cut as possible. One may enrich the language with new definitions, but senseless buzzing will not bring any benefit. Each letter denotes by its sound a vibration of the centers. It is foolish to infringe uselessly upon harmony. Turn your attention to the resonance of the ancient names of places. The new places do not always produce the same useful vibration. The ancient names had a timeless significance. Often no philology can discover the root inserted by manifest powerful peoples. The more carefully, then, must we regard an inheritance which is unknown but which forces our hearts to resound. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 190:
190. Danger is a concentration of the vibrations of tension. A great number of perils surround people, but only a few of them are noticed. When the Leader says, "live in danger," he might well say instead, "observe the dangers and thus succeed." One cannot live outside of dangers, but it is beautiful to make out of dangers a carpet of achievement. The Leader knows that he bears a mission, and dangers are only propelling forces; therefore the Leader does not even think about dangers. The very thought of peril is harmful. Thinking about dangers, we strengthen their vibrations, and thus disturb our equilibrium. Conservation of forces must not be disrupted by fear and confusion. We are watchful and careful for the best execution of the commission. But dangers cannot overburden our attention. The Teacher should, first of all, insist upon the disciple's liberation from the phantom of perils. The disciple should always remember not to expend a drop of the higher energy uselessly. Thought of danger agitates many of our centers and in disorderly fashion consumes the precious energy. Thought of danger reflects even upon the pulse; but the heart is strengthened by the desire to carry out well the mission. Thus, let us act in the most efficient manner. Brotherhood (1937) - 332:
332. The indistinctness of subtle faces, which were seen, has its causes. The faces from the middle spheres can be irksome, and man encloses himself, as it were, in a protective network in order that these guests not fatigue him uselessly. In the Subtle World a similar demarcation of spheres can be noticed, otherwise a disorder would result that would be reflected in many ways.
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