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cross into the Subtle World, it is unwise to begin preparations the evening before you
depart. It is horrible when a person who has turned away from thought about the Subtle
World his whole life behaves like a negligent student and only on the eve of his crossing
begins in confusion to repeat words he has never really understood. The time of crossing
is sure to come—this is an unavoidable fact that every Teaching proclaims. It has been
said, “We shall not die, but change.” Is it possible to speak more concisely, to speak with
a greater sense of affirmation? It means that one must know the language of the Subtle
World. It also means that one has to acquire the right of entry with full consciousness, but
all this is impossible to attain on the eve of departure. There are those who instill terror,
instead of joy, in the person about to cross over, and this violates the law of life. But as
you know, the best guide forward is the flaming heart. When you have such an
inextinguishable lamp, there is nothing terrifying about crossing the skies and meeting
the Guiding Ones.
171. A heart may hear the call of victory even while the battle is raging. Such a heart
is worth cultivating, and the work of refining one’s consciousness will be an extremely
beneficial activity.
172. Fire is closest to sound and color. There is a good reason why the sound of a
trumpet so powerfully attracts the Fire of Space. It is not by chance that some paintings
seem to glow, for the very same fire of the heart is ablaze in them. You should envision
the manifestation of fire not only as a reality but also as something inseparable from us.
173. The Teacher has joined in an eternal oath about establishment of the New World,
so follow Him with your every effort. Humanity needs to purify its existence, so
reconstruction must begin from the hearth, from everyday life. You should not wait for
whole nations to start moving; on the contrary, the life principle will undergo a
worldwide reformation on a personal basis, quite apart from nationality. So you should
first of all remember that it is not the narrow old boundaries that will partition the world.
The foundation of psychic energy is not limiting itself to a specific nation, but will
discover a completely different world pattern.
174. The flaming pentagram is a shield in times of battle. A person in the midst of
special tension is just such a pentagram. With his larynx burning and his hands and feet
ablaze, he rises like an invincible shield that protects the works manifested. Naturally, a
condition like that is especially dangerous in the midst of life, where so many small
betrayals occur. I recommend silence as a way to avoid setting fire to several centers,
especially the heart. A selfless, flaming heart is a special joy for the Higher World. Such
hearts blaze forth like torches, shining above all the pressures of the world.
175. A sealed glass vessel can only be opened by a harmonious vibration, a
resonance. This is fairly well known, but the harmonic ratio of the resonance with all its
amazing diversity has yet to be considered sufficiently. Isn’t it strange that the same glass
vessel resonates to glass, metal, and wood—to bodies of the greatest diversity? Such
resonance reminds us once more of the diversity in the harmonic ratios of various
combinations. This example is a useful one for human leaders. What tremendous harm is
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