1. "Benevolence and sternness are one and the same concept." [Leaves of Morya’s Garden II, 264]
2. "...Severity for the sake of justice and mercy. Severity and mercy are basically one concept." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 2. 040]
3. "... It is possible to show visible severity and be cordial. It is even said, “Goodness is in severity.” And I join this statement especially now, when self-discipline and reasonable cooperation are so necessary." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes -2. 078]
4. "It is a most useful thing to be able to combine the tenderness of love with the austereness of duty. The new life will not be deterred by contrasts." [New Era Community , 112]
5. "Sternness and cruelty are quite different concepts. But people do not know how to distinguish the harmony of sternness from the spasms of cruelty. Sternness is an attribute of justice, but cruelty is misanthropy." [Brotherhood, 579]
6. "There is too much cruelty everywhere now. You need to know a lot in order to successfully apply severity, otherwise, instead of benefit, the harm of cruelty will occur." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 7. 124]
7. "Who, then, should be treated especially austerely? Definitely oneself." [New Era Community, 130]
8. "... It is necessary to remember the Teacher's testament – "Severity to yourself and an open heart to your brother. Only the good eye creates"". [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 1. 048]
9. "We will grow immensely by the phenomenon of severity to ourselves!" [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 1. 054]
10. "Strictness to ourselves and tolerance to others let it be the main line of behavior." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1955, 423]
11. "The opening of the heart, pity and compassion for people is the path of Great Service to humanity, the path of Heroism. But at the same time, we must remember that the path of compassion should be the path of wise severity and effective help, but not sentimentality and therefore often unfair evaluation." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 7. 106]
12. "It is better to have stern knowledge than to be moved by sentiment." [Leaves of Morya’s Garden I, 224]
13. "A certain severity must be revealed. Without courage and severity, we will fall into sentimentality and instead of clear thoughts and actions, we will join the chorus of "heavenly" harpers ..." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 2. 019]
14. "It is needful on the one hand to cultivate kindheartedness and on the other to understand austerity. For many, such a task is completely insoluble; only the heart can prompt when the two qualities will not contradict each other. The heart will prompt when it is necessary to rush to the help of one’s neighbor. The heart will indicate when to stop short the madness of a fierce animal." [Brotherhood, 121]
15. "Severity will be a good medicine." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1961, 280]
16. "By the example of a loving mother, you see how you can love. To love sacrificially and selflessly, knowing perfectly well the advantages and disadvantages of your child, how can you, loving, still be strict and harsh in the matter of his upbringing. Severity and strictness towards a child is not a condemnation, but there is a judgment of the truth and knowledge of his shortcomings, which must be eradicated. Love covers severity and rigor with justice and successfully moves the development of a little person. Similarly, in relation to people close in spirit, love for them gives the right to judge the truth, and to know, and to understand their shortcomings, and to the strength of unity in spite of them. To know the faces of friends does not mean to condemn them at all. But to reveal their face without condemnation will already be a high step of the spirit." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1956, 400]
17. "For unconfined action it is necessary for one to be filled with magnanimity and to discover causes and effects with a benevolent eye. Austerity of labor has nothing in common with a censorious attitude. Only limited people condemn. Not out of condemnation is perfectment born." [Brotherhood, 41]
18. "The most severe choice is that according to essence. Austere goalfitness obliges one to preserve the true treasures." [New Era Community, 254]
19. "Hatred is implacable; this is what distinguishes it from other traits. Sometimes sternness is mistakenly seen as hatred. People view resolute actions by great reformers in this way, but these actions are essentially stern and far from hatred. Let us not judge the reasons for their sternness. Just imagine the abyss of ignorance and animosity that faces every reformer! It is a wonder that great leaders do not succumb to hatred, but then this is not characteristic of great leaders. ... Every reformer who had to take severe measures secretly feels remorse about them, but the one who hates rejoices in his every act of cruelty. ... Hatred is a special kind of ignorance. An enlightened person knows that hatred stands in the way of progress." [Supermundane, 635]
20. "Severity is needed where there is a persistent unwillingness to notice one's shortcomings or self-justification." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1955, 275]
21. "Severity towards oneself and gentleness or tolerance towards people. ...But you should not forgive yourself either big or small. The seal of uselessness and inexpediency should be imposed on everything that does not correspond to the purpose. We destroy opportunities for everything that does not meet the goal." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1953, 174]
22. "The severity of the understanding of the feat must be revealed, pink dreams are not suitable for life. Harshness to yourself and an impartial analysis in your inner world of everything that is not in tune with the best aspirations of the heart will help to leave unnecessary baggage at the bottom. It's easier to walk without extra load. Free from the weight of the load will reach." [Facets of Agni Yoga 1965, 380]
23. "The best joy emanates from austerity." [New Era Community, 191]
