1944 Quote by Aleister Crowley
““Remember that which is written: "Moderate strength rings the bell: great strength returns the penny." It is always the little bit extra that brings home the bacon. It is the last attack that breaks through the enemy position. Water will never boil, however long you keep it at 99° C. You may find that a Pranayama cycle of 10-20-30 brings no result in months; put it up to 10-20-40, and Dhyana comes instantly. When in doubt, push just a little bit harder. You have no means of finding out what are exactly the right conditions for success in any practice; but all practices are alike in one respect; the desired result is in the nature of orgasm.””
About This Quote
The passage stresses that marginal effort beyond the norm can unlock breakthroughs, using metaphors of temperature, breath control, and sexual climax to illustrate hidden thresholds in practice.
In simple terms: Small extra effort yields disproportionate results.
Key Takeaway
Push just beyond the usual limit.
Themes
effort
thresholds
metaphor
spiritual practice
psychology
Mood
determined
intrigued
motivated
Type
philosophical
motivational
spiritual
When to use this quote
- meditation training
- physical conditioning
- creative problem solving
- skill mastery
Key Concepts
incremental gain
nonlinear response
mind-body connection
Practical Applications
- optimizing performance
- overcoming plateaus
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden thresholds might you be overlooking?
- How can you safely test incremental pushes?
