When a person speaks with his friend about the fear of God, a direct light and a reflected light are created.

Occasionally, the reflected light precedes the direct light. This happens when the recipient has a weak intellect and is unable to receive his friend’s words. For then, before his friend receives from him, which is an aspect of direct light, he [the speaker] receives from his friend. In such a case, the reflected light precedes the direct light.

For when a person speaks with his friend about the fear of God, even if his friend does not receive from him, he [the speaker] nevertheless receives inspiration from his friend. As a result of the impact—that the words went out from his mouth to his friend—the light reflects back to him. {This is literally the concept of the reflected light spoken of in the Writings, study there.}

It is like someone who [throws an object that] hits a wall: the object returns to him. It is the same when he speaks to his friend, even if his friend does not receive from him. He himself can nevertheless be inspired by [the words] as a result of the impact—that the words went out towards his friend, struck [his friend], and returned to him.

Therefore, had he spoken these words to himself, it is quite possible that he would not have been inspired by them at all. But by saying them to his friend, they inspired him, even though his friend was not inspired—for they returned to him as a result of the aforementioned aspect of impacting. {This is the concept of reflected light: it results from the principle of impacting, as explained in the Writings. Understand this.}