on masters.

i think the way for all western theosophists is through h. p. b. i mean that as she is the t.s. incarnate, its mother and guardian, its creator, the karmic laws would naturally provide that all who drew this life through her belonged to her, and if they denied her, they need not hope to reach ...: for how can they deny her who gave this doctrine to the western world? they share her karma to little purpose, if they think they can get round this identification and benefit, and ... want no better proof that a man does not comprehend their philosophy. this would, of course, bar him from ... by natural laws (of growth). i do not mean that in the ordinary business sense she must forward their applications or their merits; i mean that they who do not understand the basic mutual relation, who under value her gift and65 her creation, have not imbibed the teaching and cannot assimilate its benefits.

she must be understood as being what she is to the t.s., or karma (the law of compensation, or of cause and effect) is not understood, or the first laws of occultism. people ought to think of this: we are too much given to supposing that events are chances, or have no connection with ourselves: each event is an effect of the law.

what should be done is to realise that "the master-soul is one" with all that that implies; to know the meaning of the old teaching, "thou art that." when this is done we may with impunity identify our consciousness with that of anything in nature; not before. but to do this is a lifetime's work, and beforehand we have to exhaust all karma, which means duty; we must live for others and then we will find out all we should know, not what we would like to know.

devotion and aspiration will, and do, help to bring about a proper attitude of mind, and to raise the student to a higher plane, and also they secure for the student help which is unseen by him, for devotion and aspiration put the student into a condition in which aid can be given to him, though he may, as yet, be unconscious of it. but conscious communication with one's master can only be accomplished after long training and study. what a student has to do, and is able to do, is to fit himself to receive this training.

the recognition from a guru will come when you are ready, and my advice to you is that, if possible, you put away from yourself the desire for such recognition; for such desire will hinder you. if you will read the bhagavat g?ta, especially chapters ii. and iii., i think you will find much to help you. there it says: "let, then, the motive for action be in the action itself,66 not in the event. do not be incited to actions by the hope of their reward ... perform thy duty ... and laying aside all desire for any benefit to thyself from action, make the event equal to thee, whether it be success or failure." it is but natural that a student should hope for recognition from a master, but this desire is to be put aside, and that work is to be done which lies before each. at the same time each one knows that the effect follows the cause, hence whatever our due, we shall receive it at the right time.

every chêla (and we are all that once we determine to be) has these same difficulties. patience and fortitude! for an easy birth is not always a good one. the kingdom of heaven is only taken by violence, and not by weakness of attack. your constant aspiration persevered in secret has led you to that point where just these troubles come to all. console yourself with the thought that others have been in the same place and have lived through it by patience and fortitude.... fix your thoughts again on those elder brothers, work for them, serve them, and they will help through the right appropriate means and no other. to meditate on the higher self is difficult. seek then, the bridge, the masters. "seek the truth by strong search," by doing service, and by enquiry, and those who know the truth will teach it. give up doubt, and arise in your place with patience and fortitude. let the warrior fight, the gentle yet fierce krishna, who, when he finds thee as his disciple and his friend, will tell thee the truth and lighten up the darkness with the lamp of spiritual knowledge.

attacks cannot hurt, they must needs come, but all we have to do is to keep right on, working steadily, and masters will see after the rest. for, that which is done in their name will come right; and this whole thing has arisen because i have chosen to proclaim my67 personal belief in the existence of these beings of grandeur. so, let us shake again with the confidence born from the knowledge of the wisdom of the unseen leaders, and we go forth separately once more, again to the work, if even not to meet until another incarnation is ours. but meeting then, we shall be all the stronger for having kept faith now.

i am glad that you have such a faith in the great workers who are behind us. they are behind us, to my personal knowledge, and not behind me only, but behind all sincere workers. i know that their desire is that each should listen to the voice of his inner self and not depend too much on outside people, whether they be masters, eastern disciples or what not. by a dependence of that kind you become at last thoroughly independent, and then the unseen helpers are able to help all the more.

we are all human and thus weak and sinful. in that respect in which we are better than others, they are better than we are in some other way. we would be self-righteous to judge others by our own standard.... are we so wise as never to act foolishly? not at all.... indeed i have come to the conclusion that in this nineteenth century a pledge is no good, because everyone reserves to himself the right to break it if he finds after a while that it is galling, or that it puts him in some inconsistent attitude with something he may have said or done at some other time.... in ——'s case, ... everyone should never think but the very best, no matter what the evidences are. why, if the masters were to judge us exactly as they must know we are, then good-bye at once. we would all be sent packing. but masters deal kindly with us in the face of greater knowledge of our thoughts and evil thoughts from which none are yet exempt. this is my view, and you will please me much if you will be68 able to turn into the same, and to spread it among those on the inside who have it not. it is easy to do well by those we like, it is our duty to make ourselves do and think well by those we do not like. masters say we think in grooves, and but few have the courage to fill those up and go on other lines. let us who are willing to make the attempt try to fill up these grooves, and make new and better ones.

... keep up your courage, faith and charity. those who can to any extent assimilate the master, to that extent they are the representatives of the master, and have the help of the lodge in its work.... bear up, firm heart, be strong, be bold and kind, and spread your strength and boldness.

h. p. b. then said that it is by falling and by failing that we learn, and we cannot hope at once to be great and wise and wholly strong. she and the masters behind expected this from all of us; she and they never desired any of us to work blindly, but only desired that we work unitedly.

h. p. b. wrote me in 1890: "be more charitable for others than for yourself, and more severe on yourself than on others." this is good advice. a strain always weakens the fibres and produces friction. i hope all misunderstandings will fly away.