Adepts and Masters

(1) The adept is the rare efflorescence of a generation of enquirers; and to become one, he must obey the inward impulse of his soul, irrespective of the prudential considerations of worldly science and sagacity. ML 2, p. 6

(2) But my first duty is to my Master. And duty, let me tell you, is for us stronger than friendship, or even love; as without this abiding principle, which is the indestructible cement that has held together, for so many millennium, the scattered custodians of nature's grand secrets – our Brotherhood, nay, our doctrine itself – would have crumbled long ago into unrecognizable atoms. ML 62, p. 351

(3) Nothing, my friend – even apparently absurd and reprehensible actions – is ever done by us without a purpose. ML 57, p. 332

(4) Both if you labor under the strange impression that we can, and even do care for anything that may be said or thought of us. Disabuse your minds, and remember that the first requisite in even a simple fakir, is that he should have trained himself to remain as indifferent to moral pain as to physical suffering. Nothing can give US personal pain or pleasure. And what I say is rather to bring you to understand US than yourselves, which is the most difficult science to learn. ML 29, p. 224

(5) We never whine over the inevitable but try to make the best of the worst. And though we neither push nor draw into the mysterious domain of occult nature those who are unwilling, we never shrink from expressing our opinions freely and fearlessly, yet we are ever ready to assist those who come to us even to – agnostics who assume the negative position of "knowing nothing but phenomena and refuse to believe in anything else."ML 4 pp. 16-17

(6) Realize my friend that the social affections have little, if any, control over any true adept in the performance of his duty. L 43, p. 259

(7) And to begin with let him rid himself of the maya that any man living can set up "claims" upon adepts. He may create irresistible attractions and compel their attention, but they will be spiritual, not mental or intellectual. And this bit of advice applies and is directed to several British theosophists, and it may be well for them to know it. Once separated from the common influence of Society, nothing draws us to any outsider save his evolving spirituality. ML 59, p. 341

(8) I can come nearer to you, but you must draw me by a purified heart and a gradually developing will. Like the needle the adept follows his attractions. ML 45, p. 266

(9) I hope that at least you will understand that we (or most of us) are far from being the heartless, morally dried up mummies some would fancy us to be. "Mejnour" (the adept hero of Bulwer Lytton's occult novel, Zanoni) is very well where he is – as an ideal character of a thrilling – in many respects truthful story. Yet, believe me, few of us would care to play the part in life of a desiccated pansy between the leaves of solemn poetry.

We may not be quite the "boys" – to quote Olcott's irreverent expression when speaking of us – yet none of our degree are like the stern hero of Bulwar's romance. While the facilities of observation secured to some of us by our condition certainly give a greater breadth of view, a more pronounced and impartial, as a more widely humaneness ... we might justly maintain that it is the business of "magic" to humanize our natures with compassion, for the whole of mankind as all living beings, instead of concentrating and limiting our affections to one predilected race – yet few of us (except such as have attained the final negation of Moksha) can so far enfranchise ourselves from the influence of our earthly connection as to be insusceptible in various degrees to the higher pleasures, emotions, and interests of the common run of humanity. ML 8, p. 32

(10) Even an adept, when acting in his body, is not beyond mistakes due to human carelessness. L 55, p. 324

(11) Believe me, there comes a time in the life of an adept, when the hardships he has passed through are a thousand fold rewarded. In order to acquire further knowledge, he has no more to go through a minute and slow process of investigation and comparison of various objects, but is accorded an instantaneous, implicit insight into every first truth. ... the adept sees and feels and lives in the very source of all fundamental truths – the Universal Spiritual Essence of Nature, Shiva the Creator, the Destroyer, and the Regenerator. ML 31, p. 241

(12) And I wish I could impress upon your minds the deep conviction that we do not wish Mr. Hume or you to prove conclusively to the public that we really exist. Please realize the fact that so long as men doubt, there will be curiosity and enquiry, and that enquiry stimulates reflection, which begets effort; but let our secret be once thoroughly vulgarized and not only will skeptical society derive no great good but our privacy would be constantly endangered and have to be continually guarded at an unreasonable cost of power. ML 29, p. 227

(13) Realize, my friend that the social affections have little, if any control over any true adept in the performance of his duty. In proportion as he rises towards perfect adeptship the fancies and antipathies of his former self are weakened: as K.H., in substance, has explained to you, he takes all mankind into his heart and regards them in the mass. ML43, p. 259

(14) You ought to have learned by this time our ways. We advise – and never order. But we do influence individuals. ML 48, p.271

(15) Alone the adepts,...