Mahatma letters

There are a number of compilations of letters written by H. P. Blavatsky's Teachers, variously referred to as, "Brothers," "Mahatmas," or "Masters."

The first one was published in 1919 by C. Jinarajadasa under the title Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, which gathered letters to different members of the Theosophical Society between 1881-1888. The later editions of this volume (which presented some additional letters) bear the words "First Series", since in 1925 another volume with a Second Series of letters was published.

A second publication was by A. Trevor Barker in 1923, in the book entitled The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. & K. H. This presents the correspondence that took place over the years 1880 to 1884 between the Englishmen Mr. Sinnett and Mr. Hume, and the two Masters known as Morya and Koot Hoomi. The original letters are kept in the British Library. Colored images of these letters along with a transcription of them, and related material is offered in the Portal to the Mahatma Letters.

A last compilation was published by Daniel Caldwell in 2013 under the title Mrs. Holloway and the Mahatmas, which includes numerous published and unpublished letters written by the Mahatmas K.H. and M. to Mrs. Holloway, H. P. Blavatsky and Henry S. Olcott.

Production of the letters

The majority of the letters were not written physically by the Masters. Mme. Blavatsky, in a letter to Mr. Sinnett wrote: "Has Mahatma K.H. written himself all His letters? How many chelas have been precipitating and writing them——heaven only knows." "Precipitation" is an occult method by which the Masters impress their thought on a chela's brain and, using the latter's magnetic force, the words are made to appear into the paper after having collected the necessary material from the astral light. This procedure, however, may produce errors which may or may not be corrected later by the Master. Mahatma K.H. explained this as follows:

Another of our customs, when corresponding with the outside world, is to entrust a chela with the task of delivering the letter or any other message; and if not absolutely necessary — to never give it a thought. Very often our very letters — unless something very important and secret — are written in our handwritings by our chelas. Thus, last year, some of my letters to you were precipitated, and when sweet and easy precipitation was stopped — well I had but to compose my mind, assume an easy position, and — think, and my faithful “Disinherited” had but to copy my thoughts, making only occasionally a blunder.

Mahatma Letter No. 117 is an example of how mistakes can be made with these methods:

[The letter] was dictated mentally, in the direction of, and “precipitated” by, a young chela not yet expert at this branch of psychic chemistry, and who had to transcribe it from the hardly visible imprint. Half of it, therefore, was omitted and the other half more or less distorted by the “artist.” When asked by him at the time, whether I would look it over and correct I answered, imprudently I confess — “anyhow will do, my boy — it is of no great importance if you skip a few words.”

Another important fact to keep in mind is that these letters were personal. They were not meant to be necessarily a faithful representation of what a Master typically thinks. Some of the letters were calculated to produce a certain effect on the recipient, as part of the occult training. Mahatma K.H. tells Mr. Hume:

. . .(you must not feel altogether so sure that because they [the letters] are in his [Mahatma M's] handwriting, they are written by him, though of course every word is sanctioned by him to serve certain ends) — you say he has "a peculiar mode of expressing himself to say the least." Now, that "way" is simply the bare truth, which he is ready to write to yourself, or even say and repeat to your face, without the least concealment or change — (unless he has purposely allowed the expressions to be exaggerated for the same purposes as mentioned above). . .

From this can be gathered that it is possible the letters may contain some particular views or expressions that do not reflect the whole attitude or knowledge of the Masters.

In answer to accusations that said the handwriting of the Masters was (subtly) different along the letters, Mme. Blavatsky wrote:

Now if there is such a marked difference between letters written by the same identical person mechanically, (as the case with me for instance who never had a steady handwriting) how much more in precipitation, which is the photographic reproduction from one’s head, and I bet anything that no chela (if Masters can) is capable of precipitating his own handwriting twice over in precisely the same way — a difference and a marked one there shall always be, as no painter can paint twice over the same likeness. . .

The process of precipitation by chelas may introduced mistakes. In a letter "to an intimate friend" Mme. Blavatsky says:

There are hundreds of things missing or incomplete in [Esoteric Buddhism]. The teachings were given by Mahatma K. H., a few letters written by Himself, others precipitated by his chelas. The mistakes made, whether through the fault of the “precipitators” or by others, have been and will be gradually explained and corrected.

Why have the letters stopped?

Some people ask why the Mahatmas have stopped sending letters. One reason may be due to the lack of a chela working in the outer world with the necessary psychic characteristics that H. P. Blavatsky and a few others had:

Were she [Mme. Blavatsky] to die to-day — and she is really sick — you would not receive more than two, or at most three more letters from me (through Damodar or Olcott, or through already established emergent agencies), and then, that reservoir of force being exhausted — our parting would be FINAL.

Also, Mahatma K. H. warned in July 1881 that if the world did not accept the proofs about their existence they would return to the "kingdom of silence":

If, for generations we have "shut out the world from the Knowledge of our Knowledge," it is on account of its absolute unfitness; and if, notwithstanding proofs given, it still refuses yielding to evidence, then will we at the End of this cycle retire into solitude and our kingdom of silence once more. . . .

In 1885, the report written by Richard Hodgson representing the Society for Psychic Research stated that the Mahatmas and their phenomena had been an invention of H. P. Blavatsky. This report is still today influential, although Vernon Harrison, a member of the S.P.R, showed in his Examination of the Hodgson Report that it was "flawed and untrustworthy".

In Spring of 1885 Mme. Blavatsky sends a letter to A. P. Sinnett saying:

At this very instant I receive a letter for you. I enclose it — pardon me, but I do hope — it is the last, for I have no more strength to suffer.

In his letter, Mahatma K. H. says:

You must have understood by this time, my friend, that the centennial attempt made by us to open the eyes of the blind world — has nearly failed: in India — partially, in Europe — with a few exceptions — absolutely.

Additional resources

Video

• The Mahatmas and Their Letters by Steve Schweizer