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The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett - 1923

By A. T. Barker

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Letter No LXVIII

I have just taken your note from where it was placed by her as, although I might take cognisance of its contents otherwise, youwill prefer that the paper itself should pass into my own hand.—Does it seem to you a small thing that the past year has beenspent only in your ** family duties "? Nay but what better causefor reward, what better discipline, than the daily and hourly per-formance of duty? Believe me my *' pupil," the man or womanwho is placed by Karma in the midst of small plain duties andsacrifices and loving-kindness, will through these faithfully fulfilled rise to the larger measure of Duty, Sacrifice, and Charity to all Humanity—what better paths towards the enlightenment you arestriving after than the daily conquest of Self, the perseverence inspite of want of visible psychic progress, the bearing of ill-fortunewith that serene fortitude which turns it to spiritual advantage—since good and evil are not to be measured by events on the loweror physical plane. —Be not discouraged that your practice falls below your aspirations, yet be not content with admitting this, since you clearly recognise that your tendency is too often towardsmental and moral indolence, rather inclining to drift with thecurrents of life, than to steer a direct course of your own. Yourspiritual progress is far greater than you know or can realize, andyou do well to believe that such development is in itself moreimportant than its realization by your physical plane consciousness. I will not now enter into other subjects since this is but aline of sympathetic recognition of your efforts, and of earnestencouragement to hold a calm and brave spirit toward outwardevents in the present, and a hopeful spirit for the future on all planes—^truly yours, 

K. H.

I am sincerely pleased my ** pupil " that you should write to me as agreed—whether you have—or have not—any special question to put to me. —It is impossible under your present health conditions that you should bring- back to your physical brain the consciousness of Hig^her planes of existence, yet remember, that the sense of magnetic refreshment is no true measure of spiritual benefit, and you may even attain greater spiritual progress while your psychic development appears to stand still.

Now to answer your questions. 
(i)    In esoteric teachings *' Brahma," '' Pitri," and " Devalokas, " are states of consciousness belonging to the various ethereal hierachies or classes of Dhyanis and Pitris (the *' creators " and '* ancestors " of humanity) and of Devas—some far higher than man (spiritually) some—among the Deva classes— far behind on the descending arc of evolution, and only destined to reach the human stage in a future Manvantara. —Esoterically these lokas represent Nirvana, Devachan and the astral world. The meaning of the terms "Devachan" and " Deva-loka," is identical ; " chan " and " loka " equally signifying place or abode. Deva is a word too indiscriminately used in Eastern writings, and is at times merely a blind.
(2) You will be right in referring the " Real Knowledge" and ** True Cause " of the verses quoted to the highest plane of spiritual enlightenment; the "greater darkness " into which the perfected *' Siddha " is finally merged thereby, is that Absolute Darkness y which is Absolute Light. The Real Knowledge here spoken of is not a mental but a spiritual state, implying full union between the Knower and the Known. I hope that these brief replies may throw all the light you needed upon these points. With sincere good-will, 

Yours truly, 
K. H.