Pekka Ervast’s talk at an esoteric meeting on April 6, 1931

[Compiled by Antti Savinainen] 

Dear friends! 

Madame Blavatsky founded the Esoteric Section, later renamed the Esoteric School, in 1888, after the Theosophical Society had generally lost its faith in the Masters. When the Society for Psychical Research published its report in 1885 claiming that Madame Blavatsky fabricated the Masters, theosophists began to doubt the existence of the Masters. This meant that the Masters had to withdraw from the Theosophical Society. When they discussed with Madame Blavatsky what could be done, it was decided to establish an inner circle within the Theosophical Society, where attempts would be made to contact the Master. The phrase “make contact with the Master” does not only mean making contact with a specific Master, but generally means that a person would come into contact with the cosmos itself and spiritual forces. The Masters are only one aspect of the spiritual forces of the cosmos; they represent the highest knowledge and wisdom here on earth. But the universe is full of all kinds of beings, not just a few dozen Masters, but countless multitudes of spiritual beings, some of whom are lower in development and have not yet reached the level of humans. In contrast, others are remarkable divine beings whose powers play a part in this universe, and with whom humans must come into contact.

David M. Grossman – USA

A point comes in our search for meaning in life where we are ready to take a next step. We know there is a higher side to things, that the “day to day” is the water flowing under the bridge, here today gone tomorrow.    

Traditionally people have sometimes turned to the spiritual life through various religious structures by withdrawing from physical worldly life, becoming nuns or monks as in Buddhism or Christianity, living in monasteries or in more extreme expressions as in the examples of Indian Yogis withdrawing into the proverbial cave and embracing the totally austere and solitary life for a time.    

Boris de Zirkoff – USA

Lesser known photo of Boris in his office, early 1950's 

(Written in 1951!)

While world statesmen and politicians are dividing humanity into respective "spheres of influence", and the scientists of the world are inventing more and more powerful weapons for still greater slaughter, a solution of the one basic problem remains practically ignored.

It is the problem of the appalling lack of ethical integrity - a condition which affects every aspect of our modern life and penetrates into every stratum and level of our civilization.

Kenneth Small – USA

With some commentary based on Helena Blavatsky’s The Voice of the Silence

“Self-Knowledge is of loving deeds the child” (1)

In a current media editorial, it was recently expressed (September 2025) as a wake-up call, the writer advocated: “Don’t express empathy without action”.  This is a timely insight applicable in today’s fractious world conditions, filled with contentious polarizing and competing ideas largely motivated by the rush for personal power. Conversely, we may say that it is imperative that “we don’t take action without empathy.”  Reflecting on this conundrum, what more all-encompassing insights may the Wisdom Traditions offer for understanding ‘empathy in action’ today?