Alienation from the personality is the first step to acquaintance with God. The one is a necessary condition for the other. All aspirants find fault with, and impose tasks on, the desire-nature, so that this wall of separation be pulled down, and a way be found to the Divine Sanctuary.

So long as thou lookest down upon a single soul as inferior to thee, thou art self-conceited, and blind to the Divine Presence. “If thou hast knowledge, put that knowledge into practice; solve thy difficulties by knowledge and practice (com­bined).” …

The knowledge of all the Sages culminates in the realisation that they do not know.

There has been a single Master of Woe in each cycle, protecting others under his charge. On the path of asceticism, a considerable amount of pro­longed exercises is a necessary preliminary to ini­tial success, which, too, is doubtful. On the other hand, he who is trained on the Path of Woe has for his first stage the Purity of Devotion …

Be of good cheer, in spite of thy lack of devotion and the heavy weight of thy sins. “Never despair of the Divine Grace”—it affords protection to all sinners. Poor as thou art at present, do not be dejected: “The Lord has created a beautiful form for thee,” and “made Man after His image.”— Letter 85.