I just read a great piece in
Unfinished Tales that (to me, at least) seems to shed a little light on the nature of the Istari and their conscious recollection (or lack thereof) of their past lives, true natures, and mission...
Gandalf states:
Quote:
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""To do that I used in my waking mind only such means as were allowed to me, doing what lay to my hand according to such reasons as I had. But what I knew in my heart, or knew before I stepped on these grey shores: that is another matter. Olorin I was in the west that is forgotten, and only to those who are there shall I speak more openly."" (my bold) --Unfinished Tales, The Quest of Erebor
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It would seem that the Valar, in sending the Istari forth, actually had curtailed and dimmed their memories of their true nature and essence... allowing (and necessitating) them to have a more "earthly (or Middle-earthly?) sympathy to their task at hand.
I would go so far as to think that we might readily replace, "...and only to those who are there shall I speak more openly." with "...and only to those who are there
can I speak more openly."