Will

We do not realise how powerful our will is unless and until we consciously make the best use of it. We allow our will to lie dormant in us, and so live a poor, weak, miserable life.

By the exercise of resolute will we can conquer the strongest temptations, we can find our way out of most difficult situations, patiently bear the worst sufferings, and pass through most trying ordeals. The richest treasures of human life are opened to the man who has a strong, developed will, and who knows how to use it.

And it is the force of will in us which can be used as a lever to exceed and rise above humanity. Before sincere, clear, resolute will, all difficulties and obstacles on the path of the sadhaka disappear, as darkness before the burning torch. When the Buddha willed that, until he obtained the Truth, he would not budge an inch from his seat of sadhana, even if his body dried up and his flesh and bone and skin fell to pieces, at that very moment victory was assured to him. The will that was in the Buddha is waiting to be roused and awakened in every man to lead him triumphantly to his destiny.

This will in us, after all, is a derivative power, a reflection of Thy will in us, О Divine Mother, and this is the secret of its strength; it is here to take us back to Thee. Purified and transformed, when this will of ours will be identified and united with Thy will, it will become irresistible and all-conquering, and will be an effective instrument of Thy manifestation on the earth.

* * *

We allow our will to run in all directions, impelled by desires, obscured by ignorance, torn by passions; hence it becomes weak and ineffective, and our greatest efforts often produce so poor results. We go on groping and stumbling in the world, and are baffled at every step.

To make our will really strong and effective, we have to free it completely from ignorance, egoism and attachments. Nothing can happen in this world unless it is willed by the Divine; and what is willed and decided by the Divine nothing on earth or anywhere can resist. We have to know this divine Will and put our own in harmony with it; then the highest force in the universe will be at our back, and all things, all obstacles will inevitably yield and bend before us.

Instead of blindly dealing with the forces at work, we have to know the central truth of all forces and movements, and exercise our will accordingly; we can get this knowledge and put our will in harmony with the divine Will by freeing our mind from all mechanical thoughts, all pre-conceived ideas and prejudices, and by sincerely opening it to the Truth above.

This union with the Divine is the true skill in work, and it becomes more and more complete and perfect as we grow in surrender and devotion to Thee, Mother Divine.

* * *

We must not give any more indulgence to our lower nature; every time we yield to a lower impulse, we make it more difficult for us to conquer it; every lower suggestion that we reject leads us a step forward. We have a great and difficult task to achieve, we must not increase our difficulties by carelessness or slackness of our will.

In our sadhana, every moment we either gain something or lose something. Every lower movement, however small, insignificant or plausible, that we indulge in, takes us backward and gives a hold, a footing in us to the ever-watchful hostile forces. Even if we do not go lower and remain where we are, that is a loss of time and opportunity, because simply by keeping up our aspiration and silent will for transformation we can make steady progress every moment of our life.

Every victory that we achieve over our lower nature, helps us to know and realise the truth of our being, for in our true nature we are the masters and not the slaves of nature. Every temptation, however small, that we successfully resist strengthens our will, clears our intelligence, gives us true and genuine joy. Circumstances are constantly coming up where we can do or achieve something in the matter of our own transformation. We must always keep ourselves in close and intimate touch with the Divine Mother, so that every moment and with the help of every circumstance that we meet we can take a step forward towards divine life.