Question: Some people say that we should always listen to the voice of reason. Can you comment on this?

Sri Chinmoy: In the beginning many things may help us, but later they may become obstacles. Desire was a helper when it raised us out of the world of lethargy. But it became a hindrance when we wanted to enter into the world of spirituality. Developing the reasoning mind is necessary for those who do not have any brain at all, who will not be able to grasp any truth, who are little better than animals in their understanding. But once we have some mental capacity, we must begin to transcend our servitude to the mind by bringing down the Grace, Peace and Light from above to illumine the mind. We have to go farther, deeper and higher than the world of reason, far beyond the reasoning or intellectual mind. The reasoning mind has to be transformed into a dedicated instrument of the Supreme.

The reasoning mind is really an obstacle for an aspirant. Using the mind becomes a limitation because the mind cannot grasp the Infinite. If we live in the mind, we will constantly try to circumscribe the Truth; we will never be able to see the Truth in its proper form. Only if we live in the soul will we be able to embrace the Truth as a whole. Beyond reason is Truth. Beyond the boundaries of the reasoning mind are Truth, Reality and Infinity. Reason has very limited Light, whereas what we want and need has infinite Light. When infinite Light dawns, reason is broken into pieces.