Question: What is the subconscious?¹³⁹

Sri Chinmoy: The subconscious is something of the past that usually remains inside the unconscious or ignorant part of our life. It is the part that consciously or unconsciously does not want to be illumined. The subconscious plane is one step higher than the inconscient plane. The inconscient plane is the lowest and just a few inches higher, let us say, is the subconscious plane.

In the inconscient plane there is no light at all, but the subconscious plane also does not care for light. In the subconscious plane, the undivine realities or qualities in us that do not want to progress come forward at every opportunity and fight against the qualities in us that are trying to invoke light from Above.

The subconscious plane is better than the inconscient plane, but eventually both these planes have to be conquered and perfected. Light has to enter into all planes of our being, for only then can we be totally perfect. It is easier to bring light into the subconscious plane than into the inconscient plane. But it is not advisable for the seeker to deliberately enter into either plane, for there he will encounter powerful forces of darkness. Only when one is on the verge of illumination or when one has actually received some illumination is it advisable for that person to enter into the subconscious plane to try to illumine it.