Question: In spite of the fact that we want inner realisation and inner light, we find it difficult to fight against outer disturbances. Why is that so?

Sri Chinmoy: First of all we have to know how much aspiration we have. If we have boundless aspiration — that is to say, our inner cry must be constant — then this aspiration will climb up while God’s Grace descends. When our aspiration and God’s Grace become one, detachment will play its role in our life. At that time we will feel that the outer world was disturbing only because we were seeing the outside world in a limited way.

A real spiritual person sees that the outside world is not something in a geographical area, but something in a plane of consciousness right inside his own being. When we see a stranger, we do not know whether he will disturb us, attack us or torture us. But when we see something inside us, we know it is ours and we have no fear. If we are aware of something divine inside us, then it becomes very easy for us to fight against all outside forces. Our aspiration burns away the outside forces of impurity and imperfection while at the same time it clears up all that is disturbing our inner consciousness.

There can be nothing more powerful than our aspiration. The very nature of our aspiration is to give us what we are actually striving for. Very often we confuse aspiration with desire. Aspiration is not desire. Far from it! Aspiration is something that wants to enter into the infinite Light, Bliss, and Power. Desire wants only to grab, grab, grab and possess. Desire coming from the vital acts like a mad elephant, always breaking, always destroying. Aspiration is not like that. With aspiration we grow into the very thing that we want to achieve. And what do we want to achieve? Divinity, God the all-pervading Consciousness. The achievement of aspiration we cannot grab or possess. Only by entering into the all-pervading Consciousness and becoming one with this Consciousness can we grow into God’s Light, Bliss and Power. This is what aspiration does.

The flame of aspiration has been kindled in you and it is burning most effectively. When you allow it to blaze fully, you will see that the outer world, the disturbing world, is actually deep inside you. Then the things that have to be burnt will be burnt and the things that can be transformed will be transformed. Aspiration will take care of all that. There is no other way to fight outer disturbances than to keep the flame of aspiration burning constantly.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Aspiration-Flames, Agni Press, 1974
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/af