Spiritual power

In the Upanishads we are told, "The soul cannot be won by the weakling." We need power. But “power” is a very deceptive word. In the real world power corrupts. When someone has power he wants to destroy others; he wants all the time to remain superior. Even in the occult world, power is very often used for an evil purpose. In the highest realm of occultism power is not misused. But in lower occultism, black magic and so forth, power is absolutely misused.

Real spiritual power is our conscious awareness of the divinity within us, which tells us that we have come from God. Spiritual power is not a destructive force. Unless we use power we will never be awakened from the slumber of millennia. Unless and until we exercise our inner power, the power of the soul, our life will remain in bondage and darkness.

We have to be aware of the fact that we are God’s chosen instruments. Then we shall see a spontaneous faith growing in us and in that faith our soul’s power will grow. When we become one with our soul’s power and try to go beyond the body, infinite Power from above enters into the soul’s power that we already have. At that time only can we truly come out of ignorance.

We are not children of the past; we are children of the future. We are the children of God. We come from Him and we have to fulfil Him. Without using the soul’s power, we can never, never realise God. And if we cannot realise God, how can we manifest Him? During our meditation, we have to invoke power in order to create a new life within us. Then only can our ignorance be totally transformed into knowledge and our death into Immortality. Divine power is of paramount importance for each seeker. This power we shall not use to destroy, but to build a new life, a new world within us and without us at every moment.

If we follow the path of surrender, then the power that we feel within is absolutely infinite. When a tiny drop surrenders to the ocean it becomes the ocean itself. When it maintained its individuality, it was the tiniest drop; but when it entered into the vast ocean it became the ocean itself. When we surrender our individual will to the Will of the Supreme, who is infinite in every way, naturally our power will then become infinite.

Spiritual power is the soul’s will. Spiritual power is infinitely superior to occult power. Spiritual power always has wisdom-light. It is infinite. One who cares for spiritual power is as safe as a child in the lap of his mother. Occult power goes fast, but it may act like a mad elephant. If one cares for occult power, one enters into the battlefield of life, striking and being struck mercilessly by the opponent. One has to be very careful. When we use occult power we can do something fast, but there is no certainty that it will last; whereas if we use spiritual power, gradually it transforms the face of the earth. And whatever the spiritual power accomplishes will last forever.

At times we need occult power if we have to do something in an emergency and there is no time. But to expect anything everlasting from occult power is foolishness. After practising Kundalini Yoga if one tries the path of surrender, one will see the great difference. "Let Thy Will be done" is not only the Christ’s message; it is the message of all spiritual Masters. "Let Thy Will be done" is the Yoga of surrender. There is no spiritual Master who will not come to this realisation. But the occultist, if he is not of the highest order, will feel his own will should be done first. This is the difference between an occultist and a real spiritual Master.

Yoga is union, union with God, with the absolute Truth. A spiritual Master’s sole purpose is to identify himself with the Absolute. Spiritual power, the power of the soul within us, cares for liberation, perfection and fulfilment. Spiritual power has the capacity to offer us something eternal, permanent and immortal.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The illumination of life-clouds, part 2, Agni Press, 1974
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