"The necessities of the body"

We have to know the difference between the necessity of the body and the extravagance of the body. The unnecessary demands of the body are lethargy, inertia and indulgence. The necessities of the body are alertness, dynamism, cheerfulness and eagerness to participate in the fulfilment of the soul’s vision, the soul's realisation and the soul’s manifestation.

Often we see that the body is standing in the way of our inspiration. We are inspired to do something, but the body says, “No, the best thing is to take rest.” Early in the morning, something within us is inspiring us to get up and meditate. But the body says, “No, it is only five o’clock. Let me sleep for another five minutes.” But it is not just five minutes; it becomes twenty-five minutes. Then we will say, “Now the best thing is for me to sleep only one more minute. That is enough." Then that one minute stretches into twenty minutes. Finally we get up at seven o'clock or even later and curse ourselves, “Why did I do it? Why did I get up only now when I wanted to get up at six o’clock?” At that time we made friends with inertia, not with aspiration. If we had listened to the soul, we would have got up and meditated.

When it is a matter of indulgence, we must feel that we are not the body; we are the soul. The consciousness of the body that does not want to aspire, the physical consciousness that wants to stand apart from dynamism, aspiration and inner cry has to be illumined.