Knowledge and Power are embedded in Consciousness. They are attributes of the Divine so to say. Animals, for instance act instinctively with a sure knowledge as intuition. It surely doesn’t come through the rational mind for sure. Human reason tries to tap it and believes that it is because of its mental labour that knowledge has come. But if we see closely it is not the reading of a book but the aspiration to know, the will to know that opens the door of the higher consciousness and knowledge enters as an insight or a gleam of inspiration. Since we believe that the knowledge will come by reading a book, hence the Higher Consciousness uses this means.
The role of mind is to give it a form of words and express it in mental terms. Once the mind gives it a form it is easier to represent it and hence recognizable. But often the knowledge is best received in its purity when the mental constructs least interfere. Mental form given to knowledge fixes it rigidly, crystallises it and hence prevents fresh knowledge from pouring in.
‘Our tasks are given, we are but instruments;
Nothing is all our own that we create:
The Power that acts in us is not our force.
The genius too receives from some high fount
Concealed in a supernal secrecy
The work that gives him an immortal name.
The word, the form, the charm, the glory and grace
Are missioned sparks from a stupendous Fire;
A sample from the laboratory of God
Of which he holds the patent upon earth,
Comes to him wrapped in golden coverings;
He listens for Inspiration’s postman knock
And takes delivery of the priceless gift
A little spoilt by the receiver mind
Or mixed with the manufacture of his brain;
When least defaced, then is it most divine.
Although his ego claims the world for its use,
Man is a dynamo for the cosmic work;
Nature does most in him, God the high rest:
Only his soul’s acceptance is his own.’
Savitri: Book Seven Canto 6
We generally tend to use our mind to make decisions to reach the next goal, to realise the next Ideal or Truth in life, or even to shun bad decisions and take good ones to act wisely. So how does one understand then that mind is not an instrument of Knowlege but only for formative actions?
All that the mind can do through reason and analysis, it can do much better in quietude with an opening to and trust in Her Grace.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
