This is from an early automatic writing of Sri Aurobindo through his inner contact with the spirit of Ram Mohan Roy. It is the tantric method of proceding first with the Shakti. Will is the manifestation of Shakti and has within it the power to fulfil itself. But right now it is usurped by the forces of ignorance and dissipated in the market of desire. To educate the will means to draw it back from its engagement with desire. Instead of striving towards the satisfaction of desires, it should turn towards gaining true knowledge, the knowledge of God, of the true Self. When we thus turn it upwards and inwards instead of throwing it outwards and downwards towards lower and lesser motives, it changes into gyanam, the Divine Will that knows the truth and fulfils it.
The other aspect is to train the will to bear and endure, to be patient and persevering instead of seeking instant gratification or being driven by sense pleasure. It means not to give up when difficulties and challenges arise while, at the same time, refine and purify it by turning it towards truth and beauty and good in all activities and pursuits, eventually towards the Divine.
It may be noted that Sri Aurobindo later discarded this process and ultimately gave his final mantra as ‘open and surrender to the Mother. ‘
Affectionately,
Alok Da
