The Power of Desire
What is Desire? Let us see! Webster tells us that it is:"The
natural longing to possess any seeming good; eager wish to obtain or
enjoy," or in its abnormal or degenerate sense:"excessive or morbid
longing; lust; appetite. " "Desire" is a much-abused term the public
mind has largely identified it with its abnormal or degenerate phase,
just mentioned, ignoring its original and true sense. Many use the
word in the sense of an unworthy longing or craving, instead of in the
true sense of "aspiration," "worthy craving and longing," etc. To call
Desire "aspiration" renders it none the less Desire. To apply to it
the term "laudable aim and ambition" does not take away from it is
character of Desire. There is no sense in endeavoring to escape the
fact that Desire is the natural and universal impulse toward action,
be the action or good or bad. Without Desire the Will does not spring
into action, and nothing is accomplished. Even the highest attainments
and aims of the race are possible only when the steam of Will is
aroused by the flame and heat of Desire.
Some of the occult teachings are filled with instructions to "kill
out desire," and the student is warned to beware of it even in its
most insidious and subtle forms, even to the extent of "avoiding even
the desire to be desireless even desire not to desire. Now this is
all nonsense, for if one"wishes," or "wants," or "is inclined," or
"thinks best to," or "is pleased to" Kill Out Desire in any of these
cases he is but manifesting a Desire "not to desire," in spite of his
use of other names. What is this "wishing to; wanting to; feeling
like; inclination; being pleased to;" and all the rest, but just
plain, clear, unadulterated Desire masquerading under some of these
names. To proceed to "kill out desire" without "desiring" to do so is
like trying to lift oneself by pulling on his own bootstraps. Folly.
What is really meant is that the occultist should proceed to kill out
the lower desires that he finds within his nature, and also to kill
out the "attachment" for things. Regarding this last we would say that
all true occultist know that even the best "things" are not good
enough to rule and master one-nothing is good enough for the soul to
allow itself to be unduly attached to it so that the thing rules the
soul instead of the should mastering the thing. That is what the
teachings mean avoidance of "attachment. "And in this the occult
teachers are clearly right. Desire is a frightful master like fire
it sweeps away the supports of the soul, leaving nothing but
smoldering ashes. But, also like Fire Desire is a splendid servant and
by its harnessed power we are able to generate the steam of the Will
and Activity, and to accomplish much in the world. Without proper
Desire the world would be without activity. So do not make the mistake
of using Desire any more than you would refuse to use fire but in
both cases keep the mastery in your own hands, and avoid allowing the
control to pass from you to Desire.
Desire is the motivating force that runs the world; as little as we
care to admit it in many cases. Look around you and see the effects of
Desire in every human act, good or bad. As a writer has said:"Every
deed that we do, good or bad, is prompted by Desire. We are charitable
because we Desire to relieve our inner distress at the sight of
suffering; or from the Desire of sympathy; or from the Desire to be
respected in this world, or to secure a comfortable place in the next.
One man is kind because he Desires to be kind because it gives him
satisfaction to be kind; while another man is cruel from precisely the
same kind of motive. One man does his duty because he Desires to do it
he obtains a higher satisfaction from duty well done than he would
from the neglecting of it in accordance with some weaker desires. The
religious man is religious because his religious desires are stronger
than his irreligious ones because he finds a higher satisfaction in
religion than in the pursuits of the worldly-minded. The moral man is
moral because his moral desires are stronger than his immoral ones
he obtains a greater satisfaction in being moral than in being the
contrary. Everything we do is prompted by Desire in some shape or form
high or low. Man cannot be Desireless and act in any way. Desire is
the motivating power behind all actions it is a natural law of life.
Everything from the atom to the monad; from the monad to the insect;
from the insect to man; from man to Nature, acts and does things by
reason of the power and force of Desire, the Animating Motive. "
All the above at the first glance would seem to make of man a mere
machine, subject to the power of any stray desire that might happen to
come into his mind. But this is far from being so. Man acts not upon
EVERY desire, but upon the STRONGEST Desire, or the Average of his
Strongest Desires. This Average of Desires is that which constitutes
his Nature or Character. And here is where the Mastery of the "I"
comes in!Man need not be a slave or creature of his Desires if he will
assert his Mastery. He may control, regulate, govern and guide his
Desires in any directions that he pleases. Nay, more, he may even
CREATE DESIRES by an action of his Will, as we shall see presently. By
a knowledge of psychological laws he may neutralize unfavorable
Desires, and grow and develop yes, practically Create New Desires in
their place all by the power of his Will, aided by the light of his
Reason and Judgment. Man is the Master of his Mind.
"Yes," but some close reasoning critic may object; "yes, that is
true enough, but even in that case is not Desire the ruling motive
must not one Desire create these new Desires before he can do so is
not Desire always precedent to action? "Very close reasoning this,
good friends, but all advanced occultists know that there is a point
in which the Principle of Desire shades and merges into companion
Principle, Will, and that a close reasoner and mental analyst may
imagine a mental state in which one may be almost said to manifest a
WILL to Will, rather than to merely Desire to Will. This state must be
experienced before it can be understood words cannot express it.
We have stated that it was in the power of man to Create Desire
not only to be its master when created, but also to actually Create it
by bringing it into being. And the statement is absolutely true, and
is verified and proven by the most recent experiments and discoveries
of modern psychology. Instead of man being a creature of Desire and
this indeed he is in many cases he may become Master of Desire and
even a Creator of it. By knowledge and Will he may reverse the
ordinary order of things and, displacing the intruder from the throne,
he may seat himself there in his rightful place, and then bid the late
occupant do his will and obey his bidding. But the best way for the
new occupant of the throne to bring about a reorganized court is to
dismiss the old objectionable creatures of his mind and create new
ones in their places. And here is how it may be done: In the first
place, one must think carefully over the tasks that he wishes to
accomplish, then, using his judgment carefully, judicially and
impartially impersonally so far as is possible he must take mental
stock of himself and see in what points he is deficient, so far as the
successful accomplishment of the task is concerned. Then let him
analyze the task before him, in detail, separating the matter into as
many clear defined divisions as possible, so that he may be able to
see the Thing as It Is, in detail as well as in its entirety. Then let
him take a similar inventory of the things, which seem necessary of
the accomplishment of the task not the details that will arise only
as the work progresses, day by day but the general things, which
must be done in order that the task is brought to a successful
conclusion. Then having taken stock of the task, the nature of the
undertaking, and ones own qualifications and shortcomings then
Begin to Create Desire, according to the following plan: The first
step in the Creation of Desire is that of the forming of a clear,
vital Mental Image of the qualities, things and details of the
undertaking, as well as of the Completed Whole. By a Mental Image we
mean a clear-cut, distinct mental picture in the Imagination of the
things just names. Now, do not turn away with an impatient motion at
the mention of the word Imagination. That is another word that you
have only a mistaken idea of. Imagination means far more than the mere
idle, fanciful use of that part of the mind that is believed by people
to be "all there is to it. "It isnt all, by a long way in fact, the
fanciful part may be said to be merely a shadow of the real
Imaginative effort. Imagination is a real thing it is a faculty of
the mind by which it creates a matrix, mold, or pattern of things,
which the trained Will and Desire afterward, materializes into
objective reality. There has been nothing created by the hands and
mind of man which did not have its first origin in the Imagination of
some one. Imagination is the first step in Creation whether of
worlds or trifles. The mental pattern must always precede the material
form. And so it is in the Creation of Desire. Before you can Create a
Desire you must have a clear Mental Image of what you need to Desire.
You will find that this task of creating a Mental Image is a little
harder than you had expected at the start. You will find it hard to
form even a faint mental picture of that which you need. But be not
discouraged, and persevere, for in this, as everything else. Practice
makes perfect. Each time you try to form the Mental Image it will
appear a little clearer and more distinct, and the details will come
into a little more prominence. Do not tire yourself at first, but lay
aside the task until later in the day, or tomorrow. But practice and
persevere and you need, just as clearly as a memory picture of
something you have already seen. We shall have more to say on this
subject of Mental Imagery and Imagination in subsequent lessons.
Then, after having acquired the clear Mental Image of the things
you wish to Desire, and thus attain, cultivate the focusing of the
Attention upon these things. The word attention is derived from the
Latin word "Attendere," meaning "to stretch forth," the original idea
being that in Attention the mind was "stretched forth," or "extended"
toward the object of attention, and this is the correct idea for that
is the way the mind operates in the matter. Keep the ideas before your
attention as much as possible, so that the mind may take a firm grasp
upon them, and make them a part of itself by doing this you firmly
impress the ideas upon the wax tablet of the mind.
Thus having fixed the idea clearly in your mind, by means of the
Imagination and Attention, until as we have said, it becomes a fixture
there, begin to cultivate an ardent DESIRE, LONGING, CRAVING DEMAND
for the materialization of the things. Demand that you grow the
qualities necessary for the task demand that your mental pictures
materialize Demand that the details be manifested as well as the
Whole, making allowance for the "something better" which will surely
arise to take the place of the original details, as you proceed the
Inner Consciousness will attend to these things for you.
Then Desire firmly, confident, and earnestly. Be not half-hearted
in your demands and desires claim and demand the WHOLE THING, and
feel confident that it will work out into material objectivity and
reality. Think of it, dream of it, and always LONG for it you must
learn to want it the worst way learn to "want it hard enough. "You
can attain and obtain many things by "wanting them hard enough" the
trouble is with most of us that we do not want things hard enough we
mistake vague cravings and wished for earnest, longing, demanding
Desire and Want. Get to Desire and Demand the Thing just as you demand
and Desire your daily meals. That is "wanting it the worst way. "This
is merely a hint surely you can supply the rest, if you are in
earnest, and "want to hard enough. "
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