Page 21 - All India Magazine May-2025

Why Purification Is Needed for Descent
The descent of the peace is often one of the first major posi-
tive experiences of the sadhana. In this state of peace the normal
thought-mind (buddhi) is apt to fall silent or abate most of its
activity and, when it does, very often either this vital mind can
rush in, if one is not on one’s guard, or else a kind of mechani-
cal physical or random subconscient mind can begin to come up
and act; these are the chief disturbers of the silence. Or else the
lower vital mind can try to disturb; that brings up the ego and
passions and their play. All these are signs of elements that have
to be got rid of, because if they remain and other of the higher
powers begin to descend, Power and Force, Knowledge, Love or
Ananda, those lower things may come across with the result that
either the higher consciousness retires or its descent is covered
up and the stimulation it gives is misused for the purposes of the
lower nature. This is the reason why many sadhaks after having
big experiences fall into the clutch of a magnified ego, upheavals,
ambition, exaggerated sex or other vital passions or distortions.
It is always well therefore if a complete purification of the vital
can either precede or keep pace with the positive experience — at
least in natures in which the vital is strongly active.
(CWSA 28: 180–181)

Two stages
You can also tell him that there are two stages in the Yoga,
one of preparation and one of the actual intensive sadhana. It is
the first that he can undertake. In this stage aspiration in the heart
with prayer, bhakti, meditation, a will to offer the life to the Divine
are the important things. Purification of the nature is the first aim
to be achieved. There should be no over-eagerness for experiences
but such as come should be observed and, if helpful to the right
attitude and true development, accepted. All that flatters the ego
or feeds it should be rejected. There should be no impatience if

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