What gives rise to the motivational urge within us? The Ageless Wisdom teaches us that the spiritual will is the motive power as it governs the purpose of our life expression. It is like the engine that gives power to a car. The will energy propels all things into existence and is the driving force behind creation. When we initiate an activity, we are wielding the will aspect. Every one of us weaves will and purpose in the daily decisions of our lives whether we realize it or not.
It is this dynamic energy of the will that motivates us to go on a spiritual search. We don’t know why, but we begin to ponder questions we never even bothered with before. Our desires begin to change and we spend more time unlocking the secrets of the soul. These promptings in the emotional nature are an aspect of the will. Will and desire are considered two polarities of this same basic energy, the highest and lowest expression of the motive power.
The astral body of desire is a powerful factor of manifestation. Whatever we give strength of desire to, will we embody in the outer life and affairs. At one extreme, selfishness characterizes the persona focused on his own pleasure and satisfaction, no matter what the cost to others. At the other extreme the soul integrated personality is oriented toward manifesting the spiritual plan of the Divine whole.
Many aspirants upon the Path are to be found in varying stages of this transmutation process, being neither purely one nor the other. Even when desires are no longer purely exoteric, the spiritual will remain somewhat weak and not yet the ruling, governing force. Because of this, even when we think we are engaged in an activity of service, there are most likely hidden motivations somewhere on a personal emotional level. Examining our own glamours is therefore a valuable exercise in observation.
Until all these factors are transmuted, we cannot be too hard on our shortcomings. Selfish desires will eventually melt away over time. Let go and let God.
Image: Nicholas Roerich, Song of Shambhala
Wisdom Teaching School 