If the mind can be illumined by the heart¹⁴

There is a disciple who has a most powerful intellectual mind, but luckily it has surrendered to his heart. If his mind had not surrendered to his heart, God knows what kind of disciple he would have been! Because he surrendered his intellect so sincerely to his heart’s wisdom, he is a very, very good disciple. The mind can destroy; again, if one can pull the mind into the heart, it is a tremendous success.

Some disciples were born intellectuals, but I am so happy that they have put the brilliance of the mind inside their heart. Some of my very, very close disciples have had problems because of their powerful intellect. I spoke very seriously to them, and now they do not use that intellectual mind in a wrong way. Sometimes my seriousness works!

If the mind can be illumined by the heart, then the mind and the heart will be able to go together. Right now, inside everybody there is a constant fight going on between the two. At times the mind becomes faithful, like a little puppy following a very big dog. It has happened in some cases, and it is still happening. But if the mind and the heart both remain aloof, then there is a very serious problem. Everything at that time the person sees with a negativity-mind. Negativity comes forward always. When the mind is not under control, immediately we get an attack from negativity. There is no rhyme or reason for it.

Somebody is walking in the street. You have nothing to do with that person, but you immediately form a bad opinion of him. Or let us say that your friends are moving around with very good, compassionate and affectionate feelings. As soon as you see them, all your negative thoughts you inject into them. They will immediately say, “What happened, what happened?” They have not done anything wrong.

If the intellectual mind, the negative mind, is not illumined by the heart, dryness will reign supreme. The intellectual mind loves dryness. In the spiritual life, we never want dryness! Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “Give me juicy stories!” He did not want dryness. At times he wanted to enjoy earthly news, earthly humour, as everybody does. When the intellect is not purified by the heart’s affection and compassion, the intellect becomes a very serious obstacle. It feels that it knows everything. It is all dryness; there is no sweetness.

Intellectual people who cherish dryness create suffering for their dear ones. Again, the dear ones are at times so kind that they understand their intellectual family members and friends. If the two parties have tremendous affection and compassion for each other, then the intellect surrenders to that affection and compassion. When the intellect enters into the heart, it is overwhelmed by the affection, sweetness and concern of the heart. Then intellectual people can become very, very happy.

Sri Aurobindo wrote that the intellect was the helper in the beginning, but then it became an obstruction. Many, many good things we want to have in the beginning of our life. Then we get them, and at times we misuse them or we overuse them. At that time they become veritable obstacles in our life. Those very things become weapons. Then we pray to God for God’s Grace. When God’s Grace descends, at that time the obstruction goes away, because God’s Grace swallows pride, intellect and all other problem-makers. But the heart also has to be fully prepared to save the mind. If the heart is not strict and eager to save the mind, then the mind runs amok.

Again, I am so happy that many so-called intellectual giants on our path have accepted the spiritual life so sincerely. They give full value to the spiritual life, and their intellect is under full control.