Question: What is the difference between a vital desire and a mental desire?

Sri Chinmoy: A vital desire can be in the lower vital, which is all emotional. The lower vital is all sex and impurity. This is the low, lower, lowest vital. But if it is only a vital desire, not actually from the lower vital, then it will be only for dominion. You will desire to lord it over others like Julius Caesar and Napoleon. The whole world they wanted to place at their feet. Mental desire wants to devour everything: "I will devour you and the whole world. I want to know whether there is suffering or happiness inside you. Let me enter into you and share your experience." Mental desire wants to grasp and devour. But the spiritual longing is something else again: "I want to be one with you in your suffering. I want to be identified with you in your joy. I want to establish my inseparable oneness with you, no matter in which consciousness you are." This is called psychic longing.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Self-discovery and world-mastery, Agni Press, 1976
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