Question: Isn't the vital as destructive as the mind?

Sri Chinmoy: The vital is destructive; it is true. But the vital is more likely than the mind to listen to the heart. In many instances the vital can touch the heart or the heart can touch the vital. In some people the vital is very strong; they are very restless and destructive. But when the heart touches the vital and the vital sees the joy and love of the heart, at that time the vital surrenders. But it is very difficult for the heart to touch the intellectual mind or the sophisticated mind.

That is why spiritual Masters find it so difficult to deal with mental people; they are the worst! Immediately the mind of the mental person starts judging the Master; it wants to scrutinise his wisdom instead of trying to become one with it. As soon as the useless, third-class student starts judging and criticising the professor, the student is lost. When the student, who is worse than the worst, feels that the professor does not know anything, then the student will never be able to learn from the professor. Again, if the mind can be illumined, it is a great achievement; but most of the time it is very difficult to deal with the mind.