Question: How can we increase our will-power?

Sri Chinmoy: There are two types of will-power. One type of will-power we get from the third eye. Tremendous will-power we get if we concentrate here. The other type of will-power is from the heart. From here also we get intense will-power. Again, if we concentrate around our navel, there is a kind of will-power that we get, but that will-power is destructive; we cannot use it for a good purpose. This will-power comes from the vital world, and if we are not totally purified in our vital, especially in the lower vital, we may misuse this will-power. But if the navel centre is purified, then the will-power we get from there will be used for a divine purpose.

The will-power we have inside the heart is the soul’s power. That power we can never use for a wrong purpose. The safest of the three is the will-power that comes from the heart. When you pray and meditate, try to feel that there is already some power inside, deep inside your heart, which has to be brought to the fore. Will-power from the navel centre we can use for good purposes and bad purposes, for constructive and destructive ends; but will-power from the heart can only be utilised for good. It is very fast, like a bullet. When we use the will-power from the navel centre, it will be very deep and electrifying, but in the heart’s will-power there is motherly affection, concern. Tremendous will is there, but the mother’s will is also full of love and compassion. Will-power from the third eye will be like the father’s will-power. There will be concern, but wisdom will also be there.

The easiest way to use will-power is to take the positive approach. Use will-power to do something positive, not to keep yourself from doing something negative. If we say, “I shall not tell a lie,” that is important. But if we say, “I shall tell the truth,” that will-power is more effective. When we say, “I won’t do it,” already the negative thing has half its power just because we are thinking about it. If we repeat in our mind, “I won’t be jealous,” the word “jealous”, the negative quality that it embodies, ruins our mind and then we do become jealous. If we say, “I won’t be doubtful,” the word “doubt” enters into our mind and automatically doubt comes. But if we say, “From now on, I shall be totally devoted to God. I shall be faithful. I shall be fully surrendered,” these words are very good. Surrender and faith and devotion are very good. If we all the time have positive feeling, and make positive assertions, then automatically our will-power increases.