Theosophical Independence Vol. 6 - 3    May 2007

The following article is adapted from a talk given at an interlodge symposium held on February 3, 2007 in Philadelphia.

 
DESIRE, THE BALANCE PRINCIPLE    

You have heard about the Spiritual entity.  What we have to acknowledge is that desire is a power of that entity.  The other thing to keep in mind is that desire is sevenfold, as are the other principles.  In addition, we have to remember that all  these principles and  sub-principles can be applied universally to the cosmos as to individuals. 

  Desire, standing as the middle principle, is called the balance principle.  It is the fourth principle, in the series of seven human principles:  Atma, Spirit; Buddhi, Spiritual Soul; Manas, Mind; Desire; vital principle; astral body;  the physical body.  It is the balance between the upper and lower affinities and powers. 

  Desire and will are essentially one power, differing in substance and utilization.  There is one power which applies itself on different  planes in different ways.  Depending upon the substance and energies it finds, there rise the properties and the powers that will be noted. If desire is working in the lower mind, it will manifest as one thing; if it is working in the higher mind, it will manifest as will.  

  Desire is the prime mover of the animal life and will is the prime mover of the divine life.  Both will and desire are absolute creators.  Will creates intelligently; desire blindly and unconsciously. That explains why we never understand why we are in the predicaments we are.  Will cannot be subdued by personality simply because personality is so locked up within chaotic matter of physicality and psychic substance that it cannot free itself enough to exert its natural power.

Motive is the inner side of desire.  In other words, if we could ever understand what our motives were, independent of what our desires are, motive would  move the power of desire to create absolutely those things that are in harmony with the law of Karma.  Actions are the outer expressions of  desire. Those are the things that we are most familiar with.  We do things and half the time we don’t even know why.  We feel impulses and urges and we act them out.

  What is behind desire?  There is the expression, “Behind will stands desire.”   But we have to acknowledge that what will is in its purity, arising from the highest power, is not pushed around by desire.  The desire we are familiar with, that we use most often,  is a power that  impresses matter and makes matter act in certain ways.   We see that we have woven a tangled web, all based on our desires because of what we want, because of what we choose.

   Those desires are particularly driven by our philosophy of life, our principles of action, our beliefs, what we have experienced, what we need and what we know to be true.  Those are the things, consciously or subconsciously, which typically push the desire in one direction or another.  They are usually the unknown motivating factors of our lives.
 

When we work with desire, we can work with desire blindly, according to impulse; or we can work with it from the point of view of the personality, rationally.  But it is still based on what I think is going to be good enough for me, or my family, to the exclusion of everyone else.  Or we can work with it from the perspective of intelligence guiding desire as will, to be used in the service of others to the degree we are capable.

    “Desire first arose in It which was the primal germ of mind, and which sages, searching with their intellect, have discovered to be the bond which connects Entity with Non-Entity.” 
            The Secret Doctrine

  We can now realize how wonderful and powerful desire is because it is the one thing that allows us to rise within our natures from personality to a recognition of entity which is devoid of personality, to a recognition of non-entity, which pertains to universal spirituality.

          Quotes from W.Q. Judge

  ...the truth must be that will acts according to desire, or, as the older thinkers used to put it, "behind will stands desire." This is why the child, the savage, the lunatic, and the wicked man so often exhibit a stronger will than others. The wicked man has intensified his desires, and with that his will. The lunatic has but few desires, and draws all his will force into these; the savage is free from convention, from the various ideas, laws, rules, and suppositions to which the civilized person is subject, and has nothing to distract his will. So to make our will strong we must have fewer desires. Let those be high, pure, and altruistic; they will give us strong will.
No mere practice will develop will per se, for it exists forever, fully developed in itself. But practice will develop in us the power to call on that will which is ours. Will and Desire lie at the doors of Meditation and Concentration. If we desire truth with the same intensity that we had formerly wished for success, money, or gratification, we will speedily acquire meditation and possess concentration. If we do all our acts, small and great, every moment, for the sake of the whole human race, as representing the Supreme Self, then every cell and fibre of the body and inner man will be turned in one direction, resulting in perfect concentration.  

...he who seeks the hidden way, can only find it through the door of life. In the hearts of all, at some time, there arises the desire for knowledge. In all nature we can find no instance where effort of some kind is not required. We find there is a natural result from such effort. He who would live the life or find wisdom can only do so by continued effort. 

  Desire neither notice, fame nor wealth. Unknown you are in retirement. Being fameless you are undisturbed in your seclusion, and can walk the broad face of the earth fulfilling your duty, as commanded, unrecognized. If the duty grows hard, or you faint by the way, be not discouraged, fearful or weary of the world. Remember that "Thou may'st look for silence in tumult, solitude in company, light in darkness, forgetfulness in pressures, vigor in despondency, courage in fear, resistance in temptation, peace in war, and quiet in tribulation.”

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