New York University; New York, New York, USA

14 February 1973

Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then we must not sleep. We
must not sleep in the world of darkness and night. The world of darkness
weakens our inner potentialities. The world of night destroys our outer
possibilities. When our inner potentialities are weakened, our life becomes
miserable. When our outer possibilities are destroyed, our life becomes
unbearable.
Where can our inner potentialities safely grow? Our inner potentialities can
safely grow only in the heart of the Mother-Power, Kundalini. When can our
outer possibilities be effective? Our outer possibilities can be effective only when
we are at the feet of the Mother-Power, Kundalini. Do we want to follow the path
of Kundalini Yoga? Then we must possess an adamantine will. We must be brave
in the world of ignorance and inconscience. Ignorance compels us to be helpless
and useless. When we feel useless, the Mother-Power in us feels helpless. When
we feel helpless, the Mother-Power in us untiringly encourages, inspires and
illumines us out of Her infinite Compassion.
Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then we must love. We
must love the Mother in us, love the Mother before us and love the Mother
around us. The Mother in us is soulful. The Mother before us is beautiful. The
Mother around us is powerful. We need the Mother of Soul to play the Cosmic
Game of Life. We need the Mother of Beauty to sing the Cosmic Song of Life. We
need the Mother of Power to dance the Cosmic Dance of Life. The Game of Life
energises us. The Song of Life enlightens us. The Dance of Life immortalises us.
Our energy is for the world to use. Our enlightenment is for the world to glorify.
Our Immortality is for the world to treasure.
Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then Power must come
first in our life and Power must come last in our life. When Power divine is our
first choice, fear leaves us. When Power divine is our last choice, doubt leaves us.
When fear leaves us, we become what we wanted to be: divine warriors. When
doubt leaves us, we become what we originally were: the Universal Self.
Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then we have to feel that
each second of our life is as important as a whole year. And we have to realise
that each year is filled with as many opportunities as there are seconds. Each
second carries us either towards realisation or towards frustration. Each year
carries us either towards the Transcendental Truth or towards the abysmal
falsehood.
Truth tells us that we are God’s chosen children. We need God to reach the
Highest and God needs us to manifest the Highest. Falsehood tells us that we are
death’s instruments and that death needs us badly. The Transcendental Truth
beckons us. The abysmal falsehood frightens us. When the Transcendental Truth
beckons us, we feel that we are none other than the Supreme. When the abysmal
falsehood frightens us, we feel that we are the eternal slaves of ignorance, inconscience
and death.
Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then we need purity in
thought and purity in action. With a pure thought, we build the strongest and
largest palace of love and fulfilment. With an impure thought, we break down and
demolish the strongest and largest palace of love and fulfilment. We give birth to
a pure and divine thought when we feel that we are of God and for God. We give
birth to an impure, undivine thought when we feel that we are of ignorance
unknowable and for ignorance known and unknown. With a pure action we
become the life-saver of the aspiring world. With an impure action we become the
life-destroyer of the entire world.
Do we want to follow the path of Kundalini Yoga? Then we have to know that
our essence is the Delight-power of Heaven and our existence is the Peace-power
for earth. With the Delight-power we begin. With the Peace-power we end.
(Sri Chinmoy was invited by Dr. James Carse, Chairman of the Religion Department
at New York University, to offer this series of four lectures on Kundalini Yoga.)