Desire drives our world!

by Michael Ketterhagen

As I was growing up, a popular song that would often frequent my self-talk (or you might say, my self-singing, as I used to sing quietly to myself often) contained the verse, “whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.” It happens for Mary, my beloved spouse, almost every time. Mary tells me that she is looking for a certain blouse and she goes to St Vincent de Paul Society’s Thrift store and it is right there when it wasn’t before.

This is a tremendous example of yoga’s understanding of the power of the mind and its ability to manifest what it desires, especially if it is in tune with our mission and/or our joy and happiness while on earth. Sometimes we don’t even need to worry about the consequences of a desire in this particular life. Or the consequences may be waived until the next life, whatever that might be. Although, during highly, spiritually charged times, there is something called “Instant Karma.” An example is: My grandson hits his brother and then turns around into the wall and bumps his head.

Our deepest desires are our animal urges—food, sleep, sex and self-preservation. Whenever we need these the desire usually surfaces, then we must decide what to do—fulfill the desire or ignore it or find a way to set it temporarily aside, knowing that we will be okay (namely; our self is still preserved). The mind decides how the desire is fulfilled. The mind is never really ultimately in control, because the Divine Mother will make sure that the desire is fulfilled for the highest good of the person. The mind will make any adjustments necessary for us to continue to survive. This is the compassionate power of the Divine Mother.

The Divine Mother always wants us to fulfill our wishes. She does everything possible to maintain our life so that we can fulfill our mission in this life—which is to become one with our pure consciousness (The Divine Mother). If we don’t fulfill our desires in this life, according to Pandit Rajmani, it is a sad tragedy. It would need to be fulfilled after we leave this life. In other words, our highest good will be delayed in our spiritual journey.

For the human being, our self-preservation is the most complicated need we have; therefore, it is the most complicated when it comes to our desires. When we long to preserve ourselves, we may be longing to preserve our body, or our reputation, or our role in the family or work place. So, it becomes imperative that our desires be in tune with our highest good. If not, even though the Divine Mother may have to do something to maintain our preservation/identity, we will manifest that desire. When that happens it means that we have to accept the karmic consequences of any action that follows.

So, the important thing for us to do is be careful about what we desire. Make sure that it is truly going to bring us purposeful, happy, meaningful consequences that help us along our spiritual journey. Is it in tune with my highest good!

Happy Desiring!