Question: You seem to feel that the mind is not that important. What about students, who go to school?

Sri Chinmoy: As a student, you certainly have to develop your mind. But we have to know that there are two types of mind. One is the physical mind, which is constantly doubting and subject to undivine thoughts. The physical mind is constantly judging everything and then examining itself to see whether its judgement is true. The physical mind is fond of accumulating information, but information is not going to give us an iota of inner wisdom. This mind does not help us at all in our inner development. But there is also the pure mind, the higher mind, the mind that is far beyond the domain of doubt. That mind is clear; that mind sees the Reality as such and wants to grow into the Reality. The higher mind and the loving heart go together.

The physical mind will bring us information or world-knowledge. Inside this world-knowledge there is not true wisdom, but still we cannot look down upon this knowledge. Only we have to feel that this knowledge must be transcended so we may enter into the higher mind. Right now we do not really know Infinity, Eternity and Immortality. These are vague terms that the physical mind cannot grasp. But if we enter into the higher mind, then we see these things as the real Reality.

Sri Chinmoy, Fifty Freedom-Boats To One Golden Shore, Part 2, Agni Press, 1974

Question: Is there any way to determine what our level of mind is?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, if you go deep within, you can easily know. There are various levels of the mind, starting with the physical mind. We have the intuitive mind, the overmind, the supermind and so forth. So you have to know from which plane you are operating. An ordinary human being does not know, but a spiritual man knows from which plane he is operating. Whenever he does something, he knows whether he is doing it from his physical mind, intuitive mind, higher mind or overmind. So in your case, if you want to act from the intuitive mind, let us say, then by your aspiration you should be able to stay there all the time.

Sri Chinmoy, Experiences of the Higher Worlds, Agni Press, 1977

Foto: Sascha Priesemann, pixelio.de