In response to a question about desire Gurudev shared the following:

What are desires?

Desire is the basis of this planet. Even if you say “I want liberation,” that's a desire. ”I want to get rid of all my desires,” is a desire. There's virtually no eliminating desire.

All thoughts aren’t desires. Desire is compelling. No doubt, it’s a thought backed by feelings and life force. You get millions of thoughts, but not all of them are desires. But those you feel in the gut, you feel in your whole body, can be called desires.

Lord Buddha said that desire causes misery and pain when we identify our ego with it. 

How desires work

The state of mind that we’re in before a desire arises is the same state when it is fulfilled. That means it takes you in a full circle. It takes you around and brings you back where you were before. 

Each desire comes up like a wave and then subsides. Either it subsides as frustration when it isn’t fulfilled, or it's fulfilled and brings satisfaction. If it’s fulfilled, it leaves you with peace and a sense of elevation only for a short time because another desire takes that vacant spot. 

So it’s a chain reaction. The more fulfillment you get, the more desires keep coming. Inside of you, a stream of desires appears. What do you do? You gallop on one after another. We seldom stay put and enjoy the moment. By the time the desire is fulfilled and you start enjoying it, another arises. 

We’re on a constant run. When desire arises, energy moves upward and brings sensations which propel you into action. 

Lucky are those whose desires get fulfilled early. Others have this long standing desire that they toil for their whole life. Finally, they get it one day. By that time, they’re already exhausted. There’s no energy left to enjoy it. 

This causes frustration stuffed into the cells in our brain, mind, and bodies. Then, drooping faces and depressive moods take over.

Suppose you plant a sapling of mango and you say the next day, “Oh, I sowed this mango sapling, but where’s the fruit?” 

It won't give you fruit immediately. You need patience because certain wishes take time. Pay attention to patience. 

When you identify yourself with desire you become miserable. If it isn’t fulfilled you feel finished. Many people commit suicide because they’re so strongly identified with desires, and when they don’t get them they feel no more life. 

Desire is a power, a sword, a knife, that can cut food or bread. But you can cut your hand also. You need wisdom to use this knife, this instrument, this energy called desire. 

This talk includes activities to help you manifest your desires. Watch the entire video of the talk below:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor’s note:

To learn more about our pillar program, SKY Breath Meditation, check out our free breath and meditation online session with a live instructor. SKY has helped millions of people around the world improve all aspects of their lives. Learn how you too can benefit from SKY.

Click the image below to save your spot!