October 3, 2012 – A Desire of Higher Kind

Genius discovers a system;
average talent stereotypes it till it is shattered by fresh genius.
It is dangerous for an army to be led by veterans;
for on the other side God may place Napoleon.

Sri Aurobindo

(Thoughts and Aphorisms 77)

A Desire of Higher Kind

When a child is full of desires, if one could give him a desire of a higher kind… if one could awaken in him the desire to know, the desire to learn, the desire to become a remarkable person…in this way, begin with that. As these things are difficult to do, so, gradually, he will develop his will for these things. Or even, from the material point of view, the desire to do something difficult, as for example, construct a toy which it is difficult to make –or give him a game of patience which requires a great deal of perseverance.

If one can orient them- it requires much discernment, much patience, but it can be done- and if one can orient them towards something like this, to succeed in very difficult games or to work out something which requires much care and attention, and can push them in some line like this so that it exercise a persevering will in them, then this can have results: turn their attention away from certain things and towards others.

The Mother

The Great Adventure 15