Question: Here in the ashram we don't have these outside thoughts pressing on us. We are in isolation. We don't get the news of the world. We don't have people coming in and gossiping and things like that, so it's much easier.

Sant Kirpal Singh: What did Christ say? "Shut yourself in a closet." What did He mean by that?

Question: Well, going in here (points to forehead), I'm sure.

Sant Kirpal Singh: Either that or – if you want to see that newspaper, we'll give you one.  For awhile, you see, it is like a sort of training. For awhile, say a week, ten days, a month or so. If you're devoted regularly the whole time, from day to day you'll develop. When going to a Master anyway, the best thing for you is just to make the best use of your time – put in more time by developing receptivity. You've a hundred irons in the fire over there. Here I think you've not many. You might create many, that's up to you. But there are not many now.

Question: One should, I suppose, pull each of those irons out of the fire gradually as life goes by rather than leaving all of them in and including a few more.

Sant Kirpal Singh: I tell you. If you leave it to the mercy of the mind, that time will never come. The mind's work is to go overboard.

Question: Some of us are more inclined toward using the mind, aren't we? I mean, say, astrologically some people are more inclined toward mind things and have a bigger burden to start with?

Sant Kirpal Singh: Their further progress will be retarded. If for awhile you have to do something, do it and see. Our work is to see God. For instance, I will tell you: Go in and see Him first, then do anything you like. We begin to do many things before we see Him. That's all. For awhile, maybe a day – ten days – each day we should reserve some time for that purpose. That is a great helping factor. Reserve some time for that. If it is not a day or two at least some hours in the day, maybe two, three hours – just cut off from all outside. Shut yourself in the closet in the room and then nobody will disturb you. This comes from training of course – there's no high road to that.

(From the book "Light of Kirpal")

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Question: Is the mind competent to really know what is in harmony with the Creator of all?

Sant Kirpal Singh: Mind – no. How do you define mind? In the East they consider mind is not conscious; in the West they consider mind is conscious. There is a vast difference. Mind gets consciousness from the soul. It is the soul which recognizes God, not mind. When the outgoing faculties are stilled, mind is at a standstill and intellect also ceases to work – then He comes up. But it is the soul that recognizes God, not mind. You follow? Like knows the like. Mind is material. It is the essence of the negative power. Soul alone can know God. That is why it is said, know yourself – know thyself. All Masters have said like that. You are not mind, you have got a mind. You are a soul. You have a body, you have got outgoing faculties, you have got intellect, you have got a mind. It is you, a conscious entity, a drop of the Ocean of All Consciousness, that can know All Consciousness. So like knows the like.

(From the book "Light of Kirpal", chapter 19)

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Question: If I don't feed the mind it can't do anything.

Sant Kirpal Singh: It is you who are feeding the mind. Mind is not conscious. There's a vast difference between the Eastern and the Western definition of mind. East says mind is material; West believes it is conscious. Do you see? Truly speaking, mind is a vehicle. The proof of that is, when you absorb your attention you are absorbed in it, no other thought comes in; mind does not work. So it is the attention which is to be fixed; on anything. When you are absorbed in it, no other thought intervenes.

These are very delicate points, and they play havoc. Outgoing faculties are like the horses. Soul is like the chariot and mind is controlling the reins. The soul is being dragged. So what you have been on is Surat Yoga, not intellectual Yoga. On surat depends everything. When your whole attention is riveted at a certain point, you see, you are so absorbed in thought that if somebody calls you, you don't hear although your ears are there, sometimes your eyes remain open, but you are so absorbed you cannot recognize anybody. So the main thing is your attention. God is greater than attention, greatest attention. And man is minor attention working. So mind works, or the thoughts intervene, only when attention is slackened. Do you see why, then, so many thoughts will come up?

(From the book "Light of Kirpal", chapter 65)

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