In the spiritual life, no matter what our question, purpose or goal, the answer will always be revealed by our inner cry. And if we do not consciously have any question, purpose or goal, they too will be revealed by our inner cry.
Sri Chinmoy was once asked a question that goes to the very function of the spiritual life: what is the best way to raise one’s consciousness and maintain that level?
“The best way to raise your consciousness is through inner cry. Then, in order to maintain your consciousness there on the highest level, you have to establish considerable purity in the vital. First, with your inner cry, your aspiration, you go up; then, through purity in the vital you will be able to stay there for good.”
– Sri Chinmoy
The inner cry is the seed that germinates and enlivens, the clue that solves, the key that opens, the spark that ignites our consciousness’ growth and upward trajectory. Yet, Sri Chinmoy says that to maintain this higher consciousness, to avoid descending again, another essential quality is required: purity.
So, to raise one’s consciousness, an inner cry is needed, and then to maintain our higher consciousness, we need purity. How then, can we obtain purity? We return to where we began: the same inner cry both starts and completes the circle…
“It is through our constant inner cry that we achieve purity and increase purity. When our inner cry climbs up, we gradually illumine our whole being, and when illumination takes place, all purity enters into us. There are a few spiritual exercises that help the seeker in acquiring purity. But the purity that lasts forever, the purity of the highest order, we get only from our inner cry for the highest Supreme.”
– Sri Chinmoy