The ideal of humanity is spiritual. This is a thesis which cannot be set aside by any observant mind. Even where it appears to be the opposite for all practical observations, even in crass materialistic approaches of life, the movements are not really bereft of the spiritual sense, if we are to be psycho-analytically observant of the motive forces behind attitudes to life. Even the worst of men have a spiritual element hiddenly present, and the vicious movements which we observe in humanity in many a circle may sometimes confound us into a doubt as to whether the Spirit which is held to be Omnipresent can be the motive force behind these perpetrations. Yes, is the answer. Even the least of events has a hidden purpose and motive, though not visible outside but covertly present—the motive, which rightly or wrongly, by various types of meanderings in the desert of life, directs itself towards awakening into the consciousness of what it is really seeking. The errors of mankind are really the products of ignorance, and an ignorance of a fact cannot be equated with a denial of that fact. The absence of a palpable consciousness of the ideal of human life cannot be regarded as a violation of it root and branch, or a complete absence of it.

The movements of human nature in the world of space and time, in the society of people, and in the process of history, are motivated by subtle, deep impulses, and the target which they generally aim at may be physical, material, economic or social, quite the other side of what one would regard as Spirit, or the spiritual. But this apparent contradiction does not defeat the purpose. There is only a winding intricate process of human nature in its struggle to awaken itself to a consciousness of what its real needs are, and these processes of the various forms of struggle are the history of mankind right from creation up to this day. Whatever we have heard about mankind’s efforts and moves, whatever we regard as desirable or otherwise, whatever has caused us joy or pain—everything, excluding nothing, can be comprehended within the motivation which is a Single Universal Impulse.

The Universal Urge is really the Spiritual Impetus, and we need not use the word ‘spiritual’ to designate it, if we so wish. But an all-consuming impulse towards a Common Aim is what may be regarded as the spiritual aspiration or the basic urge of the individual nature. It may not be visible in the proper intensity or proportion at certain given levels of experience. But that an expected percentage of it is not visible on the surface is not a reason why one should not give it the credit it deserves. All that we are inside does not come to the surface of our conscious life, as we all very well know; yet we are that which is there ready to come to the surface of our mind one day or the other as the motivating force of our lives, whether in this life or in the lives to come. The urges of human nature are really universal in their comprehension; they are not individual, they are not even social in the sense in which we try to define society. Whatever be the desires of mankind, they are universal in their sweep: because they are present in every being—in me, in you and even in the inorganic levels of manifestation, in different forms and expression.

There is a struggle of every individual structure or pattern to communicate itself with other such centres of force, and it is this tendency within the individual patterns or structures to melt into the being of others that is the beginning of all spiritual aspiration. What is gravitation if not a spiritual urge? What is this force that pulls the earth round the sun if it is not spiritual? We may wonder how the force of gravitation can be spiritual, because it is known to be a physical phenomenon. But, it is all a question of nomenclature. We may call it physical, psychological, social, ethical, moral, or spiritual, as we like. The point is, what is it essentially? Why is there any pull at all—the pull of moral force, the pull of psychic contents, the pull of love and affection? What is it that pulls one thing towards another? Why is it that anything should gravitate towards some centre? What is the intention, what is the purpose, what is the motive and what is the secret behind this urge? If we dispassionately analyse the springs behind human nature, and the tendencies of anything and everything in the world, even in inorganic levels, we will find that there is a ‘feeling’, sometimes consciously manifest and at other times unconsciously present, for coming in contact with that which lies outside oneself and to appreciate the feelings and points-of-view of others, so that there is a desire for the commingling of points of view, and this urge, aspiration or feeling will not cease unless the Universal Point-of-View is reached. Whether this is known today or not, it is a different matter; because all human beings are not in the same stage of evolution. It is, therefore, unfair and pointless to expect everyone to be on the same level of understanding. If certain sections of humanity do not appear to be spiritual, it does not mean that they do not want spirituality. They are just unable to grasp the meaning behind their own aspirations, activities and motives in life. That they cannot understand what is the motive behind their activity or expectation is a point which need not be equated with what is regarded as the opposite of the spiritual need. There cannot be two ideals for mankind, ultimately. Whether one is in China or Peru, the basic ingredients of human nature do not change or differ. The ideal of mankind, the ideal of all beings, even subhuman, or superhuman, cannot be other than one, and it is the restlessness characterised by the presence of this urge that is the cause for all enterprises in life. The factory-goer, the labourer, the officer, whatever he is, people who sweat and toil for various apparently diversified motives in life, are all working for a common purpose—a purpose which is not clear to their minds at present. When we come to a level of understanding which is adequate to the purpose, we will be able to visualise the commonness that is present behind every attitude of every human being, even in an apparent disparity of purpose.