When power leads and wisdom follows, the face of wisdom is veiled and she stumbles; but when wisdom leads and power follows, they arrive safely at their destination.

    Bowl of Saki, June 10, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

The head power is not enough to give the Message to humanity. The heart power is needed -- the heart first, the head comes after. If the head is first and the heart follows, then the heart will become weak, the head will get the upper hand. It is the development of the heart quality that will enable us to work in a field of wisdom and to bring to those who come in contact with us the Message we are destined to bring.

   ~~~ "Addresses to Cherags" by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)


The first thing that is desirable, or that which is most desirable in life, is wisdom. The next is power. As a foolish man would not be able to make good use of his wealth, so a person with psychic power without wisdom is apt to harm himself with his own power rather than to do any good. Every atom in this world has its peculiar charm and attraction, and mankind, so attracted by things that seem for the moment attractive, whether wealth, power, position or a friend, does not necessarily know the outcome of their attainment.

Every man is as blind in his desire of attainment as a child attracted to anything beautiful, be it a toy or a knife. And when man cannot attain to it he feels as disappointed as a child that is not allowed to play with the knife. And it is keen sight into life that makes man see what is really good for him in his life. Selfish both are, the wise and the foolish; only that the foolish with his selfishness meets with disappointment while the wise with his selfishness gets the benefit. The nature of power is to cover the eyes and hide from one's sight the true nature of the things he wishes to attain. When power leads and wisdom follows, the face of wisdom is veiled and one stumbles; but when wisdom leads and power follows, then they arrive safely at their destination.

   ~~~ "Githa III, Psychology: The Use of Psychic Power", by Hazrat Inayat Khan (unpublished)



   ~~~ When power leads and wisdom follows, the face of wisdom is veiled and she stumbles; but when wisdom leads and power follows, they arrive safely at their destination.