Human Potentialities and
Actualities
Potentialities do not become actualities unless they are
organised. What converts the one into the other is the mysterious element
called Personality. The sheet anchor of that personality is spiritual values in
the body where they have become physical sensitivities. Knowledge raises the
mental horizon and widens its scope. Knowledge becomes practical when it turns
into an Ideal. The Ideal inspires one to action when the devotion to the Ideal
becomes a mental sensitivity.
Mind is capable of only thoughts, and cannot initiate action directly. So, any
achievement of the mind is an achievement of spreading the ideal far and wide. It
is the vital that is endowed with energy. Energy releases a social movement
inspiring the people to extol the Ideal. The movement is more powerful than the
mental Ideal. Still a movement by itself cannot achieve. It needs an
organisation. An organisation achieves when the organisers have acquired the
physical sensitivity for the ideal. Accomplishment is given to the
organisation, not the mere ideal or the inspiring movement, though they are
essential.
In a nation, what accomplishes is a national organisation dedicated to the
Ideal. How can an Individual vastly endowed with rich potentialities convert
them into the actualities of his own life? What plays the role of organisation
in his life? I said it is his Personality. What energises that Personality is
the spiritual values of his physical body. Its accomplishment rises with the
rising physical sensitivities for those values. By invoking the Spirit, one
witnesses the Silent phenomenon of the Spirit organising his personality,
creating the needed sensitivities in his physical consciousness and physical
substance. It is the practical GOODNESS of an efficient man of excellent values
buried deep in him.