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.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
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.
( from Addresses to Cherags [ unpublished ] )
The first thing that is desirable, or that which is most desirable in Life, is wisdom. The next is power. As foolish people would not be able to make good use of their wealth, so people with psychic power without wisdom are apt to harm themselves with their own power, rather than to do any good. Every atom in this world has its peculiar charm and attraction, and humankind 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.
We are all as blind in our desire of attainment as a child attracted to anything beautiful, be it a toy or a knife. And when we cannot attain to it we feel as disappointed as a child that is not allowed to play with the knife. And it is keen sight into Life that makes us see what is really good for us in our lives. Selfish both are, the wise and the foolish; only that the foolish with their selfishness meet with disappointment while the wise with their selfishness get the benefit. The nature of power is to cover the eyes and hide from one’s sight the true nature of the things we wish to attain. When power leads and Wisdom follows, the face of Wisdom is veiled and she stumbles; but when Wisdom leads and power follows, then they arrive safely at their destination.
( from Githas, Series III, Psychology:
The Use of Psychic Power [ unpublished ] )
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
Wisdom and power are not necessarily two things; they both indicate control, only what is known as power is control over or through the stuff of creation, the coarser vibrations from which matter-stuff and mind-stuff have sprung. Control of these atoms and vibrations is called mastery. By wisdom is meant the view of Unity, which comes from the growth of insight. Through insight one can always gain power, but power does not take one beyond the sphere of activity. By wisdom one can control the lesser through the greater and overcome the forces of mind through heart and of matter through mind.