On Some Difficulties ofthe Inner Life.^31
beplacedinourwaybythe body. Thereare
manymethodsknowntoallofusbywhichwe
canbuild upbodiesof abettertypeifwewant
todoso,butit isthe "wanting" inwhichwe
are deficient. We have the knowledge, we
recognise the expediency of puttmg it mto
practice, but the impulse to do so is lackmg.
Ourroot-difficultyliesinourinnernature; itis
inert,thewishto moveisabsent; itisnot that
the external obstacles are insurmountable, but
thatthemanhimselfliessupineandhasnomind
toclimb over them. Thisexperience isbeingcontinuallyrepeatedbyus; thereseemstobea
want of attractiveness in our ideal; it fails to
draw us; we do not wish to realise it, even
thoughwemayhave intellectuallydecidedthat
itsrealisation is desirable, it stands beforeus
likefoodbeforeamanwhoisnothungry; itis
certainlyverygoodfoodandhemaybegladof
it to-morrow,but just now he has no craving
forit,and preferstoliebaskinginthesunshine
ratherthantogetupandtakepossessionofit.
The problem resolves itself into two ques-
tions: Whydo I not want that which I see,
as arational being, is desirable, productive of