The Laws Governing Wishes

The Third Law of Wishes: The Human Capacity to Fulfill His Wishes

In the articles “The Real Wishes” and “The Harmony between Human Beings and Their Wishes,” we addressed the two universal laws of wishes. We stated that wanting something is an affirmation of its existence or the possibility of its existence. We also explained that there is harmony and compatibility between us and our wishes. This means if we want something, we are compatible with it. Now, it is time to introduce the third law of wishes.

When we were children, our parents never allowed us to have snacks before main meals. Now, we do not let our own children do the same either, and we have a good reason for it. Children have a limited stomach capacity, and if they eat something else before a meal, they quickly get full. So we prefer to fill this limited capacity with the nutritious food that their bodies need.

Surely, you have experienced this situation many times where your food is right in front of you, all ready to be eaten, but you are completely full and have no appetite for it. The capacity for reception is one of the requirements for wanting something. We only desire something when we have the capacity to receive it, and we only desire as much as our capacity allows . It is like a small flower pot that, when watered, retains just the amount of water it needs and lets go of the excess.

So we can describe the third law of wishes or the third principle of desiring in this way:

• We desire something when we have the capacity to receive it.”

But what exactly does this principle mean?

The Condition for Receiving the Desired Thing

This principle can be expressed as follows: When we desire something, the capacity to receive it exists in us. For example, imagine a forty-year-old individual who is illiterate but has a constant desire to become literate. This desire shows that the capacity for learning exists in him, but he has not had the opportunity to acquire literacy.

In fact, we desire something when we have the capacity to receive it. If the capacity or potentiality of something does not exist in us, there will not be any desire or wish. It is like when we are already full and do not feel any hunger or urge to eat, but as soon as the food is digested and there is capacity, we will feel hungry again.

Or imagine a highly busy individual who never asks to take on a new task because he does not have the capacity to do it. However, once he has some free time, it will become possible for him to receive a new task.

Filled to Capacity!

If a place has the capacity to accommodate two hundred people, it means that it desires to accommodate up to two hundred individuals and cannot hold more than that. So our capacity determines the extent of our wishes, and it is fundamentally impossible to desire something that exceeds our capacity. In other words, we have no understanding of something that goes beyond our capacity; our capacity determines the scope of our desires.

For example, let us consider a small cup. You cannot pour more water into it than its capacity allows, not even a single drop. In fact, the small cup has no perception of an additional drop and remains unaware of the presence of other water droplets until it is emptied. Even if you were to pour the entire sea into this cup, it would only benefit from it up to its defined capacity. Therefore, we can describe the third law of wishes in this manner:

• “The desire for something is secondary to having the capacity to receive it.”

The Capacity We Define for Ourselves

Typically, articles and explanatory notes are added to laws to make sure that all their dimensions are clear. The laws of desire are no exception to this rule. But before we add this explanatory note, let us ask you a question to create the required capacity.

Have you ever felt like you do not have the capacity or tendency to do a task? For instance, have you felt that you do not have the capacity to understand mathematical problems, do a chemical calculation, engage in negotiations and conversations with others, and so on? Typically, each of us feels he has the capacity and potential in only one or two specific areas. A prominent university professor might feel he has the capacity to participate in an international scientific conference, while a sports equipment seller may not have the capacity to do so. Or a pilot may see that he has the capacity and tendency to work at high altitudes, but a university professor may not.

In fact, the extent of our capacity for desires is determined by our definition of ourselves and by the characteristics and abilities we believe that we have. Based on the capacity we determine for ourselves, the level of our potential decreases or increases. If we define ourselves at the level of a plant or an inanimate object, with vegetative or inanimate needs, then our capacity will be as limited as theirs. If we define ourselves at the level of an animal, our capacity for desire will be as limited as that of animals , and our wishes will not go beyond those of animals. So our definition of ourselves determines the extent of our existential capacity.

The container of our desires is never empty, just like a glass that, when emptied of water, becomes filled with air. No matter what direction our wishes and desires take, the container of our desires expands to take the same direction.

In reality, this container decreases the capacity of other parts to increase the capacity of our intended desires. If we seek worldly and materialistic desires and wishes, the capacity of those aspirations expands. If we move towards human (spiritual) desires, we increase the capacity of such desires.

In this article, we discussed the third law of wishes and stated that when we desire and want something, the capacity for its reception must exist in us. Before performing any task, we must feel that we have the capacity and tendency to do it. We also stated that the scope of our desires depends on our definition of ourselves and our characteristics. Moreover, the more value we place on a particular desire, the more we decrease the capacity of other aspects of our existence and increase the capacity of our desired dimension.

Now that we have reviewed the third law of wishes, we recommend reading the fourth article which discusses knowing our wishes.