Sept. 23, 2025
A Quiet Mind or a Silent Mind
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pp. 6-7This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/21/a-quiet-mind-or-a-silent-mind/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,800
A relatively small number of
people attend to the quality or
2
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,440
texture of the mind.
People tend to identify with the
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,440
sensations, feelings, emotions,
thoughts and reactions that take
4
00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:19,280
over the mind stuff.
We become angry and identify
5
00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,720
with that movement so closely
that we do not normally observe
6
00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:29,360
the anger, but we are the anger.
We don't observe the sensation
7
00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:34,120
of heat or cold, hunger or
thirst, but rather we identify
8
00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,120
with them.
For those who are able to step
9
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:42,400
back and observe the mind stuff,
regardless of the modifications
10
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,720
that it undergoes as these
impulses play upon it, they can
11
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,680
observe that the mind may be
agitated, it may be excited, it
12
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:57,440
may be dull or cloudy, it may be
calm, attentive, or focused.
13
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,040
These states of the mind stuff
are independent of the actual
14
00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,720
movement of thoughts, feelings,
or sensations into and out of
15
00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,080
the mind.
They represent an opportunity
16
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,960
for the spiritual practitioner
to separate himself from the
17
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:18,480
external reactions and begin to
work on developing mental
18
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:24,200
receptivity, clarity, and focus
as the basis for spiritual
19
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,960
development.
An early stage of this practice
20
00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:32,680
involves achieving a status of
calm or quietude that aids the
21
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,880
seeker in maintaining some
distance from the modifications
22
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,600
that occur.
He can observe and he feels
23
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,040
separate from whatever occurs on
the surface.
24
00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,560
It is easy to fall into the
modifications.
25
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600
Someone says or does something
we don't like and immediately we
26
00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,600
react.
We may argue, we may fight, we
27
00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,600
may get depressed or
discouraged.
28
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,440
Circumstances don't turn out the
way we expect and we may lament
29
00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,840
our fate.
A loved one dies and we fall
30
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,000
into a deep state of grief which
can last for a long period of
31
00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,920
time, depressing the life energy
and interest in things.
32
00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:21,000
We may enter a competition and
let our fixation on winning
33
00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,600
create an aggressive pattern in
the mind.
34
00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:30,880
Jealousy, envy, fear, greed,
anger, lust, hatred, ambition,
35
00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,240
joy, pleasure, pain and many
other modifications of the mind
36
00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,080
stuff carry us away.
For the individual who has
37
00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:45,800
achieved a basic state of calm,
a quiet mind, he can mitigate
38
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,440
the impact of many of these
modifications and take a
39
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,320
balanced and peaceful attitude
to everything that comes to him.
40
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,360
A further status is one of
silence, where the mind
41
00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,280
essentially becomes still and
devoid of modifications.
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,760
Srioro Bindo described his own
experience with the development
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,800
of silence of the mind when he
was able to observe the thoughts
44
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,360
coming in from outside, from the
universal nature, and he was
45
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,480
able to simply reject them as
they tried to enter.
46
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,240
For practitioners of the
Integral Yoga, it is a well
47
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,240
known and described phenomenon
that there is a descent of a
48
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,720
palpable force from above,
sometimes felt as a drilling
49
00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:37,680
down into the skull, sometimes
as a vast peace that descends,
50
00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,440
and when that status is
established in the mind, a total
51
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:47,040
silence reigns.
Fioro Bindu observes quote.
52
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:54,200
The first step is a quiet mind.
Silence is a further step, but
53
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,200
quietude must be there.
And by a quiet mind I mean a
54
00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,320
mental consciousness within
which sees thoughts arrive to it
55
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,600
and move about, but does not
itself feel that it is thinking
56
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,080
or identifying itself with the
thoughts, or call them its own
57
00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,560
thoughts.
Mental movements may pass
58
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,959
through it as wayfarers appear
and pass from elsewhere through
59
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:24,480
a silent country.
The quiet mind observes them, or
60
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,840
does not care to observe them,
but in either case does not
61
00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:31,440
become active or lose its
quietude.
62
00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:37,320
Silence is more than quietude.
It can be gained by banishing
63
00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,560
thought altogether from the
inner mind, keeping it voiceless
64
00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,720
or quite outside, but more
easily it is established by a
65
00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,000
descent from above. 1 feels it
coming down, entering and
66
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,000
occupying or surrounding the
personal consciousness, which
67
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:01,600
then tends to merge itself in
the vast impersonal silence.
68
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
69
00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:12,360
of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm, Peace
and Equality, pages six to
70
00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:12,880
seven.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,800
A relatively small number of
people attend to the quality or
2
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,440
texture of the mind.
People tend to identify with the
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,440
sensations, feelings, emotions,
thoughts and reactions that take
4
00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:19,280
over the mind stuff.
We become angry and identify
5
00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,720
with that movement so closely
that we do not normally observe
6
00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:29,360
the anger, but we are the anger.
We don't observe the sensation
7
00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:34,120
of heat or cold, hunger or
thirst, but rather we identify
8
00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,120
with them.
For those who are able to step
9
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:42,400
back and observe the mind stuff,
regardless of the modifications
10
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,720
that it undergoes as these
impulses play upon it, they can
11
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,680
observe that the mind may be
agitated, it may be excited, it
12
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:57,440
may be dull or cloudy, it may be
calm, attentive, or focused.
13
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,040
These states of the mind stuff
are independent of the actual
14
00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,720
movement of thoughts, feelings,
or sensations into and out of
15
00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,080
the mind.
They represent an opportunity
16
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,960
for the spiritual practitioner
to separate himself from the
17
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:18,480
external reactions and begin to
work on developing mental
18
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:24,200
receptivity, clarity, and focus
as the basis for spiritual
19
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,960
development.
An early stage of this practice
20
00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:32,680
involves achieving a status of
calm or quietude that aids the
21
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,880
seeker in maintaining some
distance from the modifications
22
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,600
that occur.
He can observe and he feels
23
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,040
separate from whatever occurs on
the surface.
24
00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,560
It is easy to fall into the
modifications.
25
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600
Someone says or does something
we don't like and immediately we
26
00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,600
react.
We may argue, we may fight, we
27
00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,600
may get depressed or
discouraged.
28
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,440
Circumstances don't turn out the
way we expect and we may lament
29
00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,840
our fate.
A loved one dies and we fall
30
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,000
into a deep state of grief which
can last for a long period of
31
00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,920
time, depressing the life energy
and interest in things.
32
00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:21,000
We may enter a competition and
let our fixation on winning
33
00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,600
create an aggressive pattern in
the mind.
34
00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:30,880
Jealousy, envy, fear, greed,
anger, lust, hatred, ambition,
35
00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,240
joy, pleasure, pain and many
other modifications of the mind
36
00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,080
stuff carry us away.
For the individual who has
37
00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:45,800
achieved a basic state of calm,
a quiet mind, he can mitigate
38
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,440
the impact of many of these
modifications and take a
39
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,320
balanced and peaceful attitude
to everything that comes to him.
40
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,360
A further status is one of
silence, where the mind
41
00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,280
essentially becomes still and
devoid of modifications.
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,760
Srioro Bindo described his own
experience with the development
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,800
of silence of the mind when he
was able to observe the thoughts
44
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,360
coming in from outside, from the
universal nature, and he was
45
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,480
able to simply reject them as
they tried to enter.
46
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,240
For practitioners of the
Integral Yoga, it is a well
47
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,240
known and described phenomenon
that there is a descent of a
48
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,720
palpable force from above,
sometimes felt as a drilling
49
00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:37,680
down into the skull, sometimes
as a vast peace that descends,
50
00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,440
and when that status is
established in the mind, a total
51
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:47,040
silence reigns.
Fioro Bindu observes quote.
52
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:54,200
The first step is a quiet mind.
Silence is a further step, but
53
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,200
quietude must be there.
And by a quiet mind I mean a
54
00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,320
mental consciousness within
which sees thoughts arrive to it
55
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,600
and move about, but does not
itself feel that it is thinking
56
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,080
or identifying itself with the
thoughts, or call them its own
57
00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,560
thoughts.
Mental movements may pass
58
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,959
through it as wayfarers appear
and pass from elsewhere through
59
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:24,480
a silent country.
The quiet mind observes them, or
60
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,840
does not care to observe them,
but in either case does not
61
00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:31,440
become active or lose its
quietude.
62
00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:37,320
Silence is more than quietude.
It can be gained by banishing
63
00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,560
thought altogether from the
inner mind, keeping it voiceless
64
00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,720
or quite outside, but more
easily it is established by a
65
00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,000
descent from above. 1 feels it
coming down, entering and
66
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,000
occupying or surrounding the
personal consciousness, which
67
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:01,600
then tends to merge itself in
the vast impersonal silence.
68
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
69
00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:12,360
of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm, Peace
and Equality, pages six to
70
00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:12,880
seven.
