Feb. 6, 2025
A Reversal of Consciousness Accompanies the Seeker's Focus on Spiritual Growth
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XXII Spirit, pp. 166-167 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/04/a-reversal-of-consciousness-accompanies-the-seekers-focus-on-spiritual-growth/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,080
We read or hear about the
accounts of individuals who had
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:10,040
some kind of experience, either
dramatically uplifting or
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,480
severely traumatic, who awaken
to a spiritual purpose in their
4
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,760
lives which changes the entire
direction and focus of what
5
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:23,200
takes place for them afterwards
when compared with their earlier
6
00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,880
life.
The Tibetan Yogi Milarepa
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,760
experienced the tragic death of
his father, followed by his
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,920
uncle and aunt, appropriating
the family wealth and basically
9
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,600
suppressing his mother, himself
and his sister into poverty and
10
00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,400
oppression.
His anger led him to practice
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,880
black magic and created
devastation in the village in
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,000
retribution.
Afterwards, as he began to
13
00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,080
reflect, he suffered intensely
about the harm he had caused
14
00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,960
through his giving way to his
anger, and he made it his life's
15
00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:04,200
mission to achieve salvation in
one lifetime, leading to an
16
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:10,000
intense spiritual sadhna.
Milarepa experienced a reversal
17
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,880
of consciousness that changed
his entire life, focus, attitude
18
00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,760
and efforts.
A Roman soldier, Saul, on the
19
00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,600
road to Damascus to harass the
budding Christian enclave there,
20
00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,520
had a dramatic spiritual
experience of Jesus and had what
21
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,880
we may see as a reversal of
consciousness from being an
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:39,240
ardent and strict opponent to
becoming a strong supporter of
23
00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,000
the Christian movement.
Dannian Brinkley was a
24
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:48,200
mercenary, a hired killer.
After being struck by lightning
25
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,280
and being declared clinically
dead.
26
00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,360
He returned to life with a new
outlook and understanding,
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,720
recounted his experience in his
book Saved by the Light, and
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,160
gave up his former career to
become a caring advocate for
29
00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,160
Hospice support for those who
were dying.
30
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,920
There are countless situations,
some more mundane and some more
31
00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:16,360
extreme in their working that
have switched people from an
32
00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,520
outward focus based in the ego
consciousness and the workings
33
00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,400
of the body, life, mind complex,
to an inward and upward turn to
34
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,040
take up the spiritual life and
leave their former concerns and
35
00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,480
activities behind, or else
adjust in such a way that those
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,600
activities become part of their
spiritual development.
37
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,520
Each individual who takes up the
spiritual quest has their own
38
00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,680
version of the event or
developments that converted them
39
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,120
to that seeking.
Until that occurs, the spiritual
40
00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,800
growth is more or less hidden
behind the outer nature,
41
00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,760
although it must be noted it is
still working unseen to mature
42
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:02,840
the individual to take up that
effort.
43
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:09,760
A disciple asks Sweet Mother,
how can someone who hasn't much
44
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,840
spiritual capacity best help in
this work?
45
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:19,000
The mother writes quote.
I don't know whether one can say
46
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,320
that anyone has much or little
spiritual capacity.
47
00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:27,600
It is not like that.
To live the spiritual life, a
48
00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,640
reversal of consciousness is
needed.
49
00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,800
This cannot be compared in any
way with the different faculties
50
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,520
or possibilities one has in the
mental field.
51
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,000
It may be said of someone that
he hasn't much mental, vital or
52
00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,040
physical capacity, that his
possibilities are very limited.
53
00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,760
In that case it may be asked how
these capacities may be
54
00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,800
developed, that is, how new ones
may be acquired, which is
55
00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:00,200
something rather difficult.
But to live the spiritual life
56
00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,960
is to open to another world
within oneself.
57
00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,640
It is reverse.
One's consciousness, as it were.
58
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,280
The ordinary human
consciousness, even in the most
59
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:16,560
developed, even in men of great
talent and great realization, is
60
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,519
a movement turned outwards.
All the energies are directed
61
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:23,440
outwards, the whole
consciousness is spread
62
00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,400
outwards, and if anything is
turned inwards, it is very
63
00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,920
little, very rare, very
fragmentary.
64
00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,680
It happens only under the
pressure of very special
65
00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:40,520
circumstances, violent shocks,
the shocks life gives precisely
66
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,040
with the intention of slightly
reversing this movement of
67
00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,240
exteriorization of the
consciousness.
68
00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,280
But all who have lived a
spiritual life have had the same
69
00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:55,640
experience.
All of a sudden something in
70
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,560
their being has been reversed,
so to speak, has been turned
71
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,880
suddenly and sometimes
completely inwards, and also at
72
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,280
the same time upwards from
within upwards.
73
00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:15,040
But it is not an external above,
it is within deep, something
74
00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,560
other than the heights as they
are physically conceived.
75
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,320
Something has literally been
turned over.
76
00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:26,600
There has been a decisive
experience and the standpoint of
77
00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,240
life, the way of looking at
life, the attitude 1 takes in
78
00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:36,360
relation to it, has suddenly
changed and in some cases quite
79
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,640
definitively, irrevocably.
End Quote.
80
00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:46,760
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers Within, Chapter
81
00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:52,040
22, Spirit, pages 166 to 167.
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,080
We read or hear about the
accounts of individuals who had
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:10,040
some kind of experience, either
dramatically uplifting or
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,480
severely traumatic, who awaken
to a spiritual purpose in their
4
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,760
lives which changes the entire
direction and focus of what
5
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:23,200
takes place for them afterwards
when compared with their earlier
6
00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,880
life.
The Tibetan Yogi Milarepa
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,760
experienced the tragic death of
his father, followed by his
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,920
uncle and aunt, appropriating
the family wealth and basically
9
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,600
suppressing his mother, himself
and his sister into poverty and
10
00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,400
oppression.
His anger led him to practice
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,880
black magic and created
devastation in the village in
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,000
retribution.
Afterwards, as he began to
13
00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,080
reflect, he suffered intensely
about the harm he had caused
14
00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,960
through his giving way to his
anger, and he made it his life's
15
00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:04,200
mission to achieve salvation in
one lifetime, leading to an
16
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:10,000
intense spiritual sadhna.
Milarepa experienced a reversal
17
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,880
of consciousness that changed
his entire life, focus, attitude
18
00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,760
and efforts.
A Roman soldier, Saul, on the
19
00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,600
road to Damascus to harass the
budding Christian enclave there,
20
00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,520
had a dramatic spiritual
experience of Jesus and had what
21
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,880
we may see as a reversal of
consciousness from being an
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:39,240
ardent and strict opponent to
becoming a strong supporter of
23
00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,000
the Christian movement.
Dannian Brinkley was a
24
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:48,200
mercenary, a hired killer.
After being struck by lightning
25
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,280
and being declared clinically
dead.
26
00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,360
He returned to life with a new
outlook and understanding,
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,720
recounted his experience in his
book Saved by the Light, and
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,160
gave up his former career to
become a caring advocate for
29
00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,160
Hospice support for those who
were dying.
30
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,920
There are countless situations,
some more mundane and some more
31
00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:16,360
extreme in their working that
have switched people from an
32
00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,520
outward focus based in the ego
consciousness and the workings
33
00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,400
of the body, life, mind complex,
to an inward and upward turn to
34
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,040
take up the spiritual life and
leave their former concerns and
35
00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,480
activities behind, or else
adjust in such a way that those
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,600
activities become part of their
spiritual development.
37
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,520
Each individual who takes up the
spiritual quest has their own
38
00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,680
version of the event or
developments that converted them
39
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,120
to that seeking.
Until that occurs, the spiritual
40
00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,800
growth is more or less hidden
behind the outer nature,
41
00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,760
although it must be noted it is
still working unseen to mature
42
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:02,840
the individual to take up that
effort.
43
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:09,760
A disciple asks Sweet Mother,
how can someone who hasn't much
44
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,840
spiritual capacity best help in
this work?
45
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:19,000
The mother writes quote.
I don't know whether one can say
46
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,320
that anyone has much or little
spiritual capacity.
47
00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:27,600
It is not like that.
To live the spiritual life, a
48
00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,640
reversal of consciousness is
needed.
49
00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,800
This cannot be compared in any
way with the different faculties
50
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,520
or possibilities one has in the
mental field.
51
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,000
It may be said of someone that
he hasn't much mental, vital or
52
00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,040
physical capacity, that his
possibilities are very limited.
53
00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,760
In that case it may be asked how
these capacities may be
54
00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,800
developed, that is, how new ones
may be acquired, which is
55
00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:00,200
something rather difficult.
But to live the spiritual life
56
00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,960
is to open to another world
within oneself.
57
00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,640
It is reverse.
One's consciousness, as it were.
58
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,280
The ordinary human
consciousness, even in the most
59
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:16,560
developed, even in men of great
talent and great realization, is
60
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,519
a movement turned outwards.
All the energies are directed
61
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:23,440
outwards, the whole
consciousness is spread
62
00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,400
outwards, and if anything is
turned inwards, it is very
63
00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,920
little, very rare, very
fragmentary.
64
00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,680
It happens only under the
pressure of very special
65
00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:40,520
circumstances, violent shocks,
the shocks life gives precisely
66
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,040
with the intention of slightly
reversing this movement of
67
00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,240
exteriorization of the
consciousness.
68
00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,280
But all who have lived a
spiritual life have had the same
69
00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:55,640
experience.
All of a sudden something in
70
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,560
their being has been reversed,
so to speak, has been turned
71
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,880
suddenly and sometimes
completely inwards, and also at
72
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,280
the same time upwards from
within upwards.
73
00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:15,040
But it is not an external above,
it is within deep, something
74
00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,560
other than the heights as they
are physically conceived.
75
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,320
Something has literally been
turned over.
76
00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:26,600
There has been a decisive
experience and the standpoint of
77
00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,240
life, the way of looking at
life, the attitude 1 takes in
78
00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:36,360
relation to it, has suddenly
changed and in some cases quite
79
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,640
definitively, irrevocably.
End Quote.
80
00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:46,760
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers Within, Chapter
81
00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:52,040
22, Spirit, pages 166 to 167.