July 15, 2025
Achieving Confidence About the Spiritual Path and the Spiritual Destiny
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 127-128
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/07/13/achieving-confidence-about-the-spiritual-path-and-the-spiritual-destiny/
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
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,480
When we see things from the
viewpoint of our ego
2
00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,000
personality, with our limited
lifespan and our insecurities
3
00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,080
based on the limitations of our
knowledge and power, we
4
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,600
frequently experience bouts of
anxiety, or at least uncertainty
5
00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,560
about the reality of what we are
doing, about the truth of the
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:26,000
spiritual path, and about our
ability to face all the
7
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,160
obstacles and overcome them to
obtain the objective we have set
8
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,520
before ourselves.
The magnitude of the task, the
9
00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,880
attempt to change human nature
through the development of a
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,160
new, higher formation of
consciousness, is overwhelming
11
00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:46,280
to the individual, who can feel
very small when confronted with
12
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,040
the vast expanse of time and
space and the forces that are at
13
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,960
work to shape the universal
manifestation, including all of
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,760
the complexity of life on our
planet.
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,960
At some point, just about
everyone taking up the spiritual
16
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:09,080
path will suffer from a crisis
of confidence, particularly if
17
00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,120
they feel like everything is
dark and the experiences which
18
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,080
had fueled the initial
enthusiasm have retreated and
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,880
one is faced with the phenomenon
called the Dark Night of the
20
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,920
Soul.
To become serene and confident
21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,360
in the spiritual path, we can
either try to retreat into some
22
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,120
rigid dogma and refuse to let in
other perceptions, thoughts, or
23
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,560
ideas, which is the way in which
many, including religious
24
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,120
zealots, try to reduce the
complexity and uncertainty of
25
00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:49,200
existence.
Or else we need to gain not just
26
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,800
an intellectual understanding of
the reality of our universal
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:58,360
existence, but of faith-based on
our deeper psychic sense, the
28
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,400
knowledge of the soul, or based
on experiential confirmation of
29
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:08,360
our intellectual viewpoint.
The path of zealotry has serious
30
00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,800
limitations, as it tends to
block out much of the reality
31
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,720
with an attempt to shape
inconvenient facts or new forms
32
00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,720
of knowledge into preconceived
formulations.
33
00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,840
Frequently this approach becomes
harsh and narrow, judgmental and
34
00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,480
concerned more with adherence to
a set form of understanding than
35
00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,600
to an openness that embraces the
wideness and complexity of
36
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,240
existence.
Once an individual has the
37
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,160
experience of a shift of
consciousness to what we may
38
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:50,040
call the Divine standpoint, even
briefly, it becomes possible for
39
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,400
that person to recognize, in a
very real sense, that true
40
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,680
confidence does not reside in
the ego or the ego personality,
41
00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,760
but in the Divine reality
existing independent of the ego
42
00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:10,280
that transcends it both in time
and space, and which has its own
43
00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,800
significance, purpose and
direction in the manifestation.
44
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,680
As one begins to identify with
this wider view, it becomes
45
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,160
easier to maintain confidence in
spite of the setbacks, obstacles
46
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,640
or difficulties that are faced
by the human being during his
47
00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:33,720
short lifetime.
What does any human failing
48
00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:38,080
signify when looked at over the
course of billions of years or
49
00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,920
even just millennia, over the
span of millions of galaxies in
50
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,280
the universe, or over the time
frames that are needed just to
51
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520
achieve a next stage of
evolution on our planet?
52
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,120
To the extent the seeker can
shift his identification to the
53
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,200
divine standpoint, he can go
forward with an absolute
54
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:04,440
confidence that the spiritual
destiny will be fulfilled in its
55
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:11,480
own way, in its own time, and
with its own methods, the Mother
56
00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,280
observes.
Quote The best way of meeting
57
00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,000
difficulties is a quiet and calm
confidence in the grace.
58
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,400
Keep faith and confidence and
remain cheerful.
59
00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,080
Be confident.
You will become what you have to
60
00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:32,920
be and achieve what you have to
do. 1 must have entire
61
00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,160
confidence in the victory of the
Divine, and this general victory
62
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,640
will include in itself the
personal victory of all who have
63
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,240
remained faithful and confident.
With confidence we shall
64
00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:51,840
advance.
With certitude we shall wait and
65
00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,760
quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
66
00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,120
Mother looking from within,
Chapter 5.
67
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:04,000
Attitudes on the Path, pages 127
to 128.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,480
When we see things from the
viewpoint of our ego
2
00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,000
personality, with our limited
lifespan and our insecurities
3
00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,080
based on the limitations of our
knowledge and power, we
4
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,600
frequently experience bouts of
anxiety, or at least uncertainty
5
00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,560
about the reality of what we are
doing, about the truth of the
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:26,000
spiritual path, and about our
ability to face all the
7
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,160
obstacles and overcome them to
obtain the objective we have set
8
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,520
before ourselves.
The magnitude of the task, the
9
00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,880
attempt to change human nature
through the development of a
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,160
new, higher formation of
consciousness, is overwhelming
11
00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:46,280
to the individual, who can feel
very small when confronted with
12
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,040
the vast expanse of time and
space and the forces that are at
13
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,960
work to shape the universal
manifestation, including all of
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,760
the complexity of life on our
planet.
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,960
At some point, just about
everyone taking up the spiritual
16
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:09,080
path will suffer from a crisis
of confidence, particularly if
17
00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,120
they feel like everything is
dark and the experiences which
18
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,080
had fueled the initial
enthusiasm have retreated and
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,880
one is faced with the phenomenon
called the Dark Night of the
20
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,920
Soul.
To become serene and confident
21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,360
in the spiritual path, we can
either try to retreat into some
22
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,120
rigid dogma and refuse to let in
other perceptions, thoughts, or
23
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,560
ideas, which is the way in which
many, including religious
24
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,120
zealots, try to reduce the
complexity and uncertainty of
25
00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:49,200
existence.
Or else we need to gain not just
26
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,800
an intellectual understanding of
the reality of our universal
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:58,360
existence, but of faith-based on
our deeper psychic sense, the
28
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,400
knowledge of the soul, or based
on experiential confirmation of
29
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:08,360
our intellectual viewpoint.
The path of zealotry has serious
30
00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,800
limitations, as it tends to
block out much of the reality
31
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,720
with an attempt to shape
inconvenient facts or new forms
32
00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,720
of knowledge into preconceived
formulations.
33
00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,840
Frequently this approach becomes
harsh and narrow, judgmental and
34
00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,480
concerned more with adherence to
a set form of understanding than
35
00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,600
to an openness that embraces the
wideness and complexity of
36
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,240
existence.
Once an individual has the
37
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,160
experience of a shift of
consciousness to what we may
38
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:50,040
call the Divine standpoint, even
briefly, it becomes possible for
39
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,400
that person to recognize, in a
very real sense, that true
40
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,680
confidence does not reside in
the ego or the ego personality,
41
00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,760
but in the Divine reality
existing independent of the ego
42
00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:10,280
that transcends it both in time
and space, and which has its own
43
00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,800
significance, purpose and
direction in the manifestation.
44
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,680
As one begins to identify with
this wider view, it becomes
45
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,160
easier to maintain confidence in
spite of the setbacks, obstacles
46
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,640
or difficulties that are faced
by the human being during his
47
00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:33,720
short lifetime.
What does any human failing
48
00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:38,080
signify when looked at over the
course of billions of years or
49
00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,920
even just millennia, over the
span of millions of galaxies in
50
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,280
the universe, or over the time
frames that are needed just to
51
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520
achieve a next stage of
evolution on our planet?
52
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,120
To the extent the seeker can
shift his identification to the
53
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,200
divine standpoint, he can go
forward with an absolute
54
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:04,440
confidence that the spiritual
destiny will be fulfilled in its
55
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:11,480
own way, in its own time, and
with its own methods, the Mother
56
00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,280
observes.
Quote The best way of meeting
57
00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,000
difficulties is a quiet and calm
confidence in the grace.
58
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,400
Keep faith and confidence and
remain cheerful.
59
00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,080
Be confident.
You will become what you have to
60
00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:32,920
be and achieve what you have to
do. 1 must have entire
61
00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,160
confidence in the victory of the
Divine, and this general victory
62
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,640
will include in itself the
personal victory of all who have
63
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,240
remained faithful and confident.
With confidence we shall
64
00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:51,840
advance.
With certitude we shall wait and
65
00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,760
quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
66
00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,120
Mother looking from within,
Chapter 5.
67
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:04,000
Attitudes on the Path, pages 127
to 128.