March 4, 2025
Acting from the 'Right Spirit'
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 1, Looking at Life and Circumstances, pp. 9-10
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/03/02/acting-from-the-right-spirit/
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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,120
The mother provides another
example of the need for insight
2
00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,200
and flexibility to address
changing circumstances.
3
00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,960
Most people want to have a fixed
routine provided for them.
4
00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,040
Do this and you will achieve
that.
5
00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,240
This process, while comforting
to the mental consciousness that
6
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,800
normally functions within fixed
and narrow limits, is unable to
7
00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,760
address the fluidity and
complexity of the world within
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,800
which we actually live.
Rather than focus on one
9
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,680
particular method or technique,
the Mother simply asks the
10
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,360
seeker to align himself with the
situation, take his standpoint
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:47,000
from any inward link to the
psychic being, and then respond
12
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,360
naturally and spontaneously to
whatever presents itself to be
13
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:56,920
done in bases of yoga.
Through your obendo states
14
00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:03,040
quote, aspire, concentrate in
the right spirit and whatever
15
00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,360
the difficulties you are sure to
attain the aim you have put
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:13,200
before you End Quote.
A disciple asks what is the
17
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,120
right spirit?
The Mother notes quote.
18
00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,080
It depends on the case.
The right spirit is the will to
19
00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:29,440
perfect oneself or the will to
be calm, or it depends, you see,
20
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,360
on the circumstances.
It means that in each
21
00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,760
circumstance there is a spirit
which is the suitable spirit,
22
00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,800
the one you ought to have, the
attitude you must inwardly take.
23
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,520
It depends on the case.
For example, you see, as soon as
24
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,480
one feels a wave of physical
disequilibrium, of ill health
25
00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,840
coming, well, to concentrate in
the right spirit is to
26
00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:01,480
concentrate in an inner calm, a
trust in the Divine grace and a
27
00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,320
will to remain in physical
equilibrium and good health.
28
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:11,480
This is the right spirit.
In another case, one may feel a
29
00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,360
wave of anger or a fit of temper
coming from outside.
30
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,440
Then one should withdraw into an
inner calm, a detachment from
31
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,200
superficial things, with a will
to express only what comes from
32
00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,320
above, and always be submissive
to the Divine will.
33
00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,920
This is the right spirit, and in
each case it is something like
34
00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,600
that.
Naturally it always comes back
35
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,880
to the same thing, that one must
remember the Divine and put
36
00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,600
oneself at His surface and will
what He wills.
37
00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,080
But in one case you may want the
calm, in the other you may want
38
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,120
the force, in another still you
may want health.
39
00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,240
And yet another something which
resists the pressure from
40
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:04,040
outside.
When one is perplexed, when one
41
00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,000
has to make a choice, when 1
doesn't know what the right
42
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,360
thing to do is.
You see, one has to choose among
43
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,560
two or three or four possible
decisions and doesn't know which
44
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,840
one is the right one.
Then one must put himself as far
45
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:25,200
as possible in contact with his
psychic being and the divine
46
00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,720
presence in him, present the
problem to this psychic
47
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,440
consciousness and ask for the
true light, the true decision,
48
00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:38,520
the one most in accordance with
the Divine will, and try to
49
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,400
listen and receive the
inspiration.
50
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,120
In each case you see, it is the
right attitude.
51
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:52,240
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
52
00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:57,360
from Within, Chapter 1, Looking
at Life and Circumstances, pages
53
00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:58,280
9:00 to 10:00.
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,120
The mother provides another
example of the need for insight
2
00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,200
and flexibility to address
changing circumstances.
3
00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,960
Most people want to have a fixed
routine provided for them.
4
00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,040
Do this and you will achieve
that.
5
00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,240
This process, while comforting
to the mental consciousness that
6
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,800
normally functions within fixed
and narrow limits, is unable to
7
00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,760
address the fluidity and
complexity of the world within
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,800
which we actually live.
Rather than focus on one
9
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,680
particular method or technique,
the Mother simply asks the
10
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,360
seeker to align himself with the
situation, take his standpoint
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:47,000
from any inward link to the
psychic being, and then respond
12
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,360
naturally and spontaneously to
whatever presents itself to be
13
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:56,920
done in bases of yoga.
Through your obendo states
14
00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:03,040
quote, aspire, concentrate in
the right spirit and whatever
15
00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,360
the difficulties you are sure to
attain the aim you have put
16
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:13,200
before you End Quote.
A disciple asks what is the
17
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,120
right spirit?
The Mother notes quote.
18
00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,080
It depends on the case.
The right spirit is the will to
19
00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:29,440
perfect oneself or the will to
be calm, or it depends, you see,
20
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,360
on the circumstances.
It means that in each
21
00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,760
circumstance there is a spirit
which is the suitable spirit,
22
00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,800
the one you ought to have, the
attitude you must inwardly take.
23
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,520
It depends on the case.
For example, you see, as soon as
24
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,480
one feels a wave of physical
disequilibrium, of ill health
25
00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,840
coming, well, to concentrate in
the right spirit is to
26
00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:01,480
concentrate in an inner calm, a
trust in the Divine grace and a
27
00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,320
will to remain in physical
equilibrium and good health.
28
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:11,480
This is the right spirit.
In another case, one may feel a
29
00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,360
wave of anger or a fit of temper
coming from outside.
30
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,440
Then one should withdraw into an
inner calm, a detachment from
31
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,200
superficial things, with a will
to express only what comes from
32
00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,320
above, and always be submissive
to the Divine will.
33
00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,920
This is the right spirit, and in
each case it is something like
34
00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,600
that.
Naturally it always comes back
35
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,880
to the same thing, that one must
remember the Divine and put
36
00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,600
oneself at His surface and will
what He wills.
37
00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,080
But in one case you may want the
calm, in the other you may want
38
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,120
the force, in another still you
may want health.
39
00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,240
And yet another something which
resists the pressure from
40
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:04,040
outside.
When one is perplexed, when one
41
00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,000
has to make a choice, when 1
doesn't know what the right
42
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,360
thing to do is.
You see, one has to choose among
43
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,560
two or three or four possible
decisions and doesn't know which
44
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,840
one is the right one.
Then one must put himself as far
45
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:25,200
as possible in contact with his
psychic being and the divine
46
00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,720
presence in him, present the
problem to this psychic
47
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,440
consciousness and ask for the
true light, the true decision,
48
00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:38,520
the one most in accordance with
the Divine will, and try to
49
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,400
listen and receive the
inspiration.
50
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,120
In each case you see, it is the
right attitude.
51
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:52,240
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
52
00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:57,360
from Within, Chapter 1, Looking
at Life and Circumstances, pages
53
00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:58,280
9:00 to 10:00.