Nov. 28, 2025
Addressing Obstacles, Weaknesses and Limitations Through the Connection with the Divine Power
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 47-48This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/26/addressing-obstacles-weaknesses-and-limitations-through-the-connection-with-the-divine-power/
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
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #Divine Power #psychic being
1
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,560
There are so many obstacles and
difficulties that confront the
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:09,680
spiritual seeker precisely
because the work of transforming
3
00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,560
human nature in each element
involves dealing with endless
4
00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,920
numbers of embedded habits,
instincts, trained responses,
5
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,280
etcetera.
It is virtually a constant
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,760
effort to address each and every
one of these concerns as they
7
00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,840
arise, because the seeker
generally starts from the
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,600
standpoint of the ego.
He tends to treat these things
9
00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,760
as personal failures or
weaknesses, and he then tends to
10
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,920
become fixated on addressing
them with his own efforts
11
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,760
through exercise of willpower or
other means he has at his
12
00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,680
disposal.
He soon finds out, however, that
13
00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,800
these issues are larger and more
deeply entrenched, being part of
14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,600
the general development of
nature in the world then his own
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,880
unaided effort can solve.
The more he focuses on and
16
00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,760
fixates himself on these
weaknesses, limitations, and
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,720
difficulties, the more they tend
to overwhelm his efforts and he
18
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,640
can quickly sink into a state of
despair of ever finding the
19
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,600
solution.
The solution lies therefore, not
20
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,360
in trying to accomplish the
result using human powers, but
21
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,800
through moving his focus away
from this fixation and shifting
22
00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,800
his attention to the divine and
his connection to the divine.
23
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,720
Through identification with the
psychic being, he can get in
24
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,320
touch with the deep aspiration,
consecration, devotion, faith
25
00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,280
and dedication that links him to
the divine power, which then can
26
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,680
work in him to accomplish what
he cannot do on his own,
27
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,840
Sriorobindu observes quote.
While the recognition of the
28
00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,440
divine power and the attunement
of 1's own nature to it cannot
29
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,160
be done without the recognition
of the imperfections in that
30
00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,520
nature, yet it is a wrong
attitude to put too much stress
31
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,600
either on them or on the
difficulties they create, or to
32
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,600
distrust the divine working
because of the difficulties 1
33
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,520
experiences, or to lay too
continual an emphasis on the
34
00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,720
dark side of things.
To do this increases the force
35
00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,640
of the difficulties, gives a
greater right of continuance to
36
00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:37,160
the imperfections.
I do not insist on a coistic
37
00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:42,480
optimism, although excessive
optimism is more helpful than
38
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:47,480
excessive pessimism.
That coyism tends to cover up
39
00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,080
difficulties, and there is
besides always a measure to be
40
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,920
observed in things.
But there's no danger of your
41
00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,880
covering them up and deluding
yourself with too bright an
42
00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,360
outlook.
Quite the contrary, you always
43
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,600
lay stress too much on the
shadows, and by so doing thicken
44
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,600
them and obstruct your outlets
of escape into the light.
45
00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,920
Faith, more faith.
Faith in your possibilities,
46
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,400
faith in the power that is at
work behind the veil, faith in
47
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,720
the work that is to be done and
the offered guidance.
48
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,000
There cannot be any high
endeavour, least of all in the
49
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,080
spiritual field, which does not
raise or encounter grave
50
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,040
obstacles of a very persistent
character.
51
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:42,360
There are both internal and
external, and although in the
52
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:47,200
large they are fundamentally the
same for all, there may be a
53
00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,680
great difference in the
distribution of their stress or
54
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,240
the outward form they take.
But the one real difficulty is
55
00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,400
the attunement of the Nature
with the working of the Divine
56
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,720
Light and power.
Get that solved, and the others
57
00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:07,240
will either disappear or take a
subordinate place.
58
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,280
And even with those difficulties
that are of a more general
59
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:15,400
character, more lasting, because
they are inherent in the work of
60
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,279
transformation, they will not
weigh so heavily because the
61
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,040
sense of the supporting force
and a greater power to follow
62
00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,560
its movements will be there.
End Quote.
63
00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,960
Reference.
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
64
00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:36,640
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
47 to 48.
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,560
There are so many obstacles and
difficulties that confront the
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:09,680
spiritual seeker precisely
because the work of transforming
3
00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,560
human nature in each element
involves dealing with endless
4
00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,920
numbers of embedded habits,
instincts, trained responses,
5
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,280
etcetera.
It is virtually a constant
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,760
effort to address each and every
one of these concerns as they
7
00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,840
arise, because the seeker
generally starts from the
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,600
standpoint of the ego.
He tends to treat these things
9
00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,760
as personal failures or
weaknesses, and he then tends to
10
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,920
become fixated on addressing
them with his own efforts
11
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,760
through exercise of willpower or
other means he has at his
12
00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,680
disposal.
He soon finds out, however, that
13
00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,800
these issues are larger and more
deeply entrenched, being part of
14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,600
the general development of
nature in the world then his own
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,880
unaided effort can solve.
The more he focuses on and
16
00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,760
fixates himself on these
weaknesses, limitations, and
17
00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,720
difficulties, the more they tend
to overwhelm his efforts and he
18
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,640
can quickly sink into a state of
despair of ever finding the
19
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,600
solution.
The solution lies therefore, not
20
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,360
in trying to accomplish the
result using human powers, but
21
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,800
through moving his focus away
from this fixation and shifting
22
00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,800
his attention to the divine and
his connection to the divine.
23
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,720
Through identification with the
psychic being, he can get in
24
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,320
touch with the deep aspiration,
consecration, devotion, faith
25
00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,280
and dedication that links him to
the divine power, which then can
26
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,680
work in him to accomplish what
he cannot do on his own,
27
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,840
Sriorobindu observes quote.
While the recognition of the
28
00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,440
divine power and the attunement
of 1's own nature to it cannot
29
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,160
be done without the recognition
of the imperfections in that
30
00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,520
nature, yet it is a wrong
attitude to put too much stress
31
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,600
either on them or on the
difficulties they create, or to
32
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,600
distrust the divine working
because of the difficulties 1
33
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,520
experiences, or to lay too
continual an emphasis on the
34
00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,720
dark side of things.
To do this increases the force
35
00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,640
of the difficulties, gives a
greater right of continuance to
36
00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:37,160
the imperfections.
I do not insist on a coistic
37
00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:42,480
optimism, although excessive
optimism is more helpful than
38
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:47,480
excessive pessimism.
That coyism tends to cover up
39
00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,080
difficulties, and there is
besides always a measure to be
40
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,920
observed in things.
But there's no danger of your
41
00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,880
covering them up and deluding
yourself with too bright an
42
00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,360
outlook.
Quite the contrary, you always
43
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,600
lay stress too much on the
shadows, and by so doing thicken
44
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,600
them and obstruct your outlets
of escape into the light.
45
00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,920
Faith, more faith.
Faith in your possibilities,
46
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,400
faith in the power that is at
work behind the veil, faith in
47
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,720
the work that is to be done and
the offered guidance.
48
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,000
There cannot be any high
endeavour, least of all in the
49
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,080
spiritual field, which does not
raise or encounter grave
50
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,040
obstacles of a very persistent
character.
51
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:42,360
There are both internal and
external, and although in the
52
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:47,200
large they are fundamentally the
same for all, there may be a
53
00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,680
great difference in the
distribution of their stress or
54
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,240
the outward form they take.
But the one real difficulty is
55
00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,400
the attunement of the Nature
with the working of the Divine
56
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,720
Light and power.
Get that solved, and the others
57
00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:07,240
will either disappear or take a
subordinate place.
58
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,280
And even with those difficulties
that are of a more general
59
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:15,400
character, more lasting, because
they are inherent in the work of
60
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,279
transformation, they will not
weigh so heavily because the
61
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,040
sense of the supporting force
and a greater power to follow
62
00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,560
its movements will be there.
End Quote.
63
00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,960
Reference.
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
64
00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:36,640
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
47 to 48.
