June 4, 2025
Aligning the Inner Being With the Psychic Aspiration Overcomes the Pressure of Despondency and Depression in the Course of the Spiritual Sadhana
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within , Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp..96-97
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/02/aligning-the-inner-being-with-the-psychic-aspiration-overcomes-the-pressure-of-despondency-and-depression-in-the-course-of-the-spiritual-sadhana/
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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
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,240
Taking the right attitude when
feelings of failure or
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,080
depression arise in the course
of the spiritual practice is
3
00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,080
essential to navigate through
these moods with the least
4
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,360
disruption.
Srioro Bindo implies that the
5
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,480
standpoint should be in the
separate witness consciousness,
6
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,880
which he distinguishes from the
external being.
7
00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,120
The external being is subject to
the changes brought about by the
8
00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:30,600
three Gunas and thus will from
time to time see an uprising of
9
00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:36,120
vital disturbance or feelings of
weakness, failure, incompetence,
10
00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,880
etcetera.
Regardless of how the external
11
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,800
being responds, the witness
consciousness needs to make the
12
00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,400
choice to adhere to the
aspiration of the true Self, the
13
00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,760
psychic being and its connection
to the Divine.
14
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,880
The psychic being knows that the
divine relationship is constant
15
00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,640
and unshakable, Sri Aurobindo
writes quote.
16
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,640
Do not allow yourself to admit
any movement of vital
17
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,000
depression, still less a
depressed condition.
18
00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,360
As for the external being, it is
always not only in you, but in
19
00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,360
everyone, a difficult animal to
handle.
20
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,960
It has to be dealt with by
patients and a quiet and
21
00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:25,880
cheerful perseverance.
Never get depressed by its
22
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,240
resistance, for that only makes
it sensitive and aggrieved and
23
00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,120
difficult, or else discouraged.
Give it rather the encouragement
24
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,360
of sunlight and a quiet
pressure, and one day you will
25
00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,920
find it opening entirely to the
grace.
26
00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,600
One must learn to go forward on
the path of yoga, as the Gita
27
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:52,080
insists, with a consciousness
free from despondency on near
28
00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:58,280
Vina Chetasa.
Even if one slips, one must
29
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,600
rectify the posture.
Even if one falls, one has to
30
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,800
rise and go undiscouraged on the
Divine way.
31
00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,560
The attitude must be.
The Divine has promised himself
32
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,240
to me, if I cleave to him
always, that I will never cease
33
00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,920
to do whatever may come.
End Quote.
34
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,600
Reference.
Fioro, Bindu and the Mother
35
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,680
Looking from Within, Chapter 4
were Deals and Difficulties,
36
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,360
pages 96 to 97.
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,240
Taking the right attitude when
feelings of failure or
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,080
depression arise in the course
of the spiritual practice is
3
00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,080
essential to navigate through
these moods with the least
4
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,360
disruption.
Srioro Bindo implies that the
5
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,480
standpoint should be in the
separate witness consciousness,
6
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,880
which he distinguishes from the
external being.
7
00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,120
The external being is subject to
the changes brought about by the
8
00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:30,600
three Gunas and thus will from
time to time see an uprising of
9
00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:36,120
vital disturbance or feelings of
weakness, failure, incompetence,
10
00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,880
etcetera.
Regardless of how the external
11
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,800
being responds, the witness
consciousness needs to make the
12
00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,400
choice to adhere to the
aspiration of the true Self, the
13
00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,760
psychic being and its connection
to the Divine.
14
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,880
The psychic being knows that the
divine relationship is constant
15
00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,640
and unshakable, Sri Aurobindo
writes quote.
16
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,640
Do not allow yourself to admit
any movement of vital
17
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,000
depression, still less a
depressed condition.
18
00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,360
As for the external being, it is
always not only in you, but in
19
00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,360
everyone, a difficult animal to
handle.
20
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,960
It has to be dealt with by
patients and a quiet and
21
00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:25,880
cheerful perseverance.
Never get depressed by its
22
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,240
resistance, for that only makes
it sensitive and aggrieved and
23
00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,120
difficult, or else discouraged.
Give it rather the encouragement
24
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,360
of sunlight and a quiet
pressure, and one day you will
25
00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,920
find it opening entirely to the
grace.
26
00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,600
One must learn to go forward on
the path of yoga, as the Gita
27
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:52,080
insists, with a consciousness
free from despondency on near
28
00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:58,280
Vina Chetasa.
Even if one slips, one must
29
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,600
rectify the posture.
Even if one falls, one has to
30
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,800
rise and go undiscouraged on the
Divine way.
31
00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,560
The attitude must be.
The Divine has promised himself
32
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,240
to me, if I cleave to him
always, that I will never cease
33
00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,920
to do whatever may come.
End Quote.
34
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,600
Reference.
Fioro, Bindu and the Mother
35
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,680
Looking from Within, Chapter 4
were Deals and Difficulties,
36
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,360
pages 96 to 97.