Oct. 7, 2024
Applying the Power of Concentration to Develop Efficiency of Time of Accomplishment of Any Task
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter IV Concentration, pp. 42-43 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/10/04/applying-the-power-of-concentration-to-develop-efficiency-of-time-of-accomplishment-of-any-task/
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
00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:05,600
One of the key elements of Raja
Yoga, based on the Yoga Sutras
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,960
of Patanjali, is the practice of
Samyama, which is A1 pointed
3
00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,040
concentration that is so
complete that it merges subject,
4
00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,960
object and the process of
knowing into one unified whole.
5
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,400
By this practice, one knows
everything about the object of
6
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,880
the concentration from inside,
as it were.
7
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,280
Even without going to the final
stage of samyama, however, an
8
00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,920
individual can find tremendous
benefit in whatever direction he
9
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,320
turns his attention through an
increasing focus of the
10
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,640
concentration on the signal and
a corresponding reduction of the
11
00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:49,560
noise or static that disrupts or
weakens the signal that is
12
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,360
coming through.
An interesting example was
13
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,960
recounted in the great epic of
India, the Mahabharata.
14
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,440
The preceptor Drona was
instructing the sons of
15
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,840
Dritrashtra and the sons of
Pandu in the art of archery.
16
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,160
He asked each one to focus on a
bird in a distant tree and in
17
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:15,040
particular on the eye of that
bird as the potential target of
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,360
the archery.
He then asked each Prince to
19
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,760
describe what he observed.
One after another they described
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,320
the land, the sky, the clouds,
the tree, the bird, and
21
00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,480
eventually they noted they saw
the eye.
22
00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,640
He then came to Arjuna, the
premier Archer of the Age and
23
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,000
Arch.
Arjuna replied that he saw only
24
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,840
a black spot.
He had restricted his focus and
25
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,960
concentration down to just the
target, the eye of the bird, and
26
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,880
it disregarded everything else
that was a distraction to that
27
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,640
focus.
While this story describes the
28
00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,040
process of concentration in
terms of success in the world,
29
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,160
it does not specifically address
the point the mother is making
30
00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,360
that successful concentration
also allows 1 to accomplish
31
00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,360
things in a much faster period
of time.
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,360
This conclusion, however, is
inevitable if one recognizes
33
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,240
that much of the wasted time in
accomplishing anything is due to
34
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:23,160
the interference of distractions
or noise that create friction
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:28,320
and prevent the individual from
making the exact correct minimal
36
00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,120
movement to achieve the result.
The mother notes quote.
37
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,800
If you have much to do, you must
learn how to concentrate much
38
00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,360
all the more.
And when you are doing a thing
39
00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,240
to think of that only and focus
all your energy upon what you
40
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,600
do, you gain at least half the
time.
41
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,560
So if you tell me I have too
much work, I answer You do not
42
00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,640
concentrate enough.
Another child asks for a
43
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:03,680
mathematical problem.
Sometimes the solution comes
44
00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,000
quickly, sometimes it takes too
long.
45
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:12,760
The mother responds Quote Yes,
it is exactly that.
46
00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,320
It depends on the degree of
concentration.
47
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,880
If you observe yourself, you
will notice this quite well.
48
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,440
When it does not come, it is
because of a kind of haziness in
49
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:29,360
the brain, something cloudy,
like a fog somewhere, and then
50
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,560
you are there as in a dream.
You push forward trying to find
51
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,360
it, and it is as though you were
pushing into cotton wool.
52
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,720
You do not see clearly there,
and so nothing comes.
53
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,960
You may remain in that state for
hours.
54
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,760
Concentration consists precisely
in removing the cloud.
55
00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,760
You gather together all the
elements of your intelligence
56
00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,440
and fix them on one point, and
then you do not even try
57
00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,240
actively to find the thing.
All that you do is to
58
00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:07,080
concentrate in such a way as to
see only the problem, but seeing
59
00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:12,360
not only its surface, seeing it
in its depth, what it conceals.
60
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,760
If you are able to gather
together all your mental
61
00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,800
energies, bringing them to a
point which is fixed on the
62
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,960
Annunciation of the problem, and
you stay there fixed as though
63
00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,040
you were about to drill a hole
in the wall, all of a sudden it
64
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,280
will come.
And this is the only way if you
65
00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:35,520
try.
Is it this?
66
00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,680
Is it that?
Is it this?
67
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,320
Is it that?
You will never find anything, or
68
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,080
else you will need ours.
You must get your mental forces
69
00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,480
to a point with strength enough
to Pierce through the words and
70
00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,160
strike upon the thing that is
behind.
71
00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,680
There is a thing to be found.
Swoop down upon it.
72
00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,400
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
73
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:07,960
Mother Powers Within, Chapter 4
concentration, pages 42 to 43.
00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:05,600
One of the key elements of Raja
Yoga, based on the Yoga Sutras
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,960
of Patanjali, is the practice of
Samyama, which is A1 pointed
3
00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,040
concentration that is so
complete that it merges subject,
4
00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,960
object and the process of
knowing into one unified whole.
5
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,400
By this practice, one knows
everything about the object of
6
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,880
the concentration from inside,
as it were.
7
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,280
Even without going to the final
stage of samyama, however, an
8
00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,920
individual can find tremendous
benefit in whatever direction he
9
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,320
turns his attention through an
increasing focus of the
10
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,640
concentration on the signal and
a corresponding reduction of the
11
00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:49,560
noise or static that disrupts or
weakens the signal that is
12
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,360
coming through.
An interesting example was
13
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,960
recounted in the great epic of
India, the Mahabharata.
14
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,440
The preceptor Drona was
instructing the sons of
15
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,840
Dritrashtra and the sons of
Pandu in the art of archery.
16
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,160
He asked each one to focus on a
bird in a distant tree and in
17
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:15,040
particular on the eye of that
bird as the potential target of
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,360
the archery.
He then asked each Prince to
19
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,760
describe what he observed.
One after another they described
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,320
the land, the sky, the clouds,
the tree, the bird, and
21
00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,480
eventually they noted they saw
the eye.
22
00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,640
He then came to Arjuna, the
premier Archer of the Age and
23
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,000
Arch.
Arjuna replied that he saw only
24
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,840
a black spot.
He had restricted his focus and
25
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,960
concentration down to just the
target, the eye of the bird, and
26
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,880
it disregarded everything else
that was a distraction to that
27
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,640
focus.
While this story describes the
28
00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,040
process of concentration in
terms of success in the world,
29
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,160
it does not specifically address
the point the mother is making
30
00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,360
that successful concentration
also allows 1 to accomplish
31
00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,360
things in a much faster period
of time.
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,360
This conclusion, however, is
inevitable if one recognizes
33
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,240
that much of the wasted time in
accomplishing anything is due to
34
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:23,160
the interference of distractions
or noise that create friction
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:28,320
and prevent the individual from
making the exact correct minimal
36
00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,120
movement to achieve the result.
The mother notes quote.
37
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,800
If you have much to do, you must
learn how to concentrate much
38
00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,360
all the more.
And when you are doing a thing
39
00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,240
to think of that only and focus
all your energy upon what you
40
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,600
do, you gain at least half the
time.
41
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,560
So if you tell me I have too
much work, I answer You do not
42
00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,640
concentrate enough.
Another child asks for a
43
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:03,680
mathematical problem.
Sometimes the solution comes
44
00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,000
quickly, sometimes it takes too
long.
45
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:12,760
The mother responds Quote Yes,
it is exactly that.
46
00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,320
It depends on the degree of
concentration.
47
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,880
If you observe yourself, you
will notice this quite well.
48
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,440
When it does not come, it is
because of a kind of haziness in
49
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:29,360
the brain, something cloudy,
like a fog somewhere, and then
50
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,560
you are there as in a dream.
You push forward trying to find
51
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,360
it, and it is as though you were
pushing into cotton wool.
52
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,720
You do not see clearly there,
and so nothing comes.
53
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,960
You may remain in that state for
hours.
54
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,760
Concentration consists precisely
in removing the cloud.
55
00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,760
You gather together all the
elements of your intelligence
56
00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,440
and fix them on one point, and
then you do not even try
57
00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,240
actively to find the thing.
All that you do is to
58
00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:07,080
concentrate in such a way as to
see only the problem, but seeing
59
00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:12,360
not only its surface, seeing it
in its depth, what it conceals.
60
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,760
If you are able to gather
together all your mental
61
00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,800
energies, bringing them to a
point which is fixed on the
62
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,960
Annunciation of the problem, and
you stay there fixed as though
63
00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,040
you were about to drill a hole
in the wall, all of a sudden it
64
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,280
will come.
And this is the only way if you
65
00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:35,520
try.
Is it this?
66
00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,680
Is it that?
Is it this?
67
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,320
Is it that?
You will never find anything, or
68
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,080
else you will need ours.
You must get your mental forces
69
00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,480
to a point with strength enough
to Pierce through the words and
70
00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,160
strike upon the thing that is
behind.
71
00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,680
There is a thing to be found.
Swoop down upon it.
72
00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,400
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
73
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:07,960
Mother Powers Within, Chapter 4
concentration, pages 42 to 43.