July 30, 2024
Applying the Scientific Method to the Understanding of the Yoga-Force
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch.7 Spiritual Forces of Help and Succour, pp.164-165 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/07/25/applying-the-scientific-method-to-the-understanding-of-the-yoga-force/
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
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,680
How do we determine whether
there is any such thing as a
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,360
yoga force?
Some treat it as a form of self
3
00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:13,840
delusion, some as hypnotic
suggestion, some as some form of
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,720
placebo effect of the mind, some
as simply the action of other
5
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,880
forces that we simply define as
yoga force without any objective
6
00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,040
method of distinguishing such a
force from other forces active
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,640
in our world and in our
awareness.
8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,960
If we apply the scientific
method to this question, we find
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,440
that we need to have a way to
eliminate other potential causes
10
00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,280
of what takes place when we are
considering forces that are de
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,840
facto invisible to our senses.
We also need to look at our
12
00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,960
method of knowing and determine
the proper method to assure
13
00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,720
ourselves of the validity of our
interpretation of the forces at
14
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,400
work.
Scientists are used to working
15
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,760
with unseen forces and finding
ways to distinguish, measure and
16
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,760
harness them.
Experiments are designed to
17
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,040
begin to limit the number of
possible causes of an event or
18
00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:16,240
action and eventually they can
isolate what is taking place.
19
00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,280
This happens frequently in the
field of medicine where very
20
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,600
complex interactions take place
to cause symptoms an individual
21
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,040
is experiencing.
Much emphasis is also placed on
22
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,680
the instruments of knowing.
How do we know?
23
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,560
The instruments are calibrated
properly and able to measure and
24
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,920
record what is taking place in
the field of consciousness?
25
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:44,320
It soon becomes clear that the
emotional being and the mental
26
00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:49,800
being are not competent judges,
so anything they experience must
27
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,920
be subjected to further
scrutiny.
28
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,000
This brings us to the types of
knowing, with the ultimate type
29
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,920
being knowledge by identity as
described by Sri Aurobindo in
30
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,120
The Life Divine.
Knowledge by identity requires
31
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,479
the development of an inner
receptivity and a systematic
32
00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:15,240
approach to the inner experience
relying on a form of intuition
33
00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,080
or soul sense that can develop
through patient and persistent
34
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,200
efforts.
As we begin to utilize the inner
35
00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,600
and the outer methods of
knowledge, we can review those
36
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,040
things in our lives that remain
inexplicable based on the normal
37
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,880
factors we take into account in
our external world and view of
38
00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,880
existence.
For example, if an individual
39
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:44,280
has an out of body experience,
sees his body from another
40
00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,480
station outside, and then
returns to the body and resumes
41
00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,800
conscious awareness in the body,
we learn a lot about the nature
42
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,480
of consciousness that defies our
preconceived notions about who
43
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,160
and what we are.
Such experiences are frequent,
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,880
and generally the individual can
describe in precise detail the
45
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:10,760
circumstances, the actions of
others in the room, the details
46
00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,320
of which his physical senses are
not in a position to pick up.
47
00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:20,360
Other fields of inquiry that may
bear fruit include the review of
48
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:25,080
the power of intuition as well
as the creation of a palpable
49
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,480
atmosphere, the effect of
mantric energy, and healing
50
00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,640
through application of spiritual
force.
51
00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,440
Similarly, there is an entire
range of experiences that defy
52
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,880
our mental ideas about existence
and consciousness, and a close
53
00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,320
exploration of these experiences
can help us sift through what is
54
00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,360
actually occurring.
Just as scientists had to work
55
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:56,200
to understand the action of
electricity, of radiation, of
56
00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,920
gravity, and had to devise
experiments, detail their
57
00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,360
observations, make hypotheses
and test them through a vast
58
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,760
number of trials, and then begin
to apply the knowledge so gain
59
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,880
to practical technological
actions, so an exploration of
60
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,360
our spiritual capacities and the
action of a yoga force will
61
00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,840
yield results that will be
incontrovertible as to their
62
00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:28,720
source, their power and their
significance, Sri or Bindo
63
00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,080
writes quote.
Still, the yoga force is always
64
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,520
tangible and concrete in the way
I have described, and has
65
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:41,960
tangible results, but it is
invisible, not like a blow given
66
00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,200
or the rush of a motor car
knocking somebody down, which
67
00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,640
the physical senses can at once
perceive.
68
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,880
How is the mere physical mind to
know that it is there and
69
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,240
working by its results?
But how can it know that the
70
00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,680
results were that of the yogic
force and not of something else?
71
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,440
One of two things it must be
either.
72
00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,960
It must allow the consciousness
to go inside, to become aware of
73
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,000
inner things, to believe in the
experience of the invisible and
74
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,200
the Super physical.
And then by experience, by the
75
00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,000
opening of new capacities, it
becomes conscious of these
76
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,480
forces and can see, follow and
use their workings, just as the
77
00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,080
scientist uses the unseen forces
of nature.
78
00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:35,080
Or one must have faith and watch
and open oneself, and then it
79
00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,120
will begin to see how things
happen.
80
00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,760
It will notice that when the
force was called in, there began
81
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,000
after a time to be a result.
Then repetitions, more
82
00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,880
repetitions, more clear and
tangible results, increasing
83
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,840
frequency, increasing
consistency of results of
84
00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:58,560
feeling and awareness of the
force at work until the
85
00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,560
experience becomes daily,
regular, normal, complete.
86
00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,560
These are the two main methods,
one internal working from in
87
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,760
outward, the other external
working from outside and calling
88
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,960
the inner force out till it
penetrates and is visible in the
89
00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,320
exterior consciousness.
But neither can be done if one
90
00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:26,960
insists always on the extrovert
attitude, the external concrete
91
00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:33,280
only, and refuses to join to it
the internal concrete, or if the
92
00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:37,760
physical mind at every step
raises a dance of doubts which
93
00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,280
refuses to allow the nascent
experience to develop.
94
00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,240
Even the scientist carrying on a
new experiment would never
95
00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,120
succeed if he allowed his mind
to behave that way.
96
00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,040
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
97
00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,280
Mother.
The hidden forces of life.
98
00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,720
Chapter 7.
Spiritual Forces of Help and
99
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,640
Succor, pages 164 to 165.
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,680
How do we determine whether
there is any such thing as a
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,360
yoga force?
Some treat it as a form of self
3
00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:13,840
delusion, some as hypnotic
suggestion, some as some form of
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,720
placebo effect of the mind, some
as simply the action of other
5
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,880
forces that we simply define as
yoga force without any objective
6
00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,040
method of distinguishing such a
force from other forces active
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,640
in our world and in our
awareness.
8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,960
If we apply the scientific
method to this question, we find
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,440
that we need to have a way to
eliminate other potential causes
10
00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,280
of what takes place when we are
considering forces that are de
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,840
facto invisible to our senses.
We also need to look at our
12
00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,960
method of knowing and determine
the proper method to assure
13
00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,720
ourselves of the validity of our
interpretation of the forces at
14
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,400
work.
Scientists are used to working
15
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,760
with unseen forces and finding
ways to distinguish, measure and
16
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,760
harness them.
Experiments are designed to
17
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,040
begin to limit the number of
possible causes of an event or
18
00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:16,240
action and eventually they can
isolate what is taking place.
19
00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,280
This happens frequently in the
field of medicine where very
20
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,600
complex interactions take place
to cause symptoms an individual
21
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,040
is experiencing.
Much emphasis is also placed on
22
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,680
the instruments of knowing.
How do we know?
23
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,560
The instruments are calibrated
properly and able to measure and
24
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,920
record what is taking place in
the field of consciousness?
25
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:44,320
It soon becomes clear that the
emotional being and the mental
26
00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:49,800
being are not competent judges,
so anything they experience must
27
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,920
be subjected to further
scrutiny.
28
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,000
This brings us to the types of
knowing, with the ultimate type
29
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,920
being knowledge by identity as
described by Sri Aurobindo in
30
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,120
The Life Divine.
Knowledge by identity requires
31
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,479
the development of an inner
receptivity and a systematic
32
00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:15,240
approach to the inner experience
relying on a form of intuition
33
00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,080
or soul sense that can develop
through patient and persistent
34
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,200
efforts.
As we begin to utilize the inner
35
00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,600
and the outer methods of
knowledge, we can review those
36
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,040
things in our lives that remain
inexplicable based on the normal
37
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,880
factors we take into account in
our external world and view of
38
00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,880
existence.
For example, if an individual
39
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:44,280
has an out of body experience,
sees his body from another
40
00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,480
station outside, and then
returns to the body and resumes
41
00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,800
conscious awareness in the body,
we learn a lot about the nature
42
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,480
of consciousness that defies our
preconceived notions about who
43
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,160
and what we are.
Such experiences are frequent,
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,880
and generally the individual can
describe in precise detail the
45
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:10,760
circumstances, the actions of
others in the room, the details
46
00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,320
of which his physical senses are
not in a position to pick up.
47
00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:20,360
Other fields of inquiry that may
bear fruit include the review of
48
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:25,080
the power of intuition as well
as the creation of a palpable
49
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,480
atmosphere, the effect of
mantric energy, and healing
50
00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,640
through application of spiritual
force.
51
00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,440
Similarly, there is an entire
range of experiences that defy
52
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,880
our mental ideas about existence
and consciousness, and a close
53
00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,320
exploration of these experiences
can help us sift through what is
54
00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,360
actually occurring.
Just as scientists had to work
55
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:56,200
to understand the action of
electricity, of radiation, of
56
00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,920
gravity, and had to devise
experiments, detail their
57
00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,360
observations, make hypotheses
and test them through a vast
58
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,760
number of trials, and then begin
to apply the knowledge so gain
59
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,880
to practical technological
actions, so an exploration of
60
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,360
our spiritual capacities and the
action of a yoga force will
61
00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,840
yield results that will be
incontrovertible as to their
62
00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:28,720
source, their power and their
significance, Sri or Bindo
63
00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,080
writes quote.
Still, the yoga force is always
64
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,520
tangible and concrete in the way
I have described, and has
65
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:41,960
tangible results, but it is
invisible, not like a blow given
66
00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,200
or the rush of a motor car
knocking somebody down, which
67
00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,640
the physical senses can at once
perceive.
68
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,880
How is the mere physical mind to
know that it is there and
69
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,240
working by its results?
But how can it know that the
70
00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,680
results were that of the yogic
force and not of something else?
71
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,440
One of two things it must be
either.
72
00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,960
It must allow the consciousness
to go inside, to become aware of
73
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,000
inner things, to believe in the
experience of the invisible and
74
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,200
the Super physical.
And then by experience, by the
75
00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,000
opening of new capacities, it
becomes conscious of these
76
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,480
forces and can see, follow and
use their workings, just as the
77
00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,080
scientist uses the unseen forces
of nature.
78
00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:35,080
Or one must have faith and watch
and open oneself, and then it
79
00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,120
will begin to see how things
happen.
80
00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,760
It will notice that when the
force was called in, there began
81
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,000
after a time to be a result.
Then repetitions, more
82
00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,880
repetitions, more clear and
tangible results, increasing
83
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,840
frequency, increasing
consistency of results of
84
00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:58,560
feeling and awareness of the
force at work until the
85
00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,560
experience becomes daily,
regular, normal, complete.
86
00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,560
These are the two main methods,
one internal working from in
87
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,760
outward, the other external
working from outside and calling
88
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,960
the inner force out till it
penetrates and is visible in the
89
00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,320
exterior consciousness.
But neither can be done if one
90
00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:26,960
insists always on the extrovert
attitude, the external concrete
91
00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:33,280
only, and refuses to join to it
the internal concrete, or if the
92
00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:37,760
physical mind at every step
raises a dance of doubts which
93
00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,280
refuses to allow the nascent
experience to develop.
94
00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,240
Even the scientist carrying on a
new experiment would never
95
00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,120
succeed if he allowed his mind
to behave that way.
96
00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,040
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
97
00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,280
Mother.
The hidden forces of life.
98
00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,720
Chapter 7.
Spiritual Forces of Help and
99
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,640
Succor, pages 164 to 165.