Jan. 30, 2025
Avoiding Self-Deception While Developing the Power of Intuition
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Amazon Music 
RSS Feed 
Castro 
RadioPublic 
PocketCasts 
YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XXI Intuition, pp. 160-161 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/28/avoiding-self-deception-while-developing-the-power-of-intuition/
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
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:06,120
When a seeker begins to explore
the inner realms and undertakes
2
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,600
what Triorobindo describes in
his epic poem Savitri, a legend
3
00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:16,079
and a symbol, as an adventure of
consciousness and joy, he is
4
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,440
confronted with numerous
unfamiliar circumstances,
5
00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:25,480
powers, forces, and pressures
that are not all benign and not
6
00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,560
all supportive of his spiritual
aspiration and development.
7
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,800
As he begins to develop the
power of intuition, the seeker
8
00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,560
must exercise real caution to
ensure that he is not simply
9
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:44,560
opening the door to impulses,
ideas, and forces that take the
10
00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,760
shape of intuition to his
inexperienced view.
11
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,560
The rush of energy, the feeling
that this is something new and
12
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,360
powerful, can overpower the
sense of balance, and if the
13
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,200
mind has been brought to a state
of quiescence, its natural
14
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,600
sceptical tendency may also be
reduced or eliminated, thus
15
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,840
accentuating the danger of self
deception.
16
00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:13,240
As with other aspects of
spiritual development, the
17
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,040
assistance of an experienced and
trustworthy guide is certainly
18
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,920
helpful.
Additionally, a certain sense of
19
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,960
inner review to ensure that it
feels right and does not simply
20
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,960
violate or abrogate general
guidelines place to protect the
21
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:34,600
seeker from dangers of the vital
forces is clearly necessary.
22
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,960
There was a case of an
individual who felt an intuition
23
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,840
that he could walk into the
middle of a road and not be
24
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,320
harmed.
Chaos ensued as drivers had to
25
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:47,400
slam on brakes to avoid hitting
him.
26
00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,640
He was pulled back by friends
who recognized the imbalance in
27
00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,720
his perceptions.
A somewhat similar story out of
28
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,920
India was of a young seeker who
was told by his guru that he was
29
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,880
Brahman.
He walked out into the road and
30
00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,160
an elephant with a guide was
coming directly in his path.
31
00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,560
The driver of the elephant
shouted for him to get out of
32
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,680
the way, which he failed to do
because after all, he was
33
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,600
Brahman.
He got driven out of the way by
34
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,760
the elephant.
When he went back to his Guru,
35
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,800
the Guru asked him why he did
not get out of the way when the
36
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,000
elephant Brahman was coming and
the elephant driver Brahman
37
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,120
shouted for him to get out of
the way.
38
00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,640
His intuition was obviously a
form of self deception.
39
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,200
The mother notes quote naturally
first.
40
00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,520
These two faculties must be
developed.
41
00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,600
Then as soon as there is any
result, one must observe the
42
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,240
result, as I said, and see the
connection with what is
43
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,640
happening, the consequences.
See, observe very attentively
44
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:02,080
what has come in, what may have
caused a distortion, what one
45
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,520
has added by way of more or less
conscious reasoning, or the
46
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,800
intervention of a lower will,
also more or less conscious.
47
00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:16,160
And it is by a very deep study,
indeed almost of every moment,
48
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:21,000
in any case daily and very
frequent, that one succeeds in
49
00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:26,640
developing 1's intuition.
It takes a long time, it takes a
50
00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:28,760
long time and there are
ambushes.
51
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:34,360
One can deceive oneself.
Take 4 intuitions, subconscious
52
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,000
wills which try to manifest
indications given by impulses
53
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,680
one has refused to receive
openly.
54
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,040
Indeed all sorts of
difficulties.
55
00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:51,200
One must be prepared for that,
but if one persists, 1 is sure
56
00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,440
to succeed.
End Quote.
57
00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,040
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter
58
00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:03,840
21, Intuition, pages 160 to 161.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:06,120
When a seeker begins to explore
the inner realms and undertakes
2
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,600
what Triorobindo describes in
his epic poem Savitri, a legend
3
00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:16,079
and a symbol, as an adventure of
consciousness and joy, he is
4
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,440
confronted with numerous
unfamiliar circumstances,
5
00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:25,480
powers, forces, and pressures
that are not all benign and not
6
00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,560
all supportive of his spiritual
aspiration and development.
7
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,800
As he begins to develop the
power of intuition, the seeker
8
00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,560
must exercise real caution to
ensure that he is not simply
9
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:44,560
opening the door to impulses,
ideas, and forces that take the
10
00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,760
shape of intuition to his
inexperienced view.
11
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,560
The rush of energy, the feeling
that this is something new and
12
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,360
powerful, can overpower the
sense of balance, and if the
13
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,200
mind has been brought to a state
of quiescence, its natural
14
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,600
sceptical tendency may also be
reduced or eliminated, thus
15
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,840
accentuating the danger of self
deception.
16
00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:13,240
As with other aspects of
spiritual development, the
17
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,040
assistance of an experienced and
trustworthy guide is certainly
18
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,920
helpful.
Additionally, a certain sense of
19
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,960
inner review to ensure that it
feels right and does not simply
20
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,960
violate or abrogate general
guidelines place to protect the
21
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:34,600
seeker from dangers of the vital
forces is clearly necessary.
22
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,960
There was a case of an
individual who felt an intuition
23
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,840
that he could walk into the
middle of a road and not be
24
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,320
harmed.
Chaos ensued as drivers had to
25
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:47,400
slam on brakes to avoid hitting
him.
26
00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,640
He was pulled back by friends
who recognized the imbalance in
27
00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,720
his perceptions.
A somewhat similar story out of
28
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,920
India was of a young seeker who
was told by his guru that he was
29
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,880
Brahman.
He walked out into the road and
30
00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,160
an elephant with a guide was
coming directly in his path.
31
00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,560
The driver of the elephant
shouted for him to get out of
32
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,680
the way, which he failed to do
because after all, he was
33
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,600
Brahman.
He got driven out of the way by
34
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,760
the elephant.
When he went back to his Guru,
35
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,800
the Guru asked him why he did
not get out of the way when the
36
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,000
elephant Brahman was coming and
the elephant driver Brahman
37
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,120
shouted for him to get out of
the way.
38
00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,640
His intuition was obviously a
form of self deception.
39
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,200
The mother notes quote naturally
first.
40
00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,520
These two faculties must be
developed.
41
00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,600
Then as soon as there is any
result, one must observe the
42
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,240
result, as I said, and see the
connection with what is
43
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,640
happening, the consequences.
See, observe very attentively
44
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:02,080
what has come in, what may have
caused a distortion, what one
45
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,520
has added by way of more or less
conscious reasoning, or the
46
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,800
intervention of a lower will,
also more or less conscious.
47
00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:16,160
And it is by a very deep study,
indeed almost of every moment,
48
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:21,000
in any case daily and very
frequent, that one succeeds in
49
00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:26,640
developing 1's intuition.
It takes a long time, it takes a
50
00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:28,760
long time and there are
ambushes.
51
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:34,360
One can deceive oneself.
Take 4 intuitions, subconscious
52
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,000
wills which try to manifest
indications given by impulses
53
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,680
one has refused to receive
openly.
54
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,040
Indeed all sorts of
difficulties.
55
00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:51,200
One must be prepared for that,
but if one persists, 1 is sure
56
00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,440
to succeed.
End Quote.
57
00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,040
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter
58
00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:03,840
21, Intuition, pages 160 to 161.