March 30, 2025
Balancing the Spiritual Practice Between Positive Focus and Addressing Faults and Weaknesses
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pg. 39This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/03/28/balancing-the-spiritual-practice-between-positive-focus-and-addressing-faults-and-weaknesses/
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
1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,400
There is a tendency among human
beings to react with extremes.
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:11,160
Something is either yes or no,
black or white, positive or
3
00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,040
negative.
This occurs due to the linear
4
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,440
nature of the mental
consciousness, aided by a vital
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,800
nature that wants to assert
itself by being right.
6
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,120
For the spiritual seeker,
however, a much more nuanced
7
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,240
approach is generally required.
First, it should be recognized
8
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,200
that the focus and attention
needs to shift to the spiritual
9
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,720
realization that the seeker sees
before him.
10
00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,840
It is through this shift of
attention and the receptivity
11
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,640
that is developed that the
change of consciousness actually
12
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,560
takes place.
At the same time, the
13
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,720
receptivity can be blocked or
mitigated by the limited focus
14
00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,760
and activities of the physical,
vital and mental parts of the
15
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,520
being.
This is where the need to be
16
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:08,320
observant and to address and
change weaknesses, faults,
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,320
defects comes in.
A balanced approach that
18
00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:17,920
recognizes the need for both a
new object of focus and an
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,960
increasing ability to receive
and incorporate the new
20
00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:25,640
consciousness turns out to be
the best way for most to make
21
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,280
actual progress in their
spiritual pursuits.
22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,080
In his book The Mother, Sri
Orbinda describes the role of
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,800
the practitioner of yoga as
aspiration, rejection,
24
00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,840
surrender.
Aspiration is the turning of the
25
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,200
focus to the Divine.
Rejection is the observation and
26
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,440
removal of those habits or
activities of the lower nature
27
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,440
that interfere with the higher
force as it responds to the
28
00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,800
aspiration.
Surrender implies acceptance of
29
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,560
the response from the spiritual
focus and implementation of that
30
00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,919
force in the mental, vital and
physical aspects of the external
31
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,800
being.
Sri Orbindo notes quote.
32
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,680
It is necessary to observe and
know the wrong movements in you,
33
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,920
for they are the source of your
trouble and have to be
34
00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,360
persistently rejected if you are
to be free.
35
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,600
But do not be always thinking of
your defects and wrong
36
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,880
movements.
Concentrate more upon what you
37
00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,600
are to be on the ideal, with the
faith that since it is the goal
38
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,080
before you, it must and will
come to be.
39
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,160
Always.
Observing faults and wrong
40
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,280
movements brings depression and
discourages the faith.
41
00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,080
Turn your eyes more to the
coming light and less to any
42
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:57,440
immediate darkness.
Faith, cheerfulness, confidence
43
00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,760
in the ultimate victory are the
things that help.
44
00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:04,600
They make the progress easier
and swifter.
45
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,440
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
46
00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,360
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 2.
47
00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,160
Looking at Oneself and Others,
page 39.
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,400
There is a tendency among human
beings to react with extremes.
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:11,160
Something is either yes or no,
black or white, positive or
3
00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,040
negative.
This occurs due to the linear
4
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,440
nature of the mental
consciousness, aided by a vital
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,800
nature that wants to assert
itself by being right.
6
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,120
For the spiritual seeker,
however, a much more nuanced
7
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,240
approach is generally required.
First, it should be recognized
8
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,200
that the focus and attention
needs to shift to the spiritual
9
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,720
realization that the seeker sees
before him.
10
00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,840
It is through this shift of
attention and the receptivity
11
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,640
that is developed that the
change of consciousness actually
12
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,560
takes place.
At the same time, the
13
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,720
receptivity can be blocked or
mitigated by the limited focus
14
00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,760
and activities of the physical,
vital and mental parts of the
15
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,520
being.
This is where the need to be
16
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:08,320
observant and to address and
change weaknesses, faults,
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,320
defects comes in.
A balanced approach that
18
00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:17,920
recognizes the need for both a
new object of focus and an
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,960
increasing ability to receive
and incorporate the new
20
00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:25,640
consciousness turns out to be
the best way for most to make
21
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,280
actual progress in their
spiritual pursuits.
22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,080
In his book The Mother, Sri
Orbinda describes the role of
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,800
the practitioner of yoga as
aspiration, rejection,
24
00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,840
surrender.
Aspiration is the turning of the
25
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,200
focus to the Divine.
Rejection is the observation and
26
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,440
removal of those habits or
activities of the lower nature
27
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,440
that interfere with the higher
force as it responds to the
28
00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,800
aspiration.
Surrender implies acceptance of
29
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,560
the response from the spiritual
focus and implementation of that
30
00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,919
force in the mental, vital and
physical aspects of the external
31
00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,800
being.
Sri Orbindo notes quote.
32
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,680
It is necessary to observe and
know the wrong movements in you,
33
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,920
for they are the source of your
trouble and have to be
34
00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,360
persistently rejected if you are
to be free.
35
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,600
But do not be always thinking of
your defects and wrong
36
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,880
movements.
Concentrate more upon what you
37
00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,600
are to be on the ideal, with the
faith that since it is the goal
38
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,080
before you, it must and will
come to be.
39
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,160
Always.
Observing faults and wrong
40
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,280
movements brings depression and
discourages the faith.
41
00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,080
Turn your eyes more to the
coming light and less to any
42
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:57,440
immediate darkness.
Faith, cheerfulness, confidence
43
00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,760
in the ultimate victory are the
things that help.
44
00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:04,600
They make the progress easier
and swifter.
45
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,440
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
46
00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,360
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 2.
47
00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,160
Looking at Oneself and Others,
page 39.