Feb. 18, 2025
Basic Overview of the Mental Consciousness
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Introduction by Dr. Dalal, pg. viiThis episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/16/basic-overview-of-the-mental-consciousness/
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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
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,160
The mental consciousness evolves
subsequent to the emergence of
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,480
the physical consciousness and
the vital consciousness.
3
00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,120
It appears in rudimentary forms
in various animals and advances
4
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:16,560
to a much higher state of
activity and power in the higher
5
00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,560
primates, including human beings
as well as ocean going mammals
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,760
such as dolphins and whales.
There are various levels of
7
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,000
manifestation of the mental
consciousness, each stage
8
00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,920
representing a further
advancement in either
9
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:37,280
perception, analytical ability,
use of tools to accomplish acts,
10
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:42,320
abilities to synthesize and
create new formulations and
11
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,360
combinations, and the use of the
higher reasoning powers of the
12
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,600
rational intellect.
The mind can be trained to
13
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,040
undertake self reflection, to
abstract itself from involvement
14
00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,440
in day-to-day processing that
takes place in the outer nature,
15
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:05,080
and to turn and focus attention
in various directions at will.
16
00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,560
The higher powers of mind have a
characteristic quality or guna
17
00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,400
of satwa, although it must be
noted that the mind is
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,520
frequently dominated by the
vital nature and thus becomes an
19
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,760
instrument in the fulfilment of
vital desires.
20
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,600
The mind also can become
arrogant and narrow in its
21
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,400
knowledge and can thus
accentuate the control of the
22
00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,720
ego over the nature, which is a
primary deformation of the
23
00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,080
mental consciousness when not
fully purified.
24
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,960
When rajas or tamas become
predominant, the natural
25
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:47,040
subtwick tendency of the mind
per SE is overshadowed and its
26
00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,760
powers put to achieving lesser
objectives.
27
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,160
While we tend to think of the
mind as the pinnacle of human
28
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,520
powers of consciousness, it must
be noted that the mind is
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,800
actually an intermediate stage
of the evolution and there are
30
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,200
further and higher powers of
consciousness that are
31
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,880
developing and which manifest
from time to time with more or
32
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,600
less power depending on the
strength of the higher
33
00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,560
inspiration and the receptivity
of the individual.
34
00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,400
These higher powers go behind
the rational intellect and
35
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,840
provide powers of intuition,
inspiration and a more complete
36
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,160
and comprehensive mode of
knowing and understanding.
37
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,480
Doctor de Lal writes quote the
mental being.
38
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,200
This is the part of our make up
which has to do with thoughts
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,600
and ideas, facts and knowledge.
Reason and intellect are the
40
00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,920
most highly developed
expressions of the mental
41
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:56,320
consciousness.
In contrast to the vital, which
42
00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,160
is governed by the pleasure
principle, the mental is guided
43
00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,760
by what accords with reason and
is deemed to be true or good.
44
00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,280
Therefore, when the mental
consciousness is predominant in
45
00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,760
an individual, the attitudes of
the individual are characterized
46
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:18,120
by a rational outlook and are
based on moral and intellectual
47
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,480
principles.
End Quote Reference Shriora
48
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,320
Bindu and the Mother Looking
from Within Introduction by
49
00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,840
Doctor Dalal Page, Romans 7.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,160
The mental consciousness evolves
subsequent to the emergence of
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,480
the physical consciousness and
the vital consciousness.
3
00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,120
It appears in rudimentary forms
in various animals and advances
4
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:16,560
to a much higher state of
activity and power in the higher
5
00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,560
primates, including human beings
as well as ocean going mammals
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,760
such as dolphins and whales.
There are various levels of
7
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,000
manifestation of the mental
consciousness, each stage
8
00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,920
representing a further
advancement in either
9
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:37,280
perception, analytical ability,
use of tools to accomplish acts,
10
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:42,320
abilities to synthesize and
create new formulations and
11
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,360
combinations, and the use of the
higher reasoning powers of the
12
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,600
rational intellect.
The mind can be trained to
13
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,040
undertake self reflection, to
abstract itself from involvement
14
00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,440
in day-to-day processing that
takes place in the outer nature,
15
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:05,080
and to turn and focus attention
in various directions at will.
16
00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,560
The higher powers of mind have a
characteristic quality or guna
17
00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,400
of satwa, although it must be
noted that the mind is
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,520
frequently dominated by the
vital nature and thus becomes an
19
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,760
instrument in the fulfilment of
vital desires.
20
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,600
The mind also can become
arrogant and narrow in its
21
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,400
knowledge and can thus
accentuate the control of the
22
00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,720
ego over the nature, which is a
primary deformation of the
23
00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,080
mental consciousness when not
fully purified.
24
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,960
When rajas or tamas become
predominant, the natural
25
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:47,040
subtwick tendency of the mind
per SE is overshadowed and its
26
00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,760
powers put to achieving lesser
objectives.
27
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,160
While we tend to think of the
mind as the pinnacle of human
28
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,520
powers of consciousness, it must
be noted that the mind is
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,800
actually an intermediate stage
of the evolution and there are
30
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,200
further and higher powers of
consciousness that are
31
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,880
developing and which manifest
from time to time with more or
32
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,600
less power depending on the
strength of the higher
33
00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,560
inspiration and the receptivity
of the individual.
34
00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,400
These higher powers go behind
the rational intellect and
35
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,840
provide powers of intuition,
inspiration and a more complete
36
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,160
and comprehensive mode of
knowing and understanding.
37
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,480
Doctor de Lal writes quote the
mental being.
38
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,200
This is the part of our make up
which has to do with thoughts
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,600
and ideas, facts and knowledge.
Reason and intellect are the
40
00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,920
most highly developed
expressions of the mental
41
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:56,320
consciousness.
In contrast to the vital, which
42
00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,160
is governed by the pleasure
principle, the mental is guided
43
00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,760
by what accords with reason and
is deemed to be true or good.
44
00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,280
Therefore, when the mental
consciousness is predominant in
45
00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,760
an individual, the attitudes of
the individual are characterized
46
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:18,120
by a rational outlook and are
based on moral and intellectual
47
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,480
principles.
End Quote Reference Shriora
48
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,320
Bindu and the Mother Looking
from Within Introduction by
49
00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,840
Doctor Dalal Page, Romans 7.