March 28, 2023
Dealing with Periods of Dryness or Dullness in the Yogic Sadhana
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/dealing-with-periods-of-dryness-or-dullness-in-the-yogic-sadhana/
1
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,000
It is a frequent and Universal
experience that when an
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,500
individual takes up the practice
of yoga, there are periods of
3
00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:14,100
great.
Enthusiasm aspiration is active
4
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:19,900
and progress is palpable.
It is however virtually
5
00:00:19,900 --> 00:00:24,400
impossible to maintain the
intensity of the sadhna at all
6
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,000
the times.
So as the action of the three
7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,400
gunas brings about changes in
the inner psychology, the
8
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,900
feeling of aspiration, the
feeling of focus and commitment
9
00:00:36,900 --> 00:00:44,500
Fades and the individual is left
feeling empty or dry experiences
10
00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:48,100
withdraw and there can be
periods of time.
11
00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,400
I'm sometimes uncomfortably long
where one feels like nothing is
12
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,400
happening, and there is no
progress nor chance of progress.
13
00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:05,200
The famous Christian Narrative
of Pilgrims Progress, takes the
14
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,700
devotee, through various stages
of discontent, despondency and
15
00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:15,100
despair.
It is a true relation of the
16
00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:20,900
long dry road that is part of
the sadhna and which the Seeker
17
00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:26,000
must be prepared to withstand
and push on through until he
18
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:31,700
comes out the other side. at
that time, the seeker can look
19
00:01:31,700 --> 00:01:36,700
back and see the actual progress
that has been made as nothing is
20
00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:43,700
lost in the sadhna and Times of
inactivity, dryness, dullness
21
00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,400
actually represent periods
either for consolidation of
22
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:55,200
deeper experiences, or as times
when the basic Thomas of the
23
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,800
physical Consciousness comes to
the Forefront and needs to be
24
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,200
addressed.
SRI aurobindo notes, quote
25
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,000
naturally the more one pointed
the aspiration of swifter the
26
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,200
progress.
The difficulty comes when
27
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,300
either, the vital with its
desires or the physical with its
28
00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:21,600
past habitual movements comes in
as they do with almost everyone.
29
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,900
It is then that the dryness and
difficulty of spontaneous
30
00:02:26,900 --> 00:02:30,900
aspiration come.
This dryness is a well-known
31
00:02:30,900 --> 00:02:36,100
obstacle in all sadhna, but one
has to persist and not be
32
00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:40,100
discouraged.
If one keeps the will fixed even
33
00:02:40,100 --> 00:02:43,400
in these Barren periods, they
pass.
34
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,600
And after their passage a
greater force of aspiration and
35
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:54,300
experience becomes possible.
And quote reference SRI
36
00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:58,800
aurobindo in the mother growing
within the psychology of inner
37
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,200
development.
Chapter 6 growth of
38
00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,600
Consciousness difficulties and
pitfalls Pages 119 21.
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,000
It is a frequent and Universal
experience that when an
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,500
individual takes up the practice
of yoga, there are periods of
3
00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:14,100
great.
Enthusiasm aspiration is active
4
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:19,900
and progress is palpable.
It is however virtually
5
00:00:19,900 --> 00:00:24,400
impossible to maintain the
intensity of the sadhna at all
6
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,000
the times.
So as the action of the three
7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,400
gunas brings about changes in
the inner psychology, the
8
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,900
feeling of aspiration, the
feeling of focus and commitment
9
00:00:36,900 --> 00:00:44,500
Fades and the individual is left
feeling empty or dry experiences
10
00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:48,100
withdraw and there can be
periods of time.
11
00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,400
I'm sometimes uncomfortably long
where one feels like nothing is
12
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,400
happening, and there is no
progress nor chance of progress.
13
00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:05,200
The famous Christian Narrative
of Pilgrims Progress, takes the
14
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,700
devotee, through various stages
of discontent, despondency and
15
00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:15,100
despair.
It is a true relation of the
16
00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:20,900
long dry road that is part of
the sadhna and which the Seeker
17
00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:26,000
must be prepared to withstand
and push on through until he
18
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:31,700
comes out the other side. at
that time, the seeker can look
19
00:01:31,700 --> 00:01:36,700
back and see the actual progress
that has been made as nothing is
20
00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:43,700
lost in the sadhna and Times of
inactivity, dryness, dullness
21
00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,400
actually represent periods
either for consolidation of
22
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:55,200
deeper experiences, or as times
when the basic Thomas of the
23
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,800
physical Consciousness comes to
the Forefront and needs to be
24
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,200
addressed.
SRI aurobindo notes, quote
25
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,000
naturally the more one pointed
the aspiration of swifter the
26
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,200
progress.
The difficulty comes when
27
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,300
either, the vital with its
desires or the physical with its
28
00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:21,600
past habitual movements comes in
as they do with almost everyone.
29
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,900
It is then that the dryness and
difficulty of spontaneous
30
00:02:26,900 --> 00:02:30,900
aspiration come.
This dryness is a well-known
31
00:02:30,900 --> 00:02:36,100
obstacle in all sadhna, but one
has to persist and not be
32
00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:40,100
discouraged.
If one keeps the will fixed even
33
00:02:40,100 --> 00:02:43,400
in these Barren periods, they
pass.
34
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,600
And after their passage a
greater force of aspiration and
35
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:54,300
experience becomes possible.
And quote reference SRI
36
00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:58,800
aurobindo in the mother growing
within the psychology of inner
37
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,200
development.
Chapter 6 growth of
38
00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,600
Consciousness difficulties and
pitfalls Pages 119 21.
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