May 16, 2025
Difficulties Provide the Possibility of Progress
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within , Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp. 76-77This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/05/14/difficulties-provide-the-possibility-of-progress/
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
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,920
If we examine the times and
phases of our lives, we find
2
00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,400
that when things seem to be
going smoothly forward and we
3
00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:14,120
feel great, we want to enjoy and
appreciate the good times.
4
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,560
We thus tend to slacken our
efforts so that we can get the
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,800
most out of the positive
energies we are experiencing.
6
00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:27,560
This is quite a natural tendency
which tends to lull us into a
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,560
state of quiescence.
Real progress, on the other
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,720
hand, involves focus and
attention.
9
00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,320
In order to get a violin to make
music, we need to put the
10
00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,560
strings under the right amount
of tension.
11
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,000
Too much and the strings will
snap.
12
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,920
Too little and there's no music.
The same thing happens in our
13
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,480
lives.
Too little pressure and we tend
14
00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:58,400
to become soft and complacent.
Too much pressure and we tend to
15
00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,360
break down in some way or
another.
16
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,680
Finding the right balance
involves determining how to both
17
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,000
appreciate the positive and good
things that are coming to us,
18
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,080
while at the same time remaining
focused and persevering.
19
00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,720
In the yogic sadhna, we can see
this everywhere, not just in
20
00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,840
spiritual pursuits.
Athletes practice endlessly,
21
00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,000
building up their muscles, their
reflexes, their coordination and
22
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,360
timing, and focusing their minds
and emotions on the task they
23
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,560
have set before themselves.
There's a common saying among
24
00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,440
many athletes.
No pain, no gain, Implying that
25
00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:44,120
sitting back and enjoying
oneself in ease and comfort is
26
00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,680
not going to achieve the desired
result.
27
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,360
The spiritual aspirant who has
purposely decided to pursue
28
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,520
spiritual growth and development
in some form or another,
29
00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,360
naturally tunes his focus to
deal with the issues that help
30
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,680
to achieve that progress.
This effort immediately leads to
31
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,440
any opposing or contrary forces
or aspects of the being
32
00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:13,400
appearing and insisting on their
right to maintain the status
33
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,600
quo.
Thus the process of aspiration,
34
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,200
rejection and surrender, as
Shrioro Bindo succinctly
35
00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,640
describes in his book The
Mother.
36
00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,640
Aspiration, is the action of
tuning the receptivity to the
37
00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:33,840
higher forces.
Rejection is the action of
38
00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,440
removing the noise from the
signal that results from that
39
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,920
tuning.
Surrender is the action of
40
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,880
actively adhering to the
impulsions of those higher
41
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:48,080
forces when they are called into
the being and separated from the
42
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,000
contrary forces and energies.
Shrioro Bindo cautions against
43
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,120
what he calls a temasek
surrender, which essentially
44
00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,320
gives up any individual effort
as long as the ego personality
45
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,280
is active.
Some focused effort is both
46
00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:10,600
needed and beneficial.
We sometimes wonder why it is
47
00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,760
that certain individuals who
take up the spiritual path are
48
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,800
loaded up with all kinds of
difficulties, inner and outer.
49
00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:22,560
The Divine manifestation is
precise in giving to each
50
00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,320
individual the issues he is able
to face and handle effectively
51
00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,760
if he makes the effort.
Those who have a developed
52
00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,760
spiritual being naturally can
take on what may be considered
53
00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,520
to be a heavier load than those
who are still at an earlier
54
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,560
stage of formation and
development.
55
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,000
Thus, the World Redeemer, whom
Sri Aurobindo describes in
56
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,720
Savitri, a legend and a symbol,
carries all the suffering of the
57
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:57,520
world as he tackles the pain,
grief, suffering, weakness and
58
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,080
depression that oppress all of
humanity.
59
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,120
Facing issues that are larger
than we have dealt with in the
60
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,640
past is actually the process of
our growth.
61
00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,440
Just as we build up our bodies
through systematic expansion of
62
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,320
our exercise regimen, just as we
build up our mental faculties by
63
00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,720
tackling ever tougher
assignments, so too in the
64
00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,120
spiritual realm, we grow as we
take on harder and more
65
00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,320
difficult inner tasks, the
mother writes.
66
00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:36,400
Quote The difficulties are for
the strong and help to make them
67
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,640
stronger.
Difficulties come because there
68
00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,000
are possibilities in you.
If in life everything was easy,
69
00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,240
then it would be a life of
nothing.
70
00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,200
Because difficulties come on
your way, it shows you have
71
00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,400
possibilities.
For the aspirant and the sodic,
72
00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,520
all that comes in his life comes
to help him to know the truth
73
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,560
and to live it.
The difficulties come always to
74
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,760
make us progress.
The greater the difficulty, the
75
00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,160
greater can be the progress.
End Quote.
76
00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,240
Reference Shriya Rabindu and the
Mother Looking from Within,
77
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:21,680
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
Difficulties, pages 76 to 77.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,920
If we examine the times and
phases of our lives, we find
2
00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,400
that when things seem to be
going smoothly forward and we
3
00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:14,120
feel great, we want to enjoy and
appreciate the good times.
4
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,560
We thus tend to slacken our
efforts so that we can get the
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,800
most out of the positive
energies we are experiencing.
6
00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:27,560
This is quite a natural tendency
which tends to lull us into a
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,560
state of quiescence.
Real progress, on the other
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,720
hand, involves focus and
attention.
9
00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,320
In order to get a violin to make
music, we need to put the
10
00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,560
strings under the right amount
of tension.
11
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,000
Too much and the strings will
snap.
12
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,920
Too little and there's no music.
The same thing happens in our
13
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,480
lives.
Too little pressure and we tend
14
00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:58,400
to become soft and complacent.
Too much pressure and we tend to
15
00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,360
break down in some way or
another.
16
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,680
Finding the right balance
involves determining how to both
17
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,000
appreciate the positive and good
things that are coming to us,
18
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,080
while at the same time remaining
focused and persevering.
19
00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,720
In the yogic sadhna, we can see
this everywhere, not just in
20
00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,840
spiritual pursuits.
Athletes practice endlessly,
21
00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,000
building up their muscles, their
reflexes, their coordination and
22
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,360
timing, and focusing their minds
and emotions on the task they
23
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,560
have set before themselves.
There's a common saying among
24
00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,440
many athletes.
No pain, no gain, Implying that
25
00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:44,120
sitting back and enjoying
oneself in ease and comfort is
26
00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,680
not going to achieve the desired
result.
27
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,360
The spiritual aspirant who has
purposely decided to pursue
28
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,520
spiritual growth and development
in some form or another,
29
00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,360
naturally tunes his focus to
deal with the issues that help
30
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,680
to achieve that progress.
This effort immediately leads to
31
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,440
any opposing or contrary forces
or aspects of the being
32
00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:13,400
appearing and insisting on their
right to maintain the status
33
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,600
quo.
Thus the process of aspiration,
34
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,200
rejection and surrender, as
Shrioro Bindo succinctly
35
00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,640
describes in his book The
Mother.
36
00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,640
Aspiration, is the action of
tuning the receptivity to the
37
00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:33,840
higher forces.
Rejection is the action of
38
00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,440
removing the noise from the
signal that results from that
39
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,920
tuning.
Surrender is the action of
40
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,880
actively adhering to the
impulsions of those higher
41
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:48,080
forces when they are called into
the being and separated from the
42
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,000
contrary forces and energies.
Shrioro Bindo cautions against
43
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,120
what he calls a temasek
surrender, which essentially
44
00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,320
gives up any individual effort
as long as the ego personality
45
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,280
is active.
Some focused effort is both
46
00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:10,600
needed and beneficial.
We sometimes wonder why it is
47
00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,760
that certain individuals who
take up the spiritual path are
48
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,800
loaded up with all kinds of
difficulties, inner and outer.
49
00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:22,560
The Divine manifestation is
precise in giving to each
50
00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,320
individual the issues he is able
to face and handle effectively
51
00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,760
if he makes the effort.
Those who have a developed
52
00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,760
spiritual being naturally can
take on what may be considered
53
00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,520
to be a heavier load than those
who are still at an earlier
54
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,560
stage of formation and
development.
55
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,000
Thus, the World Redeemer, whom
Sri Aurobindo describes in
56
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,720
Savitri, a legend and a symbol,
carries all the suffering of the
57
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:57,520
world as he tackles the pain,
grief, suffering, weakness and
58
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,080
depression that oppress all of
humanity.
59
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,120
Facing issues that are larger
than we have dealt with in the
60
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,640
past is actually the process of
our growth.
61
00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,440
Just as we build up our bodies
through systematic expansion of
62
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,320
our exercise regimen, just as we
build up our mental faculties by
63
00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,720
tackling ever tougher
assignments, so too in the
64
00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,120
spiritual realm, we grow as we
take on harder and more
65
00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,320
difficult inner tasks, the
mother writes.
66
00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:36,400
Quote The difficulties are for
the strong and help to make them
67
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,640
stronger.
Difficulties come because there
68
00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,000
are possibilities in you.
If in life everything was easy,
69
00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,240
then it would be a life of
nothing.
70
00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,200
Because difficulties come on
your way, it shows you have
71
00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,400
possibilities.
For the aspirant and the sodic,
72
00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,520
all that comes in his life comes
to help him to know the truth
73
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,560
and to live it.
The difficulties come always to
74
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,760
make us progress.
The greater the difficulty, the
75
00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,160
greater can be the progress.
End Quote.
76
00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,240
Reference Shriya Rabindu and the
Mother Looking from Within,
77
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:21,680
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
Difficulties, pages 76 to 77.