Jan. 28, 2025
Distinguishing Rapid Process of Thought from True Intuition
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XXI Intuition, pg. 159 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/distinguishing-rapid-process-of-thought-from-true-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
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,040
We occasionally meet people who
seem to be highly intuitive,
2
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,920
with very few facts and with a
very fast response time.
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,520
They seem to understand and
decide things successfully that
4
00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,960
we are struggling to deal with
and for which we need
5
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,360
considerably more time.
In some cases there may be the
6
00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,800
functioning of the higher power
of intuition, but actually in
7
00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:29,080
many cases there is simply a
rapid correlation response going
8
00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,439
on in the brain.
Sometimes this is a matter of
9
00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:36,000
experience and instantaneous
pattern recognition.
10
00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,720
In others there is a store of
knowledge which has accumulated
11
00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,200
and just a few data points
guides them to the direction and
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,320
trajectory of what is taking
place.
13
00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,240
They may have a very efficient
synapse network built in their
14
00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,040
brain to speedily move data
along and correlate it with
15
00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:01,160
their decision making apparatus.
In still other cases there is a
16
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,319
memory that may arise from prior
dream experiences or inner
17
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,920
visits to the Akashic record, so
that the event is already known
18
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,600
to some degree.
The true action of intuition is
19
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,200
a powerful force, like a stream
of light.
20
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,480
People have.
Such experiences describe the
21
00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,720
light bulb suddenly lighting up,
or some other references to the
22
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,200
appearance of a light of
inspiration that is sudden,
23
00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:33,280
dramatic and clear.
The Rig Veda refers to the
24
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,680
rivers of heaven, which, as Sri
Aurobindo has described to us,
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,680
represent the powers of
intuition and other powers of
26
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,960
consciousness descending from a
higher realm of awareness into
27
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,680
the being.
The Mother writes quote.
28
00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,800
There is also another form, but
that one is much more difficult
29
00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,640
to observe, because for those
who are accustomed to think, to
30
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:03,760
act by reason, not by impulse,
but by reason, to reflect before
31
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,600
doing anything, there is an
extremely swift process from
32
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,680
cause to effect in the half
conscious thought which prevents
33
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,000
you from seeing the line, the
whole line of reasoning.
34
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,040
And so you don't think that it
is a chain of reasoning, and
35
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,040
that is quite deceptive.
You have the impression of an
36
00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,000
intuition, but it is not an
intuition.
37
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,160
It is an extremely rapid
subconscious reasoning which
38
00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,680
takes up a problem and goes
straight to the conclusions.
39
00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,000
This must not be mistaken for
intuition.
40
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,600
In the ordinary functioning of
the brain, intuition is
41
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,400
something which suddenly falls
like a drop of light.
42
00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,040
If one has the faculty, the
beginning of a faculty of mental
43
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,080
vision, it gives the impression
of something coming from outside
44
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,600
or above, like a little impact
of a drop of light in the brain,
45
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,040
absolutely independent of all
reasoning.
46
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,400
This is perceived more easily
when one is able to silence
47
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,880
one's mind, hold it still and
attentive, arresting its usual
48
00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,000
functioning, as if the mind were
changed into a kind of mirror
49
00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,000
turn towards a higher faculty in
a sustained and silent
50
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,760
attention.
That too one can learn to do 1
51
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,360
must learn to do it.
It is a necessary discipline.
52
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,080
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
53
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,040
Mother Powers within, Chapter
21.
54
00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,480
Intuition, page 159.
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,040
We occasionally meet people who
seem to be highly intuitive,
2
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,920
with very few facts and with a
very fast response time.
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,520
They seem to understand and
decide things successfully that
4
00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,960
we are struggling to deal with
and for which we need
5
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,360
considerably more time.
In some cases there may be the
6
00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,800
functioning of the higher power
of intuition, but actually in
7
00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:29,080
many cases there is simply a
rapid correlation response going
8
00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,439
on in the brain.
Sometimes this is a matter of
9
00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:36,000
experience and instantaneous
pattern recognition.
10
00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,720
In others there is a store of
knowledge which has accumulated
11
00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,200
and just a few data points
guides them to the direction and
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,320
trajectory of what is taking
place.
13
00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,240
They may have a very efficient
synapse network built in their
14
00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,040
brain to speedily move data
along and correlate it with
15
00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:01,160
their decision making apparatus.
In still other cases there is a
16
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,319
memory that may arise from prior
dream experiences or inner
17
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,920
visits to the Akashic record, so
that the event is already known
18
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,600
to some degree.
The true action of intuition is
19
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,200
a powerful force, like a stream
of light.
20
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,480
People have.
Such experiences describe the
21
00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,720
light bulb suddenly lighting up,
or some other references to the
22
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,200
appearance of a light of
inspiration that is sudden,
23
00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:33,280
dramatic and clear.
The Rig Veda refers to the
24
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,680
rivers of heaven, which, as Sri
Aurobindo has described to us,
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,680
represent the powers of
intuition and other powers of
26
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,960
consciousness descending from a
higher realm of awareness into
27
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,680
the being.
The Mother writes quote.
28
00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,800
There is also another form, but
that one is much more difficult
29
00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,640
to observe, because for those
who are accustomed to think, to
30
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:03,760
act by reason, not by impulse,
but by reason, to reflect before
31
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,600
doing anything, there is an
extremely swift process from
32
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,680
cause to effect in the half
conscious thought which prevents
33
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,000
you from seeing the line, the
whole line of reasoning.
34
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,040
And so you don't think that it
is a chain of reasoning, and
35
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,040
that is quite deceptive.
You have the impression of an
36
00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,000
intuition, but it is not an
intuition.
37
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,160
It is an extremely rapid
subconscious reasoning which
38
00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,680
takes up a problem and goes
straight to the conclusions.
39
00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,000
This must not be mistaken for
intuition.
40
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,600
In the ordinary functioning of
the brain, intuition is
41
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,400
something which suddenly falls
like a drop of light.
42
00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,040
If one has the faculty, the
beginning of a faculty of mental
43
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,080
vision, it gives the impression
of something coming from outside
44
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,600
or above, like a little impact
of a drop of light in the brain,
45
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,040
absolutely independent of all
reasoning.
46
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,400
This is perceived more easily
when one is able to silence
47
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,880
one's mind, hold it still and
attentive, arresting its usual
48
00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,000
functioning, as if the mind were
changed into a kind of mirror
49
00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,000
turn towards a higher faculty in
a sustained and silent
50
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,760
attention.
That too one can learn to do 1
51
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,360
must learn to do it.
It is a necessary discipline.
52
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,080
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
53
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,040
Mother Powers within, Chapter
21.
54
00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,480
Intuition, page 159.