Dec. 20, 2025
Distrust and Disobedience in the Practice of Yoga Interferes With the Action of the Force
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pg. 59
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/12/18/distrust-and-disobedience-in-the-practice-of-yoga-interferes-with-the-action-of-the-force/
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
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality
1
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,520
We like to believe that we are
independent actors in control of
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:07,360
our own destiny and our own
lines of development.
3
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,800
We want freedom to express
ourselves.
4
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:16,440
The ego personality acting in
the outside world is very much a
5
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,760
captive of past energies,
whether those of the formation
6
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,840
of physical and vital life or
those that have been acquired
7
00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,280
and developed through the
process of evolution of the
8
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,440
mental power.
We have been educated,
9
00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,400
pressured, traumatized and
socialized to make certain
10
00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,880
decisions and act in certain
ways, all while believing that
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:47,160
we are free and independent
actors while we are engaged in
12
00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:50,200
the life of the world.
All of this has very little
13
00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,440
importance as we somehow get
through the life situations and
14
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,840
deal with the issues that arise.
When we take up spiritual
15
00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,840
sadhna, however, a different set
of criteria comes to the
16
00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,600
forefront.
The entire principle of
17
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,840
spiritual growth is to
successively tune the being to
18
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,720
the higher spiritual force, be
receptive to it, and allow it to
19
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,240
act to carry out the changes
that go beyond what is possible
20
00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,280
for our physical, vital, mental
self.
21
00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,080
This implies following the
guidance and direction of the
22
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,400
psychic being and the spiritual
guidance to which it adheres.
23
00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:36,320
In this context, any deviation
following suggestions of the
24
00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:42,040
mind, the vital or the physical
body represents A distortion
25
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,600
which weakens the connection and
interferes with the higher
26
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,920
force.
The adherence to the spiritual
27
00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,960
truth of the being develops
excessively to encompass not
28
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,560
only the inward acceptance and
recognition, but eventually also
29
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,240
the acceptance and support of
the mind, the vital being and
30
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,120
the physical body to the
pressure for change and
31
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,360
transformation that the Force is
bringing with it.
32
00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,720
This is the unification of the
entire being around the
33
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:19,400
spiritual principle and the
influence of the psychic being,
34
00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:26,080
Srioro Bindu observes quote.
The difficulty must have come
35
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,880
from distrust and disobedience,
for distrust and disobedience
36
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,360
are like falsehood.
They are themselves a falsity
37
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,800
based on false ideas and
impulses.
38
00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,520
They interfere in the action of
the power, prevent it from being
39
00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,400
felt or from working fully, and
diminish the force of the
40
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,960
protection.
Not only in your inward
41
00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,640
concentration, but in your
outward acts and movements.
42
00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:55,640
You must take the right
attitude.
43
00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,160
If you do that and put
everything under the mother's
44
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,440
guidance, you will find that
difficulties begin to diminish,
45
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:08,640
or are much more easily got
over, and things become steadily
46
00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:12,360
smoother.
In your work and acts you must
47
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,760
do the same as in your
concentration open to the
48
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,360
mother.
Put them under her guidance,
49
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,000
call in the peace, the
supporting power, the
50
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,800
protection, and in order that
they may work, reject all wrong
51
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,240
influences that might come in
their way by creating wrong,
52
00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,440
careless or unconscious
movements.
53
00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:39,440
Follow this principle and your
whole being will become one
54
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,560
under one rule in the peace and
sheltering power and light.
55
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:51,720
End Quote reference 3 Aurobindo
Faces of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
56
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,120
difficulty, page 59.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,520
We like to believe that we are
independent actors in control of
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:07,360
our own destiny and our own
lines of development.
3
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,800
We want freedom to express
ourselves.
4
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:16,440
The ego personality acting in
the outside world is very much a
5
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,760
captive of past energies,
whether those of the formation
6
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,840
of physical and vital life or
those that have been acquired
7
00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,280
and developed through the
process of evolution of the
8
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,440
mental power.
We have been educated,
9
00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,400
pressured, traumatized and
socialized to make certain
10
00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,880
decisions and act in certain
ways, all while believing that
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:47,160
we are free and independent
actors while we are engaged in
12
00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:50,200
the life of the world.
All of this has very little
13
00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,440
importance as we somehow get
through the life situations and
14
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,840
deal with the issues that arise.
When we take up spiritual
15
00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,840
sadhna, however, a different set
of criteria comes to the
16
00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,600
forefront.
The entire principle of
17
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,840
spiritual growth is to
successively tune the being to
18
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,720
the higher spiritual force, be
receptive to it, and allow it to
19
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,240
act to carry out the changes
that go beyond what is possible
20
00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,280
for our physical, vital, mental
self.
21
00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,080
This implies following the
guidance and direction of the
22
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,400
psychic being and the spiritual
guidance to which it adheres.
23
00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:36,320
In this context, any deviation
following suggestions of the
24
00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:42,040
mind, the vital or the physical
body represents A distortion
25
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,600
which weakens the connection and
interferes with the higher
26
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,920
force.
The adherence to the spiritual
27
00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,960
truth of the being develops
excessively to encompass not
28
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,560
only the inward acceptance and
recognition, but eventually also
29
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,240
the acceptance and support of
the mind, the vital being and
30
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,120
the physical body to the
pressure for change and
31
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,360
transformation that the Force is
bringing with it.
32
00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,720
This is the unification of the
entire being around the
33
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:19,400
spiritual principle and the
influence of the psychic being,
34
00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:26,080
Srioro Bindu observes quote.
The difficulty must have come
35
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,880
from distrust and disobedience,
for distrust and disobedience
36
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,360
are like falsehood.
They are themselves a falsity
37
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,800
based on false ideas and
impulses.
38
00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,520
They interfere in the action of
the power, prevent it from being
39
00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,400
felt or from working fully, and
diminish the force of the
40
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,960
protection.
Not only in your inward
41
00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,640
concentration, but in your
outward acts and movements.
42
00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:55,640
You must take the right
attitude.
43
00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,160
If you do that and put
everything under the mother's
44
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,440
guidance, you will find that
difficulties begin to diminish,
45
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:08,640
or are much more easily got
over, and things become steadily
46
00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:12,360
smoother.
In your work and acts you must
47
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,760
do the same as in your
concentration open to the
48
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,360
mother.
Put them under her guidance,
49
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,000
call in the peace, the
supporting power, the
50
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,800
protection, and in order that
they may work, reject all wrong
51
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,240
influences that might come in
their way by creating wrong,
52
00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,440
careless or unconscious
movements.
53
00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:39,440
Follow this principle and your
whole being will become one
54
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,560
under one rule in the peace and
sheltering power and light.
55
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:51,720
End Quote reference 3 Aurobindo
Faces of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
56
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,120
difficulty, page 59.
