July 6, 2024
Extending a Measure of Validity to Reports of Supra-Physical Perceptions and Experiences
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch.6 Hidden Worlds and Evolutionary Forces, pp.140-141
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/07/01/extending-a-measure-of-validity-to-reports-of-supra-physical-perceptions-and-experiences/
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
00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,800
Shwirobindo makes an important
point.
2
00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,720
Various aspects of reports about
subtle senses and superphysical
3
00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:14,120
realities as they impact our
external world have been
4
00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,560
documented and in some cases
extensively studied and
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,560
verified.
Once we accept the fact that
6
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,080
there is a real and solid basis
for these experiences that we
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:31,720
can validate, it provides at
least circumstantial support to
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,520
the idea that, by extension,
those experiences outside our
9
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,760
range of perception also have a
similar validity.
10
00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,280
This is not to say that every
report and every experience is
11
00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,960
absolutely true and correct in
every detail.
12
00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,280
We know that there are errors of
reception, errors of
13
00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,640
transcription, and errors of
communication that occur as
14
00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,760
people relate perceptions and
experiences that do not have a
15
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,920
clear basis for description in
our understanding and our
16
00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,920
language.
And until this understanding and
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,600
power of expression is
developed, we are surely going
18
00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,640
to have some amount of
inaccurate or distorted
19
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,520
reporting to sift through.
However, this is no different
20
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,000
than the objects of our physical
senses and our ability to
21
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,720
understand, transcribe and
report those experiences, even
22
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,920
though they occur within the
normal range of human
23
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,440
perception, Shriorobindo
observes.
24
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,320
It is true that the glimpse of
superphysical realities acquired
25
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:47,000
by methodical research has been
imperfect, and is yet I'll
26
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,280
affirmed, for the methods used
are still crude and defective.
27
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,760
But these rediscovered subtle
senses have at least been found
28
00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,200
to be true witnesses to physical
facts beyond the range of the
29
00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,560
corporeal organs.
There is no justification, then,
30
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,400
for scouting them as false
witnesses when they testify to
31
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,800
superphysical facts beyond the
domain of the material
32
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,640
organization of consciousness.
Like all evidence, like the
33
00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:22,640
evidence of the physical senses
themselves, their testimony has
34
00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,040
to be controlled, scrutinized
and arranged by the reason
35
00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:33,280
rightly translated and rightly
related, and their field laws
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,840
and processes determined.
But the truth of great ranges of
37
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:43,240
experience, whose objects exist
in a more subtle substance and
38
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,680
are perceived by more subtle
instruments than those of gross
39
00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,000
physical matter, claims in the
end the same validity as the
40
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:57,040
truth of the material universe.
The world's beyond exist.
41
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,400
They have their universal
rhythm, their grand lines and
42
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:06,480
formations, their self existent
laws and mighty energies, their
43
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,080
just and luminous means of
knowledge.
44
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,480
And here on our physical
existence and in our physical
45
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,800
body they exercise their
influences.
46
00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,280
Here also they organize their
means of manifestation and
47
00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,240
Commission their messengers and
their witnesses.
48
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,720
End Quote reference.
Shrioro Bindo and the Mother.
49
00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,200
The Hidden Forces of Life,
Chapter 6.
50
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,440
Hidden Worlds and Evolutionary
Forces.
51
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,240
Pages 1:40 to 1:41.
00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,800
Shwirobindo makes an important
point.
2
00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,720
Various aspects of reports about
subtle senses and superphysical
3
00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:14,120
realities as they impact our
external world have been
4
00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,560
documented and in some cases
extensively studied and
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,560
verified.
Once we accept the fact that
6
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,080
there is a real and solid basis
for these experiences that we
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:31,720
can validate, it provides at
least circumstantial support to
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,520
the idea that, by extension,
those experiences outside our
9
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,760
range of perception also have a
similar validity.
10
00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,280
This is not to say that every
report and every experience is
11
00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,960
absolutely true and correct in
every detail.
12
00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,280
We know that there are errors of
reception, errors of
13
00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,640
transcription, and errors of
communication that occur as
14
00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,760
people relate perceptions and
experiences that do not have a
15
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,920
clear basis for description in
our understanding and our
16
00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,920
language.
And until this understanding and
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,600
power of expression is
developed, we are surely going
18
00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,640
to have some amount of
inaccurate or distorted
19
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,520
reporting to sift through.
However, this is no different
20
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,000
than the objects of our physical
senses and our ability to
21
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,720
understand, transcribe and
report those experiences, even
22
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,920
though they occur within the
normal range of human
23
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,440
perception, Shriorobindo
observes.
24
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,320
It is true that the glimpse of
superphysical realities acquired
25
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:47,000
by methodical research has been
imperfect, and is yet I'll
26
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,280
affirmed, for the methods used
are still crude and defective.
27
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,760
But these rediscovered subtle
senses have at least been found
28
00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,200
to be true witnesses to physical
facts beyond the range of the
29
00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,560
corporeal organs.
There is no justification, then,
30
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,400
for scouting them as false
witnesses when they testify to
31
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,800
superphysical facts beyond the
domain of the material
32
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,640
organization of consciousness.
Like all evidence, like the
33
00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:22,640
evidence of the physical senses
themselves, their testimony has
34
00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,040
to be controlled, scrutinized
and arranged by the reason
35
00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:33,280
rightly translated and rightly
related, and their field laws
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,840
and processes determined.
But the truth of great ranges of
37
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:43,240
experience, whose objects exist
in a more subtle substance and
38
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,680
are perceived by more subtle
instruments than those of gross
39
00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,000
physical matter, claims in the
end the same validity as the
40
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:57,040
truth of the material universe.
The world's beyond exist.
41
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,400
They have their universal
rhythm, their grand lines and
42
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:06,480
formations, their self existent
laws and mighty energies, their
43
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,080
just and luminous means of
knowledge.
44
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,480
And here on our physical
existence and in our physical
45
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,800
body they exercise their
influences.
46
00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,280
Here also they organize their
means of manifestation and
47
00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,240
Commission their messengers and
their witnesses.
48
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,720
End Quote reference.
Shrioro Bindo and the Mother.
49
00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,200
The Hidden Forces of Life,
Chapter 6.
50
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,440
Hidden Worlds and Evolutionary
Forces.
51
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,240
Pages 1:40 to 1:41.