Oct. 4, 2025
Facing and Overcoming the Dangers of an Opening to Forces of the Vital Plane Without Sufficient Foundation in Peace and Calm in the Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pg. 13This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/10/02/facing-and-overcoming-the-dangers-of-an-opening-to-forces-of-the-vital-plane-without-sufficient-foundation-in-peace-and-calm-in-the-being/
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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
00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,080
There are sound reasons to
establish calm, peace and
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,560
equality in the being as the
foundation for the spiritual
3
00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,920
practice.
When an individual takes up some
4
00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,400
form of concentrated practice to
Persia, it can lead to the
5
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:21,080
uprising of powerful energies as
well as an influx of thoughts,
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,280
emotions, feelings and
sensations to which the normal
7
00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,000
human experience is not
acclimated.
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,720
There is a long history in the
yogic tradition that speaks
9
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,080
about the dangers attended on
any attempt to awaken the
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,680
kundalini energy at the base of
the spine.
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,160
Without adequate guidance and
preparation.
12
00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,160
Such an awakening can lead to
nervous disorders, mental
13
00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:54,160
imbalance, emotional upsets, and
in some cases, physical ill
14
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,760
health and various disorders of
the body.
15
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,480
Similarly, if the energy
descends from above, as is
16
00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,440
frequently reported by
practitioners of the Integral
17
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,280
Yoga, there can be an imbalance
if the being, the body, the
18
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,960
vital force, the nerve structure
and the mind are not ready to
19
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,200
handle that energy.
In that case, the energy is
20
00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,840
subject to being spilled.
This is a term used to describe
21
00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,240
the kind of imbalances
historically known to occur in
22
00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:32,320
an unprepared individual who
opens precipitously and without
23
00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:37,120
proper guidance to the powers
and energies available when one
24
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,640
shifts the awareness away from
and outside the protective
25
00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,960
limits of the physical body.
What does the seeker do when he
26
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,640
suddenly experiences rushes of
energy that increase his vital
27
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:55,560
drives or desires, or which give
him a feeling of invulnerability
28
00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,040
or a sense of his own destiny
which leads to arrogance,
29
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,240
seeking and exercising of power,
and a form of blindness to the
30
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,720
excesses and extremes to which
he is subjecting himself?
31
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,040
There are well known cases of
individuals who feel like they
32
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,960
are being guided and protected,
but who have not discriminated
33
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,280
the source of the voices or
promptings they are receiving.
34
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,400
Without the prior grounding and
guidance, it is easy to go
35
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,160
astray and cause oneself and
others considerable harm.
36
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,760
Triorbindo counsels the
development of the basis of
37
00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:39,160
peace and equanimity to help the
seeker avoid falling under the
38
00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,000
power of the forces which enter
and try to commandeer him to
39
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,960
their purposes.
With the proper foundation, the
40
00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,720
being can widen and absorb the
advent of new knowledge and
41
00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,360
power without spilling them and
thus without the same degree of
42
00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,880
risk that is associated with a
process not grounded in a calm,
43
00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,720
quiet and observant standpoint,
Sriorabindo writes.
44
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,080
Quote.
At present your experiences are
45
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,320
on the mental plane, but that is
the right movement.
46
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,600
Many sonics are unable to
advance because they open the
47
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,800
vital plane before the mental
and psychic are ready.
48
00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,200
After some beginning of true
spiritual experiences on the
49
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,480
mental plane, there is a
premature descent into the vital
50
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,720
and great confusion and
disturbance.
51
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,400
This has to be guarded against.
It is still worse if the vital
52
00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,080
desire soul opens to experience
before the mind has been touched
53
00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:49,360
by the things of the spirit.
Aspire always for the mind and
54
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,320
psychic being to be filled with
the true consciousness and
55
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:57,520
experience and made ready.
You must aspire especially for
56
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:03,920
quietness, peace, a calm faith,
an increasing steady wideness,
57
00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:09,880
for more and more knowledge, for
a deep and intense but quiet
58
00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:14,480
devotion, to not be troubled by
your surroundings and their
59
00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,440
opposition.
These conditions are often
60
00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,000
imposed at first as a kind of
ordeal.
61
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,640
If you can remain tranquil and
undisturbed and continue your
62
00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,240
sadhna without allowing yourself
to be inwardly troubled under
63
00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,360
these circumstances, it will
help to give you a much needed
64
00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,160
strength.
For the path of yoga is always
65
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,600
beset with inner and outer
difficulties, and the sodic must
66
00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:47,640
develop a quiet, firm and solid
strength to meet them.
67
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:53,840
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo Bases of
68
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:58,720
Yoga, Chapter 1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
69
00:04:58,720 --> 00:04:59,360
13.
00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,080
There are sound reasons to
establish calm, peace and
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,560
equality in the being as the
foundation for the spiritual
3
00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,920
practice.
When an individual takes up some
4
00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,400
form of concentrated practice to
Persia, it can lead to the
5
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:21,080
uprising of powerful energies as
well as an influx of thoughts,
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,280
emotions, feelings and
sensations to which the normal
7
00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,000
human experience is not
acclimated.
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,720
There is a long history in the
yogic tradition that speaks
9
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,080
about the dangers attended on
any attempt to awaken the
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,680
kundalini energy at the base of
the spine.
11
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,160
Without adequate guidance and
preparation.
12
00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,160
Such an awakening can lead to
nervous disorders, mental
13
00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:54,160
imbalance, emotional upsets, and
in some cases, physical ill
14
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,760
health and various disorders of
the body.
15
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,480
Similarly, if the energy
descends from above, as is
16
00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,440
frequently reported by
practitioners of the Integral
17
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,280
Yoga, there can be an imbalance
if the being, the body, the
18
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,960
vital force, the nerve structure
and the mind are not ready to
19
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,200
handle that energy.
In that case, the energy is
20
00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,840
subject to being spilled.
This is a term used to describe
21
00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,240
the kind of imbalances
historically known to occur in
22
00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:32,320
an unprepared individual who
opens precipitously and without
23
00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:37,120
proper guidance to the powers
and energies available when one
24
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,640
shifts the awareness away from
and outside the protective
25
00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,960
limits of the physical body.
What does the seeker do when he
26
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,640
suddenly experiences rushes of
energy that increase his vital
27
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:55,560
drives or desires, or which give
him a feeling of invulnerability
28
00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,040
or a sense of his own destiny
which leads to arrogance,
29
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,240
seeking and exercising of power,
and a form of blindness to the
30
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,720
excesses and extremes to which
he is subjecting himself?
31
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,040
There are well known cases of
individuals who feel like they
32
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,960
are being guided and protected,
but who have not discriminated
33
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,280
the source of the voices or
promptings they are receiving.
34
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,400
Without the prior grounding and
guidance, it is easy to go
35
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,160
astray and cause oneself and
others considerable harm.
36
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,760
Triorbindo counsels the
development of the basis of
37
00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:39,160
peace and equanimity to help the
seeker avoid falling under the
38
00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,000
power of the forces which enter
and try to commandeer him to
39
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,960
their purposes.
With the proper foundation, the
40
00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,720
being can widen and absorb the
advent of new knowledge and
41
00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,360
power without spilling them and
thus without the same degree of
42
00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,880
risk that is associated with a
process not grounded in a calm,
43
00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,720
quiet and observant standpoint,
Sriorabindo writes.
44
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,080
Quote.
At present your experiences are
45
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,320
on the mental plane, but that is
the right movement.
46
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,600
Many sonics are unable to
advance because they open the
47
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,800
vital plane before the mental
and psychic are ready.
48
00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,200
After some beginning of true
spiritual experiences on the
49
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,480
mental plane, there is a
premature descent into the vital
50
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,720
and great confusion and
disturbance.
51
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,400
This has to be guarded against.
It is still worse if the vital
52
00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,080
desire soul opens to experience
before the mind has been touched
53
00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:49,360
by the things of the spirit.
Aspire always for the mind and
54
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,320
psychic being to be filled with
the true consciousness and
55
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:57,520
experience and made ready.
You must aspire especially for
56
00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:03,920
quietness, peace, a calm faith,
an increasing steady wideness,
57
00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:09,880
for more and more knowledge, for
a deep and intense but quiet
58
00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:14,480
devotion, to not be troubled by
your surroundings and their
59
00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,440
opposition.
These conditions are often
60
00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,000
imposed at first as a kind of
ordeal.
61
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,640
If you can remain tranquil and
undisturbed and continue your
62
00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,240
sadhna without allowing yourself
to be inwardly troubled under
63
00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,360
these circumstances, it will
help to give you a much needed
64
00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,160
strength.
For the path of yoga is always
65
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,600
beset with inner and outer
difficulties, and the sodic must
66
00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:47,640
develop a quiet, firm and solid
strength to meet them.
67
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:53,840
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo Bases of
68
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:58,720
Yoga, Chapter 1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
69
00:04:58,720 --> 00:04:59,360
13.
