May 5, 2025
Finding the Balance Between Activity and Rest
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 3, Action and Work, pp. 66-67This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/05/03/finding-the-balance-between-activity-and-rest/
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
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,160
With the advent of modern
society, the instantaneous
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:10,200
technological experience, and an
external life that puts a value
3
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,880
on being active, being
productive, we see the increased
4
00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,840
pressure for people to stay in
motion without taking into
5
00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,880
account the factor of fatigue
and the need for rest.
6
00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,560
People tend to brag about how
many hours they work, how little
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,280
sleep they get, and how active
they are at every moment.
8
00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,720
It is almost as if any time
spent in quiet reflection,
9
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:43,320
simply breathing, daydreaming,
sleeping, or otherwise engaging
10
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,640
in quiet time is considered to
be time wasted.
11
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,720
A famous proverb in the West
says that time is money.
12
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,560
This is meant to equate the
leveraged use of our time to our
13
00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,200
potential to gain financial
power at some level or another.
14
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:07,160
Many people work two or three
jobs, plus maintain a household
15
00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,280
and care for children, and keep
the cooking, cleaning, and other
16
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:16,560
activities all in motion.
At the same time, traditional
17
00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,120
societies in various parts of
the world still maintain a less
18
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,880
frenetic life and are not so
wedded to the clock and to the
19
00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:29,040
idea of constant striving as
modern civilization.
20
00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,000
But with the spread of
technology, they too are
21
00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,480
adapting to the demands of
modern day life over time.
22
00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,720
Of course, for most people, this
constant state of activity
23
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,080
brings eventually what is called
burnout.
24
00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:51,160
There can be deep fatigue,
exhaustion, physical, nervous,
25
00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:55,400
emotional or mental breakdowns
and there is frequently an
26
00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,280
attempt to forget about the
pressures of the outer life
27
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:03,400
through use of alcohol, drugs or
through participation in
28
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:09,440
mindless entertainment such as
is provided by television, mass
29
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,200
sporting events or through
frequenting of bars, nightclubs
30
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,080
or other venues where the
individual can release the pent
31
00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,120
up pressures on the nervous
system.
32
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,480
This cycle of frantic action
followed by periods of
33
00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:29,880
exhaustion and dissipation
eventually leads to breakdown of
34
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,720
health at all levels of the
being.
35
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,480
Some people then use times of
vacation to visit places that
36
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:41,320
give them a sense of peace,
relaxation, and restoration of
37
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,960
their energy, well-being, and
balance.
38
00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,600
Although the drive toward
activity sometimes defeats the
39
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:54,640
positive aspects of taking a
vacation, there is another way,
40
00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,160
a way that spiritual secrets try
to incorporate into their lives.
41
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,040
They may still have residual
habits pushing them to try to be
42
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:09,520
and stay active all the time.
They may begin, however, to
43
00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,480
appreciate that there is a need
for balance between activity and
44
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,720
rest, and the times of quiet are
not being wasted, but are
45
00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,120
restoring the energy and helping
the seeker.
46
00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:27,200
Redirect attention to aspects of
existence not tied to worldly
47
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:33,040
activity and success in the
terms of monetary or other forms
48
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:38,440
of remuneration.
They may start with a class or
49
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,880
with a retreat.
Some individuals join
50
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,720
monasteries, cloisters,
communes, or ashrams in order to
51
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,400
shift their life focus away from
the fixation on the pattern of
52
00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,120
worldly action followed by
fatigue and dissipation.
53
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,400
Others may simply use times of
vacation to visit places that
54
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,240
give them a sense of peace,
relaxation and restoration of
55
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,360
their energy, well-being and
balance.
56
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,880
Spiritual disciplines which
encourage development of a
57
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,240
harmonious and balanced life,
take into account the needs of
58
00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,519
the body, the nervous system,
the emotional being and the mind
59
00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:27,000
for periods of activity and
periods of quietude and help the
60
00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,760
seeker thereby to seek the
pattern imprinted by the society
61
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,000
and overcome its subtle
influence on the way they see
62
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:40,480
and act as they focus on the
work before them, Fiorabondo
63
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,080
observes.
Quote, when you feel tired,
64
00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:49,160
don't over strain yourself, but
rest doing only your ordinary
65
00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,080
work.
Restlessly doing something or
66
00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,640
other all the time is not the
way to cure it.
67
00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,480
To be quiet without and within
is what is needed.
68
00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:03,880
When there is this sense of
fatigue, there's always a
69
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,200
strength near you which you can
call in and will remove these
70
00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:12,720
things, but you must learn to be
quiet in order to receive it.
71
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,240
It is a mistake to over strain
as there is a reaction
72
00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,480
afterwards.
If there is energy, all must not
73
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:27,400
be spent, some must be stored up
so as to increase the permanent
74
00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,280
strength of the system.
End Quote.
75
00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,520
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
76
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:41,240
Chapter 3, Action and Work,
pages 66 to 67.
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,160
With the advent of modern
society, the instantaneous
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:10,200
technological experience, and an
external life that puts a value
3
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,880
on being active, being
productive, we see the increased
4
00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,840
pressure for people to stay in
motion without taking into
5
00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,880
account the factor of fatigue
and the need for rest.
6
00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,560
People tend to brag about how
many hours they work, how little
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,280
sleep they get, and how active
they are at every moment.
8
00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,720
It is almost as if any time
spent in quiet reflection,
9
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:43,320
simply breathing, daydreaming,
sleeping, or otherwise engaging
10
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,640
in quiet time is considered to
be time wasted.
11
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,720
A famous proverb in the West
says that time is money.
12
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,560
This is meant to equate the
leveraged use of our time to our
13
00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,200
potential to gain financial
power at some level or another.
14
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:07,160
Many people work two or three
jobs, plus maintain a household
15
00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,280
and care for children, and keep
the cooking, cleaning, and other
16
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:16,560
activities all in motion.
At the same time, traditional
17
00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,120
societies in various parts of
the world still maintain a less
18
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,880
frenetic life and are not so
wedded to the clock and to the
19
00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:29,040
idea of constant striving as
modern civilization.
20
00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,000
But with the spread of
technology, they too are
21
00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,480
adapting to the demands of
modern day life over time.
22
00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,720
Of course, for most people, this
constant state of activity
23
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,080
brings eventually what is called
burnout.
24
00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:51,160
There can be deep fatigue,
exhaustion, physical, nervous,
25
00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:55,400
emotional or mental breakdowns
and there is frequently an
26
00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,280
attempt to forget about the
pressures of the outer life
27
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:03,400
through use of alcohol, drugs or
through participation in
28
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:09,440
mindless entertainment such as
is provided by television, mass
29
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,200
sporting events or through
frequenting of bars, nightclubs
30
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,080
or other venues where the
individual can release the pent
31
00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,120
up pressures on the nervous
system.
32
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,480
This cycle of frantic action
followed by periods of
33
00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:29,880
exhaustion and dissipation
eventually leads to breakdown of
34
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,720
health at all levels of the
being.
35
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,480
Some people then use times of
vacation to visit places that
36
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:41,320
give them a sense of peace,
relaxation, and restoration of
37
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,960
their energy, well-being, and
balance.
38
00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,600
Although the drive toward
activity sometimes defeats the
39
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:54,640
positive aspects of taking a
vacation, there is another way,
40
00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,160
a way that spiritual secrets try
to incorporate into their lives.
41
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,040
They may still have residual
habits pushing them to try to be
42
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:09,520
and stay active all the time.
They may begin, however, to
43
00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,480
appreciate that there is a need
for balance between activity and
44
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,720
rest, and the times of quiet are
not being wasted, but are
45
00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,120
restoring the energy and helping
the seeker.
46
00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:27,200
Redirect attention to aspects of
existence not tied to worldly
47
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:33,040
activity and success in the
terms of monetary or other forms
48
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:38,440
of remuneration.
They may start with a class or
49
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,880
with a retreat.
Some individuals join
50
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,720
monasteries, cloisters,
communes, or ashrams in order to
51
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,400
shift their life focus away from
the fixation on the pattern of
52
00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,120
worldly action followed by
fatigue and dissipation.
53
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,400
Others may simply use times of
vacation to visit places that
54
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,240
give them a sense of peace,
relaxation and restoration of
55
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,360
their energy, well-being and
balance.
56
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,880
Spiritual disciplines which
encourage development of a
57
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,240
harmonious and balanced life,
take into account the needs of
58
00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,519
the body, the nervous system,
the emotional being and the mind
59
00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:27,000
for periods of activity and
periods of quietude and help the
60
00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,760
seeker thereby to seek the
pattern imprinted by the society
61
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,000
and overcome its subtle
influence on the way they see
62
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:40,480
and act as they focus on the
work before them, Fiorabondo
63
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,080
observes.
Quote, when you feel tired,
64
00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:49,160
don't over strain yourself, but
rest doing only your ordinary
65
00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,080
work.
Restlessly doing something or
66
00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,640
other all the time is not the
way to cure it.
67
00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,480
To be quiet without and within
is what is needed.
68
00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:03,880
When there is this sense of
fatigue, there's always a
69
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,200
strength near you which you can
call in and will remove these
70
00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:12,720
things, but you must learn to be
quiet in order to receive it.
71
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,240
It is a mistake to over strain
as there is a reaction
72
00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,480
afterwards.
If there is energy, all must not
73
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:27,400
be spent, some must be stored up
so as to increase the permanent
74
00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,280
strength of the system.
End Quote.
75
00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,520
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
76
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:41,240
Chapter 3, Action and Work,
pages 66 to 67.