Finding the Poise of the Consciousness Needed for the Practice of the Integral Yoga

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The spiritual seeker, starting
from the ego consciousness,

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wants to identify progress and
success in the sadhana, the

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operation of the three gunas.
The qualities of nature impact

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the seeker's view and
orientation towards this

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process.
There is a distinct difference

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between a psychic aspiration and
the consequent receptivity and

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acceptance of what the Divine
grace brings to the seeker and

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the working of any form of vital
desire or ambition.

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Desire and ambition arise
primarily through the operation

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of rajas.
The secret strives, makes

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effort, strains for results,
tries to storm the gates of

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heaven, so to speak.
The results of a rajasic effort

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are rarely satisfactory for the
long term.

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Progress.
Spiritual growth is not intended

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to be carried out as a means of
gratifying the ego, nor can it

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be seen as a short term effort.
The changes required at all

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levels of human nature, the
mental being, the vital being,

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the physical being, are so far
reaching and profound that they

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cannot reasonably be encompassed
in some kind of Sprint to a

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goal.
There is a considerable amount

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of preparation needed, and each
change involves unraveling the

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knots of human nature and
essentially rewiring the entire

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human psychology.
Short term straining efforts are

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more likely to create obstacles
and setbacks than to actually

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further the real progress
needed.

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The first obstacle is the rising
up of rajas and its distortion

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of the focus and intent of the
process.

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When the emphasis is placed on
palpable experiences and

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results, much of the real work
gets minimized or pushed aside.

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Rajas creates ripples that
disturb the needed calm, peace

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and equality.
When it is rebuffed, it tends to

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fall into a state of Thomas,
which leads to depression or

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dissatisfaction.
Expressed in a variety of ways,

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Rajasic energy also can easily
bring in all manner of passions,

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demands and aggressive forces
that are not helpful for the

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Sadhna.
One of the early practices for

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the spiritual seeker is to
achieve a state of calm and

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inner peace and from there to
aspire without impatience.

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Such a balanced state eventually
provides support for the long

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term objectives involved in
tackling the distortions of the

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physical, vital and mental
energies that need to be brought

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into balance and harmony,
Sriorabindo writes.

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Quote.
As for working, it depends on

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what you mean by the word.
Desire often leads either to

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excessive effort, meaning often
much labour and a limited fruit,

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with strain, exhaustion, and in
case of difficulty or failure,

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despondence, disbelief or
revolt, or else it leads to

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pulling down the force.
That can be done, but except for

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the yogically strong and
experienced, it is not always

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safe, though it may be often
very effective.

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Not safe first, because it may
lead to violent reactions, or it

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brings down contrary or wrong or
mixed forces which this sodic is

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not experienced enough to
distinguish from the true ones,

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or else that may substitute the
sodic's own limited power of

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experience or his mental and
vital constructions for the free

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gift and true leading of the
divine.

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Cases differ.
Each has his own way of sadhna.

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But for you, what I would
recommend is constant openness,

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a quiet steady aspiration, no
over eagerness, A cheerful trust

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and patience.
End Quote Reference Sri

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Aurobindo Faces of Yoga Chapter
2.

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Faith, Aspiration, Surrender,
page 35.