Sept. 22, 2025
Gaining Control Over and Mastery of One's Mind and Thoughts
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm -- Peace -- Equality, pp. 5-6
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/20/gaining-control-over-and-mastery-of-ones-mind-and-thoughts/
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
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,840
As each stage of the evolution
of consciousness develops, it
2
00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:09,040
brings a greater power of
knowledge and action than the
3
00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,320
prior stage.
Inevitably, there's an impact on
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,560
those prior stages.
Life effectuated changes in
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,680
matter.
Mind effectuates changes in life
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,960
and matter.
Although the power is not
7
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,640
absolute and there is an
interchange, a conservative
8
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,720
resistance to transformational
change, eventually the new power
9
00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,720
has its impacts.
What is not so frequently
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,240
described, however, is that with
this new power come also new
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,000
forces that make adaptation at
the current level of
12
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,640
manifestation harder.
Thus, while the mind is able to
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:56,200
change matter and even control
the vital forces of life to a
14
00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,280
great degree, it has a hard time
seeing and changing things on
15
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,040
the mental plane.
The principle involved is that
16
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,480
as long as one is immersed in a
particular framework, he cannot
17
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,800
see that framework.
What he cannot see, he cannot
18
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,920
consciously change.
It is thus necessary to find a
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,360
way to step back from, to shift
outside the framework to have a
20
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:28,520
real power of transformation.
When we apply this to our mental
21
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,240
activities, we can see that the
shift to the witness standpoint
22
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,120
and receptivity to the next
power of consciousness, which is
23
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,200
in the process of manifesting,
represent the methods needed to
24
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,520
gain control and mastery over
the action of the mind itself.
25
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:55,480
Sri Rabindra writes quote To
reject doubts means control of
26
00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,160
1's thoughts.
Very certainly so, but the
27
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,720
control of 1's thoughts is as
necessary as the control of 1's
28
00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,320
vital desires and passions or
the control of the movements of
29
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,600
1's body.
For the yoga and not for the
30
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,520
yoga only.
One cannot be a fully
31
00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,680
developmental being even if one
is not a control of the
32
00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:27,080
thoughts, is not their observer,
judge, master, the mental
33
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:33,680
Purusha mano Maya, purusha
Sakshi anumanta ishwara.
34
00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,280
It is no more proper for the
mental being to be the tennis
35
00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,120
ball of unruly and
uncontrollable thoughts than to
36
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,680
be a rudderless ship in the
storm of the desires and
37
00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:51,000
passions, or a slave of either
the inertia or the impulses of
38
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,560
the body.
I know it is more difficult
39
00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,480
because man, being primarily a
creature of mental procrity,
40
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,120
identifies himself with the
movements of his mind, and
41
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,960
cannot at once dissociate
himself and stand free from the
42
00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,400
swirl and eddies of the mind
Whirlpool.
43
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:16,520
It is comparatively easy for him
to put a control on his body, at
44
00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,680
least on a certain part of its
movements.
45
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:24,040
It is less easy, but still very
possible, after a struggle, to
46
00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,640
put a mental control on his
vital impulsions and desires.
47
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,640
But to sit, like the tantric
Yogi on the river above the
48
00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:36,360
Whirlpool of his thoughts is
less facile.
49
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:43,400
Nevertheless, it can be done.
All developed mental men, those
50
00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,720
who get beyond the average, have
in one way or other, where at
51
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,520
least at certain times and for
certain purposes, to separate
52
00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,080
the two parts of the mind.
The active part, which is a
53
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:01,400
factory of thoughts, and the
quiet masterful part which is at
54
00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,640
once a witness and a will,
observing them, judging,
55
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:12,200
rejecting, eliminating,
accepting, ordering, corrections
56
00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,960
and changes.
The master in the House of mind
57
00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:20,120
capable of self, empire, some
rajya.
58
00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:26,320
The Yogi goes still farther.
He is not only a master there,
59
00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,360
but even while in mind, in a
way, he gets out of it, as it
60
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,040
were, and stands above or quite
back from it and free.
61
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:40,080
For him the image of the factory
of thoughts is no longer quite
62
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:45,600
valid, for he sees that thoughts
come from outside, from the
63
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,200
universal mind or universal
nature, sometimes formed and
64
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:56,400
distinct, sometimes unformed,
and then they are given shape
65
00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,000
somewhere in us.
The principal business of our
66
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,040
mind is either a response of
acceptance or a refusal to these
67
00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:10,000
thought waves as also vital
waves, subtle physical energy
68
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:15,560
waves or this giving personal
mental form to thought stuff or
69
00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,680
vital movements from the
environing nature force.
70
00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,280
The possibilities of a mental
being are not limited.
71
00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,600
It can be the free witness and
master in its own house.
72
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,440
A progressive freedom and
mastery over 1's mind is
73
00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,680
perfectly within the
possibilities of anyone who has
74
00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:44,040
faith and will to undertake it.
End Quote Reference Sri
75
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:49,280
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 1, Calm, Peace and
76
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:52,280
Equality, pages 5 to 6.
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,840
As each stage of the evolution
of consciousness develops, it
2
00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:09,040
brings a greater power of
knowledge and action than the
3
00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,320
prior stage.
Inevitably, there's an impact on
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,560
those prior stages.
Life effectuated changes in
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,680
matter.
Mind effectuates changes in life
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,960
and matter.
Although the power is not
7
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,640
absolute and there is an
interchange, a conservative
8
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,720
resistance to transformational
change, eventually the new power
9
00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,720
has its impacts.
What is not so frequently
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,240
described, however, is that with
this new power come also new
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,000
forces that make adaptation at
the current level of
12
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,640
manifestation harder.
Thus, while the mind is able to
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:56,200
change matter and even control
the vital forces of life to a
14
00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,280
great degree, it has a hard time
seeing and changing things on
15
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,040
the mental plane.
The principle involved is that
16
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,480
as long as one is immersed in a
particular framework, he cannot
17
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,800
see that framework.
What he cannot see, he cannot
18
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,920
consciously change.
It is thus necessary to find a
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,360
way to step back from, to shift
outside the framework to have a
20
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:28,520
real power of transformation.
When we apply this to our mental
21
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,240
activities, we can see that the
shift to the witness standpoint
22
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,120
and receptivity to the next
power of consciousness, which is
23
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,200
in the process of manifesting,
represent the methods needed to
24
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,520
gain control and mastery over
the action of the mind itself.
25
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:55,480
Sri Rabindra writes quote To
reject doubts means control of
26
00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,160
1's thoughts.
Very certainly so, but the
27
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,720
control of 1's thoughts is as
necessary as the control of 1's
28
00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,320
vital desires and passions or
the control of the movements of
29
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,600
1's body.
For the yoga and not for the
30
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,520
yoga only.
One cannot be a fully
31
00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,680
developmental being even if one
is not a control of the
32
00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:27,080
thoughts, is not their observer,
judge, master, the mental
33
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:33,680
Purusha mano Maya, purusha
Sakshi anumanta ishwara.
34
00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,280
It is no more proper for the
mental being to be the tennis
35
00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,120
ball of unruly and
uncontrollable thoughts than to
36
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,680
be a rudderless ship in the
storm of the desires and
37
00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:51,000
passions, or a slave of either
the inertia or the impulses of
38
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,560
the body.
I know it is more difficult
39
00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,480
because man, being primarily a
creature of mental procrity,
40
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,120
identifies himself with the
movements of his mind, and
41
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,960
cannot at once dissociate
himself and stand free from the
42
00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,400
swirl and eddies of the mind
Whirlpool.
43
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:16,520
It is comparatively easy for him
to put a control on his body, at
44
00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,680
least on a certain part of its
movements.
45
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:24,040
It is less easy, but still very
possible, after a struggle, to
46
00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,640
put a mental control on his
vital impulsions and desires.
47
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,640
But to sit, like the tantric
Yogi on the river above the
48
00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:36,360
Whirlpool of his thoughts is
less facile.
49
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:43,400
Nevertheless, it can be done.
All developed mental men, those
50
00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,720
who get beyond the average, have
in one way or other, where at
51
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,520
least at certain times and for
certain purposes, to separate
52
00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,080
the two parts of the mind.
The active part, which is a
53
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:01,400
factory of thoughts, and the
quiet masterful part which is at
54
00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,640
once a witness and a will,
observing them, judging,
55
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:12,200
rejecting, eliminating,
accepting, ordering, corrections
56
00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,960
and changes.
The master in the House of mind
57
00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:20,120
capable of self, empire, some
rajya.
58
00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:26,320
The Yogi goes still farther.
He is not only a master there,
59
00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,360
but even while in mind, in a
way, he gets out of it, as it
60
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,040
were, and stands above or quite
back from it and free.
61
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:40,080
For him the image of the factory
of thoughts is no longer quite
62
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:45,600
valid, for he sees that thoughts
come from outside, from the
63
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:51,200
universal mind or universal
nature, sometimes formed and
64
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:56,400
distinct, sometimes unformed,
and then they are given shape
65
00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,000
somewhere in us.
The principal business of our
66
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,040
mind is either a response of
acceptance or a refusal to these
67
00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:10,000
thought waves as also vital
waves, subtle physical energy
68
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:15,560
waves or this giving personal
mental form to thought stuff or
69
00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,680
vital movements from the
environing nature force.
70
00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,280
The possibilities of a mental
being are not limited.
71
00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,600
It can be the free witness and
master in its own house.
72
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,440
A progressive freedom and
mastery over 1's mind is
73
00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,680
perfectly within the
possibilities of anyone who has
74
00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:44,040
faith and will to undertake it.
End Quote Reference Sri
75
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:49,280
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 1, Calm, Peace and
76
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:52,280
Equality, pages 5 to 6.
