May 21, 2026
How Do We Decide the Right Thing to Do?
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 2 Role, Function and Action of the Psychic, pg. 63This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/05/19/how-do-we-decide-the-right-thing-to-do/
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
#Sri Aurobindo #The Mother #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #soul #psychic being
1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:06,640
In a simple world, in a simple
situation, decision making is
2
00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:11,840
generally fast and easy.
The consequences, whatever they
3
00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,920
turn out to be, are usually not
considered to be related to some
4
00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,920
past action we have may have
made.
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,880
We reach a path in a forest that
branches off in 2 directions.
6
00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,800
We choose one and come to
whatever the end point of that
7
00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,720
path happens to be.
Choices are limited, decisions
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,080
are somewhat random, and the
results are whatever they turn
9
00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,240
out to be.
As our lives become more
10
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:45,160
complex, as we are inundated
with all kinds of facts,
11
00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:52,040
factors, concerns, and potential
consequences, the choices become
12
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,000
harder.
The ability to make the right
13
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,000
decision gets clouded over by
the magnitude of choices.
14
00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,239
For example, in the game of
chess, with a board of 64
15
00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,280
squares alternating light and
dark, and each person having 16
16
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,760
pieces starting from a set
position, it has been calculated
17
00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,960
that there are only 20 moves for
the white pieces at the outset
18
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,400
of the game.
However, after each side has
19
00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,400
made one move, there now can be
up to 400 possible moves.
20
00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:39,240
After two moves each 197,742
possible moves, and after three
21
00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:45,400
moves each there are 121 million
possible positions.
22
00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760
A game between beginners
obviously does not see this many
23
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:56,640
options, and clearly even for
chess masters the options narrow
24
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:01,280
down considerably as some of the
moves are nonsensical to anyone
25
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,360
versed in the game.
This example illustrates,
26
00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,479
however, the increasing
complexity of decision making in
27
00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:13,240
our lives as we get more and
more factual input and get
28
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,680
bombarded with the ideas and
opinions of others, as well as
29
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,080
the context of our own past
experience.
30
00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,880
How then, can we possibly know
what is the right decision?
31
00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,560
In the game of chess?
There is a winner and a loser,
32
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,840
or else the players reach a
stalemate where neither side can
33
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,240
win.
The result becomes clear as the
34
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,840
game progressives, but the
correctness of any specific move
35
00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,520
or series of moves along the way
is subject to second guessing
36
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,600
and doubt.
Could things have turned out
37
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,080
differently?
Could there have been a better
38
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,440
sequence of moves to win the
game more quickly or easily
39
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:03,360
avoid a loss or a draw?
The more complex the system, the
40
00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,560
less certain we can be of the
outcome.
41
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,360
An individual told of his own
experience facing a serious case
42
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,440
of amoebic dysentery during his
travels.
43
00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,160
He asked local associates for
advice about getting medical
44
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,280
care.
Should he go to the allopathic
45
00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,600
Dr. He was a Westerner, trained
in dealing with health issues
46
00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,880
through a Western lens.
Or should he try something else?
47
00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:35,440
Ayurveda, homeopathy,
acupuncture, Chinese herbal
48
00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,480
medicine, Western herbalism,
special diets, sound healing,
49
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,320
red light therapy.
Eventually an individual he
50
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,920
highly respected advised him to
go to the local homeopathic
51
00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,760
Doctor Who had a reputation for
curing such illnesses quickly.
52
00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,520
He had always heard that
homeopathy had no active
53
00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,920
ingredients, that it was just
tiny sugar pills, and he was
54
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:08,040
suffering from a severe, real
and unceasing, extremely painful
55
00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,080
and relentless disease
condition.
56
00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,040
He was assured that what he had
heard was not the case, rather
57
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:21,000
that homeopathy was in many
cases the best choice, working
58
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,720
on a subtle vibrational level
that other forms of medicine
59
00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,040
could not reach.
He went to the homeopath and
60
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,040
after answering dozens of
seemingly random questions, the
61
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,680
doctor gave him a specific
remedy and a tiny sugar pellet
62
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,320
and told him to dissolve it
under his tongue and that within
63
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:46,080
about 15 minutes the intestinal
motions would cease completely.
64
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,160
He was amazed when he found that
the doctor was right.
65
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,560
We have little or no
understanding about the real
66
00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:00,720
complexity of our body, our
lives, our relationships, our
67
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,360
society, the economy, the
environment, and we tend to make
68
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,000
decisions based on our own short
term understanding and our
69
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:15,360
limited information set.
This occurs in small things and
70
00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,920
big things in our lives and we
wind up with a decidedly mixed
71
00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:27,560
result, the mother notes quote.
In the other case, if you have
72
00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,960
made it a habit to study and
observe, you have before you all
73
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,760
the little things of life which
recur constantly.
74
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:39,120
You don't want to live
mechanically by a kind of habit.
75
00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,280
You want to live consciously,
making use of your will.
76
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,920
Well, at every minute you are
facing a problem which you can't
77
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,760
solve.
I mean purely physically.
78
00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,040
Take a certain difficulty you
have in your body what we call a
79
00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,960
disorder, which is expressed by
an uneasiness or an
80
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,800
indisposition.
It is not an illness, it is an
81
00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,480
indisposition.
It is an uneasiness.
82
00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,680
There's something that's not
working very well.
83
00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:12,720
Then if you don't have the
psychic knowledge which makes
84
00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,720
you directly do the thing which
ought to be done, and without
85
00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,480
any argument, if you want to
refer the thing to your mind and
86
00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,040
to what you consider to be the
knowledge you have, then take a
87
00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,200
case which lies in the field of
medicine.
88
00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,560
That is, should I do this or
that, take this medicine or
89
00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:39,480
that, change the diet, take this
food or that, then you look, if
90
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,440
you have never known more than a
certain number of primary
91
00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,720
principles, your choice is very
easy.
92
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,760
But if by chance you have
studied a little and know if it
93
00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,880
be only the different medical
systems of treatment, they're
94
00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,280
the systems of different
countries, the different systems
95
00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:01,560
of medicines, there are, you
know, allopathy, homeopathy,
96
00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,280
this one and that.
So one tells you one thing,
97
00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:08,840
another tells you another.
You know, people who have told
98
00:07:08,840 --> 00:07:14,120
you don't do this, do that,
others who say above all, don't
99
00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:19,400
do this, do that, and so on.
And so you find yourself facing
100
00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:24,200
the problem and ask yourself,
well, with all that, what do I
101
00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,800
know myself?
What am I going to decide?
102
00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,480
I know nothing.
End Quote Reference Sri
103
00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,120
Aurobindo and the Mother, the
psychic being soul, its nature,
104
00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,360
mission and evolution.
Section 2.
105
00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,080
Role, function and action of the
psychic.
106
00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:45,360
Page 63.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:06,640
In a simple world, in a simple
situation, decision making is
2
00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:11,840
generally fast and easy.
The consequences, whatever they
3
00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,920
turn out to be, are usually not
considered to be related to some
4
00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,920
past action we have may have
made.
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,880
We reach a path in a forest that
branches off in 2 directions.
6
00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,800
We choose one and come to
whatever the end point of that
7
00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,720
path happens to be.
Choices are limited, decisions
8
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,080
are somewhat random, and the
results are whatever they turn
9
00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,240
out to be.
As our lives become more
10
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:45,160
complex, as we are inundated
with all kinds of facts,
11
00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:52,040
factors, concerns, and potential
consequences, the choices become
12
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,000
harder.
The ability to make the right
13
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,000
decision gets clouded over by
the magnitude of choices.
14
00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,239
For example, in the game of
chess, with a board of 64
15
00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,280
squares alternating light and
dark, and each person having 16
16
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,760
pieces starting from a set
position, it has been calculated
17
00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,960
that there are only 20 moves for
the white pieces at the outset
18
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:24,400
of the game.
However, after each side has
19
00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,400
made one move, there now can be
up to 400 possible moves.
20
00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:39,240
After two moves each 197,742
possible moves, and after three
21
00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:45,400
moves each there are 121 million
possible positions.
22
00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760
A game between beginners
obviously does not see this many
23
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:56,640
options, and clearly even for
chess masters the options narrow
24
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:01,280
down considerably as some of the
moves are nonsensical to anyone
25
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,360
versed in the game.
This example illustrates,
26
00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,479
however, the increasing
complexity of decision making in
27
00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:13,240
our lives as we get more and
more factual input and get
28
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,680
bombarded with the ideas and
opinions of others, as well as
29
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,080
the context of our own past
experience.
30
00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,880
How then, can we possibly know
what is the right decision?
31
00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,560
In the game of chess?
There is a winner and a loser,
32
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,840
or else the players reach a
stalemate where neither side can
33
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,240
win.
The result becomes clear as the
34
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,840
game progressives, but the
correctness of any specific move
35
00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,520
or series of moves along the way
is subject to second guessing
36
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,600
and doubt.
Could things have turned out
37
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,080
differently?
Could there have been a better
38
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,440
sequence of moves to win the
game more quickly or easily
39
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:03,360
avoid a loss or a draw?
The more complex the system, the
40
00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,560
less certain we can be of the
outcome.
41
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,360
An individual told of his own
experience facing a serious case
42
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,440
of amoebic dysentery during his
travels.
43
00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,160
He asked local associates for
advice about getting medical
44
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,280
care.
Should he go to the allopathic
45
00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,600
Dr. He was a Westerner, trained
in dealing with health issues
46
00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,880
through a Western lens.
Or should he try something else?
47
00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:35,440
Ayurveda, homeopathy,
acupuncture, Chinese herbal
48
00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,480
medicine, Western herbalism,
special diets, sound healing,
49
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,320
red light therapy.
Eventually an individual he
50
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,920
highly respected advised him to
go to the local homeopathic
51
00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,760
Doctor Who had a reputation for
curing such illnesses quickly.
52
00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,520
He had always heard that
homeopathy had no active
53
00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,920
ingredients, that it was just
tiny sugar pills, and he was
54
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:08,040
suffering from a severe, real
and unceasing, extremely painful
55
00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,080
and relentless disease
condition.
56
00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,040
He was assured that what he had
heard was not the case, rather
57
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:21,000
that homeopathy was in many
cases the best choice, working
58
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,720
on a subtle vibrational level
that other forms of medicine
59
00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,040
could not reach.
He went to the homeopath and
60
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,040
after answering dozens of
seemingly random questions, the
61
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,680
doctor gave him a specific
remedy and a tiny sugar pellet
62
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,320
and told him to dissolve it
under his tongue and that within
63
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:46,080
about 15 minutes the intestinal
motions would cease completely.
64
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,160
He was amazed when he found that
the doctor was right.
65
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,560
We have little or no
understanding about the real
66
00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:00,720
complexity of our body, our
lives, our relationships, our
67
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,360
society, the economy, the
environment, and we tend to make
68
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,000
decisions based on our own short
term understanding and our
69
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:15,360
limited information set.
This occurs in small things and
70
00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,920
big things in our lives and we
wind up with a decidedly mixed
71
00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:27,560
result, the mother notes quote.
In the other case, if you have
72
00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,960
made it a habit to study and
observe, you have before you all
73
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,760
the little things of life which
recur constantly.
74
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:39,120
You don't want to live
mechanically by a kind of habit.
75
00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,280
You want to live consciously,
making use of your will.
76
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,920
Well, at every minute you are
facing a problem which you can't
77
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,760
solve.
I mean purely physically.
78
00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,040
Take a certain difficulty you
have in your body what we call a
79
00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,960
disorder, which is expressed by
an uneasiness or an
80
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,800
indisposition.
It is not an illness, it is an
81
00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,480
indisposition.
It is an uneasiness.
82
00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,680
There's something that's not
working very well.
83
00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:12,720
Then if you don't have the
psychic knowledge which makes
84
00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,720
you directly do the thing which
ought to be done, and without
85
00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,480
any argument, if you want to
refer the thing to your mind and
86
00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,040
to what you consider to be the
knowledge you have, then take a
87
00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,200
case which lies in the field of
medicine.
88
00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,560
That is, should I do this or
that, take this medicine or
89
00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:39,480
that, change the diet, take this
food or that, then you look, if
90
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,440
you have never known more than a
certain number of primary
91
00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,720
principles, your choice is very
easy.
92
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,760
But if by chance you have
studied a little and know if it
93
00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,880
be only the different medical
systems of treatment, they're
94
00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,280
the systems of different
countries, the different systems
95
00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:01,560
of medicines, there are, you
know, allopathy, homeopathy,
96
00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,280
this one and that.
So one tells you one thing,
97
00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:08,840
another tells you another.
You know, people who have told
98
00:07:08,840 --> 00:07:14,120
you don't do this, do that,
others who say above all, don't
99
00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:19,400
do this, do that, and so on.
And so you find yourself facing
100
00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:24,200
the problem and ask yourself,
well, with all that, what do I
101
00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,800
know myself?
What am I going to decide?
102
00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,480
I know nothing.
End Quote Reference Sri
103
00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,120
Aurobindo and the Mother, the
psychic being soul, its nature,
104
00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,360
mission and evolution.
Section 2.
105
00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,080
Role, function and action of the
psychic.
106
00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:45,360
Page 63.
