Jan. 29, 2025
How to Develop and Utilize the Power of Intuition in Oneself
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XXI Intuition, pp. 159-160 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/how-to-develop-and-utilize-the-power-of-intuition-in-oneself/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,680
Those who wish to develop and
utilize the power of intuition
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,360
in their own lives have to
address their active mental
3
00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,600
process so as to open up the
receptivity to the higher
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,520
intuitive force and allow it to
modify the action of the
5
00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,240
mentality itself.
There's a parable out of the
6
00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,880
teachings of Jesus that says,
essentially that one does not
7
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:28,040
put new wine into old bottles.
This is relevant here as the
8
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,720
intuition cannot be jumbled
successfully into the normal
9
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,560
mental process that is the
standard known by most people.
10
00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,600
It is also disconcerting and
frightening to people when they
11
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,800
gain some silence of the mind,
particularly early in the
12
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,520
development, and they fear they
are losing their ability to
13
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,160
think or becoming somehow less
competent.
14
00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,600
This also corresponds to the
continuation of the parable by
15
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,400
Jesus when he points out that
someone who has drunk the old
16
00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,720
wine does not immediately adopt
the new wine, saying the old
17
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,440
wine was better.
In his lectures on Raja Yoga,
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:15,120
Swami Vivekananda provides
detailed analysis for observing
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,600
and monitoring the mind stuff
and brings it to a state of
20
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,480
silence as a prelude to carrying
out the subsequent steps to
21
00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,960
eventually enter into one
pointed concentration and the
22
00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,640
trance of Samati.
These steps can be seen as
23
00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,720
methods to bring quiet to the
mind, to open up the receptivity
24
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,360
for the influx of the intuition
from the higher realms.
25
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,200
To do this, the seeker has to
Orient himself towards these
26
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,560
higher planes of awareness, open
up his receptivity, quiet the
27
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:57,640
mental process and chatter, and
overcome the fear that arises
28
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,880
when the mind falls silent and
the seeker gets the sense that
29
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,080
he is losing his ability to
function.
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,240
Sri Orobindo described his own
experience in achieving silence
31
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,480
of the mind through observation
of and rejection of thoughts
32
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,560
before they could enter and take
hold of the mind stuff.
33
00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,080
There are obviously several
methods to achieve the needed
34
00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,280
state of quiescence of the mind.
The seeker needs to adopt A
35
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,320
method that works for him.
He also needs to be fearless.
36
00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,080
The Mother observes.
Quote.
37
00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,880
When you have a question to
solve, whatever it may be,
38
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,560
usually you concentrate your
attention here, pointing between
39
00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,560
the eyebrows at the centre, just
above the eyes, the centre of
40
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,520
the conscious will.
But then, if you do that, you
41
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,080
cannot be in contact with the
intuition.
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,520
You can be in contact with the
source of the will of effort,
43
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,920
even of a certain kind of
knowledge, but in the outer
44
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,320
almost material field.
Whereas if you want to contact
45
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,760
the intuition, you must keep
this Mother indicates the
46
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:19,240
forehead completely immobile.
Active thought must be stopped
47
00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:24,080
as far as possible, and the
entire mental faculty must form
48
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,520
at the top of the head and a
little further above, if
49
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,320
possible.
A kind of mirror.
50
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:38,800
Very quiet, very still, turned
upwards in silent, very
51
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:44,960
concentrated attention.
If you succeed, you can, perhaps
52
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,240
not immediately, but you can
have the perception of the drops
53
00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:54,160
of light falling upon the mirror
from a still unknown region and
54
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,960
expressing themselves as a
conscious thought which has no
55
00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,320
connection with all the rest of
your thought, since you have
56
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:06,560
been able to keep it silent.
That is the real beginning of
57
00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,840
the intellectual intuition.
It is a discipline to be
58
00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,800
followed for a long time.
One may try and not succeed, but
59
00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,440
as soon as one succeeds in
making a mirror still and
60
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:25,240
attentive, one always obtains a
result, not necessarily with a
61
00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:30,280
precise form of thought, but
always with the sensations of a
62
00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:35,040
light coming from above.
And then, if one can receive
63
00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,360
this light coming from above
without entering immediately
64
00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,440
into a whirl of activity,
receive it in calm and silence
65
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,480
and let it penetrate deep into
the being.
66
00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,800
Then after a while it expresses
itself either as a luminous
67
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,440
thought or as a very precise
indication.
68
00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,480
Here Mother indicates the heart
in this other centre.
69
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,040
End Quote.
Reference.
70
00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,080
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
powers within.
71
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:12,680
Chapter 21.
Intuition, pages 159 to 160.
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,680
Those who wish to develop and
utilize the power of intuition
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,360
in their own lives have to
address their active mental
3
00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,600
process so as to open up the
receptivity to the higher
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,520
intuitive force and allow it to
modify the action of the
5
00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,240
mentality itself.
There's a parable out of the
6
00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,880
teachings of Jesus that says,
essentially that one does not
7
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:28,040
put new wine into old bottles.
This is relevant here as the
8
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,720
intuition cannot be jumbled
successfully into the normal
9
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,560
mental process that is the
standard known by most people.
10
00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,600
It is also disconcerting and
frightening to people when they
11
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,800
gain some silence of the mind,
particularly early in the
12
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,520
development, and they fear they
are losing their ability to
13
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,160
think or becoming somehow less
competent.
14
00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,600
This also corresponds to the
continuation of the parable by
15
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,400
Jesus when he points out that
someone who has drunk the old
16
00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,720
wine does not immediately adopt
the new wine, saying the old
17
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,440
wine was better.
In his lectures on Raja Yoga,
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:15,120
Swami Vivekananda provides
detailed analysis for observing
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,600
and monitoring the mind stuff
and brings it to a state of
20
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,480
silence as a prelude to carrying
out the subsequent steps to
21
00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,960
eventually enter into one
pointed concentration and the
22
00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,640
trance of Samati.
These steps can be seen as
23
00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,720
methods to bring quiet to the
mind, to open up the receptivity
24
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,360
for the influx of the intuition
from the higher realms.
25
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,200
To do this, the seeker has to
Orient himself towards these
26
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,560
higher planes of awareness, open
up his receptivity, quiet the
27
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:57,640
mental process and chatter, and
overcome the fear that arises
28
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,880
when the mind falls silent and
the seeker gets the sense that
29
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,080
he is losing his ability to
function.
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,240
Sri Orobindo described his own
experience in achieving silence
31
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,480
of the mind through observation
of and rejection of thoughts
32
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,560
before they could enter and take
hold of the mind stuff.
33
00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,080
There are obviously several
methods to achieve the needed
34
00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,280
state of quiescence of the mind.
The seeker needs to adopt A
35
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,320
method that works for him.
He also needs to be fearless.
36
00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,080
The Mother observes.
Quote.
37
00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,880
When you have a question to
solve, whatever it may be,
38
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,560
usually you concentrate your
attention here, pointing between
39
00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,560
the eyebrows at the centre, just
above the eyes, the centre of
40
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,520
the conscious will.
But then, if you do that, you
41
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,080
cannot be in contact with the
intuition.
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,520
You can be in contact with the
source of the will of effort,
43
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,920
even of a certain kind of
knowledge, but in the outer
44
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,320
almost material field.
Whereas if you want to contact
45
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,760
the intuition, you must keep
this Mother indicates the
46
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:19,240
forehead completely immobile.
Active thought must be stopped
47
00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:24,080
as far as possible, and the
entire mental faculty must form
48
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,520
at the top of the head and a
little further above, if
49
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,320
possible.
A kind of mirror.
50
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:38,800
Very quiet, very still, turned
upwards in silent, very
51
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:44,960
concentrated attention.
If you succeed, you can, perhaps
52
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,240
not immediately, but you can
have the perception of the drops
53
00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:54,160
of light falling upon the mirror
from a still unknown region and
54
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,960
expressing themselves as a
conscious thought which has no
55
00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,320
connection with all the rest of
your thought, since you have
56
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:06,560
been able to keep it silent.
That is the real beginning of
57
00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,840
the intellectual intuition.
It is a discipline to be
58
00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,800
followed for a long time.
One may try and not succeed, but
59
00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,440
as soon as one succeeds in
making a mirror still and
60
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:25,240
attentive, one always obtains a
result, not necessarily with a
61
00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:30,280
precise form of thought, but
always with the sensations of a
62
00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:35,040
light coming from above.
And then, if one can receive
63
00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,360
this light coming from above
without entering immediately
64
00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,440
into a whirl of activity,
receive it in calm and silence
65
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,480
and let it penetrate deep into
the being.
66
00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,800
Then after a while it expresses
itself either as a luminous
67
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,440
thought or as a very precise
indication.
68
00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,480
Here Mother indicates the heart
in this other centre.
69
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,040
End Quote.
Reference.
70
00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,080
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
powers within.
71
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:12,680
Chapter 21.
Intuition, pages 159 to 160.