May 29, 2024
How to Experience the Influx of Universal Forces Directly Through the Experience of a Wider Consciousness
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp 95-96 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/05/25/how-to-experience-the-influx-of-universal-forces-directly-through-the-experience-of-a-wider-consciousness/
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
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,960
The Vedic Rishis described a
change in conscious awareness as
2
00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:11,840
representing Satyam, Rutham,
Brihat, the Truth, the right,
3
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,160
the vast.
It is difficult for most people
4
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,400
living in the modern world to
gain a conception of the
5
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:24,080
vastness of existence.
We may know intellectually that
6
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:28,440
the universe is large.
We may know that the world from
7
00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,640
our individual perspective is
large, but the sense of
8
00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:38,400
Infinity, the sense of unending
wideness, is missing as we
9
00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,800
remain circumscribed by the
limits of our daily life and the
10
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,440
frenetic pace of interaction
that occurs within that life.
11
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,160
Few are the times or occasions
when an individual is able to
12
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:56,200
extract himself from the hustle
and bustle of daily life and
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,960
focus his attention on the
vastness that automatically
14
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:05,560
widens his consciousness and
opens it up to the direct impact
15
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:11,880
of the universal forces.
In the days of the Vedic Rishis,
16
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,200
there was not a pervasive and
overwhelming buzz of
17
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,160
electricity, artificial
lighting, and constant
18
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,200
vibrations of sound of
television, radio, Internet,
19
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:28,520
fluorescent lights, billboard
signs, motor vehicles, et
20
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,160
cetera.
They could sit quietly in nature
21
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:39,360
and naturally observe the stars,
the ocean, the mountain ranges,
22
00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,240
and thereby open themselves to
an experience of nature.
23
00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,160
Until an individual has an
actual experience of that vast
24
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:55,040
consciousness, it remains purely
a mental concept and does not
25
00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:59,520
thereby create the necessary
status of consciousness for the
26
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,880
kind of direct connection that
is described by the Rishis.
27
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,080
The First Nations people of
North America have a tradition
28
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,720
for those with a calling to go
on a vision quest.
29
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:17,080
Typically, they go out alone
into the wilderness to commune
30
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,600
with nature, to experience a
touch of the infinite expanse of
31
00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,560
the universal creation and to
let the day-to-day life slip
32
00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,440
away so they can experience a
deeper realization and
33
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,720
understand who they are and why
they are alive.
34
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,000
If one takes the time to travel
to isolated places, to the
35
00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,080
mountains, to the ocean, to a
great old growth forest and
36
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,920
observes the night sky, for
instance, there arises within a
37
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:57,600
feeling of unlimited wideness
that corresponds to the outer
38
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,120
view.
One can share in the experience
39
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,720
of Infinity, of a timelessness
that escapes our normal daily
40
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:11,040
awareness of a beauty that
captivates our souls, as one
41
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,360
leaves behind the limiting
factors that distract us from
42
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,760
the greater reality within which
we live.
43
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,760
Truly, it is said, the day for
the ordinary man is night for
44
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,760
the sage.
Sri Aurobindo describes this
45
00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,920
sense of wideness and the power
of nature in his epic poem
46
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,160
Savitri.
A legend and a symbol when he
47
00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:39,800
writes quote, I know there shall
inform the inconscient selves.
48
00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,920
At one with nature and at height
with heaven.
49
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:50,280
A spirit vast as the containing
sky, and swept with ecstasy from
50
00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,640
invisible founts.
End Quote.
51
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,440
The mother notes quote.
But when one has this capacity
52
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,880
and his own consciousness.
For example, you go for a walk
53
00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,760
and come to a place which is
somewhat vast, like the
54
00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:12,040
seashore, or like a great plain,
or the summit of a mountain, a
55
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,800
place where the horizon is
fairly vast.
56
00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,120
Then if you have this kind of
physical instinct which suddenly
57
00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:24,000
makes you as vast as the
horizon, you have a sense of
58
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:30,680
Infinity, immensity and the
vaster you become, the quieter
59
00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,960
and more peaceful you become.
It is enough for you to have a
60
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:42,360
contact with nature like that.
There are many other means, but
61
00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:48,040
this one is very spontaneous.
There is also when you see
62
00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,280
something very beautiful, you
can have the same thing, a kind
63
00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:56,280
of inner joy and an opening to
the forces, and so this widens
64
00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:58,960
you and fills you at the same
time.
65
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,640
There are many means, but
usually 1 does not use them.
66
00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,920
Naturally, if you enter into
contemplation and aspire for a
67
00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:14,640
higher life and call down the
forces from above, this
68
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,760
recuperates your energies more
than anything else.
69
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:24,120
But there are numerous methods.
End Quote reference.
70
00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,240
Shriorobindo and the Mother.
The Hidden Forces of Life,
71
00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,680
Chapter 4.
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
72
00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,080
pages 95 to 96.
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,960
The Vedic Rishis described a
change in conscious awareness as
2
00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:11,840
representing Satyam, Rutham,
Brihat, the Truth, the right,
3
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,160
the vast.
It is difficult for most people
4
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,400
living in the modern world to
gain a conception of the
5
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:24,080
vastness of existence.
We may know intellectually that
6
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:28,440
the universe is large.
We may know that the world from
7
00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,640
our individual perspective is
large, but the sense of
8
00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:38,400
Infinity, the sense of unending
wideness, is missing as we
9
00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,800
remain circumscribed by the
limits of our daily life and the
10
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,440
frenetic pace of interaction
that occurs within that life.
11
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,160
Few are the times or occasions
when an individual is able to
12
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:56,200
extract himself from the hustle
and bustle of daily life and
13
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,960
focus his attention on the
vastness that automatically
14
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:05,560
widens his consciousness and
opens it up to the direct impact
15
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:11,880
of the universal forces.
In the days of the Vedic Rishis,
16
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,200
there was not a pervasive and
overwhelming buzz of
17
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,160
electricity, artificial
lighting, and constant
18
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,200
vibrations of sound of
television, radio, Internet,
19
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:28,520
fluorescent lights, billboard
signs, motor vehicles, et
20
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,160
cetera.
They could sit quietly in nature
21
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:39,360
and naturally observe the stars,
the ocean, the mountain ranges,
22
00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,240
and thereby open themselves to
an experience of nature.
23
00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,160
Until an individual has an
actual experience of that vast
24
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:55,040
consciousness, it remains purely
a mental concept and does not
25
00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:59,520
thereby create the necessary
status of consciousness for the
26
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,880
kind of direct connection that
is described by the Rishis.
27
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,080
The First Nations people of
North America have a tradition
28
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,720
for those with a calling to go
on a vision quest.
29
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:17,080
Typically, they go out alone
into the wilderness to commune
30
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,600
with nature, to experience a
touch of the infinite expanse of
31
00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,560
the universal creation and to
let the day-to-day life slip
32
00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,440
away so they can experience a
deeper realization and
33
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,720
understand who they are and why
they are alive.
34
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,000
If one takes the time to travel
to isolated places, to the
35
00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,080
mountains, to the ocean, to a
great old growth forest and
36
00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,920
observes the night sky, for
instance, there arises within a
37
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:57,600
feeling of unlimited wideness
that corresponds to the outer
38
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,120
view.
One can share in the experience
39
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,720
of Infinity, of a timelessness
that escapes our normal daily
40
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:11,040
awareness of a beauty that
captivates our souls, as one
41
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,360
leaves behind the limiting
factors that distract us from
42
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,760
the greater reality within which
we live.
43
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,760
Truly, it is said, the day for
the ordinary man is night for
44
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,760
the sage.
Sri Aurobindo describes this
45
00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,920
sense of wideness and the power
of nature in his epic poem
46
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,160
Savitri.
A legend and a symbol when he
47
00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:39,800
writes quote, I know there shall
inform the inconscient selves.
48
00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,920
At one with nature and at height
with heaven.
49
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:50,280
A spirit vast as the containing
sky, and swept with ecstasy from
50
00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,640
invisible founts.
End Quote.
51
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,440
The mother notes quote.
But when one has this capacity
52
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,880
and his own consciousness.
For example, you go for a walk
53
00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,760
and come to a place which is
somewhat vast, like the
54
00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:12,040
seashore, or like a great plain,
or the summit of a mountain, a
55
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,800
place where the horizon is
fairly vast.
56
00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,120
Then if you have this kind of
physical instinct which suddenly
57
00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:24,000
makes you as vast as the
horizon, you have a sense of
58
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:30,680
Infinity, immensity and the
vaster you become, the quieter
59
00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,960
and more peaceful you become.
It is enough for you to have a
60
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:42,360
contact with nature like that.
There are many other means, but
61
00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:48,040
this one is very spontaneous.
There is also when you see
62
00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,280
something very beautiful, you
can have the same thing, a kind
63
00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:56,280
of inner joy and an opening to
the forces, and so this widens
64
00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:58,960
you and fills you at the same
time.
65
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,640
There are many means, but
usually 1 does not use them.
66
00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,920
Naturally, if you enter into
contemplation and aspire for a
67
00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:14,640
higher life and call down the
forces from above, this
68
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,760
recuperates your energies more
than anything else.
69
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:24,120
But there are numerous methods.
End Quote reference.
70
00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,240
Shriorobindo and the Mother.
The Hidden Forces of Life,
71
00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,680
Chapter 4.
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
72
00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,080
pages 95 to 96.