Nov. 17, 2025
Identifying and Addressing Obstacles Through Inner Development for Spiritual Progress
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pg. 39This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/15/identifying-and-addressing-obstacles-through-inner-development-for-spiritual-progress/
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1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,840
It is a somewhat natural
tendency in human nature to
2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:09,440
blame others or circumstances or
fate when obstacles arise.
3
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,520
We tend to bemoan how unfair
life can be.
4
00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,520
We see conspiracies and power
structures that are preventing
5
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,680
us from accomplishing what it is
that we believe we are meant to
6
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,280
accomplish.
Few people look at what happens
7
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,400
in their lives and in their
inner struggles as a window to
8
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,560
their own condition.
The idea that the obstacle is
9
00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:38,040
within us, not something
external, does not easily find
10
00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:43,000
favour in anyone's mind.
This standpoint also occurs for
11
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,840
many who take up the spiritual
path, particularly in early
12
00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,040
stages.
We then hear people say that if
13
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,040
only they had more time they
would meditate or study more, or
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,960
if they did not have to work at
some job to earn money, they
15
00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,720
would be free to follow their
spiritual pursuits.
16
00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:10,160
Or or or ad infinitum.
There is always a mixture of
17
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,400
forces at work, a concatenation
of events that crystallize
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,640
around us at all times.
These forces are larger and more
19
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,720
powerful than our individuality
as a separate ego consciousness
20
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,320
and speak to general trends,
directions and developments that
21
00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:31,120
we will experience one way or
the other.
22
00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,560
The issue then, is not that
these forces impinge upon us,
23
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,000
but lies in the way that we
respond to them.
24
00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:46,000
For the spiritual seeker, every
circumstance is an opportunity
25
00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:51,040
for reinforcing the aspiration,
the dedication, the
26
00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,640
consecration, the faith.
Every challenge acts as
27
00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,720
something of a mirror that
exposes us to the inward
28
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,920
psychological reality that we
are meant to work on.
29
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,240
To create a new psychological
standpoint to align with the
30
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,600
evolutionary intention in the
divine manifestation.
31
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:19,160
To carry out what Trioro Bindo
has termed yoga to be applied
32
00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,840
psychology.
This psychology is for the inner
33
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,240
work, the exploration of inner
space, the change of human
34
00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:32,360
nature from within, one element,
one movement, one reaction at a
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,200
time.
What Triorobindo calls the
36
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:41,320
adventure of consciousness and
joy in his epic poem Savitri.
37
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,960
A legend and a symbol,
Triorbindo notes quote.
38
00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,800
These obstacles are usual in the
first stages of the Sadhna.
39
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,080
They are due to the natured
being not yet sufficiently
40
00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,640
receptive.
You should find out where the
41
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:03,120
obstacle is in the mind or the
vital, and try to widen the
42
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,000
consciousness there.
Call in more purity and peace,
43
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,880
and in that purity and peace
offer that part of your being
44
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,680
sincerely and wholly to the
Divine power.
45
00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:21,680
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo, Faces of
46
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,560
Yoga, Chapter 3 in difficulty,
page 39.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,840
It is a somewhat natural
tendency in human nature to
2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:09,440
blame others or circumstances or
fate when obstacles arise.
3
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,520
We tend to bemoan how unfair
life can be.
4
00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,520
We see conspiracies and power
structures that are preventing
5
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,680
us from accomplishing what it is
that we believe we are meant to
6
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,280
accomplish.
Few people look at what happens
7
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,400
in their lives and in their
inner struggles as a window to
8
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,560
their own condition.
The idea that the obstacle is
9
00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:38,040
within us, not something
external, does not easily find
10
00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:43,000
favour in anyone's mind.
This standpoint also occurs for
11
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,840
many who take up the spiritual
path, particularly in early
12
00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,040
stages.
We then hear people say that if
13
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,040
only they had more time they
would meditate or study more, or
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,960
if they did not have to work at
some job to earn money, they
15
00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,720
would be free to follow their
spiritual pursuits.
16
00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:10,160
Or or or ad infinitum.
There is always a mixture of
17
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,400
forces at work, a concatenation
of events that crystallize
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,640
around us at all times.
These forces are larger and more
19
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,720
powerful than our individuality
as a separate ego consciousness
20
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,320
and speak to general trends,
directions and developments that
21
00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:31,120
we will experience one way or
the other.
22
00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,560
The issue then, is not that
these forces impinge upon us,
23
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,000
but lies in the way that we
respond to them.
24
00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:46,000
For the spiritual seeker, every
circumstance is an opportunity
25
00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:51,040
for reinforcing the aspiration,
the dedication, the
26
00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,640
consecration, the faith.
Every challenge acts as
27
00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,720
something of a mirror that
exposes us to the inward
28
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,920
psychological reality that we
are meant to work on.
29
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,240
To create a new psychological
standpoint to align with the
30
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,600
evolutionary intention in the
divine manifestation.
31
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:19,160
To carry out what Trioro Bindo
has termed yoga to be applied
32
00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,840
psychology.
This psychology is for the inner
33
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,240
work, the exploration of inner
space, the change of human
34
00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:32,360
nature from within, one element,
one movement, one reaction at a
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,200
time.
What Triorobindo calls the
36
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:41,320
adventure of consciousness and
joy in his epic poem Savitri.
37
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,960
A legend and a symbol,
Triorbindo notes quote.
38
00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,800
These obstacles are usual in the
first stages of the Sadhna.
39
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,080
They are due to the natured
being not yet sufficiently
40
00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,640
receptive.
You should find out where the
41
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:03,120
obstacle is in the mind or the
vital, and try to widen the
42
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,000
consciousness there.
Call in more purity and peace,
43
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,880
and in that purity and peace
offer that part of your being
44
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,680
sincerely and wholly to the
Divine power.
45
00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:21,680
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo, Faces of
46
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,560
Yoga, Chapter 3 in difficulty,
page 39.
