Sept. 30, 2024
Imagination Can Help or Harm Depending on the Intention Behind Its Use
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter III Imagination, pg. 34
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/26/imagination-can-help-or-harm-depending-on-the-intention-behind-its-use/
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
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,840
Every great power that humanity
discovers and wields in the
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,200
world has both its negative and
its positive side.
3
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:16,000
It can either be utilized to
destroy or to support, benefit,
4
00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,120
and create.
For example, humanity has
5
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:25,480
harnessed the use of fire.
Fire can burn down the house, or
6
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,240
it can cook one's food.
Rocket technology can be used to
7
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,520
create weapons or to explore the
solar system.
8
00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,280
Certain medicines can be used to
poison an individual.
9
00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,800
This truth about the powers of
the external life also applies
10
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,560
to the inner powers that we
develop and wield as human
11
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,640
beings.
Each emotion has the power to
12
00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:58,080
uplift or to oppress.
We can either encourage growth
13
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,360
or destroy the opportunity for
growth depending on the mood,
14
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,720
energetic stance, emotional
vibration and the thought we
15
00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,720
harbour about anything.
We think we are, we do, we
16
00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,200
should be, or we can do.
Much of the trauma that
17
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,320
individuals suffer is due to
harsh words and energy that they
18
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:24,720
internalize from others and then
accept that about themselves.
19
00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:30,680
Emotional bullying is one such
misuse of the power of emotion.
20
00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:36,680
For instance, on the level of
thought, we can either think of
21
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,440
positive things or negative
things, positive growth.
22
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,560
Or we may simply focus on our
limitations, our inabilities,
23
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,120
our weaknesses and deficiencies,
and use that line of thought as
24
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:55,240
an excuse for inaction, or even
worse, for taking up things we
25
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,920
know to be counter to our
ultimate goal.
26
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,680
The same thing works with
respect to the power of
27
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,320
imagination.
We can imagine all the possible
28
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,360
negative consequences of
something.
29
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,800
We can imagine darkness,
despair, destruction and become
30
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,320
not just pessimistic but
fatalistic about our own lives
31
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,440
as well as about the future of
humanity.
32
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,400
How many people today imagine
that we have created for
33
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,560
ourselves a doomsday scenario,
whether nuclear weapons, greed,
34
00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:35,680
pollution, climate change, or
even alien invasions or
35
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:41,560
catastrophic meteor strikes?
Yet we can also see that there
36
00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,600
are signs of real progress in a
number of areas.
37
00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,640
More and more people are paying
attention to achieving a change
38
00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:53,080
of consciousness that can
harmonize and solve the crises
39
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:58,200
we are facing, and that the fact
of the crisis is a sign of the
40
00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,520
pressure of nature for humanity
to change and evolve beyond the
41
00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,720
limitations that have created
these crises.
42
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,880
For these people.
The glass is half full rather
43
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,840
than half empty, the mother
writes.
44
00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:19,680
Quote The imagination is like a
knife which may be used for good
45
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,680
or evil purposes.
If you always dwell in the idea
46
00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,680
and feeling that you are going
to be transformed, then you will
47
00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,840
help the process of the yoga.
If On the contrary, you give in
48
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,960
to the dejection and bewailed
that you are not fit or that you
49
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:43,040
are incapable of realization,
you poison your own being.
50
00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,160
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
51
00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:54,000
Mother Powers within, Chapter 3,
Imagination, page 34.
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,840
Every great power that humanity
discovers and wields in the
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,200
world has both its negative and
its positive side.
3
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:16,000
It can either be utilized to
destroy or to support, benefit,
4
00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,120
and create.
For example, humanity has
5
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:25,480
harnessed the use of fire.
Fire can burn down the house, or
6
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,240
it can cook one's food.
Rocket technology can be used to
7
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,520
create weapons or to explore the
solar system.
8
00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,280
Certain medicines can be used to
poison an individual.
9
00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,800
This truth about the powers of
the external life also applies
10
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,560
to the inner powers that we
develop and wield as human
11
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,640
beings.
Each emotion has the power to
12
00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:58,080
uplift or to oppress.
We can either encourage growth
13
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,360
or destroy the opportunity for
growth depending on the mood,
14
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,720
energetic stance, emotional
vibration and the thought we
15
00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,720
harbour about anything.
We think we are, we do, we
16
00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,200
should be, or we can do.
Much of the trauma that
17
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,320
individuals suffer is due to
harsh words and energy that they
18
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:24,720
internalize from others and then
accept that about themselves.
19
00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:30,680
Emotional bullying is one such
misuse of the power of emotion.
20
00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:36,680
For instance, on the level of
thought, we can either think of
21
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,440
positive things or negative
things, positive growth.
22
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,560
Or we may simply focus on our
limitations, our inabilities,
23
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,120
our weaknesses and deficiencies,
and use that line of thought as
24
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:55,240
an excuse for inaction, or even
worse, for taking up things we
25
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,920
know to be counter to our
ultimate goal.
26
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,680
The same thing works with
respect to the power of
27
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,320
imagination.
We can imagine all the possible
28
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,360
negative consequences of
something.
29
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,800
We can imagine darkness,
despair, destruction and become
30
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,320
not just pessimistic but
fatalistic about our own lives
31
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,440
as well as about the future of
humanity.
32
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,400
How many people today imagine
that we have created for
33
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:29,560
ourselves a doomsday scenario,
whether nuclear weapons, greed,
34
00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:35,680
pollution, climate change, or
even alien invasions or
35
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:41,560
catastrophic meteor strikes?
Yet we can also see that there
36
00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,600
are signs of real progress in a
number of areas.
37
00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,640
More and more people are paying
attention to achieving a change
38
00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:53,080
of consciousness that can
harmonize and solve the crises
39
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:58,200
we are facing, and that the fact
of the crisis is a sign of the
40
00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,520
pressure of nature for humanity
to change and evolve beyond the
41
00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,720
limitations that have created
these crises.
42
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,880
For these people.
The glass is half full rather
43
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,840
than half empty, the mother
writes.
44
00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:19,680
Quote The imagination is like a
knife which may be used for good
45
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,680
or evil purposes.
If you always dwell in the idea
46
00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,680
and feeling that you are going
to be transformed, then you will
47
00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,840
help the process of the yoga.
If On the contrary, you give in
48
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,960
to the dejection and bewailed
that you are not fit or that you
49
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:43,040
are incapable of realization,
you poison your own being.
50
00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,160
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
51
00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:54,000
Mother Powers within, Chapter 3,
Imagination, page 34.