Dec. 10, 2024
Immersion of the Individual in the Experience of Theatrical Performances
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XIII Power of Identification, pp. 108-109 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/12/06/immersion-of-the-individual-in-the-experience-of-theatrical-performances/
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
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,240
With the rise of modern
technology in the field of
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:09,120
filmmaking, we find an immersive
experience in movie theaters
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,200
engulfs the viewer deeply in the
action.
4
00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:18,360
This includes high resolution
images, 3D technology, giant
5
00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,240
wide screens, comfortable
seating and surround sound.
6
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,840
The viewer of such films is
captivated by this technology to
7
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,360
such an extent that he begins to
identify with characters being
8
00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,360
portrayed and begins to feel and
experience things from the
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:40,120
viewpoint of that character.
For a time, many totally forget
10
00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,160
themselves and identify with the
characters and activity taking
11
00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:48,320
place in the film.
Modern technology adds a form of
12
00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,120
sensory overload to the older
forms of engagement such as the
13
00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,480
theater.
This is a modern day update to
14
00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,880
the type of experiences related
by the Mother regarding theatres
15
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,360
in Paris during his her time in
France.
16
00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,400
These are simply illustrations
of the way that individuals
17
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,760
separate from the narrow ego
sense and identify with others
18
00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:16,800
in a larger sense.
Ultimately, the attenuation of
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,800
the ego sense and the widening
identification with all the
20
00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,560
apparently separate beings in
the manifestation, while still
21
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,920
maintaining the individuality
for its unique purpose and
22
00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,360
expression is one of the goals
of the yogic process.
23
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:39,160
The mother notes quote.
There are in Paris theatres of
24
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,040
the 3rd or 4th rank where
sensational dramas are
25
00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,080
performed.
These are suburban theatres.
26
00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,280
They are not for intellectuals
but for the masses, and all the
27
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,360
elements are always extremely
dramatic, moving.
28
00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,120
Well, those who go there are
mostly very simple people and
29
00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,760
forget completely that they are
in a theatre.
30
00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,800
They identify themselves with
the drama.
31
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,680
And so things like this happen
on the stage.
32
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,240
There is the traitor hiding
behind the door and the hero
33
00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,320
comes along, not aware naturally
that the traitor is hiding there
34
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,560
and he is going to be killed.
Now there are people sitting up
35
00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,840
there in what is called the
gallery, right up in the
36
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,120
theatre, who shout lookout.
He is there.
37
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,520
Laughter.
It has not happened just once.
38
00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,840
It happens hundreds of times
spontaneously.
39
00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,640
I had seen a play of this kind
called Le Bosu, I believe.
40
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,080
Anyway, it was quite a
sensational drama and it was
41
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,160
being played at the Theatre de
La Porte St.
42
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,760
Martin.
In this play there was a room on
43
00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,560
the stage, A large room could be
seen, and at its side a small
44
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,600
room.
And I don't remember the story
45
00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,720
now, but in the small room there
was a button which could be
46
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,000
pressed, and by pressing the
button the ceiling of the bigger
47
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,000
room could be brought down on
those who were there so as to
48
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,560
crush them inexorably.
And a warning had been given.
49
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,840
People had already spoken about
it, passed on the word, and now
50
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,760
there was a trader who had
hidden himself in the little
51
00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,560
room and he knew the trick of
the button.
52
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,840
And then there was the hero who
came in with other people and
53
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,080
they started arguing and
everyone knew that the ceiling
54
00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,960
was going to come down.
I didn't say anything.
55
00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,880
I remembered I was in the
theatre.
56
00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,280
I was waiting to see how the
author was going to get out of
57
00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,200
this situation to save his hero,
for it was evident he couldn't
58
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,120
kill him off like that before
everybody but the others were
59
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,040
not at all in the same state.
Well, there were spectators who
60
00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,920
shouted, really shouted.
Look out, mind the ceiling.
61
00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,440
That's how it was.
End Quote.
62
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:05,520
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 13.
63
00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,880
Power of Identification pages
one O 8 to one O 9.
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,240
With the rise of modern
technology in the field of
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:09,120
filmmaking, we find an immersive
experience in movie theaters
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,200
engulfs the viewer deeply in the
action.
4
00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:18,360
This includes high resolution
images, 3D technology, giant
5
00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,240
wide screens, comfortable
seating and surround sound.
6
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,840
The viewer of such films is
captivated by this technology to
7
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,360
such an extent that he begins to
identify with characters being
8
00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,360
portrayed and begins to feel and
experience things from the
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:40,120
viewpoint of that character.
For a time, many totally forget
10
00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,160
themselves and identify with the
characters and activity taking
11
00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:48,320
place in the film.
Modern technology adds a form of
12
00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,120
sensory overload to the older
forms of engagement such as the
13
00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,480
theater.
This is a modern day update to
14
00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,880
the type of experiences related
by the Mother regarding theatres
15
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,360
in Paris during his her time in
France.
16
00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,400
These are simply illustrations
of the way that individuals
17
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,760
separate from the narrow ego
sense and identify with others
18
00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:16,800
in a larger sense.
Ultimately, the attenuation of
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,800
the ego sense and the widening
identification with all the
20
00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,560
apparently separate beings in
the manifestation, while still
21
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,920
maintaining the individuality
for its unique purpose and
22
00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,360
expression is one of the goals
of the yogic process.
23
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:39,160
The mother notes quote.
There are in Paris theatres of
24
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,040
the 3rd or 4th rank where
sensational dramas are
25
00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,080
performed.
These are suburban theatres.
26
00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,280
They are not for intellectuals
but for the masses, and all the
27
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,360
elements are always extremely
dramatic, moving.
28
00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,120
Well, those who go there are
mostly very simple people and
29
00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,760
forget completely that they are
in a theatre.
30
00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,800
They identify themselves with
the drama.
31
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,680
And so things like this happen
on the stage.
32
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,240
There is the traitor hiding
behind the door and the hero
33
00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,320
comes along, not aware naturally
that the traitor is hiding there
34
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,560
and he is going to be killed.
Now there are people sitting up
35
00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,840
there in what is called the
gallery, right up in the
36
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,120
theatre, who shout lookout.
He is there.
37
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,520
Laughter.
It has not happened just once.
38
00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,840
It happens hundreds of times
spontaneously.
39
00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,640
I had seen a play of this kind
called Le Bosu, I believe.
40
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,080
Anyway, it was quite a
sensational drama and it was
41
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,160
being played at the Theatre de
La Porte St.
42
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,760
Martin.
In this play there was a room on
43
00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,560
the stage, A large room could be
seen, and at its side a small
44
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,600
room.
And I don't remember the story
45
00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,720
now, but in the small room there
was a button which could be
46
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,000
pressed, and by pressing the
button the ceiling of the bigger
47
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,000
room could be brought down on
those who were there so as to
48
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,560
crush them inexorably.
And a warning had been given.
49
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,840
People had already spoken about
it, passed on the word, and now
50
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,760
there was a trader who had
hidden himself in the little
51
00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,560
room and he knew the trick of
the button.
52
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,840
And then there was the hero who
came in with other people and
53
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,080
they started arguing and
everyone knew that the ceiling
54
00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,960
was going to come down.
I didn't say anything.
55
00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,880
I remembered I was in the
theatre.
56
00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,280
I was waiting to see how the
author was going to get out of
57
00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,200
this situation to save his hero,
for it was evident he couldn't
58
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,120
kill him off like that before
everybody but the others were
59
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,040
not at all in the same state.
Well, there were spectators who
60
00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,920
shouted, really shouted.
Look out, mind the ceiling.
61
00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,440
That's how it was.
End Quote.
62
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:05,520
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 13.
63
00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,880
Power of Identification pages
one O 8 to one O 9.