May 15, 2024
Impersonal and Personal Aspects of Consciousness in the Universal Manifestation
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp. 83-84 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/impersonal-and-personal-aspects-of-consciousness-in-the-universal-manifestation/
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
00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,160
Our understanding of existence
is very much rooted in our own
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,840
anthropocentric view of things.
We generally recognize the
3
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:14,360
awareness we hold within
ourselves, and viewing other
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:19,360
beings and forms in our visible
environs, we either attribute to
5
00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:25,480
them no consciousness, or at
best lower forms or development
6
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,000
of consciousness for anything
that exists outside the range of
7
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,479
perception provided by our
senses.
8
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,280
We only admit existence when we
find a way to capture and
9
00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,240
measure those things, and we
treat them as purely physical,
10
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,280
material actions of the
universal energy, without any
11
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,760
form of consciousness
whatsoever.
12
00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,080
This view, however, is being
challenged both by the
13
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,680
experience of Rishis, sages and
shaman, who are able to
14
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:01,000
experience the consciousness of
other forms and beings, and who
15
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:06,040
are able to understand the unity
of the universal creation, and
16
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,640
who thereby recognize that
consciousness permeates all
17
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,680
existence, albeit in forms or
powers different than those that
18
00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,840
are specific to human
consciousness.
19
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,000
Modern science is now starting
to recognize the pervasiveness
20
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,360
of consciousness as well.
Once scientists recognized that
21
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,080
matter is a form of energy, it
was a relatively small step to
22
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,800
begin to recognize that energy
is a form of consciousness.
23
00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,840
This is the current revolution
in understanding that scientists
24
00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,160
are awakening into.
Yet our conception of
25
00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,840
consciousness at this level
remains quite uncertain,
26
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,440
diffused, and impersonal.
We attribute personality to our
27
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:59,240
own individuality, but fail to
recognize that there may be in
28
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,400
fact are other beings who have
personal awareness and who act
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,039
as a conscious self directing
force within the larger
30
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:11,720
manifestation.
The entire evolution of
31
00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,800
consciousness is an obvious
process of increasing
32
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,240
self-awareness.
Therefore, in stages beyond that
33
00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,520
of the human development, we
would expect greater
34
00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,880
self-awareness and a greater
sense of autonomy.
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,840
Beings who represent higher
stages of the evolution of
36
00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:35,160
consciousness would necessarily
be expressions of greater powers
37
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,960
of personal awareness than our
human status.
38
00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,880
While consciousness is involved
in matter and the early life
39
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,640
forms, and thus does not appear
to exhibit the characteristics
40
00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:52,240
of personality, it may be also
be that we simply do not
41
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,560
perceive what may nevertheless
be present.
42
00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,800
Researchers of the plant Kingdom
report entire networks of
43
00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,600
communication between trees in a
forest, for instance, and
44
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,720
expressions of pain, or at least
reactions of stress as far as we
45
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,320
are able to measure and
interpret in trees when they
46
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,480
experience the pain or suffering
of another tree in their
47
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,720
network.
Similarly, expressions of grief
48
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,760
at the death of a member of a
tribe of elephants is a well
49
00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:31,720
documented phenomenon, implying
once again individuality and a
50
00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,480
perception of relation that
occurs between separate
51
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,920
conscious beings.
This leads us to the idea that
52
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,440
there may be consciously active
beings who act to support human
53
00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,600
development, as well as
consciously active beings who
54
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,320
are hostile to human development
or who want to take advantage of
55
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,880
human beings.
There is a long history and
56
00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,720
human development of encounters
with angels or demons, beings
57
00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,640
who exist on another level but
whose action intersects with
58
00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:09,360
human life on certain levels or
in particular circumstances.
59
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,920
For good.
Or I'll Do we live in a
60
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,519
mechanical universe as the only
conscious beings?
61
00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:23,040
Or is there a supreme conscious
being who creates, organizes,
62
00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:28,600
contains, and constitutes the
entire universal existence?
63
00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,440
Just as we can view light as
either a wave or a particle?
64
00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,880
Is it not possible to see the
universe from both an impersonal
65
00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:44,840
and a personal aspect?
Shriorogindo notes quote.
66
00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,800
The forces are conscious.
There are, besides
67
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,160
individualized beings who
represent the forces or use
68
00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,520
them, the wall between
consciousness and force,
69
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,120
Impersonality and personality
becomes much thinner when one
70
00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:07,760
goes behind the veil of matter.
If one looks at a working from
71
00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,920
the side of impersonal force,
one sees a force or energy at
72
00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,800
work acting for a purpose or
with a result.
73
00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,600
If one looks from the side of
being, one sees a being
74
00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,080
possessing, guiding, and using,
or else representative of and
75
00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,480
used by a conscious force as its
instrument of spirit,
76
00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,680
specialized action and
expression.
77
00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:35,880
You speak of the wave, but in
modern science it has been found
78
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,760
that if you look at the movement
of energy, it appears on one
79
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,960
side to be a wave and act as a
wave, on the other as a mass of
80
00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,720
particles, and to act as a mass
of particles each acting in its
81
00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,400
own way.
It is somewhat the same
82
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,720
principle here.
End Quote Reference Shrioro,
83
00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,040
Bindu and the Mother, The Hidden
Forces of Life, Chapter 4,
84
00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:06,840
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
pages 83 to 84.
00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,160
Our understanding of existence
is very much rooted in our own
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,840
anthropocentric view of things.
We generally recognize the
3
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:14,360
awareness we hold within
ourselves, and viewing other
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:19,360
beings and forms in our visible
environs, we either attribute to
5
00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:25,480
them no consciousness, or at
best lower forms or development
6
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,000
of consciousness for anything
that exists outside the range of
7
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,479
perception provided by our
senses.
8
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,280
We only admit existence when we
find a way to capture and
9
00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,240
measure those things, and we
treat them as purely physical,
10
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,280
material actions of the
universal energy, without any
11
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,760
form of consciousness
whatsoever.
12
00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,080
This view, however, is being
challenged both by the
13
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,680
experience of Rishis, sages and
shaman, who are able to
14
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:01,000
experience the consciousness of
other forms and beings, and who
15
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:06,040
are able to understand the unity
of the universal creation, and
16
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,640
who thereby recognize that
consciousness permeates all
17
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,680
existence, albeit in forms or
powers different than those that
18
00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,840
are specific to human
consciousness.
19
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,000
Modern science is now starting
to recognize the pervasiveness
20
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,360
of consciousness as well.
Once scientists recognized that
21
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,080
matter is a form of energy, it
was a relatively small step to
22
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,800
begin to recognize that energy
is a form of consciousness.
23
00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,840
This is the current revolution
in understanding that scientists
24
00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,160
are awakening into.
Yet our conception of
25
00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,840
consciousness at this level
remains quite uncertain,
26
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,440
diffused, and impersonal.
We attribute personality to our
27
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:59,240
own individuality, but fail to
recognize that there may be in
28
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,400
fact are other beings who have
personal awareness and who act
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,039
as a conscious self directing
force within the larger
30
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:11,720
manifestation.
The entire evolution of
31
00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,800
consciousness is an obvious
process of increasing
32
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,240
self-awareness.
Therefore, in stages beyond that
33
00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,520
of the human development, we
would expect greater
34
00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,880
self-awareness and a greater
sense of autonomy.
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,840
Beings who represent higher
stages of the evolution of
36
00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:35,160
consciousness would necessarily
be expressions of greater powers
37
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,960
of personal awareness than our
human status.
38
00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,880
While consciousness is involved
in matter and the early life
39
00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,640
forms, and thus does not appear
to exhibit the characteristics
40
00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:52,240
of personality, it may be also
be that we simply do not
41
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,560
perceive what may nevertheless
be present.
42
00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,800
Researchers of the plant Kingdom
report entire networks of
43
00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,600
communication between trees in a
forest, for instance, and
44
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,720
expressions of pain, or at least
reactions of stress as far as we
45
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,320
are able to measure and
interpret in trees when they
46
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,480
experience the pain or suffering
of another tree in their
47
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,720
network.
Similarly, expressions of grief
48
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,760
at the death of a member of a
tribe of elephants is a well
49
00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:31,720
documented phenomenon, implying
once again individuality and a
50
00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,480
perception of relation that
occurs between separate
51
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,920
conscious beings.
This leads us to the idea that
52
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,440
there may be consciously active
beings who act to support human
53
00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,600
development, as well as
consciously active beings who
54
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,320
are hostile to human development
or who want to take advantage of
55
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,880
human beings.
There is a long history and
56
00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,720
human development of encounters
with angels or demons, beings
57
00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,640
who exist on another level but
whose action intersects with
58
00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:09,360
human life on certain levels or
in particular circumstances.
59
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,920
For good.
Or I'll Do we live in a
60
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,519
mechanical universe as the only
conscious beings?
61
00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:23,040
Or is there a supreme conscious
being who creates, organizes,
62
00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:28,600
contains, and constitutes the
entire universal existence?
63
00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,440
Just as we can view light as
either a wave or a particle?
64
00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,880
Is it not possible to see the
universe from both an impersonal
65
00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:44,840
and a personal aspect?
Shriorogindo notes quote.
66
00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,800
The forces are conscious.
There are, besides
67
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,160
individualized beings who
represent the forces or use
68
00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,520
them, the wall between
consciousness and force,
69
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,120
Impersonality and personality
becomes much thinner when one
70
00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:07,760
goes behind the veil of matter.
If one looks at a working from
71
00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,920
the side of impersonal force,
one sees a force or energy at
72
00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,800
work acting for a purpose or
with a result.
73
00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,600
If one looks from the side of
being, one sees a being
74
00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,080
possessing, guiding, and using,
or else representative of and
75
00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,480
used by a conscious force as its
instrument of spirit,
76
00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,680
specialized action and
expression.
77
00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:35,880
You speak of the wave, but in
modern science it has been found
78
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,760
that if you look at the movement
of energy, it appears on one
79
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,960
side to be a wave and act as a
wave, on the other as a mass of
80
00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,720
particles, and to act as a mass
of particles each acting in its
81
00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,400
own way.
It is somewhat the same
82
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,720
principle here.
End Quote Reference Shrioro,
83
00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,040
Bindu and the Mother, The Hidden
Forces of Life, Chapter 4,
84
00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:06,840
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
pages 83 to 84.