Aug. 21, 2025
Indulgence of Desire Does Not Lead to Rejection
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 154This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/19/indulgence-of-desire-does-not-lead-to-rejection/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:06,160
If we reflect on how we learn,
how we gain skills, we find that
2
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,640
one of the key elements is
repetition.
3
00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,680
We train our muscles through
repetition of an exercise
4
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,600
regimen, we train our minds
through repetition, and we train
5
00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:19,520
our responses through
repetition.
6
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,080
At some point, we embed the
results of the repetition into
7
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:28,040
what we call muscle memory or
cellular memory.
8
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,920
Our immune systems respond more
effectively to provocations that
9
00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,320
have been seen before.
There is thus a memory in our
10
00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,080
immune system.
Events and perceptions create a
11
00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,400
cascade of hormones,
neurotransmitters and nervous
12
00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:51,040
impulses, all of which can be
and mainly are encapsulated in
13
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,080
our cells as memories, which can
be triggered by similar
14
00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,680
circumstances, events or
perceptions.
15
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,080
This same mechanism of
repetition has been explored in
16
00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,480
the field of human psychology.
A general understanding has
17
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,640
arisen that we build neural
pathways, grooves if you will,
18
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,720
that move repeated impulses and
stimuli more easily and swiftly
19
00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,600
than anything we experience for
the first time, which requires
20
00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,720
new pathways and linkages to be
created.
21
00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,440
We can apply this understanding
to our vital nature.
22
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,760
Repetition builds a pathway for
easier entry and response.
23
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:41,160
Our vital nature recognizes the
stimulus and based on prior
24
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,160
experience, automatically admits
it.
25
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,440
Eventually this creates a fixed
habit of response.
26
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,440
Over long periods of
evolutionary time, fixed habits
27
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,560
tend to become embedded as what
we call instincts.
28
00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,200
We find that in many cases, the
idea that indulgence will help
29
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,800
eliminate the desire eventually
is simply a way the vital nature
30
00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,639
finds to try to justify the
indulgence to the mind.
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,280
This is frequently supported by
cultural and societal norms that
32
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,800
may justify the fulfillment of
certain types of desires as
33
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,000
being something natural and
necessary for health and
34
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:30,280
well-being of the individual.
Of course, what may be natural
35
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:35,120
based on long vital habit and
therefore acceptable to normal
36
00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,120
life in the world, is not the
objective or goal of the
37
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,360
spiritual seeker.
Rather, the seeker aspires to
38
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,600
transform and uplift human
nature to a next level of
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:53,000
evolutionary development.
Once a habit of response has
40
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,720
been created, it becomes more
difficult to reject it than if
41
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,840
we make a choice the first time
to not accept the impulsion that
42
00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,320
is asking the vital nature to
respond.
43
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,320
The deeper the habit becomes
embedded, the more strenuous the
44
00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,960
effort needed to effectuate the
rejection later, necessitating
45
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,840
patience and perseverance on the
part of the seeker.
46
00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:23,080
This is the reason why
indulgence is not generally A
47
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,240
suitable mechanism for
overcoming the force of vital
48
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,320
desire.
There is sometimes confusion
49
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,560
about the experience of
indulgence leading to a sense of
50
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,960
satiation which leads the
individual to believe that the
51
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,200
action has led to the intended
result of rejection.
52
00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,920
This is simply a shift from the
rajasic quality, which reaches
53
00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,960
out to experience the object of
desire and the fall back to the
54
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,880
temasek quality when the desire
is fulfilled.
55
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,480
This is a temporary experience,
and when rajas once again comes
56
00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,840
to the fore, it once again
reaches out for the fulfillment
57
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,440
of the desire.
This repetitive cycle does not
58
00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:13,040
lead to rejection, but to an
endless series of indulgences
59
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,200
followed by the lassitude that
follows the fulfilled desire.
60
00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,160
There are a variety of methods
to change this dynamic over
61
00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,880
time.
Shifting to the witness
62
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,560
consciousness and rejecting the
entry of the desire when it
63
00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,560
tries to invade is 1 method.
Opening to the psychic being and
64
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,520
changing the focus to the
spiritual realization is
65
00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,320
another.
There are also short term
66
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:46,520
methods that can aid the secret
in particular situations, such
67
00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,760
as remembering and calling on
the Guru or the Divine Presence,
68
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,640
which immediately moves the
awareness away from the
69
00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:59,840
fulfillment of the desire.
Some seekers fled the being with
70
00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:03,280
the force of a mantra for short
term immediate relief from
71
00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:07,920
pressure of an insistent desire.
The vibrations overwhelm the
72
00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,040
nervous and vital pathways that
otherwise would be carrying the
73
00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,960
desire impulse to the being.
Another frequently used method
74
00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,160
is what is called nada shudhi,
the purification of the nerve
75
00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,160
channels through the use of
focused breathing techniques.
76
00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,400
Pranayam.
Eventually a new habit can be
77
00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,920
built up to not accept the
desire impulse or to substitute
78
00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,680
it with a devotional, spiritual
or psychospiritual alternative.
79
00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,520
Fioro Bindo writes quote.
Your theory is a mistaken 1.
80
00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,560
The free expression of a passion
may relieve the vital for a
81
00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,160
time, but at the same time it
gives it a right to return
82
00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,320
always.
It is not reduced at all.
83
00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,640
Suppression with inner
indulgence in subtle forms is
84
00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:06,440
not a cure, but expression in
outer indulgence is still less a
85
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,760
cure.
It is perfectly possible to go
86
00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,040
on without manifestation if one
is resolute to arrive at a
87
00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:19,280
complete control, the control
being not a mere suppression but
88
00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:24,600
an inner and outer rejection.
Vital desire grows by being
89
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,640
indulged.
It does not become satisfied.
90
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,920
If your desire were indulged, it
would begin to grow more and
91
00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,560
more and ask for more and more.
That has been our constant
92
00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,960
experience with the Sodacs and
it confirms what has always been
93
00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,520
known about desire.
Desire and envy have to be
94
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,440
thrown out of the consciousness.
There is no other way to deal
95
00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,520
with them.
End Quote.
96
00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,680
Reference Sri Orovendu and the
Mother Looking from within,
97
00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,640
Chapter 5.
Attitudes on the Path, page 154.
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:06,160
If we reflect on how we learn,
how we gain skills, we find that
2
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,640
one of the key elements is
repetition.
3
00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,680
We train our muscles through
repetition of an exercise
4
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,600
regimen, we train our minds
through repetition, and we train
5
00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:19,520
our responses through
repetition.
6
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,080
At some point, we embed the
results of the repetition into
7
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:28,040
what we call muscle memory or
cellular memory.
8
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,920
Our immune systems respond more
effectively to provocations that
9
00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,320
have been seen before.
There is thus a memory in our
10
00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,080
immune system.
Events and perceptions create a
11
00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,400
cascade of hormones,
neurotransmitters and nervous
12
00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:51,040
impulses, all of which can be
and mainly are encapsulated in
13
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,080
our cells as memories, which can
be triggered by similar
14
00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,680
circumstances, events or
perceptions.
15
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,080
This same mechanism of
repetition has been explored in
16
00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,480
the field of human psychology.
A general understanding has
17
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,640
arisen that we build neural
pathways, grooves if you will,
18
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,720
that move repeated impulses and
stimuli more easily and swiftly
19
00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,600
than anything we experience for
the first time, which requires
20
00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,720
new pathways and linkages to be
created.
21
00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,440
We can apply this understanding
to our vital nature.
22
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,760
Repetition builds a pathway for
easier entry and response.
23
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:41,160
Our vital nature recognizes the
stimulus and based on prior
24
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,160
experience, automatically admits
it.
25
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,440
Eventually this creates a fixed
habit of response.
26
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,440
Over long periods of
evolutionary time, fixed habits
27
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,560
tend to become embedded as what
we call instincts.
28
00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,200
We find that in many cases, the
idea that indulgence will help
29
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,800
eliminate the desire eventually
is simply a way the vital nature
30
00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,639
finds to try to justify the
indulgence to the mind.
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,280
This is frequently supported by
cultural and societal norms that
32
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,800
may justify the fulfillment of
certain types of desires as
33
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,000
being something natural and
necessary for health and
34
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:30,280
well-being of the individual.
Of course, what may be natural
35
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:35,120
based on long vital habit and
therefore acceptable to normal
36
00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,120
life in the world, is not the
objective or goal of the
37
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,360
spiritual seeker.
Rather, the seeker aspires to
38
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,600
transform and uplift human
nature to a next level of
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:53,000
evolutionary development.
Once a habit of response has
40
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,720
been created, it becomes more
difficult to reject it than if
41
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,840
we make a choice the first time
to not accept the impulsion that
42
00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,320
is asking the vital nature to
respond.
43
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,320
The deeper the habit becomes
embedded, the more strenuous the
44
00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,960
effort needed to effectuate the
rejection later, necessitating
45
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,840
patience and perseverance on the
part of the seeker.
46
00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:23,080
This is the reason why
indulgence is not generally A
47
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,240
suitable mechanism for
overcoming the force of vital
48
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,320
desire.
There is sometimes confusion
49
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,560
about the experience of
indulgence leading to a sense of
50
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,960
satiation which leads the
individual to believe that the
51
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,200
action has led to the intended
result of rejection.
52
00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,920
This is simply a shift from the
rajasic quality, which reaches
53
00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,960
out to experience the object of
desire and the fall back to the
54
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,880
temasek quality when the desire
is fulfilled.
55
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,480
This is a temporary experience,
and when rajas once again comes
56
00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,840
to the fore, it once again
reaches out for the fulfillment
57
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,440
of the desire.
This repetitive cycle does not
58
00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:13,040
lead to rejection, but to an
endless series of indulgences
59
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,200
followed by the lassitude that
follows the fulfilled desire.
60
00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,160
There are a variety of methods
to change this dynamic over
61
00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,880
time.
Shifting to the witness
62
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,560
consciousness and rejecting the
entry of the desire when it
63
00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,560
tries to invade is 1 method.
Opening to the psychic being and
64
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,520
changing the focus to the
spiritual realization is
65
00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,320
another.
There are also short term
66
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:46,520
methods that can aid the secret
in particular situations, such
67
00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,760
as remembering and calling on
the Guru or the Divine Presence,
68
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,640
which immediately moves the
awareness away from the
69
00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:59,840
fulfillment of the desire.
Some seekers fled the being with
70
00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:03,280
the force of a mantra for short
term immediate relief from
71
00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:07,920
pressure of an insistent desire.
The vibrations overwhelm the
72
00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,040
nervous and vital pathways that
otherwise would be carrying the
73
00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,960
desire impulse to the being.
Another frequently used method
74
00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,160
is what is called nada shudhi,
the purification of the nerve
75
00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,160
channels through the use of
focused breathing techniques.
76
00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,400
Pranayam.
Eventually a new habit can be
77
00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,920
built up to not accept the
desire impulse or to substitute
78
00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,680
it with a devotional, spiritual
or psychospiritual alternative.
79
00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,520
Fioro Bindo writes quote.
Your theory is a mistaken 1.
80
00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,560
The free expression of a passion
may relieve the vital for a
81
00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,160
time, but at the same time it
gives it a right to return
82
00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,320
always.
It is not reduced at all.
83
00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,640
Suppression with inner
indulgence in subtle forms is
84
00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:06,440
not a cure, but expression in
outer indulgence is still less a
85
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,760
cure.
It is perfectly possible to go
86
00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,040
on without manifestation if one
is resolute to arrive at a
87
00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:19,280
complete control, the control
being not a mere suppression but
88
00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:24,600
an inner and outer rejection.
Vital desire grows by being
89
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,640
indulged.
It does not become satisfied.
90
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,920
If your desire were indulged, it
would begin to grow more and
91
00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,560
more and ask for more and more.
That has been our constant
92
00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,960
experience with the Sodacs and
it confirms what has always been
93
00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,520
known about desire.
Desire and envy have to be
94
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,440
thrown out of the consciousness.
There is no other way to deal
95
00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,520
with them.
End Quote.
96
00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,680
Reference Sri Orovendu and the
Mother Looking from within,
97
00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,640
Chapter 5.
Attitudes on the Path, page 154.