Infinite Grace: Overcoming the Law of Inertia to Effectuate Change

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The law of inertia holds that it
takes energy to move something

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that is stationary, and the more
massive the object is, the more

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energy required to move it.
A similar principle operates in

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human actions.
We have our fixed habits,

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whether physical habits,
instincts, trained responses,

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preconceived notions, biases,
determined routines, etcetera

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that represent our status quo.
This all operates essentially on

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its own, as the same law holds
that a body in motion tends to

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stay in motion.
So we have our fixed habits,

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routines and orbits that we
follow regularly, and it takes

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energy to change any of these
and establish a new way of

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understanding, a new way of
doing things, a new way of

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responding.
The embedded habits of nature

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and nurture are very powerful in
their own right.

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They are there to provide a form
of stability to the creation,

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and any change needs to work out
the details in such a way as to

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not totally destabilize the
systems.

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Thus, our physical nature, our
vital nature, and our mental

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nature all have certain
prerogatives and rights of

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obstruction, delay and denial
built into the developmental

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systems.
Only when a needed change

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achieves the necessary quantum
of energy and has overcome the

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objections and obstructions can
it take hold and propagate

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widely.
To the extent that we focus our

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attention on the difficulties,
the obstructions, and attempt to

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address them directly, we will
likely not have the necessary

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force, energy and focus needed
to overcome long established and

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deeply rooted patterns.
That is why it is necessary to

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refocus the attention on the
higher powers of the spiritual

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evolutionary development and the
spiritual force that is

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attempting to manifest as that
is the power, knowledge and

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intentionality that is needed to
accomplish change over time.

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We may therefore look to the
concept of aspiration, which is

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a turning of the attention to
the higher force, consecration,

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which is a focusing and fixing
of that connection once we

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establish it, and receptivity,
which is allowing that force to

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enter and effectuate change as
the method of overcoming the

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inertia of the world as it
currently functions.

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We may call this response the
action of the Divine Grace the

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Mother notes quote.
In the whole manifestation there

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is an infinite Grace constantly
at work to bring the world out

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of the misery, the obscurity,
and the stupidity in which it

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lies.
From all time this grace has

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been at work, unremitting in its
effort.

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And how many thousands of years
were necessary for this world to

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awaken to the need for something
greater, more true, more

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beautiful?
Everyone can gauge from the

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resistance he meets in his own
being, the tremendous resistance

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which the world opposes to the
work of the Grace.

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And it is only when one
understands that all external

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things, all mental
constructions, all material

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efforts are vain, futile, if
they are not entirely

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consecrated to this light and
force from above, to this truth

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which is trying to express
itself, that one is ready to

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make decisive progress.
So the only truly effective

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attitude is a perfect, total,
fervent, giving our being to

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that which is above us and which
alone has the power to change

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everything.
End Quote.

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Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother, The Hidden Forces of

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Life, Chapter 7, Spiritual
Forces of Help and Succor, page

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174.