July 26, 2024
Is Spiritual Force Real?
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch.7 Spiritual Forces of Help and Succour, pp.159-160 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/07/21/is-spiritual-force-real/
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
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,600
Srioro Bindo once told about an
incident that helped spark his
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,240
interest in yoga force.
His brother was very ill.
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,760
A wandering Yogi came by and
when he learned of that illness,
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,840
asked for a glass of water,
which he then proceeded to
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,560
infuse with mantras.
The illness was quickly overcome
6
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,000
when Srioro Bindo's brother
drank the mantra infused water.
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,000
Srioro Bindo remarked that
anything that has that kind of
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,800
power needs to be investigated.
An incident was reported by
9
00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,120
someone who had no knowledge
whatsoever of spirituality or
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,720
yogic power.
He had been poisoned and was in
11
00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,640
terrible pain and was unable to
breathe.
12
00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,240
He then heard an inner voice
that said do yogic breathing.
13
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,720
He had no idea what this was all
about since he had never heard
14
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,040
about nor studied yoga and was
following a purely Western
15
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,960
educational and career path.
He reported that he experienced
16
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,600
something that took over his
breathing in a way that he had
17
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,520
never before experienced.
He eventually recovered with a
18
00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,560
deep sense that there was a
spiritual reality to the world
19
00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,840
and that he had something else
to do with his life.
20
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,200
Then follow his former career
path, he left college and began
21
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,400
to study yoga.
His life was entirely
22
00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,880
transformed through the
experience.
23
00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,040
Many people around the world
have reported similar
24
00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:38,400
experiences, seeming miraculous
interventions in their lives.
25
00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,440
New directions, new insights,
new powers of action.
26
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,640
These are not able to be
categorized in our normal mental
27
00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,440
framework as they originate
outside that framework.
28
00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,040
Many people have experienced out
of body events where they saw
29
00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:59,600
their awareness move outside the
physical body and then observe
30
00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,400
the body from a different point
of view from another part of a
31
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:08,840
room or from above looking down.
Some people have observed
32
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,400
emergency workers trying to
revive the body and eventually
33
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,600
they went back into the body and
woke up.
34
00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:21,240
If the consciousness can leave
the body yet remain whole and
35
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,800
aware, it is a sign that we are
not purely material beings but
36
00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,840
have consciousness that can and
does survive outside the
37
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:37,040
physical frame.
Spiritual force or yogic force
38
00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,320
is not some theoretical
potentiality to be debated and
39
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,080
analyzed.
It is something that must be
40
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,960
experienced to be appreciated
and believed.
41
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,800
The above examples and
situations are just the very
42
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,760
first rudimentary signs of a
spiritual or yogic power at
43
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,320
work.
As individuals have taken up the
44
00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,520
practices of yoga and developed
a spiritual focus in their
45
00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,880
lives, new expressions of
spiritual force come into play.
46
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,880
For example, many people find
that they experience deep peace
47
00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,880
in the presence of a yogic
master, or they feel like
48
00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:21,600
interchange is taking place.
They feel a sense of deep
49
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:27,800
consecration or a feeling of
wide compassion encompassing the
50
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,360
entire world.
These experiences have been
51
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,080
recounted endless times by
people from all cultures and
52
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,720
times.
They may be cloaked in a
53
00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,720
religious or philosophical
framework, but when we get to
54
00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:46,280
the core experience, we see the
similarity of the actual event
55
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,600
that has taken place and the
changes that it is brought to
56
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,840
the fore.
How many people have seen their
57
00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,440
path forward in life totally
changed and transformed as a
58
00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:02,960
result?
Sri Aurobindo notes quote All
59
00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,240
the world, according to science
is nothing but a play of energy,
60
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,280
a material energy it used to be
called, but isn't.
61
00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,920
It is now doubted whether
matter, scientifically speaking,
62
00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,000
exists except as a phenomenon of
energy.
63
00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,600
All the world, according to
Vedanta, is a play of a power of
64
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,960
a spiritual entity, the power of
an original consciousness,
65
00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,480
whether it be Maya or Shakti,
and the result and illusion or
66
00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:40,000
real in the world.
So far as man is concerned, we
67
00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:45,040
are aware only of mind energy,
life energy, energy and matter.
68
00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:50,040
But it is supposed that there is
a spiritual energy or force also
69
00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,120
behind them from which they
originate.
70
00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:58,320
All things in either case are
the results of a Shakti, energy
71
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,600
or force.
There is no action without a
72
00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,400
force or energy doing the action
and bringing about its
73
00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,480
consequence.
Further, anything that has no
74
00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:14,440
force in it is either something
dead or something unreal or
75
00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,880
something inert and without
consequence.
76
00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,680
If there is no such thing as
spiritual consciousness, there
77
00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:26,200
can be no reality of yoga.
And if there is no yoga force,
78
00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,680
spiritual force, yoga Shakti,
then also there can be no
79
00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,920
effectivity in yoga.
A yoga consciousness or
80
00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,680
spiritual consciousness which
has no power or force in it, may
81
00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:45,560
not be dead or unreal, but it is
evidently something inert and
82
00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:51,000
without effect or consequence.
Equally, a man who sets out to
83
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,200
be a Yogi or guru and has no
spiritual consciousness or no
84
00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,360
power in his spiritual
consciousness, a yoga force or
85
00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,840
spiritual force is making a
false claim and is either a
86
00:06:05,840 --> 00:06:09,160
charlatan or a self deluded
imbecile.
87
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:15,080
Still more is he so if having no
spiritual force, he claims to
88
00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,200
have made a path others can
follow.
89
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,720
If yoga is a reality, if
spirituality is anything better
90
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:27,960
than a delusion, there must be
such a thing as yoga force or
91
00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:33,960
spiritual force.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
92
00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,720
and the Mother, The Hidden
Forces of Life, Chapter 7
93
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,760
Spiritual Forces of Help and
Succour, pages 159 to 160.
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,600
Srioro Bindo once told about an
incident that helped spark his
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,240
interest in yoga force.
His brother was very ill.
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,760
A wandering Yogi came by and
when he learned of that illness,
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,840
asked for a glass of water,
which he then proceeded to
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,560
infuse with mantras.
The illness was quickly overcome
6
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,000
when Srioro Bindo's brother
drank the mantra infused water.
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,000
Srioro Bindo remarked that
anything that has that kind of
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,800
power needs to be investigated.
An incident was reported by
9
00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,120
someone who had no knowledge
whatsoever of spirituality or
10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,720
yogic power.
He had been poisoned and was in
11
00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,640
terrible pain and was unable to
breathe.
12
00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,240
He then heard an inner voice
that said do yogic breathing.
13
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,720
He had no idea what this was all
about since he had never heard
14
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,040
about nor studied yoga and was
following a purely Western
15
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,960
educational and career path.
He reported that he experienced
16
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,600
something that took over his
breathing in a way that he had
17
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,520
never before experienced.
He eventually recovered with a
18
00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,560
deep sense that there was a
spiritual reality to the world
19
00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,840
and that he had something else
to do with his life.
20
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,200
Then follow his former career
path, he left college and began
21
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,400
to study yoga.
His life was entirely
22
00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,880
transformed through the
experience.
23
00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,040
Many people around the world
have reported similar
24
00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:38,400
experiences, seeming miraculous
interventions in their lives.
25
00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,440
New directions, new insights,
new powers of action.
26
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,640
These are not able to be
categorized in our normal mental
27
00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,440
framework as they originate
outside that framework.
28
00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,040
Many people have experienced out
of body events where they saw
29
00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:59,600
their awareness move outside the
physical body and then observe
30
00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,400
the body from a different point
of view from another part of a
31
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:08,840
room or from above looking down.
Some people have observed
32
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,400
emergency workers trying to
revive the body and eventually
33
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,600
they went back into the body and
woke up.
34
00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:21,240
If the consciousness can leave
the body yet remain whole and
35
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,800
aware, it is a sign that we are
not purely material beings but
36
00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,840
have consciousness that can and
does survive outside the
37
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:37,040
physical frame.
Spiritual force or yogic force
38
00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,320
is not some theoretical
potentiality to be debated and
39
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,080
analyzed.
It is something that must be
40
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,960
experienced to be appreciated
and believed.
41
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,800
The above examples and
situations are just the very
42
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,760
first rudimentary signs of a
spiritual or yogic power at
43
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,320
work.
As individuals have taken up the
44
00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,520
practices of yoga and developed
a spiritual focus in their
45
00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,880
lives, new expressions of
spiritual force come into play.
46
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,880
For example, many people find
that they experience deep peace
47
00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,880
in the presence of a yogic
master, or they feel like
48
00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:21,600
interchange is taking place.
They feel a sense of deep
49
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:27,800
consecration or a feeling of
wide compassion encompassing the
50
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,360
entire world.
These experiences have been
51
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,080
recounted endless times by
people from all cultures and
52
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,720
times.
They may be cloaked in a
53
00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,720
religious or philosophical
framework, but when we get to
54
00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:46,280
the core experience, we see the
similarity of the actual event
55
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,600
that has taken place and the
changes that it is brought to
56
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,840
the fore.
How many people have seen their
57
00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,440
path forward in life totally
changed and transformed as a
58
00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:02,960
result?
Sri Aurobindo notes quote All
59
00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,240
the world, according to science
is nothing but a play of energy,
60
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,280
a material energy it used to be
called, but isn't.
61
00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,920
It is now doubted whether
matter, scientifically speaking,
62
00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,000
exists except as a phenomenon of
energy.
63
00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,600
All the world, according to
Vedanta, is a play of a power of
64
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,960
a spiritual entity, the power of
an original consciousness,
65
00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,480
whether it be Maya or Shakti,
and the result and illusion or
66
00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:40,000
real in the world.
So far as man is concerned, we
67
00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:45,040
are aware only of mind energy,
life energy, energy and matter.
68
00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:50,040
But it is supposed that there is
a spiritual energy or force also
69
00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,120
behind them from which they
originate.
70
00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:58,320
All things in either case are
the results of a Shakti, energy
71
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,600
or force.
There is no action without a
72
00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,400
force or energy doing the action
and bringing about its
73
00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,480
consequence.
Further, anything that has no
74
00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:14,440
force in it is either something
dead or something unreal or
75
00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,880
something inert and without
consequence.
76
00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,680
If there is no such thing as
spiritual consciousness, there
77
00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:26,200
can be no reality of yoga.
And if there is no yoga force,
78
00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,680
spiritual force, yoga Shakti,
then also there can be no
79
00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,920
effectivity in yoga.
A yoga consciousness or
80
00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,680
spiritual consciousness which
has no power or force in it, may
81
00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:45,560
not be dead or unreal, but it is
evidently something inert and
82
00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:51,000
without effect or consequence.
Equally, a man who sets out to
83
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,200
be a Yogi or guru and has no
spiritual consciousness or no
84
00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,360
power in his spiritual
consciousness, a yoga force or
85
00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,840
spiritual force is making a
false claim and is either a
86
00:06:05,840 --> 00:06:09,160
charlatan or a self deluded
imbecile.
87
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:15,080
Still more is he so if having no
spiritual force, he claims to
88
00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,200
have made a path others can
follow.
89
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,720
If yoga is a reality, if
spirituality is anything better
90
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:27,960
than a delusion, there must be
such a thing as yoga force or
91
00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:33,960
spiritual force.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
92
00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,720
and the Mother, The Hidden
Forces of Life, Chapter 7
93
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,760
Spiritual Forces of Help and
Succour, pages 159 to 160.