Dec. 9, 2025
Liberating the Consciousness from Imprisonment in the Physical Body
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pg. 54
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/12/07/liberating-the-consciousness-from-imprisonment-in-the-physical-body/
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#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #chakras #Muladhara #Manipura #Sahasrara #Kundalini
1
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,960
When we reflect on our normal
state of conscious awareness, we
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,080
recognize a primary seat of
awareness in the mind, while
3
00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,040
also finding that we respond to
impulses that originate in the
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,760
other chakras.
Subtle energy centres from the
5
00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,080
base of the spine to the crown
of the head.
6
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,080
Yogic science has long
recognized that energy traverses
7
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:26,840
the subtle channels that connect
the chakras.
8
00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,280
In the practices of Kundalini
yoga, the object is to awaken
9
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,240
the sleeping coiled serpent
energy in the Mulladar chakra,
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,280
the root chakra that governs the
powers of sex and other basic
11
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:46,600
forces of the vital nature, and
directed up to meet with the
12
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:51,880
Sahasrara chakra, the 1000 pedal
Lotus at the top of the head.
13
00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,520
This movement leads to the
bursting forth of the
14
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,640
consciousness to a range above
the head, conveying liberation
15
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,840
and expanded consciousness.
With this breakthrough, various
16
00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,040
disciplines, particularly in the
Chinese forms of martial arts,
17
00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,080
focus the awareness and energy
to build tremendous strength and
18
00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,920
force in the solar plexus, the
naval center or Manipura chakra
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,760
in the systems of yoga.
What we do not frequently
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,840
recognize, however, is that
there are additional stations of
21
00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,920
consciousness below the
Muladhara as well as above the
22
00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,960
Sahasrara.
Those who take up the
23
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,640
exploration of the subconscious
and unconscious ranges may find
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,840
themselves at some point opening
energy centers at the level of
25
00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,680
the knees or the feet.
For those who take up the
26
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,200
practice of the Integral Yoga,
where the focus is on bringing
27
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,960
down into human existence the
higher powers of consciousness,
28
00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,680
the opening of the thousand
petal chakra at the top of the
29
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,600
head represents A thoroughfare
for the movement of this energy.
30
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,800
And they find when the openings
come that they are stationed in
31
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,560
their awareness above the head
and outside the constraints of
32
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:19,840
the physical body.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote the
33
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,600
consciousness is usually
imprisoned in the body,
34
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,960
centralized in the brain and
heart and navel centres, mental,
35
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,760
emotional, sensational.
When you feel it or something of
36
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,640
it, go up and take its station
above the head.
37
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,200
That is the liberation of the
imprisoned consciousness from
38
00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,360
the body formula.
It is the mental in you that
39
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,120
goes up there, gets into touch
with something higher than the
40
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:52,520
ordinary mind, and from there
puts the higher mental will on
41
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:57,480
the rest for transformation.
The trembling and the heat come
42
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,120
from a resistance, an absence of
habituation in the body and the
43
00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,120
vital to this demand and to this
liberation.
44
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,520
When the mental consciousness
can take its stand permanently
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,800
or it will above like this, then
this first liberation becomes
46
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,440
accomplished.
Siddha.
47
00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,960
From there the mental being can
open freely to the higher planes
48
00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,320
or to the cosmic existence and
its forces, and can also act
49
00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,280
with greater liberty and power
on the lower nature.
50
00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:38,640
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
51
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,440
Chapter 3 in difficulty, page
54.
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,960
When we reflect on our normal
state of conscious awareness, we
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,080
recognize a primary seat of
awareness in the mind, while
3
00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,040
also finding that we respond to
impulses that originate in the
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,760
other chakras.
Subtle energy centres from the
5
00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,080
base of the spine to the crown
of the head.
6
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,080
Yogic science has long
recognized that energy traverses
7
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:26,840
the subtle channels that connect
the chakras.
8
00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,280
In the practices of Kundalini
yoga, the object is to awaken
9
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,240
the sleeping coiled serpent
energy in the Mulladar chakra,
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,280
the root chakra that governs the
powers of sex and other basic
11
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:46,600
forces of the vital nature, and
directed up to meet with the
12
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:51,880
Sahasrara chakra, the 1000 pedal
Lotus at the top of the head.
13
00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,520
This movement leads to the
bursting forth of the
14
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,640
consciousness to a range above
the head, conveying liberation
15
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,840
and expanded consciousness.
With this breakthrough, various
16
00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,040
disciplines, particularly in the
Chinese forms of martial arts,
17
00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,080
focus the awareness and energy
to build tremendous strength and
18
00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,920
force in the solar plexus, the
naval center or Manipura chakra
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,760
in the systems of yoga.
What we do not frequently
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,840
recognize, however, is that
there are additional stations of
21
00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,920
consciousness below the
Muladhara as well as above the
22
00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,960
Sahasrara.
Those who take up the
23
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,640
exploration of the subconscious
and unconscious ranges may find
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,840
themselves at some point opening
energy centers at the level of
25
00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,680
the knees or the feet.
For those who take up the
26
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,200
practice of the Integral Yoga,
where the focus is on bringing
27
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,960
down into human existence the
higher powers of consciousness,
28
00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,680
the opening of the thousand
petal chakra at the top of the
29
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,600
head represents A thoroughfare
for the movement of this energy.
30
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,800
And they find when the openings
come that they are stationed in
31
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,560
their awareness above the head
and outside the constraints of
32
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:19,840
the physical body.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote the
33
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,600
consciousness is usually
imprisoned in the body,
34
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,960
centralized in the brain and
heart and navel centres, mental,
35
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,760
emotional, sensational.
When you feel it or something of
36
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,640
it, go up and take its station
above the head.
37
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,200
That is the liberation of the
imprisoned consciousness from
38
00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,360
the body formula.
It is the mental in you that
39
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,120
goes up there, gets into touch
with something higher than the
40
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:52,520
ordinary mind, and from there
puts the higher mental will on
41
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:57,480
the rest for transformation.
The trembling and the heat come
42
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,120
from a resistance, an absence of
habituation in the body and the
43
00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,120
vital to this demand and to this
liberation.
44
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,520
When the mental consciousness
can take its stand permanently
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,800
or it will above like this, then
this first liberation becomes
46
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,440
accomplished.
Siddha.
47
00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,960
From there the mental being can
open freely to the higher planes
48
00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,320
or to the cosmic existence and
its forces, and can also act
49
00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,280
with greater liberty and power
on the lower nature.
50
00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:38,640
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
51
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,440
Chapter 3 in difficulty, page
54.
