Dec. 27, 2025
Mastery Beyond Asceticism and Indulgence
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pg. 65
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/mastery-beyond-asceticism-and-indulgence/
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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
#Sri Aurobindo #integral yoga #yoga #mastery #indulgence #asceticism #materialism #omnipresent reality #yogic discipline
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,240
Human beings have a tendency to
move from one extreme to the
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,480
other, like a pendulum swing.
When we are faced with a
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,720
particular concern we want to
resolve, we apply this tendency.
4
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,880
When it comes, therefore, to the
force of desire and the
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,000
attraction of material objects,
we either become attached to
6
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,640
them and try to grab and hold on
to them the materialist
7
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,160
approach, or else we try to
remove their influence from our
8
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,680
lives and thereby deny our
relation to these objects.
9
00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:38,720
The ascetic approach in The Life
Divine Shrioro Bindo provides a
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,240
comprehensive overview of each
of these extremes in the
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:48,480
chapters on the materialist
denial and the refusal of the
12
00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:51,640
Ascetic.
His solution lies in the
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,800
perception of unity as outlined
in the chapter Reality
14
00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,400
Omnipresent.
A true solution to our
15
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,880
relationship with material
things and the desire to possess
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,440
them is not in simply abandoning
them, nor is it in losing
17
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,480
oneself in the attempt to
satisfy the desire for
18
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,280
possession that we have.
When we come into relation with
19
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,960
these material objects, we find
in nature a widespread,
20
00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,920
seemingly wild dispersal of
seeds in order to ensure the
21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,160
survival of the various species.
As the mental power develops, we
22
00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,800
find a much more targeted action
that does not require this type
23
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,440
of apparently wasteful action.
As the consciousness develops,
24
00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:46,200
there can come a point where
action is directed, controlled,
25
00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:51,360
and poised for achieving the
intended purpose without falling
26
00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,600
either to the side of ascetic
denial of the force of the
27
00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,520
material creation or to the side
of nature's untrammeled
28
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,600
dispersion.
For the spiritual secret too,
29
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,080
there comes a point where
indulgence and desire or an
30
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,080
attachment to the objects of the
senses needs to be curtailed so
31
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,040
that the focus and energy can be
directed toward the spiritual
32
00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,880
pursuits.
Ideally this can be done through
33
00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,920
non attachment without going to
the extreme of the ascetic
34
00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,960
refusal.
In early stages it may be
35
00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,840
necessary for the secret to cut
himself off from the process
36
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,600
until he is able to maintain his
central focus and not be
37
00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,880
distracted.
At that point he may take up
38
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,080
interfacing with material
objects and activities if he is
39
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,920
called upon to carry out his
yogic development in the world.
40
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:56,080
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
Asceticism for its own sake is
41
00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:01,320
not the ideal of this yoga, but
self-control in the vital and
42
00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,720
right order in the material are
a very important part of it, and
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,960
even an ascetic discipline is
better for our purpose than a
44
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:16,120
loose absence of true control.
Mastery of the material does not
45
00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,200
mean having plenty and profusely
throwing it out or spoiling it
46
00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:27,200
as fast as it comes or faster.
Mastery implies in it the right
47
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:32,320
and careful utilization of
things and also a self-control
48
00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:38,360
in their use.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
49
00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:45,120
Bases of Yoga Chapter 4.
Desire, food, sex, age 65.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,240
Human beings have a tendency to
move from one extreme to the
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,480
other, like a pendulum swing.
When we are faced with a
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,720
particular concern we want to
resolve, we apply this tendency.
4
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,880
When it comes, therefore, to the
force of desire and the
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,000
attraction of material objects,
we either become attached to
6
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,640
them and try to grab and hold on
to them the materialist
7
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,160
approach, or else we try to
remove their influence from our
8
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,680
lives and thereby deny our
relation to these objects.
9
00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:38,720
The ascetic approach in The Life
Divine Shrioro Bindo provides a
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,240
comprehensive overview of each
of these extremes in the
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:48,480
chapters on the materialist
denial and the refusal of the
12
00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:51,640
Ascetic.
His solution lies in the
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,800
perception of unity as outlined
in the chapter Reality
14
00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,400
Omnipresent.
A true solution to our
15
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,880
relationship with material
things and the desire to possess
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,440
them is not in simply abandoning
them, nor is it in losing
17
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,480
oneself in the attempt to
satisfy the desire for
18
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,280
possession that we have.
When we come into relation with
19
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,960
these material objects, we find
in nature a widespread,
20
00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,920
seemingly wild dispersal of
seeds in order to ensure the
21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,160
survival of the various species.
As the mental power develops, we
22
00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,800
find a much more targeted action
that does not require this type
23
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,440
of apparently wasteful action.
As the consciousness develops,
24
00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:46,200
there can come a point where
action is directed, controlled,
25
00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:51,360
and poised for achieving the
intended purpose without falling
26
00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,600
either to the side of ascetic
denial of the force of the
27
00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,520
material creation or to the side
of nature's untrammeled
28
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,600
dispersion.
For the spiritual secret too,
29
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,080
there comes a point where
indulgence and desire or an
30
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,080
attachment to the objects of the
senses needs to be curtailed so
31
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,040
that the focus and energy can be
directed toward the spiritual
32
00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,880
pursuits.
Ideally this can be done through
33
00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,920
non attachment without going to
the extreme of the ascetic
34
00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,960
refusal.
In early stages it may be
35
00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,840
necessary for the secret to cut
himself off from the process
36
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,600
until he is able to maintain his
central focus and not be
37
00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,880
distracted.
At that point he may take up
38
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,080
interfacing with material
objects and activities if he is
39
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,920
called upon to carry out his
yogic development in the world.
40
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:56,080
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
Asceticism for its own sake is
41
00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:01,320
not the ideal of this yoga, but
self-control in the vital and
42
00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,720
right order in the material are
a very important part of it, and
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,960
even an ascetic discipline is
better for our purpose than a
44
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:16,120
loose absence of true control.
Mastery of the material does not
45
00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,200
mean having plenty and profusely
throwing it out or spoiling it
46
00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:27,200
as fast as it comes or faster.
Mastery implies in it the right
47
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:32,320
and careful utilization of
things and also a self-control
48
00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:38,360
in their use.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
49
00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:45,120
Bases of Yoga Chapter 4.
Desire, food, sex, age 65.
