Jan. 21, 2026
Mastery of Vital Impulses Requires Change of Focus and Management of the Energy Flow
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 79-80This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/mastery-of-vital-impulses-requires-change-of-focus-and-management-of-the-energy-flow/
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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 #yoga #integral yoga #sexual impulse #vital impulse #spirituality #Pranayama #Hatha Yoga
1
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,880
It is obvious if a system is set
up to carry out vital demands,
2
00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:11,760
desires and wants, and it is
provided more energy, it will
3
00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,200
simply expand its ability to
achieve those desires.
4
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,160
That is the reason that
undertaking practices that
5
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:24,080
increase the vital force without
first ensuring that the focus
6
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:29,720
and direction has been changed
actually increases lust, greed,
7
00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,920
pride, ambition and other forms
of desire.
8
00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,320
Many practices including the use
of various regimens of fasting,
9
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,680
breathing techniques, pranayam,
specific Hata yoga postures,
10
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,240
certain mantras or chanting,
various sports conditioning
11
00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,200
routines and the implementation
of bandas, energetic locks
12
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,000
within the physical body to
concentrate and control the flow
13
00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:04,200
of energy can vastly increase
the physical strength and the
14
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,320
overall vitality.
They have their benefits.
15
00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,080
The dramatic increase in the
practice of Hata Yoga in the
16
00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,760
West shows that people
experience and notice benefits
17
00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,920
to their physical health and
well-being.
18
00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,240
It is interesting to note that
in the West, the practices of
19
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,240
Hatha yoga are primarily
considered to be healthy
20
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,160
exercise routines.
There is nothing inherently
21
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,600
spiritual about these practices
if they are not turned towards
22
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,480
spiritual realization in the 1st
place.
23
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,720
As a result, in the context of
gaining control and mastery over
24
00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,200
the vital impulses, whether the
sexual impulse or any other
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,600
vital action of the external
being, the result does not come
26
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,440
through increasing the intensity
or force operating at these
27
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,880
levels.
Rather, a change in the focus
28
00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,680
and direction of the energy is
needed so that the increased
29
00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,039
force is applied to the
spiritual objective.
30
00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,880
Additionally, the practitioner
should take care to build up the
31
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,400
ability to hold and not spill
the energy that comes into the
32
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,440
system.
This is done through the
33
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,920
cultivation of calm, peace and
equality.
34
00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:29,200
Shifting the focus to the inner
being and having it direct the
35
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:33,760
use of the energy, rejecting the
pressures of the external nature
36
00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,680
and holding the enhanced energy
effectively represent the
37
00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:44,400
primary directions for mastery
of the vital nature, Sriorobindo
38
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,040
writes.
Quote Pranayam and other
39
00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:53,040
physical practices like asana do
not necessarily root out sexual
40
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,280
desire.
Sometimes, by increasing
41
00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,880
enormously the vital force in
the body, they can even
42
00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:04,680
exaggerate in a rather startling
way the force too of the sexual
43
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,240
tendency, which, being at the
base of the physical life, is
44
00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,200
always difficult to conquer.
The one thing to do is to
45
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,200
separate oneself from these
movements, to find one's inner
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,760
self and live in it.
These movements will not then
47
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:26,160
any longer appear as belonging
to oneself, but a surface
48
00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,040
impositions of the outer
procrity upon the inner self or
49
00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,280
Purusha.
They can then be more easily
50
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,320
discarded or brought to nothing.
End Quote.
51
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:44,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 4 Desire Food
52
00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,640
Sex, pages 79 to 80.
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,880
It is obvious if a system is set
up to carry out vital demands,
2
00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:11,760
desires and wants, and it is
provided more energy, it will
3
00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,200
simply expand its ability to
achieve those desires.
4
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,160
That is the reason that
undertaking practices that
5
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:24,080
increase the vital force without
first ensuring that the focus
6
00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:29,720
and direction has been changed
actually increases lust, greed,
7
00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,920
pride, ambition and other forms
of desire.
8
00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,320
Many practices including the use
of various regimens of fasting,
9
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,680
breathing techniques, pranayam,
specific Hata yoga postures,
10
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,240
certain mantras or chanting,
various sports conditioning
11
00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,200
routines and the implementation
of bandas, energetic locks
12
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,000
within the physical body to
concentrate and control the flow
13
00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:04,200
of energy can vastly increase
the physical strength and the
14
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,320
overall vitality.
They have their benefits.
15
00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,080
The dramatic increase in the
practice of Hata Yoga in the
16
00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,760
West shows that people
experience and notice benefits
17
00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,920
to their physical health and
well-being.
18
00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,240
It is interesting to note that
in the West, the practices of
19
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,240
Hatha yoga are primarily
considered to be healthy
20
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,160
exercise routines.
There is nothing inherently
21
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,600
spiritual about these practices
if they are not turned towards
22
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,480
spiritual realization in the 1st
place.
23
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,720
As a result, in the context of
gaining control and mastery over
24
00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,200
the vital impulses, whether the
sexual impulse or any other
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,600
vital action of the external
being, the result does not come
26
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,440
through increasing the intensity
or force operating at these
27
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,880
levels.
Rather, a change in the focus
28
00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,680
and direction of the energy is
needed so that the increased
29
00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,039
force is applied to the
spiritual objective.
30
00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,880
Additionally, the practitioner
should take care to build up the
31
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,400
ability to hold and not spill
the energy that comes into the
32
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,440
system.
This is done through the
33
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,920
cultivation of calm, peace and
equality.
34
00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:29,200
Shifting the focus to the inner
being and having it direct the
35
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:33,760
use of the energy, rejecting the
pressures of the external nature
36
00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,680
and holding the enhanced energy
effectively represent the
37
00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:44,400
primary directions for mastery
of the vital nature, Sriorobindo
38
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,040
writes.
Quote Pranayam and other
39
00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:53,040
physical practices like asana do
not necessarily root out sexual
40
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,280
desire.
Sometimes, by increasing
41
00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,880
enormously the vital force in
the body, they can even
42
00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:04,680
exaggerate in a rather startling
way the force too of the sexual
43
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,240
tendency, which, being at the
base of the physical life, is
44
00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,200
always difficult to conquer.
The one thing to do is to
45
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,200
separate oneself from these
movements, to find one's inner
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,760
self and live in it.
These movements will not then
47
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:26,160
any longer appear as belonging
to oneself, but a surface
48
00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,040
impositions of the outer
procrity upon the inner self or
49
00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,280
Purusha.
They can then be more easily
50
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,320
discarded or brought to nothing.
End Quote.
51
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:44,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 4 Desire Food
52
00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,640
Sex, pages 79 to 80.
