Nov. 19, 2025
Methods for Achieving a Silent Mind During Meditation
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 40-41This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/methods-for-achieving-a-silent-mind-during-meditation/
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#Sri Aurobindo #Swami Vivekananda #meditation #yoga #integral yoga #Raja Yoga #spirituality #silent mind
1
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,520
Bringing the mind to a state of
quiescence is essential for the
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:08,480
practice of meditation.
Once an individual is able to
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,720
achieve this state during
meditation, it is a next step to
4
00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,560
carry that silent mind into the
external life.
5
00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,160
People frequently ask how it is
possible to have a silent mind
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,200
at any time or under any
circumstances.
7
00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,120
They are used to looking at the
mind as a factory of thoughts,
8
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,200
and believe that the thoughts
are created and disseminated
9
00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,200
from there.
What they soon find out as they
10
00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,160
deepen the meditation practice
is that the mind is not a
11
00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:44,440
creator of thoughts, but a
receiving, transmitting device
12
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,880
that captures thought forms from
outside, processes them
13
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,960
internally and retransmits them,
possibly with some modification
14
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,680
or adjustment, but frequently
exactly as they were received.
15
00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,360
This insight makes the
attainment of the silent mind
16
00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,440
feasible and something the
seeker can accomplish through
17
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,240
systematic use of one of the
proven techniques.
18
00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:14,920
It should be noted that Swami
Vivekananda also provides
19
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,280
another clue that can be
extremely helpful for the
20
00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,040
seeker.
He points out that there is a
21
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,240
direct link between the breath
and the mental being.
22
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,800
By seizing control of the
breath, the seeker can readily
23
00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,640
prepare the mind for achieving a
quiet state.
24
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,800
That is then useful for
practising the more definitive
25
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,160
techniques described by Sri or
Ovindo, whose own experience of
26
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,360
the silent mind has been
described by him elsewhere.
27
00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,880
When the mind falls silent, it
is able to receive the
28
00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:54,080
inspirations, intuitions,
insights from higher levels of
29
00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,320
consciousness that replace the
ordinary traffic that occurs
30
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,360
based on the energies associated
with mind, vital and body that
31
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,039
are the normal processes that
occupy the mental space, Sri
32
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:10,759
Robindo observes.
Quote.
33
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,680
If the difficulty in meditation
is that thoughts of all kinds
34
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,520
come in, that is not due to
hostile forces, but to the
35
00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,800
ordinary nature of the human
mind.
36
00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:28,160
All Sodaks have this difficulty,
and with many it lasts for a
37
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,440
very long time.
There are several ways of
38
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,840
getting rid of it.
One of them is to look at the
39
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,960
thoughts and observe what is the
nature of the human mind as they
40
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,360
show it, but not to give any
sanction and to let them run
41
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,560
down till they come to a
standstill.
42
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,600
This is a way recommended by
Vivekananda in his Raja Yoga.
43
00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,280
Another is to look at the
thoughts as not one's own, to
44
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,640
stand back as the witness
Purusha and refuse the sanction.
45
00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,200
The thoughts are regarded as
things coming from outside, from
46
00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,440
prakruti, and they must be felt
as if they were passers by,
47
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,320
crossing the mind space with
whom one has no connection and
48
00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,960
in whom 1 takes no interest.
In this way it usually happens
49
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:22,080
that after a time the mind
divides into two, a part of
50
00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,400
which is the mental witness,
watching and perfectly
51
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,920
undisturbed and quiet, and a
part which is the object of
52
00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:34,680
observation, the procrity part,
in which the thoughts cross or
53
00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,520
wander.
Afterwards one can proceed to
54
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,720
silence or quiet.
The procrity part also.
55
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,440
There is 1/3 an active method by
which one looks to see where the
56
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,520
thoughts come from and finds
they come not from oneself but
57
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:53,520
from outside the head as it
were.
58
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,200
If one can detect them coming,
then before they enter they have
59
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,560
to be thrown away altogether.
This is perhaps the most
60
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,880
difficult way, and not all can
do it, but if it can be done, it
61
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,680
is the shortest and most
powerful road to silence.
62
00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:17,720
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
63
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,720
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
40 to 41.
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,520
Bringing the mind to a state of
quiescence is essential for the
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:08,480
practice of meditation.
Once an individual is able to
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,720
achieve this state during
meditation, it is a next step to
4
00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,560
carry that silent mind into the
external life.
5
00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,160
People frequently ask how it is
possible to have a silent mind
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,200
at any time or under any
circumstances.
7
00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,120
They are used to looking at the
mind as a factory of thoughts,
8
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,200
and believe that the thoughts
are created and disseminated
9
00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,200
from there.
What they soon find out as they
10
00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,160
deepen the meditation practice
is that the mind is not a
11
00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:44,440
creator of thoughts, but a
receiving, transmitting device
12
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,880
that captures thought forms from
outside, processes them
13
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,960
internally and retransmits them,
possibly with some modification
14
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,680
or adjustment, but frequently
exactly as they were received.
15
00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,360
This insight makes the
attainment of the silent mind
16
00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,440
feasible and something the
seeker can accomplish through
17
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,240
systematic use of one of the
proven techniques.
18
00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:14,920
It should be noted that Swami
Vivekananda also provides
19
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,280
another clue that can be
extremely helpful for the
20
00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,040
seeker.
He points out that there is a
21
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,240
direct link between the breath
and the mental being.
22
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,800
By seizing control of the
breath, the seeker can readily
23
00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,640
prepare the mind for achieving a
quiet state.
24
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,800
That is then useful for
practising the more definitive
25
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,160
techniques described by Sri or
Ovindo, whose own experience of
26
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,360
the silent mind has been
described by him elsewhere.
27
00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,880
When the mind falls silent, it
is able to receive the
28
00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:54,080
inspirations, intuitions,
insights from higher levels of
29
00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,320
consciousness that replace the
ordinary traffic that occurs
30
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,360
based on the energies associated
with mind, vital and body that
31
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,039
are the normal processes that
occupy the mental space, Sri
32
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:10,759
Robindo observes.
Quote.
33
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,680
If the difficulty in meditation
is that thoughts of all kinds
34
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,520
come in, that is not due to
hostile forces, but to the
35
00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,800
ordinary nature of the human
mind.
36
00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:28,160
All Sodaks have this difficulty,
and with many it lasts for a
37
00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,440
very long time.
There are several ways of
38
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,840
getting rid of it.
One of them is to look at the
39
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,960
thoughts and observe what is the
nature of the human mind as they
40
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,360
show it, but not to give any
sanction and to let them run
41
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,560
down till they come to a
standstill.
42
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,600
This is a way recommended by
Vivekananda in his Raja Yoga.
43
00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,280
Another is to look at the
thoughts as not one's own, to
44
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,640
stand back as the witness
Purusha and refuse the sanction.
45
00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,200
The thoughts are regarded as
things coming from outside, from
46
00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,440
prakruti, and they must be felt
as if they were passers by,
47
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,320
crossing the mind space with
whom one has no connection and
48
00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,960
in whom 1 takes no interest.
In this way it usually happens
49
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:22,080
that after a time the mind
divides into two, a part of
50
00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,400
which is the mental witness,
watching and perfectly
51
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,920
undisturbed and quiet, and a
part which is the object of
52
00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:34,680
observation, the procrity part,
in which the thoughts cross or
53
00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,520
wander.
Afterwards one can proceed to
54
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,720
silence or quiet.
The procrity part also.
55
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,440
There is 1/3 an active method by
which one looks to see where the
56
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,520
thoughts come from and finds
they come not from oneself but
57
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:53,520
from outside the head as it
were.
58
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,200
If one can detect them coming,
then before they enter they have
59
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,560
to be thrown away altogether.
This is perhaps the most
60
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,880
difficult way, and not all can
do it, but if it can be done, it
61
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,680
is the shortest and most
powerful road to silence.
62
00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:17,720
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
63
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,720
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
40 to 41.
