Oct. 18, 2024
Mindfulness, Conscious Attention and the Harmonious Development of the Body
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter V Will-Power, pp. 52-53 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/10/15/mindfulness-conscious-attention-and-the-harmonious-development-of-the-body/
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
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,360
There is a discipline that asks
an individual to focus on
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,440
conscious attention to each
thought, each emotion and each
3
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,240
movement he makes through a
process called mindfulness.
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,800
This is intended primarily to
centre the individual's mind and
5
00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,960
attention and focus the person
on the present moment, rather
6
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,120
than having the mind jumping in
all different directions.
7
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:29,200
The process, however, can also
be utilized proactively as part
8
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,080
of a development of physical
culture, the use of conscious
9
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,400
attention to strengthen the
physical being and bring its
10
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,720
activity into a harmonious and
consistent movement.
11
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,200
There is in fact, a considerable
discipline, including the use of
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,920
such techniques for helping
children become conscious of and
13
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,280
develop their physical nature
and indeed their entire vital
14
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,400
emotional and mental being in a
positive way.
15
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,720
Dr. Becky Bailey developed a
systematic methodology that she
16
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,760
teaches called the Conscious
Discipline Methodology.
17
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,360
While the technique was
originally developed for use in
18
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,520
the classroom, it has expanded
over the last several decades
19
00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,320
into a comprehensive program
that supports childhood
20
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,720
education, using evidence from
study in developmental
21
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,840
psychology and in brain science
research.
22
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,080
It is clear from the evidence
that harnessing the power of the
23
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,800
mind to consciously carry out
the body's activities can lead
24
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,280
to more complete, more powerful,
and more harmonious development
25
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,840
than the normal, mostly
unconscious actions that
26
00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,800
dominate our daily lives, the
mother observes.
27
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:49,720
Quote, but you only have to try
it, you will understand very
28
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,480
well what I mean.
For instance, all the movements
29
00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:59,000
you make when dressing, taking
your bath, tidying your room, no
30
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,200
matter what, make them
consciously with the will that
31
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,480
this muscle should work.
That muscle should work.
32
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,320
You will see.
You will obtain really amazing
33
00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,160
results going up and down
stairs.
34
00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:17,680
You cannot imagine how useful
that can be from the point of
35
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,440
view of physical culture, if you
know how to make use of it.
36
00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,080
Instead of going up because you
are going up and coming down
37
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,760
because you are coming down like
any ordinary man, you go up with
38
00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,360
the consciousness of all the
muscles which are working and of
39
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,520
making them work harmoniously.
You will see.
40
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,320
Just try a little.
You will see this means that you
41
00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,120
can use all the movements of
your life for a harmonious
42
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,360
development of your body.
You bend down to pick something
43
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,960
up.
You stretch up to find something
44
00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,200
right at the top of a cupboard.
You open a door, you close it.
45
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:00,560
You have to go round an
obstacle.
46
00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,400
There are 101 things you do
constantly and which you can
47
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,560
make use of for your physical
culture, and which will
48
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,400
demonstrate to you that it is
the consciousness you put into
49
00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,720
it which produces the effect 100
times more than just the
50
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:23,160
material fact of doing it.
So you choose the method you
51
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,520
like best.
But you can use the whole of
52
00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:31,480
your daily life in this way, to
think constantly of the harmony
53
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,800
of the body, of the beauty of
the movements, of not doing
54
00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,360
anything that is ungraceful and
awkward.
55
00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,160
You can obtain a rhythm of
movement and gesture which is
56
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,000
very exceptional.
End Quote.
57
00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:52,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
58
00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,600
Willpower, pages 52 to 53.
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,360
There is a discipline that asks
an individual to focus on
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,440
conscious attention to each
thought, each emotion and each
3
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,240
movement he makes through a
process called mindfulness.
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,800
This is intended primarily to
centre the individual's mind and
5
00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,960
attention and focus the person
on the present moment, rather
6
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,120
than having the mind jumping in
all different directions.
7
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:29,200
The process, however, can also
be utilized proactively as part
8
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,080
of a development of physical
culture, the use of conscious
9
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,400
attention to strengthen the
physical being and bring its
10
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,720
activity into a harmonious and
consistent movement.
11
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,200
There is in fact, a considerable
discipline, including the use of
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,920
such techniques for helping
children become conscious of and
13
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,280
develop their physical nature
and indeed their entire vital
14
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,400
emotional and mental being in a
positive way.
15
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,720
Dr. Becky Bailey developed a
systematic methodology that she
16
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,760
teaches called the Conscious
Discipline Methodology.
17
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,360
While the technique was
originally developed for use in
18
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,520
the classroom, it has expanded
over the last several decades
19
00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,320
into a comprehensive program
that supports childhood
20
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,720
education, using evidence from
study in developmental
21
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,840
psychology and in brain science
research.
22
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,080
It is clear from the evidence
that harnessing the power of the
23
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,800
mind to consciously carry out
the body's activities can lead
24
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,280
to more complete, more powerful,
and more harmonious development
25
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,840
than the normal, mostly
unconscious actions that
26
00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,800
dominate our daily lives, the
mother observes.
27
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:49,720
Quote, but you only have to try
it, you will understand very
28
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,480
well what I mean.
For instance, all the movements
29
00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:59,000
you make when dressing, taking
your bath, tidying your room, no
30
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,200
matter what, make them
consciously with the will that
31
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,480
this muscle should work.
That muscle should work.
32
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,320
You will see.
You will obtain really amazing
33
00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,160
results going up and down
stairs.
34
00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:17,680
You cannot imagine how useful
that can be from the point of
35
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,440
view of physical culture, if you
know how to make use of it.
36
00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,080
Instead of going up because you
are going up and coming down
37
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,760
because you are coming down like
any ordinary man, you go up with
38
00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,360
the consciousness of all the
muscles which are working and of
39
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,520
making them work harmoniously.
You will see.
40
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,320
Just try a little.
You will see this means that you
41
00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,120
can use all the movements of
your life for a harmonious
42
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,360
development of your body.
You bend down to pick something
43
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,960
up.
You stretch up to find something
44
00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,200
right at the top of a cupboard.
You open a door, you close it.
45
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:00,560
You have to go round an
obstacle.
46
00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,400
There are 101 things you do
constantly and which you can
47
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,560
make use of for your physical
culture, and which will
48
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,400
demonstrate to you that it is
the consciousness you put into
49
00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,720
it which produces the effect 100
times more than just the
50
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:23,160
material fact of doing it.
So you choose the method you
51
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,520
like best.
But you can use the whole of
52
00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:31,480
your daily life in this way, to
think constantly of the harmony
53
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,800
of the body, of the beauty of
the movements, of not doing
54
00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,360
anything that is ungraceful and
awkward.
55
00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,160
You can obtain a rhythm of
movement and gesture which is
56
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,000
very exceptional.
End Quote.
57
00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:52,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
58
00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,600
Willpower, pages 52 to 53.