Oct. 15, 2025
Necessary Conditions for the Transformation of the Physical Body
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pp. 19-20This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/necessary-conditions-for-the-transformation-of-the-physical-body/
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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
1
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,200
When the body experiences an
influx of energy from whatever
2
00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:10,120
source, it frequently finds that
it cannot hold that energy and
3
00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,400
must find a release for it.
This may be expressed as some
4
00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,480
form of twitching or moving of
the limbs, nervous drumming with
5
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,440
the fingers, uncontrolled
activity of the facial muscles
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,280
or an urge to get up and do
something, or in some cases
7
00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,960
expression of an ecstatic
dancing.
8
00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,480
In some people this turns into a
type of restlessness and they
9
00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:39,120
undertake physical labor or
challenge the body through
10
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,360
extreme sports or dissipate the
energy in sex or other forms of
11
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,440
physical release.
If they cannot hold the energy,
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,920
they may also resort to use of
alcohol, drugs such as sedatives
13
00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,680
or sleeping aids, or dissipating
enervating activities to shunt
14
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,480
off the excess energy or at
least temporarily overpower its
15
00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,800
action in the body.
The challenge for the yogic
16
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,680
practitioner is to develop the
power to receive, accumulate and
17
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,600
hold the force as it descends
and enters the mind, life
18
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,960
energy, nervous system and the
physical body.
19
00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,960
The more this power to hold the
force is developed, the greater
20
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,640
the power that can be channelled
and utilized effectively.
21
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,000
The developments associated with
Hatha Yoga are, for example, one
22
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,960
method that can be utilized to
train the body to hold more
23
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,760
energy with a dynamic poise and
control.
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:47,120
Pranayam utilizes techniques to
purify and strengthen the nerve
25
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,320
channels.
Raja Yoga works to bring
26
00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,240
calmness and a force of
stillness to the mind.
27
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,720
Each of these techniques can be
part of a training action
28
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,800
undertaken to expand the
receiving and holding power for
29
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,600
the higher energies.
Although it must be noted that
30
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,479
there are other methods that can
be equally or even more
31
00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:13,520
effective without the time and
effort needed to perfect the
32
00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,120
practice of Hatha yoga or
pranayam, for instance.
33
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,280
This can be done by a conscious
opening of the psychic
34
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,320
aspiration and consecration to
the higher force as it descends,
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,240
which can then allow that force
to work and modify the body,
36
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,800
life, energy and mind to meet
its requirements.
37
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,800
Practitioners who successfully
undertake this approach
38
00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:44,000
frequently report a sense of
wideness in their awareness far
39
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,200
exceeding the normal restriction
of active awareness to the
40
00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:51,480
limits of the physical body or
its immediate vital envelope.
41
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,560
The Vedic Rishis describe their
experience of the action of the
42
00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:02,320
Force through the expression
Satyam, Rutam, Brihat, the
43
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:07,880
Truth, the Right, the vast.
The more the consciousness is
44
00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:12,720
able to exceed its limits and
bounds of the physical body, the
45
00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,080
greater the experience of the
vastness that is unbounded
46
00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,400
condition of the Universal
Creation.
47
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,800
In their presence the atmosphere
was calm, still and immensely
48
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,440
powerful.
Sri Orovindo was recognized to
49
00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,080
have created such a presence
around himself.
50
00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,920
The experience was palpable for
those who came within the range
51
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,960
of his physical presence.
The Mother indicated that when
52
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,080
she approached Pondicherry, she
experienced Srioro Bindo's
53
00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,320
presence some 2 miles from
shore.
54
00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,720
The peace that radiated from his
being was experienced as solid
55
00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,960
and pervasive by those who
reported on their interactions
56
00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,960
with Him.
Srioro Bindo notes quote
57
00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,080
Wideness and calmness are the
foundation of the yogic
58
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,800
consciousness and the best
condition for inner growth and
59
00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,120
experience.
If a wide column can be
60
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,160
established in the physical
consciousness, occupying and
61
00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,560
filling the very body and all
its cells, that can become the
62
00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:26,840
basis for its transformation.
In fact, without this wideness
63
00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:30,800
and calmness, the transformation
is hardly possible.
64
00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:39,280
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm,
65
00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:42,160
Peace and Equality, pages 19 to
20.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,200
When the body experiences an
influx of energy from whatever
2
00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:10,120
source, it frequently finds that
it cannot hold that energy and
3
00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,400
must find a release for it.
This may be expressed as some
4
00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,480
form of twitching or moving of
the limbs, nervous drumming with
5
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,440
the fingers, uncontrolled
activity of the facial muscles
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,280
or an urge to get up and do
something, or in some cases
7
00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,960
expression of an ecstatic
dancing.
8
00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,480
In some people this turns into a
type of restlessness and they
9
00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:39,120
undertake physical labor or
challenge the body through
10
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,360
extreme sports or dissipate the
energy in sex or other forms of
11
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,440
physical release.
If they cannot hold the energy,
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,920
they may also resort to use of
alcohol, drugs such as sedatives
13
00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,680
or sleeping aids, or dissipating
enervating activities to shunt
14
00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,480
off the excess energy or at
least temporarily overpower its
15
00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,800
action in the body.
The challenge for the yogic
16
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,680
practitioner is to develop the
power to receive, accumulate and
17
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,600
hold the force as it descends
and enters the mind, life
18
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,960
energy, nervous system and the
physical body.
19
00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,960
The more this power to hold the
force is developed, the greater
20
00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,640
the power that can be channelled
and utilized effectively.
21
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,000
The developments associated with
Hatha Yoga are, for example, one
22
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,960
method that can be utilized to
train the body to hold more
23
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,760
energy with a dynamic poise and
control.
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:47,120
Pranayam utilizes techniques to
purify and strengthen the nerve
25
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,320
channels.
Raja Yoga works to bring
26
00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,240
calmness and a force of
stillness to the mind.
27
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,720
Each of these techniques can be
part of a training action
28
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,800
undertaken to expand the
receiving and holding power for
29
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,600
the higher energies.
Although it must be noted that
30
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,479
there are other methods that can
be equally or even more
31
00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:13,520
effective without the time and
effort needed to perfect the
32
00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,120
practice of Hatha yoga or
pranayam, for instance.
33
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,280
This can be done by a conscious
opening of the psychic
34
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,320
aspiration and consecration to
the higher force as it descends,
35
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,240
which can then allow that force
to work and modify the body,
36
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,800
life, energy and mind to meet
its requirements.
37
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,800
Practitioners who successfully
undertake this approach
38
00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:44,000
frequently report a sense of
wideness in their awareness far
39
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,200
exceeding the normal restriction
of active awareness to the
40
00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:51,480
limits of the physical body or
its immediate vital envelope.
41
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,560
The Vedic Rishis describe their
experience of the action of the
42
00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:02,320
Force through the expression
Satyam, Rutam, Brihat, the
43
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:07,880
Truth, the Right, the vast.
The more the consciousness is
44
00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:12,720
able to exceed its limits and
bounds of the physical body, the
45
00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,080
greater the experience of the
vastness that is unbounded
46
00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,400
condition of the Universal
Creation.
47
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,800
In their presence the atmosphere
was calm, still and immensely
48
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,440
powerful.
Sri Orovindo was recognized to
49
00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,080
have created such a presence
around himself.
50
00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,920
The experience was palpable for
those who came within the range
51
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,960
of his physical presence.
The Mother indicated that when
52
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,080
she approached Pondicherry, she
experienced Srioro Bindo's
53
00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,320
presence some 2 miles from
shore.
54
00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,720
The peace that radiated from his
being was experienced as solid
55
00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,960
and pervasive by those who
reported on their interactions
56
00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,960
with Him.
Srioro Bindo notes quote
57
00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,080
Wideness and calmness are the
foundation of the yogic
58
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,800
consciousness and the best
condition for inner growth and
59
00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,120
experience.
If a wide column can be
60
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,160
established in the physical
consciousness, occupying and
61
00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,560
filling the very body and all
its cells, that can become the
62
00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:26,840
basis for its transformation.
In fact, without this wideness
63
00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:30,800
and calmness, the transformation
is hardly possible.
64
00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:39,280
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm,
65
00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:42,160
Peace and Equality, pages 19 to
20.
