Sept. 24, 2025
Observing and Bringing Peace and Silence to the Mind-Stuff
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pg. 7
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/22/observing-and-bringing-peace-and-silence-to-the-mind-stuff/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,440
Most people do not observe
closely the status of the mind
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,360
stuff as they focus on the
impulses or ripples of the mind
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,120
stuff.
The yogic practitioner has a
4
00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:15,320
unique position in that
observation of the mind stuff
5
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,040
and bringing it to a state of
quiet, focused receptivity is
6
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:24,600
essential for opening to and
integrating the spiritual force
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,760
into his mind, life, energy and
body.
8
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,840
This examination opens up an
enormous new process of review.
9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,720
Normally all sensations,
emotions, feelings, thoughts
10
00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,840
ripple through the mind stuff,
but there are also newer
11
00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,160
vehicles that add to this
complexity.
12
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,680
Ultra processed foods trigger an
addiction type response that
13
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,480
constantly bombards the mind
stuff with requests for more.
14
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,960
This is similar to the use of
addictive drugs.
15
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,000
Various hormones get released
under different conditions and
16
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,960
experiences and they too may
create not only ripples in the
17
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:10,440
mind stuff in the near term but
also a craving or addiction type
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,200
feeling that wants to repeat the
experience.
19
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,920
Intense excitement Adrenaline
addiction which craves repeated
20
00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,840
excitement or challenges.
Electronic equipment such as
21
00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,880
cellular phones, tablets,
computers, etcetera all set up a
22
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,880
vibratory pattern as also video
games, gambling addiction,
23
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,440
identifying with sports teams or
other collective actions can
24
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,120
build virtually a type of
buzzing experience in the mind
25
00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,680
stuff.
There can be an intense pressure
26
00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:50,120
internally to always be doing
something or being occupied in
27
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,120
some way.
People become addicted to their
28
00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,400
electronics or to background
noise, music blaring at all
29
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,440
times where they feel like they
must talk or otherwise occupy
30
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,920
themselves with something that
keeps the mind stuff vibrating.
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,400
Times of quiet and silence are
thus difficult to program into
32
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,560
the being and maintain with any
continuity.
33
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,440
The practitioner soon learns
that trying to observe and
34
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,600
manage the status of the mind
stuff is both an interesting and
35
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,840
intensely focused effort.
It is within this context of the
36
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,080
forces that work to create these
ripples or vibrations that the
37
00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,520
yogic process of working to
bring the mind stuff to a state
38
00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,440
of quiet, calm, silent strength
has to be seen and understood.
39
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,800
The culmination does not come
immediately.
40
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,760
There are thus stages of the
process as the practitioner goes
41
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,280
even further.
The observer of the mind stuff.
42
00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,040
Chitta can understand the
progress by reviewing the
43
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,760
qualities of each step as Srioro
Bindo points out.
44
00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:10,520
Srioro Bindo notes quote the
words peace, calm, quiet,
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,640
silence have each their own
shade of meaning, but it is not
46
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:23,480
easy to define them.
Peace shanti, calm sterata
47
00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:31,240
quiet, achanchalata, silence
nishchala niravata.
48
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,440
Quiet is a condition in which
there is no restlessness or
49
00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:41,600
disturbance.
Calm is a still unmoved
50
00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,840
condition which no disturbance
can affect.
51
00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,560
It is less negative condition
than quiet.
52
00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,040
Peace is a still more positive
condition.
53
00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,200
It carries with it a sense of
settled and harmonious rest and
54
00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,800
deliverance.
Silence is a state in which
55
00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:06,640
either there is no movement of
the mind or vital, or else a
56
00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,880
great stillness which no surface
movement can Pierce or alter.
57
00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:18,000
End Quote.
Reference Fioro window Bases of
58
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,600
Yoga, Chapter 1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
59
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:23,040
7.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,440
Most people do not observe
closely the status of the mind
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,360
stuff as they focus on the
impulses or ripples of the mind
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,120
stuff.
The yogic practitioner has a
4
00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:15,320
unique position in that
observation of the mind stuff
5
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,040
and bringing it to a state of
quiet, focused receptivity is
6
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:24,600
essential for opening to and
integrating the spiritual force
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,760
into his mind, life, energy and
body.
8
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,840
This examination opens up an
enormous new process of review.
9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,720
Normally all sensations,
emotions, feelings, thoughts
10
00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,840
ripple through the mind stuff,
but there are also newer
11
00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,160
vehicles that add to this
complexity.
12
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,680
Ultra processed foods trigger an
addiction type response that
13
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,480
constantly bombards the mind
stuff with requests for more.
14
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,960
This is similar to the use of
addictive drugs.
15
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,000
Various hormones get released
under different conditions and
16
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,960
experiences and they too may
create not only ripples in the
17
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:10,440
mind stuff in the near term but
also a craving or addiction type
18
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,200
feeling that wants to repeat the
experience.
19
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,920
Intense excitement Adrenaline
addiction which craves repeated
20
00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,840
excitement or challenges.
Electronic equipment such as
21
00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,880
cellular phones, tablets,
computers, etcetera all set up a
22
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,880
vibratory pattern as also video
games, gambling addiction,
23
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,440
identifying with sports teams or
other collective actions can
24
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,120
build virtually a type of
buzzing experience in the mind
25
00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,680
stuff.
There can be an intense pressure
26
00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:50,120
internally to always be doing
something or being occupied in
27
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,120
some way.
People become addicted to their
28
00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,400
electronics or to background
noise, music blaring at all
29
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,440
times where they feel like they
must talk or otherwise occupy
30
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,920
themselves with something that
keeps the mind stuff vibrating.
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,400
Times of quiet and silence are
thus difficult to program into
32
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,560
the being and maintain with any
continuity.
33
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,440
The practitioner soon learns
that trying to observe and
34
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,600
manage the status of the mind
stuff is both an interesting and
35
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,840
intensely focused effort.
It is within this context of the
36
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,080
forces that work to create these
ripples or vibrations that the
37
00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,520
yogic process of working to
bring the mind stuff to a state
38
00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,440
of quiet, calm, silent strength
has to be seen and understood.
39
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,800
The culmination does not come
immediately.
40
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,760
There are thus stages of the
process as the practitioner goes
41
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,280
even further.
The observer of the mind stuff.
42
00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,040
Chitta can understand the
progress by reviewing the
43
00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,760
qualities of each step as Srioro
Bindo points out.
44
00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:10,520
Srioro Bindo notes quote the
words peace, calm, quiet,
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,640
silence have each their own
shade of meaning, but it is not
46
00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:23,480
easy to define them.
Peace shanti, calm sterata
47
00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:31,240
quiet, achanchalata, silence
nishchala niravata.
48
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,440
Quiet is a condition in which
there is no restlessness or
49
00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:41,600
disturbance.
Calm is a still unmoved
50
00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,840
condition which no disturbance
can affect.
51
00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,560
It is less negative condition
than quiet.
52
00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,040
Peace is a still more positive
condition.
53
00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,200
It carries with it a sense of
settled and harmonious rest and
54
00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,800
deliverance.
Silence is a state in which
55
00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:06,640
either there is no movement of
the mind or vital, or else a
56
00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,880
great stillness which no surface
movement can Pierce or alter.
57
00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:18,000
End Quote.
Reference Fioro window Bases of
58
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,600
Yoga, Chapter 1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
59
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:23,040
7.
