June 1, 2024
Occult Forces: Their Development and Proper Use
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 5 Occult Forces, pp 101-102 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/05/29/occult-forces-their-development-and-proper-use/
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
00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,600
When a scientist studies the
physical properties of matter
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,320
and energy and thereby creates
an invention, they can do things
3
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,880
such as communicate voice or
sound wirelessly across the
4
00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,560
world, or predict general
weather patterns, or develop
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,680
pharmaceutical drugs or vaccines
that can cure, mitigate or
6
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,120
prevent serious diseases.
We seem to take these things for
7
00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,240
granted.
If we reflect for a moment,
8
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,520
however, it soon becomes obvious
that the discoverers or
9
00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,880
developers of these miraculous
things, from our everyday
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:44,280
standpoint, was able to explore
occult forces and relationships
11
00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,680
and learn how to harness them.
It should not be surprising,
12
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,120
therefore, to consider that
there are other powers,
13
00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:59,040
material, vital or mental, which
remain as yet unexplored and
14
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,600
unused.
There's a good deal of
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,760
scepticism surrounding the
discovery and use of occult
16
00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,400
powers.
Part of this is due to inability
17
00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,920
to see or directly experience
the action of these forces.
18
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,560
Part of this is due to
misleading attempts to take
19
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,320
advantage of gullibility by
proclaiming things that are not
20
00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:22,640
actual in order to obtain an
advantage.
21
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,040
Part of this is due to fear of
the unknown.
22
00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,120
It must be noted that many
people are skeptical about the
23
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,120
advances of science as well,
despite the evidence that is
24
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,000
available to them of the
functionality of the very
25
00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,160
scientific advances they are
unsure about.
26
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,320
Whatever the cause of the
skepticism, it behooves us to
27
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,000
appreciate that occultism, to
the extent that it takes up the
28
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,240
exploration and integration of
powers of mind, powers of vital
29
00:01:55,240 --> 00:02:00,560
force, or material powers, is
part of the methodology of human
30
00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,920
advancement and has been
throughout human history.
31
00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,160
One of the issues with respect
to vital or mental forces on an
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,120
occult level is that while
material research is able to be
33
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,400
validated through
reproducibility of results by
34
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,680
different researchers following
the exact same protocol, this is
35
00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,800
not realistic when it comes to
powers that depend on the inner
36
00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,240
development and level of
receptivity of each individual.
37
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,680
There is also the potential
influx of desire, ambition or
38
00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,680
greed that can skew the results
claimed.
39
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,160
Thus, a certain amount of care
must be exercised when
40
00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,600
evaluating claims of occult
powers to ensure that they are
41
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,360
real and actual, while still
appreciating the necessarily
42
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,280
subjective level of experience
that is involved.
43
00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,760
Those powers that can be seen to
have an external and measurable
44
00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:03,320
effect canmore easily be
validated than those that are
45
00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,360
less palpable to the external
senses.
46
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,000
It is interesting to note that
many powers considered to be a
47
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,280
cult have actually been taken
quite seriously by various
48
00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,440
military services such as the
Russian and the American
49
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,560
military.
They practice things like remote
50
00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,200
viewing quite seriously and have
indeed shown results.
51
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,160
It is not just the military,
however, that is exploring the
52
00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,800
use of direct mental power.
Medical science is creating
53
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,360
opportunities for individuals
who are physically paralyzed to
54
00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,920
operate computers or prosthetic
limbs through the power of
55
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,480
thought.
Clearly, the reality of mental
56
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,960
powers being able to impact the
external world is now being
57
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,960
recognized to an ever greater
degree.
58
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,680
Spiritual aspirants have
regularly been advised about the
59
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,720
development of occult powers
through various methods of
60
00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:08,400
concentration, pranayam, the
power of visualization, or
61
00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,800
through other means as the
spiritual practices develop.
62
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,680
Swami Vivekananda, for example,
described the development of
63
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,880
occult powers as a consequence
of the practice of the Raja Yoga
64
00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,520
as outlined by Patanjali.
For the most part, seekers have
65
00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:30,520
been advised to renounce the use
of such powers, as they tend to
66
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,680
distract from the spiritual
focus, which for most paths
67
00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,280
involve liberation from the life
in the world.
68
00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,720
At the same time, some paths
acknowledge the reality of these
69
00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:47,720
powers and work to organize,
enhance, and utilize them as
70
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,240
part of the integration and
development of all powers of
71
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:56,840
body, life, and mind, but in a
balanced manner and subservient
72
00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,680
to the spiritual aims.
The development of heretofore
73
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,560
unused powers of body, life, and
mind is part of the evolutionary
74
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,600
process.
The challenge then is to accept
75
00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,800
the development of these forces,
but at the same time to make a
76
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,840
proper, harmonious and balanced
use of them to further the
77
00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:21,200
Divine intention in the
manifestation.
78
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,600
There may be times when a focus
on spiritual development
79
00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,840
requires an intensive 1 pointed
concentration without the
80
00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:34,280
distraction of the outer world,
its demands and the development
81
00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:36,080
of powers appropriate to the
world.
82
00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,200
But such periods do not solve
the deeper significance that
83
00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:46,720
harmonizes the material world
with the spiritual world as one
84
00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,720
omnipresent reality, Sriorubindo
writes.
85
00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:57,200
Quote Occultism is associated in
popular idea with magic and
86
00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,160
magical formulae and a supposed
mechanism of the supernatural.
87
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,280
But this is only one side, Nor
is it altogether a superstition,
88
00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:12,400
as it vainly imagined by those
who have not looked deeply or at
89
00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,560
all at this covert side of
secret nature force or
90
00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:21,000
experimented with its
possibilities formulas in their
91
00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,720
application.
A mechanization of latent forces
92
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,000
can be astonishingly effective
in the occult use of mind power
93
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,160
and life power, just as it is in
physical science.
94
00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,280
But this is only a subordinate
method and a limited direction,
95
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,280
For mind and life forces are
plastic, subtle and variable in
96
00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:47,120
their action and if not the
material rigidity.
97
00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,160
They need a subtle and plastic
intuition in the knowledge of
98
00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:56,160
them, in the interpretation of
their action and process, and in
99
00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,360
their application even in the
interpretation and action of
100
00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:05,000
their established formulas.
And overstress on mechanization
101
00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,760
and rigid formulation is likely
to result in sterilization or
102
00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,720
formalize limitation of
knowledge, and on the pragmatic
103
00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:19,560
side, to much error, ignorant
convention, misuse and failure.
104
00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,040
Now that we are outgrowing the
superstition of the sole truth
105
00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:28,120
of matter, a swing backward
towards the old occultism.
106
00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,680
And to.
New formulations as well as to a
107
00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,600
scientific investigation.
Of the.
108
00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:38,200
Still, hidden secrets and powers
of mind and a close study of
109
00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,840
psychic and abnormal or
supernormal psychological
110
00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:48,640
phenomena is possible and in
parts already visible, but if it
111
00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,920
is to fulfill itself the true
foundation.
112
00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:53,760
The true aim and.
Direction.
113
00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,560
The necessary restrictions and
precautions of this line of
114
00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,520
inquiry have to be rediscovered
its most.
115
00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,960
Important.
AIM must be the discovery of the
116
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,920
hidden truths and powers of the
Mind Force.
117
00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,880
And the life power and the
greater forces of the concealed
118
00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,560
spirit.
Occult science is essentially
119
00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:20,000
the science of the subliminal,
the subliminal in ourselves and
120
00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,600
the subliminal in world nature,
and of all that is in connection
121
00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,600
with the subliminal, including
the subconscient and the
122
00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:34,240
superconscient, and the use of
it as part of self knowledge and
123
00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,520
world knowledge and for the
right dynamization of that
124
00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,600
knowledge.
End Quote.
125
00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,680
Reference Shrioro Bindu and the
Mother The Hidden Forces of Life
126
00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:51,240
Chapter 5 Occult Forces pages
one O 1 to one O 2.
00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,600
When a scientist studies the
physical properties of matter
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,320
and energy and thereby creates
an invention, they can do things
3
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,880
such as communicate voice or
sound wirelessly across the
4
00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,560
world, or predict general
weather patterns, or develop
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,680
pharmaceutical drugs or vaccines
that can cure, mitigate or
6
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,120
prevent serious diseases.
We seem to take these things for
7
00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,240
granted.
If we reflect for a moment,
8
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,520
however, it soon becomes obvious
that the discoverers or
9
00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,880
developers of these miraculous
things, from our everyday
10
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:44,280
standpoint, was able to explore
occult forces and relationships
11
00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,680
and learn how to harness them.
It should not be surprising,
12
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,120
therefore, to consider that
there are other powers,
13
00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:59,040
material, vital or mental, which
remain as yet unexplored and
14
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,600
unused.
There's a good deal of
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,760
scepticism surrounding the
discovery and use of occult
16
00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,400
powers.
Part of this is due to inability
17
00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,920
to see or directly experience
the action of these forces.
18
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,560
Part of this is due to
misleading attempts to take
19
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,320
advantage of gullibility by
proclaiming things that are not
20
00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:22,640
actual in order to obtain an
advantage.
21
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,040
Part of this is due to fear of
the unknown.
22
00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,120
It must be noted that many
people are skeptical about the
23
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,120
advances of science as well,
despite the evidence that is
24
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,000
available to them of the
functionality of the very
25
00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,160
scientific advances they are
unsure about.
26
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,320
Whatever the cause of the
skepticism, it behooves us to
27
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,000
appreciate that occultism, to
the extent that it takes up the
28
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,240
exploration and integration of
powers of mind, powers of vital
29
00:01:55,240 --> 00:02:00,560
force, or material powers, is
part of the methodology of human
30
00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,920
advancement and has been
throughout human history.
31
00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,160
One of the issues with respect
to vital or mental forces on an
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,120
occult level is that while
material research is able to be
33
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,400
validated through
reproducibility of results by
34
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,680
different researchers following
the exact same protocol, this is
35
00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,800
not realistic when it comes to
powers that depend on the inner
36
00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,240
development and level of
receptivity of each individual.
37
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,680
There is also the potential
influx of desire, ambition or
38
00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,680
greed that can skew the results
claimed.
39
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,160
Thus, a certain amount of care
must be exercised when
40
00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,600
evaluating claims of occult
powers to ensure that they are
41
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,360
real and actual, while still
appreciating the necessarily
42
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,280
subjective level of experience
that is involved.
43
00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,760
Those powers that can be seen to
have an external and measurable
44
00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:03,320
effect canmore easily be
validated than those that are
45
00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,360
less palpable to the external
senses.
46
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,000
It is interesting to note that
many powers considered to be a
47
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,280
cult have actually been taken
quite seriously by various
48
00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,440
military services such as the
Russian and the American
49
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,560
military.
They practice things like remote
50
00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,200
viewing quite seriously and have
indeed shown results.
51
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,160
It is not just the military,
however, that is exploring the
52
00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,800
use of direct mental power.
Medical science is creating
53
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,360
opportunities for individuals
who are physically paralyzed to
54
00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,920
operate computers or prosthetic
limbs through the power of
55
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,480
thought.
Clearly, the reality of mental
56
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,960
powers being able to impact the
external world is now being
57
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,960
recognized to an ever greater
degree.
58
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,680
Spiritual aspirants have
regularly been advised about the
59
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,720
development of occult powers
through various methods of
60
00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:08,400
concentration, pranayam, the
power of visualization, or
61
00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,800
through other means as the
spiritual practices develop.
62
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,680
Swami Vivekananda, for example,
described the development of
63
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,880
occult powers as a consequence
of the practice of the Raja Yoga
64
00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,520
as outlined by Patanjali.
For the most part, seekers have
65
00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:30,520
been advised to renounce the use
of such powers, as they tend to
66
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,680
distract from the spiritual
focus, which for most paths
67
00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,280
involve liberation from the life
in the world.
68
00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,720
At the same time, some paths
acknowledge the reality of these
69
00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:47,720
powers and work to organize,
enhance, and utilize them as
70
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,240
part of the integration and
development of all powers of
71
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:56,840
body, life, and mind, but in a
balanced manner and subservient
72
00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,680
to the spiritual aims.
The development of heretofore
73
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,560
unused powers of body, life, and
mind is part of the evolutionary
74
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,600
process.
The challenge then is to accept
75
00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,800
the development of these forces,
but at the same time to make a
76
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,840
proper, harmonious and balanced
use of them to further the
77
00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:21,200
Divine intention in the
manifestation.
78
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,600
There may be times when a focus
on spiritual development
79
00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,840
requires an intensive 1 pointed
concentration without the
80
00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:34,280
distraction of the outer world,
its demands and the development
81
00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:36,080
of powers appropriate to the
world.
82
00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,200
But such periods do not solve
the deeper significance that
83
00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:46,720
harmonizes the material world
with the spiritual world as one
84
00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,720
omnipresent reality, Sriorubindo
writes.
85
00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:57,200
Quote Occultism is associated in
popular idea with magic and
86
00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,160
magical formulae and a supposed
mechanism of the supernatural.
87
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,280
But this is only one side, Nor
is it altogether a superstition,
88
00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:12,400
as it vainly imagined by those
who have not looked deeply or at
89
00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,560
all at this covert side of
secret nature force or
90
00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:21,000
experimented with its
possibilities formulas in their
91
00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,720
application.
A mechanization of latent forces
92
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,000
can be astonishingly effective
in the occult use of mind power
93
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,160
and life power, just as it is in
physical science.
94
00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,280
But this is only a subordinate
method and a limited direction,
95
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,280
For mind and life forces are
plastic, subtle and variable in
96
00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:47,120
their action and if not the
material rigidity.
97
00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,160
They need a subtle and plastic
intuition in the knowledge of
98
00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:56,160
them, in the interpretation of
their action and process, and in
99
00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,360
their application even in the
interpretation and action of
100
00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:05,000
their established formulas.
And overstress on mechanization
101
00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,760
and rigid formulation is likely
to result in sterilization or
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formalize limitation of
knowledge, and on the pragmatic
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side, to much error, ignorant
convention, misuse and failure.
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00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,040
Now that we are outgrowing the
superstition of the sole truth
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of matter, a swing backward
towards the old occultism.
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And to.
New formulations as well as to a
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scientific investigation.
Of the.
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Still, hidden secrets and powers
of mind and a close study of
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psychic and abnormal or
supernormal psychological
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phenomena is possible and in
parts already visible, but if it
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is to fulfill itself the true
foundation.
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The true aim and.
Direction.
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The necessary restrictions and
precautions of this line of
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inquiry have to be rediscovered
its most.
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Important.
AIM must be the discovery of the
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hidden truths and powers of the
Mind Force.
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And the life power and the
greater forces of the concealed
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spirit.
Occult science is essentially
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the science of the subliminal,
the subliminal in ourselves and
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the subliminal in world nature,
and of all that is in connection
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with the subliminal, including
the subconscient and the
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superconscient, and the use of
it as part of self knowledge and
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world knowledge and for the
right dynamization of that
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knowledge.
End Quote.
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Reference Shrioro Bindu and the
Mother The Hidden Forces of Life
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Chapter 5 Occult Forces pages
one O 1 to one O 2.