Feb. 27, 2025
One's Attitude to Events Affects the Impact of the Event
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 1, Looking at Life and Circumstances, pp. 4-5
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/25/ones-attitude-to-events-affects-the-impact-of-the-event/
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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,040
We tend to evaluate events or
circumstances based on their
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,640
relation to our personal
identification with the external
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,360
ego personality and our
prevalent idea about ourselves
4
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:18,440
at that point in time.
In retrospect, we frequently
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,040
find that those things which we
considered to be bad were
6
00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,640
actually the starting point of
an entirely new development,
7
00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:30,280
which turned out to be far
better than what we anticipated
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,400
at the time of the bad event
that interfered with our
9
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,240
preconceived notions.
For example, there was the case
10
00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,000
of a college student who
excelled at his studies and had
11
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,720
career goals in his mind.
At a certain point, he had a
12
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:50,640
near death experience, and after
that he recognized that the
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,960
entire college career was
actually wasting his time.
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,880
He left college, began a
spiritual quest, and found
15
00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,240
fulfillment in the integration
of that spiritual purpose into
16
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,760
his life.
In retrospect, he reported that
17
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,280
the circumstances that disrupted
his plans was not a bad thing,
18
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,080
but a good thing.
Another example was related in
19
00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,880
the book called To Heal.
A particular young woman in
20
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,200
Africa had ideas about the
direction her career and life
21
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,200
should go.
She kept having obstacles
22
00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,960
showing up in her way, whether
disappointments in her career
23
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:33,240
development or health issues
that kept arising.
24
00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,080
She eventually consulted an
experienced healer who advised
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,920
her that all these problems
would disappear if she took up
26
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,480
her true calling of being a
shamanic healer.
27
00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,600
Eventually she heeded that
advice and found out that in
28
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,000
fact, what she thought was bad
luck earlier in her life as to
29
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,200
career and health, turned out to
be the start of the change in
30
00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,880
focus and new avenues of
fulfillment she found once she
31
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,840
made the transition.
Paramount's Yogananda told the
32
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,400
story of a person he met who was
practising a yogic discipline
33
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:17,080
and did not eat solid food.
She was vigorous, alert and
34
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,280
focused on her practice.
She did not consider herself to
35
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,360
be starving.
Another person not having solid
36
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,120
food might be suffering
starvation, and yet another
37
00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,280
could be practising the
restriction as part of either a
38
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,120
short term practice of fasting
or a longer term attempt to lose
39
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,760
weight through dieting.
In each case, the individual is
40
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,840
not eating solid food, but their
interpretation and their results
41
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,080
are vastly different.
Quantum mechanics illustrates
42
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,120
for us the fact that one is not
simply a victim of events, but
43
00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,880
that as a participant observer,
one also influences the outcome
44
00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,480
of events.
This provides an area for
45
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,920
fruitful contemplation about how
we can gain mastery in our
46
00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:14,320
lives, as opposed to simply
becoming the victim of whatever
47
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,880
happens to be taking place.
Of course, in some events that
48
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,720
are on the world scale, the
event itself will still take
49
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,520
place, but the individual
response to it may find a
50
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,400
different interpretation and a
different value than what others
51
00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,360
may experience.
One person's solid poise and
52
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,440
balance under difficult
circumstances can also make a
53
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,400
difference for those around him.
The story was related about a
54
00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,000
protest against the Vietnam War
back in the 1970s in the USA.
55
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,000
The heavily armed police
surrounded a crowd of peaceful
56
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,840
protesters and people felt
intimidated and fearful.
57
00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,640
Then one individual began to
chant Ohm and others took it up.
58
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,160
The crowd lost its fear, and
while they were arrested and
59
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,320
later released without charges,
the atmosphere that developed
60
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,279
from the chanting of OM and the
crowd responds to it made it
61
00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,320
clear that something very
special had taken place,
62
00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,920
changing a potentially harmful,
dangerous and intimidating
63
00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,080
circumstance in the one that had
no serious unpleasant
64
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:35,000
consequences for anyone, the
mother writes.
65
00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,440
Quote.
There is a state in which one
66
00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:43,200
realizes that the effect of
things, circumstances, all the
67
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,840
movements and actions of life on
the consciousness depends almost
68
00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:50,840
exclusively upon one's attitude
to these things.
69
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,320
There is a moment when one
becomes sufficiently conscious
70
00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,440
to realize that things in
themselves are truly neither
71
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,400
good nor bad.
They are this only in relation
72
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,640
to us.
Their effect on us depends
73
00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,640
absolutely upon the attitude we
have towards them.
74
00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,280
The same thing identically the
same.
75
00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,600
If we take it as a gift of God,
as a divine grace, as the result
76
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:25,120
of the full harmony, helps us to
become more conscious, stronger,
77
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,960
more true.
While if we take it exactly the
78
00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:35,280
very same circumstance as a blow
from fate, as a bad force
79
00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:39,880
wanting to affect us, this
constricts us, weighs us down,
80
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,680
and takes away from us all
consciousness and strength and
81
00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,160
harmony.
And the circumstance in itself
82
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,440
is exactly the same.
Of this I should like you all to
83
00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,240
have the experience, For when
you have it, you become master
84
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,120
of yourself, Not only master of
yourself, but in what concerns
85
00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,720
you, master of the circumstances
of your life.
86
00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,960
And this depends exclusively
upon the attitude you take.
87
00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,800
It is not an experience that
occurs in the head, though it
88
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,400
begins there, but an experience
which can occur in the body
89
00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,520
itself.
So much so that, well, it is a
90
00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,680
realization which naturally asks
for a lot of work,
91
00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:30,760
concentration, self mastery,
consciousness pushed into
92
00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,120
matter.
But as a result, in accordance
93
00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,280
with the way the body receives
shocks from outside, the effect
94
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,360
may be different.
And if you attain perfection in
95
00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,800
that field, you become master of
accidents.
96
00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,240
I hope this will happen.
It is possible.
97
00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,280
It is not only possible, it is
certain only.
98
00:06:55,280 --> 00:07:00,480
It is just one step forward.
That is, this power you have
99
00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:06,040
already fully and formidably
realized in the mind to act upon
100
00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,080
circumstances to the extent of
changing them totally in their
101
00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,000
action upon you.
That power can descend into
102
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,440
matter, into the physical
substance itself, the cells of
103
00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,480
the body, and give the same
power to the body in relation to
104
00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,680
the things around it.
This is not a faith, it is a
105
00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,640
certitude that comes from
experience.
106
00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:32,760
Reference.
End Quote.
107
00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,960
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
108
00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:42,080
Chapter 1, Looking at Life and
Circumstances, pages 4:00 to
109
00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:42,680
5:00.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,040
We tend to evaluate events or
circumstances based on their
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,640
relation to our personal
identification with the external
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,360
ego personality and our
prevalent idea about ourselves
4
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:18,440
at that point in time.
In retrospect, we frequently
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,040
find that those things which we
considered to be bad were
6
00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,640
actually the starting point of
an entirely new development,
7
00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:30,280
which turned out to be far
better than what we anticipated
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,400
at the time of the bad event
that interfered with our
9
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,240
preconceived notions.
For example, there was the case
10
00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,000
of a college student who
excelled at his studies and had
11
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,720
career goals in his mind.
At a certain point, he had a
12
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:50,640
near death experience, and after
that he recognized that the
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,960
entire college career was
actually wasting his time.
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,880
He left college, began a
spiritual quest, and found
15
00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,240
fulfillment in the integration
of that spiritual purpose into
16
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,760
his life.
In retrospect, he reported that
17
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,280
the circumstances that disrupted
his plans was not a bad thing,
18
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,080
but a good thing.
Another example was related in
19
00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,880
the book called To Heal.
A particular young woman in
20
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,200
Africa had ideas about the
direction her career and life
21
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,200
should go.
She kept having obstacles
22
00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,960
showing up in her way, whether
disappointments in her career
23
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:33,240
development or health issues
that kept arising.
24
00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,080
She eventually consulted an
experienced healer who advised
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,920
her that all these problems
would disappear if she took up
26
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,480
her true calling of being a
shamanic healer.
27
00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,600
Eventually she heeded that
advice and found out that in
28
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,000
fact, what she thought was bad
luck earlier in her life as to
29
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,200
career and health, turned out to
be the start of the change in
30
00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,880
focus and new avenues of
fulfillment she found once she
31
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,840
made the transition.
Paramount's Yogananda told the
32
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,400
story of a person he met who was
practising a yogic discipline
33
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:17,080
and did not eat solid food.
She was vigorous, alert and
34
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,280
focused on her practice.
She did not consider herself to
35
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,360
be starving.
Another person not having solid
36
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,120
food might be suffering
starvation, and yet another
37
00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,280
could be practising the
restriction as part of either a
38
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,120
short term practice of fasting
or a longer term attempt to lose
39
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,760
weight through dieting.
In each case, the individual is
40
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,840
not eating solid food, but their
interpretation and their results
41
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,080
are vastly different.
Quantum mechanics illustrates
42
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,120
for us the fact that one is not
simply a victim of events, but
43
00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,880
that as a participant observer,
one also influences the outcome
44
00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,480
of events.
This provides an area for
45
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,920
fruitful contemplation about how
we can gain mastery in our
46
00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:14,320
lives, as opposed to simply
becoming the victim of whatever
47
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,880
happens to be taking place.
Of course, in some events that
48
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,720
are on the world scale, the
event itself will still take
49
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,520
place, but the individual
response to it may find a
50
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,400
different interpretation and a
different value than what others
51
00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,360
may experience.
One person's solid poise and
52
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,440
balance under difficult
circumstances can also make a
53
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,400
difference for those around him.
The story was related about a
54
00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,000
protest against the Vietnam War
back in the 1970s in the USA.
55
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,000
The heavily armed police
surrounded a crowd of peaceful
56
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,840
protesters and people felt
intimidated and fearful.
57
00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,640
Then one individual began to
chant Ohm and others took it up.
58
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,160
The crowd lost its fear, and
while they were arrested and
59
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,320
later released without charges,
the atmosphere that developed
60
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,279
from the chanting of OM and the
crowd responds to it made it
61
00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,320
clear that something very
special had taken place,
62
00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,920
changing a potentially harmful,
dangerous and intimidating
63
00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,080
circumstance in the one that had
no serious unpleasant
64
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:35,000
consequences for anyone, the
mother writes.
65
00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,440
Quote.
There is a state in which one
66
00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:43,200
realizes that the effect of
things, circumstances, all the
67
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,840
movements and actions of life on
the consciousness depends almost
68
00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:50,840
exclusively upon one's attitude
to these things.
69
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,320
There is a moment when one
becomes sufficiently conscious
70
00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,440
to realize that things in
themselves are truly neither
71
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,400
good nor bad.
They are this only in relation
72
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,640
to us.
Their effect on us depends
73
00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,640
absolutely upon the attitude we
have towards them.
74
00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,280
The same thing identically the
same.
75
00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,600
If we take it as a gift of God,
as a divine grace, as the result
76
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:25,120
of the full harmony, helps us to
become more conscious, stronger,
77
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,960
more true.
While if we take it exactly the
78
00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:35,280
very same circumstance as a blow
from fate, as a bad force
79
00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:39,880
wanting to affect us, this
constricts us, weighs us down,
80
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,680
and takes away from us all
consciousness and strength and
81
00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,160
harmony.
And the circumstance in itself
82
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,440
is exactly the same.
Of this I should like you all to
83
00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,240
have the experience, For when
you have it, you become master
84
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,120
of yourself, Not only master of
yourself, but in what concerns
85
00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,720
you, master of the circumstances
of your life.
86
00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,960
And this depends exclusively
upon the attitude you take.
87
00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,800
It is not an experience that
occurs in the head, though it
88
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,400
begins there, but an experience
which can occur in the body
89
00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,520
itself.
So much so that, well, it is a
90
00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,680
realization which naturally asks
for a lot of work,
91
00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:30,760
concentration, self mastery,
consciousness pushed into
92
00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,120
matter.
But as a result, in accordance
93
00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,280
with the way the body receives
shocks from outside, the effect
94
00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,360
may be different.
And if you attain perfection in
95
00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,800
that field, you become master of
accidents.
96
00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,240
I hope this will happen.
It is possible.
97
00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,280
It is not only possible, it is
certain only.
98
00:06:55,280 --> 00:07:00,480
It is just one step forward.
That is, this power you have
99
00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:06,040
already fully and formidably
realized in the mind to act upon
100
00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,080
circumstances to the extent of
changing them totally in their
101
00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,000
action upon you.
That power can descend into
102
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,440
matter, into the physical
substance itself, the cells of
103
00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,480
the body, and give the same
power to the body in relation to
104
00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,680
the things around it.
This is not a faith, it is a
105
00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,640
certitude that comes from
experience.
106
00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:32,760
Reference.
End Quote.
107
00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,960
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
108
00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:42,080
Chapter 1, Looking at Life and
Circumstances, pages 4:00 to
109
00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:42,680
5:00.