Nov. 16, 2024
Prayer and Aspiration, Part 1
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter IX Aspiration and Prayer pp. 84-85 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/11/14/prayer-and-aspiration-part-1/
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 --> 00:00:05,160
When most people are asked about
the nature of prayer, they
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,360
respond that it is a formulation
in words of a specific request
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:14,040
to God for some result or
benefit they desire to see come
4
00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,560
to fruition.
Prayer is much more than that
5
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,760
and need not be formulated in
words.
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,720
Each level of the being actually
can formulate prayer.
7
00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,480
In some cases, prayer and
aspiration become
8
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,600
indistinguishable.
For example, the Mother stated,
9
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,880
quote, let us work as we pray
for work.
10
00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,400
Verily is the body's best prayer
to the Divine.
11
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,360
End Quote.
We see here the idea that the
12
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,520
body has its own mode of prayer,
which constitutes putting out
13
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,480
effort and energy in the
realization of some activity.
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,680
The prayer that issues from the
psychic being is more
15
00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,000
experiential than verbal in
nature.
16
00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:04,720
It takes hold of the being and
creates a mood, an attitude, a
17
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,960
sense of focus that does not
require words.
18
00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,840
A disciple inquires, what is the
difference between prayer and
19
00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:20,320
aspiration?
The mother responds, quote, I
20
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,920
have written this somewhere.
There are several kinds of
21
00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,200
prayers.
There is the purely mechanical
22
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,880
material prayer with words which
have been learnt and are
23
00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:34,680
mechanically repeated that does
not signify anything much, and
24
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,080
that has usually only one single
result, that of quieting the
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,280
person who prays.
For if a prayer is repeated
26
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,680
several times, the words end up
by making you calm.
27
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,000
There is a prayer which is a
spontaneous formula for
28
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,120
expressing something precise
which one wants to ask for.
29
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,040
One prays for this thing or
that.
30
00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,880
One prays for one thing or
another.
31
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:05,440
One can pray for somebody, for a
circumstance, for oneself.
32
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,479
There is a point where
aspiration and prayer meet.
33
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,480
For there are prayers which are
the spontaneous formulation of a
34
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,320
lived experience.
These spring up already from
35
00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,080
within the being like something
that's the expression of a
36
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,640
profound experience and which
offers Thanksgiving for that
37
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:30,840
experience, or asks its
continuation, or asks for its
38
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,880
explanation also.
And that indeed is quite close
39
00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:40,080
to aspiration.
But aspiration is not necessary
40
00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:45,480
formulated in words, or if it is
formulated in words, it is
41
00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:50,600
almost a movement of invocation.
You aspire for a certain state,
42
00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:53,800
for instance.
You have found something in
43
00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,680
yourself that is not in keeping
with your ideal.
44
00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,840
A movement of darkness and
ignorance, perhaps even of ill
45
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,840
will.
Something that's not in harmony
46
00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,760
with what you want to realize
then that is not going to be
47
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,520
formulated in words.
That will be like a springing
48
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,920
flame and like an offering made
of a living experience, asking
49
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:20,560
to grow larger, be magnified,
and ever more and more clear and
50
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,360
precise.
All that may be put into words
51
00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,960
later if one tries to remember
and note down one's experience.
52
00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:34,600
But aspiration always springs up
like a flame that rises high and
53
00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,840
carries in itself the thing one
desires to be, or what one
54
00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,440
desires to do or desires to
have.
55
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:47,560
I use the word desire, but truly
it is here that the word aspire
56
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,960
should be used for that does not
have either the quality or the
57
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,800
form of a desire.
It is truly like a great
58
00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:01,000
purifying flame of will and it
carries in its core the thing
59
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,120
that asks to be realized.
End Quote.
60
00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:10,000
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
61
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,400
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 84
to 85.
00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:05,160
When most people are asked about
the nature of prayer, they
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,360
respond that it is a formulation
in words of a specific request
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:14,040
to God for some result or
benefit they desire to see come
4
00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,560
to fruition.
Prayer is much more than that
5
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,760
and need not be formulated in
words.
6
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,720
Each level of the being actually
can formulate prayer.
7
00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,480
In some cases, prayer and
aspiration become
8
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,600
indistinguishable.
For example, the Mother stated,
9
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,880
quote, let us work as we pray
for work.
10
00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,400
Verily is the body's best prayer
to the Divine.
11
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,360
End Quote.
We see here the idea that the
12
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,520
body has its own mode of prayer,
which constitutes putting out
13
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,480
effort and energy in the
realization of some activity.
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,680
The prayer that issues from the
psychic being is more
15
00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,000
experiential than verbal in
nature.
16
00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:04,720
It takes hold of the being and
creates a mood, an attitude, a
17
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,960
sense of focus that does not
require words.
18
00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,840
A disciple inquires, what is the
difference between prayer and
19
00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:20,320
aspiration?
The mother responds, quote, I
20
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,920
have written this somewhere.
There are several kinds of
21
00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,200
prayers.
There is the purely mechanical
22
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,880
material prayer with words which
have been learnt and are
23
00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:34,680
mechanically repeated that does
not signify anything much, and
24
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,080
that has usually only one single
result, that of quieting the
25
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,280
person who prays.
For if a prayer is repeated
26
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,680
several times, the words end up
by making you calm.
27
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,000
There is a prayer which is a
spontaneous formula for
28
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,120
expressing something precise
which one wants to ask for.
29
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,040
One prays for this thing or
that.
30
00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,880
One prays for one thing or
another.
31
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:05,440
One can pray for somebody, for a
circumstance, for oneself.
32
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,479
There is a point where
aspiration and prayer meet.
33
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,480
For there are prayers which are
the spontaneous formulation of a
34
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,320
lived experience.
These spring up already from
35
00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,080
within the being like something
that's the expression of a
36
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,640
profound experience and which
offers Thanksgiving for that
37
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:30,840
experience, or asks its
continuation, or asks for its
38
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,880
explanation also.
And that indeed is quite close
39
00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:40,080
to aspiration.
But aspiration is not necessary
40
00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:45,480
formulated in words, or if it is
formulated in words, it is
41
00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:50,600
almost a movement of invocation.
You aspire for a certain state,
42
00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:53,800
for instance.
You have found something in
43
00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,680
yourself that is not in keeping
with your ideal.
44
00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,840
A movement of darkness and
ignorance, perhaps even of ill
45
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,840
will.
Something that's not in harmony
46
00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,760
with what you want to realize
then that is not going to be
47
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,520
formulated in words.
That will be like a springing
48
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,920
flame and like an offering made
of a living experience, asking
49
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:20,560
to grow larger, be magnified,
and ever more and more clear and
50
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,360
precise.
All that may be put into words
51
00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,960
later if one tries to remember
and note down one's experience.
52
00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:34,600
But aspiration always springs up
like a flame that rises high and
53
00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,840
carries in itself the thing one
desires to be, or what one
54
00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,440
desires to do or desires to
have.
55
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:47,560
I use the word desire, but truly
it is here that the word aspire
56
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,960
should be used for that does not
have either the quality or the
57
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,800
form of a desire.
It is truly like a great
58
00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:01,000
purifying flame of will and it
carries in its core the thing
59
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,120
that asks to be realized.
End Quote.
60
00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:10,000
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
61
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,400
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 84
to 85.