Nov. 17, 2024
Prayer and Aspiration, Part 2
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter IX Aspiration and Prayer pp. 85-86 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/11/14/prayer-and-aspiration-part-2/
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
00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,600
For a spiritual seeker, there is
a major difference with regard
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,040
to prayer and aspiration.
Prayer is generally and in many
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,760
cases, a more formalized
external activity primarily
4
00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,080
based in the outer nature.
Aspiration is centered in the
5
00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:23,360
soul or psychic being and
represents the spiritual flame
6
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,600
that motivates the seeker to
practice his spiritual path.
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,040
The mother provides clarity on
the differences between the two
8
00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,280
as well as between different
types of prayer that the seeker
9
00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,560
may utilize.
She distinguishes between prayer
10
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:43,640
that is at its basis egoistic
and self-centered in nature and
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,080
prayer that is an expression of
the psychic aspiration taking
12
00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,800
the form of non selfish aims and
expressing gratitude and
13
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,760
devotion.
The mother observes.
14
00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,720
Quote, for instance, if you have
done something you regret having
15
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,120
done, if that has unhappy
consequences which disturb
16
00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,960
things and several people are
implicated, you do not know the
17
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:13,120
reactions of the others.
But you yourself wish that what
18
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,520
has been done may take a turn
for the best, and that if there
19
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,360
is a mistake it may be
understood.
20
00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,080
And that no matter what the
mistake, this may be for you An
21
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,000
opportunity for a greater
progress, a greater discipline,
22
00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:34,480
a new ascent towards the divine,
a door open on a future that you
23
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,760
want to be more clear and true
and intense.
24
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,200
So all this is gathered here,
pointing to the heart like a
25
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,400
force, and then it surges up and
rises in a great movement of
26
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,560
ascent, and at times without the
shadow of a formulation, without
27
00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,800
words, without expression, but
like a springing flame.
28
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,800
That indeed is true aspiration
that may happen a hundred 1000
29
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,160
times daily if one is in that
state in which one constantly
30
00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,800
wants to progress and be more
true and more fully in harmony
31
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,040
with what the Divine will wants
of us.
32
00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:22,280
Prayer is a much more external
thing, generally about a precise
33
00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,440
fact and always formulated, for
it is the formula that makes the
34
00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,800
prayer.
One may have an aspiration and
35
00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,480
transcribe it as a prayer, but
aspiration goes beyond prayer in
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,720
every way.
It is much closer and much more
37
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,000
as it were, self forgetful,
living only in the thing one
38
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,160
wants to be or do, and the
offering of all that one wants
39
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,480
to do to the Divine.
You may pray in order to ask for
40
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,520
something.
You may also pray to thank the
41
00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,600
Divine for what He has given
you, and that prayer is much
42
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,480
greater.
It may be called an act of
43
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,760
Thanksgiving.
You may pray in gratitude for
44
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,200
the aspect of kindness the
Divine has shown you, for what
45
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,600
He has done for you, for what
you see in Him, and the praise
46
00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,560
you want to offer Him.
And all this may take the form
47
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,000
of a prayer.
It is decidedly the highest
48
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,680
prayer, for it is not
exclusively preoccupied with
49
00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,720
oneself.
It is not an egoistic prayer.
50
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
51
00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:41,680
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 85
52
00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:42,720
to 86.
00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,600
For a spiritual seeker, there is
a major difference with regard
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,040
to prayer and aspiration.
Prayer is generally and in many
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,760
cases, a more formalized
external activity primarily
4
00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,080
based in the outer nature.
Aspiration is centered in the
5
00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:23,360
soul or psychic being and
represents the spiritual flame
6
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,600
that motivates the seeker to
practice his spiritual path.
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,040
The mother provides clarity on
the differences between the two
8
00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,280
as well as between different
types of prayer that the seeker
9
00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,560
may utilize.
She distinguishes between prayer
10
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:43,640
that is at its basis egoistic
and self-centered in nature and
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,080
prayer that is an expression of
the psychic aspiration taking
12
00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,800
the form of non selfish aims and
expressing gratitude and
13
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,760
devotion.
The mother observes.
14
00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,720
Quote, for instance, if you have
done something you regret having
15
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,120
done, if that has unhappy
consequences which disturb
16
00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,960
things and several people are
implicated, you do not know the
17
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:13,120
reactions of the others.
But you yourself wish that what
18
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,520
has been done may take a turn
for the best, and that if there
19
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,360
is a mistake it may be
understood.
20
00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,080
And that no matter what the
mistake, this may be for you An
21
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,000
opportunity for a greater
progress, a greater discipline,
22
00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:34,480
a new ascent towards the divine,
a door open on a future that you
23
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,760
want to be more clear and true
and intense.
24
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,200
So all this is gathered here,
pointing to the heart like a
25
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,400
force, and then it surges up and
rises in a great movement of
26
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,560
ascent, and at times without the
shadow of a formulation, without
27
00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,800
words, without expression, but
like a springing flame.
28
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,800
That indeed is true aspiration
that may happen a hundred 1000
29
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,160
times daily if one is in that
state in which one constantly
30
00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,800
wants to progress and be more
true and more fully in harmony
31
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,040
with what the Divine will wants
of us.
32
00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:22,280
Prayer is a much more external
thing, generally about a precise
33
00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,440
fact and always formulated, for
it is the formula that makes the
34
00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,800
prayer.
One may have an aspiration and
35
00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,480
transcribe it as a prayer, but
aspiration goes beyond prayer in
36
00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,720
every way.
It is much closer and much more
37
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,000
as it were, self forgetful,
living only in the thing one
38
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,160
wants to be or do, and the
offering of all that one wants
39
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,480
to do to the Divine.
You may pray in order to ask for
40
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,520
something.
You may also pray to thank the
41
00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,600
Divine for what He has given
you, and that prayer is much
42
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,480
greater.
It may be called an act of
43
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,760
Thanksgiving.
You may pray in gratitude for
44
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,200
the aspect of kindness the
Divine has shown you, for what
45
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,600
He has done for you, for what
you see in Him, and the praise
46
00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,560
you want to offer Him.
And all this may take the form
47
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,000
of a prayer.
It is decidedly the highest
48
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,680
prayer, for it is not
exclusively preoccupied with
49
00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,720
oneself.
It is not an egoistic prayer.
50
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
51
00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:41,680
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 85
52
00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:42,720
to 86.