Jan. 8, 2026
Realization of the Divine Consciousness and Ananda Requires Control of Sexual Energies
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 70-71
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/06/realization-of-the-divine-consciousness-and-ananda-requires-control-of-sexual-energies/
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
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #sexual energies #Brahmacharya #celibacy #yogic consciousness
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,240
Success in attaining the
objectives of any spiritual
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,680
practice is based on achieving 1
pointed concentration.
3
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,920
This means focusing the
aspiration on the spiritual
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,920
source and maintaining that
focus without diverting energy
5
00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,160
and attention away to any other
objective.
6
00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,240
The integral Yoga, with its
focus on the transformation of
7
00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:29,720
life on earth into a divine life
requires similar commitment.
8
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,680
As the individual takes up the
spiritual practice of yoga, he
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,840
begins to understand and
appreciate the various parts of
10
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,880
the being and the way they
strive for attention and what
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,720
they accept as their natural
fulfilment.
12
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,080
The vital nature is especially
attracted to development of
13
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,800
power and domination, wealth as
well as sexual enjoyment.
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,200
These represent, therefore,
deeply embedded drives,
15
00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,320
instincts, urges and cravings
that constantly distract the
16
00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,880
attention.
The practice of brahmacharya,
17
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,920
which involves celibacy in the
deepest sense of removing any
18
00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,400
receptivity to the sexual energy
and its expression through the
19
00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,000
lower vital nature, is enjoined
on spiritual practitioners from
20
00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,520
many paths as a basic
requirement founded in the
21
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,200
knowledge of the deepest
teachings of yoga and
22
00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,360
spirituality.
In the context of a spiritually
23
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,520
focused community, these forces
can be especially disruptive as
24
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,720
they impact not just the
individual practitioner but also
25
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,440
others and the social
environment in general.
26
00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,480
This occurs whether the actions
are overt and take on a physical
27
00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,720
form or whether they are a cult
through the inner concentration
28
00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,520
and energetic practices.
The impact of sexual energy was
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,640
observed some years ago by an
individual who recounted a
30
00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,200
particular incident.
He happened to be in a room with
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,120
a number of people gathered
together.
32
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,200
A person entered the room who
clearly carried an intense
33
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,520
sexual vibration with him.
He focused on a young woman on
34
00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,160
the other side of the room, a
stranger to him, and she
35
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,360
suddenly turned and noticed his
gaze and intensity.
36
00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,600
She responded and they left to
carry out their sexual
37
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,040
practices.
The vibration travelled without
38
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:38,000
sound, touch or anything else
across the room and awakened the
39
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,800
similar response in the other
individual.
40
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,720
Certain higher forces cannot
descend and stay in the
41
00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,560
consciousness.
If there is an admixture or
42
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,320
misuse of that energy due to the
expression of lower vital
43
00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,920
energies, there is leakage or
even worse and overall
44
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:00,560
distortion of the energy that is
trying to manifest the higher
45
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,120
consciousness, which can be
destructive to both the
46
00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,280
individual and others in their
spiritual practice and
47
00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,160
fulfillment.
Another incident was relayed
48
00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,640
about a person who went to
Europe from India and who took
49
00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:20,720
on the guise of a Swami or guru.
He used this role to seduce
50
00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:25,120
young women and bring them
Rasputin like under his sexual
51
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,160
spell.
He then used them to gain
52
00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,280
control of young men who were
tasked with working and bringing
53
00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,440
money, with the implied reward
of a sexual relationship with
54
00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,680
the woman designated to act upon
that individual.
55
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,360
Otherwise, he insisted on
complete sexual abstinence in
56
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:48,080
the group so that he maintained
full control over both the young
57
00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,600
women and the young men.
This individual eventually was
58
00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,160
jailed for his crimes against
minor children.
59
00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,640
Some of the individuals impacted
by his actions never recovered
60
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:05,920
from the trauma they suffered.
These incidents represent some
61
00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,760
of the ways that focus on sexual
energies can impact a community
62
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,720
or social setting, and they
highlight the need in such a
63
00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,040
setting of dedicated individuals
to ensure that this type of
64
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,200
energy is not being disseminated
and either distracting the
65
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,560
individual Sadak from his
concentration nor impacting the
66
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,720
general environment.
Clearly, not every individual
67
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,080
who is called to take up the
path of yoga is able to, from
68
00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,600
the outset, gain full control
over these energies.
69
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,400
It is a process and it can
develop in stages.
70
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,800
Progress takes place on many
levels and in many different
71
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,720
aspects of the being.
As Sri Krishna advises Arjuna in
72
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:55,640
the Bhagavad Gita, no effort
towards spiritual growth is ever
73
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,440
lost.
Those few individuals who are
74
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,600
called to dedicate their lives
to the spiritual path wholly and
75
00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,000
without any reservations, with
full surrender, are especially
76
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,040
advised to not allow any vital
forces to intervene and distract
77
00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,080
or dilute the effort.
They are like Miller Reppa who
78
00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,240
determined to achieve liberation
in just one lifetime and who
79
00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:26,280
gave everything to achieve that
objective, Sri Aurobindo notes
80
00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,800
quote.
The whole principle of this Yoga
81
00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,720
is to give oneself entirely to
the Divine alone and to nobody
82
00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,960
and nothing else, and to bring
down into ourselves by union
83
00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,920
with the Divine Mother power,
all the transcendent Light,
84
00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:49,480
force, wideness, peace, purity,
truth, Consciousness, and Ananda
85
00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,480
of the Super Mental Divine.
In this Yoga, therefore, there
86
00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,000
can be no place for vital
relations or interchanges with
87
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,280
others.
Any such relation or interchange
88
00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,920
immediately ties down the soul
to the lower consciousness and
89
00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,520
its lower nature, prevents the
true and full union with the
90
00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:14,240
Divine and hampers both the
ascent to the supermental Truth
91
00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,840
Consciousness and the descent of
the supermental Ishwari Shakti.
92
00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,200
Still worse would it be if this
interchange took the form of a
93
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,600
sexual relation or a sexual
enjoyment, even if kept free
94
00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,240
from any outward act.
Therefore, these things are
95
00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,720
absolutely forbidden in the
Sadhna.
96
00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,240
It goes without saying that any
physical act of the kind is not
97
00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,240
allowed, but also any subtler
form is ruled out.
98
00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:49,320
It is only after becoming one
with the Supermental Divine that
99
00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,400
we can find our true spiritual
relations with others in the
100
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,040
Divine.
In that higher unity, this kind
101
00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,880
of gross, lower vital movement
can have no place.
102
00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:07,640
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo Bases of Yoga, Chapter
103
00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:13,240
4 Desire Food Sex pages 70 to
71.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,240
Success in attaining the
objectives of any spiritual
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,680
practice is based on achieving 1
pointed concentration.
3
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,920
This means focusing the
aspiration on the spiritual
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,920
source and maintaining that
focus without diverting energy
5
00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,160
and attention away to any other
objective.
6
00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,240
The integral Yoga, with its
focus on the transformation of
7
00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:29,720
life on earth into a divine life
requires similar commitment.
8
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,680
As the individual takes up the
spiritual practice of yoga, he
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,840
begins to understand and
appreciate the various parts of
10
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,880
the being and the way they
strive for attention and what
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,720
they accept as their natural
fulfilment.
12
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,080
The vital nature is especially
attracted to development of
13
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,800
power and domination, wealth as
well as sexual enjoyment.
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,200
These represent, therefore,
deeply embedded drives,
15
00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,320
instincts, urges and cravings
that constantly distract the
16
00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,880
attention.
The practice of brahmacharya,
17
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,920
which involves celibacy in the
deepest sense of removing any
18
00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,400
receptivity to the sexual energy
and its expression through the
19
00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,000
lower vital nature, is enjoined
on spiritual practitioners from
20
00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,520
many paths as a basic
requirement founded in the
21
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,200
knowledge of the deepest
teachings of yoga and
22
00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,360
spirituality.
In the context of a spiritually
23
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,520
focused community, these forces
can be especially disruptive as
24
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,720
they impact not just the
individual practitioner but also
25
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,440
others and the social
environment in general.
26
00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,480
This occurs whether the actions
are overt and take on a physical
27
00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,720
form or whether they are a cult
through the inner concentration
28
00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,520
and energetic practices.
The impact of sexual energy was
29
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,640
observed some years ago by an
individual who recounted a
30
00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,200
particular incident.
He happened to be in a room with
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,120
a number of people gathered
together.
32
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,200
A person entered the room who
clearly carried an intense
33
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,520
sexual vibration with him.
He focused on a young woman on
34
00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,160
the other side of the room, a
stranger to him, and she
35
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,360
suddenly turned and noticed his
gaze and intensity.
36
00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,600
She responded and they left to
carry out their sexual
37
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,040
practices.
The vibration travelled without
38
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:38,000
sound, touch or anything else
across the room and awakened the
39
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,800
similar response in the other
individual.
40
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,720
Certain higher forces cannot
descend and stay in the
41
00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,560
consciousness.
If there is an admixture or
42
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,320
misuse of that energy due to the
expression of lower vital
43
00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,920
energies, there is leakage or
even worse and overall
44
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:00,560
distortion of the energy that is
trying to manifest the higher
45
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,120
consciousness, which can be
destructive to both the
46
00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,280
individual and others in their
spiritual practice and
47
00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,160
fulfillment.
Another incident was relayed
48
00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,640
about a person who went to
Europe from India and who took
49
00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:20,720
on the guise of a Swami or guru.
He used this role to seduce
50
00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:25,120
young women and bring them
Rasputin like under his sexual
51
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,160
spell.
He then used them to gain
52
00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,280
control of young men who were
tasked with working and bringing
53
00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,440
money, with the implied reward
of a sexual relationship with
54
00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,680
the woman designated to act upon
that individual.
55
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,360
Otherwise, he insisted on
complete sexual abstinence in
56
00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:48,080
the group so that he maintained
full control over both the young
57
00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,600
women and the young men.
This individual eventually was
58
00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,160
jailed for his crimes against
minor children.
59
00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,640
Some of the individuals impacted
by his actions never recovered
60
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:05,920
from the trauma they suffered.
These incidents represent some
61
00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,760
of the ways that focus on sexual
energies can impact a community
62
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,720
or social setting, and they
highlight the need in such a
63
00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,040
setting of dedicated individuals
to ensure that this type of
64
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,200
energy is not being disseminated
and either distracting the
65
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,560
individual Sadak from his
concentration nor impacting the
66
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,720
general environment.
Clearly, not every individual
67
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,080
who is called to take up the
path of yoga is able to, from
68
00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,600
the outset, gain full control
over these energies.
69
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,400
It is a process and it can
develop in stages.
70
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,800
Progress takes place on many
levels and in many different
71
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,720
aspects of the being.
As Sri Krishna advises Arjuna in
72
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:55,640
the Bhagavad Gita, no effort
towards spiritual growth is ever
73
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,440
lost.
Those few individuals who are
74
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,600
called to dedicate their lives
to the spiritual path wholly and
75
00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,000
without any reservations, with
full surrender, are especially
76
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,040
advised to not allow any vital
forces to intervene and distract
77
00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,080
or dilute the effort.
They are like Miller Reppa who
78
00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,240
determined to achieve liberation
in just one lifetime and who
79
00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:26,280
gave everything to achieve that
objective, Sri Aurobindo notes
80
00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,800
quote.
The whole principle of this Yoga
81
00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,720
is to give oneself entirely to
the Divine alone and to nobody
82
00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,960
and nothing else, and to bring
down into ourselves by union
83
00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,920
with the Divine Mother power,
all the transcendent Light,
84
00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:49,480
force, wideness, peace, purity,
truth, Consciousness, and Ananda
85
00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,480
of the Super Mental Divine.
In this Yoga, therefore, there
86
00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,000
can be no place for vital
relations or interchanges with
87
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,280
others.
Any such relation or interchange
88
00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,920
immediately ties down the soul
to the lower consciousness and
89
00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,520
its lower nature, prevents the
true and full union with the
90
00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:14,240
Divine and hampers both the
ascent to the supermental Truth
91
00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,840
Consciousness and the descent of
the supermental Ishwari Shakti.
92
00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,200
Still worse would it be if this
interchange took the form of a
93
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,600
sexual relation or a sexual
enjoyment, even if kept free
94
00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,240
from any outward act.
Therefore, these things are
95
00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,720
absolutely forbidden in the
Sadhna.
96
00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,240
It goes without saying that any
physical act of the kind is not
97
00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,240
allowed, but also any subtler
form is ruled out.
98
00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:49,320
It is only after becoming one
with the Supermental Divine that
99
00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,400
we can find our true spiritual
relations with others in the
100
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,040
Divine.
In that higher unity, this kind
101
00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,880
of gross, lower vital movement
can have no place.
102
00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:07,640
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo Bases of Yoga, Chapter
103
00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:13,240
4 Desire Food Sex pages 70 to
71.