Jan. 17, 2026
Reconciling Difficulty of the Change of Human Nature With the Time and Patience Needed for the Change
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 77-78This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/reconciling-difficulty-of-the-change-of-human-nature-with-the-time-and-patience-needed-for-the-change/
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 #depression #sex-impulse
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,160
The objective is almost
unimaginably complex and
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,600
difficult.
Changing human nature, including
3
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,320
the inheritance humanity brings
from the animal evolutionary
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,880
process, is not something that
is quickly or easily
5
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,800
accomplished.
It cannot also be done entirely
6
00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,320
by the action of human mind and
willpower.
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,400
If we waited on nature to
accomplish the change, it could
8
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,000
take many thousands of years.
As we have seen with the
9
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,000
development of life and its
increasingly complex
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,320
formulations out of matter and
the development of mind and its
11
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,480
impact on life and matter, the
next stage of evolutionary
12
00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:51,920
development which will have far
reaching impacts on mind, life
13
00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:56,560
and matter, even if nature acts
swiftly upon it, could take
14
00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,880
thousands of years without the
active intervention of the next
15
00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,920
principle of the evolution and
the conscious and willing
16
00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,440
receptivity and implementation
of its action by those who take
17
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,440
up the conscious yoga of
spiritual evolution that can
18
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,840
transform earthly life into a
divine life.
19
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,600
The spiritual seeker can get so
immersed in the close scrutiny
20
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,040
and effort needed to address the
limitations and weaknesses of
21
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,920
mind, life and body that he can
easily lose sight of the big
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:39,720
picture and thus may get
distressed, even depressed, when
23
00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:45,080
he sees something that has not
changed or possibly has relapsed
24
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:47,920
after he thought the change was
accomplished.
25
00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:54,000
It is useful for him to remind
himself or be reminded that this
26
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,560
is not an overnight process and
there is thus no need for any
27
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,200
feelings of failure in the
sadhna just because things do
28
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,520
not change according to the
limited human mind and will.
29
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:12,040
For example, due to the embedded
difficulty of changing the
30
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,640
action of the sex centre, the
seeker may be frequently
31
00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,880
confronted with what appear to
be failures along the way.
32
00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:24,000
Given his own close scrutiny as
the witness of the external
33
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,640
nature, he may tend to become
overly concerned, overly
34
00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:34,600
critical or overly distressed
when sex impulses arise, even if
35
00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,280
they only appear in the dream
state, which itself is evidence
36
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,240
of substantial progress, by it
being rejected by the act of
37
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:50,600
waking nature rather than a sign
of failure, Sri Aurobindo notes
38
00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,600
quote.
There is no reason to be
39
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,840
depressed to this extent or to
have these imaginations about
40
00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,480
failure in the yoga.
It is not at all a sign that you
41
00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,080
are unfit for the yoga.
It simply means that the sexual
42
00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,560
impulse rejected by the
conscious parts has taken refuge
43
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,840
in the subconscious somewhere,
probably in the lower vital
44
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,440
physical and the most physical
consciousness, where there are
45
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,080
some regions not yet open to the
aspiration and the light.
46
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,360
The persistence in sleep of
things rejected in the waking
47
00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,600
consciousness is a quite common
occurrence in the course of the
48
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,160
sadhna.
The remedy is 1.
49
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,560
To get the higher consciousness,
its light, and the workings of
50
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,000
its power down into the obscure
parts of the nature. 2.
51
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,440
To become progressively more
conscious in sleep, with an
52
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,160
inner consciousness which is
aware of the working of the
53
00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:55,560
sadhna in sleep as in waking,
and three, to bring to bear the
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,960
waking will and aspiration on
the body in sleep.
55
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,520
One way to do the last is to
make a strong and conscious
56
00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,480
suggestion to the body before
sleeping that the thing should
57
00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,720
not happen.
The more concrete and physical
58
00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,920
the suggestion can be made, and
the more directly on the sexual
59
00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,760
centre, the better.
The effect may not be quite
60
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,360
immediate at first or
invariable, but usually this
61
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:29,200
kind of suggestion, if you know
how to make it, prevails in the
62
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,360
end.
Even when it does not prevent
63
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:37,160
the dream, it very often awakes
the consciousness within in time
64
00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,480
to prevent untoward
consequences.
65
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,600
It is a mistake to allow
yourself to be depressed in the
66
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,200
sadhna even by repeated
failures.
67
00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:54,400
One must be calm, persistent and
more obstinate than the
68
00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,880
resistance.
End Quote.
69
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,320
Reference.
Srioro Bindo.
70
00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:07,960
Bases of Yoga Chapter 4.
Desire Food, Sex, pages 77 to
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:08,840
78.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,160
The objective is almost
unimaginably complex and
2
00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,600
difficult.
Changing human nature, including
3
00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,320
the inheritance humanity brings
from the animal evolutionary
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,880
process, is not something that
is quickly or easily
5
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,800
accomplished.
It cannot also be done entirely
6
00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,320
by the action of human mind and
willpower.
7
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,400
If we waited on nature to
accomplish the change, it could
8
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,000
take many thousands of years.
As we have seen with the
9
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,000
development of life and its
increasingly complex
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,320
formulations out of matter and
the development of mind and its
11
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,480
impact on life and matter, the
next stage of evolutionary
12
00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:51,920
development which will have far
reaching impacts on mind, life
13
00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:56,560
and matter, even if nature acts
swiftly upon it, could take
14
00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,880
thousands of years without the
active intervention of the next
15
00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,920
principle of the evolution and
the conscious and willing
16
00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,440
receptivity and implementation
of its action by those who take
17
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,440
up the conscious yoga of
spiritual evolution that can
18
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,840
transform earthly life into a
divine life.
19
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,600
The spiritual seeker can get so
immersed in the close scrutiny
20
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,040
and effort needed to address the
limitations and weaknesses of
21
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,920
mind, life and body that he can
easily lose sight of the big
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:39,720
picture and thus may get
distressed, even depressed, when
23
00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:45,080
he sees something that has not
changed or possibly has relapsed
24
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:47,920
after he thought the change was
accomplished.
25
00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:54,000
It is useful for him to remind
himself or be reminded that this
26
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,560
is not an overnight process and
there is thus no need for any
27
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,200
feelings of failure in the
sadhna just because things do
28
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,520
not change according to the
limited human mind and will.
29
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:12,040
For example, due to the embedded
difficulty of changing the
30
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,640
action of the sex centre, the
seeker may be frequently
31
00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,880
confronted with what appear to
be failures along the way.
32
00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:24,000
Given his own close scrutiny as
the witness of the external
33
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,640
nature, he may tend to become
overly concerned, overly
34
00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:34,600
critical or overly distressed
when sex impulses arise, even if
35
00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,280
they only appear in the dream
state, which itself is evidence
36
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,240
of substantial progress, by it
being rejected by the act of
37
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:50,600
waking nature rather than a sign
of failure, Sri Aurobindo notes
38
00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,600
quote.
There is no reason to be
39
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,840
depressed to this extent or to
have these imaginations about
40
00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,480
failure in the yoga.
It is not at all a sign that you
41
00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,080
are unfit for the yoga.
It simply means that the sexual
42
00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,560
impulse rejected by the
conscious parts has taken refuge
43
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,840
in the subconscious somewhere,
probably in the lower vital
44
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,440
physical and the most physical
consciousness, where there are
45
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,080
some regions not yet open to the
aspiration and the light.
46
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,360
The persistence in sleep of
things rejected in the waking
47
00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,600
consciousness is a quite common
occurrence in the course of the
48
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,160
sadhna.
The remedy is 1.
49
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,560
To get the higher consciousness,
its light, and the workings of
50
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,000
its power down into the obscure
parts of the nature. 2.
51
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,440
To become progressively more
conscious in sleep, with an
52
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,160
inner consciousness which is
aware of the working of the
53
00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:55,560
sadhna in sleep as in waking,
and three, to bring to bear the
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,960
waking will and aspiration on
the body in sleep.
55
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,520
One way to do the last is to
make a strong and conscious
56
00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,480
suggestion to the body before
sleeping that the thing should
57
00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,720
not happen.
The more concrete and physical
58
00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,920
the suggestion can be made, and
the more directly on the sexual
59
00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,760
centre, the better.
The effect may not be quite
60
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,360
immediate at first or
invariable, but usually this
61
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:29,200
kind of suggestion, if you know
how to make it, prevails in the
62
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,360
end.
Even when it does not prevent
63
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:37,160
the dream, it very often awakes
the consciousness within in time
64
00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,480
to prevent untoward
consequences.
65
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,600
It is a mistake to allow
yourself to be depressed in the
66
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,200
sadhna even by repeated
failures.
67
00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:54,400
One must be calm, persistent and
more obstinate than the
68
00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,880
resistance.
End Quote.
69
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,320
Reference.
Srioro Bindo.
70
00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:07,960
Bases of Yoga Chapter 4.
Desire Food, Sex, pages 77 to
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:08,840
78.
