Oct. 8, 2025
Remaining Calm in the Face of Difficulties and Opposition
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm -- Peace -- Equality, pg. 16This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/remaining-calm-in-the-face-of-difficulties-and-opposition/
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The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,120
Facing the difficulties and
obstacles presented by the
2
00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,240
external world to our ego
personality, we frequently
3
00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:14,480
become disturbed and react with
anger, frustration or some other
4
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,880
indication of a lack of peace.
We tend to become the reaction
5
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,560
someone cuts in front of us on
the road and we become angry, in
6
00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,000
some cases expressing ourselves
through what is known as road
7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,400
rage or at least mentally
engaging in some type of upset
8
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,840
reaction.
If we reflect on our daily
9
00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,080
reactions, we can easily
identify situations where
10
00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,480
someone has angered us, someone
has insulted us, where things
11
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:48,720
occur that distress us, where we
have relationship, financial or
12
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,000
other setbacks, where flights
get cancelled, where we get
13
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,840
delayed for a meeting, etcetera.
Each of these situations creates
14
00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,800
ripples in the mind stuff and
the nerve channels.
15
00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,440
These ripples disrupt our
ability to perceive and channel
16
00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,160
the higher energies with light,
clarity and serenity.
17
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,720
For the spiritual seeker,
therefore, it becomes even more
18
00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,080
essential to be able to separate
oneself from the external
19
00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:25,880
personality and its reactions
and maintain calm, peace and a
20
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,960
serene receptivity to the
spiritual forces that are the
21
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:35,200
focus of the aspiration.
Practitioners of the Integral
22
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,520
Yoga who aspire to transform
life rather than escape from
23
00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,560
life are faced with the
practical need to stay securely
24
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:48,040
in a spiritual consciousness
while engaging the external
25
00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,120
being in the actions of the
body, life and mind in the
26
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,720
external world.
When the seeker slips into an
27
00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,080
external consciousness, he is
subject to all the disturbances
28
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,040
that take place in that arena.
If he is fixed in the uninvolved
29
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,960
witness consciousness, he can
observe the play of nature
30
00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,720
without being upset, depressed
or discouraged.
31
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,280
The best way to develop the
serenity, actually, is to face
32
00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,360
the situations and observe and
modify the reactions.
33
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,560
Withdrawing to The Cave, the
forest, the monastery, the
34
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:33,360
desert, the mountains, or going
on retreats may be useful for a
35
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,320
short time to tune the being to
the peace and serenity needed.
36
00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,880
But over the longer perspective,
the opportunity to remain calm
37
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,880
in the midst of pressures
represents the best way to
38
00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,120
measure 1's progress,
Shiorobindo observes.
39
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,880
Quote.
There can be no firm foundation
40
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,640
in sadhna without equality.
Samita.
41
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,240
Whatever the unpleasantness of
circumstances, however
42
00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,320
disagreeable the conduct of
others, you must learn to
43
00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,440
receive them with a perfect calm
and without any disturbing
44
00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,480
reaction.
These things are the test of
45
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,080
equality.
It is easy to be calm and equal
46
00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,040
when things go well and people
and circumstances are pleasant.
47
00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,640
It is when they are the opposite
that the completeness of the
48
00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:31,680
calm, peace, equality can be
tested, reinforced, made
49
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:37,600
perfect.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
50
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,720
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1 Calm,
Peace and Equality, page 16.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,120
Facing the difficulties and
obstacles presented by the
2
00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,240
external world to our ego
personality, we frequently
3
00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:14,480
become disturbed and react with
anger, frustration or some other
4
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,880
indication of a lack of peace.
We tend to become the reaction
5
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,560
someone cuts in front of us on
the road and we become angry, in
6
00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,000
some cases expressing ourselves
through what is known as road
7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,400
rage or at least mentally
engaging in some type of upset
8
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,840
reaction.
If we reflect on our daily
9
00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,080
reactions, we can easily
identify situations where
10
00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,480
someone has angered us, someone
has insulted us, where things
11
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:48,720
occur that distress us, where we
have relationship, financial or
12
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,000
other setbacks, where flights
get cancelled, where we get
13
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,840
delayed for a meeting, etcetera.
Each of these situations creates
14
00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,800
ripples in the mind stuff and
the nerve channels.
15
00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,440
These ripples disrupt our
ability to perceive and channel
16
00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,160
the higher energies with light,
clarity and serenity.
17
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,720
For the spiritual seeker,
therefore, it becomes even more
18
00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,080
essential to be able to separate
oneself from the external
19
00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:25,880
personality and its reactions
and maintain calm, peace and a
20
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,960
serene receptivity to the
spiritual forces that are the
21
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:35,200
focus of the aspiration.
Practitioners of the Integral
22
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,520
Yoga who aspire to transform
life rather than escape from
23
00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,560
life are faced with the
practical need to stay securely
24
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:48,040
in a spiritual consciousness
while engaging the external
25
00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,120
being in the actions of the
body, life and mind in the
26
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,720
external world.
When the seeker slips into an
27
00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,080
external consciousness, he is
subject to all the disturbances
28
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,040
that take place in that arena.
If he is fixed in the uninvolved
29
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,960
witness consciousness, he can
observe the play of nature
30
00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,720
without being upset, depressed
or discouraged.
31
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,280
The best way to develop the
serenity, actually, is to face
32
00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,360
the situations and observe and
modify the reactions.
33
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,560
Withdrawing to The Cave, the
forest, the monastery, the
34
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:33,360
desert, the mountains, or going
on retreats may be useful for a
35
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,320
short time to tune the being to
the peace and serenity needed.
36
00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,880
But over the longer perspective,
the opportunity to remain calm
37
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,880
in the midst of pressures
represents the best way to
38
00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,120
measure 1's progress,
Shiorobindo observes.
39
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,880
Quote.
There can be no firm foundation
40
00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,640
in sadhna without equality.
Samita.
41
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,240
Whatever the unpleasantness of
circumstances, however
42
00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,320
disagreeable the conduct of
others, you must learn to
43
00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,440
receive them with a perfect calm
and without any disturbing
44
00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,480
reaction.
These things are the test of
45
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,080
equality.
It is easy to be calm and equal
46
00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,040
when things go well and people
and circumstances are pleasant.
47
00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,640
It is when they are the opposite
that the completeness of the
48
00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:31,680
calm, peace, equality can be
tested, reinforced, made
49
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:37,600
perfect.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
50
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,720
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1 Calm,
Peace and Equality, page 16.
