Jan. 16, 2026
Sadhak of Integral Yoga Rejects Fulfillment of Sexual Impulse to Focus Conscious Force on the Spiritual Realization
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 76-77
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/sadhak-of-integral-yoga-rejects-fulfillment-of-sexual-impulse-to-focus-conscious-force-on-the-spiritual-realization/
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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 #sadhana #tapasya #sexual impulse #Brahmacharya #celibacy
1
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,160
There is a vast difference
between the goals of the
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,360
ordinary human individual and
those who have chosen to take up
3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,280
spiritual sadhna.
This difference defines the way
4
00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,960
they respectively look at
things, including the various
5
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,480
normal and natural functions of
human life.
6
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,280
For the ordinary individual, it
turns out that their lives are
7
00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,760
very much defined by their
interests, their careers, their
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,120
relationships, and the various
forms of enjoyment they seek.
9
00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,560
For the spiritual seeker,
however, all of these things, so
10
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,680
important to the normal life of
the world, take on a much lesser
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,600
importance, and in some cases
they are seen as impediments or
12
00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,640
obstacles to the practice when
they draw the attention and
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:58,240
energy away from the focus.
Fixating on food, fulfillment of
14
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,240
a particular ambition or desire,
or the lure and enjoyment of sex
15
00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,560
act as distractions for the
spiritual seeker.
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,760
For such an individual it is not
a matter of sin or virtue, but
17
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,120
of concentration of conscious
force.
18
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:21,040
To Pasia for the spiritual
realization Sri Aurobindo
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00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,160
observes.
Quote as to the sexual impulse.
20
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,360
Regard it not as something
sinful and horrible and
21
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,960
attractive at the same time, but
as a mistake and wrong movement
22
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,600
of the lower nature.
Reject it entirely, not by
23
00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,960
struggling with it, but by
drawing back from it, detaching
24
00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:45,960
yourself and refusing your
consent.
25
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,640
Look at it as something not your
own, but imposed on you by a
26
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:55,200
force of nature outside you.
Refuse all consent to the
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,600
imposition.
If anything in your vital
28
00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,000
consents insist on that part of
you withdrawing its consent.
29
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,760
Call in the divine force to help
you in your withdrawal and
30
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,120
refusal.
If you can do this quietly and
31
00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:18,240
resolutely and patiently, in the
end your inner will will prevail
32
00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:21,400
against the habit of the outer
nature.
33
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:30,040
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4 Desire
34
00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,000
Food Sex, pages 676 to 77.
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,160
There is a vast difference
between the goals of the
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,360
ordinary human individual and
those who have chosen to take up
3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,280
spiritual sadhna.
This difference defines the way
4
00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,960
they respectively look at
things, including the various
5
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,480
normal and natural functions of
human life.
6
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,280
For the ordinary individual, it
turns out that their lives are
7
00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,760
very much defined by their
interests, their careers, their
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,120
relationships, and the various
forms of enjoyment they seek.
9
00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,560
For the spiritual seeker,
however, all of these things, so
10
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,680
important to the normal life of
the world, take on a much lesser
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,600
importance, and in some cases
they are seen as impediments or
12
00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,640
obstacles to the practice when
they draw the attention and
13
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:58,240
energy away from the focus.
Fixating on food, fulfillment of
14
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,240
a particular ambition or desire,
or the lure and enjoyment of sex
15
00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,560
act as distractions for the
spiritual seeker.
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,760
For such an individual it is not
a matter of sin or virtue, but
17
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,120
of concentration of conscious
force.
18
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:21,040
To Pasia for the spiritual
realization Sri Aurobindo
19
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,160
observes.
Quote as to the sexual impulse.
20
00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,360
Regard it not as something
sinful and horrible and
21
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,960
attractive at the same time, but
as a mistake and wrong movement
22
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,600
of the lower nature.
Reject it entirely, not by
23
00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,960
struggling with it, but by
drawing back from it, detaching
24
00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:45,960
yourself and refusing your
consent.
25
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,640
Look at it as something not your
own, but imposed on you by a
26
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:55,200
force of nature outside you.
Refuse all consent to the
27
00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,600
imposition.
If anything in your vital
28
00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,000
consents insist on that part of
you withdrawing its consent.
29
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,760
Call in the divine force to help
you in your withdrawal and
30
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,120
refusal.
If you can do this quietly and
31
00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:18,240
resolutely and patiently, in the
end your inner will will prevail
32
00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:21,400
against the habit of the outer
nature.
33
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:30,040
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4 Desire
34
00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,000
Food Sex, pages 676 to 77.
