Jan. 28, 2026
Slogging Through the Dense and Dull Consciousness of the Physical Being
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 5, Physical Consciousness — Subconscient — Sleep and Dream — Illness, pp. 84-85
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/26/slogging-through-the-dense-and-dull-consciousness-of-the-physical-being/
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 #physical consciousness #Gunas #tamas #rajas #sattwa #Milarepa
1
00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,200
The natural seat of the guna of
Satwa is in the mental being,
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,880
rajas in the vital being and
tamas in the physical being.
3
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,480
This is not to imply that there
are not times and situations
4
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,040
where one of the other qualities
comes forward in any of these
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,320
three aspects of our external
being.
6
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,880
On the contrary, we can identify
tamasic and rajasic elements in
7
00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,360
the mental being, as well as
Sutwick and temasic elements in
8
00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:36,600
the vital being and Sutwick and
rajasic elements in the physical
9
00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,760
being.
The natural seat simply implies
10
00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:44,920
that the most prominent general
location for a particular guna
11
00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,880
in action lies in a portion of
the being that is prone to
12
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,200
express the kind of
characteristics associated with
13
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,880
that guna.
If we focus then on the physical
14
00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,400
being and the situation of the
coming to the fore of the
15
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:06,440
quality of Thomas, we can
experience it as a dullness,
16
00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:11,800
unwillingness to do anything,
emptiness, darkness, and a sense
17
00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,960
of nothing being able to move
forward.
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,000
For a spiritual aspirant, this
is an extremely uncomfortable
19
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,360
status, yet he may feel quite
overwhelmed by the intensity of
20
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,600
the darkness and the potential
despair that accompanies it.
21
00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,920
In these moments, it is
difficult for the seeker to see
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,320
that there's any way out of this
morass.
23
00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,600
It is important that he
recognize that the gunas are
24
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:45,200
always in motion and that none
of them can hold the field
25
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,400
forever.
Eventually, the only solution is
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,160
to keep going, putting 1 foot in
front of the other and moving
27
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,960
forward.
However slow, however difficult,
28
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,120
however tiresome, and however
hopeless it seems.
29
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,800
It may help to reflect on
Milarepa's experience.
30
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,080
Wracked by all consuming guilt
for the suffering he had caused,
31
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,160
seeking revenge through use of
black magic, he sought out a
32
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,760
guru to guide him towards
spiritual realization.
33
00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,160
In one lifetime.
The guru, rather than providing
34
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,480
the teachings he was granting to
other disciples, put Milarepa to
35
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:31,560
work doing back breaking,
building and then unbuilding of
36
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,720
stone structures without taking
any assistance, using his own
37
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,800
physical body as the sole means
of carrying out this work.
38
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:46,320
This went on for some years and
eventually Milarepa reached a
39
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:50,360
state of extreme despair that he
would ever get the necessary
40
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,800
teachings and achieve the
realization to the point that he
41
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,520
even considered committing
suicide.
42
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,480
It was only after this long dark
period that he was actually
43
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,480
given the teachings which would
eventually lead to a liberated
44
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,000
state of consciousness.
His tribulations go far beyond
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,240
what most people immersed in the
dull routine of the physical
46
00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,240
consciousness have to bear, and
they went on for far longer than
47
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,680
most people are stuck in that
dull, meaningless routine of the
48
00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,720
daily round without seeming
purpose or even energy to make
49
00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,280
it interesting or even remotely
leading to progress.
50
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:41,320
Srioro Bindu observes quote at
the mercy of the external sounds
51
00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,840
and external bodily sensations.
No control to drop the ordinary
52
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,760
consciousness.
It will the whole tendency of
53
00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,880
the being away from yoga.
All that is unmistakably
54
00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,320
applicable to the physical mind
and the physical consciousness,
55
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:07,920
when they isolate themselves, as
it were, and take up the whole
56
00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:13,280
front, pushing the rest into the
background, When a part of the
57
00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,480
being is brought forward to be
worked upon for change, this
58
00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,480
kind of all occupying emergence,
the dominant activity, that part
59
00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,800
as if it alone existed, very
usually happens.
60
00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,840
And unfortunately it is always
what has to be changed, the
61
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,560
undesirable conditions, the
difficulties of that part which
62
00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:41,160
rise 1st and obstinately hold
the field and recur in the
63
00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,080
physical.
It is inertia, obscurity,
64
00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:49,320
inability that come up, and the
obstinacy of these things.
65
00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,840
The only thing to do in this
unpleasant phase is to be more
66
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:58,240
obstinate than the physical
inertia and to persist in a
67
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,200
fixed endeavor, steady
persistency without any restless
68
00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:08,800
struggle to get a wide and
permanent opening made even in
69
00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:16,520
this solid rock of obstruction.
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
70
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,440
Bases of yoga, Chapter 5.
Physical consciousness,
71
00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:24,320
subconscious sleep and dream
illness.
72
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:26,760
Pages 84 to 85.
00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,200
The natural seat of the guna of
Satwa is in the mental being,
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,880
rajas in the vital being and
tamas in the physical being.
3
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,480
This is not to imply that there
are not times and situations
4
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,040
where one of the other qualities
comes forward in any of these
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,320
three aspects of our external
being.
6
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,880
On the contrary, we can identify
tamasic and rajasic elements in
7
00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,360
the mental being, as well as
Sutwick and temasic elements in
8
00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:36,600
the vital being and Sutwick and
rajasic elements in the physical
9
00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,760
being.
The natural seat simply implies
10
00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:44,920
that the most prominent general
location for a particular guna
11
00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,880
in action lies in a portion of
the being that is prone to
12
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,200
express the kind of
characteristics associated with
13
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,880
that guna.
If we focus then on the physical
14
00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,400
being and the situation of the
coming to the fore of the
15
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:06,440
quality of Thomas, we can
experience it as a dullness,
16
00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:11,800
unwillingness to do anything,
emptiness, darkness, and a sense
17
00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,960
of nothing being able to move
forward.
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,000
For a spiritual aspirant, this
is an extremely uncomfortable
19
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,360
status, yet he may feel quite
overwhelmed by the intensity of
20
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,600
the darkness and the potential
despair that accompanies it.
21
00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,920
In these moments, it is
difficult for the seeker to see
22
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,320
that there's any way out of this
morass.
23
00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,600
It is important that he
recognize that the gunas are
24
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:45,200
always in motion and that none
of them can hold the field
25
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,400
forever.
Eventually, the only solution is
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,160
to keep going, putting 1 foot in
front of the other and moving
27
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,960
forward.
However slow, however difficult,
28
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,120
however tiresome, and however
hopeless it seems.
29
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,800
It may help to reflect on
Milarepa's experience.
30
00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,080
Wracked by all consuming guilt
for the suffering he had caused,
31
00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,160
seeking revenge through use of
black magic, he sought out a
32
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,760
guru to guide him towards
spiritual realization.
33
00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,160
In one lifetime.
The guru, rather than providing
34
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,480
the teachings he was granting to
other disciples, put Milarepa to
35
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:31,560
work doing back breaking,
building and then unbuilding of
36
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,720
stone structures without taking
any assistance, using his own
37
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,800
physical body as the sole means
of carrying out this work.
38
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:46,320
This went on for some years and
eventually Milarepa reached a
39
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:50,360
state of extreme despair that he
would ever get the necessary
40
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,800
teachings and achieve the
realization to the point that he
41
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,520
even considered committing
suicide.
42
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,480
It was only after this long dark
period that he was actually
43
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,480
given the teachings which would
eventually lead to a liberated
44
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,000
state of consciousness.
His tribulations go far beyond
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,240
what most people immersed in the
dull routine of the physical
46
00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,240
consciousness have to bear, and
they went on for far longer than
47
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,680
most people are stuck in that
dull, meaningless routine of the
48
00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,720
daily round without seeming
purpose or even energy to make
49
00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,280
it interesting or even remotely
leading to progress.
50
00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:41,320
Srioro Bindu observes quote at
the mercy of the external sounds
51
00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,840
and external bodily sensations.
No control to drop the ordinary
52
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,760
consciousness.
It will the whole tendency of
53
00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,880
the being away from yoga.
All that is unmistakably
54
00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,320
applicable to the physical mind
and the physical consciousness,
55
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:07,920
when they isolate themselves, as
it were, and take up the whole
56
00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:13,280
front, pushing the rest into the
background, When a part of the
57
00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,480
being is brought forward to be
worked upon for change, this
58
00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,480
kind of all occupying emergence,
the dominant activity, that part
59
00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,800
as if it alone existed, very
usually happens.
60
00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,840
And unfortunately it is always
what has to be changed, the
61
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,560
undesirable conditions, the
difficulties of that part which
62
00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:41,160
rise 1st and obstinately hold
the field and recur in the
63
00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,080
physical.
It is inertia, obscurity,
64
00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:49,320
inability that come up, and the
obstinacy of these things.
65
00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,840
The only thing to do in this
unpleasant phase is to be more
66
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:58,240
obstinate than the physical
inertia and to persist in a
67
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,200
fixed endeavor, steady
persistency without any restless
68
00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:08,800
struggle to get a wide and
permanent opening made even in
69
00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:16,520
this solid rock of obstruction.
End Quote Reference Sri Robindo,
70
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,440
Bases of yoga, Chapter 5.
Physical consciousness,
71
00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:24,320
subconscious sleep and dream
illness.
72
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:26,760
Pages 84 to 85.