March 1, 2026
Solving Illness With Insight and Moderation
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 5, Physical Consciousness — Subconscient — Sleep and Dream — Illness, pp. 105-106This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/02/27/47811/
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 #illness #health #healing
1
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,840
It is a natural human tendency
and it carries over to those who
2
00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,200
take up spiritual practice.
This tendency sees most things
3
00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,800
through the mental lens and
tries to categorize them as
4
00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,120
black and white, positive and
negative, etcetera.
5
00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,720
Essentially creating a mental
framework of exclusion that
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,960
looks to thoughts, actions and
focus without looking at
7
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,560
process, timing or the needs of
the various elements being
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,000
addressed, whether they are
individual formations of the
9
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,360
mental, emotional, vital or
physical basis or more general
10
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,440
formations of the social
framework.
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,440
Thus, we tend to extremes and
become dogmatic.
12
00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,480
This habit of perspective also
affects the way spiritual
13
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,760
seekers look at the issue of
curing illness.
14
00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,600
We frequently hear the refrain
that they do not take any
15
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,880
medicines or vaccinations as
they don't believe in them and
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,960
believe that their faith and
their spiritual practice will
17
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:09,240
take care of them.
There is certainly a certain
18
00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,760
element of truth in the pure
surrender of the being to
19
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,640
spiritual guidance.
However, in many cases, when an
20
00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,400
individual becomes I'll, we see
a different picture emerge which
21
00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,600
shows the faith was not as
perfect as their mental belief
22
00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,480
system had professed.
Sriorovindo explores the process
23
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,320
by which spiritual force can
effectuate healing in the
24
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,360
physical body.
Spiritual force, when it is
25
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,120
active in the being, needs to
deal with the realities of the
26
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,400
mind, the vital being, and the
physical body.
27
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:51,400
The physical body in particular
has a material basis and is thus
28
00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,920
subject to habitual patterns of
response and reaction that are
29
00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,760
deeply embedded and are both
difficult to change and which
30
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,880
take time, even with constant
and repeated pressure to change.
31
00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,000
While the pressure to change is
taking place, the being may
32
00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,080
require support that is
operative on the level to which
33
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,760
it is habitually accustomed.
The use of a placebo shows us
34
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,360
that the mind can more easily
accept the healing force, in
35
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,920
many cases through a physical
medium that convinces it that it
36
00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:30,320
is being aided.
The use of pranayam, mantras or
37
00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,240
prayers may help the vital
envelope strengthen its ability
38
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,720
to resist the disease.
The use of specific medicines,
39
00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,720
including homeopathy, which
works on the vibrational level,
40
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,120
may aid the body in its own
response to a situation.
41
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,880
The question is not solved by
taking an extreme position that
42
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,240
does not recognize time, process
and circumstances.
43
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:01,600
Rather, the constant pressure of
the spiritual force can take the
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,960
temporary and intermediate aid
of mental, vital and physical
45
00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:10,160
support systems to address
illness and help the seeker
46
00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:15,120
maintain a strong foundation for
the spiritual work to be done,
47
00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,480
Sri Aurobindo writes quote
Certainly one can act from
48
00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,520
within on an illness and cure
it.
49
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,280
Only it is not always easy as
there is much resistance in
50
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,440
matter.
A resistance of inertia, an
51
00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,120
untiring persistence is
necessary.
52
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,400
At first.
One may fail altogether, or the
53
00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,240
symptoms increase, but gradually
the control of the body or of a
54
00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,880
particular illness becomes
stronger again.
55
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,640
To cure an occasional attack of
illness by inner means is
56
00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,720
comparatively easy.
To make the body immune from it
57
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:01,120
in future is more difficult.
A chronic malady is harder to
58
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,520
deal with, more reluctant to
disappear entirely, than an
59
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,000
occasional disturbance of the
body, so long as the control of
60
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,680
the body is imperfect.
There are all these and other
61
00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,640
imperfections and difficulties
in the use of the inner force.
62
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:23,040
If you can succeed by the
interaction in preventing
63
00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,840
increase, even that is
something.
64
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,200
You have then by Abyasa to
strengthen the power till it
65
00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,960
becomes able to cure.
Note that so long as the power
66
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:41,080
is not entirely there, some aid
of physical means need not be
67
00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,440
altogether rejected.
End Quote.
68
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,920
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Faces
of Yoga, Chapter 5.
69
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,240
Physical consciousness,
subconscious sleep and dream
70
00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,160
illness.
Pages one O 5 to one O 6.
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,840
It is a natural human tendency
and it carries over to those who
2
00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,200
take up spiritual practice.
This tendency sees most things
3
00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,800
through the mental lens and
tries to categorize them as
4
00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,120
black and white, positive and
negative, etcetera.
5
00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,720
Essentially creating a mental
framework of exclusion that
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,960
looks to thoughts, actions and
focus without looking at
7
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,560
process, timing or the needs of
the various elements being
8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,000
addressed, whether they are
individual formations of the
9
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,360
mental, emotional, vital or
physical basis or more general
10
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,440
formations of the social
framework.
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,440
Thus, we tend to extremes and
become dogmatic.
12
00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,480
This habit of perspective also
affects the way spiritual
13
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,760
seekers look at the issue of
curing illness.
14
00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,600
We frequently hear the refrain
that they do not take any
15
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,880
medicines or vaccinations as
they don't believe in them and
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,960
believe that their faith and
their spiritual practice will
17
00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:09,240
take care of them.
There is certainly a certain
18
00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,760
element of truth in the pure
surrender of the being to
19
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,640
spiritual guidance.
However, in many cases, when an
20
00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,400
individual becomes I'll, we see
a different picture emerge which
21
00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,600
shows the faith was not as
perfect as their mental belief
22
00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,480
system had professed.
Sriorovindo explores the process
23
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,320
by which spiritual force can
effectuate healing in the
24
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,360
physical body.
Spiritual force, when it is
25
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,120
active in the being, needs to
deal with the realities of the
26
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,400
mind, the vital being, and the
physical body.
27
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:51,400
The physical body in particular
has a material basis and is thus
28
00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,920
subject to habitual patterns of
response and reaction that are
29
00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,760
deeply embedded and are both
difficult to change and which
30
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,880
take time, even with constant
and repeated pressure to change.
31
00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,000
While the pressure to change is
taking place, the being may
32
00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,080
require support that is
operative on the level to which
33
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,760
it is habitually accustomed.
The use of a placebo shows us
34
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,360
that the mind can more easily
accept the healing force, in
35
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,920
many cases through a physical
medium that convinces it that it
36
00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:30,320
is being aided.
The use of pranayam, mantras or
37
00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,240
prayers may help the vital
envelope strengthen its ability
38
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,720
to resist the disease.
The use of specific medicines,
39
00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,720
including homeopathy, which
works on the vibrational level,
40
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,120
may aid the body in its own
response to a situation.
41
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,880
The question is not solved by
taking an extreme position that
42
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,240
does not recognize time, process
and circumstances.
43
00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:01,600
Rather, the constant pressure of
the spiritual force can take the
44
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,960
temporary and intermediate aid
of mental, vital and physical
45
00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:10,160
support systems to address
illness and help the seeker
46
00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:15,120
maintain a strong foundation for
the spiritual work to be done,
47
00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,480
Sri Aurobindo writes quote
Certainly one can act from
48
00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,520
within on an illness and cure
it.
49
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,280
Only it is not always easy as
there is much resistance in
50
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,440
matter.
A resistance of inertia, an
51
00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,120
untiring persistence is
necessary.
52
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,400
At first.
One may fail altogether, or the
53
00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,240
symptoms increase, but gradually
the control of the body or of a
54
00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,880
particular illness becomes
stronger again.
55
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,640
To cure an occasional attack of
illness by inner means is
56
00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,720
comparatively easy.
To make the body immune from it
57
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:01,120
in future is more difficult.
A chronic malady is harder to
58
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,520
deal with, more reluctant to
disappear entirely, than an
59
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,000
occasional disturbance of the
body, so long as the control of
60
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,680
the body is imperfect.
There are all these and other
61
00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,640
imperfections and difficulties
in the use of the inner force.
62
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:23,040
If you can succeed by the
interaction in preventing
63
00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,840
increase, even that is
something.
64
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,200
You have then by Abyasa to
strengthen the power till it
65
00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,960
becomes able to cure.
Note that so long as the power
66
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:41,080
is not entirely there, some aid
of physical means need not be
67
00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,440
altogether rejected.
End Quote.
68
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,920
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Faces
of Yoga, Chapter 5.
69
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,240
Physical consciousness,
subconscious sleep and dream
70
00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,160
illness.
Pages one O 5 to one O 6.
