Aug. 2, 2025
Spiritual Awakening: Moving Away from Disillusionment to Finding Meaning in Life
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 141
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/07/31/spiritual-awakening-moving-away-from-disillusionment-to-finding-meaning-in-life/
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
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,880
As we grow and experience life,
there may come a time when we
2
00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,760
become disillusioned.
We may feel like there is no
3
00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,240
meaning or significance to what
we do.
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:18,000
We feel like we are running in a
hamster wheel or on a treadmill,
5
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,760
always striving to earn money to
survive and maybe have a bit of
6
00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,920
enjoyment.
We experience empty enjoyments
7
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:33,320
and superficial relationships.
We wind up asking why.
8
00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,680
This can be a real turning point
for an individual who is ready
9
00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,640
for taking up the spiritual
life.
10
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,240
A feeling of throwing it all
away and escaping rises up.
11
00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,600
We call these feelings many
things.
12
00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,800
We may call it nausea, as the
existentialists have been prone
13
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,760
to do.
We may call it midlife crisis,
14
00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:02,800
or postpartum depression, or any
number of things that represent
15
00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,920
a change in our feelings and
emotions away from the external
16
00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,920
life we've been living.
We may call it teenage
17
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,040
rebellion, as the young person
looks at the life path in front
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,840
of him and does not accept that
this is really what life is all
19
00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,680
about.
We may not know why, we may not
20
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,080
have any sense of what we want
to do or how we can simply
21
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,440
change our lives, but we know
that we have to do something.
22
00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,280
While this feeling, this
experience can help us to
23
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,520
recognize that there is
something different, something
24
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:47,120
deeper, something meaningful
about our lives, it cannot of
25
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:52,760
itself be the basis for a long
term transformation that would
26
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,120
amount to a falling into a state
of depression, a temasek
27
00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,280
rejection of the life without a
new purpose arising.
28
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:07,520
Wallowing in this state may lead
to alcohol, drugs, depression, a
29
00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,280
life of dissipation, and even to
thoughts of suicide or self harm
30
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:18,160
in some way or another.
When we look at individuals who
31
00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,400
have returned from a near death
experience, we frequently hear
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:27,320
that they have found a new
meaning, a new understanding, a
33
00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,920
new mission that drives them
forward.
34
00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:34,480
A similar turning toward a
deeper reflection can lead
35
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:39,040
people to a search for meaning
in religion, in philosophy, in
36
00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,680
spiritual practices.
And as they deepen their
37
00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,680
practice, they begin to sense
that there is in fact a deeper
38
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,360
purpose, and that their life has
a meaning, and it is worth
39
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,280
living to realize that.
Some find this as a foundation
40
00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,920
of solace.
Some experience a positive sense
41
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:04,960
of joy when they open up to the
new vision that presents itself
42
00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:10,880
to them once they move beyond
the weariness and emptiness of
43
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,960
their external lives.
The Buddha was a Prince who
44
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,840
lived a life of luxury in a
sheltered environment.
45
00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,600
With every desire met, he was
surrounded with all that the
46
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,000
external life could offer.
Eventually he found out that
47
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,480
this life was a life of
illusion, and he rejected it,
48
00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:39,800
understood the four noble truths
of human life, and set off to
49
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,760
find a deeper realization.
He successfully moved from
50
00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,920
renunciation of the meaningless
life of aristocratic luxury to a
51
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:55,280
deeply meaningful and personal
experience of liberation and
52
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,800
spiritual truth, Triorrobindo
writes.
53
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:05,600
Quote Certainly if one is
satisfied with life, entranced
54
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,560
by it, so that it shuts out the
sense of the soul within, or
55
00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,640
hampers the attraction to the
Divine, then a period of
56
00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:19,480
viragya, sorrow, depression, a
painful breaking of the vital
57
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,400
ties, may be necessary, and many
go through that.
58
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,960
But once the turn is made, it
should be to the One Direction,
59
00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,680
and a perpetual viragia is not
needed.
60
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,840
Nor, when we speak of
cheerfulness as the best
61
00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:41,600
condition, do we mean a cheerful
following of the vital life, but
62
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,560
a cheerful following of the path
to the Divine, which is not
63
00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,920
impossible if the mind and heart
take the right view and posture.
64
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,920
At any rate, if positive
cheerfulness is not possible in
65
00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:00,960
one's case, still one should not
acquiesce in or mentally support
66
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,920
a constant depression and
sadness.
67
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,920
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
68
00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,120
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 5.
69
00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:15,520
Attitudes on the Path, page 141.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,880
As we grow and experience life,
there may come a time when we
2
00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,760
become disillusioned.
We may feel like there is no
3
00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,240
meaning or significance to what
we do.
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:18,000
We feel like we are running in a
hamster wheel or on a treadmill,
5
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,760
always striving to earn money to
survive and maybe have a bit of
6
00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,920
enjoyment.
We experience empty enjoyments
7
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:33,320
and superficial relationships.
We wind up asking why.
8
00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,680
This can be a real turning point
for an individual who is ready
9
00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,640
for taking up the spiritual
life.
10
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,240
A feeling of throwing it all
away and escaping rises up.
11
00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,600
We call these feelings many
things.
12
00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,800
We may call it nausea, as the
existentialists have been prone
13
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,760
to do.
We may call it midlife crisis,
14
00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:02,800
or postpartum depression, or any
number of things that represent
15
00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,920
a change in our feelings and
emotions away from the external
16
00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,920
life we've been living.
We may call it teenage
17
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,040
rebellion, as the young person
looks at the life path in front
18
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,840
of him and does not accept that
this is really what life is all
19
00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,680
about.
We may not know why, we may not
20
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,080
have any sense of what we want
to do or how we can simply
21
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,440
change our lives, but we know
that we have to do something.
22
00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,280
While this feeling, this
experience can help us to
23
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,520
recognize that there is
something different, something
24
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:47,120
deeper, something meaningful
about our lives, it cannot of
25
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:52,760
itself be the basis for a long
term transformation that would
26
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,120
amount to a falling into a state
of depression, a temasek
27
00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,280
rejection of the life without a
new purpose arising.
28
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:07,520
Wallowing in this state may lead
to alcohol, drugs, depression, a
29
00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,280
life of dissipation, and even to
thoughts of suicide or self harm
30
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:18,160
in some way or another.
When we look at individuals who
31
00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,400
have returned from a near death
experience, we frequently hear
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:27,320
that they have found a new
meaning, a new understanding, a
33
00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,920
new mission that drives them
forward.
34
00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:34,480
A similar turning toward a
deeper reflection can lead
35
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:39,040
people to a search for meaning
in religion, in philosophy, in
36
00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,680
spiritual practices.
And as they deepen their
37
00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,680
practice, they begin to sense
that there is in fact a deeper
38
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,360
purpose, and that their life has
a meaning, and it is worth
39
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,280
living to realize that.
Some find this as a foundation
40
00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,920
of solace.
Some experience a positive sense
41
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:04,960
of joy when they open up to the
new vision that presents itself
42
00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:10,880
to them once they move beyond
the weariness and emptiness of
43
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,960
their external lives.
The Buddha was a Prince who
44
00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,840
lived a life of luxury in a
sheltered environment.
45
00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,600
With every desire met, he was
surrounded with all that the
46
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,000
external life could offer.
Eventually he found out that
47
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,480
this life was a life of
illusion, and he rejected it,
48
00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:39,800
understood the four noble truths
of human life, and set off to
49
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,760
find a deeper realization.
He successfully moved from
50
00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,920
renunciation of the meaningless
life of aristocratic luxury to a
51
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:55,280
deeply meaningful and personal
experience of liberation and
52
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,800
spiritual truth, Triorrobindo
writes.
53
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:05,600
Quote Certainly if one is
satisfied with life, entranced
54
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,560
by it, so that it shuts out the
sense of the soul within, or
55
00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,640
hampers the attraction to the
Divine, then a period of
56
00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:19,480
viragya, sorrow, depression, a
painful breaking of the vital
57
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,400
ties, may be necessary, and many
go through that.
58
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,960
But once the turn is made, it
should be to the One Direction,
59
00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,680
and a perpetual viragia is not
needed.
60
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,840
Nor, when we speak of
cheerfulness as the best
61
00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:41,600
condition, do we mean a cheerful
following of the vital life, but
62
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,560
a cheerful following of the path
to the Divine, which is not
63
00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,920
impossible if the mind and heart
take the right view and posture.
64
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,920
At any rate, if positive
cheerfulness is not possible in
65
00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:00,960
one's case, still one should not
acquiesce in or mentally support
66
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,920
a constant depression and
sadness.
67
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,920
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
68
00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,120
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 5.
69
00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:15,520
Attitudes on the Path, page 141.