Nov. 29, 2024
Spiritual Experience Transcends the Mind's Understanding
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XII Power of Immobility, pp. 99-100 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/11/26/spiritual-experience-transcends-the-minds-understanding/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,120
The mind cannot comprehend
experiences with which it has no
2
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,480
familiarity.
Fiora Bindo describes a
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,000
spiritual status that is
experiential in nature.
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,560
When there is such an
experience, the mind tries to
5
00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,960
describe or transcribe that
experience into its normal
6
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,880
process of linear thought
expressed in words.
7
00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:29,440
Usually this transcription
process falls far short and the
8
00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,960
mind is left with a confused and
vague sense that there is
9
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,800
something beyond its realm.
Until the seeker is able himself
10
00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,720
to shift to spiritual
experience, true understanding
11
00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,720
is not really possible.
But once that happens, the
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,360
transcription provided by Sri
Aurobindo here suddenly makes
13
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,840
sense.
This is like the difference
14
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,160
between having a map that
outlines a path through a forest
15
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,280
versus actually traversing the
forest.
16
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,920
The map is A2 dimensional
representation, necessarily
17
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,160
incomplete and vague when it
comes to the actual path and its
18
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,600
three-dimensional reality and
the experience of traversing
19
00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,440
that path.
A disciple asks.
20
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,280
Quote.
Sweet Mother, I don't understand
21
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,920
the strong immobility of an
immortal spirit.
22
00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:31,000
Sri Aurobindo, the synthesis of
Yoga, the Mother observes quote.
23
00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,920
What is it you don't understand
that an immortal spirit has a
24
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,520
strong immobility?
It says what it means.
25
00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,120
An immortal spirit is
necessarily immobile and strong
26
00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,680
by the very fact of its being
immortal, for this is a fact.
27
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,960
It's like that when the spirit
is conscious of immortality, it
28
00:01:54,960 --> 00:02:00,520
becomes an immobility, all made
of strength, immobility, that is
29
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,320
to say, it doesn't move any
longer, but it is a strong
30
00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,080
immobility.
It is not an immobility of
31
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,240
inertia or impotence.
It is a strong immobility which
32
00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,520
is a basis for action.
That is all one does, founds
33
00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,480
itself upon this powerful, all
powerful immobility of the
34
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,160
spirit that is immortal.
But you see, there is no
35
00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,120
explanation which can give you
that.
36
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,600
You must have the experience.
One can't understand what this
37
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,040
means.
And it is the same for
38
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,400
everything.
The head, the little brain,
39
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,960
cannot understand.
The minute one has the
40
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,560
experience, one understands, not
before.
41
00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:49,120
One may have a sort of
imaginative idea, but this is
42
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,960
not understanding.
To understand, one must live it.
43
00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,480
When you become conscious of
your immortal spirit, you will
44
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,680
know what its strong immobility
is, but not before.
45
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,920
Otherwise these are mere words.
You don't understand how 1 can
46
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,600
be immobile and strong at the
same time.
47
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,200
Is that what is bothering you?
Well, I reply that the greatest
48
00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:20,560
strength is in immobility, that
is the sovereign power.
49
00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:26,840
End Quote Reference Fioro, Bindu
and the Mother, Powers within,
50
00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,600
Chapter 12.
Power of Immobility, pages 99 to
51
00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:32,280
100.
00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,120
The mind cannot comprehend
experiences with which it has no
2
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,480
familiarity.
Fiora Bindo describes a
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,000
spiritual status that is
experiential in nature.
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,560
When there is such an
experience, the mind tries to
5
00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,960
describe or transcribe that
experience into its normal
6
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,880
process of linear thought
expressed in words.
7
00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:29,440
Usually this transcription
process falls far short and the
8
00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,960
mind is left with a confused and
vague sense that there is
9
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,800
something beyond its realm.
Until the seeker is able himself
10
00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,720
to shift to spiritual
experience, true understanding
11
00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,720
is not really possible.
But once that happens, the
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,360
transcription provided by Sri
Aurobindo here suddenly makes
13
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,840
sense.
This is like the difference
14
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,160
between having a map that
outlines a path through a forest
15
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,280
versus actually traversing the
forest.
16
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,920
The map is A2 dimensional
representation, necessarily
17
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,160
incomplete and vague when it
comes to the actual path and its
18
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,600
three-dimensional reality and
the experience of traversing
19
00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,440
that path.
A disciple asks.
20
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,280
Quote.
Sweet Mother, I don't understand
21
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,920
the strong immobility of an
immortal spirit.
22
00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:31,000
Sri Aurobindo, the synthesis of
Yoga, the Mother observes quote.
23
00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,920
What is it you don't understand
that an immortal spirit has a
24
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,520
strong immobility?
It says what it means.
25
00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,120
An immortal spirit is
necessarily immobile and strong
26
00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,680
by the very fact of its being
immortal, for this is a fact.
27
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,960
It's like that when the spirit
is conscious of immortality, it
28
00:01:54,960 --> 00:02:00,520
becomes an immobility, all made
of strength, immobility, that is
29
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,320
to say, it doesn't move any
longer, but it is a strong
30
00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,080
immobility.
It is not an immobility of
31
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,240
inertia or impotence.
It is a strong immobility which
32
00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,520
is a basis for action.
That is all one does, founds
33
00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,480
itself upon this powerful, all
powerful immobility of the
34
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,160
spirit that is immortal.
But you see, there is no
35
00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,120
explanation which can give you
that.
36
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,600
You must have the experience.
One can't understand what this
37
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,040
means.
And it is the same for
38
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,400
everything.
The head, the little brain,
39
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,960
cannot understand.
The minute one has the
40
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,560
experience, one understands, not
before.
41
00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:49,120
One may have a sort of
imaginative idea, but this is
42
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,960
not understanding.
To understand, one must live it.
43
00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,480
When you become conscious of
your immortal spirit, you will
44
00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,680
know what its strong immobility
is, but not before.
45
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,920
Otherwise these are mere words.
You don't understand how 1 can
46
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,600
be immobile and strong at the
same time.
47
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,200
Is that what is bothering you?
Well, I reply that the greatest
48
00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:20,560
strength is in immobility, that
is the sovereign power.
49
00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:26,840
End Quote Reference Fioro, Bindu
and the Mother, Powers within,
50
00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,600
Chapter 12.
Power of Immobility, pages 99 to
51
00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:32,280
100.