Sept. 27, 2025
Spiritual Experiences and the Foundation of Peace and Aspiration Needed As Their Basis
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pg. 9This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/25/spiritual-experiences-and-the-foundation-of-peace-and-aspiration-needed-as-their-basis/
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
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,680
The vital nature is enamoured of
experiences that are new and
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:10,440
different, exciting, unusual.
This is the allure of the vision
3
00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:15,680
quest, fasting and the use of
entheogenic substances to bring
4
00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:20,560
forth experiences, visions,
contact with alternative states
5
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,880
of conscious awareness and
alternative realities.
6
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,560
Many techniques have been
developed to encourage these
7
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,320
experiences, including various
psychophysical practices,
8
00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,600
breathing techniques, mantras
and chanting, the use of mudras,
9
00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:43,080
bandas, trotak, devotional
singing and dance, Sufi dancing,
10
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,000
et cetera.
Seeking experiences such as an
11
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,280
out of body experience or a
sense of the descent of a power
12
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,640
into the body, the intense
silencing of the mind, the
13
00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,640
experience of a deep peace or an
ecstatic bliss.
14
00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,720
These experiences are exciting
to the vital nature and the
15
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,560
mind, and they speak to the
sense of power, the sense of 1's
16
00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:16,640
own unique spiritual capacities,
and in some cases, if not turned
17
00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,120
towards humility and gratitude,
can accentuate the rising of a
18
00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:25,800
form of vital pride and even
arrogance towards others.
19
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,840
In the end, however, these
experiences are either
20
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,880
distracting to the effort or
even misleading if one does not
21
00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,960
establish the foundation of the
spiritual consciousness based in
22
00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:45,120
development of peace, quiet in
the mind, and the turning of the
23
00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,800
spiritual aspiration to the
Divine.
24
00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,680
When experiences come, and they
generally do come as the higher
25
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,640
consciousness descends and
begins to manifest itself in the
26
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:02,080
seeker, they can be a support
and aid to the growth if they
27
00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:07,200
are based on this solid
foundation and thus do not act
28
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:12,080
to distract or mislead the
seeker, but to guide, lead and
29
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,200
help the seeker to realize and
manifest the deeper truth for
30
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,040
which he is aspiring.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
31
00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,280
Experience in the Sadhna is
bound to begin with the mental
32
00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,520
plane.
All that is necessary is that
33
00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,080
the experience should be sound
and genuine.
34
00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,280
The pressure of understanding
and will in the mind and the
35
00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:41,080
godward emotional urge in the
heart are the two first agents
36
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,240
of yoga.
And peace, Purity and calm with
37
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:51,240
a lulling of the lower unrest
are precisely the first basis
38
00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,680
that has to be laid.
To get that is much more
39
00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,720
important in the beginning than
to get a glimpse of the Super
40
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,200
physical worlds or to have
visions, voices and powers.
41
00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,280
Purification and calm are the
first needs in the yoga.
42
00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,480
One may have a great wealth of
experiences of that kind,
43
00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,160
worlds, visions, voices, et
cetera, without them.
44
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,920
But these experiences, occurring
in an unpurified and troubled
45
00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:23,920
consciousness, are usually full
of disorder and mixture.
46
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,200
At first the peace and calm are
not continuous.
47
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,760
They come and go, and it usually
takes a long time to get them
48
00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,840
settled in the nature.
It is better, therefore, to
49
00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,880
avoid impatience and to go on
steadily with what is being
50
00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,800
done.
If you wish to have something
51
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,440
beyond the peace and calm, let
it be the full opening of the
52
00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,840
inner being and the
consciousness of the Divine
53
00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,560
power working in you.
Aspire for that sincerely and
54
00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,000
with a great intensity, but
without impatience, and it will
55
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,080
come.
End Quote.
56
00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,680
Reference Sri or Vindo, Bases of
Yoga, Chapter 1.
57
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,200
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
9.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,680
The vital nature is enamoured of
experiences that are new and
2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:10,440
different, exciting, unusual.
This is the allure of the vision
3
00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:15,680
quest, fasting and the use of
entheogenic substances to bring
4
00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:20,560
forth experiences, visions,
contact with alternative states
5
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,880
of conscious awareness and
alternative realities.
6
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,560
Many techniques have been
developed to encourage these
7
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,320
experiences, including various
psychophysical practices,
8
00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,600
breathing techniques, mantras
and chanting, the use of mudras,
9
00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:43,080
bandas, trotak, devotional
singing and dance, Sufi dancing,
10
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,000
et cetera.
Seeking experiences such as an
11
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,280
out of body experience or a
sense of the descent of a power
12
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,640
into the body, the intense
silencing of the mind, the
13
00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,640
experience of a deep peace or an
ecstatic bliss.
14
00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,720
These experiences are exciting
to the vital nature and the
15
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,560
mind, and they speak to the
sense of power, the sense of 1's
16
00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:16,640
own unique spiritual capacities,
and in some cases, if not turned
17
00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,120
towards humility and gratitude,
can accentuate the rising of a
18
00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:25,800
form of vital pride and even
arrogance towards others.
19
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,840
In the end, however, these
experiences are either
20
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,880
distracting to the effort or
even misleading if one does not
21
00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,960
establish the foundation of the
spiritual consciousness based in
22
00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:45,120
development of peace, quiet in
the mind, and the turning of the
23
00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,800
spiritual aspiration to the
Divine.
24
00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,680
When experiences come, and they
generally do come as the higher
25
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,640
consciousness descends and
begins to manifest itself in the
26
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:02,080
seeker, they can be a support
and aid to the growth if they
27
00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:07,200
are based on this solid
foundation and thus do not act
28
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:12,080
to distract or mislead the
seeker, but to guide, lead and
29
00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,200
help the seeker to realize and
manifest the deeper truth for
30
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,040
which he is aspiring.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
31
00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,280
Experience in the Sadhna is
bound to begin with the mental
32
00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,520
plane.
All that is necessary is that
33
00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,080
the experience should be sound
and genuine.
34
00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,280
The pressure of understanding
and will in the mind and the
35
00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:41,080
godward emotional urge in the
heart are the two first agents
36
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,240
of yoga.
And peace, Purity and calm with
37
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:51,240
a lulling of the lower unrest
are precisely the first basis
38
00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,680
that has to be laid.
To get that is much more
39
00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,720
important in the beginning than
to get a glimpse of the Super
40
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,200
physical worlds or to have
visions, voices and powers.
41
00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,280
Purification and calm are the
first needs in the yoga.
42
00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,480
One may have a great wealth of
experiences of that kind,
43
00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,160
worlds, visions, voices, et
cetera, without them.
44
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,920
But these experiences, occurring
in an unpurified and troubled
45
00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:23,920
consciousness, are usually full
of disorder and mixture.
46
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,200
At first the peace and calm are
not continuous.
47
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,760
They come and go, and it usually
takes a long time to get them
48
00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,840
settled in the nature.
It is better, therefore, to
49
00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,880
avoid impatience and to go on
steadily with what is being
50
00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,800
done.
If you wish to have something
51
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,440
beyond the peace and calm, let
it be the full opening of the
52
00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,840
inner being and the
consciousness of the Divine
53
00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,560
power working in you.
Aspire for that sincerely and
54
00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,000
with a great intensity, but
without impatience, and it will
55
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,080
come.
End Quote.
56
00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,680
Reference Sri or Vindo, Bases of
Yoga, Chapter 1.
57
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,200
Calm, Peace and Equality, page
9.