June 13, 2025
The Action of the Three Gunas in Relation to the Assimilation of the Spiritual Force
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pg..104
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/11/the-action-of-the-three-gunas-in-relation-to-the-assimilation-of-the-spiritual-force/
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
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,520
The three gunas qualities of
nature are active in all beings,
2
00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:08,720
including those who are
undertaking an active process of
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,160
spiritual development.
The physical being is very much
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,920
subject to the action of Thomas
generally because of its dense
5
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,640
and somewhat inert material
characteristics.
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,800
It thus may fall into a kind of
torpor or inertia.
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,240
This helps create the sense of
dryness or dullness the being
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,280
experiences during assimilation
periods for the spiritual force.
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,880
This quality must eventually be
transformed into a peaceful,
10
00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,480
serene form of quietude that
helps maintain the tone of the
11
00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,640
physical being.
For the transformational work
12
00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:53,000
taking place behind the scenes,
the vital being tends to respond
13
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,520
easily to the guna of rajas.
In doing so, it may try to prod
14
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,840
or force the physical nature to
respond artificially.
15
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,600
The intrusion of rajasic energy
into the process can create
16
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,080
imbalances and distort the
results.
17
00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,880
Instead of the needed quietude,
there can be volatile efforts to
18
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,200
spur something visible.
Even if it is not the time for
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,960
that to occur, A Supwick
approach can aid the process by
20
00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:27,720
maintaining the faith, the basic
quiet aspiration, and the
21
00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,040
patience needed for the process
to work out.
22
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,160
In the end, it is the ego
personality that has all of
23
00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,440
these disruptions and issues.
With a shift to the witness
24
00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,560
consciousness and a focus that
brings the psychic being to the
25
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,440
fore.
Many of these concerns can be
26
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,640
limited or minimized.
Even though the nature may still
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,800
undergo these reactions, the
seeker can remain unaffected and
28
00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:02,440
observant as the process
continues, Sri Aurobindo writes
29
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,560
Quote.
The physical consciousness is
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,759
always in everybody, in its own
nature a little inert, and in it
31
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,120
a constant.
Strong aspiration is not
32
00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,800
natural, it has to be created.
But first there must be an
33
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:24,040
opening, a purification, a fixed
quietude, otherwise the physical
34
00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,880
vital will turn the strong
aspiration into over eagerness
35
00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,200
and impatience, or rather it
will try to give it that term.
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,520
Do not therefore be troubled if
the state of the nature seems to
37
00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,600
you to be too neutral and quiet,
not enough aspiration and
38
00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,120
movement in it.
This is a passage necessary for
39
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,960
the progress, and the rest will
come.
40
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,560
End Quote.
Reference Shriya Robindo and the
41
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,000
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
42
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,440
Difficulties, page 104.
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,520
The three gunas qualities of
nature are active in all beings,
2
00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:08,720
including those who are
undertaking an active process of
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,160
spiritual development.
The physical being is very much
4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,920
subject to the action of Thomas
generally because of its dense
5
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,640
and somewhat inert material
characteristics.
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,800
It thus may fall into a kind of
torpor or inertia.
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,240
This helps create the sense of
dryness or dullness the being
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,280
experiences during assimilation
periods for the spiritual force.
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,880
This quality must eventually be
transformed into a peaceful,
10
00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,480
serene form of quietude that
helps maintain the tone of the
11
00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,640
physical being.
For the transformational work
12
00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:53,000
taking place behind the scenes,
the vital being tends to respond
13
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,520
easily to the guna of rajas.
In doing so, it may try to prod
14
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,840
or force the physical nature to
respond artificially.
15
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,600
The intrusion of rajasic energy
into the process can create
16
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,080
imbalances and distort the
results.
17
00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,880
Instead of the needed quietude,
there can be volatile efforts to
18
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,200
spur something visible.
Even if it is not the time for
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,960
that to occur, A Supwick
approach can aid the process by
20
00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:27,720
maintaining the faith, the basic
quiet aspiration, and the
21
00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,040
patience needed for the process
to work out.
22
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,160
In the end, it is the ego
personality that has all of
23
00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,440
these disruptions and issues.
With a shift to the witness
24
00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,560
consciousness and a focus that
brings the psychic being to the
25
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,440
fore.
Many of these concerns can be
26
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,640
limited or minimized.
Even though the nature may still
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,800
undergo these reactions, the
seeker can remain unaffected and
28
00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:02,440
observant as the process
continues, Sri Aurobindo writes
29
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,560
Quote.
The physical consciousness is
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,759
always in everybody, in its own
nature a little inert, and in it
31
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,120
a constant.
Strong aspiration is not
32
00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,800
natural, it has to be created.
But first there must be an
33
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:24,040
opening, a purification, a fixed
quietude, otherwise the physical
34
00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,880
vital will turn the strong
aspiration into over eagerness
35
00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,200
and impatience, or rather it
will try to give it that term.
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,520
Do not therefore be troubled if
the state of the nature seems to
37
00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,600
you to be too neutral and quiet,
not enough aspiration and
38
00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,120
movement in it.
This is a passage necessary for
39
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,960
the progress, and the rest will
come.
40
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,560
End Quote.
Reference Shriya Robindo and the
41
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,000
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
42
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,440
Difficulties, page 104.