March 10, 2025
The Ascent of the Consciousness Beyond the Preoccupation With Material Existence
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 1, Looking at Life and Circumstances, pp. 16-17This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/03/08/the-ascent-of-the-consciousness-beyond-the-preoccupation-with-material-existence/
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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,200
It is difficult to both
understand and appreciate the
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:08,960
apparent regression from
spiritual heights to a world in
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,680
which the physical being and
material focus reigns supreme
4
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,200
and predominates in the entire
world to an overwhelming degree.
5
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,280
It is likely that the
intellectual and then the
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,640
spiritual development reached a
point where it was too rarefied
7
00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:29,640
and the generality of mankind
was unable to adopt it,
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,720
particularly as they struggled
to survive and thrive in
9
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,160
difficult external
circumstances.
10
00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:41,480
We can thus accept that a period
of focus on the external, the
11
00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:45,840
physical, the material, was
needed to provide a foundation
12
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,080
or basis upon which the next
ascent of consciousness could
13
00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,680
develop, hopefully in a way that
ensured that the physical and
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,440
vital being of man would be able
to both participate and
15
00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,560
appreciate the next stage of
development.
16
00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,480
In the Titiria Upanishad, the
seeker first establishes the
17
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,760
foundation of the physical level
before eventually moving on to
18
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,360
appreciate the priority and
primacy of the vital, the
19
00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,640
mental, the supermental, and the
bliss planes of existence that
20
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,360
make up the various levels of
the creation.
21
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,440
In the modern day, we see
scientists delving deep into
22
00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,680
matter and discovering that it
is really energy, and then
23
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,240
proceeding to discover that
energy is a form of
24
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,480
consciousness.
So we see a preparation for the
25
00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,120
renewal of the upward ascent of
the evolution of consciousness.
26
00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,160
Now with an understanding of the
roots of matter and the oneness
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:57,080
of the entire creation, Shrioro
Bindo provides a note of
28
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,400
confidence that the material
focus of the current age will
29
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,360
eventually recede as a new
spiritual aspiration and urge
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,280
awakens and takes up the
challenge of the ever evolving
31
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:16,560
conscious existence that is
manifesting in the world in the
32
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:22,840
life Divine, he writes.
Quote the earliest preoccupation
33
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:28,840
of man in his awakened thoughts,
and, as it seems, his inevitable
34
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,800
and ultimate preoccupation, for
it survives the longest periods
35
00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,720
of scepticism and returns after
every banishment, is also the
36
00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,480
highest which his thought can
envisage.
37
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,520
It manifests itself in the
divination of Godhead, the
38
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,840
impulse towards perfection, the
search after pure truth and
39
00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,760
unmixed bliss, the sense of a
secret immortality.
40
00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,880
The ancient dawns of human
knowledge have left us their
41
00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,240
witness to this constant
aspiration.
42
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:09,640
Today we see a humanity satiated
but not satisfied by victorious
43
00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:14,600
analysis of the externalities of
nature, preparing to return to
44
00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,320
its primeval longings.
The earliest formula of wisdom
45
00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:27,400
promised us to be its last God.
Light, freedom, immortality.
46
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,400
End Quote.
The Mother notes quote.
47
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,080
When I read these ancient texts,
I really have the impression
48
00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,720
that from the inner point of
view, from the point of view of
49
00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,480
the true life, we have fallen
back terribly.
50
00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,600
And that for the acquisition of
a few ingenious mechanisms, a
51
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,040
few encouragements to physical
laziness, the acquisition of
52
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,400
instruments and gadgets that
lessen the effort of living, we
53
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,000
have renounced the reality of
the inner life.
54
00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,200
It is that sense which has been
lost, and it needs an effort for
55
00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,240
you to think of learning the
meaning of life, the purpose of
56
00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,120
existence, the goal towards
which we must advance, towards
57
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,279
which all life advances, whether
you want it or not.
58
00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,400
One step towards the goal.
Oh, it needs so much effort to
59
00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,600
do that.
And generally one thinks of it
60
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,200
only when the outer
circumstances are not pleasant.
61
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,760
How far we are from the times
when the shepherd who did not go
62
00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,120
to school and kept watch over
his flock at night under the
63
00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,320
stars, could read in the stars
what was going to happen.
64
00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,440
Commune with something which
expressed itself through nature
65
00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,360
and had the sense of the
profound beauty and that peace
66
00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:58,480
which a simple life gives.
It is very unfortunate that one
67
00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,120
has to give up something in
order to gain another.
68
00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,480
When I speak of the inner life,
I am far from opposing any
69
00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,000
modern inventions.
Far from it.
70
00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,000
But how much these inventions
have made us artificial and
71
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:17,160
stupid, how much we have lost
the sense of true beauty, how
72
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,120
much we burden ourselves with
useless needs?
73
00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,320
Perhaps the time has come to
continue the ascent in the curve
74
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,280
of the spiral.
And now, with all that this
75
00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,560
knowledge of matter has brought
us, we shall be able to give to
76
00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,360
our spiritual progress a more
solid basis, strong with what we
77
00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,080
have learnt of the secrets of
material nature.
78
00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:45,280
We shall be able to join the two
extremes and rediscover the
79
00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,600
Supreme Reality in the very
heart of the atom.
80
00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,640
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
81
00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,880
Mother, Looking from within,
Chapter 1.
82
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,040
Looking at Life and
Circumstances, pages 16 to 17.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,200
It is difficult to both
understand and appreciate the
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:08,960
apparent regression from
spiritual heights to a world in
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,680
which the physical being and
material focus reigns supreme
4
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,200
and predominates in the entire
world to an overwhelming degree.
5
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,280
It is likely that the
intellectual and then the
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,640
spiritual development reached a
point where it was too rarefied
7
00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:29,640
and the generality of mankind
was unable to adopt it,
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,720
particularly as they struggled
to survive and thrive in
9
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,160
difficult external
circumstances.
10
00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:41,480
We can thus accept that a period
of focus on the external, the
11
00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:45,840
physical, the material, was
needed to provide a foundation
12
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,080
or basis upon which the next
ascent of consciousness could
13
00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,680
develop, hopefully in a way that
ensured that the physical and
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,440
vital being of man would be able
to both participate and
15
00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,560
appreciate the next stage of
development.
16
00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,480
In the Titiria Upanishad, the
seeker first establishes the
17
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,760
foundation of the physical level
before eventually moving on to
18
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,360
appreciate the priority and
primacy of the vital, the
19
00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,640
mental, the supermental, and the
bliss planes of existence that
20
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,360
make up the various levels of
the creation.
21
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,440
In the modern day, we see
scientists delving deep into
22
00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,680
matter and discovering that it
is really energy, and then
23
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,240
proceeding to discover that
energy is a form of
24
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,480
consciousness.
So we see a preparation for the
25
00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,120
renewal of the upward ascent of
the evolution of consciousness.
26
00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,160
Now with an understanding of the
roots of matter and the oneness
27
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:57,080
of the entire creation, Shrioro
Bindo provides a note of
28
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,400
confidence that the material
focus of the current age will
29
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,360
eventually recede as a new
spiritual aspiration and urge
30
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,280
awakens and takes up the
challenge of the ever evolving
31
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:16,560
conscious existence that is
manifesting in the world in the
32
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:22,840
life Divine, he writes.
Quote the earliest preoccupation
33
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:28,840
of man in his awakened thoughts,
and, as it seems, his inevitable
34
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,800
and ultimate preoccupation, for
it survives the longest periods
35
00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,720
of scepticism and returns after
every banishment, is also the
36
00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,480
highest which his thought can
envisage.
37
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,520
It manifests itself in the
divination of Godhead, the
38
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,840
impulse towards perfection, the
search after pure truth and
39
00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,760
unmixed bliss, the sense of a
secret immortality.
40
00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,880
The ancient dawns of human
knowledge have left us their
41
00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,240
witness to this constant
aspiration.
42
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:09,640
Today we see a humanity satiated
but not satisfied by victorious
43
00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:14,600
analysis of the externalities of
nature, preparing to return to
44
00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,320
its primeval longings.
The earliest formula of wisdom
45
00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:27,400
promised us to be its last God.
Light, freedom, immortality.
46
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,400
End Quote.
The Mother notes quote.
47
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,080
When I read these ancient texts,
I really have the impression
48
00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,720
that from the inner point of
view, from the point of view of
49
00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,480
the true life, we have fallen
back terribly.
50
00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,600
And that for the acquisition of
a few ingenious mechanisms, a
51
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,040
few encouragements to physical
laziness, the acquisition of
52
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,400
instruments and gadgets that
lessen the effort of living, we
53
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,000
have renounced the reality of
the inner life.
54
00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,200
It is that sense which has been
lost, and it needs an effort for
55
00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,240
you to think of learning the
meaning of life, the purpose of
56
00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,120
existence, the goal towards
which we must advance, towards
57
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,279
which all life advances, whether
you want it or not.
58
00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,400
One step towards the goal.
Oh, it needs so much effort to
59
00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,600
do that.
And generally one thinks of it
60
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,200
only when the outer
circumstances are not pleasant.
61
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,760
How far we are from the times
when the shepherd who did not go
62
00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,120
to school and kept watch over
his flock at night under the
63
00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,320
stars, could read in the stars
what was going to happen.
64
00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,440
Commune with something which
expressed itself through nature
65
00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,360
and had the sense of the
profound beauty and that peace
66
00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:58,480
which a simple life gives.
It is very unfortunate that one
67
00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,120
has to give up something in
order to gain another.
68
00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,480
When I speak of the inner life,
I am far from opposing any
69
00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,000
modern inventions.
Far from it.
70
00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,000
But how much these inventions
have made us artificial and
71
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:17,160
stupid, how much we have lost
the sense of true beauty, how
72
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,120
much we burden ourselves with
useless needs?
73
00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,320
Perhaps the time has come to
continue the ascent in the curve
74
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,280
of the spiral.
And now, with all that this
75
00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,560
knowledge of matter has brought
us, we shall be able to give to
76
00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,360
our spiritual progress a more
solid basis, strong with what we
77
00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,080
have learnt of the secrets of
material nature.
78
00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:45,280
We shall be able to join the two
extremes and rediscover the
79
00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,600
Supreme Reality in the very
heart of the atom.
80
00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,640
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
81
00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,880
Mother, Looking from within,
Chapter 1.
82
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,040
Looking at Life and
Circumstances, pages 16 to 17.