Dec. 23, 2024
The Body Consciousness
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XVI Body, pp. 126-127 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/12/21/the-body-consciousness/
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
00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:04,840
We tend to take for granted the
innate consciousness and
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,960
capacities of the body.
Much of what takes place in the
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,120
body is done by systems that are
far more complex and far more
4
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:17,080
subtle than anything the mind
can actively control.
5
00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,880
In fact, we find that frequently
when the mind intervenes or the
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,320
vital nature imposes itself, we
tend to upset the natural
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,000
harmony, balance and operation
of the body.
8
00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,360
In its normal, healthy,
energetic state, the body has a
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,680
quite incredible consciousness.
It can heal wounds and
10
00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,640
regenerate skin.
It can identify and fight off
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,320
diseases.
It creates a memory of illnesses
12
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,800
and uses that to Marshall its
defenses quickly when it
13
00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,720
identifies a similar illness
trying to enter.
14
00:00:54,560 --> 00:01:00,040
It manages complex biochemistry
that maintains homeostasis in
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,680
the blood and adjusts numerous
facts to maintain this balance.
16
00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,080
This is all in addition to the
very fact that it can grow from
17
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,880
a couple of cells, divide and
differentiate the cells and
18
00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,560
organize them into organ
systems, limbs, nervous and
19
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,840
brain tissue, etcetera.
It responds to various
20
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,600
environmental conditions
automatically.
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,360
Scientists recognize that there
are further capacities that are
22
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,720
latent within the body, such as
the power to regenerate limbs or
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,320
regrow teeth.
Biological researchers are
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:44,800
identifying the mechanisms in
the body which turn on or turn
25
00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,400
off these various capabilities
and are experimenting with
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,520
adjusting certain bioelectric
currents or gene activity to
27
00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,360
provoke these advanced
capacities which are known to
28
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,600
exist and can be observed in
certain fish, salamanders,
29
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,160
etcetera.
It is clear that through the
30
00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,840
mind's development and the vital
nature's extremes that the body
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,080
has been put to tremendous
tests.
32
00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,400
The impact of the mind and the
vital on the body consciousness
33
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,560
is also a major factor in the
body either acknowledging its
34
00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:27,200
latent powers or simply failing
to recognize them any longer and
35
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:33,720
thus fall into degeneration,
illness and eventual demise of
36
00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,840
the body.
Some scientists now confidently
37
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,400
predict that virtual immortality
is possible for the body when
38
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,800
regeneration capacities are
fully developed, when imbalances
39
00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,480
in the chemistry can be kept in
check, and when the will to
40
00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,320
health is fully active.
The question then resolves
41
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:59,600
around what will human beings do
with extended long life or
42
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,440
virtual immortality?
Unless they remain young and
43
00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:09,320
fresh in their minds and vital
energies, this extended lifespan
44
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,840
can become a burden and a curse,
the mother notes quote.
45
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,960
And then you will see when one
is normal, that is to say,
46
00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,080
unspoilt by bad teaching and bad
example.
47
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,920
When one is born and lives in a
healthy and relatively balanced
48
00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:33,400
and normal environment, the body
spontaneously, without any need
49
00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:38,560
for one to intervene mentally or
even vitally, has the certitude
50
00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,800
that even if something goes
wrong, it will be cured.
51
00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,920
The body carries within itself
the certitude of cure, the
52
00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,280
certitude that the illness or
disorder is sure to disappear.
53
00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,560
It is only through the false
education from the environment
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,400
that gradually the body is
taught that there are incurable
55
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,960
diseases, irreparable accidents,
and that it can grow old, and
56
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,280
all these stories which destroy
its faith and trust.
57
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,640
But normally the body of a
normal child, the body, I am not
58
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:19,120
Speaking of the thought the body
itself feels when something goes
59
00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,760
wrong, that it will certainly be
all right again.
60
00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,560
And if it is not like that, this
means that it has already been
61
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,960
perverted.
It seems normal for it to be in
62
00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,320
good health.
It seems quite abnormal to it.
63
00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,840
If something goes wrong and it
falls I'll and in its instinct,
64
00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,480
its spontaneous instinct, it is
sure that everything will be all
65
00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,240
right.
It is only the perversion of
66
00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,360
thought which destroys this.
As one grows up, the thought
67
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,400
becomes more and more distorted.
There is the whole collective
68
00:04:54,400 --> 00:05:00,400
suggestion, and so little by
little the body loses its trust
69
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,600
in itself and naturally losing
its self-confidence.
70
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,920
It also loses the spontaneous
capacity of restoring its
71
00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,360
equilibrium when this has been
disturbed.
72
00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,360
End Quote.
Reference Shrioro Bindu and the
73
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:23,400
Mother Powers within, Chapter
16, Body, pages 126 to 127.
00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:04,840
We tend to take for granted the
innate consciousness and
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,960
capacities of the body.
Much of what takes place in the
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,120
body is done by systems that are
far more complex and far more
4
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:17,080
subtle than anything the mind
can actively control.
5
00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,880
In fact, we find that frequently
when the mind intervenes or the
6
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,320
vital nature imposes itself, we
tend to upset the natural
7
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,000
harmony, balance and operation
of the body.
8
00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,360
In its normal, healthy,
energetic state, the body has a
9
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,680
quite incredible consciousness.
It can heal wounds and
10
00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,640
regenerate skin.
It can identify and fight off
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,320
diseases.
It creates a memory of illnesses
12
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,800
and uses that to Marshall its
defenses quickly when it
13
00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,720
identifies a similar illness
trying to enter.
14
00:00:54,560 --> 00:01:00,040
It manages complex biochemistry
that maintains homeostasis in
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,680
the blood and adjusts numerous
facts to maintain this balance.
16
00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,080
This is all in addition to the
very fact that it can grow from
17
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,880
a couple of cells, divide and
differentiate the cells and
18
00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,560
organize them into organ
systems, limbs, nervous and
19
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,840
brain tissue, etcetera.
It responds to various
20
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,600
environmental conditions
automatically.
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,360
Scientists recognize that there
are further capacities that are
22
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,720
latent within the body, such as
the power to regenerate limbs or
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,320
regrow teeth.
Biological researchers are
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:44,800
identifying the mechanisms in
the body which turn on or turn
25
00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,400
off these various capabilities
and are experimenting with
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,520
adjusting certain bioelectric
currents or gene activity to
27
00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,360
provoke these advanced
capacities which are known to
28
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,600
exist and can be observed in
certain fish, salamanders,
29
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,160
etcetera.
It is clear that through the
30
00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,840
mind's development and the vital
nature's extremes that the body
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,080
has been put to tremendous
tests.
32
00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,400
The impact of the mind and the
vital on the body consciousness
33
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,560
is also a major factor in the
body either acknowledging its
34
00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:27,200
latent powers or simply failing
to recognize them any longer and
35
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:33,720
thus fall into degeneration,
illness and eventual demise of
36
00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,840
the body.
Some scientists now confidently
37
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,400
predict that virtual immortality
is possible for the body when
38
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,800
regeneration capacities are
fully developed, when imbalances
39
00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,480
in the chemistry can be kept in
check, and when the will to
40
00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,320
health is fully active.
The question then resolves
41
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:59,600
around what will human beings do
with extended long life or
42
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,440
virtual immortality?
Unless they remain young and
43
00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:09,320
fresh in their minds and vital
energies, this extended lifespan
44
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,840
can become a burden and a curse,
the mother notes quote.
45
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,960
And then you will see when one
is normal, that is to say,
46
00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,080
unspoilt by bad teaching and bad
example.
47
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,920
When one is born and lives in a
healthy and relatively balanced
48
00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:33,400
and normal environment, the body
spontaneously, without any need
49
00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:38,560
for one to intervene mentally or
even vitally, has the certitude
50
00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,800
that even if something goes
wrong, it will be cured.
51
00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,920
The body carries within itself
the certitude of cure, the
52
00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,280
certitude that the illness or
disorder is sure to disappear.
53
00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,560
It is only through the false
education from the environment
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,400
that gradually the body is
taught that there are incurable
55
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,960
diseases, irreparable accidents,
and that it can grow old, and
56
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,280
all these stories which destroy
its faith and trust.
57
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,640
But normally the body of a
normal child, the body, I am not
58
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:19,120
Speaking of the thought the body
itself feels when something goes
59
00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,760
wrong, that it will certainly be
all right again.
60
00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,560
And if it is not like that, this
means that it has already been
61
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,960
perverted.
It seems normal for it to be in
62
00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,320
good health.
It seems quite abnormal to it.
63
00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,840
If something goes wrong and it
falls I'll and in its instinct,
64
00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,480
its spontaneous instinct, it is
sure that everything will be all
65
00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,240
right.
It is only the perversion of
66
00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,360
thought which destroys this.
As one grows up, the thought
67
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,400
becomes more and more distorted.
There is the whole collective
68
00:04:54,400 --> 00:05:00,400
suggestion, and so little by
little the body loses its trust
69
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,600
in itself and naturally losing
its self-confidence.
70
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,920
It also loses the spontaneous
capacity of restoring its
71
00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,360
equilibrium when this has been
disturbed.
72
00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,360
End Quote.
Reference Shrioro Bindu and the
73
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:23,400
Mother Powers within, Chapter
16, Body, pages 126 to 127.