April 9, 2024
The Cycle of Development in Nature and the Focus of Attention
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 2 Hidden Forces Within, pp. 44-46 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/04/07/the-cycle-of-development-in-nature-and-the-focus-of-attention/
YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at http://www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at http://www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:05,080
We observe everywhere that
nature has a development cycle,
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,880
with focus of attention on what
needs to take place at each
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,400
stage of that cycle, rather than
simply jumping ahead to an end
4
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,120
result of the development.
Thus we see that plants undergo
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,680
a stage of sprouting from seed,
and the first focus is on
6
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,720
putting out a root system in
leaves, then stems and trunks
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,160
more leaves and eventually they
come to a stage of flowering and
8
00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,840
bearing a fruit, which then
leads to a new seed generation
9
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,880
and repeat of the cycle.
In human beings we can observe
10
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,360
that after the child is born,
nature puts the initial primary
11
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,680
attention on the growth of the
physical body.
12
00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,200
As the child grows, there comes
about development of the vital
13
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,440
powers of the being, and
eventually a stage is reached
14
00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,120
where primary attention is
placed on the mental
15
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,920
development.
Some educators indeed have
16
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,680
posited that there are specific
time frames in the development
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,200
cycle within which each of these
levels obtains the primary
18
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,480
focus.
Rudolf Steiner and Maria
19
00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,880
Montessori created plans of
education around these stages.
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,280
Ancient Indian teachings held
that there were specific time
21
00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,080
frames within the scope of human
life within which the being
22
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,560
should focus on various aspects
of development.
23
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:41,040
These stages, known as ashramas,
counseled the individual to
24
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,080
attend to the major aspects of
human development within an
25
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:49,840
orderly sequence.
We can consider that a
26
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,960
Caterpillar focuses its
attention almost entirely on
27
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,760
eating leaves of plants.
At a certain stage, it spins A
28
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,720
cocoon and embeds itself
therein.
29
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,560
Eventually it emerges as a
butterfly.
30
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,360
Just as the Caterpillar cannot
focus its attention on flying as
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,880
a butterfly, so the child, the
young adult, the individual in
32
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,160
the prime of life, cannot be
expected to focus on or even
33
00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:26,400
conceive of in most cases, a
further stage that involves new
34
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,440
spiritual understanding and
expression of powers and modes
35
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,800
of being that represent the
development of the flower of
36
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,600
human existence, the emergence
of the soul.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,200
When the time comes, the mature
individual naturally turns his
38
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,320
attention to the soul and the
significance of his life.
39
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,880
This is a natural cycle of
development.
40
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,720
Until that time, the existence
of the soul is considered to be
41
00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,320
a mystery, and its influence is
primarily a pressure of ongoing
42
00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:05,920
development of the physical,
vital, emotional and mental
43
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:10,480
aspects of the life to prepare
for the ultimate emergence of
44
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,920
the soul in a fully awake,
prepared and competent human
45
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:21,600
existence, Sri Aurobindo
observes, Quote.
46
00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,800
If the psychic entity had been
from the beginning unveiled and
47
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,800
known to its ministers, not a
secluded king in a screened
48
00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,840
chamber, the human evolution
would have been a rapid soul,
49
00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,640
outflowering not the difficult,
checkered and disfigured
50
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:43,640
development it now is.
But the veil is thick, and we
51
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,600
know not the secret light within
us, the light in the hidden
52
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,360
crypt of the heart's innermost
sanctuary.
53
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,720
Intimations rise to our surface
from the psyche, but our mind
54
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,600
does not detect their source.
It takes them for its own
55
00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,760
activities, because before even
they come to the surface, they
56
00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,840
are clothed in mental substance,
thus ignorant of their
57
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,840
authority.
It follows or does not follow
58
00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,560
them according to its bent or
turn at the moment.
59
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,800
If the mind obeys the urge of
the vital ego, then there is
60
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:25,080
little chance of the psyche at
all controlling the nature or
61
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,920
manifesting in it something of
its secret spiritual stuff and
62
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,360
native movement.
Or if the mind is overconfident
63
00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,640
to act in its own smaller light,
attached to its own judgement,
64
00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:42,640
will, and action of knowledge,
then also the soul will remain
65
00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,840
veiled and quiescent and wait
for the mind's farther
66
00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:50,720
evolution.
For the psychic part within is
67
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:52,960
there to support the natural
evolution.
68
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,680
And the first natural evolution
must be the development of body,
69
00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,520
life, and mind successively.
And these must act each in its
70
00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,960
own kind, or together in their
I'll assorted partnership, in
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,880
order to grow and have
experience and evolve.
72
00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,440
The soul gathers the essence of
all our mental vital and bodily
73
00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,840
experience, and assimilates it
for the farther evolution of our
74
00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:26,800
existence in nature.
But this action is a cult, and
75
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:31,960
not obtruded on the surface.
In the early material and vital
76
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,920
stages of the evolution of
being, there is indeed no
77
00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,160
consciousness of soul.
There are psychic activities,
78
00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,240
but the instrumentation, the
form of these activities, are
79
00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:50,600
vital and physical or mental.
When the mind is active, for
80
00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:55,480
even the mind, so long as it is
primitive or is developed but
81
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,560
still too external, does not
recognize their deeper
82
00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,240
character.
It is easy to regard ourselves
83
00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:08,440
as physical beings or beings of
life, or mental beings using
84
00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,640
life and body, and to ignore the
existence of the soul
85
00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,320
altogether.
For the only definite idea that
86
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,360
we have of the soul is of
something that survives death of
87
00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,480
our bodies.
But what this is, we do not
88
00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,280
know, because even if we are
conscious sometimes of its
89
00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:32,480
presence, we are not normally
conscious of its distinct
90
00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,080
reality, nor do we feel clearly
it's direct action in our
91
00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:42,080
nature.
End Quote Reference Sri
92
00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:46,280
Aurobindo and the Mother, The
Hidden Forces of Life, Chapter
93
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:51,560
2, Hidden Forces within pages 44
to 46.
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:05,080
We observe everywhere that
nature has a development cycle,
2
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,880
with focus of attention on what
needs to take place at each
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,400
stage of that cycle, rather than
simply jumping ahead to an end
4
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,120
result of the development.
Thus we see that plants undergo
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,680
a stage of sprouting from seed,
and the first focus is on
6
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,720
putting out a root system in
leaves, then stems and trunks
7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,160
more leaves and eventually they
come to a stage of flowering and
8
00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,840
bearing a fruit, which then
leads to a new seed generation
9
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,880
and repeat of the cycle.
In human beings we can observe
10
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,360
that after the child is born,
nature puts the initial primary
11
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,680
attention on the growth of the
physical body.
12
00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,200
As the child grows, there comes
about development of the vital
13
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,440
powers of the being, and
eventually a stage is reached
14
00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,120
where primary attention is
placed on the mental
15
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,920
development.
Some educators indeed have
16
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,680
posited that there are specific
time frames in the development
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,200
cycle within which each of these
levels obtains the primary
18
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,480
focus.
Rudolf Steiner and Maria
19
00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,880
Montessori created plans of
education around these stages.
20
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,280
Ancient Indian teachings held
that there were specific time
21
00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,080
frames within the scope of human
life within which the being
22
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,560
should focus on various aspects
of development.
23
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:41,040
These stages, known as ashramas,
counseled the individual to
24
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,080
attend to the major aspects of
human development within an
25
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:49,840
orderly sequence.
We can consider that a
26
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,960
Caterpillar focuses its
attention almost entirely on
27
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,760
eating leaves of plants.
At a certain stage, it spins A
28
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,720
cocoon and embeds itself
therein.
29
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,560
Eventually it emerges as a
butterfly.
30
00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,360
Just as the Caterpillar cannot
focus its attention on flying as
31
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,880
a butterfly, so the child, the
young adult, the individual in
32
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,160
the prime of life, cannot be
expected to focus on or even
33
00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:26,400
conceive of in most cases, a
further stage that involves new
34
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,440
spiritual understanding and
expression of powers and modes
35
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,800
of being that represent the
development of the flower of
36
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,600
human existence, the emergence
of the soul.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,200
When the time comes, the mature
individual naturally turns his
38
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,320
attention to the soul and the
significance of his life.
39
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,880
This is a natural cycle of
development.
40
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,720
Until that time, the existence
of the soul is considered to be
41
00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,320
a mystery, and its influence is
primarily a pressure of ongoing
42
00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:05,920
development of the physical,
vital, emotional and mental
43
00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:10,480
aspects of the life to prepare
for the ultimate emergence of
44
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,920
the soul in a fully awake,
prepared and competent human
45
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:21,600
existence, Sri Aurobindo
observes, Quote.
46
00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,800
If the psychic entity had been
from the beginning unveiled and
47
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,800
known to its ministers, not a
secluded king in a screened
48
00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,840
chamber, the human evolution
would have been a rapid soul,
49
00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,640
outflowering not the difficult,
checkered and disfigured
50
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:43,640
development it now is.
But the veil is thick, and we
51
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,600
know not the secret light within
us, the light in the hidden
52
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,360
crypt of the heart's innermost
sanctuary.
53
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,720
Intimations rise to our surface
from the psyche, but our mind
54
00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,600
does not detect their source.
It takes them for its own
55
00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,760
activities, because before even
they come to the surface, they
56
00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,840
are clothed in mental substance,
thus ignorant of their
57
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,840
authority.
It follows or does not follow
58
00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,560
them according to its bent or
turn at the moment.
59
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,800
If the mind obeys the urge of
the vital ego, then there is
60
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:25,080
little chance of the psyche at
all controlling the nature or
61
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,920
manifesting in it something of
its secret spiritual stuff and
62
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,360
native movement.
Or if the mind is overconfident
63
00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,640
to act in its own smaller light,
attached to its own judgement,
64
00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:42,640
will, and action of knowledge,
then also the soul will remain
65
00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,840
veiled and quiescent and wait
for the mind's farther
66
00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:50,720
evolution.
For the psychic part within is
67
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:52,960
there to support the natural
evolution.
68
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,680
And the first natural evolution
must be the development of body,
69
00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,520
life, and mind successively.
And these must act each in its
70
00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,960
own kind, or together in their
I'll assorted partnership, in
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,880
order to grow and have
experience and evolve.
72
00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,440
The soul gathers the essence of
all our mental vital and bodily
73
00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,840
experience, and assimilates it
for the farther evolution of our
74
00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:26,800
existence in nature.
But this action is a cult, and
75
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:31,960
not obtruded on the surface.
In the early material and vital
76
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,920
stages of the evolution of
being, there is indeed no
77
00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,160
consciousness of soul.
There are psychic activities,
78
00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,240
but the instrumentation, the
form of these activities, are
79
00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:50,600
vital and physical or mental.
When the mind is active, for
80
00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:55,480
even the mind, so long as it is
primitive or is developed but
81
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,560
still too external, does not
recognize their deeper
82
00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,240
character.
It is easy to regard ourselves
83
00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:08,440
as physical beings or beings of
life, or mental beings using
84
00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,640
life and body, and to ignore the
existence of the soul
85
00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,320
altogether.
For the only definite idea that
86
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,360
we have of the soul is of
something that survives death of
87
00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,480
our bodies.
But what this is, we do not
88
00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,280
know, because even if we are
conscious sometimes of its
89
00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:32,480
presence, we are not normally
conscious of its distinct
90
00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,080
reality, nor do we feel clearly
it's direct action in our
91
00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:42,080
nature.
End Quote Reference Sri
92
00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:46,280
Aurobindo and the Mother, The
Hidden Forces of Life, Chapter
93
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:51,560
2, Hidden Forces within pages 44
to 46.