Oct. 11, 2024
The Deeper Meaning of Will-Power
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter V Will-Power, pp. 47-48 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/10/09/the-deeper-meaning-of-will-power/
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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,960
We speak generally about
exercising willpower,
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,280
particularly when it relates to
overcoming an impulsion or
3
00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,000
attempting to achieve some
particular result.
4
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:16,400
We may want to overcome an
addiction or follow a particular
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,640
diet, and we struggle to carry
out our resolve.
6
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,640
We make New Year's resolutions
to create a form of will for the
7
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,880
upcoming year to somehow improve
ourselves in some way from our
8
00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,439
current status.
All of these involve making a
9
00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:37,240
substantial effort, and in most
cases we wind up either failing
10
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:42,560
partially or wholly, or else we
wind up suppressing an impulse
11
00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,200
and eventually having to
encounter it in a much more
12
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,800
powerful form when it can no
longer be contained.
13
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,000
Srior Bindo describes this
generally as willings, not an
14
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,360
act of will.
In the deepest sense, the will
15
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,400
is an expression of a truth of
existence, the manifestation of
16
00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,320
that truth and knowledge into a
form in a particular domain or
17
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:10,200
world.
It comes from the Ultimate
18
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,320
reality, which is termed
Satchidananda, existence,
19
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,960
consciousness, bliss.
The will is associated with the
20
00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:23,880
aspect of consciousness and thus
Sri Aurobindo utilizes the term
21
00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:29,120
Chit Shakti to show both the
static and dynamic aspects of
22
00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,760
that truth.
The truth has the dynamic power
23
00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,840
of realization associated with
it automatically and completely
24
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,320
without straining or a failing
effort, as we see in our human
25
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:46,760
attempts to enforce our will in
the external world in some way.
26
00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,360
Sri Robindo writes in his
thoughts and glimpses.
27
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,840
Quote.
When we have passed beyond
28
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,520
willings, then we shall have
power.
29
00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,360
Effort was the helper.
Effort is the bar.
30
00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,600
End Quote.
The Mother elaborates.
31
00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,360
Quote and he contrasts these
willings.
32
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:15,080
That is all these superficial
wills, often opposite and
33
00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,360
contradictory and without any
lasting basis, because they are
34
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,840
founded on what he calls
unknowing and not on knowledge
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,080
with the true will.
These willings are necessarily
36
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,480
fragmentary, passing and often
in opposition to one another.
37
00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,440
And this is what gives to the
individual life and even to the
38
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:41,360
collective, its nature of
incoherence, inconsistency and
39
00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,120
confusion.
The word will is normally
40
00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,760
reserved to indicate what comes
from the deeper being or the
41
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,640
higher reality, and what
expresses in action the true
42
00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:56,800
knowledge which rioro bindo has
contrasted with knowings.
43
00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,200
So when this will which
expresses the true knowledge,
44
00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,880
manifests in action, it
manifests through the
45
00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:09,040
intervention of a deep and
direct power which no longer
46
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,520
requires any effort.
And that is why Srioro Bindo
47
00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,720
says here that the true power
for action cannot come until one
48
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:23,040
has gone beyond the stage of
willings, that is, until the
49
00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,360
motive of action is the result
not of a mere mental activity,
50
00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,360
but of true knowledge.
True knowledge acting in the
51
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:37,120
outer being gives true power.
This seems to be an explanation,
52
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,280
the real explanation of that
very familiar saying, which is
53
00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,960
not understood in its essence,
but expresses a truth.
54
00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,800
Where there's a will, there's a
way to will is to have the
55
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,760
power.
It is quite obvious that this
56
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,840
does not refer to willings, that
is, to the more or less
57
00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,880
incoherent expression of
desires, but to the true will
58
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,200
expressing a true knowledge.
For this true will carries in
59
00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:09,480
itself the force of truth, which
gives power, an invincible
60
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,200
power.
And so when one expresses
61
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,160
willings, to be able to apply
them in life and make them
62
00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,880
effective, some effort must come
in.
63
00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,400
It is through personal effort
that one progresses, and it is
64
00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:29,640
through effort that one imposes
one's willings upon life to make
65
00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,680
it yield to their demands.
But when they are no longer
66
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,840
willings, when it is the true
will expressing the true
67
00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:43,960
knowledge, effort is no longer
required, for the power is
68
00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,480
omnipotent.
End Quote.
69
00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:52,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
70
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,400
Willpower, pages 47 to 48.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,960
We speak generally about
exercising willpower,
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,280
particularly when it relates to
overcoming an impulsion or
3
00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,000
attempting to achieve some
particular result.
4
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:16,400
We may want to overcome an
addiction or follow a particular
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,640
diet, and we struggle to carry
out our resolve.
6
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,640
We make New Year's resolutions
to create a form of will for the
7
00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,880
upcoming year to somehow improve
ourselves in some way from our
8
00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,439
current status.
All of these involve making a
9
00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:37,240
substantial effort, and in most
cases we wind up either failing
10
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:42,560
partially or wholly, or else we
wind up suppressing an impulse
11
00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,200
and eventually having to
encounter it in a much more
12
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,800
powerful form when it can no
longer be contained.
13
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,000
Srior Bindo describes this
generally as willings, not an
14
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,360
act of will.
In the deepest sense, the will
15
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,400
is an expression of a truth of
existence, the manifestation of
16
00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,320
that truth and knowledge into a
form in a particular domain or
17
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:10,200
world.
It comes from the Ultimate
18
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,320
reality, which is termed
Satchidananda, existence,
19
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,960
consciousness, bliss.
The will is associated with the
20
00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:23,880
aspect of consciousness and thus
Sri Aurobindo utilizes the term
21
00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:29,120
Chit Shakti to show both the
static and dynamic aspects of
22
00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,760
that truth.
The truth has the dynamic power
23
00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,840
of realization associated with
it automatically and completely
24
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,320
without straining or a failing
effort, as we see in our human
25
00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:46,760
attempts to enforce our will in
the external world in some way.
26
00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,360
Sri Robindo writes in his
thoughts and glimpses.
27
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,840
Quote.
When we have passed beyond
28
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,520
willings, then we shall have
power.
29
00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,360
Effort was the helper.
Effort is the bar.
30
00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,600
End Quote.
The Mother elaborates.
31
00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,360
Quote and he contrasts these
willings.
32
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:15,080
That is all these superficial
wills, often opposite and
33
00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,360
contradictory and without any
lasting basis, because they are
34
00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,840
founded on what he calls
unknowing and not on knowledge
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,080
with the true will.
These willings are necessarily
36
00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,480
fragmentary, passing and often
in opposition to one another.
37
00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,440
And this is what gives to the
individual life and even to the
38
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:41,360
collective, its nature of
incoherence, inconsistency and
39
00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,120
confusion.
The word will is normally
40
00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,760
reserved to indicate what comes
from the deeper being or the
41
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,640
higher reality, and what
expresses in action the true
42
00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:56,800
knowledge which rioro bindo has
contrasted with knowings.
43
00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,200
So when this will which
expresses the true knowledge,
44
00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,880
manifests in action, it
manifests through the
45
00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:09,040
intervention of a deep and
direct power which no longer
46
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,520
requires any effort.
And that is why Srioro Bindo
47
00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,720
says here that the true power
for action cannot come until one
48
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:23,040
has gone beyond the stage of
willings, that is, until the
49
00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,360
motive of action is the result
not of a mere mental activity,
50
00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,360
but of true knowledge.
True knowledge acting in the
51
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:37,120
outer being gives true power.
This seems to be an explanation,
52
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,280
the real explanation of that
very familiar saying, which is
53
00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,960
not understood in its essence,
but expresses a truth.
54
00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,800
Where there's a will, there's a
way to will is to have the
55
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,760
power.
It is quite obvious that this
56
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,840
does not refer to willings, that
is, to the more or less
57
00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,880
incoherent expression of
desires, but to the true will
58
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,200
expressing a true knowledge.
For this true will carries in
59
00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:09,480
itself the force of truth, which
gives power, an invincible
60
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,200
power.
And so when one expresses
61
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,160
willings, to be able to apply
them in life and make them
62
00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,880
effective, some effort must come
in.
63
00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,400
It is through personal effort
that one progresses, and it is
64
00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:29,640
through effort that one imposes
one's willings upon life to make
65
00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,680
it yield to their demands.
But when they are no longer
66
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,840
willings, when it is the true
will expressing the true
67
00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:43,960
knowledge, effort is no longer
required, for the power is
68
00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,480
omnipotent.
End Quote.
69
00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:52,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
70
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,400
Willpower, pages 47 to 48.