Jan. 4, 2025
The Development, Powers and Limits of the Mental Consciousness
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XVIII Mind, pp. 138-139 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/02/the-development-powers-and-limits-of-the-mental-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
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,560
The human being consists of
multiple levels of consciousness
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,960
which interact with and impact
one another, and which, from an
3
00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:14,360
evolutionary standpoint,
represent a consistent trend of
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,520
increasing power and subtlety of
the consciousness.
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,400
The consciousness of the body,
the physical consciousness, is
6
00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,680
the first foundation the vital
consciousness develops to
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,800
provide new powers of
understanding and action layered
8
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,120
on top of the physical
consciousness.
9
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,560
When the mental consciousness
develops, it adds yet additional
10
00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,960
powers of consciousness, again
layered on top of the physical
11
00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,360
and vital levels.
While the mental consciousness,
12
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,640
as it develops, may take the
lead role in guiding the
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,320
individual, the other levels
have their role and their
14
00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,000
influence in the decisions and
actions.
15
00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:02,160
In fact, the vital consciousness
is skilled at gaining the
16
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,280
support of the mental
consciousness for the
17
00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,800
fulfillment of its desires and
intentions.
18
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,240
Generally, as the mental
consciousness works to gain
19
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,880
ascendancy, it may try to
exercise dominant power over the
20
00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,800
other levels.
This may have short term
21
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,480
results, but long term may wind
up backfiring as it can either
22
00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,280
cause serious imbalances in the
physical, including harming the
23
00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,720
general health and well-being of
the physical body, or various
24
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,600
reactions in the vital nature
which may include obstinate
25
00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,800
refusal, increased vital
pressure to meet its demands, or
26
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:47,800
else, or various types of vital
imbalances that may wind up
27
00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,600
harming the nerves or creating
mental imbalances.
28
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,640
The complexity of the three
primary levels active here, and
29
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,160
their necessary integration and
harmony with one another to be
30
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,640
truly effective, exceeds the
capacity of the mental
31
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,360
consciousness, and thus perhaps
the best that can be hoped for
32
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:14,520
is a type of truth or mutual
cooperation and give and take
33
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:19,040
situation.
It is only when a still higher
34
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,200
force becomes active that it can
address all of this complexity
35
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,520
from a position of knowledge and
power.
36
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,320
Srioro Bindo calls this next
evolutionary stage the
37
00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,440
development of the supra mental
consciousness, essentially
38
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,480
essentially the level beyond the
mind.
39
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,880
In order to reach a stable basis
in this new consciousness, the
40
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,200
evolution needs to develop
through several intermediate
41
00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,760
levels, such as the illumined
mind, the intuitive mind, the
42
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,080
over mind, et cetera, as Sri
Aurobindo has described them
43
00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,200
elsewhere.
This development occurs in
44
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,080
conjunction with the coming
forward of the true soul of the
45
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,880
individual, the psychic being.
The psychic being operates as
46
00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,640
the centre around which all this
evolutionary development takes
47
00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:15,440
place and it is able to provide
clear and direct guidance for
48
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,040
the individual once it is fully
active in the being.
49
00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:25,440
Sri Aurobindo notes quote At a
higher stage of the evolution of
50
00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,120
personality, above that of the
vital self, the being of life,
51
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:35,520
the being of mind may rule.
There is then created the mental
52
00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,920
man who lives predominantly in
the mind.
53
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,960
As the others live in the vital
or the physical nature.
54
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,520
The mental man tends to
subordinate to his mental
55
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:51,720
self-expression, mental aims,
mental interests, or to a mental
56
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,520
idea or ideal the rest of his
being.
57
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,640
Because of the difficulty of
this subordination and its
58
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,400
potent effect when achieved, it
is at once more difficult for
59
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,920
him and easier to arrive at a
harmony of his nature.
60
00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:13,480
It is easier because the mental
will, once in control, can
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,800
convince by the power of the
reasoning intelligence and at
62
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:23,040
the same time dominate, compress
or suppress the life and the
63
00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,120
body and their demands, arrange
and harmonize them, force them
64
00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:32,720
to be its instruments, even
reduce them to a minimum so that
65
00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,320
they shall not disturb the
mental life or pull it down from
66
00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,440
its ideative or idealizing
movement.
67
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,080
It is more difficult because
life and body are the first
68
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,720
powers, and if they are in the
least strong, can impose
69
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,240
themselves with an almost
irresistible insistence on the
70
00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:56,440
mental ruler.
Man is a mental being, and the
71
00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,920
mind is the leader of his life
and body.
72
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,920
But this is a leader who is much
led by his followers, and has
73
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,480
sometimes no other will than
what they impose on him.
74
00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,640
Mind, in spite of its power, is
often impotent before the
75
00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:18,760
inconscient and subconscient
which obscure its clarity and
76
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,280
carry it away on the tide of
instinct or impulse.
77
00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,040
In spite of its clarity, it is
fooled by the vital and
78
00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,720
emotional suggestions into
giving sanction to ignorance and
79
00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,280
error, to wrong thought and to
wrong action.
80
00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,920
Or it is obliged to look on,
while the nature follows what it
81
00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,280
knows to be wrong, dangerous, or
evil.
82
00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,960
Even when it is strong and clear
and dominant.
83
00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,520
Mind, though it imposes a
certain a considerable
84
00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,560
mentalized harmony, cannot
integrate the whole being and
85
00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:57,840
nature.
These harmonizations by an
86
00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:02,920
inferior control are besides
inconclusive, because it is one
87
00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,160
part of the nature which
dominates and fulfills itself,
88
00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,440
while the others are coerced and
denied their fullness.
89
00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,520
They can be steps on the way,
but not final.
90
00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,480
Therefore, in most men there is
no such sole dominance and
91
00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:25,400
affected partial harmony, but
only a predominance and for the
92
00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:30,440
rest an unstable equilibrium of
a personality half formed, half
93
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:36,160
in formation, sometimes a
disequilibrium or unbalance due
94
00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,080
to the lack of a central
government or the disturbance of
95
00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,520
a formerly achieved partial
poise.
96
00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,960
All must be transitional until a
first, though not a final.
97
00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,280
True harmonization is achieved
by finding our real center.
98
00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,600
End Quote reference.
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
99
00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:05,160
Powers Within, Chapter 18, Mind,
pages 138 to 139.
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,560
The human being consists of
multiple levels of consciousness
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,960
which interact with and impact
one another, and which, from an
3
00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:14,360
evolutionary standpoint,
represent a consistent trend of
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,520
increasing power and subtlety of
the consciousness.
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,400
The consciousness of the body,
the physical consciousness, is
6
00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,680
the first foundation the vital
consciousness develops to
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,800
provide new powers of
understanding and action layered
8
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,120
on top of the physical
consciousness.
9
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,560
When the mental consciousness
develops, it adds yet additional
10
00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,960
powers of consciousness, again
layered on top of the physical
11
00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,360
and vital levels.
While the mental consciousness,
12
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,640
as it develops, may take the
lead role in guiding the
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,320
individual, the other levels
have their role and their
14
00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,000
influence in the decisions and
actions.
15
00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:02,160
In fact, the vital consciousness
is skilled at gaining the
16
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,280
support of the mental
consciousness for the
17
00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,800
fulfillment of its desires and
intentions.
18
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,240
Generally, as the mental
consciousness works to gain
19
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,880
ascendancy, it may try to
exercise dominant power over the
20
00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,800
other levels.
This may have short term
21
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,480
results, but long term may wind
up backfiring as it can either
22
00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,280
cause serious imbalances in the
physical, including harming the
23
00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,720
general health and well-being of
the physical body, or various
24
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,600
reactions in the vital nature
which may include obstinate
25
00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,800
refusal, increased vital
pressure to meet its demands, or
26
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:47,800
else, or various types of vital
imbalances that may wind up
27
00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,600
harming the nerves or creating
mental imbalances.
28
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,640
The complexity of the three
primary levels active here, and
29
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,160
their necessary integration and
harmony with one another to be
30
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,640
truly effective, exceeds the
capacity of the mental
31
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,360
consciousness, and thus perhaps
the best that can be hoped for
32
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:14,520
is a type of truth or mutual
cooperation and give and take
33
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:19,040
situation.
It is only when a still higher
34
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,200
force becomes active that it can
address all of this complexity
35
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,520
from a position of knowledge and
power.
36
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,320
Srioro Bindo calls this next
evolutionary stage the
37
00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,440
development of the supra mental
consciousness, essentially
38
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,480
essentially the level beyond the
mind.
39
00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,880
In order to reach a stable basis
in this new consciousness, the
40
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,200
evolution needs to develop
through several intermediate
41
00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,760
levels, such as the illumined
mind, the intuitive mind, the
42
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,080
over mind, et cetera, as Sri
Aurobindo has described them
43
00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,200
elsewhere.
This development occurs in
44
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,080
conjunction with the coming
forward of the true soul of the
45
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,880
individual, the psychic being.
The psychic being operates as
46
00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,640
the centre around which all this
evolutionary development takes
47
00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:15,440
place and it is able to provide
clear and direct guidance for
48
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,040
the individual once it is fully
active in the being.
49
00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:25,440
Sri Aurobindo notes quote At a
higher stage of the evolution of
50
00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,120
personality, above that of the
vital self, the being of life,
51
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:35,520
the being of mind may rule.
There is then created the mental
52
00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,920
man who lives predominantly in
the mind.
53
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,960
As the others live in the vital
or the physical nature.
54
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,520
The mental man tends to
subordinate to his mental
55
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:51,720
self-expression, mental aims,
mental interests, or to a mental
56
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,520
idea or ideal the rest of his
being.
57
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,640
Because of the difficulty of
this subordination and its
58
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,400
potent effect when achieved, it
is at once more difficult for
59
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,920
him and easier to arrive at a
harmony of his nature.
60
00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:13,480
It is easier because the mental
will, once in control, can
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,800
convince by the power of the
reasoning intelligence and at
62
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:23,040
the same time dominate, compress
or suppress the life and the
63
00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,120
body and their demands, arrange
and harmonize them, force them
64
00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:32,720
to be its instruments, even
reduce them to a minimum so that
65
00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,320
they shall not disturb the
mental life or pull it down from
66
00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,440
its ideative or idealizing
movement.
67
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,080
It is more difficult because
life and body are the first
68
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,720
powers, and if they are in the
least strong, can impose
69
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,240
themselves with an almost
irresistible insistence on the
70
00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:56,440
mental ruler.
Man is a mental being, and the
71
00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,920
mind is the leader of his life
and body.
72
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,920
But this is a leader who is much
led by his followers, and has
73
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,480
sometimes no other will than
what they impose on him.
74
00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,640
Mind, in spite of its power, is
often impotent before the
75
00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:18,760
inconscient and subconscient
which obscure its clarity and
76
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,280
carry it away on the tide of
instinct or impulse.
77
00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,040
In spite of its clarity, it is
fooled by the vital and
78
00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,720
emotional suggestions into
giving sanction to ignorance and
79
00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,280
error, to wrong thought and to
wrong action.
80
00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,920
Or it is obliged to look on,
while the nature follows what it
81
00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,280
knows to be wrong, dangerous, or
evil.
82
00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,960
Even when it is strong and clear
and dominant.
83
00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,520
Mind, though it imposes a
certain a considerable
84
00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,560
mentalized harmony, cannot
integrate the whole being and
85
00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:57,840
nature.
These harmonizations by an
86
00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:02,920
inferior control are besides
inconclusive, because it is one
87
00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,160
part of the nature which
dominates and fulfills itself,
88
00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,440
while the others are coerced and
denied their fullness.
89
00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,520
They can be steps on the way,
but not final.
90
00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,480
Therefore, in most men there is
no such sole dominance and
91
00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:25,400
affected partial harmony, but
only a predominance and for the
92
00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:30,440
rest an unstable equilibrium of
a personality half formed, half
93
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:36,160
in formation, sometimes a
disequilibrium or unbalance due
94
00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,080
to the lack of a central
government or the disturbance of
95
00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,520
a formerly achieved partial
poise.
96
00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,960
All must be transitional until a
first, though not a final.
97
00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,280
True harmonization is achieved
by finding our real center.
98
00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,600
End Quote reference.
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
99
00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:05,160
Powers Within, Chapter 18, Mind,
pages 138 to 139.