May 22, 2025
The Difference Between Suppression and Removal of a Vital Reaction, Part 1
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within , Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp.83-85This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/the-difference-between-suppression-and-removal-of-a-vital-reaction-part-1/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,600
As long as we set our standpoint
in the external surface
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,800
consciousness, we do not have
the leverage nor the tools to
3
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,840
easily remove an embedded
reaction.
4
00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,080
We tend to take steps to
suppress rather than expunge the
5
00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:21,720
unwanted energy.
This may take the form of an
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,080
ascetic denial or an avoidance
of interaction with anything
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:31,320
that might trigger the reaction,
such as escape to The Cave, the
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,160
monastery, the forest or the
desert.
9
00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,800
Or it may take more severe form
such as physical self torture or
10
00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,280
extreme forms of fasting, et
cetera.
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,040
Another aspect of suppression is
the attempt to regulate things
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,080
in other people that one
struggles with internally, and
13
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,560
thus shift the focus on to
creating rules, laws,
14
00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:01,040
regulations or moral controls of
some sort to enforce one's own
15
00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,920
issues on to others who may not
necessarily follow the same
16
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,400
ideas, principles or guidelines
for their lives.
17
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,040
One way or the other, however,
suppression leaves the seeds of
18
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,920
the reaction in place and
subject to bursting out.
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,960
When and if an opportunity
arises, the reaction actually
20
00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:27,560
can be greater due to the
suppression when it does erupt.
21
00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:32,240
When enforced upon others, it
tends to create smouldering
22
00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,520
resentments and eventual
rebellion.
23
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,000
Through the technique of the
separation of the witness
24
00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,480
consciousness from the external
nature and the resultant non
25
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,280
attachment, the observing
consciousness can begin to
26
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,440
control these reactions.
First, by shifting the attention
27
00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,600
and focus to the higher energies
and sources that are the
28
00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,760
objective of the seeker, and
2nd, through this status of non
29
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,040
attachment, refusing to accept
or admit the energy that is
30
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,960
trying to take control of the
nature.
31
00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:12,800
A disciple asks.
Mother, last time you said that
32
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,480
often there is in US a dark
element which makes us commit
33
00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,600
stupidities.
So you said that when one is
34
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,440
conscious of this element, it
must be pulled out.
35
00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,160
But does pulling it out mean,
for example, when one is
36
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,280
conscious, that this element
comes to make us do stupid
37
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,480
things?
Then if by an effort of will one
38
00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,840
abstains from doing it, can one
say that one has pulled it out?
39
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,040
The mother responds.
One has sat upon it.
40
00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:50,760
Then how to pull it out For
that, first of all, you must
41
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,920
become conscious of it.
You see, put it right in front
42
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,040
of you and cut the links which
attach it to your consciousness.
43
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:00,640
It is a work of inner
psychology.
44
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:05,640
You know one can see when one
studies oneself very
45
00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:08,720
attentively.
You see that one day you were
46
00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,800
very generous.
Generous in your feelings,
47
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,280
generous in your sensations,
generous in your thoughts and
48
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,840
even in material things.
That is, you understand the
49
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,160
faults of others, their
intentions, weaknesses, even
50
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,000
nasty movements.
You see all this and you are
51
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,520
full of good feelings, of
generosity.
52
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,480
You tell yourself, well,
everyone does the best he can.
53
00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,160
Like that, another day, or
perhaps the very next minute,
54
00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,640
you will notice in yourself a
kind of dryness, fixity,
55
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,440
something that is bitter, that
judges severely, that goes as
56
00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,760
far as bearing a grudge.
Has rancor would like the
57
00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,320
evildoer punished?
That almost has a feeling of
58
00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,320
vengeance.
Just the very opposite of the
59
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,320
former.
One day someone harms you and
60
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:09,320
you say doesn't matter.
He did not know, or he couldn't
61
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,360
do otherwise, or that's his
nature, or he could not
62
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,480
understand.
The next day, or perhaps an hour
63
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:22,079
later, you say he must be
punished, he must pay for it.
64
00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,480
He must be made to feel that he
has done wrong with a kind of
65
00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,720
rage.
And you want to take things, you
66
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,320
want to keep them for yourself.
You have all the feelings of
67
00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:38,680
jealousy, envy, narrowness.
You see just the very opposite
68
00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,840
of the other feeling.
This is the dark side.
69
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,560
And so the moment one sees it,
if one looks at it and doesn't
70
00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,600
say it is I.
If one says no, it is my shadow,
71
00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,640
it is the being I must throw out
of myself.
72
00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,000
One puts on it the light of the
other part.
73
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,920
One tries to bring them face to
face and with the knowledge and
74
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,160
light of the other.
One doesn't try so much to
75
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,600
convince, because that is very
difficult, but one compels it to
76
00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,000
remain quiet, first to stand
farther away.
77
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,040
Then one flings it very far away
so that it can no longer return,
78
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,840
putting a great light on it.
There are instances in which it
79
00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,520
is possible to change, but this
is very rare.
80
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,680
There are instances in which one
can put upon this being, or the
81
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,040
shadow put upon it such an
intense light that it transforms
82
00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,840
it and it changes into what is
the truth of your being.
83
00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,920
But this is a rare thing.
It can be done, but it is rare.
84
00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:53,520
Usually the best thing is to say
no, this is not I, I don't want
85
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,760
it.
I have nothing to do with this
86
00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,880
movement.
It doesn't exist for me.
87
00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,600
It is something contrary to my
nature.
88
00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:06,800
And so by dint of insisting and
driving it away, finally one
89
00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,240
separates oneself from it.
End Quote.
90
00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,320
Reference.
Fioro, Vindo and the Mother
91
00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,120
Looking from within.
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
92
00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,440
Difficulties, pages 83 to 85.
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,600
As long as we set our standpoint
in the external surface
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,800
consciousness, we do not have
the leverage nor the tools to
3
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,840
easily remove an embedded
reaction.
4
00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,080
We tend to take steps to
suppress rather than expunge the
5
00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:21,720
unwanted energy.
This may take the form of an
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,080
ascetic denial or an avoidance
of interaction with anything
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:31,320
that might trigger the reaction,
such as escape to The Cave, the
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,160
monastery, the forest or the
desert.
9
00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,800
Or it may take more severe form
such as physical self torture or
10
00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,280
extreme forms of fasting, et
cetera.
11
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,040
Another aspect of suppression is
the attempt to regulate things
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,080
in other people that one
struggles with internally, and
13
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,560
thus shift the focus on to
creating rules, laws,
14
00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:01,040
regulations or moral controls of
some sort to enforce one's own
15
00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,920
issues on to others who may not
necessarily follow the same
16
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,400
ideas, principles or guidelines
for their lives.
17
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,040
One way or the other, however,
suppression leaves the seeds of
18
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,920
the reaction in place and
subject to bursting out.
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,960
When and if an opportunity
arises, the reaction actually
20
00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:27,560
can be greater due to the
suppression when it does erupt.
21
00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:32,240
When enforced upon others, it
tends to create smouldering
22
00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,520
resentments and eventual
rebellion.
23
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,000
Through the technique of the
separation of the witness
24
00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,480
consciousness from the external
nature and the resultant non
25
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,280
attachment, the observing
consciousness can begin to
26
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,440
control these reactions.
First, by shifting the attention
27
00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,600
and focus to the higher energies
and sources that are the
28
00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,760
objective of the seeker, and
2nd, through this status of non
29
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,040
attachment, refusing to accept
or admit the energy that is
30
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,960
trying to take control of the
nature.
31
00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:12,800
A disciple asks.
Mother, last time you said that
32
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,480
often there is in US a dark
element which makes us commit
33
00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,600
stupidities.
So you said that when one is
34
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,440
conscious of this element, it
must be pulled out.
35
00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,160
But does pulling it out mean,
for example, when one is
36
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,280
conscious, that this element
comes to make us do stupid
37
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,480
things?
Then if by an effort of will one
38
00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,840
abstains from doing it, can one
say that one has pulled it out?
39
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,040
The mother responds.
One has sat upon it.
40
00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:50,760
Then how to pull it out For
that, first of all, you must
41
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,920
become conscious of it.
You see, put it right in front
42
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,040
of you and cut the links which
attach it to your consciousness.
43
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:00,640
It is a work of inner
psychology.
44
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:05,640
You know one can see when one
studies oneself very
45
00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:08,720
attentively.
You see that one day you were
46
00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,800
very generous.
Generous in your feelings,
47
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,280
generous in your sensations,
generous in your thoughts and
48
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,840
even in material things.
That is, you understand the
49
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,160
faults of others, their
intentions, weaknesses, even
50
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,000
nasty movements.
You see all this and you are
51
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,520
full of good feelings, of
generosity.
52
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,480
You tell yourself, well,
everyone does the best he can.
53
00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,160
Like that, another day, or
perhaps the very next minute,
54
00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,640
you will notice in yourself a
kind of dryness, fixity,
55
00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,440
something that is bitter, that
judges severely, that goes as
56
00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,760
far as bearing a grudge.
Has rancor would like the
57
00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,320
evildoer punished?
That almost has a feeling of
58
00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,320
vengeance.
Just the very opposite of the
59
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,320
former.
One day someone harms you and
60
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:09,320
you say doesn't matter.
He did not know, or he couldn't
61
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,360
do otherwise, or that's his
nature, or he could not
62
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,480
understand.
The next day, or perhaps an hour
63
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:22,079
later, you say he must be
punished, he must pay for it.
64
00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,480
He must be made to feel that he
has done wrong with a kind of
65
00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,720
rage.
And you want to take things, you
66
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,320
want to keep them for yourself.
You have all the feelings of
67
00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:38,680
jealousy, envy, narrowness.
You see just the very opposite
68
00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,840
of the other feeling.
This is the dark side.
69
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,560
And so the moment one sees it,
if one looks at it and doesn't
70
00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,600
say it is I.
If one says no, it is my shadow,
71
00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,640
it is the being I must throw out
of myself.
72
00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,000
One puts on it the light of the
other part.
73
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,920
One tries to bring them face to
face and with the knowledge and
74
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,160
light of the other.
One doesn't try so much to
75
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,600
convince, because that is very
difficult, but one compels it to
76
00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,000
remain quiet, first to stand
farther away.
77
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,040
Then one flings it very far away
so that it can no longer return,
78
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,840
putting a great light on it.
There are instances in which it
79
00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,520
is possible to change, but this
is very rare.
80
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,680
There are instances in which one
can put upon this being, or the
81
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,040
shadow put upon it such an
intense light that it transforms
82
00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,840
it and it changes into what is
the truth of your being.
83
00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,920
But this is a rare thing.
It can be done, but it is rare.
84
00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:53,520
Usually the best thing is to say
no, this is not I, I don't want
85
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,760
it.
I have nothing to do with this
86
00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,880
movement.
It doesn't exist for me.
87
00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,600
It is something contrary to my
nature.
88
00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:06,800
And so by dint of insisting and
driving it away, finally one
89
00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,240
separates oneself from it.
End Quote.
90
00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,320
Reference.
Fioro, Vindo and the Mother
91
00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,120
Looking from within.
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
92
00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,440
Difficulties, pages 83 to 85.