Dec. 10, 2025
The Different Processes for Change of the Vital Nature and the Psychic Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 54-55This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/12/08/the-different-processes-for-change-of-the-vital-nature-and-the-psychic-being/
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#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #Gunas #Rajas #vital being #psychic being
1
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,520
The vital nature under the
influence of the Guna of Rajas
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:10,160
tends to create drama.
Struggle, disruption, aggressive
3
00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,040
responses are all a part of this
vital play.
4
00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,280
One of the manifestations of
this drama is to raise the
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,120
temperature about any
resistance, obstacle, delay,
6
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,280
etcetera that the individual
experiences.
7
00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,560
Another is to seek out a culprit
and label it as a hostile force,
8
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,640
thereby accentuating the
challenge being faced and
9
00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:41,360
increasing the dramatic effect.
The nature of the psychic being
10
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,800
is different.
It tends to be a quiet voice
11
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,760
that recommends, guides and
maintains a constant patient
12
00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:55,240
presence that has its influence
grow over time as the seeker
13
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,200
begins to hear the voice of the
soul.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,800
Images from material nature
illustrate the difference.
15
00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:08,280
The volcano erupts with heat,
light and earthquake activity
16
00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,200
while it changes a landscape
quickly.
17
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,000
A river also can change a
landscape, but it may take
18
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:22,640
thousands of years to carve out
a Canyon in Hard Rock, Sri
19
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,800
Robindo writes quote, The method
of the divine manifestation is
20
00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:32,000
through calm and harmony, not
through a catastrophic upheaval.
21
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,240
The latter is the sign of a
struggle, generally of
22
00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,640
conflicting vital forces, but at
any rate a struggle on the
23
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,560
inferior plane.
You think too much of the
24
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,920
adverse forces.
That kind of preoccupation
25
00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,400
causes much unnecessary
struggle.
26
00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,240
Fix your mind on the positive
side, open to the Mother's
27
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,000
power.
Concentrate on Her protection,
28
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:03,240
call for light, calm and peace
and purity and growth into the
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,920
Divine consciousness and
knowledge.
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,600
The idea of tests also is not a
healthy idea and ought not to be
31
00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,120
pushed too far.
Tests are applied not by the
32
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:19,480
Divine, but by the forces of the
lower planes, mental, vital,
33
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,320
physical, and allowed by the
Divine, because that is part of
34
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,600
the soul's training and helps it
to know itself, its powers, and
35
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,040
the limitations it has to
outgrow.
36
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,200
The Mother is not testing you at
every moment, but rather helping
37
00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,800
you at every moment to rise
beyond the necessity of tests
38
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,240
and difficulties which belong to
the inferior consciousness.
39
00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,280
To be always conscious of that
help will be your best safeguard
40
00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:57,320
against all attacks, whether of
adverse powers or of your own
41
00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,600
lower nature.
End Quote Reference.
42
00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:08,000
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
43
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,800
54 to 55.
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,520
The vital nature under the
influence of the Guna of Rajas
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:10,160
tends to create drama.
Struggle, disruption, aggressive
3
00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,040
responses are all a part of this
vital play.
4
00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,280
One of the manifestations of
this drama is to raise the
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,120
temperature about any
resistance, obstacle, delay,
6
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,280
etcetera that the individual
experiences.
7
00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,560
Another is to seek out a culprit
and label it as a hostile force,
8
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,640
thereby accentuating the
challenge being faced and
9
00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:41,360
increasing the dramatic effect.
The nature of the psychic being
10
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,800
is different.
It tends to be a quiet voice
11
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,760
that recommends, guides and
maintains a constant patient
12
00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:55,240
presence that has its influence
grow over time as the seeker
13
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,200
begins to hear the voice of the
soul.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,800
Images from material nature
illustrate the difference.
15
00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:08,280
The volcano erupts with heat,
light and earthquake activity
16
00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,200
while it changes a landscape
quickly.
17
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,000
A river also can change a
landscape, but it may take
18
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:22,640
thousands of years to carve out
a Canyon in Hard Rock, Sri
19
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,800
Robindo writes quote, The method
of the divine manifestation is
20
00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:32,000
through calm and harmony, not
through a catastrophic upheaval.
21
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,240
The latter is the sign of a
struggle, generally of
22
00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,640
conflicting vital forces, but at
any rate a struggle on the
23
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,560
inferior plane.
You think too much of the
24
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,920
adverse forces.
That kind of preoccupation
25
00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,400
causes much unnecessary
struggle.
26
00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,240
Fix your mind on the positive
side, open to the Mother's
27
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,000
power.
Concentrate on Her protection,
28
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:03,240
call for light, calm and peace
and purity and growth into the
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,920
Divine consciousness and
knowledge.
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,600
The idea of tests also is not a
healthy idea and ought not to be
31
00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,120
pushed too far.
Tests are applied not by the
32
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:19,480
Divine, but by the forces of the
lower planes, mental, vital,
33
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,320
physical, and allowed by the
Divine, because that is part of
34
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,600
the soul's training and helps it
to know itself, its powers, and
35
00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,040
the limitations it has to
outgrow.
36
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,200
The Mother is not testing you at
every moment, but rather helping
37
00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,800
you at every moment to rise
beyond the necessity of tests
38
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,240
and difficulties which belong to
the inferior consciousness.
39
00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,280
To be always conscious of that
help will be your best safeguard
40
00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:57,320
against all attacks, whether of
adverse powers or of your own
41
00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,600
lower nature.
End Quote Reference.
42
00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:08,000
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 3 in difficulty, pages
43
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,800
54 to 55.
