Nov. 18, 2025
The Difficulty and Time Required for the Transformation of the Nature
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 39-40This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/16/the-difficulty-and-time-required-for-the-transformation-of-the-nature/
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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
#Sri Aurobindo #Rajas #Tamas #Sattwa #Gunas #transformation #evolution of consciousness
1
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,240
We make New Year's resolutions
with the idea that we will start
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,800
the new year with a fresh
dedication to undertaking some
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,000
kind of change to our lives.
This may be a mental change,
4
00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,560
such as a willingness to listen
and try to understand what
5
00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:20,040
others say and think, rather
than jumping in our minds to our
6
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,760
own ideas and engaging in
arguments to convince others.
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,680
It may be a vital change where
we determine to not become angry
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,120
or jealous or envious of others
in various situations.
9
00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,080
It may be a physical change,
such as deciding to carry out
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:42,680
regular exercise or moderate
one's eating, or change one's
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,880
diet altogether.
The human willpower is generally
12
00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,920
insufficient to overcome the
embedded habits, traits,
13
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,280
instinctive and learned
behaviours.
14
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:58,000
Receptivity to a higher force
and shifting the focus and
15
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,320
attention to a wider and higher
pursuit is perhaps the only
16
00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,960
permanent method available.
Yet each of us starts with our
17
00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:10,560
human instruments, and we
usually begin by trying to
18
00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,840
assert our minds and willpower
to the process.
19
00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,280
What we find is that the more
highly evolved parts of our
20
00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,280
being are more easily modified
than those that partake of a
21
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,480
more solid and material
framework.
22
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,680
The three gunas of nature tend
to have their strongest action
23
00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,080
in alignment with the part of
the being that most easily
24
00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:37,720
adapts itself to their action.
Thus, satwa is generally more at
25
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,280
home in the mind, rajas in the
vital nature, and tamas in the
26
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,560
physical.
This corresponds to the level of
27
00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,360
flexibility found in each of
these parts of the being.
28
00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,440
A change in the physical parts
of the being takes longer and
29
00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:59,120
involves more difficulty due to
the predominance of the Temasek
30
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:04,240
element and the embedded habits
or grooves built into that part
31
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:10,160
through millennia of evolution,
Sviorobindo writes quote.
32
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,160
Each part of the nature wants to
go on with its old movements and
33
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:20,400
refuses, so far as it can, to
admit a radical change and
34
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,920
progress, because that would
subject it to something higher
35
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,040
than itself and deprive it of
its sovereignty in its own
36
00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,360
field, its separate empire.
It is this that makes
37
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,120
transformation so long and
difficult a process.
38
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,640
Mind gets dulled because at its
lower basis is the physical mind
39
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,600
with its principle of Thomas or
inertia.
40
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,160
For in matter inertia is the
fundamental principle.
41
00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,840
A constant or long continuity of
higher experiences produces in
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,200
this part of mind a sense of
exhaustion or reaction, of
43
00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:05,040
unease or dullness.
Trance or samati is a way of
44
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:10,520
escape, but Mahdi is made quiet.
The physical mind is in a state
45
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,960
of torpor.
The inner consciousness is left
46
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,240
free to go on with its
experiences.
47
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,640
The disadvantage is that trance
becomes indispensable and the
48
00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:24,560
problem of the waking
consciousness is not solved.
49
00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:27,800
It remains imperfect.
End Quote.
50
00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:33,880
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
51
00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,920
difficulty, pages 39 to 40.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,240
We make New Year's resolutions
with the idea that we will start
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,800
the new year with a fresh
dedication to undertaking some
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,000
kind of change to our lives.
This may be a mental change,
4
00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,560
such as a willingness to listen
and try to understand what
5
00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:20,040
others say and think, rather
than jumping in our minds to our
6
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,760
own ideas and engaging in
arguments to convince others.
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,680
It may be a vital change where
we determine to not become angry
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,120
or jealous or envious of others
in various situations.
9
00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,080
It may be a physical change,
such as deciding to carry out
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:42,680
regular exercise or moderate
one's eating, or change one's
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,880
diet altogether.
The human willpower is generally
12
00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,920
insufficient to overcome the
embedded habits, traits,
13
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,280
instinctive and learned
behaviours.
14
00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:58,000
Receptivity to a higher force
and shifting the focus and
15
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,320
attention to a wider and higher
pursuit is perhaps the only
16
00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,960
permanent method available.
Yet each of us starts with our
17
00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:10,560
human instruments, and we
usually begin by trying to
18
00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,840
assert our minds and willpower
to the process.
19
00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,280
What we find is that the more
highly evolved parts of our
20
00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,280
being are more easily modified
than those that partake of a
21
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,480
more solid and material
framework.
22
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,680
The three gunas of nature tend
to have their strongest action
23
00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,080
in alignment with the part of
the being that most easily
24
00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:37,720
adapts itself to their action.
Thus, satwa is generally more at
25
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,280
home in the mind, rajas in the
vital nature, and tamas in the
26
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,560
physical.
This corresponds to the level of
27
00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,360
flexibility found in each of
these parts of the being.
28
00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,440
A change in the physical parts
of the being takes longer and
29
00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:59,120
involves more difficulty due to
the predominance of the Temasek
30
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:04,240
element and the embedded habits
or grooves built into that part
31
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:10,160
through millennia of evolution,
Sviorobindo writes quote.
32
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,160
Each part of the nature wants to
go on with its old movements and
33
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:20,400
refuses, so far as it can, to
admit a radical change and
34
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,920
progress, because that would
subject it to something higher
35
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,040
than itself and deprive it of
its sovereignty in its own
36
00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,360
field, its separate empire.
It is this that makes
37
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,120
transformation so long and
difficult a process.
38
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,640
Mind gets dulled because at its
lower basis is the physical mind
39
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,600
with its principle of Thomas or
inertia.
40
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,160
For in matter inertia is the
fundamental principle.
41
00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,840
A constant or long continuity of
higher experiences produces in
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,200
this part of mind a sense of
exhaustion or reaction, of
43
00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:05,040
unease or dullness.
Trance or samati is a way of
44
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:10,520
escape, but Mahdi is made quiet.
The physical mind is in a state
45
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,960
of torpor.
The inner consciousness is left
46
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,240
free to go on with its
experiences.
47
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,640
The disadvantage is that trance
becomes indispensable and the
48
00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:24,560
problem of the waking
consciousness is not solved.
49
00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:27,800
It remains imperfect.
End Quote.
50
00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:33,880
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
51
00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,920
difficulty, pages 39 to 40.
