Nov. 19, 2024
The Essential Difference Between Prayer and Aspiration
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter IX Aspiration and Prayer pp. 87-89 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/11/17/the-essential-difference-between-prayer-and-aspiration/
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
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,880
While there is a real difference
between prayer as an external
2
00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,400
action and aspiration as an
inner status of being, there is
3
00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,600
also connection between the two,
which can be extremely potent in
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,160
terms of bringing forth the
aspiration into the external
5
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,960
world and making it a living and
real thing.
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,840
When prayer is done purely by
the external being, it can take
7
00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:31,040
on a mechanical or rote feature.
The real potency comes when it
8
00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,320
is harnessed by the psychic
being to become the instrument
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:39,720
of turning the aspiration into a
form that can change or even
10
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,520
transform the mental being, the
vital being, or the physical
11
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,920
body.
If powerfully enough expressed,
12
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:52,200
it can go beyond and have
impacts in the environment and
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,440
in the society.
Harnessed to the psychic
14
00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,320
aspiration, prayer can become a
potent force for change.
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,640
While prayer is generally
directed toward a being who can
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,560
influence events, it can also be
directed to the living
17
00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,600
consciousness manifesting the
universe.
18
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,800
And through prayer, an alignment
can take place so that the
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,360
individual takes on the
expressive force of that
20
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,600
universal consciousness, the
mother writes.
21
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,720
Quote To be clearer, we may say
that prayer is always formulated
22
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:34,280
in words, but the words may have
different values according to
23
00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,320
the state in which they are
formulated.
24
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,920
Prayer is a formulated thing,
and one may aspire, but it is
25
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,520
difficult to pray without
praying to someone.
26
00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,000
For instance, those who have a
conception of the universe from
27
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,800
which they have more or less
driven out the idea of the
28
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,960
Divine.
There are many people of this
29
00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,320
kind.
This idea troubles them.
30
00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,120
The idea that there is someone
who knows all, can do
31
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,200
everything, and is so formidably
greater than they that they can
32
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,800
be no comparison.
That's a bit troublesome for
33
00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,360
their Amour propre.
So they try to make a world
34
00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,520
without the Divine.
These people evidently cannot
35
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,760
pray, for to whom would they
pray unless they pray to
36
00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,760
themselves, which is not the
custom.
37
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,040
But one can aspire for something
without having any faith in the
38
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,720
Divine.
There are people who do not
39
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,600
believe in the existence of a
God, but who have faith in
40
00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:37,600
progress.
They have the idea that the
41
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,400
world is in constant progress,
and that this progress will go
42
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,440
on indefinitely without stopping
towards an ever greater
43
00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,920
betterment.
Well, these people can have a
44
00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:53,760
very great aspiration for
progress, and they don't even
45
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,760
need any idea of a divine
existence for that.
46
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,840
Aspiration necessarily implies
of faith, but not necessarily
47
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:07,640
faith and divine being.
Whilst prayer cannot exist if it
48
00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:09,600
is not addressed to a divine
being.
49
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,000
And pray to what?
1 does not pray to something
50
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,840
that has no personality.
One prays to someone who can
51
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,880
hear us.
If there's nobody to hear us,
52
00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:26,280
how could one pray?
Hence, if one prays, this means
53
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,600
that even when 1 doesn't
acknowledge it, one has faith in
54
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,520
somebody infinitely higher than
us, infinitely more powerful,
55
00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,040
who can change our destiny and
change us also.
56
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,560
If one prays so as to be heard,
that is the essential
57
00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,040
difference.
So the more intellectual people
58
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,840
admit aspiration and say that
prayer is something inferior.
59
00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,960
The Mystics tell you that
aspiration is all very well, but
60
00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,800
if you want to be really heard
and want the Divine to listen to
61
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:05,960
you, you must pray and pray with
the simplicity of a child, a
62
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,560
perfect candour, that is a
perfect trust.
63
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,640
I need this or that, whether it
be a moral need or a physical or
64
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,839
material need.
Well, I ask you for it.
65
00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,200
Give it to me or else.
You have given me what I asked
66
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,000
of you.
You have made me realize
67
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,080
concretely those experiences
which were unknown to me and are
68
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,240
now marvels I can attain at
will.
69
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,920
Yes, I am infinitely grateful to
you and I offer a prayer of
70
00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,160
Thanksgiving to sing your praise
and thank you for your
71
00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:47,680
intervention.
It is like that to aspire.
72
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,120
It is not necessary to direct
the aspiration to someone
73
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,680
towards someone.
One has an aspiration for a
74
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,640
certain state of being, for
knowledge, for a realization, a
75
00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,480
state of consciousness. 1
aspires for something, but it is
76
00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:09,000
not necessarily a prayer.
Prayer is something additional.
77
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,080
Prayer is a personal thing,
addressed to a personal being,
78
00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:20,040
that is, to something, a force
or a being who can hear you and
79
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,840
answer you.
Otherwise you can't ask for
80
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:26,160
anything.
End Quote.
81
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:32,800
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
82
00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,360
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 87
to 89.
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,880
While there is a real difference
between prayer as an external
2
00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,400
action and aspiration as an
inner status of being, there is
3
00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,600
also connection between the two,
which can be extremely potent in
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,160
terms of bringing forth the
aspiration into the external
5
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,960
world and making it a living and
real thing.
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,840
When prayer is done purely by
the external being, it can take
7
00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:31,040
on a mechanical or rote feature.
The real potency comes when it
8
00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,320
is harnessed by the psychic
being to become the instrument
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:39,720
of turning the aspiration into a
form that can change or even
10
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,520
transform the mental being, the
vital being, or the physical
11
00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,920
body.
If powerfully enough expressed,
12
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:52,200
it can go beyond and have
impacts in the environment and
13
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,440
in the society.
Harnessed to the psychic
14
00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,320
aspiration, prayer can become a
potent force for change.
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,640
While prayer is generally
directed toward a being who can
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,560
influence events, it can also be
directed to the living
17
00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,600
consciousness manifesting the
universe.
18
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,800
And through prayer, an alignment
can take place so that the
19
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,360
individual takes on the
expressive force of that
20
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,600
universal consciousness, the
mother writes.
21
00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,720
Quote To be clearer, we may say
that prayer is always formulated
22
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:34,280
in words, but the words may have
different values according to
23
00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,320
the state in which they are
formulated.
24
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,920
Prayer is a formulated thing,
and one may aspire, but it is
25
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,520
difficult to pray without
praying to someone.
26
00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,000
For instance, those who have a
conception of the universe from
27
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,800
which they have more or less
driven out the idea of the
28
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,960
Divine.
There are many people of this
29
00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,320
kind.
This idea troubles them.
30
00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,120
The idea that there is someone
who knows all, can do
31
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,200
everything, and is so formidably
greater than they that they can
32
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,800
be no comparison.
That's a bit troublesome for
33
00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,360
their Amour propre.
So they try to make a world
34
00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,520
without the Divine.
These people evidently cannot
35
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,760
pray, for to whom would they
pray unless they pray to
36
00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,760
themselves, which is not the
custom.
37
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,040
But one can aspire for something
without having any faith in the
38
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,720
Divine.
There are people who do not
39
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,600
believe in the existence of a
God, but who have faith in
40
00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:37,600
progress.
They have the idea that the
41
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,400
world is in constant progress,
and that this progress will go
42
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,440
on indefinitely without stopping
towards an ever greater
43
00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,920
betterment.
Well, these people can have a
44
00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:53,760
very great aspiration for
progress, and they don't even
45
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,760
need any idea of a divine
existence for that.
46
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,840
Aspiration necessarily implies
of faith, but not necessarily
47
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:07,640
faith and divine being.
Whilst prayer cannot exist if it
48
00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:09,600
is not addressed to a divine
being.
49
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,000
And pray to what?
1 does not pray to something
50
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,840
that has no personality.
One prays to someone who can
51
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,880
hear us.
If there's nobody to hear us,
52
00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:26,280
how could one pray?
Hence, if one prays, this means
53
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,600
that even when 1 doesn't
acknowledge it, one has faith in
54
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,520
somebody infinitely higher than
us, infinitely more powerful,
55
00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,040
who can change our destiny and
change us also.
56
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,560
If one prays so as to be heard,
that is the essential
57
00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,040
difference.
So the more intellectual people
58
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,840
admit aspiration and say that
prayer is something inferior.
59
00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,960
The Mystics tell you that
aspiration is all very well, but
60
00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,800
if you want to be really heard
and want the Divine to listen to
61
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:05,960
you, you must pray and pray with
the simplicity of a child, a
62
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,560
perfect candour, that is a
perfect trust.
63
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,640
I need this or that, whether it
be a moral need or a physical or
64
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,839
material need.
Well, I ask you for it.
65
00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,200
Give it to me or else.
You have given me what I asked
66
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,000
of you.
You have made me realize
67
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,080
concretely those experiences
which were unknown to me and are
68
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,240
now marvels I can attain at
will.
69
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,920
Yes, I am infinitely grateful to
you and I offer a prayer of
70
00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,160
Thanksgiving to sing your praise
and thank you for your
71
00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:47,680
intervention.
It is like that to aspire.
72
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,120
It is not necessary to direct
the aspiration to someone
73
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,680
towards someone.
One has an aspiration for a
74
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,640
certain state of being, for
knowledge, for a realization, a
75
00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,480
state of consciousness. 1
aspires for something, but it is
76
00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:09,000
not necessarily a prayer.
Prayer is something additional.
77
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,080
Prayer is a personal thing,
addressed to a personal being,
78
00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:20,040
that is, to something, a force
or a being who can hear you and
79
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,840
answer you.
Otherwise you can't ask for
80
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:26,160
anything.
End Quote.
81
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:32,800
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
Mother Powers within Chapter 9,
82
00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,360
Aspiration and Prayer, pages 87
to 89.