May 18, 2025
The Excuses We Make to Justify Indulgence
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within , Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pg.78This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/the-excuses-we-make-to-justify-indulgence/
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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,120
We make resolutions to change
certain behaviours.
2
00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,080
Our minds are made-up.
We are certain that we can make
3
00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,800
the needed change.
Many people make New Year's
4
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,840
resolutions to change something,
perhaps to lose weight, to
5
00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:23,280
discontinue some habit, to avoid
expressing anger or some other
6
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:28,120
intention we have, such as to be
a more forgiving person, to
7
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,280
express love and goodwill
towards others more often,
8
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,240
etcetera.
Putting aside those habits for
9
00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,360
the time being that lead to
physical addiction, withdrawal
10
00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,240
symptoms, etcetera, which
necessarily fall into a somewhat
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,280
more intensive category of
review and discussion, we
12
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,040
determine that from henceforth
we will not do the particular
13
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:57,320
thing that we are focused on
changing and then we wind up in
14
00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,560
the situation and see ourselves
doing it.
15
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,720
It may be something like giving
up certain habits of eating
16
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,480
snacks between meals.
This occurs frequently.
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,920
We then find ourselves going to
the refrigerator or the pantry
18
00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,640
and taking the snacks we
determine to avoid.
19
00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,440
Another one tries to justify
various forms of sexual
20
00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:25,520
enjoyment under the guise of it
being a tantric method of
21
00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,000
gaining mastery over the sexual
power.
22
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,560
While it may be possible that an
initiated tantric practitioner
23
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,880
with guidance and a realized
teacher could indeed find a way
24
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:44,240
through to the proposed result,
in most cases we find that there
25
00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,320
is no real change or
transformation or mastery, but
26
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,200
simply another way to justify
sexual activity.
27
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,640
When the mental will has
decided, for whatever reason, to
28
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,200
abstain and shift the energy
focus elsewhere.
29
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,920
The vital being is attached to
its habits of enjoyment.
30
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,720
It does not easily give them up.
The mental decision may thus
31
00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,600
come into conflict with the
vital desire nature.
32
00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,920
It is a virtually universal
human experience that the desire
33
00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:22,680
of the vital finds a way to
justify its continuation to the
34
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,560
mental being, and we thus come
up with justifications and
35
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,840
excuses for the continuance of
those very actions that we had
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:38,600
previously determined to stop.
The mother notes quote even the
37
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,560
most beautiful theories.
Even if one knows mentally many
38
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:47,120
things and holds admirable
principles, that is not
39
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,920
sufficiently strong to create a
will capable of resisting an
40
00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:54,520
impulse at one time.
You are quite determined.
41
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,320
You have decided that it would
be thus, for example, that you
42
00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,800
would not do such a thing.
It is settled, you will not do
43
00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,560
it.
But how is it that suddenly you
44
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,480
do not know how or why, nor what
has happened?
45
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,160
You have not decided anything at
all, and then you immediately
46
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,080
find in yourself an excellent
reason for doing the thing.
47
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,240
Among others, there's a certain
kind of excuse which is always
48
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,880
given.
Well, if I do it this time, at
49
00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,280
least I shall be convinced that
it is very bad, and I shall do
50
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,800
it no longer, and this will be
the last time.
51
00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,920
It is the prettiest excuse one
always gives to oneself.
52
00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,160
This is the last time I am doing
it.
53
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,480
This time I am doing it to
understand perfectly that it is
54
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:52,480
bad and that it must not be done
and I shall not do it anymore.
55
00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:58,080
This is the last time.
Every time it is the last time,
56
00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,440
and you begin again.
Of course, there are some who
57
00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,840
have less clear ideas and who
say to themselves, after all,
58
00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,920
why don't I want to do it?
These are theories, they are
59
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,120
principles that might not be
true.
60
00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,640
If I have this impulse, what is
it that tells me that this
61
00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,839
impulse is not better than a
theory?
62
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,960
It is not for them the last
time.
63
00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,840
It is something they accept as
quite natural.
64
00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,240
Between these two extremes there
are all the possibilities.
65
00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:38,840
But the most dangerous of all is
to say, well, I am doing it once
66
00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:41,800
more this time.
That will purify me of this
67
00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:46,160
afterwards.
I shall no longer do it now.
68
00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,000
The purification is never
enough.
69
00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,440
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
70
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,520
Mother looking from Within,
Chapter 4.
71
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,720
Ordeals and Difficulties, page
78.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,120
We make resolutions to change
certain behaviours.
2
00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,080
Our minds are made-up.
We are certain that we can make
3
00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,800
the needed change.
Many people make New Year's
4
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,840
resolutions to change something,
perhaps to lose weight, to
5
00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:23,280
discontinue some habit, to avoid
expressing anger or some other
6
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:28,120
intention we have, such as to be
a more forgiving person, to
7
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,280
express love and goodwill
towards others more often,
8
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,240
etcetera.
Putting aside those habits for
9
00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,360
the time being that lead to
physical addiction, withdrawal
10
00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,240
symptoms, etcetera, which
necessarily fall into a somewhat
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,280
more intensive category of
review and discussion, we
12
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,040
determine that from henceforth
we will not do the particular
13
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:57,320
thing that we are focused on
changing and then we wind up in
14
00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,560
the situation and see ourselves
doing it.
15
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,720
It may be something like giving
up certain habits of eating
16
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,480
snacks between meals.
This occurs frequently.
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,920
We then find ourselves going to
the refrigerator or the pantry
18
00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,640
and taking the snacks we
determine to avoid.
19
00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,440
Another one tries to justify
various forms of sexual
20
00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:25,520
enjoyment under the guise of it
being a tantric method of
21
00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,000
gaining mastery over the sexual
power.
22
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,560
While it may be possible that an
initiated tantric practitioner
23
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,880
with guidance and a realized
teacher could indeed find a way
24
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:44,240
through to the proposed result,
in most cases we find that there
25
00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,320
is no real change or
transformation or mastery, but
26
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,200
simply another way to justify
sexual activity.
27
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,640
When the mental will has
decided, for whatever reason, to
28
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,200
abstain and shift the energy
focus elsewhere.
29
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,920
The vital being is attached to
its habits of enjoyment.
30
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,720
It does not easily give them up.
The mental decision may thus
31
00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,600
come into conflict with the
vital desire nature.
32
00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,920
It is a virtually universal
human experience that the desire
33
00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:22,680
of the vital finds a way to
justify its continuation to the
34
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,560
mental being, and we thus come
up with justifications and
35
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,840
excuses for the continuance of
those very actions that we had
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:38,600
previously determined to stop.
The mother notes quote even the
37
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,560
most beautiful theories.
Even if one knows mentally many
38
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:47,120
things and holds admirable
principles, that is not
39
00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,920
sufficiently strong to create a
will capable of resisting an
40
00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:54,520
impulse at one time.
You are quite determined.
41
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,320
You have decided that it would
be thus, for example, that you
42
00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,800
would not do such a thing.
It is settled, you will not do
43
00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,560
it.
But how is it that suddenly you
44
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,480
do not know how or why, nor what
has happened?
45
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,160
You have not decided anything at
all, and then you immediately
46
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,080
find in yourself an excellent
reason for doing the thing.
47
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,240
Among others, there's a certain
kind of excuse which is always
48
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,880
given.
Well, if I do it this time, at
49
00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,280
least I shall be convinced that
it is very bad, and I shall do
50
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,800
it no longer, and this will be
the last time.
51
00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,920
It is the prettiest excuse one
always gives to oneself.
52
00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,160
This is the last time I am doing
it.
53
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,480
This time I am doing it to
understand perfectly that it is
54
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:52,480
bad and that it must not be done
and I shall not do it anymore.
55
00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:58,080
This is the last time.
Every time it is the last time,
56
00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,440
and you begin again.
Of course, there are some who
57
00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,840
have less clear ideas and who
say to themselves, after all,
58
00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,920
why don't I want to do it?
These are theories, they are
59
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,120
principles that might not be
true.
60
00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,640
If I have this impulse, what is
it that tells me that this
61
00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,839
impulse is not better than a
theory?
62
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,960
It is not for them the last
time.
63
00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,840
It is something they accept as
quite natural.
64
00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,240
Between these two extremes there
are all the possibilities.
65
00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:38,840
But the most dangerous of all is
to say, well, I am doing it once
66
00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:41,800
more this time.
That will purify me of this
67
00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:46,160
afterwards.
I shall no longer do it now.
68
00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,000
The purification is never
enough.
69
00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,440
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
70
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,520
Mother looking from Within,
Chapter 4.
71
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,720
Ordeals and Difficulties, page
78.