Sept. 16, 2025
The First Aim of the Yoga: Receptivity to a Higher Spiritual Consciousness
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pg. 1This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/14/the-first-aim-of-the-yoga-receptivity-to-a-higher-spiritual-consciousness/
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 --> 00:00:04,200
Historically, much of the
spiritual focus has been
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,480
directed towards seeing through
the illusory nature of the
3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,560
external reality and shifting
the awareness to a pure
4
00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,480
spiritual consciousness that is
not involved in that external
5
00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,400
reality.
Regardless of terminology used,
6
00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:24,400
whether it is Maya or samsara or
something that represents A
7
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,720
transitory field of experience
that prepares us for heaven or
8
00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,160
hell, eternity or some
development beyond this world,
9
00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,360
possibly becoming energetic
beings separated from physical
10
00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,160
substance, the dissolution of
the ego personality and the
11
00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:47,040
subsequent or consequent merging
of that individuality into the
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,760
universal consciousness turns
out to be the primary direction.
13
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,160
There are, of course, also those
who reject this idea entirely
14
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,800
and seek to enhance and improve
life in this world.
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,880
They may treat this as some kind
of random existence, or they may
16
00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,680
simply believe that the purpose
of our lives is to gain
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,960
experience, grow and enjoy the
world given to us for our
18
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,760
enjoyment.
Triorobindo and the Mother look
19
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:22,040
at the manifestation as an
omnipresent reality such that
20
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:26,240
the expressed consciousness is
systematically evolving over
21
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:31,960
time, and thus there is both an
individual progress and a
22
00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:34,200
transformation of the external
life.
23
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,600
As the individual progress
impacts that external reality in
24
00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,520
virtually every direction,
however, we can see that an
25
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:48,400
unstable, shifting and jumping
mind, subject to the pressure of
26
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,800
circumstances and the impulses
and sensations that reach the
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,000
awareness through the senses and
the nerve channels, is not a
28
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,680
suitable basis for achievement
for whatever objective the
29
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,680
individual seeks.
Those who seek to focus on the
30
00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,360
external reality as also those
who seek to achieve spiritual
31
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:14,200
realization or a shift to a
consciousness no longer involved
32
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,800
in earthly matters, all need to
achieve a certain quietude in
33
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,920
the mind to reach their goal,
whatever it may be.
34
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,000
In today's world, we are
constantly bombarded with
35
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,160
sights, sounds, smells,
sensations and pressures that
36
00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,440
constantly set the mind in
motion.
37
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,720
Many of these things spur
immediate reactions within us,
38
00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,040
while others may trigger long
stored or embedded reactions
39
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,320
that represent memory of the
past, either of the individual
40
00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,600
or even the long process of the
evolutionary past that have
41
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,200
carried through to maintain
their responses in all of us.
42
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,200
We thus have a real challenge
before us to achieve a calm,
43
00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,800
quiet, peaceful mind.
In his lectures on Rajagoga,
44
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,600
Swami Vivekananda goes into
considerable depth about the
45
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,080
nature of mind, how to observe
the mind, how to bring it to a
46
00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,760
state of quiescence and how then
to prepare it to both receive
47
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,240
the higher spiritual forces and
how to achieve any result for
48
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,520
which the seeker is aiming
through the concentration of
49
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,520
samyama.
That is one element of the
50
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:36,000
practice of Raja Yoga.
He also describes the status of
51
00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,400
consciousness called samati,
whereby the seeker is not
52
00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:45,040
responding actively to all the
sensory provocations that
53
00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:50,120
otherwise are pressuring him.
All spiritual development is
54
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,880
founded on the first step, which
is achieving this kind of
55
00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,600
quietude and distance from the
impressions of the senses and
56
00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,720
the pressures of the outer
existence.
57
00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,320
At first a certain amount of
separation may be needed to
58
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,200
establish this basis, but
eventually for the integral Yoga
59
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,440
it must become constant even
while the individual is fully
60
00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:19,040
engaged in carrying out his
actions and duties in the
61
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,200
external world.
Sri Aurobindo writes quote.
62
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,680
It is not possible to make a
foundation in yoga if the mind
63
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,040
is restless.
The first thing needed is quiet
64
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,680
in the mind.
Also to merge the personal
65
00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,360
consciousness is not the first
aim of the yoga.
66
00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,280
The first aim is to open it to a
higher spiritual consciousness
67
00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,800
and for this also a quiet mind
is the first need.
68
00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:54,560
End Quote reference Shriya
Robindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter
69
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,040
1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, Page
70
00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:58,360
1.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,200
Historically, much of the
spiritual focus has been
2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,480
directed towards seeing through
the illusory nature of the
3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,560
external reality and shifting
the awareness to a pure
4
00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,480
spiritual consciousness that is
not involved in that external
5
00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,400
reality.
Regardless of terminology used,
6
00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:24,400
whether it is Maya or samsara or
something that represents A
7
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,720
transitory field of experience
that prepares us for heaven or
8
00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,160
hell, eternity or some
development beyond this world,
9
00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,360
possibly becoming energetic
beings separated from physical
10
00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,160
substance, the dissolution of
the ego personality and the
11
00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:47,040
subsequent or consequent merging
of that individuality into the
12
00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,760
universal consciousness turns
out to be the primary direction.
13
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,160
There are, of course, also those
who reject this idea entirely
14
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,800
and seek to enhance and improve
life in this world.
15
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,880
They may treat this as some kind
of random existence, or they may
16
00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,680
simply believe that the purpose
of our lives is to gain
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,960
experience, grow and enjoy the
world given to us for our
18
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,760
enjoyment.
Triorobindo and the Mother look
19
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:22,040
at the manifestation as an
omnipresent reality such that
20
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:26,240
the expressed consciousness is
systematically evolving over
21
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:31,960
time, and thus there is both an
individual progress and a
22
00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:34,200
transformation of the external
life.
23
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,600
As the individual progress
impacts that external reality in
24
00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,520
virtually every direction,
however, we can see that an
25
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:48,400
unstable, shifting and jumping
mind, subject to the pressure of
26
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,800
circumstances and the impulses
and sensations that reach the
27
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,000
awareness through the senses and
the nerve channels, is not a
28
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,680
suitable basis for achievement
for whatever objective the
29
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,680
individual seeks.
Those who seek to focus on the
30
00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,360
external reality as also those
who seek to achieve spiritual
31
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:14,200
realization or a shift to a
consciousness no longer involved
32
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,800
in earthly matters, all need to
achieve a certain quietude in
33
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,920
the mind to reach their goal,
whatever it may be.
34
00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,000
In today's world, we are
constantly bombarded with
35
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,160
sights, sounds, smells,
sensations and pressures that
36
00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,440
constantly set the mind in
motion.
37
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,720
Many of these things spur
immediate reactions within us,
38
00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,040
while others may trigger long
stored or embedded reactions
39
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,320
that represent memory of the
past, either of the individual
40
00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,600
or even the long process of the
evolutionary past that have
41
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,200
carried through to maintain
their responses in all of us.
42
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,200
We thus have a real challenge
before us to achieve a calm,
43
00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,800
quiet, peaceful mind.
In his lectures on Rajagoga,
44
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,600
Swami Vivekananda goes into
considerable depth about the
45
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,080
nature of mind, how to observe
the mind, how to bring it to a
46
00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,760
state of quiescence and how then
to prepare it to both receive
47
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,240
the higher spiritual forces and
how to achieve any result for
48
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,520
which the seeker is aiming
through the concentration of
49
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,520
samyama.
That is one element of the
50
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:36,000
practice of Raja Yoga.
He also describes the status of
51
00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,400
consciousness called samati,
whereby the seeker is not
52
00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:45,040
responding actively to all the
sensory provocations that
53
00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:50,120
otherwise are pressuring him.
All spiritual development is
54
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,880
founded on the first step, which
is achieving this kind of
55
00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,600
quietude and distance from the
impressions of the senses and
56
00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,720
the pressures of the outer
existence.
57
00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,320
At first a certain amount of
separation may be needed to
58
00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,200
establish this basis, but
eventually for the integral Yoga
59
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,440
it must become constant even
while the individual is fully
60
00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:19,040
engaged in carrying out his
actions and duties in the
61
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,200
external world.
Sri Aurobindo writes quote.
62
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,680
It is not possible to make a
foundation in yoga if the mind
63
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,040
is restless.
The first thing needed is quiet
64
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,680
in the mind.
Also to merge the personal
65
00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,360
consciousness is not the first
aim of the yoga.
66
00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,280
The first aim is to open it to a
higher spiritual consciousness
67
00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,800
and for this also a quiet mind
is the first need.
68
00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:54,560
End Quote reference Shriya
Robindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter
69
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,040
1.
Calm, Peace and Equality, Page
70
00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:58,360
1.
