Nov. 7, 2025
The Focus Needed for Success in the Practice of the Integral Yoga
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 2, Faith — Aspiration — Surrender, pg. 33This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/the-focus-needed-for-success-in-the-practice-of-the-integral-yoga/
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#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #aspiration
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,520
Every path of yoga has its own
methodologies and expected
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:08,520
results, just as every
discipline or focus in the
3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,680
external activities have their
own methodologies and expected
4
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,880
results.
An individual can train for
5
00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,280
sports, for proficiency in a
particular science, or even for
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,760
learning skills and social
interactions.
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,280
Most people undertake these
actions with a specific desire
8
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,680
or ambition, a goal they want to
achieve, a form of success they
9
00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,640
want to have in their lives.
If one follows the yogic path of
10
00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,640
knowledge, 1 carries out the
methods unique to that path for
11
00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,040
a period of time and thereby
gains knowledge.
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,560
Similarly, for the Paths of
Devotion works or Hata or Raja
13
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,400
Yoga, an individual can follow
the designated method and make
14
00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,680
progress over time as he masters
that methodology.
15
00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,880
The eventual goal of all yogic
pursuits is the achievement of
16
00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:11,560
oneness and thus the elimination
of the focus on the ego and its
17
00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:16,680
fulfilment of desires.
The Integral Yoga is somewhat
18
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,680
unique in that it does not
prescribe a particular
19
00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,240
methodology.
Rather, it asks the aspirant to
20
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:28,000
focus the being on the Divine
truth and then to utilize
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,560
whatever methodology is needed
where works best at any point in
22
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,680
time to maintain that focus and
eliminate contrary movements,
23
00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:43,480
obstacles, impediments, desires,
or any fulfillment of the ego.
24
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:48,200
The closer the seeker comes to
this ability to focus on the
25
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,920
Divine and eliminate
distractions, the more he can
26
00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,880
receive of the active Divine
force and thereby have the
27
00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,840
Divine carrying out the
transformative changes as the
28
00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:06,080
veil of the ego personality
thins and falls away, Sri
29
00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,639
Aurobindo observes quote in the
practice of yoga.
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,760
What you aim at can only come by
the opening of the Being to the
31
00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,400
Mother's force and the
persistent rejection of all
32
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,440
egoism and demand and desire,
all motives except the
33
00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,600
aspiration for the Divine Truth.
If this is rightly done, the
34
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,720
Divine power and Light will
begin to work and bring in the
35
00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:37,560
peace and equanimity, the inner
strength, the purified devotion
36
00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,960
and the increasing consciousness
and self knowledge which are the
37
00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,680
necessary foundation for the
city of the Yoga.
38
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:52,240
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo Faces of Yoga, Chapter
39
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,880
2 Faith, Aspiration, Surrender
page 33.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,520
Every path of yoga has its own
methodologies and expected
2
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:08,520
results, just as every
discipline or focus in the
3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,680
external activities have their
own methodologies and expected
4
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,880
results.
An individual can train for
5
00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,280
sports, for proficiency in a
particular science, or even for
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,760
learning skills and social
interactions.
7
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,280
Most people undertake these
actions with a specific desire
8
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,680
or ambition, a goal they want to
achieve, a form of success they
9
00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,640
want to have in their lives.
If one follows the yogic path of
10
00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,640
knowledge, 1 carries out the
methods unique to that path for
11
00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,040
a period of time and thereby
gains knowledge.
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,560
Similarly, for the Paths of
Devotion works or Hata or Raja
13
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,400
Yoga, an individual can follow
the designated method and make
14
00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,680
progress over time as he masters
that methodology.
15
00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,880
The eventual goal of all yogic
pursuits is the achievement of
16
00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:11,560
oneness and thus the elimination
of the focus on the ego and its
17
00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:16,680
fulfilment of desires.
The Integral Yoga is somewhat
18
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,680
unique in that it does not
prescribe a particular
19
00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,240
methodology.
Rather, it asks the aspirant to
20
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:28,000
focus the being on the Divine
truth and then to utilize
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,560
whatever methodology is needed
where works best at any point in
22
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,680
time to maintain that focus and
eliminate contrary movements,
23
00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:43,480
obstacles, impediments, desires,
or any fulfillment of the ego.
24
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:48,200
The closer the seeker comes to
this ability to focus on the
25
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,920
Divine and eliminate
distractions, the more he can
26
00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,880
receive of the active Divine
force and thereby have the
27
00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,840
Divine carrying out the
transformative changes as the
28
00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:06,080
veil of the ego personality
thins and falls away, Sri
29
00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,639
Aurobindo observes quote in the
practice of yoga.
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,760
What you aim at can only come by
the opening of the Being to the
31
00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,400
Mother's force and the
persistent rejection of all
32
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,440
egoism and demand and desire,
all motives except the
33
00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,600
aspiration for the Divine Truth.
If this is rightly done, the
34
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,720
Divine power and Light will
begin to work and bring in the
35
00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:37,560
peace and equanimity, the inner
strength, the purified devotion
36
00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,960
and the increasing consciousness
and self knowledge which are the
37
00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,680
necessary foundation for the
city of the Yoga.
38
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:52,240
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo Faces of Yoga, Chapter
39
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,880
2 Faith, Aspiration, Surrender
page 33.
