Sept. 27, 2024
The Imagination: a Tool for Development
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter III Imagination, pg. 31 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/23/the-imagination-a-tool-for-development/
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
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,440
Imagination is a window to the
future.
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,320
People who are stuck in their
past or the present tend to
3
00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,360
close themselves off from
development.
4
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,760
They insist that things have
always been done a certain way
5
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,400
and that is how they are going
to be done.
6
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,520
Change is anathema to them.
They have little, if any
7
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,400
receptivity to progressive
views, to new directions, to
8
00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,080
development off of their fixed
ways of seeing and doing things.
9
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,720
They even fight to maintain
their status quo rather than
10
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,560
face the reality that change is
inevitable.
11
00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,200
Those who take up spiritual
development naturally have to be
12
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,560
receptive to new influences and
insights coming to them.
13
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,160
They need to have the
imagination that things can be
14
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:56,520
different, truer, more
beautiful, more harmonious than
15
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:58,480
what they see around them in the
world.
16
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,120
Imagination helps them see
beyond the limits of the present
17
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,360
darkness.
A disciple asks what is the
18
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,280
function, the use of the
imagination?
19
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,920
The mother notes quote.
If one knows how to use it, one
20
00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,240
can create for oneself his own
inner and outer life.
21
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800
One can build his own existence
with his imagination if one
22
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,560
knows how to use it and has a
power.
23
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,200
In fact, it is an elementary way
of creating, of forming things
24
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,280
in the world.
I have always felt that if one
25
00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,320
didn't have the capacity of
imagination, he would not make
26
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,800
any progress.
Your imagination always goes
27
00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,480
ahead of your life.
When you think of yourself,
28
00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,360
usually you imagine what you
want to be, don't you?
29
00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:55,120
And this goes ahead, then you
follow, then it continues to go
30
00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,560
ahead and you follow.
Imagination opens for you the
31
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,120
path of realization.
People who are not imaginative,
32
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,440
it is very difficult to make
them move.
33
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:10,919
They see just what is there
before their nose.
34
00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,680
They feel just what they are
moment by moment, and they
35
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,960
cannot go forward because they
are clamped by the immediate
36
00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,080
thing.
It depends a good deal on what 1
37
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,880
calls imagination.
End Quote Reference Sri Orobindo
38
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:32,520
and the Mother Powers within,
Chapter 3 Imagination, page 31.
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,440
Imagination is a window to the
future.
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,320
People who are stuck in their
past or the present tend to
3
00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,360
close themselves off from
development.
4
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,760
They insist that things have
always been done a certain way
5
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,400
and that is how they are going
to be done.
6
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,520
Change is anathema to them.
They have little, if any
7
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,400
receptivity to progressive
views, to new directions, to
8
00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,080
development off of their fixed
ways of seeing and doing things.
9
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,720
They even fight to maintain
their status quo rather than
10
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,560
face the reality that change is
inevitable.
11
00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,200
Those who take up spiritual
development naturally have to be
12
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,560
receptive to new influences and
insights coming to them.
13
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,160
They need to have the
imagination that things can be
14
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:56,520
different, truer, more
beautiful, more harmonious than
15
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:58,480
what they see around them in the
world.
16
00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,120
Imagination helps them see
beyond the limits of the present
17
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,360
darkness.
A disciple asks what is the
18
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,280
function, the use of the
imagination?
19
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,920
The mother notes quote.
If one knows how to use it, one
20
00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,240
can create for oneself his own
inner and outer life.
21
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800
One can build his own existence
with his imagination if one
22
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,560
knows how to use it and has a
power.
23
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,200
In fact, it is an elementary way
of creating, of forming things
24
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,280
in the world.
I have always felt that if one
25
00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,320
didn't have the capacity of
imagination, he would not make
26
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,800
any progress.
Your imagination always goes
27
00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,480
ahead of your life.
When you think of yourself,
28
00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,360
usually you imagine what you
want to be, don't you?
29
00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:55,120
And this goes ahead, then you
follow, then it continues to go
30
00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,560
ahead and you follow.
Imagination opens for you the
31
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,120
path of realization.
People who are not imaginative,
32
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,440
it is very difficult to make
them move.
33
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:10,919
They see just what is there
before their nose.
34
00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,680
They feel just what they are
moment by moment, and they
35
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,960
cannot go forward because they
are clamped by the immediate
36
00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,080
thing.
It depends a good deal on what 1
37
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,880
calls imagination.
End Quote Reference Sri Orobindo
38
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:32,520
and the Mother Powers within,
Chapter 3 Imagination, page 31.