March 10, 2023
The Impersonal and the Personal Divine
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YouTube This episode is also available as a blog post: https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2023/03/08/the-impersonal-and-the-personal-divine-2/
1
00:00:01,500 --> 00:00:06,000
It seems that people fall into
two camps either they believe in
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,200
a personal form of divinity.
God, our savior or they don't.
3
00:00:12,100 --> 00:00:15,700
For those that do not believe in
a personal form of the Divine,
4
00:00:16,500 --> 00:00:20,400
there is a belief in some
impersonal Machinery of Unknown
5
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,500
Origin or purpose.
These two however need not be
6
00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:29,500
mutually exclusive rather.
The division is due to the way
7
00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:34,600
we process concepts with our
mentality which seems to prefer
8
00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:39,700
either or choices and black and
white distinctions.
9
00:00:41,300 --> 00:00:45,800
Yet if we observe our world and
our own inner being carefully,
10
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,900
we see that some things cannot
be explained or justified by one
11
00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,700
or the other of these
distinctions just as science is
12
00:00:55,700 --> 00:00:59,100
finding that Einstein's
relativity and quantum
13
00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:04,200
mechanics, do not seem to fully
agree but that each seems to
14
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:09,700
work in its own field of action.
In the case of science, they are
15
00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:13,900
moving toward an approach that
accepts both within the larger
16
00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:17,900
framework without the need to
prove one or the other as the
17
00:01:17,900 --> 00:01:22,700
sole explanation.
Similarly, when it comes to
18
00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:27,500
Spiritual Development, we find
that both the impersonal and the
19
00:01:27,508 --> 00:01:33,200
personal have a role and the
solution lies not in excluding
20
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,900
one in favor of the other.
But in finding a way to
21
00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:42,300
integrate the two, in a new
synthesis of understanding, this
22
00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:44,800
is what tree aurobindo has put
forward.
23
00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:50,300
This does not imply that all
belief in an impersonal random
24
00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:53,300
universe is a correct.
Understanding of the impersonal
25
00:01:53,300 --> 00:01:57,800
aspect North at all.
Belief in a personal Divinity
26
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,200
who intervenes judges and
condemns or rewards is a correct
27
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,500
understanding of the personal
aspect.
28
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,699
As with all things there has
been much accretion of opinion,
29
00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:15,000
unfounded belief, dogma and
superstition.
30
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,300
It impacts the current level of
understanding.
31
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,300
If we go beyond these temporal
and local distinctions, however,
32
00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:28,800
and Trace back to core
principles, we can find a basis
33
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,400
that is universal and which
underpins all of the various
34
00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,600
belief systems with a
foundation, in the reality of
35
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,500
the creation, SRI aurobindo
notes.
36
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,500
Quote, there is always the
personal and the impersonal side
37
00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:51,800
of the Divine and the truth and
it is a mistake to think the
38
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,900
impersonal alone to be true or
important.
39
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,600
For that leads to avoid
incompleteness in part of the
40
00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,700
being while.
Only one side is given
41
00:03:01,700 --> 00:03:06,600
satisfaction impersonality
belongs to the intellectual
42
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,800
mind, and the static self.
Personality to the soul and
43
00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,600
heart and dynamic being.
Those who disregard the personal
44
00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,900
Divine ignore something, which
is profound and essential.
45
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,600
In following the heart and it's
pure impulses, one follows
46
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,000
something that is at least as
precious as the mines loyalty to
47
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:38,300
its own conceptions of what the
truth, maybe in quote preference
48
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:42,600
SRI aurobindo and the mother
growing within the psychology of
49
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,000
inner development.
Chapter 5 growth of
50
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,500
Consciousness means and methods
page 101.
51
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,600
In following the heart and it's
pure impulses, one follows
52
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,000
something that is at least as
precious as the mines loyalty to
53
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:38,300
its own conceptions of what the
truth, maybe in quote preference
54
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:42,600
SRI aurobindo and the mother
growing within the psychology of
55
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,000
inner development.
Chapter 5 growth of
56
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,500
Consciousness means and methods
page 101.
00:00:01,500 --> 00:00:06,000
It seems that people fall into
two camps either they believe in
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,200
a personal form of divinity.
God, our savior or they don't.
3
00:00:12,100 --> 00:00:15,700
For those that do not believe in
a personal form of the Divine,
4
00:00:16,500 --> 00:00:20,400
there is a belief in some
impersonal Machinery of Unknown
5
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,500
Origin or purpose.
These two however need not be
6
00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:29,500
mutually exclusive rather.
The division is due to the way
7
00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:34,600
we process concepts with our
mentality which seems to prefer
8
00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:39,700
either or choices and black and
white distinctions.
9
00:00:41,300 --> 00:00:45,800
Yet if we observe our world and
our own inner being carefully,
10
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,900
we see that some things cannot
be explained or justified by one
11
00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,700
or the other of these
distinctions just as science is
12
00:00:55,700 --> 00:00:59,100
finding that Einstein's
relativity and quantum
13
00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:04,200
mechanics, do not seem to fully
agree but that each seems to
14
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:09,700
work in its own field of action.
In the case of science, they are
15
00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:13,900
moving toward an approach that
accepts both within the larger
16
00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:17,900
framework without the need to
prove one or the other as the
17
00:01:17,900 --> 00:01:22,700
sole explanation.
Similarly, when it comes to
18
00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:27,500
Spiritual Development, we find
that both the impersonal and the
19
00:01:27,508 --> 00:01:33,200
personal have a role and the
solution lies not in excluding
20
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,900
one in favor of the other.
But in finding a way to
21
00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:42,300
integrate the two, in a new
synthesis of understanding, this
22
00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:44,800
is what tree aurobindo has put
forward.
23
00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:50,300
This does not imply that all
belief in an impersonal random
24
00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:53,300
universe is a correct.
Understanding of the impersonal
25
00:01:53,300 --> 00:01:57,800
aspect North at all.
Belief in a personal Divinity
26
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,200
who intervenes judges and
condemns or rewards is a correct
27
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,500
understanding of the personal
aspect.
28
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,699
As with all things there has
been much accretion of opinion,
29
00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:15,000
unfounded belief, dogma and
superstition.
30
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,300
It impacts the current level of
understanding.
31
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,300
If we go beyond these temporal
and local distinctions, however,
32
00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:28,800
and Trace back to core
principles, we can find a basis
33
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,400
that is universal and which
underpins all of the various
34
00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,600
belief systems with a
foundation, in the reality of
35
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,500
the creation, SRI aurobindo
notes.
36
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,500
Quote, there is always the
personal and the impersonal side
37
00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:51,800
of the Divine and the truth and
it is a mistake to think the
38
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,900
impersonal alone to be true or
important.
39
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,600
For that leads to avoid
incompleteness in part of the
40
00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,700
being while.
Only one side is given
41
00:03:01,700 --> 00:03:06,600
satisfaction impersonality
belongs to the intellectual
42
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,800
mind, and the static self.
Personality to the soul and
43
00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,600
heart and dynamic being.
Those who disregard the personal
44
00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,900
Divine ignore something, which
is profound and essential.
45
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,600
In following the heart and it's
pure impulses, one follows
46
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,000
something that is at least as
precious as the mines loyalty to
47
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:38,300
its own conceptions of what the
truth, maybe in quote preference
48
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:42,600
SRI aurobindo and the mother
growing within the psychology of
49
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,000
inner development.
Chapter 5 growth of
50
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,500
Consciousness means and methods
page 101.
51
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,600
In following the heart and it's
pure impulses, one follows
52
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,000
something that is at least as
precious as the mines loyalty to
53
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:38,300
its own conceptions of what the
truth, maybe in quote preference
54
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:42,600
SRI aurobindo and the mother
growing within the psychology of
55
00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,000
inner development.
Chapter 5 growth of
56
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,500
Consciousness means and methods
page 101.