April 21, 2025
The Inner Being Determines the Formations of the Outer Existence
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 3, Action and Work, pp. 57-58This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/04/19/the-inner-being-determines-the-formations-of-the-outer-existence/
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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,680
We tend to work from the outer
to the inner consciousness.
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,960
We treat the external world as
more real and dominant to
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,240
determine our physical body, our
vital nature, and our mental
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,239
development.
There is, of course, a certain
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,400
amount of truth to this view, in
as much as the outer and the
6
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,520
inner are two sides of the same
reality, inextricably
7
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,760
intertwined and acting upon one
another.
8
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,680
What we tend to get wrong,
however, is a failure to see
9
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,720
that the gross forms of the
external world are not the
10
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,960
primary causal reality, but a
result of subtler and more
11
00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,080
powerful levels of
consciousness.
12
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,240
We are beginning to understand
that the physical matter we
13
00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,680
observe is actually energy.
We are beginning to appreciate
14
00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,120
that energy is actually a
formation of consciousness.
15
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,960
If we understand the implied
sense of this view of reality,
16
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,120
we can begin to understand that
the external forms we create,
17
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,080
the outer actions we undertake,
are the result of an inner
18
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,720
reality and express our inner
attitude.
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,880
As the seeker becomes more
conscious, the power of this
20
00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,320
realization becomes more obvious
to him.
21
00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,880
The more closely he aligns with
his inner reality, with the soul
22
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,400
or psychic being, around which
his outer personality and being
23
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:35,160
has been formed, the more
precise the outer work, the
24
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,760
outer expression, the outer
formation will be.
25
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,440
To the extent that the physical
being, the vital being or the
26
00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,280
mental being intervenes and
provides its own view and
27
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,320
interpretation, the psychic
being's expression will be
28
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:58,160
diluted or distorted, Sri
Aurobindo notes quote.
29
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,160
Everything depends on the inner
condition and the outward action
30
00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,240
is only useful as a means and a
help for expressing or
31
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,680
confirming the inner condition
and making it dynamic and
32
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,960
effective.
If you do or say a thing with
33
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,960
the psychic uppermost or with
the right inner touch, it will
34
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,120
be effective.
If you do or say the same thing
35
00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,320
out of the mind or the vital, or
with the wrong or mixed
36
00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,680
atmosphere, it may be quite
ineffective.
37
00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,800
To do the right thing in the
right way in each case and at
38
00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,720
each moment, one must be in the
right consciousness.
39
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,440
It can't be done by following a
fixed mental rule.
40
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,400
End Quote.
Reference Sri Oruvindo and the
41
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:55,520
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 3, Action and Work,
42
00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,200
pages 57 to 58.
00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,680
We tend to work from the outer
to the inner consciousness.
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,960
We treat the external world as
more real and dominant to
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,240
determine our physical body, our
vital nature, and our mental
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,239
development.
There is, of course, a certain
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,400
amount of truth to this view, in
as much as the outer and the
6
00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,520
inner are two sides of the same
reality, inextricably
7
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,760
intertwined and acting upon one
another.
8
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,680
What we tend to get wrong,
however, is a failure to see
9
00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,720
that the gross forms of the
external world are not the
10
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,960
primary causal reality, but a
result of subtler and more
11
00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,080
powerful levels of
consciousness.
12
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,240
We are beginning to understand
that the physical matter we
13
00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,680
observe is actually energy.
We are beginning to appreciate
14
00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,120
that energy is actually a
formation of consciousness.
15
00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,960
If we understand the implied
sense of this view of reality,
16
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,120
we can begin to understand that
the external forms we create,
17
00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,080
the outer actions we undertake,
are the result of an inner
18
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,720
reality and express our inner
attitude.
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,880
As the seeker becomes more
conscious, the power of this
20
00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,320
realization becomes more obvious
to him.
21
00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,880
The more closely he aligns with
his inner reality, with the soul
22
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,400
or psychic being, around which
his outer personality and being
23
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:35,160
has been formed, the more
precise the outer work, the
24
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,760
outer expression, the outer
formation will be.
25
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,440
To the extent that the physical
being, the vital being or the
26
00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,280
mental being intervenes and
provides its own view and
27
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,320
interpretation, the psychic
being's expression will be
28
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:58,160
diluted or distorted, Sri
Aurobindo notes quote.
29
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,160
Everything depends on the inner
condition and the outward action
30
00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,240
is only useful as a means and a
help for expressing or
31
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,680
confirming the inner condition
and making it dynamic and
32
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,960
effective.
If you do or say a thing with
33
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,960
the psychic uppermost or with
the right inner touch, it will
34
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,120
be effective.
If you do or say the same thing
35
00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,320
out of the mind or the vital, or
with the wrong or mixed
36
00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,680
atmosphere, it may be quite
ineffective.
37
00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,800
To do the right thing in the
right way in each case and at
38
00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,720
each moment, one must be in the
right consciousness.
39
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,440
It can't be done by following a
fixed mental rule.
40
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,400
End Quote.
Reference Sri Oruvindo and the
41
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:55,520
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 3, Action and Work,
42
00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,200
pages 57 to 58.