Oct. 24, 2025
The Means of Focus and Receptivity in the Integral Yoga
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 2, Faith — Aspiration — Surrender, pp. 24-25This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/the-means-of-focus-and-receptivity-in-the-integral-yoga/
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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
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,640
The human instrument is
essentially a receiver.
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,000
Through the various energy
centers, vibrational patterns
3
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,400
are picked up.
Most of what is received is not
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,280
consciously attended to, but it
has its subtle impact.
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,320
The human being is able to
respond to a limited range of
6
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,040
vibrations on the
electromagnetic spectrum.
7
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:27,000
Vibrations above and vibrations
below our normal range of
8
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,480
response are active, but we do
not consciously attend to them
9
00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,760
and their impact is relatively
minor if they cannot set up a
10
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,640
corresponding vibratory pattern
through any of our energy
11
00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:44,360
centers.
The small percentage of impulses
12
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,280
that are attended to are then
reviewed by the conscious
13
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,880
awareness, analyzed, classified,
stored and responded to.
14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,840
If we shift our attention from
one of the subtle energy
15
00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,760
centers, chakras or another, we
respond actively to whatever
16
00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:06,360
forces or energetic influences
are active there at the moment.
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,440
For the practitioner of the
Integral Yoga, this background
18
00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,960
helps to Orient the secret to
the general idea and method for
19
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,440
opening to the greater
knowledge, power and bliss that
20
00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,120
can come with the shift of
attention and the corresponding
21
00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,440
reception of the forces active
there.
22
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,960
Traditionally, seekers are
advised to concentrate behind
23
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:33,960
the heart for access to the
psychic center and the
24
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:37,040
aspirational and devotional
energies that are received
25
00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:42,120
there, or else between the
eyebrows at the traditional
26
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,600
locus of the Ajnet chakra, the
Chakra of Knowledge Will in the
27
00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:52,120
Integral Yoga 1/3 focus area is
actually above the crown of the
28
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,160
head, which opens the seeker to
the wider universal
29
00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,600
consciousness and insight.
Each seeker finds that one or
30
00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:06,280
another focus is more natural
for him, and thus he may use
31
00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,440
that shift of attention as his
predominant mode of sadhna.
32
00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,960
There are times, however, when a
seeker may actually find that
33
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,800
one of the other areas of
concentration comes to the
34
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,120
forefront.
Most people find the heart
35
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,760
center to be the easiest to
relate to, and it is through
36
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,520
that, therefore, that they most
frequently come to understand
37
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:36,720
the reality of aspiration,
consecration, receptivity, and
38
00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:41,960
surrender to the higher force.
For those who take that path,
39
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,760
they find that opening to the
spiritual and psychic power of
40
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,760
the Mother can bring enormous
aid.
41
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:54,040
The Mother is both the divine
force of creation and, as
42
00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:58,160
embodied in the Mother of the
Srioro Bindo Ashram, a dynamic
43
00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,280
and powerful spiritual force in
her own being able to
44
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,520
communicate that force to those
who are able to experience and
45
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,920
be receptive to its action and
influence.
46
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,840
Srioro Bindo notes quote In this
Yoga all depends on whether one
47
00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,920
can open to the influence or
not.
48
00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,960
If there is a sincerity in the
aspiration and a patient will to
49
00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,840
arrive at the higher
consciousness in spite of all
50
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,040
obstacles, then the opening in
one form or another is sure to
51
00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,200
come.
But it may take a long or short
52
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,800
time according to the prepared
or unprepared condition of the
53
00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:43,000
mind, heart and body.
So if one has not the necessary
54
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,640
patience, the effort may be
abandoned owing to the
55
00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,120
difficulty of the beginning.
There is no method in this Yoga
56
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,440
except to concentrate,
preferably in the heart, and
57
00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,840
call the presence and power of
the mother to take up the being
58
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,080
and by the workings of her force
transform the consciousness.
59
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,480
One can concentrate also in the
head or between the eyebrows,
60
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,720
but for many this is a too
difficult opening.
61
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,079
When the mind falls quiet and
the concentration becomes strong
62
00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,959
and the aspiration intense, then
there is a beginning of
63
00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:25,960
experience.
The more the faith, the more
64
00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,280
rapid the result is likely to
be.
65
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,080
For the rest, one must not
depend on one's own efforts
66
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,920
only, but succeed in
establishing a contact with the
67
00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:42,600
Divine and a receptivity to the
Mother's power and presence.
68
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,760
End Quote.
Reference.
69
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,760
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 2, Faith, Aspiration
70
00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,600
Surrender, pages 24 to 25.
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,640
The human instrument is
essentially a receiver.
2
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,000
Through the various energy
centers, vibrational patterns
3
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,400
are picked up.
Most of what is received is not
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,280
consciously attended to, but it
has its subtle impact.
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,320
The human being is able to
respond to a limited range of
6
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,040
vibrations on the
electromagnetic spectrum.
7
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:27,000
Vibrations above and vibrations
below our normal range of
8
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,480
response are active, but we do
not consciously attend to them
9
00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,760
and their impact is relatively
minor if they cannot set up a
10
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,640
corresponding vibratory pattern
through any of our energy
11
00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:44,360
centers.
The small percentage of impulses
12
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,280
that are attended to are then
reviewed by the conscious
13
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,880
awareness, analyzed, classified,
stored and responded to.
14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,840
If we shift our attention from
one of the subtle energy
15
00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,760
centers, chakras or another, we
respond actively to whatever
16
00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:06,360
forces or energetic influences
are active there at the moment.
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,440
For the practitioner of the
Integral Yoga, this background
18
00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,960
helps to Orient the secret to
the general idea and method for
19
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,440
opening to the greater
knowledge, power and bliss that
20
00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,120
can come with the shift of
attention and the corresponding
21
00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,440
reception of the forces active
there.
22
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,960
Traditionally, seekers are
advised to concentrate behind
23
00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:33,960
the heart for access to the
psychic center and the
24
00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:37,040
aspirational and devotional
energies that are received
25
00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:42,120
there, or else between the
eyebrows at the traditional
26
00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,600
locus of the Ajnet chakra, the
Chakra of Knowledge Will in the
27
00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:52,120
Integral Yoga 1/3 focus area is
actually above the crown of the
28
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,160
head, which opens the seeker to
the wider universal
29
00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,600
consciousness and insight.
Each seeker finds that one or
30
00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:06,280
another focus is more natural
for him, and thus he may use
31
00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,440
that shift of attention as his
predominant mode of sadhna.
32
00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,960
There are times, however, when a
seeker may actually find that
33
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,800
one of the other areas of
concentration comes to the
34
00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,120
forefront.
Most people find the heart
35
00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,760
center to be the easiest to
relate to, and it is through
36
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,520
that, therefore, that they most
frequently come to understand
37
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:36,720
the reality of aspiration,
consecration, receptivity, and
38
00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:41,960
surrender to the higher force.
For those who take that path,
39
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,760
they find that opening to the
spiritual and psychic power of
40
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,760
the Mother can bring enormous
aid.
41
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:54,040
The Mother is both the divine
force of creation and, as
42
00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:58,160
embodied in the Mother of the
Srioro Bindo Ashram, a dynamic
43
00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,280
and powerful spiritual force in
her own being able to
44
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,520
communicate that force to those
who are able to experience and
45
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,920
be receptive to its action and
influence.
46
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,840
Srioro Bindo notes quote In this
Yoga all depends on whether one
47
00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,920
can open to the influence or
not.
48
00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,960
If there is a sincerity in the
aspiration and a patient will to
49
00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,840
arrive at the higher
consciousness in spite of all
50
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,040
obstacles, then the opening in
one form or another is sure to
51
00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,200
come.
But it may take a long or short
52
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,800
time according to the prepared
or unprepared condition of the
53
00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:43,000
mind, heart and body.
So if one has not the necessary
54
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,640
patience, the effort may be
abandoned owing to the
55
00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,120
difficulty of the beginning.
There is no method in this Yoga
56
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,440
except to concentrate,
preferably in the heart, and
57
00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,840
call the presence and power of
the mother to take up the being
58
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,080
and by the workings of her force
transform the consciousness.
59
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,480
One can concentrate also in the
head or between the eyebrows,
60
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,720
but for many this is a too
difficult opening.
61
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,079
When the mind falls quiet and
the concentration becomes strong
62
00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,959
and the aspiration intense, then
there is a beginning of
63
00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:25,960
experience.
The more the faith, the more
64
00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,280
rapid the result is likely to
be.
65
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,080
For the rest, one must not
depend on one's own efforts
66
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,920
only, but succeed in
establishing a contact with the
67
00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:42,600
Divine and a receptivity to the
Mother's power and presence.
68
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,760
End Quote.
Reference.
69
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,760
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga,
Chapter 2, Faith, Aspiration
70
00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,600
Surrender, pages 24 to 25.
