Jan. 8, 2025
The Mind, the Spirit and the Deeper Knowledge and Power That Can Know and Master the Universal Creation
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XVIII Mind, pp. 141-142
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/06/the-mind-the-spirit-and-the-deeper-knowledge-and-power-that-can-know-and-masters-th-universal-creation/
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
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,720
We can observe all around us the
steps the mental force is taking
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,039
to take charge of both physical
and vital nature.
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,600
While much of this takes place
through the development of
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:16,120
technological tools, it is
nevertheless an achievement of
5
00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,520
the mind that makes these things
possible.
6
00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,640
We may debate the
appropriateness or safety of
7
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,600
some of the developments, such
as the liberation of energy from
8
00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,520
matter in the form of nuclear
bombs, or the use of such
9
00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,360
capabilities as gene editing and
cloning to upgrade and improve
10
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:41,000
upon the natural formations of
plant, animal, and man.
11
00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,480
Yet even if we debate the
suitability of these steps, we
12
00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:50,480
cannot deny that mind is
reaching out to gain mastery
13
00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:54,680
over nature.
What is less visible and much
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,600
less understood are the
capacities of the mind and the
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,680
mental force to act upon
physical and vital nature
16
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,280
directly without developing
technological tools to do so.
17
00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,080
Yet in this realm, modern
science is beginning to explore
18
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,160
areas that in the past have been
the province of rishis, sages
19
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,040
and yogins, namely the
understanding of the full
20
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:24,520
capabilities of the entire human
instrument, body, life, mind and
21
00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,840
our spiritual nature.
Central to this quest is the
22
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:33,800
development of the yogic trance
Samadhi, which allows the seeker
23
00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:38,840
to explore inner space and begin
to both know and experience
24
00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,320
states of awareness not usually
recognized by the external
25
00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:46,360
mental consciousness, the
rishis.
26
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,320
Through use of the hidden
capacities of the human
27
00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,360
consciousness, we're able to tap
into a wider domain of
28
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,000
consciousness and thereby
understand and describe things
29
00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,920
which were long held to be
fantasy, but are now understood
30
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,200
to actually describe principles
and processes of the manifested
31
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,960
universe.
While we rely on technological
32
00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:15,160
innovation to discover these
things, the Rishis used a state
33
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,720
of spiritual consciousness to
discover these things.
34
00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:23,680
A recent example relates to the
astronomical phenomenon known as
35
00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,640
The Big Bang.
This has been held by Western
36
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:32,160
astronomers to be the start of
the universe without any
37
00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,800
explanation from their side as
to where and how this initiating
38
00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,080
event occurred.
The Rishis described a cycle of
39
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,120
creation and dissolution of the
universe, and thus The Big Bang
40
00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,800
is not the beginning of
everything, but one point in a
41
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:54,080
cycle of creation that was
preceded by a former universe
42
00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:59,480
that was eventually dissolved.
Today, Western scientists are
43
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,080
discovering residues that appear
to validate the existence of a
44
00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,920
former universe and out of the
dissolution of which our
45
00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:14,560
universe eventually arose.
Sri Aurobindo writes in his epic
46
00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,640
poem Savitri, A Legend and a
symbol quote.
47
00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,320
Mind is a mediator divinity.
Its powers can undo all nature's
48
00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,560
work.
Mind can suspend or change
49
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,080
Earth's concrete law, a
franchise from Earth habits.
50
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,280
Drowsy seal the leaden grip of
matter.
51
00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,280
It can break indifferent to the
angry stare of death.
52
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,320
It can immortalize a moment's
work, a simple Fiat of the
53
00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,600
thinking force.
The casual pressure of its
54
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,640
slight ascent can liberate the
energy, dumb and pent within its
55
00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,600
chambers of mysterious trance.
It makes the body sleep.
56
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,000
A poisoned arm holds still the
breath, the beatings of the
57
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,880
heart, while the unseen is
found.
58
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:10,320
The impossible done communicates
without means the unspoken
59
00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,760
thought.
It moves events by its bare
60
00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,800
silent will, acts at a distance
without hands or feet.
61
00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:24,640
This giant ignorance, this
dwarfish life, it can illumine
62
00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,680
with a prophet's sight, invoke
the backache rapture the furies,
63
00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:35,640
goad in our body, arouse the
demon or the God, call in the
64
00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,560
omniscient and omnipotent,
awake, a forgotten almightiness
65
00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,280
within, in its own plain, a
shining emperor.
66
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,880
Even in this rigid realm, mind
can be king.
67
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,920
End Quote.
Reference Sri Robindo and the
68
00:04:53,920 --> 00:05:01,840
Mother Powers within, Chapter
18, Mind, pages 141 to 142.
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,720
We can observe all around us the
steps the mental force is taking
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,039
to take charge of both physical
and vital nature.
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,600
While much of this takes place
through the development of
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:16,120
technological tools, it is
nevertheless an achievement of
5
00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,520
the mind that makes these things
possible.
6
00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,640
We may debate the
appropriateness or safety of
7
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,600
some of the developments, such
as the liberation of energy from
8
00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,520
matter in the form of nuclear
bombs, or the use of such
9
00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,360
capabilities as gene editing and
cloning to upgrade and improve
10
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:41,000
upon the natural formations of
plant, animal, and man.
11
00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,480
Yet even if we debate the
suitability of these steps, we
12
00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:50,480
cannot deny that mind is
reaching out to gain mastery
13
00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:54,680
over nature.
What is less visible and much
14
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,600
less understood are the
capacities of the mind and the
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,680
mental force to act upon
physical and vital nature
16
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,280
directly without developing
technological tools to do so.
17
00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,080
Yet in this realm, modern
science is beginning to explore
18
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,160
areas that in the past have been
the province of rishis, sages
19
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,040
and yogins, namely the
understanding of the full
20
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:24,520
capabilities of the entire human
instrument, body, life, mind and
21
00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,840
our spiritual nature.
Central to this quest is the
22
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:33,800
development of the yogic trance
Samadhi, which allows the seeker
23
00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:38,840
to explore inner space and begin
to both know and experience
24
00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,320
states of awareness not usually
recognized by the external
25
00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:46,360
mental consciousness, the
rishis.
26
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,320
Through use of the hidden
capacities of the human
27
00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,360
consciousness, we're able to tap
into a wider domain of
28
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,000
consciousness and thereby
understand and describe things
29
00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,920
which were long held to be
fantasy, but are now understood
30
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,200
to actually describe principles
and processes of the manifested
31
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,960
universe.
While we rely on technological
32
00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:15,160
innovation to discover these
things, the Rishis used a state
33
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,720
of spiritual consciousness to
discover these things.
34
00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:23,680
A recent example relates to the
astronomical phenomenon known as
35
00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,640
The Big Bang.
This has been held by Western
36
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:32,160
astronomers to be the start of
the universe without any
37
00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,800
explanation from their side as
to where and how this initiating
38
00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,080
event occurred.
The Rishis described a cycle of
39
00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,120
creation and dissolution of the
universe, and thus The Big Bang
40
00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,800
is not the beginning of
everything, but one point in a
41
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:54,080
cycle of creation that was
preceded by a former universe
42
00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:59,480
that was eventually dissolved.
Today, Western scientists are
43
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,080
discovering residues that appear
to validate the existence of a
44
00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,920
former universe and out of the
dissolution of which our
45
00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:14,560
universe eventually arose.
Sri Aurobindo writes in his epic
46
00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,640
poem Savitri, A Legend and a
symbol quote.
47
00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,320
Mind is a mediator divinity.
Its powers can undo all nature's
48
00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,560
work.
Mind can suspend or change
49
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,080
Earth's concrete law, a
franchise from Earth habits.
50
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,280
Drowsy seal the leaden grip of
matter.
51
00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,280
It can break indifferent to the
angry stare of death.
52
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,320
It can immortalize a moment's
work, a simple Fiat of the
53
00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,600
thinking force.
The casual pressure of its
54
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,640
slight ascent can liberate the
energy, dumb and pent within its
55
00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,600
chambers of mysterious trance.
It makes the body sleep.
56
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,000
A poisoned arm holds still the
breath, the beatings of the
57
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,880
heart, while the unseen is
found.
58
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:10,320
The impossible done communicates
without means the unspoken
59
00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,760
thought.
It moves events by its bare
60
00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,800
silent will, acts at a distance
without hands or feet.
61
00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:24,640
This giant ignorance, this
dwarfish life, it can illumine
62
00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,680
with a prophet's sight, invoke
the backache rapture the furies,
63
00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:35,640
goad in our body, arouse the
demon or the God, call in the
64
00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,560
omniscient and omnipotent,
awake, a forgotten almightiness
65
00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,280
within, in its own plain, a
shining emperor.
66
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,880
Even in this rigid realm, mind
can be king.
67
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,920
End Quote.
Reference Sri Robindo and the
68
00:04:53,920 --> 00:05:01,840
Mother Powers within, Chapter
18, Mind, pages 141 to 142.