Sept. 17, 2025
The Need for a Settled Peace and Silence in the Mind as the First Stage of Yogic Practice
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm -- Peace -- Equality, pp. 1-2This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/15/the-need-for-a-settled-peace-and-silence-in-the-mind-as-the-first-stage-of-yogic-practice/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,760
The vital nature seeks
experiences.
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,760
These experiences are something
special that sets the individual
3
00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,840
apart.
In most cases these experiences
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,520
come as signposts along the way
to motivate the seeker and
5
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,480
guide, but the vital ego latches
on to them and desires them to
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,720
repeat as well as have new, ever
more meaningful experiences.
7
00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:32,520
This sets up a pattern of vital
desire and when they do not come
8
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:38,600
potential frustration and doubt.
Trioro Bindo does not dismiss
9
00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,800
the value of spiritual
experiences.
10
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,520
He does however, make it clear
that this is not the first and
11
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:50,160
most essential thing.
Spiritual experiences are also
12
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,680
not the objective, and many
people, once they have set their
13
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,360
feet on the path, do not have
the kind of headline spiritual
14
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,160
experiences that are the object
of the vital desire.
15
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,960
The yogic practice is intended
to shift the consciousness, not
16
00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:13,880
to simply collect experiences.
The force that brings the
17
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,760
experiences and the spiritual
development is a powerful force
18
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:25,240
and an unprepared vessel, mind,
life, body, complex will tend to
19
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,080
spill rather than hold the
force.
20
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,400
This accentuates the need to
strengthen the body, the nervous
21
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:38,400
paths, the vital being and the
mind to be able to hold the
22
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:44,040
force and let it do its work.
Calm and peace in each aspect to
23
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,400
the being are signs that the
being is preparing to hold and
24
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:52,560
utilize the new spiritual force
as it descends into the being.
25
00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,120
We tend to be reactive in our
mind, our emotions, and our
26
00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,920
nervous responses.
The mind jumps after every
27
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,640
sensation, reacts to every
provocation and nervous impulse,
28
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,520
and has difficulty achieving a
stable, quiet attitude that
29
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,000
allows it to receive clearly the
spiritual impulse.
30
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:20,120
Some people go to the opposite
extreme and develop a level of
31
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,920
temasic passivity that simply
allows whatever comes to take
32
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,200
over and move the being.
These individuals believe that
33
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,680
allowing anything that comes
means they are achieving
34
00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:38,840
quietude rather than reacting.
That is however a concern when
35
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,160
the forces that are coming are
those of the lower vital nature
36
00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,640
and those that want to
manipulate the individual to
37
00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:49,440
their own end.
It is therefore essential to
38
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,800
recognize the balance needed in
achieving both peace and clear
39
00:02:54,800 --> 00:03:00,920
insight and discrimination as to
what forces are at work, Srioro
40
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:05,240
Bindu observes quote.
The first thing to do in the
41
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,760
Sadhna is to get a settled peace
and silence in the mind.
42
00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,880
Otherwise you may have
experiences but nothing will be
43
00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,480
permanent.
It is in the silent mind that
44
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,440
the true consciousness can be
built.
45
00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,960
A quiet mind does not mean that
there will be no thoughts or
46
00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,560
mental movements at all, but
that these will be on the
47
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,720
surface and you will feel your
true being within, separate from
48
00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:37,600
them, observing but not carried
away, able to watch and judge
49
00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,640
them and reject all that has to
be rejected, and to accept and
50
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,120
keep to all that is true
consciousness and true
51
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,480
experience.
Passivity of the mind is good,
52
00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,280
but take care to be passive only
to the truth and to the touch of
53
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,760
the Divine Shakti.
If you are passive to the
54
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,920
suggestions and influence of the
lower nature, you will not be
55
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:07,520
able to progress, or else you
will expose yourself to adverse
56
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,960
forces which may take you far
away from the true path of Yoga,
57
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,320
the Spire to the Mother.
For this settled quietness and
58
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,959
calm of the mind and this
constant sense of the inner
59
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:25,280
being in you, standing back from
the external nature and turn to
60
00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,400
the light and Truth.
The forces that stand in the way
61
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,600
of Sadhna are the forces of the
lower mental, vital and physical
62
00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,440
nature.
Behind them are adverse forces
63
00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,640
of the mental, vital and subtle
physical worlds.
64
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,320
These can be dealt with only
after the mind and heart have
65
00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:48,760
become one pointed and
concentrated in the single
66
00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,240
aspiration to the divine.
End Quote.
67
00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:59,480
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm, Peace
68
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,120
and Equality, pages 1:00 to
2:00.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,760
The vital nature seeks
experiences.
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,760
These experiences are something
special that sets the individual
3
00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,840
apart.
In most cases these experiences
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,520
come as signposts along the way
to motivate the seeker and
5
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,480
guide, but the vital ego latches
on to them and desires them to
6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,720
repeat as well as have new, ever
more meaningful experiences.
7
00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:32,520
This sets up a pattern of vital
desire and when they do not come
8
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:38,600
potential frustration and doubt.
Trioro Bindo does not dismiss
9
00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,800
the value of spiritual
experiences.
10
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,520
He does however, make it clear
that this is not the first and
11
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:50,160
most essential thing.
Spiritual experiences are also
12
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,680
not the objective, and many
people, once they have set their
13
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,360
feet on the path, do not have
the kind of headline spiritual
14
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,160
experiences that are the object
of the vital desire.
15
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,960
The yogic practice is intended
to shift the consciousness, not
16
00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:13,880
to simply collect experiences.
The force that brings the
17
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,760
experiences and the spiritual
development is a powerful force
18
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:25,240
and an unprepared vessel, mind,
life, body, complex will tend to
19
00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,080
spill rather than hold the
force.
20
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,400
This accentuates the need to
strengthen the body, the nervous
21
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:38,400
paths, the vital being and the
mind to be able to hold the
22
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:44,040
force and let it do its work.
Calm and peace in each aspect to
23
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,400
the being are signs that the
being is preparing to hold and
24
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:52,560
utilize the new spiritual force
as it descends into the being.
25
00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,120
We tend to be reactive in our
mind, our emotions, and our
26
00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,920
nervous responses.
The mind jumps after every
27
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,640
sensation, reacts to every
provocation and nervous impulse,
28
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,520
and has difficulty achieving a
stable, quiet attitude that
29
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,000
allows it to receive clearly the
spiritual impulse.
30
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:20,120
Some people go to the opposite
extreme and develop a level of
31
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,920
temasic passivity that simply
allows whatever comes to take
32
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:29,200
over and move the being.
These individuals believe that
33
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,680
allowing anything that comes
means they are achieving
34
00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:38,840
quietude rather than reacting.
That is however a concern when
35
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,160
the forces that are coming are
those of the lower vital nature
36
00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,640
and those that want to
manipulate the individual to
37
00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:49,440
their own end.
It is therefore essential to
38
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,800
recognize the balance needed in
achieving both peace and clear
39
00:02:54,800 --> 00:03:00,920
insight and discrimination as to
what forces are at work, Srioro
40
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:05,240
Bindu observes quote.
The first thing to do in the
41
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,760
Sadhna is to get a settled peace
and silence in the mind.
42
00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,880
Otherwise you may have
experiences but nothing will be
43
00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,480
permanent.
It is in the silent mind that
44
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,440
the true consciousness can be
built.
45
00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,960
A quiet mind does not mean that
there will be no thoughts or
46
00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,560
mental movements at all, but
that these will be on the
47
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,720
surface and you will feel your
true being within, separate from
48
00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:37,600
them, observing but not carried
away, able to watch and judge
49
00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,640
them and reject all that has to
be rejected, and to accept and
50
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,120
keep to all that is true
consciousness and true
51
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,480
experience.
Passivity of the mind is good,
52
00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,280
but take care to be passive only
to the truth and to the touch of
53
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,760
the Divine Shakti.
If you are passive to the
54
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,920
suggestions and influence of the
lower nature, you will not be
55
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:07,520
able to progress, or else you
will expose yourself to adverse
56
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,960
forces which may take you far
away from the true path of Yoga,
57
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,320
the Spire to the Mother.
For this settled quietness and
58
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,959
calm of the mind and this
constant sense of the inner
59
00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:25,280
being in you, standing back from
the external nature and turn to
60
00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,400
the light and Truth.
The forces that stand in the way
61
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,600
of Sadhna are the forces of the
lower mental, vital and physical
62
00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,440
nature.
Behind them are adverse forces
63
00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,640
of the mental, vital and subtle
physical worlds.
64
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,320
These can be dealt with only
after the mind and heart have
65
00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:48,760
become one pointed and
concentrated in the single
66
00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,240
aspiration to the divine.
End Quote.
67
00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:59,480
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Bases
of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm, Peace
68
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,120
and Equality, pages 1:00 to
2:00.
