July 26, 2025
The Need for Patience and Perseverance
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Amazon Music 
RSS Feed 
Castro 
RadioPublic 
PocketCasts 
YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 136
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/the-need-for-patience-and-perseverance-2/
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
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,960
Scientists tell us that human
beings diverge from chimpanzees
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,040
somewhere between 4:00 and 8:00
million years ago.
3
00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,440
Somewhere around 2,000,000 years
ago, the line of development
4
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,760
that led to human beings
appeared and our current
5
00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:23,000
formation, Homo sapiens came on
the scenes around 300,000 years
6
00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,680
ago.
Each stage led to expression of
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:31,880
new physical, vital and mental
traits that coalesced around the
8
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,200
current status of what we
understand to be human
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,840
capabilities today.
While there may be some debate
10
00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,240
about the exactness of these
calculations, there remains the
11
00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,440
underlying fact that development
of any stage of consciousness
12
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,680
from a preceding stage does not
happen overnight.
13
00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,400
We are now engaged with the
development and expression of
14
00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,000
the next term of the evolution
of consciousness beyond the
15
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,320
mental level developed in the
human being.
16
00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:09,040
How long will this take if we
look back at each prior stage of
17
00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,000
development?
The vital consciousness
18
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,560
developing out of the material
consciousness.
19
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,800
The mental consciousness
developing out of the vital
20
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,240
consciousness.
The higher mental consciousness
21
00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,840
developing out of the
rudimentary mental
22
00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:28,480
consciousness, we see a time
frame of millions of years in
23
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:34,320
the normal processes of nature.
This background and perspective
24
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,640
is of utmost importance for the
spiritual seeker who takes up
25
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,800
the work needed to bring about
the changes in human nature that
26
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,360
can prepare and develop the next
stage of evolution of
27
00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,320
consciousness.
Human beings tend to be
28
00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,000
impatient.
We want to see instant results,
29
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,040
have instant success.
Anything that does not happen
30
00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:02,560
quickly within the framework of
our very short human lifetimes
31
00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,320
in relation to the time scales
noted above is a cause for
32
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,039
questioning, doubt and
expression of impatience.
33
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,280
How do we reconcile the time
needed by nature with the human
34
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,560
time frame?
We need to adjust our
35
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:25,240
expectations and develop
imperturbable patience so that
36
00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,280
we can persevere without the
kind of instant gratification
37
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,400
that we generally desire.
Patience does not imply
38
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,800
indolence.
There should be the focus and
39
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,440
energy concentrated to continue
the progress, while at the same
40
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:47,880
time the understanding and view
that these changes may take many
41
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,040
human lifetimes.
First Nations people speak of
42
00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,400
looking at consequences down to
7 generations in the future to
43
00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,280
provide a better perspective of
the impact of our actions.
44
00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,800
The development of a new stage
of conscious evolution is a far
45
00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,520
longer process than just 7
generations.
46
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,480
We thus look at this as a
disinterested work without
47
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,120
personal desire, without
personal expectation, without
48
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,000
personal gratification of
instant success.
49
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,920
As part of the larger intentions
of the divine manifestation, the
50
00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:31,920
individual may and likely will
experience changes that are real
51
00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:36,560
and palpable along the way.
These changes help create the
52
00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,000
incremental readiness for human
development beyond the mental
53
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,920
level, with all the requirements
for such a change and all of the
54
00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,480
receptivity and capacities in
place to accept such a change
55
00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,600
and integrate it into the
expression of nature over time.
56
00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,760
It is important to note that the
expression of each further stage
57
00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:05,520
of consciousness has proceeded
an order of magnitude faster
58
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,200
than the preceding stage.
What took billions of years to
59
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,400
occur in the expression of the
vital consciousness out of the
60
00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,720
material consciousness was
truncated down to just hundreds
61
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,680
of thousands of years for the
development of the human mental
62
00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,040
capacities out of the level seen
in primates generally at that
63
00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,840
time.
Several additional elements look
64
00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:32,240
to speed up the process for the
next stage.
65
00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,880
As Srioro Bindo has explained,
there's the introduction of the
66
00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,640
Super mental force into the
physical consciousness that
67
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,200
begins to prepare the way and
introduce its own aspects of
68
00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,840
preparation for the
transformation.
69
00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,000
The conscious participation of
awake individuals also
70
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,160
represents A qualitative change
in the way.
71
00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,800
Nature has done this in the past
and this can speed up the entire
72
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,120
development enormously.
With an order of magnitude
73
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,360
change and this conscious focus
and participation, what nature
74
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,800
might take 10s of thousands of
years to do could conceivably be
75
00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,040
done in a much shorter time
frame.
76
00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,040
That does not, however, imply
overnight.
77
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:26,800
What can start to become visible
are incremental changes in our
78
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:31,080
physical, vital and mental
existence as the higher force
79
00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,440
that is working to manifest this
next phase embeds itself in the
80
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,760
earth nature and begins to
prepare the ground for its full
81
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:45,080
expression over time, Srioro
Bindo notes quote.
82
00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,760
It is certain that an ardent
aspiration helps to progress,
83
00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,160
but patience is also needed, for
it is a very big change that has
84
00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,640
to be made and although there
can be moments of great
85
00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,360
rapidity, it is never all the
time like that.
86
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,320
Old things try to stick as much
as possible.
87
00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,920
The new that come have to
develop and the consciousness
88
00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,760
takes time to assimilate them
and make them normal to the
89
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,600
nature.
End Quote, the mother adds
90
00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,800
Quote.
You must arm yourself with an
91
00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:31,520
endless patience and endurance.
You do a thing once, 10 * 100 *
92
00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:37,640
1000 times if necessary, but you
do it till it gets done, and not
93
00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,320
done only here and there, but
everywhere and everywhere at the
94
00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,760
same time.
This is the great problem one
95
00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,600
sets oneself.
That is why to those who come to
96
00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:55,200
tell me very lightheartedly, I
want to do yoga, I reply, Think
97
00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,240
it over.
One may do the yoga for a number
98
00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,840
of years without noticing the
least result.
99
00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:06,080
But if you want to do it, you
must persist, and persist with
100
00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,600
such a will that you should be
ready to do it for 10 lifetimes,
101
00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,240
100 lifetimes if necessary, in
order to succeed.
102
00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:21,680
I do not say it will be like
that, but the attitude must be
103
00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:26,640
like that.
End Quote Reference Sri Oro
104
00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,040
Bindu and the Mother looking
from Within, Chapter 5,
105
00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,840
Attitudes on the Path, page 136.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,960
Scientists tell us that human
beings diverge from chimpanzees
2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,040
somewhere between 4:00 and 8:00
million years ago.
3
00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,440
Somewhere around 2,000,000 years
ago, the line of development
4
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,760
that led to human beings
appeared and our current
5
00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:23,000
formation, Homo sapiens came on
the scenes around 300,000 years
6
00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,680
ago.
Each stage led to expression of
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:31,880
new physical, vital and mental
traits that coalesced around the
8
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,200
current status of what we
understand to be human
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,840
capabilities today.
While there may be some debate
10
00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,240
about the exactness of these
calculations, there remains the
11
00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,440
underlying fact that development
of any stage of consciousness
12
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,680
from a preceding stage does not
happen overnight.
13
00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,400
We are now engaged with the
development and expression of
14
00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,000
the next term of the evolution
of consciousness beyond the
15
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,320
mental level developed in the
human being.
16
00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:09,040
How long will this take if we
look back at each prior stage of
17
00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,000
development?
The vital consciousness
18
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,560
developing out of the material
consciousness.
19
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,800
The mental consciousness
developing out of the vital
20
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,240
consciousness.
The higher mental consciousness
21
00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,840
developing out of the
rudimentary mental
22
00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:28,480
consciousness, we see a time
frame of millions of years in
23
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:34,320
the normal processes of nature.
This background and perspective
24
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,640
is of utmost importance for the
spiritual seeker who takes up
25
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,800
the work needed to bring about
the changes in human nature that
26
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,360
can prepare and develop the next
stage of evolution of
27
00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,320
consciousness.
Human beings tend to be
28
00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,000
impatient.
We want to see instant results,
29
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,040
have instant success.
Anything that does not happen
30
00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:02,560
quickly within the framework of
our very short human lifetimes
31
00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,320
in relation to the time scales
noted above is a cause for
32
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,039
questioning, doubt and
expression of impatience.
33
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,280
How do we reconcile the time
needed by nature with the human
34
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,560
time frame?
We need to adjust our
35
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:25,240
expectations and develop
imperturbable patience so that
36
00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,280
we can persevere without the
kind of instant gratification
37
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,400
that we generally desire.
Patience does not imply
38
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,800
indolence.
There should be the focus and
39
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,440
energy concentrated to continue
the progress, while at the same
40
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:47,880
time the understanding and view
that these changes may take many
41
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,040
human lifetimes.
First Nations people speak of
42
00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,400
looking at consequences down to
7 generations in the future to
43
00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,280
provide a better perspective of
the impact of our actions.
44
00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,800
The development of a new stage
of conscious evolution is a far
45
00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,520
longer process than just 7
generations.
46
00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,480
We thus look at this as a
disinterested work without
47
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,120
personal desire, without
personal expectation, without
48
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,000
personal gratification of
instant success.
49
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,920
As part of the larger intentions
of the divine manifestation, the
50
00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:31,920
individual may and likely will
experience changes that are real
51
00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:36,560
and palpable along the way.
These changes help create the
52
00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,000
incremental readiness for human
development beyond the mental
53
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,920
level, with all the requirements
for such a change and all of the
54
00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,480
receptivity and capacities in
place to accept such a change
55
00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,600
and integrate it into the
expression of nature over time.
56
00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,760
It is important to note that the
expression of each further stage
57
00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:05,520
of consciousness has proceeded
an order of magnitude faster
58
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,200
than the preceding stage.
What took billions of years to
59
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,400
occur in the expression of the
vital consciousness out of the
60
00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,720
material consciousness was
truncated down to just hundreds
61
00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,680
of thousands of years for the
development of the human mental
62
00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,040
capacities out of the level seen
in primates generally at that
63
00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,840
time.
Several additional elements look
64
00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:32,240
to speed up the process for the
next stage.
65
00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,880
As Srioro Bindo has explained,
there's the introduction of the
66
00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,640
Super mental force into the
physical consciousness that
67
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,200
begins to prepare the way and
introduce its own aspects of
68
00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,840
preparation for the
transformation.
69
00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,000
The conscious participation of
awake individuals also
70
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,160
represents A qualitative change
in the way.
71
00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,800
Nature has done this in the past
and this can speed up the entire
72
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,120
development enormously.
With an order of magnitude
73
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,360
change and this conscious focus
and participation, what nature
74
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,800
might take 10s of thousands of
years to do could conceivably be
75
00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,040
done in a much shorter time
frame.
76
00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,040
That does not, however, imply
overnight.
77
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:26,800
What can start to become visible
are incremental changes in our
78
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:31,080
physical, vital and mental
existence as the higher force
79
00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,440
that is working to manifest this
next phase embeds itself in the
80
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,760
earth nature and begins to
prepare the ground for its full
81
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:45,080
expression over time, Srioro
Bindo notes quote.
82
00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,760
It is certain that an ardent
aspiration helps to progress,
83
00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,160
but patience is also needed, for
it is a very big change that has
84
00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,640
to be made and although there
can be moments of great
85
00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,360
rapidity, it is never all the
time like that.
86
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,320
Old things try to stick as much
as possible.
87
00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,920
The new that come have to
develop and the consciousness
88
00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,760
takes time to assimilate them
and make them normal to the
89
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,600
nature.
End Quote, the mother adds
90
00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,800
Quote.
You must arm yourself with an
91
00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:31,520
endless patience and endurance.
You do a thing once, 10 * 100 *
92
00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:37,640
1000 times if necessary, but you
do it till it gets done, and not
93
00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,320
done only here and there, but
everywhere and everywhere at the
94
00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,760
same time.
This is the great problem one
95
00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,600
sets oneself.
That is why to those who come to
96
00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:55,200
tell me very lightheartedly, I
want to do yoga, I reply, Think
97
00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,240
it over.
One may do the yoga for a number
98
00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,840
of years without noticing the
least result.
99
00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:06,080
But if you want to do it, you
must persist, and persist with
100
00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,600
such a will that you should be
ready to do it for 10 lifetimes,
101
00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,240
100 lifetimes if necessary, in
order to succeed.
102
00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:21,680
I do not say it will be like
that, but the attitude must be
103
00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:26,640
like that.
End Quote Reference Sri Oro
104
00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,040
Bindu and the Mother looking
from Within, Chapter 5,
105
00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,840
Attitudes on the Path, page 136.