June 11, 2025
The Power of a Quiet Mind
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp..102-103
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/09/the-power-of-a-quiet-mind/
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
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,440
Modern civilization puts a
premium on the mental process.
2
00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,200
We educate our children with a
focus on the mind.
3
00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,280
We want them to learn verbal
skills, reading skills, logical
4
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,360
skills and measure them on their
abilities in these areas with
5
00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,000
various forms of standardized
tests, by which we then classify
6
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,960
them based on their
capabilities.
7
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:29,560
In this regard, we undervalue
different forms of intelligence
8
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,360
that may be based on the
capacities of the physical body,
9
00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,800
the vital nature or the
emotional being.
10
00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,640
Empathy and insight are less
valued than mental linear logic.
11
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,440
We fill the minds of the
children with facts, arguments
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,920
and chatter.
We create an atmosphere with
13
00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:56,440
social media, Internet, mass
media, constant blaring of music
14
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,200
or talk radio that eliminates
silence of the mind and keeps
15
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,200
the mind occupied and vibrating
with the energies moving in the
16
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,600
external world.
We raise generations of human
17
00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:16,200
beings who are alienated from
the quiet mind and its powers of
18
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,360
receptivity, intuition and
understanding.
19
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,720
Spiritual disciplines try in
many cases to break the habits
20
00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,440
of mental chatter.
Raji Yoga in particular asked
21
00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,200
the practitioner to focus on
observing the mind stuff chitta
22
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,040
and bringing it into a state of
quiescence such that it becomes
23
00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,000
like a body of water without a
ripple or like a mirror that
24
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,720
reflects the exact image it
receives without distortion.
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,680
Other disciplines use mantras to
1st remove the distracting
26
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,640
forces that vibrate the mind
stuff and then the mantra itself
27
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:04,160
can be dispensed with.
Visualization, contemplation on
28
00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,039
the infinite universe,
devotional aspiration and
29
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,520
consecration all can help a
seeker out of the realm of
30
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,720
mental chatter.
Srioro Bindo describes his own
31
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,200
experience with a practice that
brought him silence of the mind.
32
00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:25,640
This state is not a dull, empty
and ignorant state, but one that
33
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:28,920
is alert, luminous and
receptive.
34
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,520
When the mind falls silent, new
higher powers of awareness are
35
00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,760
able to enter and act.
For those who have been
36
00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,600
habituated to the mental
process, the quieting of the
37
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,320
mind initially is a scary event.
They wonder if they are losing
38
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,800
their minds, if they are
becoming incompetent to think
39
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,760
and act, if they have lost their
ability to live and act in the
40
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:59,200
society and carry out whatever
role they have to play in a
41
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,800
certain state.
If they pass over the border
42
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,200
into another level of
consciousness, a state akin to
43
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,720
what is known as Samati, they
even become afraid that they are
44
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,160
going to die.
This is the fear of the ego
45
00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,040
consciousness when it loses its
limiting frame.
46
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,840
The seeker eventually learns to
accept the status of quiet mind
47
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,640
and receptivity, and he can then
benefit from the status.
48
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:32,000
Rene Descartes famously
proclaimed cogito ergo sum.
49
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,720
I think therefore I am.
He epitomized the predominant
50
00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,640
attachment to the mental being
and its association and
51
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,280
identification with the ego
consciousness.
52
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,200
In the future, as the spiritual
consciousness takes on its
53
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,880
leading role as the next stage
in the evolution of
54
00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,880
consciousness, it will not be
correct to associate existence
55
00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,560
with thinking.
Rather, existence will be
56
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:05,720
understood as a status of being
that can observe, know and
57
00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,240
respond through powers that are
not necessarily routed through
58
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,120
the verbal center of the being
the mother observes.
59
00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,040
Quote.
The noise made by all the words,
60
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,200
all the ideas in your head is so
deafening that it prevents you
61
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,280
from hearing the truth when it
wants to manifest.
62
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,720
To learn to be quiet and silent.
When you have a problem to
63
00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,440
solve, instead of turning over
in your head all the
64
00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,960
possibilities, all the
consequences, all the possible
65
00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,040
things one should or should not
do.
66
00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:46,280
If you remain quiet with an
aspiration for goodwill, if
67
00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:50,920
possible a need for goodwill,
the solution comes very quickly
68
00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,520
and as you are silent, you're
able to hear it.
69
00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,720
When you are caught in a
difficulty, try this method.
70
00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,520
Instead of becoming agitated,
turning over all the ideas and
71
00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,800
actively seeking solutions of
worrying, fretting, running here
72
00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:15,320
and there inside your head,
remain quiet and according to
73
00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,800
your nature, with ardor or
peace, with intensity or
74
00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,960
widening, or with all these
together, implore the light and
75
00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,320
wait for it to come.
In this way the path would be
76
00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:36,200
considerably shortened.
And quote reference 3 or old
77
00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,400
into and the mother looking from
within.
78
00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:43,000
Chapter 4.
Ordeals and Difficulties Pages
79
00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,600
one O 2 to one O 3.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,440
Modern civilization puts a
premium on the mental process.
2
00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,200
We educate our children with a
focus on the mind.
3
00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,280
We want them to learn verbal
skills, reading skills, logical
4
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,360
skills and measure them on their
abilities in these areas with
5
00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,000
various forms of standardized
tests, by which we then classify
6
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,960
them based on their
capabilities.
7
00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:29,560
In this regard, we undervalue
different forms of intelligence
8
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,360
that may be based on the
capacities of the physical body,
9
00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,800
the vital nature or the
emotional being.
10
00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,640
Empathy and insight are less
valued than mental linear logic.
11
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,440
We fill the minds of the
children with facts, arguments
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,920
and chatter.
We create an atmosphere with
13
00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:56,440
social media, Internet, mass
media, constant blaring of music
14
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,200
or talk radio that eliminates
silence of the mind and keeps
15
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,200
the mind occupied and vibrating
with the energies moving in the
16
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,600
external world.
We raise generations of human
17
00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:16,200
beings who are alienated from
the quiet mind and its powers of
18
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,360
receptivity, intuition and
understanding.
19
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,720
Spiritual disciplines try in
many cases to break the habits
20
00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,440
of mental chatter.
Raji Yoga in particular asked
21
00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,200
the practitioner to focus on
observing the mind stuff chitta
22
00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,040
and bringing it into a state of
quiescence such that it becomes
23
00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,000
like a body of water without a
ripple or like a mirror that
24
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,720
reflects the exact image it
receives without distortion.
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,680
Other disciplines use mantras to
1st remove the distracting
26
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,640
forces that vibrate the mind
stuff and then the mantra itself
27
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:04,160
can be dispensed with.
Visualization, contemplation on
28
00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,039
the infinite universe,
devotional aspiration and
29
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,520
consecration all can help a
seeker out of the realm of
30
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,720
mental chatter.
Srioro Bindo describes his own
31
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,200
experience with a practice that
brought him silence of the mind.
32
00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:25,640
This state is not a dull, empty
and ignorant state, but one that
33
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:28,920
is alert, luminous and
receptive.
34
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,520
When the mind falls silent, new
higher powers of awareness are
35
00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,760
able to enter and act.
For those who have been
36
00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,600
habituated to the mental
process, the quieting of the
37
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,320
mind initially is a scary event.
They wonder if they are losing
38
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,800
their minds, if they are
becoming incompetent to think
39
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,760
and act, if they have lost their
ability to live and act in the
40
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:59,200
society and carry out whatever
role they have to play in a
41
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,800
certain state.
If they pass over the border
42
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,200
into another level of
consciousness, a state akin to
43
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,720
what is known as Samati, they
even become afraid that they are
44
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,160
going to die.
This is the fear of the ego
45
00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,040
consciousness when it loses its
limiting frame.
46
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,840
The seeker eventually learns to
accept the status of quiet mind
47
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,640
and receptivity, and he can then
benefit from the status.
48
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:32,000
Rene Descartes famously
proclaimed cogito ergo sum.
49
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,720
I think therefore I am.
He epitomized the predominant
50
00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,640
attachment to the mental being
and its association and
51
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,280
identification with the ego
consciousness.
52
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,200
In the future, as the spiritual
consciousness takes on its
53
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,880
leading role as the next stage
in the evolution of
54
00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,880
consciousness, it will not be
correct to associate existence
55
00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,560
with thinking.
Rather, existence will be
56
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:05,720
understood as a status of being
that can observe, know and
57
00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,240
respond through powers that are
not necessarily routed through
58
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,120
the verbal center of the being
the mother observes.
59
00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,040
Quote.
The noise made by all the words,
60
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,200
all the ideas in your head is so
deafening that it prevents you
61
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,280
from hearing the truth when it
wants to manifest.
62
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,720
To learn to be quiet and silent.
When you have a problem to
63
00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,440
solve, instead of turning over
in your head all the
64
00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,960
possibilities, all the
consequences, all the possible
65
00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,040
things one should or should not
do.
66
00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:46,280
If you remain quiet with an
aspiration for goodwill, if
67
00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:50,920
possible a need for goodwill,
the solution comes very quickly
68
00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,520
and as you are silent, you're
able to hear it.
69
00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,720
When you are caught in a
difficulty, try this method.
70
00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,520
Instead of becoming agitated,
turning over all the ideas and
71
00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,800
actively seeking solutions of
worrying, fretting, running here
72
00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:15,320
and there inside your head,
remain quiet and according to
73
00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,800
your nature, with ardor or
peace, with intensity or
74
00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,960
widening, or with all these
together, implore the light and
75
00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,320
wait for it to come.
In this way the path would be
76
00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:36,200
considerably shortened.
And quote reference 3 or old
77
00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,400
into and the mother looking from
within.
78
00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:43,000
Chapter 4.
Ordeals and Difficulties Pages
79
00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,600
one O 2 to one O 3.