Dec. 3, 2024
The Power of Immobility in Action
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XII Power of Immobility, pp. 101-102 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/11/30/the-power-of-immobility-in-action/
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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,080
The Bhagavad Gita has an
interesting verse that provides
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:09,800
a clue to the secret of action
and inaction between static and
3
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:14,280
dynamic power.
If you will quote, he who in
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:20,200
action can see inaction and can
see action still continuing in
5
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,960
cessation from works, is the man
of true reason and discernment
6
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,080
among men.
He is in yoga and a many sided
7
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,800
universal worker.
End Quote.
8
00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:36,360
Translated by Sri Aurobindo in
Bhagwad Gita and its Message,
9
00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:41,480
Chapter 4, verse 18.
The Mother points out that the
10
00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:46,160
ability to remain immobile under
pressure of circumstances is
11
00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:49,920
more difficult than letting the
energies loose to react and
12
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,640
vibrate in tune with whatever is
being imposed upon the being.
13
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,360
If we observe our reactions to
circumstances and events, we
14
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,080
quickly can see how easy it is
to get caught up in the energy
15
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,440
and respond to it.
It is an interesting and
16
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,880
insightful experiment to try to
practice immobility in the
17
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,800
physical, vital and mental
beings.
18
00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,080
When pressured, one quickly
finds out how much harder it is
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,240
to remain calm and quiet than to
react and spill energy in
20
00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,880
response to these events.
This can either be a positive
21
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,800
spillage in the form of joy or
extreme happiness when something
22
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:36,840
occurs that one finds desirable,
or a negative spillage when one
23
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,200
is pressured and insulted,
assaulted, or outright attacked.
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,160
As long as one still vibrates
under the impulsion of these
25
00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,640
outer circumstances, the power
of immobility is incomplete.
26
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,280
True mastery and the power to
impact those external
27
00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,800
circumstances through a
pervading peace comes when the
28
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,640
immobility becomes perfected in
the nature.
29
00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,080
Some years ago, a devotee
reported the following
30
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,560
experience.
He was living at Triorbindo
31
00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,280
Ashram at the time of the
Mother's Maha Samadhi.
32
00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,000
He arrived as usual at the
ashram early the next morning to
33
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,840
find the lights on everywhere
and people milling around and
34
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,840
many of them crying.
He inquired and found out that
35
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,440
the mother had left her body.
He had just in the morning on
36
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,000
the 17th of November, received a
birthday blessings card from the
37
00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,920
mother and the message was live
within be not shaken by outward
38
00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:46,240
happenings.
He was still in something of a
39
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,600
walking trance state from the
energy of the 17th, and he found
40
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,440
that he was non reactive but
observant.
41
00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,880
And this state continued for
some days as people came
42
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,080
streaming in from all over the
world, many with visible signs
43
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:07,000
of grief to begin with.
As the days went on, the energy
44
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,320
in the ashram was so powerfully
impacted that those who entered
45
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,000
with grief departed with peace
in their hearts.
46
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,120
He felt like he had a brief
glimpse of the power of
47
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:24,160
immobility granted to him as a
grace, just at the moment when
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,800
outward circumstances were going
to test that power within him.
49
00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,920
The mother notes quote.
I know what you want to say,
50
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,600
that a human being becomes aware
of power only when it is
51
00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,800
dynamic.
A human being doesn't consider
52
00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,560
it a power except when it acts.
If it doesn't act, he does not
53
00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,600
even notice it.
He does not realize the
54
00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:54,760
tremendous force which is behind
this inaction, at times even
55
00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,080
frequently a force more
formidable than the power which
56
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,000
acts.
But you may try it out in
57
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,120
yourself.
You will see it is much more
58
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:10,480
difficult to remain calm,
immobile, unshakeable before
59
00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,680
something very unpleasant,
whether it be words or acts
60
00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,279
levelled against you, infinitely
more difficult than to answer
61
00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:23,280
with the same violence.
Suppose someone insults you.
62
00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,680
If in the face of these insults
you can remain immobile, not
63
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,040
only outwardly, I mean
integrally, without being shaken
64
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:38,200
or touched in any way, you are
there like a force against which
65
00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,600
one can do nothing.
And you do not reply, you do not
66
00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,680
make a gesture, you do not say a
word.
67
00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,440
All the insults thrown at you
leave you absolutely untouched,
68
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,640
within and without.
You can keep your heartbeats
69
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,080
absolutely quiet, you can keep
the thoughts in your head quite
70
00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:04,400
immobile and calm without there
being in the least disturbed.
71
00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,760
That is, your head does not
answer immediately by similar
72
00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,520
vibrations, and your nerves
don't feel clenched with the
73
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,800
need to return a few blows to
relieve themselves.
74
00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:25,000
If you can be like that, you
have a static power, and it is
75
00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,040
infinitely more powerful than if
you had that kind of force,
76
00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,440
which makes you answer insult by
insult, blow by blow, and
77
00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:39,200
agitation by agitation.
End Quote Reference Sri
78
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,800
Aurobindo and the Mother Powers
within, Chapter 12, Power of
79
00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,400
Immobility, pages 101 to 102.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,080
The Bhagavad Gita has an
interesting verse that provides
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:09,800
a clue to the secret of action
and inaction between static and
3
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:14,280
dynamic power.
If you will quote, he who in
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:20,200
action can see inaction and can
see action still continuing in
5
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,960
cessation from works, is the man
of true reason and discernment
6
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,080
among men.
He is in yoga and a many sided
7
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,800
universal worker.
End Quote.
8
00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:36,360
Translated by Sri Aurobindo in
Bhagwad Gita and its Message,
9
00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:41,480
Chapter 4, verse 18.
The Mother points out that the
10
00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:46,160
ability to remain immobile under
pressure of circumstances is
11
00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:49,920
more difficult than letting the
energies loose to react and
12
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,640
vibrate in tune with whatever is
being imposed upon the being.
13
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,360
If we observe our reactions to
circumstances and events, we
14
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,080
quickly can see how easy it is
to get caught up in the energy
15
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,440
and respond to it.
It is an interesting and
16
00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,880
insightful experiment to try to
practice immobility in the
17
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,800
physical, vital and mental
beings.
18
00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,080
When pressured, one quickly
finds out how much harder it is
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,240
to remain calm and quiet than to
react and spill energy in
20
00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,880
response to these events.
This can either be a positive
21
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,800
spillage in the form of joy or
extreme happiness when something
22
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:36,840
occurs that one finds desirable,
or a negative spillage when one
23
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,200
is pressured and insulted,
assaulted, or outright attacked.
24
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,160
As long as one still vibrates
under the impulsion of these
25
00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,640
outer circumstances, the power
of immobility is incomplete.
26
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,280
True mastery and the power to
impact those external
27
00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,800
circumstances through a
pervading peace comes when the
28
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,640
immobility becomes perfected in
the nature.
29
00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,080
Some years ago, a devotee
reported the following
30
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,560
experience.
He was living at Triorbindo
31
00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,280
Ashram at the time of the
Mother's Maha Samadhi.
32
00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,000
He arrived as usual at the
ashram early the next morning to
33
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,840
find the lights on everywhere
and people milling around and
34
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,840
many of them crying.
He inquired and found out that
35
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,440
the mother had left her body.
He had just in the morning on
36
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,000
the 17th of November, received a
birthday blessings card from the
37
00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,920
mother and the message was live
within be not shaken by outward
38
00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:46,240
happenings.
He was still in something of a
39
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,600
walking trance state from the
energy of the 17th, and he found
40
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,440
that he was non reactive but
observant.
41
00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,880
And this state continued for
some days as people came
42
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,080
streaming in from all over the
world, many with visible signs
43
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:07,000
of grief to begin with.
As the days went on, the energy
44
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,320
in the ashram was so powerfully
impacted that those who entered
45
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,000
with grief departed with peace
in their hearts.
46
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,120
He felt like he had a brief
glimpse of the power of
47
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:24,160
immobility granted to him as a
grace, just at the moment when
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,800
outward circumstances were going
to test that power within him.
49
00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,920
The mother notes quote.
I know what you want to say,
50
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,600
that a human being becomes aware
of power only when it is
51
00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,800
dynamic.
A human being doesn't consider
52
00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,560
it a power except when it acts.
If it doesn't act, he does not
53
00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,600
even notice it.
He does not realize the
54
00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:54,760
tremendous force which is behind
this inaction, at times even
55
00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,080
frequently a force more
formidable than the power which
56
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,000
acts.
But you may try it out in
57
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,120
yourself.
You will see it is much more
58
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:10,480
difficult to remain calm,
immobile, unshakeable before
59
00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,680
something very unpleasant,
whether it be words or acts
60
00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,279
levelled against you, infinitely
more difficult than to answer
61
00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:23,280
with the same violence.
Suppose someone insults you.
62
00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,680
If in the face of these insults
you can remain immobile, not
63
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,040
only outwardly, I mean
integrally, without being shaken
64
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:38,200
or touched in any way, you are
there like a force against which
65
00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,600
one can do nothing.
And you do not reply, you do not
66
00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,680
make a gesture, you do not say a
word.
67
00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,440
All the insults thrown at you
leave you absolutely untouched,
68
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,640
within and without.
You can keep your heartbeats
69
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,080
absolutely quiet, you can keep
the thoughts in your head quite
70
00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:04,400
immobile and calm without there
being in the least disturbed.
71
00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,760
That is, your head does not
answer immediately by similar
72
00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,520
vibrations, and your nerves
don't feel clenched with the
73
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,800
need to return a few blows to
relieve themselves.
74
00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:25,000
If you can be like that, you
have a static power, and it is
75
00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,040
infinitely more powerful than if
you had that kind of force,
76
00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,440
which makes you answer insult by
insult, blow by blow, and
77
00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:39,200
agitation by agitation.
End Quote Reference Sri
78
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,800
Aurobindo and the Mother Powers
within, Chapter 12, Power of
79
00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,400
Immobility, pages 101 to 102.