Dec. 19, 2024
The Power of Silence of the Mind
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Amazon Music 
RSS Feed 
Castro 
RadioPublic 
PocketCasts 
YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XV Quiet, Calm, Peace, Silence, pp. 121-122
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/12/16/the-power-of-silence-of-the-mind/
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
00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:07,040
We are habituated, particularly
in the modern world, to the mind
2
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,400
constantly interacting with its
environment, with sensations,
3
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:16,480
with media and with ideas.
We are also addicted to the
4
00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,160
activity, the energy of the
mind's engagement.
5
00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:26,000
And when the mind is not engaged
somehow, we either sleep or seek
6
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,400
distraction.
Modern technology provides us
7
00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,440
the distraction and many people
nowadays are addicted to their
8
00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:40,760
devices, television, cinema,
radio or Internet and social
9
00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,480
media.
We are also enticed to attend to
10
00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,760
the sights and sounds and
pressures of the modern economic
11
00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,320
world around us, with blaring
sounds everywhere, flashing
12
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,080
lights, enticements to shop and
buy.
13
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:02,960
If we try to sit quietly, engage
in reflection or meditation, we
14
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:07,000
find our minds are jumping in
all directions, attending to the
15
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,600
sensations, sounds, impulses
from the senses, and then
16
00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,560
running after random ideas that
move through the mind unbidden.
17
00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,440
Thus, to conceive of the silence
and immobility of the mind and
18
00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:27,960
intellect, and to find that
status to be a desirable 1, we
19
00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:32,120
have to overcome many years of
conditioning and the actual
20
00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,080
habits of the mind that result
from that conditioning.
21
00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,880
The first time we experience
anything close to silence of the
22
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,000
mind, we generally respond with
fear that we are losing our
23
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,040
ability to think.
Yet the future of the evolution
24
00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,000
of consciousness lies in
transcending the operations of
25
00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,600
the mind as the primary vehicle
of understanding an action, just
26
00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,520
as the mind transcended the
operations of the vital as the
27
00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,200
leader of our nature,
transforming the world as it
28
00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:05,800
did.
So.
29
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,360
Once we determine that silencing
the mind is a positive move, it
30
00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,480
becomes necessary to determine
how to do this.
31
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,960
While this can happen
serendipitously almost any time
32
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,000
through the action of the grace
or through particular
33
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:29,160
circumstances or environments,
for the most part such events
34
00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,880
are transitory and thus not the
stable status that is required
35
00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,960
for the transformational changes
to take place fully.
36
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,000
A good first step is to
undertake observation of the
37
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,880
mind stuff.
In his lectures on Raja Yoga,
38
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:52,760
Swami Vivekananda describes the
chitta, the mind stuff, and
39
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,080
indicates that it should achieve
a status of calm, like a body of
40
00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,000
water, without any ripples in
it.
41
00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,160
This corresponds to Sri
Aurobindo's statement below
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,600
about the mind being entirely
still.
43
00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,640
When we first begin to pay
attention to the state of the
44
00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:13,640
mind stuff, we find that there
are various statuses and
45
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,680
reactions that take place
essentially automatically,
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:23,160
subconsciously and subliminally.
We can observe when the mind is
47
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,440
clear, when it is concentrated
and focused, when distracted,
48
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,080
when reacting to sense
impressions and when craving
49
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,760
input due to addiction to being
occupied, and when sleepy,
50
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:43,000
cloudy or dull.
As we gain experience in
51
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,120
observing the state of our mind
stuff, we can then begin to take
52
00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:52,200
steps, undertake practices to
prepare for bringing the needed
53
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,720
attentive state of silence to
the mind.
54
00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,240
There are numerous methods
available and each individual
55
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,080
needs to find the method or
methods that work best in his
56
00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:09,160
situation at any point in time.
Some people use a mantra to
57
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,320
drive out extraneous thoughts,
for instance, and fill the mind
58
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,200
with the mantra while
maintaining a receptive attitude
59
00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,720
to hold the meaning of the
mantra in the being.
60
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,520
Eventually, the effect of the
repetition of the mantra and its
61
00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,600
potential calming influence can
bring the mind to a state of
62
00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:33,960
quiescence, at which point the
mantra itself can be released.
63
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,200
Others observe thoughts as they
try to enter the mind and simply
64
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,240
reject them, or at least do not
allow the attention to follow
65
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,160
them.
Eventually this can lead to a
66
00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,800
state where the awareness is
free of thought.
67
00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,560
Still others follow the methods
of Raji Yoga as set forth by
68
00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:58,000
Patanjali and as described with
detailed commentary by Swami
69
00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,680
Vivekananda.
There are also those who follow
70
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,760
the path of devotion and through
1 pointed devotion they are able
71
00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,600
to calm the mind and bring it to
a state of quiescence.
72
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,960
Some use practices such as focus
on a single point of
73
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,000
illumination until the
consciousness passes to another
74
00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,880
status, a practice called
Trotac.
75
00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,520
In the end, we recognize the
uses and value of mental
76
00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,320
development, particularly for
the transformation of the
77
00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:36,640
external life, But it needs to
be balanced and integrated with
78
00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,360
the development of the next
phase of the evolution of
79
00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,200
consciousness, and not given
free rein to do whatever the
80
00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,400
mind wants, but to be under the
guidance and direction of a
81
00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,720
higher wisdom and higher force
of conscious awareness,
82
00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,840
Sriorobindo writes Quote.
For the knowledge of the self it
83
00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:01,240
is necessary to have the power
of a complete intellectual
84
00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,680
passivity, the power of
dismissing all thought, the
85
00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:10,080
power of the mind to think not
at all which the Gita in one
86
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,920
passage enjoins.
This is a hard saying for the
87
00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,080
Occidental mind, to which
thought is the highest thing,
88
00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,640
and which will be apartment, to
mistake the power of the mind
89
00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:25,440
not to think its complete
silence for the incapacity of
90
00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,520
thought.
But this power of silence is a
91
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,320
capacity and not an incapacity,
a power and not a weakness.
92
00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,560
It is a profound and pregnant
stillness.
93
00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,680
Only when the mind is thus
entirely still, like clear,
94
00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:48,000
motionless and level water, in a
perfect purity and peace of the
95
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:53,400
whole being, and the soul
transcends thought, can the Self
96
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:59,640
which exceeds and originates all
activities and becomings, the
97
00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:04,840
silence from which all words are
born, the Absolute of which all
98
00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:10,680
relativities are partial
reflections, manifest itself in
99
00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,960
the pure essence of our being.
End Quote.
100
00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,000
Reference.
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
101
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,760
powers within.
Chapter 15.
102
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:29,120
Quiet, calm, peace, silence.
Pages 1/21 to 1/22.
00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:07,040
We are habituated, particularly
in the modern world, to the mind
2
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,400
constantly interacting with its
environment, with sensations,
3
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:16,480
with media and with ideas.
We are also addicted to the
4
00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,160
activity, the energy of the
mind's engagement.
5
00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:26,000
And when the mind is not engaged
somehow, we either sleep or seek
6
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,400
distraction.
Modern technology provides us
7
00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,440
the distraction and many people
nowadays are addicted to their
8
00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:40,760
devices, television, cinema,
radio or Internet and social
9
00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,480
media.
We are also enticed to attend to
10
00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,760
the sights and sounds and
pressures of the modern economic
11
00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,320
world around us, with blaring
sounds everywhere, flashing
12
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,080
lights, enticements to shop and
buy.
13
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:02,960
If we try to sit quietly, engage
in reflection or meditation, we
14
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:07,000
find our minds are jumping in
all directions, attending to the
15
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,600
sensations, sounds, impulses
from the senses, and then
16
00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,560
running after random ideas that
move through the mind unbidden.
17
00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,440
Thus, to conceive of the silence
and immobility of the mind and
18
00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:27,960
intellect, and to find that
status to be a desirable 1, we
19
00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:32,120
have to overcome many years of
conditioning and the actual
20
00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,080
habits of the mind that result
from that conditioning.
21
00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,880
The first time we experience
anything close to silence of the
22
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,000
mind, we generally respond with
fear that we are losing our
23
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,040
ability to think.
Yet the future of the evolution
24
00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,000
of consciousness lies in
transcending the operations of
25
00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,600
the mind as the primary vehicle
of understanding an action, just
26
00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,520
as the mind transcended the
operations of the vital as the
27
00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,200
leader of our nature,
transforming the world as it
28
00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:05,800
did.
So.
29
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,360
Once we determine that silencing
the mind is a positive move, it
30
00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,480
becomes necessary to determine
how to do this.
31
00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,960
While this can happen
serendipitously almost any time
32
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,000
through the action of the grace
or through particular
33
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:29,160
circumstances or environments,
for the most part such events
34
00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,880
are transitory and thus not the
stable status that is required
35
00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,960
for the transformational changes
to take place fully.
36
00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,000
A good first step is to
undertake observation of the
37
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,880
mind stuff.
In his lectures on Raja Yoga,
38
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:52,760
Swami Vivekananda describes the
chitta, the mind stuff, and
39
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,080
indicates that it should achieve
a status of calm, like a body of
40
00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,000
water, without any ripples in
it.
41
00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,160
This corresponds to Sri
Aurobindo's statement below
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,600
about the mind being entirely
still.
43
00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,640
When we first begin to pay
attention to the state of the
44
00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:13,640
mind stuff, we find that there
are various statuses and
45
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,680
reactions that take place
essentially automatically,
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:23,160
subconsciously and subliminally.
We can observe when the mind is
47
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,440
clear, when it is concentrated
and focused, when distracted,
48
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,080
when reacting to sense
impressions and when craving
49
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,760
input due to addiction to being
occupied, and when sleepy,
50
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:43,000
cloudy or dull.
As we gain experience in
51
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,120
observing the state of our mind
stuff, we can then begin to take
52
00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:52,200
steps, undertake practices to
prepare for bringing the needed
53
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,720
attentive state of silence to
the mind.
54
00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,240
There are numerous methods
available and each individual
55
00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,080
needs to find the method or
methods that work best in his
56
00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:09,160
situation at any point in time.
Some people use a mantra to
57
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,320
drive out extraneous thoughts,
for instance, and fill the mind
58
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,200
with the mantra while
maintaining a receptive attitude
59
00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,720
to hold the meaning of the
mantra in the being.
60
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,520
Eventually, the effect of the
repetition of the mantra and its
61
00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,600
potential calming influence can
bring the mind to a state of
62
00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:33,960
quiescence, at which point the
mantra itself can be released.
63
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,200
Others observe thoughts as they
try to enter the mind and simply
64
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,240
reject them, or at least do not
allow the attention to follow
65
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,160
them.
Eventually this can lead to a
66
00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,800
state where the awareness is
free of thought.
67
00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,560
Still others follow the methods
of Raji Yoga as set forth by
68
00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:58,000
Patanjali and as described with
detailed commentary by Swami
69
00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,680
Vivekananda.
There are also those who follow
70
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,760
the path of devotion and through
1 pointed devotion they are able
71
00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,600
to calm the mind and bring it to
a state of quiescence.
72
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,960
Some use practices such as focus
on a single point of
73
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,000
illumination until the
consciousness passes to another
74
00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,880
status, a practice called
Trotac.
75
00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,520
In the end, we recognize the
uses and value of mental
76
00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,320
development, particularly for
the transformation of the
77
00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:36,640
external life, But it needs to
be balanced and integrated with
78
00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,360
the development of the next
phase of the evolution of
79
00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,200
consciousness, and not given
free rein to do whatever the
80
00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,400
mind wants, but to be under the
guidance and direction of a
81
00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,720
higher wisdom and higher force
of conscious awareness,
82
00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,840
Sriorobindo writes Quote.
For the knowledge of the self it
83
00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:01,240
is necessary to have the power
of a complete intellectual
84
00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,680
passivity, the power of
dismissing all thought, the
85
00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:10,080
power of the mind to think not
at all which the Gita in one
86
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,920
passage enjoins.
This is a hard saying for the
87
00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,080
Occidental mind, to which
thought is the highest thing,
88
00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,640
and which will be apartment, to
mistake the power of the mind
89
00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:25,440
not to think its complete
silence for the incapacity of
90
00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,520
thought.
But this power of silence is a
91
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,320
capacity and not an incapacity,
a power and not a weakness.
92
00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,560
It is a profound and pregnant
stillness.
93
00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,680
Only when the mind is thus
entirely still, like clear,
94
00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:48,000
motionless and level water, in a
perfect purity and peace of the
95
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:53,400
whole being, and the soul
transcends thought, can the Self
96
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:59,640
which exceeds and originates all
activities and becomings, the
97
00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:04,840
silence from which all words are
born, the Absolute of which all
98
00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:10,680
relativities are partial
reflections, manifest itself in
99
00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,960
the pure essence of our being.
End Quote.
100
00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,000
Reference.
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
101
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,760
powers within.
Chapter 15.
102
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:29,120
Quiet, calm, peace, silence.
Pages 1/21 to 1/22.