Sept. 21, 2024
The Power of Thought to Shape Our External Existence and Its Significance
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter II Power of Thought, pp. 23-25 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/17/the-power-of-thought-to-shape-our-external-existence-and-its-significance/
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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
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,320
When we begin to reflect on the
role of thought in the creation
2
00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,440
of forms in the world.
It becomes clear that it is an
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,080
important part of the process of
converting pure conscious
4
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,520
awareness into the world of
vital action and physical
5
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,760
substance.
Thought is a tool of
6
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,440
consciousness.
When properly utilized, it has
7
00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,680
the power to shape matter and
life.
8
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,320
We see this in the way we
manipulate material substance in
9
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,160
the world.
We are now able to edit genetic
10
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:39,200
sequences as well as liberate
energy from matter.
11
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,000
The basic building blocks of
material forms and living beings
12
00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,960
are being harnessed and
redirected.
13
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,840
The power of thought, however,
is not necessarily always
14
00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,240
beneficent.
It can be applied for negative
15
00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,360
or positive aims based on the
intention and the care taken in
16
00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,840
applying this tool.
As we become aware of the power
17
00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,360
of thought to shape the
direction we take in life, it
18
00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:13,000
becomes ever more evident and
important to us to choose our
19
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,920
thoughts wisely, to focus them
on creation and support of
20
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:24,200
harmony, compassion, goodwill,
light and clarity of purpose,
21
00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,600
rather than directing them into
negativity, hostility, hatred,
22
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,720
division and the pursuit of
mindless distraction.
23
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,280
Sri Orobindo notes in his
Thoughts and Glimpses quote,
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:45,320
thought is not essential to
existence nor its cause, but it
25
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,080
is an instrument for becoming.
I become what I see in myself.
26
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,880
All the thought suggests to me I
can do.
27
00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,640
All the thought reveals in me I
can become.
28
00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:03,200
This should be man's unshakable
faith in himself, because God
29
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,920
dwells in him.
End Quote.
30
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,440
The Mother elaborates.
Quote.
31
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,200
Sri Aurobindo declares that
thought is not essential to
32
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,120
existence.
It is not the cause of
33
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,080
existence, but is just the
process, the instrument of
34
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,160
becoming.
For thought is a principle of
35
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,880
precise formulation which has
the power of creating forms.
36
00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:33,680
And as an illustration, Sri
Aurobindo says that all that one
37
00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,960
thinks one is 1 can, by the very
fact of that thinking, become.
38
00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,200
This knowledge of the fact that
all that one thinks 1 can be is
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,800
a very important key for the
development of the being, and
40
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,000
not only from the point of view
of the possibilities of the
41
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,440
being, but also from that of the
control and choice of what one
42
00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,360
will be, of what one wants to
be.
43
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,240
This makes us understand the
necessity of not admitting into
44
00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,920
ourselves any thought which
destroys aspiration or the
45
00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:10,920
creation of the truth of our
being.
46
00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,000
It reveals the considerable
importance of not allowing what
47
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:21,040
1 doesn't want to be or doesn't
want to do to formulate itself
48
00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,800
into thought within the being,
because to think these things is
49
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:27,800
the beginning of their
realization.
50
00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,240
From every point of view, it is
bad to concentrate on what 1
51
00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:37,960
doesn't want, on what one has to
reject what one refuses to be,
52
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,240
for the very fact that the
thought is there gives to things
53
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,600
one wants to reject, a sort of
rite of existence within
54
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,120
oneself.
This explains the considerable
55
00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,880
importance of not letting
destructive suggestions,
56
00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,640
thoughts of ill will, hatred,
destruction enter, for merely to
57
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,360
think of them is all ready to
give them a power of
58
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,160
realization.
Fioro Bindo says that thought is
59
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:11,000
not the cause of existence but
an intermediary, the instrument
60
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,800
which gives form to life, to
creation, and the control of
61
00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:21,120
this instrument is of foremost
importance if one wants disorder
62
00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,240
and all that is anti divine to
disappear from creation.
63
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,800
One must not admit bad thoughts
into oneself under the pretext
64
00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:36,120
that they are merely thoughts.
They are tools of execution and
65
00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,240
one should not allow them to
exist in oneself if one doesn't
66
00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,560
want them to do their work of
destruction.
67
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,480
End Quote Reference Sri Oro
Bindu and the Mother Powers
68
00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:54,280
within, Chapter 2, Power of
Thought, pages 23 to 25.
00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,320
When we begin to reflect on the
role of thought in the creation
2
00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,440
of forms in the world.
It becomes clear that it is an
3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,080
important part of the process of
converting pure conscious
4
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,520
awareness into the world of
vital action and physical
5
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,760
substance.
Thought is a tool of
6
00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,440
consciousness.
When properly utilized, it has
7
00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,680
the power to shape matter and
life.
8
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,320
We see this in the way we
manipulate material substance in
9
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,160
the world.
We are now able to edit genetic
10
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:39,200
sequences as well as liberate
energy from matter.
11
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,000
The basic building blocks of
material forms and living beings
12
00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,960
are being harnessed and
redirected.
13
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,840
The power of thought, however,
is not necessarily always
14
00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,240
beneficent.
It can be applied for negative
15
00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,360
or positive aims based on the
intention and the care taken in
16
00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,840
applying this tool.
As we become aware of the power
17
00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,360
of thought to shape the
direction we take in life, it
18
00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:13,000
becomes ever more evident and
important to us to choose our
19
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,920
thoughts wisely, to focus them
on creation and support of
20
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:24,200
harmony, compassion, goodwill,
light and clarity of purpose,
21
00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,600
rather than directing them into
negativity, hostility, hatred,
22
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,720
division and the pursuit of
mindless distraction.
23
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,280
Sri Orobindo notes in his
Thoughts and Glimpses quote,
24
00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:45,320
thought is not essential to
existence nor its cause, but it
25
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,080
is an instrument for becoming.
I become what I see in myself.
26
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,880
All the thought suggests to me I
can do.
27
00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,640
All the thought reveals in me I
can become.
28
00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:03,200
This should be man's unshakable
faith in himself, because God
29
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,920
dwells in him.
End Quote.
30
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,440
The Mother elaborates.
Quote.
31
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,200
Sri Aurobindo declares that
thought is not essential to
32
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,120
existence.
It is not the cause of
33
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,080
existence, but is just the
process, the instrument of
34
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,160
becoming.
For thought is a principle of
35
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,880
precise formulation which has
the power of creating forms.
36
00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:33,680
And as an illustration, Sri
Aurobindo says that all that one
37
00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,960
thinks one is 1 can, by the very
fact of that thinking, become.
38
00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,200
This knowledge of the fact that
all that one thinks 1 can be is
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,800
a very important key for the
development of the being, and
40
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,000
not only from the point of view
of the possibilities of the
41
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,440
being, but also from that of the
control and choice of what one
42
00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,360
will be, of what one wants to
be.
43
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,240
This makes us understand the
necessity of not admitting into
44
00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,920
ourselves any thought which
destroys aspiration or the
45
00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:10,920
creation of the truth of our
being.
46
00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,000
It reveals the considerable
importance of not allowing what
47
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:21,040
1 doesn't want to be or doesn't
want to do to formulate itself
48
00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,800
into thought within the being,
because to think these things is
49
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:27,800
the beginning of their
realization.
50
00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,240
From every point of view, it is
bad to concentrate on what 1
51
00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:37,960
doesn't want, on what one has to
reject what one refuses to be,
52
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,240
for the very fact that the
thought is there gives to things
53
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,600
one wants to reject, a sort of
rite of existence within
54
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,120
oneself.
This explains the considerable
55
00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,880
importance of not letting
destructive suggestions,
56
00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,640
thoughts of ill will, hatred,
destruction enter, for merely to
57
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,360
think of them is all ready to
give them a power of
58
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,160
realization.
Fioro Bindo says that thought is
59
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:11,000
not the cause of existence but
an intermediary, the instrument
60
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,800
which gives form to life, to
creation, and the control of
61
00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:21,120
this instrument is of foremost
importance if one wants disorder
62
00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,240
and all that is anti divine to
disappear from creation.
63
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,800
One must not admit bad thoughts
into oneself under the pretext
64
00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:36,120
that they are merely thoughts.
They are tools of execution and
65
00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,240
one should not allow them to
exist in oneself if one doesn't
66
00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,560
want them to do their work of
destruction.
67
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,480
End Quote Reference Sri Oro
Bindu and the Mother Powers
68
00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:54,280
within, Chapter 2, Power of
Thought, pages 23 to 25.
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