Feb. 15, 2026
The Practice of Attempted Elimination of Unwanted Vital Movements Through Purposeful Indulgence, Part 2
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 5, Physical Consciousness — Subconscient — Sleep and Dream — Illness, pp. 95-96This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/02/13/the-practice-of-attempted-elimination-of-unwanted-vital-movements-through-purposeful-indulgence-part-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
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #anubhava
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,560
An individual dedicated some
years to study and spiritual
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:07,800
development.
He gathered a small group of
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,480
young people around him and took
on the role of a teacher.
4
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,920
He had obviously studied the
texts and spent some time
5
00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,840
practising them.
He gained an aura of charisma
6
00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:22,640
for the young people who came
under his tutelage.
7
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,920
Eventually he came to Europe and
started a small community with
8
00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:33,280
himself at the centre.
So far so good, but something
9
00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:37,920
changed at some point.
He began to exercise his desire
10
00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:43,880
for money, power, sex and began
to exploit the young people to
11
00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,440
achieve his immediate
objectives.
12
00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,480
The more he dove into these
forces, the further he strayed
13
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:53,840
from his original spiritual
focus.
14
00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,120
He began to make contracts with
various businesses for goods and
15
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,960
services he wanted for the
community, then decided to
16
00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,520
renege on the payment, making
the excuse that he was doing
17
00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,280
spiritual work and those
ordinary people running those
18
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,960
businesses would just waste the
money.
19
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,680
He began to exploit the young
women for sexual satisfaction,
20
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:22,480
telling them he was liberating
them from their attachment to
21
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,400
convention and thereby giving
them a first step towards
22
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,240
ultimate spiritual liberation.
He then turned to gain control
23
00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,920
of the young men through sexual
promises and favours.
24
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,800
When they did what he asked and
brought money, his sexual
25
00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,280
appetite was not satisfied and
he kept going to further
26
00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,600
extremes until eventually he was
exploiting young children.
27
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,360
He also showed bouts of anger
and beat and tortured these
28
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,600
young children.
It was at this point that he was
29
00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,880
eventually arrested, convicted
and sent to jail.
30
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,040
All along he provided excuses
for his behaviour.
31
00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,400
This is a very clear
illustration of the kind of
32
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,120
dangers Sri Robindo describes.
When the drives of the lower
33
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,080
vital nature are raised up and
indulged rather than avoided.
34
00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,760
The vital is generally able to
convince the mind to support its
35
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,680
desires, and in his case this
clearly occurred as he made
36
00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,880
rationales for what he was doing
and why, while he continued to
37
00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:38,960
not only consent to these forces
but actually sought them out and
38
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,280
extended their action and their
life.
39
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,760
When he was let out of jail, he
was more or less a broken man
40
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:51,160
with failed dreams, no longer
focused on spiritual sadhna, but
41
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,400
on seeing how much of his assets
he could hold on to and enjoy,
42
00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,960
and determined to squeeze out
any vital satisfaction still
43
00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,000
available to him in his
disgrace.
44
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:11,240
Sri Robindu observes quote.
The other motive for Anubhava is
45
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,880
of a more general applicability,
For in order to reject anything
46
00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,840
from the being, one has first to
become conscious of it, to have
47
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,200
the clear inner experience of
its action, and to discover its
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,480
actual place in the workings of
the nature.
49
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,280
One can then work upon it to
eliminate it if it is an
50
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,960
entirely wrong movement, or to
transform it if it is only the
51
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,680
degradation of a higher and true
movement.
52
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,880
It is this, or something like
it, that is attempted crudely
53
00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,560
and improperly with a
rudimentary and insufficient
54
00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,640
knowledge in the system of
psychoanalysis.
55
00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,520
The process of raising up the
lower movements into the full
56
00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,040
light of consciousness in order
to know and deal with them is
57
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,880
inevitable, for there can be no
complete change without it.
58
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,840
But it can truly succeed only
when a higher light and force
59
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:14,120
are sufficiently at work to
overcome sooner or later the
60
00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,839
force of the tendency that is
held up for change.
61
00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:23,800
Many, under the pretext of
Anubhava, not only raise up the
62
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,480
adverse movement, but support it
with their consent.
63
00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:32,000
Instead of rejecting it, find
justifications for continuing or
64
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,480
repeating it, and so go on
playing with it, indulging its
65
00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:41,240
return, eternizing it.
Afterwards, when they want to
66
00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:45,080
get rid of it, it has got such a
hold that they find themselves
67
00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,600
helpless in its clutch, and only
a terrible struggle or an
68
00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,080
intervention of divine grace can
liberate them.
69
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,240
Some do this out of a vital
twist or perversity, others out
70
00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,320
of sheer ignorance.
But in yoga, as in life,
71
00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:09,040
ignorance is not accepted by
nature as a justifying excuse.
72
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,600
This danger is there in all
improper dealings with the
73
00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,960
ignorant parts of the nature,
but none is more ignorant, more
74
00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,960
perilous, more unreasoning and
obstinate in recurrence than the
75
00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,640
lower vital subconscious and its
movements.
76
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:30,240
To raise it up prematurely or
improperly for Anubhava is to
77
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,640
risk suffusing the conscious
parts also with its dark and
78
00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:39,760
dirty stuff, and thus poisoning
the whole, vital and even the
79
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,400
mental nature always.
Therefore, 1 should begin by a
80
00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,400
positive, not a negative
experience, by bringing down
81
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:55,000
something of the divine nature,
calm, light, equanimity, purity,
82
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,680
divine strength into the parts
of the conscious being that have
83
00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,840
to be changed.
Only when that has been
84
00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:08,440
sufficiently done and there is a
firm positive basis is it safe
85
00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,000
to raise up the concealed,
subconscious adverse elements in
86
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,640
order to destroy and eliminate
them by the strength of the
87
00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,680
divine calm, light, force and
knowledge.
88
00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,640
Even so, there will be enough of
the lower stuff rising up of
89
00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,920
itself to give you as much of
the anubhava as you will need
90
00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,720
for getting rid of the
obstacles, but then they can be
91
00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,320
dealt with with much less danger
and under a higher internal
92
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,600
guidance.
End Quote Reference.
93
00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,200
Sri Aurobindo.
Bases of yoga, Chapter 5.
94
00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,560
Physical consciousness,
subconscient sleep and dream
95
00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,240
illness.
Pages 95 to 96.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,560
An individual dedicated some
years to study and spiritual
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:07,800
development.
He gathered a small group of
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,480
young people around him and took
on the role of a teacher.
4
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,920
He had obviously studied the
texts and spent some time
5
00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,840
practising them.
He gained an aura of charisma
6
00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:22,640
for the young people who came
under his tutelage.
7
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,920
Eventually he came to Europe and
started a small community with
8
00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:33,280
himself at the centre.
So far so good, but something
9
00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:37,920
changed at some point.
He began to exercise his desire
10
00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:43,880
for money, power, sex and began
to exploit the young people to
11
00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,440
achieve his immediate
objectives.
12
00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,480
The more he dove into these
forces, the further he strayed
13
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:53,840
from his original spiritual
focus.
14
00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,120
He began to make contracts with
various businesses for goods and
15
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,960
services he wanted for the
community, then decided to
16
00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,520
renege on the payment, making
the excuse that he was doing
17
00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,280
spiritual work and those
ordinary people running those
18
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,960
businesses would just waste the
money.
19
00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,680
He began to exploit the young
women for sexual satisfaction,
20
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:22,480
telling them he was liberating
them from their attachment to
21
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,400
convention and thereby giving
them a first step towards
22
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,240
ultimate spiritual liberation.
He then turned to gain control
23
00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,920
of the young men through sexual
promises and favours.
24
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,800
When they did what he asked and
brought money, his sexual
25
00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,280
appetite was not satisfied and
he kept going to further
26
00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,600
extremes until eventually he was
exploiting young children.
27
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,360
He also showed bouts of anger
and beat and tortured these
28
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,600
young children.
It was at this point that he was
29
00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,880
eventually arrested, convicted
and sent to jail.
30
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,040
All along he provided excuses
for his behaviour.
31
00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,400
This is a very clear
illustration of the kind of
32
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,120
dangers Sri Robindo describes.
When the drives of the lower
33
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,080
vital nature are raised up and
indulged rather than avoided.
34
00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,760
The vital is generally able to
convince the mind to support its
35
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,680
desires, and in his case this
clearly occurred as he made
36
00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,880
rationales for what he was doing
and why, while he continued to
37
00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:38,960
not only consent to these forces
but actually sought them out and
38
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,280
extended their action and their
life.
39
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,760
When he was let out of jail, he
was more or less a broken man
40
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:51,160
with failed dreams, no longer
focused on spiritual sadhna, but
41
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,400
on seeing how much of his assets
he could hold on to and enjoy,
42
00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,960
and determined to squeeze out
any vital satisfaction still
43
00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,000
available to him in his
disgrace.
44
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:11,240
Sri Robindu observes quote.
The other motive for Anubhava is
45
00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,880
of a more general applicability,
For in order to reject anything
46
00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,840
from the being, one has first to
become conscious of it, to have
47
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,200
the clear inner experience of
its action, and to discover its
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,480
actual place in the workings of
the nature.
49
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,280
One can then work upon it to
eliminate it if it is an
50
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,960
entirely wrong movement, or to
transform it if it is only the
51
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,680
degradation of a higher and true
movement.
52
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,880
It is this, or something like
it, that is attempted crudely
53
00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,560
and improperly with a
rudimentary and insufficient
54
00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,640
knowledge in the system of
psychoanalysis.
55
00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,520
The process of raising up the
lower movements into the full
56
00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,040
light of consciousness in order
to know and deal with them is
57
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,880
inevitable, for there can be no
complete change without it.
58
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,840
But it can truly succeed only
when a higher light and force
59
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:14,120
are sufficiently at work to
overcome sooner or later the
60
00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,839
force of the tendency that is
held up for change.
61
00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:23,800
Many, under the pretext of
Anubhava, not only raise up the
62
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,480
adverse movement, but support it
with their consent.
63
00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:32,000
Instead of rejecting it, find
justifications for continuing or
64
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,480
repeating it, and so go on
playing with it, indulging its
65
00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:41,240
return, eternizing it.
Afterwards, when they want to
66
00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:45,080
get rid of it, it has got such a
hold that they find themselves
67
00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,600
helpless in its clutch, and only
a terrible struggle or an
68
00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,080
intervention of divine grace can
liberate them.
69
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,240
Some do this out of a vital
twist or perversity, others out
70
00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,320
of sheer ignorance.
But in yoga, as in life,
71
00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:09,040
ignorance is not accepted by
nature as a justifying excuse.
72
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,600
This danger is there in all
improper dealings with the
73
00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,960
ignorant parts of the nature,
but none is more ignorant, more
74
00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,960
perilous, more unreasoning and
obstinate in recurrence than the
75
00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,640
lower vital subconscious and its
movements.
76
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:30,240
To raise it up prematurely or
improperly for Anubhava is to
77
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,640
risk suffusing the conscious
parts also with its dark and
78
00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:39,760
dirty stuff, and thus poisoning
the whole, vital and even the
79
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,400
mental nature always.
Therefore, 1 should begin by a
80
00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,400
positive, not a negative
experience, by bringing down
81
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:55,000
something of the divine nature,
calm, light, equanimity, purity,
82
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,680
divine strength into the parts
of the conscious being that have
83
00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,840
to be changed.
Only when that has been
84
00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:08,440
sufficiently done and there is a
firm positive basis is it safe
85
00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,000
to raise up the concealed,
subconscious adverse elements in
86
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,640
order to destroy and eliminate
them by the strength of the
87
00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,680
divine calm, light, force and
knowledge.
88
00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,640
Even so, there will be enough of
the lower stuff rising up of
89
00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,920
itself to give you as much of
the anubhava as you will need
90
00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,720
for getting rid of the
obstacles, but then they can be
91
00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,320
dealt with with much less danger
and under a higher internal
92
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,600
guidance.
End Quote Reference.
93
00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,200
Sri Aurobindo.
Bases of yoga, Chapter 5.
94
00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,560
Physical consciousness,
subconscient sleep and dream
95
00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,240
illness.
Pages 95 to 96.
