Sept. 18, 2024
The Process Behind Communicating Thoughts from One Person to Another
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter II Power of Thought, pp. 20-21 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/14/the-process-behind-communicating-thoughts-from-one-person-to-another/
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
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,640
We utilize speech to communicate
with other people.
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,800
Speech, however, is a
translation into vibrational
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,920
patterns of specific thought
content developed with a
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,600
particular pattern of electrical
impulses.
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,480
When it is effective, the hearer
receives the vibrational energy
6
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,040
of the speech he has heard and
converts that speech into
7
00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,760
corresponding electrical
impulses in the brain,
8
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,600
triggering understanding of the
content of the speech.
9
00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,840
So if we break this down to the
elements involved here, first
10
00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:43,960
the speaker needs to formulate a
thought, idea, concept, image in
11
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,960
his mind.
There are people who cannot
12
00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:51,400
speak, but who nevertheless can
formulate clear ideas and
13
00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,320
thought formations.
Modern researchers have begun to
14
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,280
pick up those brain impulses,
and they can then convert them
15
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,520
into synthesized speech to
communicate the thought that
16
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,600
validates the underlying
vibrational pattern that is
17
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,920
intended to be communicated
through the speaking process.
18
00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,560
The second part is the
conversion of these impulses
19
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,120
into speech, whether through the
use of the vocal capabilities of
20
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,760
the individual or, as noted
above, through synthesized
21
00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,640
speech created from the
electrical impulses of the
22
00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,480
brain.
The more clear and focus the
23
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,360
thought content, the more
clearly the speech process can
24
00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:41,000
communicate that thought.
In mechanical terms this is
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,400
increasing the ratio of signal
in the form of the clear thought
26
00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,760
being communicated to noise in
the form of any vague or not
27
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,200
clearly defined elements that
are being transmitted.
28
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,440
The higher the signal to noise
ratio, the more precisely,
29
00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,200
clearly and directly the speech
is able to translate and
30
00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,280
communicate the essence of the
thought form to the hearer.
31
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,039
To the extent the speaker is
unclear in his own
32
00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:15,000
understanding, he will
necessarily have more noise in
33
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:20,160
his communication than signal,
leading to non understanding and
34
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,320
confusion for the listener.
The third element then is the
35
00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,160
receptivity and ability to
convert the speech back into
36
00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,600
electrical vibrational patterns
in his brain, thereby capturing
37
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,880
the thought form and imagery
that the sender is
38
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,280
communicating.
The receiver must be able to
39
00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:48,240
attend to the communication or
he will miss the sense or he'll
40
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,160
garble it.
One element to this is to
41
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,800
understand the specific language
being used to transmit the
42
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,840
content.
For instance, a physicist may
43
00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,360
communicate information about
quantum mechanics to a
44
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,120
layperson.
If it is done using the jargon
45
00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,280
and special language of physics,
there will be far less
46
00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,680
communication than if the
language translating the
47
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,600
thoughts is modulated to the
language and background of the
48
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,840
hearer.
However, it must be noted that
49
00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,000
understanding of a particular
language is not absolutely
50
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,760
necessary in all cases,
particularly if the speaker has
51
00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,560
a very clear signal and can
create images that are
52
00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,880
powerfully formed in his mind.
In that instance, the receiving
53
00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,480
party may not understand the
specific words, but may get the
54
00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:49,920
sense and understanding of what
is being communicated, the
55
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:51,360
mother writes.
Quote.
56
00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:57,160
The ideal condition, which has
already been partially realized
57
00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,960
by some people, is to transmit
the essential idea, and even
58
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,880
something that is higher than
the idea, the state, the state
59
00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,920
of consciousness, of knowledge,
of perception, directly through
60
00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,880
the vibration.
When you think, the mental
61
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,440
substance vibrates in a certain
way in accordance with the form
62
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,200
your consciousness gives to your
thought, and it is this
63
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,520
vibration which should be
perceived by the other mind if
64
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,520
it is well attuned.
Indeed, words serve only to draw
65
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,840
the attention of the other
consciousness or the other
66
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:38,840
centre of consciousness, so that
it may be attentive to the
67
00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:44,320
vibration and receive it.
But if it is not attentive and
68
00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,480
doesn't have the capacity to
receive in comparative silence,
69
00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,440
you may pour out miles of words
without making yourself
70
00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,640
understood in the least.
And there comes a time when the
71
00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:02,000
brain which is very active in
emanating certain vibrations,
72
00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,160
can only receive vibrations
which are clear and precise.
73
00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,600
Otherwise it is a kind of vague
mixture of something confused,
74
00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,640
imprecise, which gives the
impression of a cloudy woolly
75
00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:23,720
mass and doesn't evoke any idea.
So one speaks, the sound is
76
00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,960
clearly heard, but it conveys
nothing.
77
00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,800
It is not a question of sound.
It is a matter of precision in
78
00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,760
the vibrations.
If you can emanate your thought
79
00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:41,440
in a very precise way, if it is
something living and conscious
80
00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,360
emanating from your
consciousness and going to meet
81
00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:50,480
the other consciousness, if, so
to speak, you know what you want
82
00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,360
to say, then it arrives with the
same precision.
83
00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,960
It awakens the corresponding
vibration, and with the
84
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,440
corresponding vibration comes
the corresponding thought or
85
00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,800
idea or state of consciousness,
and you understand each other.
86
00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:13,760
But if what is emanated is
woolly imprecise, if you do not
87
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,200
know very well what you want to
say, if you yourself are trying
88
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,800
to understand what you want to
say, and if, on the other hand,
89
00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,720
the attention of the hearer is
not alert enough, or he is busy
90
00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,080
and active somewhere else, well,
then you may talk to each other
91
00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,400
for hours.
You will not understand each
92
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,760
other at all.
And in fact, this is what
93
00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:43,280
happens most often when you are
able to see in the consciousness
94
00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:46,320
of others the result of what you
have tried to communicate.
95
00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,200
It always gives you the feeling
of you know what distorting
96
00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,240
mirrors are.
Have you never seen distorting
97
00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,880
mirrors?
Mirrors which make you look
98
00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,560
taller or fatter, which enlarge
one part and reduce another?
99
00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,400
You are faced with a grotesque
caricature of yourself.
100
00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:10,200
Well, this is exactly what
happens in the other person's
101
00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,200
consciousness.
You have an altogether grotesque
102
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,320
character of what you have said,
and people imagine that they
103
00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,200
have understood each other
because they have heard the
104
00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,200
sound of words, but they haven't
communicated.
105
00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:30,520
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
106
00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,440
Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 2.
107
00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,800
Power of Thought, pages 20 to
21.
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,640
We utilize speech to communicate
with other people.
2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,800
Speech, however, is a
translation into vibrational
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,920
patterns of specific thought
content developed with a
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,600
particular pattern of electrical
impulses.
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,480
When it is effective, the hearer
receives the vibrational energy
6
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,040
of the speech he has heard and
converts that speech into
7
00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,760
corresponding electrical
impulses in the brain,
8
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,600
triggering understanding of the
content of the speech.
9
00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,840
So if we break this down to the
elements involved here, first
10
00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:43,960
the speaker needs to formulate a
thought, idea, concept, image in
11
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,960
his mind.
There are people who cannot
12
00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:51,400
speak, but who nevertheless can
formulate clear ideas and
13
00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,320
thought formations.
Modern researchers have begun to
14
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,280
pick up those brain impulses,
and they can then convert them
15
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,520
into synthesized speech to
communicate the thought that
16
00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,600
validates the underlying
vibrational pattern that is
17
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,920
intended to be communicated
through the speaking process.
18
00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,560
The second part is the
conversion of these impulses
19
00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,120
into speech, whether through the
use of the vocal capabilities of
20
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,760
the individual or, as noted
above, through synthesized
21
00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,640
speech created from the
electrical impulses of the
22
00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,480
brain.
The more clear and focus the
23
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,360
thought content, the more
clearly the speech process can
24
00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:41,000
communicate that thought.
In mechanical terms this is
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,400
increasing the ratio of signal
in the form of the clear thought
26
00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,760
being communicated to noise in
the form of any vague or not
27
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,200
clearly defined elements that
are being transmitted.
28
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,440
The higher the signal to noise
ratio, the more precisely,
29
00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,200
clearly and directly the speech
is able to translate and
30
00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,280
communicate the essence of the
thought form to the hearer.
31
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,039
To the extent the speaker is
unclear in his own
32
00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:15,000
understanding, he will
necessarily have more noise in
33
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:20,160
his communication than signal,
leading to non understanding and
34
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,320
confusion for the listener.
The third element then is the
35
00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,160
receptivity and ability to
convert the speech back into
36
00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,600
electrical vibrational patterns
in his brain, thereby capturing
37
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,880
the thought form and imagery
that the sender is
38
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,280
communicating.
The receiver must be able to
39
00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:48,240
attend to the communication or
he will miss the sense or he'll
40
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,160
garble it.
One element to this is to
41
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,800
understand the specific language
being used to transmit the
42
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,840
content.
For instance, a physicist may
43
00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,360
communicate information about
quantum mechanics to a
44
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,120
layperson.
If it is done using the jargon
45
00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,280
and special language of physics,
there will be far less
46
00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,680
communication than if the
language translating the
47
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,600
thoughts is modulated to the
language and background of the
48
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,840
hearer.
However, it must be noted that
49
00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,000
understanding of a particular
language is not absolutely
50
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,760
necessary in all cases,
particularly if the speaker has
51
00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,560
a very clear signal and can
create images that are
52
00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,880
powerfully formed in his mind.
In that instance, the receiving
53
00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,480
party may not understand the
specific words, but may get the
54
00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:49,920
sense and understanding of what
is being communicated, the
55
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:51,360
mother writes.
Quote.
56
00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:57,160
The ideal condition, which has
already been partially realized
57
00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,960
by some people, is to transmit
the essential idea, and even
58
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,880
something that is higher than
the idea, the state, the state
59
00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,920
of consciousness, of knowledge,
of perception, directly through
60
00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,880
the vibration.
When you think, the mental
61
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,440
substance vibrates in a certain
way in accordance with the form
62
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,200
your consciousness gives to your
thought, and it is this
63
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,520
vibration which should be
perceived by the other mind if
64
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,520
it is well attuned.
Indeed, words serve only to draw
65
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,840
the attention of the other
consciousness or the other
66
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:38,840
centre of consciousness, so that
it may be attentive to the
67
00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:44,320
vibration and receive it.
But if it is not attentive and
68
00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,480
doesn't have the capacity to
receive in comparative silence,
69
00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,440
you may pour out miles of words
without making yourself
70
00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,640
understood in the least.
And there comes a time when the
71
00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:02,000
brain which is very active in
emanating certain vibrations,
72
00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,160
can only receive vibrations
which are clear and precise.
73
00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,600
Otherwise it is a kind of vague
mixture of something confused,
74
00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,640
imprecise, which gives the
impression of a cloudy woolly
75
00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:23,720
mass and doesn't evoke any idea.
So one speaks, the sound is
76
00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,960
clearly heard, but it conveys
nothing.
77
00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,800
It is not a question of sound.
It is a matter of precision in
78
00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,760
the vibrations.
If you can emanate your thought
79
00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:41,440
in a very precise way, if it is
something living and conscious
80
00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,360
emanating from your
consciousness and going to meet
81
00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:50,480
the other consciousness, if, so
to speak, you know what you want
82
00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,360
to say, then it arrives with the
same precision.
83
00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,960
It awakens the corresponding
vibration, and with the
84
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,440
corresponding vibration comes
the corresponding thought or
85
00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,800
idea or state of consciousness,
and you understand each other.
86
00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:13,760
But if what is emanated is
woolly imprecise, if you do not
87
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,200
know very well what you want to
say, if you yourself are trying
88
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,800
to understand what you want to
say, and if, on the other hand,
89
00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,720
the attention of the hearer is
not alert enough, or he is busy
90
00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,080
and active somewhere else, well,
then you may talk to each other
91
00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,400
for hours.
You will not understand each
92
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,760
other at all.
And in fact, this is what
93
00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:43,280
happens most often when you are
able to see in the consciousness
94
00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:46,320
of others the result of what you
have tried to communicate.
95
00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,200
It always gives you the feeling
of you know what distorting
96
00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,240
mirrors are.
Have you never seen distorting
97
00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,880
mirrors?
Mirrors which make you look
98
00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,560
taller or fatter, which enlarge
one part and reduce another?
99
00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,400
You are faced with a grotesque
caricature of yourself.
100
00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:10,200
Well, this is exactly what
happens in the other person's
101
00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,200
consciousness.
You have an altogether grotesque
102
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,320
character of what you have said,
and people imagine that they
103
00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,200
have understood each other
because they have heard the
104
00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,200
sound of words, but they haven't
communicated.
105
00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:30,520
End Quote.
Reference Sri Orobindo and the
106
00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,440
Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 2.
107
00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,800
Power of Thought, pages 20 to
21.