May 20, 2024
The Question of Possession of an Individual by Vital Beings
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp. 89-90 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/05/16/the-question-of-possession-of-an-individual-by-vital-beings/
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
00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:05,920
Once we acknowledge the idea
that forces, beings or entities
2
00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,120
from the vital planes can act
upon and through human
3
00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:14,200
individuals, the question then
arises as to how we can identify
4
00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,280
this action and distinguish it
from what we may call normal
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,000
actions of a human being under
the impulsion of the action of
6
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,600
the Gunas and the attempt to
achieve certain objectives
7
00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,560
either presented to him by
desire or created in him through
8
00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,240
fear.
It is difficult to judge this
9
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,200
action when it is minimal,
lightly applied, or within a
10
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,520
range that could be attributed
to human behavioral patterns.
11
00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,760
Generally, where we can begin to
recognize such an influence is
12
00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,440
under circumstances where the
action seems to far exceed
13
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:55,800
normal human boundaries and has
an outsized impact beyond what
14
00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,520
could otherwise be expected.
There also arises the issue of
15
00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,640
an advanced soul taking birth to
manifest something new, or
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,400
various other births that do not
represent possession per SE, but
17
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,800
more of an intervention or
implementation of a particular
18
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,200
stage of development.
With this understanding, it
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,640
becomes almost impossible to
distinguish such a possession
20
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,360
when looking backwards at
historical reports from the past
21
00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,880
about individuals who indeed
seem larger than life but whose
22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,720
actual lives are outside our
camp.
23
00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,400
We do have one instance that is
within our current historical
24
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,400
setting that has widespread
documentation with audio and
25
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:47,320
video footage extensively
available, along with the first
26
00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:50,800
hand reports of numerous
observers or people who had
27
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:55,240
interactions with him, and that
is the case of Adolf Hitler.
28
00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,640
By all accounts he was possessed
by a demonic force that had a
29
00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,120
worldwide impact causing massive
suffering, destruction and
30
00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:10,039
chaos, led to the annihilation
of many millions of people and
31
00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,560
took control of much of the
European continent during the
32
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:18,440
time of his ascendancy.
Anyone listening to Hitler's
33
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:24,400
speeches actually harangues or
observing films of his actions
34
00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:29,480
or speeches can feel the force
and the demonic influence he is
35
00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,880
representing.
He was able expressing the
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,640
demonic force that possessed him
to bend the will of masses of
37
00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:41,560
people to do his bidding, even
overcoming their normal
38
00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,240
reservations about the actions
being taken.
39
00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,680
The being that possessed him
actually wound up overwhelming
40
00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,160
the human instrument and
destroying his psychology, and
41
00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:58,080
when his achievement was denied,
he turned on his own people and
42
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,080
tried to bring utter destruction
on them at the end.
43
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,720
In this case, we have both the
impact of his action in the
44
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,800
world and the audio and video
documentation to determine that
45
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,800
there was an extreme demonic
action taking place that went
46
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,560
beyond the normal human scope.
Observers in real time in the
47
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,680
1930s and 1940s confirmed the
possession.
48
00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,200
Possession by a vital being is
also possible on a much smaller
49
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:33,480
level, although clearly much
more difficult to distinguish.
50
00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,320
An instance was reported where
several individuals observed a
51
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,320
leader of a group angrily
denouncing one individual who
52
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,760
was leaving the group.
During this diatribe, 2 separate
53
00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,440
individuals reported seeing a
form of an entity expressing
54
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:54,960
itself over the face of the
speaker, projecting itself as a
55
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,200
dark, foreboding and angry being
into the atmosphere of the
56
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:04,720
group.
Shvirobindo observes, quote The
57
00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,640
first thing that we have to note
of importance to the problem
58
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,320
preoccupying us is that these
forces in their action seemed
59
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,600
often to surpass the measure of
human relativity.
60
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,040
They are, in their larger
action, superhuman, divine,
61
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,160
Titanic, or demoniac.
But they may create their
62
00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:29,040
formations in him, in large or
in little, in his greatness or
63
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,360
his smallness.
They may seize and drive him at
64
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,640
moments or for periods.
They may influence his impulses
65
00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,600
or his acts, or possess his
whole nature.
66
00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,720
If that possession happens, he
may himself be pushed to an
67
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,080
excess of the normal humanity of
good and evil, Especially the
68
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:54,440
evil takes forms which shock the
sense of human measure, exceed
69
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,920
the bounds of human personality.
Approach the gigantic, the
70
00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,640
inordinate, the immeasurable
End.
71
00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:07,840
Quote Reference Shrioro, Bindo
and the Mother, The Hidden
72
00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,680
Forces of Life, Chapter 4,
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
73
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:14,840
pages 89 to 90.
00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:05,920
Once we acknowledge the idea
that forces, beings or entities
2
00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,120
from the vital planes can act
upon and through human
3
00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:14,200
individuals, the question then
arises as to how we can identify
4
00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,280
this action and distinguish it
from what we may call normal
5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,000
actions of a human being under
the impulsion of the action of
6
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,600
the Gunas and the attempt to
achieve certain objectives
7
00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,560
either presented to him by
desire or created in him through
8
00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,240
fear.
It is difficult to judge this
9
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,200
action when it is minimal,
lightly applied, or within a
10
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,520
range that could be attributed
to human behavioral patterns.
11
00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,760
Generally, where we can begin to
recognize such an influence is
12
00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,440
under circumstances where the
action seems to far exceed
13
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:55,800
normal human boundaries and has
an outsized impact beyond what
14
00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,520
could otherwise be expected.
There also arises the issue of
15
00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,640
an advanced soul taking birth to
manifest something new, or
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,400
various other births that do not
represent possession per SE, but
17
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,800
more of an intervention or
implementation of a particular
18
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,200
stage of development.
With this understanding, it
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,640
becomes almost impossible to
distinguish such a possession
20
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,360
when looking backwards at
historical reports from the past
21
00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,880
about individuals who indeed
seem larger than life but whose
22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,720
actual lives are outside our
camp.
23
00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,400
We do have one instance that is
within our current historical
24
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,400
setting that has widespread
documentation with audio and
25
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:47,320
video footage extensively
available, along with the first
26
00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:50,800
hand reports of numerous
observers or people who had
27
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:55,240
interactions with him, and that
is the case of Adolf Hitler.
28
00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,640
By all accounts he was possessed
by a demonic force that had a
29
00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,120
worldwide impact causing massive
suffering, destruction and
30
00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:10,039
chaos, led to the annihilation
of many millions of people and
31
00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,560
took control of much of the
European continent during the
32
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:18,440
time of his ascendancy.
Anyone listening to Hitler's
33
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:24,400
speeches actually harangues or
observing films of his actions
34
00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:29,480
or speeches can feel the force
and the demonic influence he is
35
00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,880
representing.
He was able expressing the
36
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,640
demonic force that possessed him
to bend the will of masses of
37
00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:41,560
people to do his bidding, even
overcoming their normal
38
00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,240
reservations about the actions
being taken.
39
00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,680
The being that possessed him
actually wound up overwhelming
40
00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,160
the human instrument and
destroying his psychology, and
41
00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:58,080
when his achievement was denied,
he turned on his own people and
42
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,080
tried to bring utter destruction
on them at the end.
43
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,720
In this case, we have both the
impact of his action in the
44
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,800
world and the audio and video
documentation to determine that
45
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,800
there was an extreme demonic
action taking place that went
46
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,560
beyond the normal human scope.
Observers in real time in the
47
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,680
1930s and 1940s confirmed the
possession.
48
00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,200
Possession by a vital being is
also possible on a much smaller
49
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:33,480
level, although clearly much
more difficult to distinguish.
50
00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,320
An instance was reported where
several individuals observed a
51
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,320
leader of a group angrily
denouncing one individual who
52
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,760
was leaving the group.
During this diatribe, 2 separate
53
00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,440
individuals reported seeing a
form of an entity expressing
54
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:54,960
itself over the face of the
speaker, projecting itself as a
55
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,200
dark, foreboding and angry being
into the atmosphere of the
56
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:04,720
group.
Shvirobindo observes, quote The
57
00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,640
first thing that we have to note
of importance to the problem
58
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,320
preoccupying us is that these
forces in their action seemed
59
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,600
often to surpass the measure of
human relativity.
60
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,040
They are, in their larger
action, superhuman, divine,
61
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,160
Titanic, or demoniac.
But they may create their
62
00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:29,040
formations in him, in large or
in little, in his greatness or
63
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,360
his smallness.
They may seize and drive him at
64
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,640
moments or for periods.
They may influence his impulses
65
00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,600
or his acts, or possess his
whole nature.
66
00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,720
If that possession happens, he
may himself be pushed to an
67
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,080
excess of the normal humanity of
good and evil, Especially the
68
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:54,440
evil takes forms which shock the
sense of human measure, exceed
69
00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,920
the bounds of human personality.
Approach the gigantic, the
70
00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,640
inordinate, the immeasurable
End.
71
00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:07,840
Quote Reference Shrioro, Bindo
and the Mother, The Hidden
72
00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,680
Forces of Life, Chapter 4,
Cosmic and Universal Forces,
73
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:14,840
pages 89 to 90.