Oct. 29, 2022
The Role of the Ego in the Evolution of Consciousness
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2022/10/26/the-role-of-the-ego-in-the-evolution-of-consciousness/
1
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:07,200
In one of his aphorisms, SRI
aurobindo observes quote, the
2
00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,700
ego is the helper.
The ego is the bar and quote,
3
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,200
for most spiritual Seekers, the
attachment to the ego
4
00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,000
personality is the great
hindrance which they must find a
5
00:00:20,008 --> 00:00:24,900
way to overcome.
Some try extreme methods to
6
00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:29,400
minimize the role and power of
the ego but we must ask the
7
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,800
question.
Why does the ego exist in the
8
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,200
first place in the Divine
creation?
9
00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,400
If it has no purpose and must be
done away with?
10
00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:43,400
The close examination of plant
life.
11
00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,000
And that of many of the less
complex animals shows that they
12
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,300
seem to live a life without
individual reflection or ego
13
00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:55,200
awareness.
In many cases, there is a hive
14
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,800
or Congregation of some sort of
which each member is apart.
15
00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,400
And to, which each member
relates, its entire awareness,
16
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,100
ants and bees, for instance,
seem to have a group existence,
17
00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:13,100
rather than an individual life.
As animal life develop greater
18
00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:16,000
mental power.
We begin to see a growing
19
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,800
awareness of the individual as a
somewhat separate entity.
20
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,600
And we thus see not only the
pack or the hive awareness, but
21
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:30,000
something of an individual
Consciousness, which we may term
22
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,200
a rudimentary form of ego with
the development of the higher
23
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,500
primates and eventually the
human species.
24
00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:43,100
We see the development of Clear
and distinct ego Consciousness.
25
00:01:43,900 --> 00:01:48,800
The ego Consciousness is not
however, an unmixed blessing, it
26
00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,000
has its drawbacks and this leads
to results like selfishness,
27
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,900
greed, self-aggrandizement and
other forms of ego, centeredness
28
00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,900
and attachment.
Along with the ego Consciousness
29
00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:05,900
comes at a certain point in
development, the capacity for
30
00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:10,000
self-reflection for a quest for
meaning and significance.
31
00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:15,200
And eventually the aspiration
for progress in various Fields,
32
00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,600
including the development of the
spiritual aspiration.
33
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,700
At this point, the ego has
reached its peak of development
34
00:02:24,700 --> 00:02:29,000
and significance and is then
time for a new phase that
35
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,200
transcends Supersedes the ego
awareness.
36
00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:38,500
This does not imply a return to
the hive but a new formation
37
00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:43,200
that can recognize both the
value of the individual and the
38
00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,600
integration of the individual
into the collective entirety of
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:54,700
the universal manifestation.
Dr. Dalal notes, quote even
40
00:02:54,700 --> 00:02:58,700
after the emergence of mind, the
growth of Consciousness and the
41
00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:02,700
human being continues to be a
more or less unconscious process
42
00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:08,300
because the roots of matter.
Life and mind lie in the
43
00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:11,800
incontinent out of which they
have evolved.
44
00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:16,500
The first step for emerging out
of the Primeval unconsciousness
45
00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:20,600
is to develop a conscious ego, a
separate and independent.
46
00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:25,400
Individuality so long as an
individuality has not been
47
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:30,400
formed, the human being remains
an amorphous, entity, more or
48
00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,100
less fuse with the unconscious
totality of existence.
49
00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,800
It is by the development of a
conscious ego.
50
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:44,100
Individualization of being in
becoming that a person becomes
51
00:03:44,100 --> 00:03:48,800
an individual ego, is the
identification of our being with
52
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,100
the superficial outer cell.
Self made up of the body, the
53
00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:57,800
vital nature, and the mind due
to the ego, the certain
54
00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,200
formation of physical vital, and
mental experience is
55
00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,400
distinguished from the rest of
the being and is regarded as the
56
00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:09,000
self.
Thus, the ego serves to bring
57
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,600
about the emergence from
unconsciousness through a purse,
58
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,700
Progressive Consciousness,
awareness of the physical vital
59
00:04:17,700 --> 00:04:22,800
and mental aspects of the being
Once the separate of ego has
60
00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,600
been adequately developed
evolution of Consciousness can
61
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,100
be accelerated through growth in
a different dimension that which
62
00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:36,200
lies in the Transcendence of the
ego Liberation from the ignorant
63
00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,100
identification with one's
superficial nature and the
64
00:04:40,108 --> 00:04:43,600
discovery of the true self inner
growth.
65
00:04:43,700 --> 00:04:48,000
Thus represents a new dimension
of evolution.
66
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,900
And quote, reference SRI
aurobindo, and the mother
67
00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:58,000
growing within the psychology of
inner development, introduction
68
00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,100
Pages Roman for to Roman five.
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:07,200
In one of his aphorisms, SRI
aurobindo observes quote, the
2
00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,700
ego is the helper.
The ego is the bar and quote,
3
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,200
for most spiritual Seekers, the
attachment to the ego
4
00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,000
personality is the great
hindrance which they must find a
5
00:00:20,008 --> 00:00:24,900
way to overcome.
Some try extreme methods to
6
00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:29,400
minimize the role and power of
the ego but we must ask the
7
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,800
question.
Why does the ego exist in the
8
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,200
first place in the Divine
creation?
9
00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,400
If it has no purpose and must be
done away with?
10
00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:43,400
The close examination of plant
life.
11
00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,000
And that of many of the less
complex animals shows that they
12
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,300
seem to live a life without
individual reflection or ego
13
00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:55,200
awareness.
In many cases, there is a hive
14
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,800
or Congregation of some sort of
which each member is apart.
15
00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,400
And to, which each member
relates, its entire awareness,
16
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,100
ants and bees, for instance,
seem to have a group existence,
17
00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:13,100
rather than an individual life.
As animal life develop greater
18
00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:16,000
mental power.
We begin to see a growing
19
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,800
awareness of the individual as a
somewhat separate entity.
20
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,600
And we thus see not only the
pack or the hive awareness, but
21
00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:30,000
something of an individual
Consciousness, which we may term
22
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,200
a rudimentary form of ego with
the development of the higher
23
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,500
primates and eventually the
human species.
24
00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:43,100
We see the development of Clear
and distinct ego Consciousness.
25
00:01:43,900 --> 00:01:48,800
The ego Consciousness is not
however, an unmixed blessing, it
26
00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,000
has its drawbacks and this leads
to results like selfishness,
27
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,900
greed, self-aggrandizement and
other forms of ego, centeredness
28
00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,900
and attachment.
Along with the ego Consciousness
29
00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:05,900
comes at a certain point in
development, the capacity for
30
00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:10,000
self-reflection for a quest for
meaning and significance.
31
00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:15,200
And eventually the aspiration
for progress in various Fields,
32
00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,600
including the development of the
spiritual aspiration.
33
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,700
At this point, the ego has
reached its peak of development
34
00:02:24,700 --> 00:02:29,000
and significance and is then
time for a new phase that
35
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,200
transcends Supersedes the ego
awareness.
36
00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:38,500
This does not imply a return to
the hive but a new formation
37
00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:43,200
that can recognize both the
value of the individual and the
38
00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,600
integration of the individual
into the collective entirety of
39
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:54,700
the universal manifestation.
Dr. Dalal notes, quote even
40
00:02:54,700 --> 00:02:58,700
after the emergence of mind, the
growth of Consciousness and the
41
00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:02,700
human being continues to be a
more or less unconscious process
42
00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:08,300
because the roots of matter.
Life and mind lie in the
43
00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:11,800
incontinent out of which they
have evolved.
44
00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:16,500
The first step for emerging out
of the Primeval unconsciousness
45
00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:20,600
is to develop a conscious ego, a
separate and independent.
46
00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:25,400
Individuality so long as an
individuality has not been
47
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:30,400
formed, the human being remains
an amorphous, entity, more or
48
00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,100
less fuse with the unconscious
totality of existence.
49
00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,800
It is by the development of a
conscious ego.
50
00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:44,100
Individualization of being in
becoming that a person becomes
51
00:03:44,100 --> 00:03:48,800
an individual ego, is the
identification of our being with
52
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,100
the superficial outer cell.
Self made up of the body, the
53
00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:57,800
vital nature, and the mind due
to the ego, the certain
54
00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,200
formation of physical vital, and
mental experience is
55
00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,400
distinguished from the rest of
the being and is regarded as the
56
00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:09,000
self.
Thus, the ego serves to bring
57
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,600
about the emergence from
unconsciousness through a purse,
58
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,700
Progressive Consciousness,
awareness of the physical vital
59
00:04:17,700 --> 00:04:22,800
and mental aspects of the being
Once the separate of ego has
60
00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,600
been adequately developed
evolution of Consciousness can
61
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,100
be accelerated through growth in
a different dimension that which
62
00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:36,200
lies in the Transcendence of the
ego Liberation from the ignorant
63
00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,100
identification with one's
superficial nature and the
64
00:04:40,108 --> 00:04:43,600
discovery of the true self inner
growth.
65
00:04:43,700 --> 00:04:48,000
Thus represents a new dimension
of evolution.
66
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,900
And quote, reference SRI
aurobindo, and the mother
67
00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:58,000
growing within the psychology of
inner development, introduction
68
00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,100
Pages Roman for to Roman five.
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