Jan. 19, 2026
The Sequence of Elimination of Unwanted Vital Movements
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 78-79This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/17/the-sequence-of-elimination-of-unwanted-vital-movements/
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#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #sex-impulse #Brahmacharya #spirituality
1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,360
The spiritual seeker is so close
to the movements and reactions
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:08,880
of the mind, life and body in
most circumstances that he can
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,640
easily become confused or
concerned about the process,
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,560
timing and steps of the desired
changes to responses of the
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,160
external nature.
It is frequently noted that it
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,480
is easier to see the
difficulties and the solutions
7
00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:29,000
for others than for oneself when
the seeker is in the midst of
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,920
the process of trying to
effectuate any changes.
9
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:37,200
It is easy, therefore, to become
discouraged by what appear to be
10
00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:42,360
delays, setbacks and
recrudescences of the old nature
11
00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,720
and its embedded response and
reaction cycle.
12
00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,640
It is useful to step back and
take a wider and longer view of
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,440
how the process of rejection and
change actually takes place.
14
00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,000
The seeker may struggle trying
to use his mind, his will, his
15
00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,760
emotional engagement to
effectuate change.
16
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,640
He may find that he only has
mixed results and on occasion
17
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,760
the undesired reactions or
movements reappear.
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,200
Rio Robindo provides the needed
overview as he examines the
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,360
process of the systematic
elimination of an unwanted sex
20
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,400
impulse for the spiritual
practitioner propounding the
21
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:31,320
problem to him.
A similar process is invoked in
22
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,960
dealing with virtually any vital
or lower vital movement that the
23
00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:42,640
seeker is rejecting, Srioro
Bindo observes quote The sex
24
00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,520
trouble is serious only so long
as it can get the consent of the
25
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,800
mind and the vital will.
If it is driven from the mind,
26
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,960
that is, if the mind refuses its
consent but the vital part
27
00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,640
responds to it, it comes as a
large wave of vital desire and
28
00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,280
tries to sweep the mind away by
force along with it.
29
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,120
If it is driven also from the
higher vital, from the heart and
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,880
the dynamic possessive life
force, it takes refuge in the
31
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,320
lower vital and comes in the
shape of smaller suggestions and
32
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,040
urges there.
Driven from the lower vital
33
00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,000
level, it goes down into the
obscure, inertly repetitive
34
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,800
physical, and comes as
sensations in the sex centre and
35
00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,200
a mechanical response to
suggestion.
36
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,440
Driven from there too, it goes
down into the subcontinent and
37
00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,400
comes up as dreams and nighty
missions even without dreams,
38
00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,800
But to wherever it recedes, it
tries still for a time from that
39
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,560
base or refuge to trouble and
recapture the ascent of the
40
00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,120
higher parts, until the victory
is complete.
41
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,120
And it is driven even out of the
surrounding or environmental
42
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,720
consciousness, which is the
extension of ourselves into the
43
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,560
general or universal nature.
End Quote.
44
00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,120
Reference.
Srioro Bindu.
45
00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,480
Pieces of yoga.
Chapter 4.
46
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:22,560
Desire Food, Sex, pages 78 to
79.
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,360
The spiritual seeker is so close
to the movements and reactions
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:08,880
of the mind, life and body in
most circumstances that he can
3
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,640
easily become confused or
concerned about the process,
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,560
timing and steps of the desired
changes to responses of the
5
00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,160
external nature.
It is frequently noted that it
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,480
is easier to see the
difficulties and the solutions
7
00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:29,000
for others than for oneself when
the seeker is in the midst of
8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,920
the process of trying to
effectuate any changes.
9
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:37,200
It is easy, therefore, to become
discouraged by what appear to be
10
00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:42,360
delays, setbacks and
recrudescences of the old nature
11
00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,720
and its embedded response and
reaction cycle.
12
00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,640
It is useful to step back and
take a wider and longer view of
13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,440
how the process of rejection and
change actually takes place.
14
00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,000
The seeker may struggle trying
to use his mind, his will, his
15
00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,760
emotional engagement to
effectuate change.
16
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,640
He may find that he only has
mixed results and on occasion
17
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,760
the undesired reactions or
movements reappear.
18
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,200
Rio Robindo provides the needed
overview as he examines the
19
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,360
process of the systematic
elimination of an unwanted sex
20
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,400
impulse for the spiritual
practitioner propounding the
21
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:31,320
problem to him.
A similar process is invoked in
22
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,960
dealing with virtually any vital
or lower vital movement that the
23
00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:42,640
seeker is rejecting, Srioro
Bindo observes quote The sex
24
00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,520
trouble is serious only so long
as it can get the consent of the
25
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,800
mind and the vital will.
If it is driven from the mind,
26
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,960
that is, if the mind refuses its
consent but the vital part
27
00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,640
responds to it, it comes as a
large wave of vital desire and
28
00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,280
tries to sweep the mind away by
force along with it.
29
00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,120
If it is driven also from the
higher vital, from the heart and
30
00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,880
the dynamic possessive life
force, it takes refuge in the
31
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,320
lower vital and comes in the
shape of smaller suggestions and
32
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,040
urges there.
Driven from the lower vital
33
00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,000
level, it goes down into the
obscure, inertly repetitive
34
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,800
physical, and comes as
sensations in the sex centre and
35
00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,200
a mechanical response to
suggestion.
36
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,440
Driven from there too, it goes
down into the subcontinent and
37
00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,400
comes up as dreams and nighty
missions even without dreams,
38
00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,800
But to wherever it recedes, it
tries still for a time from that
39
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,560
base or refuge to trouble and
recapture the ascent of the
40
00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,120
higher parts, until the victory
is complete.
41
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,120
And it is driven even out of the
surrounding or environmental
42
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,720
consciousness, which is the
extension of ourselves into the
43
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,560
general or universal nature.
End Quote.
44
00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,120
Reference.
Srioro Bindu.
45
00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,480
Pieces of yoga.
Chapter 4.
46
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:22,560
Desire Food, Sex, pages 78 to
79.
