Jan. 6, 2026
The Sex-Impulse and the Spiritual Sadhana
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pg. 69This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/04/the-sex-impulse-and-the-spiritual-sadhana/
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 #first chakra #sex #sexuality #sexual-impulse #evolution of consciousness #sadhana
1
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,240
In his book The Mother, Sri
Aurobindo describes sex as one
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:10,120
of the three forces quote power,
wealth, sex that have the
3
00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,760
strongest attraction for the
human ego and the asura and are
4
00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,040
most generally misheld and
misused by those who retain
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:20,440
them.
End Quote.
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,360
The force of the sex impulse is
one that impacts not just a
7
00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,160
specific individual, but social
interactions and spiritual
8
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,840
sadhna.
From a general perspective, the
9
00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,880
sex impulse arises in the animal
Kingdom and acts as a means for
10
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:43,200
ensuring the continuity of the
race and as a means of creating
11
00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,720
intimate human bonding, while
also being used as a form of
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,320
control and domination.
It provides a strong, vital
13
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,320
physical response that is
experienced as highly
14
00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:01,240
pleasurable and thus something
that people and animals seek
15
00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:06,080
after and try to repeat.
The sex impulse is so powerful
16
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,440
and potentially disruptive to
social bonds that it has been
17
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,600
surrounded by numerous and
widespread taboos, has been
18
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,920
stigmatized by many as something
sinful or dirty, and at the same
19
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,440
time treated as a strong
allurement and motivating force.
20
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,480
In the modern world,
sexualization begins even with
21
00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,960
young children, who are
frequently dressed in such a way
22
00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:37,680
as to entice and provoke, and
thus treated as an object of
23
00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:42,000
desire by individuals who are
unable to manage this force
24
00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,280
effectively.
Meanwhile, entertainment and
25
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,760
even the sale of goods is
contextualized with sexual
26
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:55,320
innuendo, sexual content, and
overt forms of sexual
27
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,760
enticement.
The sexual energy can drive an
28
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,240
individual to extreme lengths
and has been an underlying force
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:08,400
that leads to lust, jealousy,
and other forms of disruptive
30
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,000
behaviour both for the
individual and for the society.
31
00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,680
Laws are developed to try to
regulate the disruptive power of
32
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,480
sex.
These laws, however, have little
33
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,760
impact on an individual under
the influence of the
34
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:29,280
unrestrained sexual impulse.
As a result, human society
35
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,640
confronts this issue with mixed
results.
36
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:38,600
Laws, taboos and customs arise
to hold the sexual impulse under
37
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,520
some form of control, while
meanwhile the society itself
38
00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,280
fixates on sex as a central
theme, motive and forced to be
39
00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,800
desired and developed in the
life.
40
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,720
And when that is not possible,
there are widespread occurrences
41
00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,480
of rape, weaponizing of sexual
violence in the context of war
42
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:06,040
or attempted domination,
pedophilia and the proliferation
43
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,720
of sexual images.
The role of the sex impulse in
44
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,680
life and the complexity
surrounding it takes on a new
45
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,120
aspect when a spiritual seeker
attempts to understand and deal
46
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,360
with it in a way that furthers
his spiritual development.
47
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,880
This too has an individual as
well as a social aspect,
48
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,280
especially if the individual has
joined a community centered
49
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:37,880
around spiritual development
such as a monastery, ashram,
50
00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,040
cloister or other form of close
knit community.
51
00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,840
In such instances, the sexual
energy can become an extremely
52
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,560
disruptive force in the
community and can lead to far
53
00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,160
reaching negative consequences
for the group.
54
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,480
In most cases, this issue is
addressed by segregating male
55
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,800
and female members, yet this
does not solve the issue.
56
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,040
Witness the widespread
occurrence of homosexuality or
57
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,720
pedophilia in various religious
groups that suppress sexuality
58
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,519
with vows of celibacy without
solving the underlying force of
59
00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:22,920
the vital animal drive itself.
Eventually, the underlying force
60
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,600
itself must be understood,
addressed and transformed.
61
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,480
Due to the complexity and
widespread role of sex in all of
62
00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:37,640
human life, a step by step
review will be required and in
63
00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,720
the coming days we propose to
take up these issues.
64
00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,040
Since our primary focus is on
the development of a new
65
00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:49,000
transformative stage of
conscious evolution, we
66
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,680
appreciate the eventual need to
overcome the lower vital
67
00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,920
physical nature of this force
and use the energy liberated
68
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,680
from sex to develop the new
higher consciousness.
69
00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,440
What this implies and how this
can be done must be the focus of
70
00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,560
our forthcoming comprehensive
review of the subject.
71
00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,720
This requires breaking through
all of the moral and social
72
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,760
rules and laws surrounding sex
and seeing the vital physical
73
00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,520
drive for what it is.
Not sinful, not dirty, but a
74
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,440
basic force of evolution
centered in the physical vital
75
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:34,720
nature and thus being able to
understand, overcome and master
76
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,640
this first chakra energy.
As with any power, there are
77
00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,760
both positive and negative
aspects in the most general
78
00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:47,400
sense, and there is the
evolutionary trend that requires
79
00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,600
harnessing the raw first chakra
energy and redirecting it
80
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:58,320
towards spiritual fulfillment.
Trior Vindo writes quote The
81
00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,080
sodic has to turn away entirely
from the invasion of the vital
82
00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:07,240
in the physical by the sex
impulse 4 If he does not conquer
83
00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,120
the sex impulse, there can be no
settling in the body of the
84
00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,480
divine consciousness and the
divine Ananda.
85
00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:23,080
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
basis of Yoga chapter 4 Desire
86
00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,440
food sex page 69.
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,240
In his book The Mother, Sri
Aurobindo describes sex as one
2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:10,120
of the three forces quote power,
wealth, sex that have the
3
00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,760
strongest attraction for the
human ego and the asura and are
4
00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,040
most generally misheld and
misused by those who retain
5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:20,440
them.
End Quote.
6
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,360
The force of the sex impulse is
one that impacts not just a
7
00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,160
specific individual, but social
interactions and spiritual
8
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,840
sadhna.
From a general perspective, the
9
00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,880
sex impulse arises in the animal
Kingdom and acts as a means for
10
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:43,200
ensuring the continuity of the
race and as a means of creating
11
00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,720
intimate human bonding, while
also being used as a form of
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,320
control and domination.
It provides a strong, vital
13
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,320
physical response that is
experienced as highly
14
00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:01,240
pleasurable and thus something
that people and animals seek
15
00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:06,080
after and try to repeat.
The sex impulse is so powerful
16
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,440
and potentially disruptive to
social bonds that it has been
17
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,600
surrounded by numerous and
widespread taboos, has been
18
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,920
stigmatized by many as something
sinful or dirty, and at the same
19
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,440
time treated as a strong
allurement and motivating force.
20
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,480
In the modern world,
sexualization begins even with
21
00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,960
young children, who are
frequently dressed in such a way
22
00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:37,680
as to entice and provoke, and
thus treated as an object of
23
00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:42,000
desire by individuals who are
unable to manage this force
24
00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,280
effectively.
Meanwhile, entertainment and
25
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,760
even the sale of goods is
contextualized with sexual
26
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:55,320
innuendo, sexual content, and
overt forms of sexual
27
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,760
enticement.
The sexual energy can drive an
28
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,240
individual to extreme lengths
and has been an underlying force
29
00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:08,400
that leads to lust, jealousy,
and other forms of disruptive
30
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,000
behaviour both for the
individual and for the society.
31
00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,680
Laws are developed to try to
regulate the disruptive power of
32
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,480
sex.
These laws, however, have little
33
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,760
impact on an individual under
the influence of the
34
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:29,280
unrestrained sexual impulse.
As a result, human society
35
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,640
confronts this issue with mixed
results.
36
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:38,600
Laws, taboos and customs arise
to hold the sexual impulse under
37
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,520
some form of control, while
meanwhile the society itself
38
00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,280
fixates on sex as a central
theme, motive and forced to be
39
00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,800
desired and developed in the
life.
40
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,720
And when that is not possible,
there are widespread occurrences
41
00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,480
of rape, weaponizing of sexual
violence in the context of war
42
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:06,040
or attempted domination,
pedophilia and the proliferation
43
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,720
of sexual images.
The role of the sex impulse in
44
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,680
life and the complexity
surrounding it takes on a new
45
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,120
aspect when a spiritual seeker
attempts to understand and deal
46
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,360
with it in a way that furthers
his spiritual development.
47
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,880
This too has an individual as
well as a social aspect,
48
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,280
especially if the individual has
joined a community centered
49
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:37,880
around spiritual development
such as a monastery, ashram,
50
00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,040
cloister or other form of close
knit community.
51
00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,840
In such instances, the sexual
energy can become an extremely
52
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,560
disruptive force in the
community and can lead to far
53
00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,160
reaching negative consequences
for the group.
54
00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,480
In most cases, this issue is
addressed by segregating male
55
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,800
and female members, yet this
does not solve the issue.
56
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,040
Witness the widespread
occurrence of homosexuality or
57
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,720
pedophilia in various religious
groups that suppress sexuality
58
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,519
with vows of celibacy without
solving the underlying force of
59
00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:22,920
the vital animal drive itself.
Eventually, the underlying force
60
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,600
itself must be understood,
addressed and transformed.
61
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,480
Due to the complexity and
widespread role of sex in all of
62
00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:37,640
human life, a step by step
review will be required and in
63
00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,720
the coming days we propose to
take up these issues.
64
00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,040
Since our primary focus is on
the development of a new
65
00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:49,000
transformative stage of
conscious evolution, we
66
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,680
appreciate the eventual need to
overcome the lower vital
67
00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,920
physical nature of this force
and use the energy liberated
68
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,680
from sex to develop the new
higher consciousness.
69
00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,440
What this implies and how this
can be done must be the focus of
70
00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,560
our forthcoming comprehensive
review of the subject.
71
00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,720
This requires breaking through
all of the moral and social
72
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,760
rules and laws surrounding sex
and seeing the vital physical
73
00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,520
drive for what it is.
Not sinful, not dirty, but a
74
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,440
basic force of evolution
centered in the physical vital
75
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:34,720
nature and thus being able to
understand, overcome and master
76
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,640
this first chakra energy.
As with any power, there are
77
00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,760
both positive and negative
aspects in the most general
78
00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:47,400
sense, and there is the
evolutionary trend that requires
79
00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,600
harnessing the raw first chakra
energy and redirecting it
80
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:58,320
towards spiritual fulfillment.
Trior Vindo writes quote The
81
00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,080
sodic has to turn away entirely
from the invasion of the vital
82
00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:07,240
in the physical by the sex
impulse 4 If he does not conquer
83
00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,120
the sex impulse, there can be no
settling in the body of the
84
00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,480
divine consciousness and the
divine Ananda.
85
00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:23,080
End Quote reference Srioro Bindo
basis of Yoga chapter 4 Desire
86
00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,440
food sex page 69.
