Jan. 22, 2026
The Sex Impulse, the Subconscient and the Spiritual Practice
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pg. 80This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/the-sex-impulse-the-subconscient-and-the-spiritual-practice/
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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 #Brahmacharya #celibacy #sex impulse #subconscient #spirituality
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,360
The waking consciousness takes
notice of only a very small
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:09,840
fraction of all the impressions
that reach the senses, not all
3
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,520
impressions or direct sense
impressions, as some impinge
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,880
directly on the aura or on the
mental substance without
5
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,280
involving the five external
senses.
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,440
Of those directly noted, only a
small percentage are actually
7
00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,320
accepted consciously and acted
upon, while we do not generally
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,440
take cognizance of them.
These impressions are captured
9
00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:39,200
and held in the subconscient
being when the waking
10
00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,280
consciousness withdraws and
along with it the active mental
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,800
control that it exerts.
The unnoticed and undigested
12
00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,720
impressions have the ability to
rise and take the form of dreams
13
00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,600
in many cases, as well as a
general restlessness during
14
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,480
sleep.
When we live an isolated life
15
00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,160
away from modern media and the
energetic force of modern
16
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,800
society.
We obviously do not capture as
17
00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,560
many of these impressions
directly as we do if we are
18
00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,840
actively involved in the
external life of the world, for
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,760
example, as the world has become
hypersexualized in its imagery
20
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,000
and energy.
Even those who are focused on
21
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,440
other things or who actively
reject sexual energies from
22
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:34,120
their being are exposed to the
impressions that get embedded in
23
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,160
the subconcient layers of the
being.
24
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,280
They are to arise when the
control is absent or when
25
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,960
somehow triggered by some past
experience, event, or formation.
26
00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:53,040
The spiritual seeker may avoid
sexual expression or focus and
27
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,840
yet have an experience in dream.
This can be seen as a highly
28
00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,760
positive fact as it implies that
the sexual tendency has been
29
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,080
mostly reduced or eliminated
from the act of consciousness.
30
00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:13,080
The risk, and therefore the area
for required vigilance, is that
31
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,560
when the sexual dream arises,
the seeker will accept it or
32
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,680
even allow it to gain a foothold
in the waking consciousness
33
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,200
through action or through
imagination or visualization.
34
00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,120
The sexual impulse, as it is so
deeply bound to the physical and
35
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,320
vital nature, will always
attempt to re establish itself
36
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,360
through environmental pressure,
through the rising of sexual
37
00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,960
impulses in the subconscious,
and from there an attempt to
38
00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,560
obtain the acquiescence and
active support of the waking
39
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,960
consciousness.
At a certain point in the sadhna
40
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,440
it is possible for the seeker to
become conscious even in sleep,
41
00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:02,600
to maintain his dedicated
aspiration and thereby to reject
42
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,640
the pressure if it tries to
arise in dreams.
43
00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,000
Note that becoming conscious in
sleep does not mean fighting to
44
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,880
stay awake, but rather to infuse
the aspiration so completely
45
00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,520
into the consciousness that it
permeates even the subconscious
46
00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,280
realm of the being.
Sri Orobindo observes quote.
47
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,400
This kind of sexual attack
through sleep does not depend
48
00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,400
very much on food or anything
else that is outward.
49
00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,360
It is a mechanical habit in the
subcontinent when the sexual
50
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,840
impulse is rejected or barred
out in the waking thoughts and
51
00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,200
feelings.
It comes in this form in sleep,
52
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,600
for then there is only the
subcontinent at work, and there
53
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,560
is no conscious control.
It is a sign of sexual desire,
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,920
suppressed in the waking mind
and vital, but not eliminated in
55
00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,280
the stuff of the physical
nature.
56
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,320
To eliminate it one must first
be careful to harbour no sexual
57
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,520
imagination or feeling in the
waking state, next to put a
58
00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,279
strong will on the body, and
especially on the sexual centre,
59
00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,360
that there should be nothing of
the kind in sleep.
60
00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,840
This may not succeed at once,
but if persevered in for a long
61
00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:30,520
time, it usually has a result.
The subcontinent begins to obey.
62
00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:37,880
End Quote reference Srioro
window bases of yoga chapter 4
63
00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,280
desire food sex page 80.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,360
The waking consciousness takes
notice of only a very small
2
00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:09,840
fraction of all the impressions
that reach the senses, not all
3
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,520
impressions or direct sense
impressions, as some impinge
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,880
directly on the aura or on the
mental substance without
5
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,280
involving the five external
senses.
6
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,440
Of those directly noted, only a
small percentage are actually
7
00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,320
accepted consciously and acted
upon, while we do not generally
8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,440
take cognizance of them.
These impressions are captured
9
00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:39,200
and held in the subconscient
being when the waking
10
00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,280
consciousness withdraws and
along with it the active mental
11
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,800
control that it exerts.
The unnoticed and undigested
12
00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,720
impressions have the ability to
rise and take the form of dreams
13
00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,600
in many cases, as well as a
general restlessness during
14
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,480
sleep.
When we live an isolated life
15
00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,160
away from modern media and the
energetic force of modern
16
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,800
society.
We obviously do not capture as
17
00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,560
many of these impressions
directly as we do if we are
18
00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,840
actively involved in the
external life of the world, for
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,760
example, as the world has become
hypersexualized in its imagery
20
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,000
and energy.
Even those who are focused on
21
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,440
other things or who actively
reject sexual energies from
22
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:34,120
their being are exposed to the
impressions that get embedded in
23
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,160
the subconcient layers of the
being.
24
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,280
They are to arise when the
control is absent or when
25
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,960
somehow triggered by some past
experience, event, or formation.
26
00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:53,040
The spiritual seeker may avoid
sexual expression or focus and
27
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,840
yet have an experience in dream.
This can be seen as a highly
28
00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,760
positive fact as it implies that
the sexual tendency has been
29
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,080
mostly reduced or eliminated
from the act of consciousness.
30
00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:13,080
The risk, and therefore the area
for required vigilance, is that
31
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,560
when the sexual dream arises,
the seeker will accept it or
32
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,680
even allow it to gain a foothold
in the waking consciousness
33
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,200
through action or through
imagination or visualization.
34
00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,120
The sexual impulse, as it is so
deeply bound to the physical and
35
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,320
vital nature, will always
attempt to re establish itself
36
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,360
through environmental pressure,
through the rising of sexual
37
00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,960
impulses in the subconscious,
and from there an attempt to
38
00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,560
obtain the acquiescence and
active support of the waking
39
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,960
consciousness.
At a certain point in the sadhna
40
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,440
it is possible for the seeker to
become conscious even in sleep,
41
00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:02,600
to maintain his dedicated
aspiration and thereby to reject
42
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,640
the pressure if it tries to
arise in dreams.
43
00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,000
Note that becoming conscious in
sleep does not mean fighting to
44
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,880
stay awake, but rather to infuse
the aspiration so completely
45
00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,520
into the consciousness that it
permeates even the subconscious
46
00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,280
realm of the being.
Sri Orobindo observes quote.
47
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,400
This kind of sexual attack
through sleep does not depend
48
00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,400
very much on food or anything
else that is outward.
49
00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,360
It is a mechanical habit in the
subcontinent when the sexual
50
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,840
impulse is rejected or barred
out in the waking thoughts and
51
00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,200
feelings.
It comes in this form in sleep,
52
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,600
for then there is only the
subcontinent at work, and there
53
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,560
is no conscious control.
It is a sign of sexual desire,
54
00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,920
suppressed in the waking mind
and vital, but not eliminated in
55
00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,280
the stuff of the physical
nature.
56
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,320
To eliminate it one must first
be careful to harbour no sexual
57
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,520
imagination or feeling in the
waking state, next to put a
58
00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,279
strong will on the body, and
especially on the sexual centre,
59
00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,360
that there should be nothing of
the kind in sleep.
60
00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,840
This may not succeed at once,
but if persevered in for a long
61
00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:30,520
time, it usually has a result.
The subcontinent begins to obey.
62
00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:37,880
End Quote reference Srioro
window bases of yoga chapter 4
63
00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,280
desire food sex page 80.
