Aug. 12, 2025
The Shift to the Standpoint of the Observer of the External Nature
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 148This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/10/the-shift-to-the-standpoint-of-the-observer-of-the-external-nature/
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
1
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,840
The Purusha, the witness
consciousness, resides in each
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,880
of us.
Why then do we have to seek for
3
00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,600
liberation?
If we examine our psychological
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,880
standpoint, we can see that we
tend to identify with, to become
5
00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,600
the external ego personality
that we have assumed.
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:25,520
It is as if we put on a suit of
clothes, a costume, and in so
7
00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,640
doing we become what that suit
of clothes or costume
8
00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,440
represents, and we forget, for
the time being, the person
9
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,720
inside the costume.
We become so involved in playing
10
00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,760
the role represented by the
personality we put on that our
11
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,720
consciousness fixates itself
there and we do not reside in
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,200
the standpoint of the witness.
Rather, we are the actor
13
00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,160
participating in the action,
forgetting that we have another
14
00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,760
aspect of our existence that is
independent of our role.
15
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:04,400
At a certain stage, perhaps
under some pressure or stress,
16
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,760
we begin to wonder why we are
doing what we are doing, why we
17
00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,400
are experiencing what we are
experiencing.
18
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,280
We try to find some meaning in
the play that we take so
19
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,920
seriously.
This may lead to a drawing back
20
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,000
of our involvement with the
external life, and in so doing
21
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:29,160
we may become conscious of the
silent observer, the witness,
22
00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,160
the bird on the common tree who
eats not of the fruit of that
23
00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,680
tree as the Mundaku Punishad
pictures it.
24
00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,720
Once we become aware of the
Purusha, the drive toward
25
00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,400
liberation from and potential
mastery of the external nature
26
00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,160
can become a central motive for
the existence.
27
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,320
This leads to spiritual
practices intended to enhance
28
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,760
this separation and accomplish a
shift in standpoint from the ego
29
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:04,760
personality to the divine
standpoint, Shrioro Bindo writes
30
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,039
quote.
By itself the Purusha is
31
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,880
impersonal, but by mixing itself
with the movements of procrity
32
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,480
it makes for itself a surface of
ego and personality.
33
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,200
When it appears in its own
separate nature, then it is seen
34
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,920
to be detached and observing.
End Quote.
35
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,640
Reference.
Sri Rabindu and the Mother
36
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:36,000
Looking from within, Chapter 5.
Attitudes on the Path, page 148.
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,840
The Purusha, the witness
consciousness, resides in each
2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,880
of us.
Why then do we have to seek for
3
00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,600
liberation?
If we examine our psychological
4
00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,880
standpoint, we can see that we
tend to identify with, to become
5
00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,600
the external ego personality
that we have assumed.
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:25,520
It is as if we put on a suit of
clothes, a costume, and in so
7
00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,640
doing we become what that suit
of clothes or costume
8
00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,440
represents, and we forget, for
the time being, the person
9
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,720
inside the costume.
We become so involved in playing
10
00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,760
the role represented by the
personality we put on that our
11
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,720
consciousness fixates itself
there and we do not reside in
12
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,200
the standpoint of the witness.
Rather, we are the actor
13
00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,160
participating in the action,
forgetting that we have another
14
00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,760
aspect of our existence that is
independent of our role.
15
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:04,400
At a certain stage, perhaps
under some pressure or stress,
16
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,760
we begin to wonder why we are
doing what we are doing, why we
17
00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,400
are experiencing what we are
experiencing.
18
00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,280
We try to find some meaning in
the play that we take so
19
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,920
seriously.
This may lead to a drawing back
20
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,000
of our involvement with the
external life, and in so doing
21
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:29,160
we may become conscious of the
silent observer, the witness,
22
00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,160
the bird on the common tree who
eats not of the fruit of that
23
00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,680
tree as the Mundaku Punishad
pictures it.
24
00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,720
Once we become aware of the
Purusha, the drive toward
25
00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,400
liberation from and potential
mastery of the external nature
26
00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,160
can become a central motive for
the existence.
27
00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,320
This leads to spiritual
practices intended to enhance
28
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,760
this separation and accomplish a
shift in standpoint from the ego
29
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:04,760
personality to the divine
standpoint, Shrioro Bindo writes
30
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,039
quote.
By itself the Purusha is
31
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,880
impersonal, but by mixing itself
with the movements of procrity
32
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,480
it makes for itself a surface of
ego and personality.
33
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,200
When it appears in its own
separate nature, then it is seen
34
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,920
to be detached and observing.
End Quote.
35
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,640
Reference.
Sri Rabindu and the Mother
36
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:36,000
Looking from within, Chapter 5.
Attitudes on the Path, page 148.