Nov. 2, 2024
The Three General Forms of Response to the Touches of Nature
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter VII Attitude, pp. 68-70 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/10/31/the-three-general-forms-of-response-to-the-touches-of-nature/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,600
Endurance can be trained and
developed.
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,800
There are entire philosophical
programs that have developed to
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,480
systematically help an
individual face the pressures
4
00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,720
and circumstances of the world
with a sense of equality and
5
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,960
equanimity.
Some of these disciplines rely
6
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,720
on acclimating the body to
handle increasing stress.
7
00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,960
One well known escape artist
from the 20th century used to
8
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,760
immerse himself in a bathtub of
ice in order to prepare his body
9
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,920
for extremely cold water during
his performances.
10
00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,880
Others do systematic training to
harden their bodies and prepare
11
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,440
them for various extreme
conditions.
12
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,520
But endurance is not just about
the physical body and its
13
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,160
reactions.
It also has to do with both the
14
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,840
vital beings reactions and the
mind's responses to situations,
15
00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,880
circumstances, events and
various forms of pressure or
16
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,560
stress.
There are many strategies that
17
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,000
have been tried, including
accustoming oneself to treat
18
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,280
positive, negative and neutral
touches equally without becoming
19
00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,680
excited or depressed.
Some strategies try to reduce
20
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,680
the influence of vital desire
overall so that those things
21
00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,040
that would be normally
attractive become less
22
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,360
important, while those things
that would be the subject of
23
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,680
repulsion or concern are treated
as of little or no importance.
24
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,040
There are others who simply try
to minimize and avoid all such
25
00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,360
touch as possible and thereby
not have to work at achieving
26
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,880
equality or equanimity under
pressure.
27
00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:48,200
This strategy is however shown
to have its drawbacks if the
28
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,680
individual ever has cause to
enter into active life, as the
29
00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,240
springs of reaction remain in
seed form and can come roaring
30
00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,520
to life when given the right
circumstances.
31
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,440
Some recognize that these are
all simply waves of vibration,
32
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,440
and in some cases it is the
intensity of the wave that
33
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,040
creates the difficulty, the
inability to withstand or hold
34
00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,800
it without shrinking or breaking
in some way.
35
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,480
In these cases the approach is
either to work on widening the
36
00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,120
being to be able to handle a
greater intensity, or
37
00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,880
strengthening the being so that
it can handle more.
38
00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,840
The physical, vital and mental
reactions are also very much
39
00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:39,000
influenced by the three gunas or
qualities of nature, which keep
40
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,280
changing all the time within
each individual, so that now one
41
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,800
is in the ascendant and at
another time another one is in
42
00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,400
the ascendant.
This implies that the same
43
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,760
individual, confronted with two
somewhat similar circumstances
44
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,800
may respond differently
depending on the guna which is
45
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,440
at that moment driving his
actions and reactions, Sri
46
00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,880
Aurobindo observes.
Quote The principle of endurance
47
00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,600
relies on the strength of the
spirit within us to bear all the
48
00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:17,600
contacts, impacts, suggestions
of this phenomenal nature that
49
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:22,240
besiege us on every side without
being overborne by them and
50
00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,600
compelled to bear their
emotional, sensational, dynamic,
51
00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,240
intellectual reactions.
The outer mind and the lower
52
00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,960
nature has not this strength.
Its strength is that of a
53
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,240
limited force of consciousness,
which has to do the best it can
54
00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,120
with all that comes in upon it
or besieges it from the greater.
55
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,960
We're all of consciousness and
energy which environs it on this
56
00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,680
plane of existence.
That it can maintain itself at
57
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,360
all and affirm its individual
being in the universe is due
58
00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,280
indeed to the strength of the
spirit within it.
59
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,960
But it cannot bring forward the
whole of that strength or the
60
00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,600
Infinity of that force to meet
the attacks of life.
61
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,880
If it could, it would be at once
the equal and master of its
62
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,960
world.
In fact, it has to manage as it
63
00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,040
can.
It meets certain impacts and is
64
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,800
able to assimilate, equate or
master them partially or
65
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,720
completely, for a time or
wholly.
66
00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,800
And then it has in that degree
the emotional and sensational
67
00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:37,800
reactions of joy, pleasure,
satisfaction, liking, love, et
68
00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,760
cetera, or the intellectual and
mental reactions of acceptance,
69
00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,480
approval, understanding,
knowledge, preference.
70
00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,640
And on these its will ceases
with attraction, desire, the
71
00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:58,840
attempt to prolong, to repeat,
to create, to possess, to make
72
00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:01,640
them the pleasurable habits of
its life.
73
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,920
Other impacts it meets, but
finds them too strong for it, or
74
00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,880
too dissimilar and discordant,
or too weak to give it
75
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,400
satisfaction.
These are things which it cannot
76
00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,080
bear, or cannot equate with
itself, or cannot assimilate.
77
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:23,720
And it is obliged to give to
them reactions of grief, pain,
78
00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:29,000
discomfort, dissatisfaction,
disliking, disapproval,
79
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:34,400
rejection, inability to
understand or know, refusal of
80
00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,080
admission against them.
It seeks to protect itself, to
81
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,240
escape from them, to avoid or
minimize their recurrence.
82
00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,840
It has with regard to them
movements of fear, anger,
83
00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:54,440
shrinking, horror, aversion,
disgust, shame, would gladly be
84
00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,680
delivered from them, but it
cannot get away from them, for
85
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,200
it is bound to, and even invites
the causes and therefore the
86
00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,240
results.
For these impacts are part of
87
00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:11,560
life tangled up with the things
we desire, and the inability to
88
00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,720
deal with them is part of the
imperfection of our nature.
89
00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:20,400
Other impacts again, the normal
mind succeeds in holding at Bay
90
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,880
or neutralizing, and to these it
has a natural reaction of
91
00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,920
indifference, insensibility, or
tolerance, which is neither
92
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:34,320
positive acceptance and
enjoyment nor rejection or
93
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,800
suffering.
To things, persons, happenings,
94
00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,960
ideas, workings, whatever
presents itself to the mind,
95
00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,440
there are always these three
kinds of reaction.
96
00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,680
At the same time, in spite of
their generality, there is
97
00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,440
nothing absolute about them.
They form a scheme for a
98
00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,800
habitual scale which is not
precisely the same for all or
99
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,560
even for the same mind at
different times or in different
100
00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,040
conditions.
The same impact may arouse in it
101
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:13,000
at one time and another, the
pleasurable or positive, the
102
00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,760
adverse or negative or the
indifferent or neutral
103
00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,440
reactions.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
104
00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:28,920
and the Mother Powers within,
Chapter 7 Attitude, pages 68 to
105
00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:29,600
70.
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,600
Endurance can be trained and
developed.
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,800
There are entire philosophical
programs that have developed to
3
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,480
systematically help an
individual face the pressures
4
00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,720
and circumstances of the world
with a sense of equality and
5
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,960
equanimity.
Some of these disciplines rely
6
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,720
on acclimating the body to
handle increasing stress.
7
00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,960
One well known escape artist
from the 20th century used to
8
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,760
immerse himself in a bathtub of
ice in order to prepare his body
9
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,920
for extremely cold water during
his performances.
10
00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,880
Others do systematic training to
harden their bodies and prepare
11
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,440
them for various extreme
conditions.
12
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,520
But endurance is not just about
the physical body and its
13
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,160
reactions.
It also has to do with both the
14
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,840
vital beings reactions and the
mind's responses to situations,
15
00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,880
circumstances, events and
various forms of pressure or
16
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,560
stress.
There are many strategies that
17
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,000
have been tried, including
accustoming oneself to treat
18
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,280
positive, negative and neutral
touches equally without becoming
19
00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,680
excited or depressed.
Some strategies try to reduce
20
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,680
the influence of vital desire
overall so that those things
21
00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,040
that would be normally
attractive become less
22
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,360
important, while those things
that would be the subject of
23
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,680
repulsion or concern are treated
as of little or no importance.
24
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,040
There are others who simply try
to minimize and avoid all such
25
00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,360
touch as possible and thereby
not have to work at achieving
26
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,880
equality or equanimity under
pressure.
27
00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:48,200
This strategy is however shown
to have its drawbacks if the
28
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,680
individual ever has cause to
enter into active life, as the
29
00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,240
springs of reaction remain in
seed form and can come roaring
30
00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,520
to life when given the right
circumstances.
31
00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,440
Some recognize that these are
all simply waves of vibration,
32
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,440
and in some cases it is the
intensity of the wave that
33
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:14,040
creates the difficulty, the
inability to withstand or hold
34
00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,800
it without shrinking or breaking
in some way.
35
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,480
In these cases the approach is
either to work on widening the
36
00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,120
being to be able to handle a
greater intensity, or
37
00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,880
strengthening the being so that
it can handle more.
38
00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,840
The physical, vital and mental
reactions are also very much
39
00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:39,000
influenced by the three gunas or
qualities of nature, which keep
40
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,280
changing all the time within
each individual, so that now one
41
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,800
is in the ascendant and at
another time another one is in
42
00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,400
the ascendant.
This implies that the same
43
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,760
individual, confronted with two
somewhat similar circumstances
44
00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,800
may respond differently
depending on the guna which is
45
00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,440
at that moment driving his
actions and reactions, Sri
46
00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,880
Aurobindo observes.
Quote The principle of endurance
47
00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,600
relies on the strength of the
spirit within us to bear all the
48
00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:17,600
contacts, impacts, suggestions
of this phenomenal nature that
49
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:22,240
besiege us on every side without
being overborne by them and
50
00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,600
compelled to bear their
emotional, sensational, dynamic,
51
00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,240
intellectual reactions.
The outer mind and the lower
52
00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,960
nature has not this strength.
Its strength is that of a
53
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,240
limited force of consciousness,
which has to do the best it can
54
00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,120
with all that comes in upon it
or besieges it from the greater.
55
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,960
We're all of consciousness and
energy which environs it on this
56
00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,680
plane of existence.
That it can maintain itself at
57
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,360
all and affirm its individual
being in the universe is due
58
00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,280
indeed to the strength of the
spirit within it.
59
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,960
But it cannot bring forward the
whole of that strength or the
60
00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,600
Infinity of that force to meet
the attacks of life.
61
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,880
If it could, it would be at once
the equal and master of its
62
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,960
world.
In fact, it has to manage as it
63
00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,040
can.
It meets certain impacts and is
64
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,800
able to assimilate, equate or
master them partially or
65
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,720
completely, for a time or
wholly.
66
00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,800
And then it has in that degree
the emotional and sensational
67
00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:37,800
reactions of joy, pleasure,
satisfaction, liking, love, et
68
00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,760
cetera, or the intellectual and
mental reactions of acceptance,
69
00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,480
approval, understanding,
knowledge, preference.
70
00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,640
And on these its will ceases
with attraction, desire, the
71
00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:58,840
attempt to prolong, to repeat,
to create, to possess, to make
72
00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:01,640
them the pleasurable habits of
its life.
73
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,920
Other impacts it meets, but
finds them too strong for it, or
74
00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,880
too dissimilar and discordant,
or too weak to give it
75
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,400
satisfaction.
These are things which it cannot
76
00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,080
bear, or cannot equate with
itself, or cannot assimilate.
77
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:23,720
And it is obliged to give to
them reactions of grief, pain,
78
00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:29,000
discomfort, dissatisfaction,
disliking, disapproval,
79
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:34,400
rejection, inability to
understand or know, refusal of
80
00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,080
admission against them.
It seeks to protect itself, to
81
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,240
escape from them, to avoid or
minimize their recurrence.
82
00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,840
It has with regard to them
movements of fear, anger,
83
00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:54,440
shrinking, horror, aversion,
disgust, shame, would gladly be
84
00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,680
delivered from them, but it
cannot get away from them, for
85
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,200
it is bound to, and even invites
the causes and therefore the
86
00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,240
results.
For these impacts are part of
87
00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:11,560
life tangled up with the things
we desire, and the inability to
88
00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,720
deal with them is part of the
imperfection of our nature.
89
00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:20,400
Other impacts again, the normal
mind succeeds in holding at Bay
90
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,880
or neutralizing, and to these it
has a natural reaction of
91
00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,920
indifference, insensibility, or
tolerance, which is neither
92
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:34,320
positive acceptance and
enjoyment nor rejection or
93
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,800
suffering.
To things, persons, happenings,
94
00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,960
ideas, workings, whatever
presents itself to the mind,
95
00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,440
there are always these three
kinds of reaction.
96
00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,680
At the same time, in spite of
their generality, there is
97
00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,440
nothing absolute about them.
They form a scheme for a
98
00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,800
habitual scale which is not
precisely the same for all or
99
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,560
even for the same mind at
different times or in different
100
00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,040
conditions.
The same impact may arouse in it
101
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:13,000
at one time and another, the
pleasurable or positive, the
102
00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,760
adverse or negative or the
indifferent or neutral
103
00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,440
reactions.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
104
00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:28,920
and the Mother Powers within,
Chapter 7 Attitude, pages 68 to
105
00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:29,600
70.