Jan. 22, 2025
The Universality of the Spiritual Presence in All Existence
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XX The Psychic, pp. 153-154 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/20/the-universality-of-the-spiritual-presence-in-all-existence/
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
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,840
We are educated and habituated
to focus on our differences.
2
00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:09,200
We see different gender,
different class, different
3
00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,680
racial characteristics,
different religious backgrounds,
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,920
different temperaments,
different interests and focus,
5
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,000
different value sets, different
philosophies of life and living,
6
00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,280
different levels of education,
different capacities from one
7
00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:31,760
individual to the next.
And we thus begin to evaluate
8
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,000
and judge everything through
this lens of our differences.
9
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,400
It is this focus on differences
that keeps us apart and prevents
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,920
us from seeing and experiencing
the Oneness, the universal
11
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,680
spiritual presence that
contains, constitutes, permeates
12
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,920
and inhabits the entire
Creation.
13
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,080
Understanding the distinguishing
factors is important, but this
14
00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,040
must be balanced with the
perception of unity in order to
15
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,600
appreciate the harmony of the
Divine manifestation.
16
00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,640
The Mother distinguishes this
universal spiritual presence
17
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:18,720
from the actual formed psychic
being which develops through a
18
00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,960
long maturation process across
many lifetimes of experience.
19
00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,200
Most people are not fully in
touch with this psychic being,
20
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,320
but when it comes forward and
takes control over the actions
21
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,600
of mind, life and body, it puts
the individual into direct
22
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:40,120
contact with the Divine and the
divine intention in the
23
00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,840
manifestation.
Even just a spiritual presence
24
00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,200
in the background, so to say,
provides sufficient stability to
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,320
allow the evolutionary
development of nature to take
26
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,280
place without an event of total
destruction which could take
27
00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,720
place otherwise.
When the differences we note
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,640
become strident and extreme in
their attempt to control,
29
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:09,800
dominate, and suppress other
views and developments, a
30
00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,840
disciple asks Sweet mother, is
there a spiritual being in
31
00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:18,800
everybody?
The mother responds quote.
32
00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,120
That depends on what you call
being.
33
00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:28,240
If for being we substitute
presence, yes, there is a
34
00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:33,960
spiritual presence in everyone.
If we call being an organized
35
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:40,400
entity, fully conscious of
itself, independent and having
36
00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,280
the power of asserting itself
and ruling the rest of the
37
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:48,200
nature, no, the possibility of
this independent and all
38
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:53,520
powerful being is in everybody.
But the realization is the
39
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,560
result of long efforts which
sometimes extend over many lives
40
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,560
in everyone, even at the very
beginning.
41
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,480
This spiritual presence, this
inner light is there.
42
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:12,080
In fact, it is everywhere.
I have seen it many a time in
43
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,800
certain animals.
It is like a shining point which
44
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,760
is the basis of a certain
control and protection,
45
00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,160
something which even in half
consciousness makes possible a
46
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,360
certain harmony with the rest of
creation, so that irreparable
47
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,440
catastrophes may not be
constant.
48
00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,720
In general, without this
presence, the disorder created
49
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,560
by the violences and passions of
the vital would be so great that
50
00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,640
at any moment they could bring
about a general catastrophe, a
51
00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,720
sort of total destruction which
would prevent the progress of
52
00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,720
nature.
That presence, that spiritual
53
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,520
light which could almost be
called a spiritual
54
00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,280
consciousness, is within each
being and all things.
55
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:07,120
And because of it, in spite of
all discordance, all passion,
56
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:13,200
all violence, there's a minimum
of general harmony which allows
57
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,720
nature's work to be
accomplished.
58
00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,519
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
59
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:23,880
Mother Powers within.
Chapter 20.
60
00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,120
The Psychic, pages 153 to 154.
00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,840
We are educated and habituated
to focus on our differences.
2
00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:09,200
We see different gender,
different class, different
3
00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,680
racial characteristics,
different religious backgrounds,
4
00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,920
different temperaments,
different interests and focus,
5
00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,000
different value sets, different
philosophies of life and living,
6
00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,280
different levels of education,
different capacities from one
7
00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:31,760
individual to the next.
And we thus begin to evaluate
8
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,000
and judge everything through
this lens of our differences.
9
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,400
It is this focus on differences
that keeps us apart and prevents
10
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,920
us from seeing and experiencing
the Oneness, the universal
11
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,680
spiritual presence that
contains, constitutes, permeates
12
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,920
and inhabits the entire
Creation.
13
00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,080
Understanding the distinguishing
factors is important, but this
14
00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,040
must be balanced with the
perception of unity in order to
15
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,600
appreciate the harmony of the
Divine manifestation.
16
00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,640
The Mother distinguishes this
universal spiritual presence
17
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:18,720
from the actual formed psychic
being which develops through a
18
00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,960
long maturation process across
many lifetimes of experience.
19
00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,200
Most people are not fully in
touch with this psychic being,
20
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,320
but when it comes forward and
takes control over the actions
21
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,600
of mind, life and body, it puts
the individual into direct
22
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:40,120
contact with the Divine and the
divine intention in the
23
00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,840
manifestation.
Even just a spiritual presence
24
00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,200
in the background, so to say,
provides sufficient stability to
25
00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,320
allow the evolutionary
development of nature to take
26
00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,280
place without an event of total
destruction which could take
27
00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,720
place otherwise.
When the differences we note
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,640
become strident and extreme in
their attempt to control,
29
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:09,800
dominate, and suppress other
views and developments, a
30
00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,840
disciple asks Sweet mother, is
there a spiritual being in
31
00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:18,800
everybody?
The mother responds quote.
32
00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,120
That depends on what you call
being.
33
00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:28,240
If for being we substitute
presence, yes, there is a
34
00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:33,960
spiritual presence in everyone.
If we call being an organized
35
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:40,400
entity, fully conscious of
itself, independent and having
36
00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,280
the power of asserting itself
and ruling the rest of the
37
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:48,200
nature, no, the possibility of
this independent and all
38
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:53,520
powerful being is in everybody.
But the realization is the
39
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,560
result of long efforts which
sometimes extend over many lives
40
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,560
in everyone, even at the very
beginning.
41
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,480
This spiritual presence, this
inner light is there.
42
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:12,080
In fact, it is everywhere.
I have seen it many a time in
43
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,800
certain animals.
It is like a shining point which
44
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,760
is the basis of a certain
control and protection,
45
00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,160
something which even in half
consciousness makes possible a
46
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,360
certain harmony with the rest of
creation, so that irreparable
47
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,440
catastrophes may not be
constant.
48
00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,720
In general, without this
presence, the disorder created
49
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,560
by the violences and passions of
the vital would be so great that
50
00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,640
at any moment they could bring
about a general catastrophe, a
51
00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,720
sort of total destruction which
would prevent the progress of
52
00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,720
nature.
That presence, that spiritual
53
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,520
light which could almost be
called a spiritual
54
00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,280
consciousness, is within each
being and all things.
55
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:07,120
And because of it, in spite of
all discordance, all passion,
56
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:13,200
all violence, there's a minimum
of general harmony which allows
57
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,720
nature's work to be
accomplished.
58
00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,519
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
59
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:23,880
Mother Powers within.
Chapter 20.
60
00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,120
The Psychic, pages 153 to 154.