The Value of Attaining the Standpoint of the Witness Consciousness in Understanding the Complexity of Interaction of the Parts of the Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology, Introduction, Sri Aurobindo on Our Many Selves, Planes and Parts of the Being, pp. xviii-xix This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2023/06/07/the-value-of-attaining-the-standpoint-of-the-witness-consciousness-in-understanding-the-complexity-of-interaction-of-the-parts-of-the-being/
0:01 It has been famously stated that we cannot understand the system within which we are acting until we can shift our View to a standpoint outside that frame. As long as we are immersed, within any particular system or standpoint. We are locked into the Viewpoint and understanding embedded within that frame and our ability to perceive and fully appreciate the forces acting upon us is both severely limited and extremely biased. To become the Observer of the external nature. Therefore, is a prerequisite for attaining. Both self-knowledge and self-mastery. Sankhya philosophy understood these limitations and therefore set forth a method of understanding that separated the witness Consciousness, purusha from the active nature, proximity.
1:03 As we learn how to shift the standpoint to that of the witness free and separate from the actions of the nature. We can begin to see the gears turning and the forces moving in acting and interacting to create. we know of, as our external being At a certain point, we begin to gain the ability to actually untangle the convoluted and intertwine threads of impulsion and action within us. And at that point, we can see and eventually leverage this knowledge to act upon the parts and aspects of the outer nature.
1:47 Dr. Dalal notes, quote real self knowledge begins, when a separation takes place between purusa and prakruti between the self and its outer nature. Then we perceive as SRI aurobindo States. The extraordinary complexity of our own being the stimulating but also embarrassing multiplicity of our personality. The rich endless confusion of nature. Dr. Dalal continues. We also perceive that the numerous personalities which are mixed up on the surface are separate and distinct when viewed from within each personality, represents a part of the being, which has its own complex, individuality and different nature. Its own demands agreeing neither with itself, nor with the others, Speaking of the perfectly normal to visibility of the different parts of the being SRI aurobindo States. In the outer surface nature, mind psychic, vital physical are all jumbled together and it needs a strong power of introspection and self-analysis close observation, and disentanglement of the threads of thought feeling, and impulse to find out the composition of our nature and the relation and interaction of these parts upon
3:18 each other. But when one goes inside, we find the sources of all this surface action and they're the parts of our being are quite separate and clearly distinct from each other. We feel them indeed as different beings in us and just as two people in a joint action can do, they too are seen to observe criticized help or oppose and restrain each other. It is as if we were a group being each member of the group with its separate place and function and all directed by a central being who is sometimes in front above the others, Behind the scenes.
4:06 And quote, reference SRI aurobindo, and the mother, our many selves practical yogic psychology introduction. SRI aurobindo on our many selves planes and parts of the being Pages. Roman 18 to Roman 19.
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