Nov. 25, 2025
The Value of the Witness Consciousness in the Yogic Endeavour
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pg. 44This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/23/the-value-of-the-witness-consciousness-in-the-yogic-endeavour/
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#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #Integral Yoga #witness consciousness #Divine Force
1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,480
The witness consciousness is an
extremely useful mode for the
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:10,000
seeker to adopt in any attempt
to overcome the limitations and
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,360
deformations of the external
nature, whether to try to attain
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,560
liberation and release from the
world or, as Sri Aurobindo
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,720
suggests, to work toward the
eventual divinization of life on
6
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,320
earth through the evolution of
consciousness.
7
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,640
If we look upon our being as a
receiving and transmitting
8
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,400
instrument of the forces active
in the Universal Manifestation,
9
00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,120
we begin to recognize that
stepping back from the process
10
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,680
and observing it from a
different standpoint provides an
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,560
incredible power to both avoid
entanglement with the forces
12
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,120
that are operative normally as
well as manage those forces.
13
00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,120
Utilizing the understanding
provided by this observational
14
00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,800
viewpoint to align with the
higher forces, the aspiration of
15
00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,239
the psychic entity at the centre
of the being, and to become
16
00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:08,440
receptive too and allow the
action of the higher forces
17
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,920
waiting to manifest.
Here, without this
18
00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,880
instrumentality of the witness
consciousness, we are enmeshed
19
00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,720
in the mix of forces at work
that impinge upon our body, life
20
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,280
and mind in a confused and
relatively undirected manner.
21
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,200
The witness consciousness acts
to align the being in One
22
00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,120
Direction and to focus the
attention on those energies that
23
00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:38,040
are helpful to the process of
the evolutionary action, Sri
24
00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:39,920
Aurobindo observes.
Quote.
25
00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,920
By so standing back, it will be
easier also for you to find a
26
00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:50,000
quiet poise in yourself behind
the surface struggle, from which
27
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,200
you can more effectively call in
the help to deliver you the
28
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:59,760
Divine presence.
Calm, peace, purity, force,
29
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:07,120
light, joy, wideness are above
waiting to descend in you find
30
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,880
this quietude behind, and your
mind also will become quieter.
31
00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:17,520
And through the quiet mind you
can call down the descent first
32
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,760
of the purity and peace, and
then of the Divine Force.
33
00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,200
If you can feel this peace and
purity descending into you, you
34
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,520
can then call it down again and
again till it begins to settle.
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,440
You will feel too, the Force
working in you to change the
36
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,440
movements and transform the
consciousness.
37
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,440
In this working you will be
aware of the presence and power
38
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,520
of the Mother.
Once that is done, all the rest
39
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,720
will be a question of time and
of the progressive evolution in
40
00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,920
you, of your true and divine
nature.
41
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Basis
42
00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,000
of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
difficulty, page 44.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,480
The witness consciousness is an
extremely useful mode for the
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:10,000
seeker to adopt in any attempt
to overcome the limitations and
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,360
deformations of the external
nature, whether to try to attain
4
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,560
liberation and release from the
world or, as Sri Aurobindo
5
00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,720
suggests, to work toward the
eventual divinization of life on
6
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,320
earth through the evolution of
consciousness.
7
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,640
If we look upon our being as a
receiving and transmitting
8
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,400
instrument of the forces active
in the Universal Manifestation,
9
00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,120
we begin to recognize that
stepping back from the process
10
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,680
and observing it from a
different standpoint provides an
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,560
incredible power to both avoid
entanglement with the forces
12
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,120
that are operative normally as
well as manage those forces.
13
00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,120
Utilizing the understanding
provided by this observational
14
00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,800
viewpoint to align with the
higher forces, the aspiration of
15
00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,239
the psychic entity at the centre
of the being, and to become
16
00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:08,440
receptive too and allow the
action of the higher forces
17
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,920
waiting to manifest.
Here, without this
18
00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,880
instrumentality of the witness
consciousness, we are enmeshed
19
00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,720
in the mix of forces at work
that impinge upon our body, life
20
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,280
and mind in a confused and
relatively undirected manner.
21
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,200
The witness consciousness acts
to align the being in One
22
00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,120
Direction and to focus the
attention on those energies that
23
00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:38,040
are helpful to the process of
the evolutionary action, Sri
24
00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:39,920
Aurobindo observes.
Quote.
25
00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,920
By so standing back, it will be
easier also for you to find a
26
00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:50,000
quiet poise in yourself behind
the surface struggle, from which
27
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,200
you can more effectively call in
the help to deliver you the
28
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:59,760
Divine presence.
Calm, peace, purity, force,
29
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:07,120
light, joy, wideness are above
waiting to descend in you find
30
00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,880
this quietude behind, and your
mind also will become quieter.
31
00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:17,520
And through the quiet mind you
can call down the descent first
32
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,760
of the purity and peace, and
then of the Divine Force.
33
00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,200
If you can feel this peace and
purity descending into you, you
34
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,520
can then call it down again and
again till it begins to settle.
35
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,440
You will feel too, the Force
working in you to change the
36
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,440
movements and transform the
consciousness.
37
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,440
In this working you will be
aware of the presence and power
38
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,520
of the Mother.
Once that is done, all the rest
39
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,720
will be a question of time and
of the progressive evolution in
40
00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,920
you, of your true and divine
nature.
41
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo, Basis
42
00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,000
of Yoga, Chapter 3 in
difficulty, page 44.
