Aug. 9, 2025
The Vigilance Needed to Ensure That Sattwic Calm, Peaceful Focus Does Not Get Distracted Through the Rise of Rajasic or Tamasic Reactions in the Being
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 147
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/07/the-vigilance-needed-to-ensure-that-sattwic-calm-peaceful-focus-does-not-get-distracted-through-the-rise-of-rajasic-or-tamasic-reactions-in-the-being/
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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
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,640
There's a dynamic that
frequently occurs when an
2
00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,440
individual starts to actively
take up the yogic path at a
3
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,440
certain stage of development.
The need to bring peace into the
4
00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,720
being and the need for a calm,
quiet energy to support the
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,080
practice of meditation may take
center stage.
6
00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,240
At that point, the seeker may
take steps to minimize external
7
00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:30,760
contacts, create a quiet space
and increase the time spent in
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,680
meditation and study.
The active impulsive
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,080
participation in external
affairs recedes.
10
00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:44,080
This tendency, if it is a short
term action and particularly if
11
00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,520
it remains dynamic and focused,
can be extremely useful for the
12
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,680
seeker.
In fact, for many it may be a
13
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,880
necessary stage.
The danger arises if the
14
00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,680
individual either becomes so
habituated to the attitude of
15
00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,000
withdrawal from an act of life
that he becomes imbalanced and
16
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,560
unable to withstand the
pressures of life in the world,
17
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,200
or else that the Sutwick impulse
that led to this focus in the
18
00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,800
1st place gets mixed with talus
and turns into a form of
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,880
indolence or somnolence.
In such a case, the individual
20
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,640
winds up opening himself to all
manner of thoughts, impulses,
21
00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,520
feelings, emotions and desires
that enter through the less
22
00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,000
vigilant and less conscious
state of the Temasek energy.
23
00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,320
It is very difficult to maintain
dynamic and focused meditation
24
00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:43,680
constantly for long periods of
time.
25
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,840
When the concentration slips, it
allows the mind to wander,
26
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:54,280
various impulsions to arise, and
creates a form of mental fatigue
27
00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,440
that becomes a field for these
opposing thoughts and tendencies
28
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:03,040
to rise up.
Similarly, the vital nature has
29
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,240
an inherent bias towards
activity and excitement.
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,680
Thus, it treats periods of calm,
quiet reflection as unnatural
31
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,000
and works to bring some energy
to the being.
32
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,400
This energy is not always
helpful to the sadhna, of
33
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,560
course, so it can lead to
undesirable consequences,
34
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,760
Sriorobindo writes.
Quote.
35
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,400
It is perhaps that the attitude
that you took of going on with
36
00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,880
the calm within and slowly
changing what had to be changed,
37
00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,080
postponing certain things for
the future, though not a wrong
38
00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,200
attitude in itself, made you
somewhat LAX, allowing things to
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,120
play on the surface, desires, et
cetera, which should have been
40
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,600
kept in check.
This resolution may have opened
41
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,840
the way for the old movements to
rise through this part, which
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,920
was not yet ready to change at
all, and the hostile forces,
43
00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:03,720
finding you off your guard, took
the opportunity to push the
44
00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,760
attack home.
They are always vigilant for an
45
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,640
opportunity, and there must be a
sufficient vigilance on the
46
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:17,680
sodic side to refuse it to them.
End Quote Reference Sri
47
00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,280
Aurobindo and the Mother looking
from Within, Chapter 5,
48
00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,800
Attitudes on the Path, page 147.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,640
There's a dynamic that
frequently occurs when an
2
00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,440
individual starts to actively
take up the yogic path at a
3
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,440
certain stage of development.
The need to bring peace into the
4
00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,720
being and the need for a calm,
quiet energy to support the
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,080
practice of meditation may take
center stage.
6
00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,240
At that point, the seeker may
take steps to minimize external
7
00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:30,760
contacts, create a quiet space
and increase the time spent in
8
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,680
meditation and study.
The active impulsive
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,080
participation in external
affairs recedes.
10
00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:44,080
This tendency, if it is a short
term action and particularly if
11
00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,520
it remains dynamic and focused,
can be extremely useful for the
12
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,680
seeker.
In fact, for many it may be a
13
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,880
necessary stage.
The danger arises if the
14
00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,680
individual either becomes so
habituated to the attitude of
15
00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,000
withdrawal from an act of life
that he becomes imbalanced and
16
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,560
unable to withstand the
pressures of life in the world,
17
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,200
or else that the Sutwick impulse
that led to this focus in the
18
00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,800
1st place gets mixed with talus
and turns into a form of
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,880
indolence or somnolence.
In such a case, the individual
20
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,640
winds up opening himself to all
manner of thoughts, impulses,
21
00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,520
feelings, emotions and desires
that enter through the less
22
00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,000
vigilant and less conscious
state of the Temasek energy.
23
00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,320
It is very difficult to maintain
dynamic and focused meditation
24
00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:43,680
constantly for long periods of
time.
25
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,840
When the concentration slips, it
allows the mind to wander,
26
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:54,280
various impulsions to arise, and
creates a form of mental fatigue
27
00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,440
that becomes a field for these
opposing thoughts and tendencies
28
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:03,040
to rise up.
Similarly, the vital nature has
29
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,240
an inherent bias towards
activity and excitement.
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,680
Thus, it treats periods of calm,
quiet reflection as unnatural
31
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,000
and works to bring some energy
to the being.
32
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,400
This energy is not always
helpful to the sadhna, of
33
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,560
course, so it can lead to
undesirable consequences,
34
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,760
Sriorobindo writes.
Quote.
35
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,400
It is perhaps that the attitude
that you took of going on with
36
00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,880
the calm within and slowly
changing what had to be changed,
37
00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,080
postponing certain things for
the future, though not a wrong
38
00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,200
attitude in itself, made you
somewhat LAX, allowing things to
39
00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,120
play on the surface, desires, et
cetera, which should have been
40
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,600
kept in check.
This resolution may have opened
41
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,840
the way for the old movements to
rise through this part, which
42
00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,920
was not yet ready to change at
all, and the hostile forces,
43
00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:03,720
finding you off your guard, took
the opportunity to push the
44
00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,760
attack home.
They are always vigilant for an
45
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,640
opportunity, and there must be a
sufficient vigilance on the
46
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:17,680
sodic side to refuse it to them.
End Quote Reference Sri
47
00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,280
Aurobindo and the Mother looking
from Within, Chapter 5,
48
00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,800
Attitudes on the Path, page 147.