Dec. 13, 2024
The Vital Envelope Surrounding the Body and the Ability to Ward Off Illness
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XIV Power Over Illness and Pain, pp. 113-115 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/12/10/the-vital-envelope-surrounding-the-body-and-the-ability-to-ward-off-illness/
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
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,560
Many people have had the
experience of a feeling that
2
00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:09,880
something is happening in the
body, such as a feeling of a
3
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,480
cold coming on.
In some cases the feeling is
4
00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,720
very strong and the pressure is
great.
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,440
There may be some sneezing, some
tickle in the throat, some
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,080
coughing, some amount of
congestion.
7
00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,960
In other cases there is a very
faint sense of pressure.
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,560
This pressure is felt in the
vital envelope that surrounds
9
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:37,080
the body and then in the subtle
physical level before they
10
00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,040
manifest into a full blown
illness in the physical body
11
00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,200
itself.
By responding immediately to the
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,480
pressure on the vital envelope,
the incipient illness can be
13
00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:52,480
thrown off.
Some people do this through
14
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,200
action of the willpower, others
use mantras.
15
00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,800
Still others, particularly those
who have not developed a strong
16
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:05,319
dynamic force directly at that
level, may use herbs or other
17
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:10,160
remedies to convince the body
and the vital envelope that help
18
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,160
is being provided.
And then the immune system takes
19
00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,720
over to throw off the illness
before it fully manifests.
20
00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,040
Through regular practice,
attending to the subtle feelings
21
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,680
that come through a quiet
receptivity to the sensations,
22
00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,720
feelings and pressures, an
individual can habituate himself
23
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,320
to pay attention to the state of
the vital protective envelope
24
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,480
and work to strengthen and
enhance it.
25
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,000
What is not normally recognized
is that various states of mind
26
00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,320
or emotions can actually weaken
the envelope and let in the
27
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,200
illnesses.
Feelings of fear in particular,
28
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,000
create an attraction to the
force that is being feared.
29
00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,200
We see this frequently in the
case of a pandemic or highly
30
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,680
communicable diseases, that many
people succumb simply through
31
00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,039
fear of the illness which draws
it to them and opens the door,
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,360
so to speak.
A disciple asks.
33
00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,080
Illnesses enter through the
subtle body, don't they?
34
00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,800
How can they be stopped?
The mother writes quote.
35
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,920
Ah, here we are.
If one is very sensitive, very
36
00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:31,000
sensitive, one must be very
sensitive.
37
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,440
The moment they touch the subtle
body and try to pass through, 1
38
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,240
feels it.
It is not like something
39
00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,360
touching the body, it is a sort
of feeling.
40
00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,360
If you are able to perceive it
at that moment, you have still
41
00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,000
the power to say no and it goes
away.
42
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,000
But for this one must be
extremely sensitive.
43
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,840
However that develops, all these
things can be developed
44
00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,680
methodically by the will.
You can become quite conscious
45
00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:07,200
of this envelope, and if you
develop it sufficiently, you
46
00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,040
don't even need to look and see.
You feel that something has
47
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,080
touched you.
I can give you an instance of
48
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,720
this.
There are many similar ones.
49
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,400
Someone was seeking to establish
a constant and conscious
50
00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:26,320
contact, absolutely constant and
conscious, with the inner
51
00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,280
Godhead, not only with the
psychic being, but the divine
52
00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,520
presence in the psychic being.
And she had decided that she
53
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,440
would be like this, that she
would busy herself with nothing
54
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,200
else, that is to say, whatever
she might be doing.
55
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,920
Her concentration was upon this.
And even when she went out
56
00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,240
walking in the street, her
concentration was upon this.
57
00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,080
She lived in a big city where
there was much traffic, buses,
58
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:01,440
tramways, etcetera, many things.
And to cross the street one had
59
00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:06,880
to be considerably careful, wide
awake and attentive, otherwise
60
00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,960
one could get run over.
But this person had resolved
61
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,400
that she would not come out of
her concentration.
62
00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,839
One day when she was crossing
one of the big avenues with all
63
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,520
its cars and tramways still deep
in her concentration, in her
64
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,520
inner seeking, she suddenly felt
at about an arm's length a
65
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,680
little shock like this.
She jumped back and a car passed
66
00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,720
just by her side.
If she had not jumped back, she
67
00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,600
would have been run over.
This is an extreme point, but
68
00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,040
without going so far, one can
very easily feel a kind of
69
00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,760
little discomfort.
It is not something which is
70
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,880
imposed with a great force, a
little uneasiness coming near
71
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,280
you from anywhere at all, front,
behind, above, below.
72
00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:02,320
If at that moment you are
sufficiently alert, you say no,
73
00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,080
as though you were cutting off
the contact with great strength,
74
00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,600
and it is finished.
If you are not conscious at that
75
00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,480
moment, the next minute or a few
minutes later, you get a queer
76
00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:20,760
sick feeling inside, a cold in
the back, a little uneasiness,
77
00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,040
the beginning of some
disharmony.
78
00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,120
You feel a maladjustment
somewhere, as though the general
79
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,600
harmony had been disturbed.
Then you must concentrate all
80
00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,440
the more, and with a great
strength of will, keep the faith
81
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,600
that nothing can do you harm,
nothing can touch you.
82
00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,880
This suffices.
You can throw off the illness at
83
00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,560
that moment, but you must do
this immediately.
84
00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:50,680
You understand?
You must not wait 5 minutes, it
85
00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,360
must be done at once.
If you wait too long and begin
86
00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,400
to feel really an uneasiness
somewhere and something begins
87
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,880
to get quite disturbed, then it
is good to sit down, concentrate
88
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,480
and call the force.
Concentrate it to the place
89
00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,240
which is getting disturbed, that
is to say, which is beginning to
90
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,760
become ill.
But if you don't do anything at
91
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,200
all, an illness indeed gets
lodged somewhere.
92
00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:24,760
And all this because you are not
sufficiently alert.
93
00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:30,440
And sometimes one is obliged to
follow the entire curved to find
94
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,480
the favorable moment again and
get rid of the business.
95
00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,840
I have said somewhere that in
the physical domain all is a
96
00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:41,200
question of method.
A method is necessary for
97
00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,520
realizing everything, and if the
illness has succeeded in
98
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:50,160
touching the physical, physical
well, you must follow the
99
00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,600
procedure to get rid of it.
This is what medical science
100
00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,440
calls the course of the illness.
One can hasten the course with
101
00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,600
the help of spiritual forces,
but all the same, the procedure
102
00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,920
must be followed.
There are some four different
103
00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,520
stages.
The very first is instantaneous,
104
00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,520
the second can be done in some
minutes, the 3rd may take
105
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,360
several hours, and the fourth
several days.
106
00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,640
And then, once The thing is
lodged there, all will depend
107
00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,720
not only on the receptivity of
the body, but still more on the
108
00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,040
willingness of the part which is
the cause of the disorder.
109
00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,160
You know, when the thing comes
from outside, it is in affinity
110
00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,840
with something inside.
If it manages to pass through,
111
00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:47,160
to enter without one's being
aware of it, it be it means
112
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,400
there is some affinity
somewhere, and the part of the
113
00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,760
being which has responded must
be convinced.
114
00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,720
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
115
00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,600
Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 14.
116
00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,880
Power over Illness and Pain,
pages 1:13 to 1:15.
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,560
Many people have had the
experience of a feeling that
2
00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:09,880
something is happening in the
body, such as a feeling of a
3
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,480
cold coming on.
In some cases the feeling is
4
00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,720
very strong and the pressure is
great.
5
00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,440
There may be some sneezing, some
tickle in the throat, some
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,080
coughing, some amount of
congestion.
7
00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,960
In other cases there is a very
faint sense of pressure.
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,560
This pressure is felt in the
vital envelope that surrounds
9
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:37,080
the body and then in the subtle
physical level before they
10
00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,040
manifest into a full blown
illness in the physical body
11
00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,200
itself.
By responding immediately to the
12
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,480
pressure on the vital envelope,
the incipient illness can be
13
00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:52,480
thrown off.
Some people do this through
14
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,200
action of the willpower, others
use mantras.
15
00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,800
Still others, particularly those
who have not developed a strong
16
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:05,319
dynamic force directly at that
level, may use herbs or other
17
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:10,160
remedies to convince the body
and the vital envelope that help
18
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,160
is being provided.
And then the immune system takes
19
00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,720
over to throw off the illness
before it fully manifests.
20
00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,040
Through regular practice,
attending to the subtle feelings
21
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,680
that come through a quiet
receptivity to the sensations,
22
00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,720
feelings and pressures, an
individual can habituate himself
23
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,320
to pay attention to the state of
the vital protective envelope
24
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,480
and work to strengthen and
enhance it.
25
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,000
What is not normally recognized
is that various states of mind
26
00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,320
or emotions can actually weaken
the envelope and let in the
27
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,200
illnesses.
Feelings of fear in particular,
28
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,000
create an attraction to the
force that is being feared.
29
00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,200
We see this frequently in the
case of a pandemic or highly
30
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,680
communicable diseases, that many
people succumb simply through
31
00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,039
fear of the illness which draws
it to them and opens the door,
32
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,360
so to speak.
A disciple asks.
33
00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,080
Illnesses enter through the
subtle body, don't they?
34
00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,800
How can they be stopped?
The mother writes quote.
35
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,920
Ah, here we are.
If one is very sensitive, very
36
00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:31,000
sensitive, one must be very
sensitive.
37
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,440
The moment they touch the subtle
body and try to pass through, 1
38
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,240
feels it.
It is not like something
39
00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,360
touching the body, it is a sort
of feeling.
40
00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,360
If you are able to perceive it
at that moment, you have still
41
00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,000
the power to say no and it goes
away.
42
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,000
But for this one must be
extremely sensitive.
43
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,840
However that develops, all these
things can be developed
44
00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,680
methodically by the will.
You can become quite conscious
45
00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:07,200
of this envelope, and if you
develop it sufficiently, you
46
00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,040
don't even need to look and see.
You feel that something has
47
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,080
touched you.
I can give you an instance of
48
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,720
this.
There are many similar ones.
49
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,400
Someone was seeking to establish
a constant and conscious
50
00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:26,320
contact, absolutely constant and
conscious, with the inner
51
00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,280
Godhead, not only with the
psychic being, but the divine
52
00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,520
presence in the psychic being.
And she had decided that she
53
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,440
would be like this, that she
would busy herself with nothing
54
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,200
else, that is to say, whatever
she might be doing.
55
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,920
Her concentration was upon this.
And even when she went out
56
00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,240
walking in the street, her
concentration was upon this.
57
00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,080
She lived in a big city where
there was much traffic, buses,
58
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:01,440
tramways, etcetera, many things.
And to cross the street one had
59
00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:06,880
to be considerably careful, wide
awake and attentive, otherwise
60
00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,960
one could get run over.
But this person had resolved
61
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,400
that she would not come out of
her concentration.
62
00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,839
One day when she was crossing
one of the big avenues with all
63
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,520
its cars and tramways still deep
in her concentration, in her
64
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,520
inner seeking, she suddenly felt
at about an arm's length a
65
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,680
little shock like this.
She jumped back and a car passed
66
00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,720
just by her side.
If she had not jumped back, she
67
00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,600
would have been run over.
This is an extreme point, but
68
00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,040
without going so far, one can
very easily feel a kind of
69
00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,760
little discomfort.
It is not something which is
70
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,880
imposed with a great force, a
little uneasiness coming near
71
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,280
you from anywhere at all, front,
behind, above, below.
72
00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:02,320
If at that moment you are
sufficiently alert, you say no,
73
00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,080
as though you were cutting off
the contact with great strength,
74
00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,600
and it is finished.
If you are not conscious at that
75
00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,480
moment, the next minute or a few
minutes later, you get a queer
76
00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:20,760
sick feeling inside, a cold in
the back, a little uneasiness,
77
00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,040
the beginning of some
disharmony.
78
00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,120
You feel a maladjustment
somewhere, as though the general
79
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,600
harmony had been disturbed.
Then you must concentrate all
80
00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,440
the more, and with a great
strength of will, keep the faith
81
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,600
that nothing can do you harm,
nothing can touch you.
82
00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,880
This suffices.
You can throw off the illness at
83
00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,560
that moment, but you must do
this immediately.
84
00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:50,680
You understand?
You must not wait 5 minutes, it
85
00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,360
must be done at once.
If you wait too long and begin
86
00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,400
to feel really an uneasiness
somewhere and something begins
87
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,880
to get quite disturbed, then it
is good to sit down, concentrate
88
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,480
and call the force.
Concentrate it to the place
89
00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,240
which is getting disturbed, that
is to say, which is beginning to
90
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,760
become ill.
But if you don't do anything at
91
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,200
all, an illness indeed gets
lodged somewhere.
92
00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:24,760
And all this because you are not
sufficiently alert.
93
00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:30,440
And sometimes one is obliged to
follow the entire curved to find
94
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,480
the favorable moment again and
get rid of the business.
95
00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,840
I have said somewhere that in
the physical domain all is a
96
00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:41,200
question of method.
A method is necessary for
97
00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,520
realizing everything, and if the
illness has succeeded in
98
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:50,160
touching the physical, physical
well, you must follow the
99
00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,600
procedure to get rid of it.
This is what medical science
100
00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,440
calls the course of the illness.
One can hasten the course with
101
00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,600
the help of spiritual forces,
but all the same, the procedure
102
00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,920
must be followed.
There are some four different
103
00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,520
stages.
The very first is instantaneous,
104
00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,520
the second can be done in some
minutes, the 3rd may take
105
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,360
several hours, and the fourth
several days.
106
00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,640
And then, once The thing is
lodged there, all will depend
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not only on the receptivity of
the body, but still more on the
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00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,040
willingness of the part which is
the cause of the disorder.
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00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,160
You know, when the thing comes
from outside, it is in affinity
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with something inside.
If it manages to pass through,
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00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:47,160
to enter without one's being
aware of it, it be it means
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00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,400
there is some affinity
somewhere, and the part of the
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00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,760
being which has responded must
be convinced.
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End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
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Mother.
Powers within, Chapter 14.
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00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,880
Power over Illness and Pain,
pages 1:13 to 1:15.