April 17, 2025
The Way to Help Others
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pp. 53-54This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/the-way-to-help-others/
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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,880
It is a characteristic trait of
the human ego personality that
2
00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,760
we easily see faults and issues
in others and in external
3
00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,720
circumstances that we fail to
see within ourselves.
4
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,280
But how do we recognize
something outside if we have no
5
00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,040
way to relate to it?
If we do not produce the
6
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:28,320
vibrational pattern within
ourselves and interpret it, all
7
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:33,160
of our activities, political,
economic, humanitarian,
8
00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,360
technical, supportive, are
essentially meant to comfort or
9
00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,480
help in various ways in the
external life and mitigate
10
00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:46,280
suffering to some degree.
They are more or less like
11
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,360
bandages applied over a wound.
They do not generally go to the
12
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,320
root of the issue nor provide
solutions to eliminate the
13
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,840
suffering or the cause of the
suffering.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,280
The key to getting at the actual
underlying issue is the internal
15
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,320
awareness of the force that
creates these situations as they
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,840
impact the individual being and
set up a vibrational pattern
17
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,280
internally.
As the seeker becomes aware of
18
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,640
these things inwardly, he can
begin to act upon them, not in
19
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:24,760
others, but in himself.
As he succeeds in changing the
20
00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,960
impact of these vibrations and
gaining mastery over them so
21
00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,880
that they cannot transmit
further through him, he also
22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,920
gains the power at that moment
to communicate that capacity to
23
00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:43,120
others, not necessarily through
outward means, but through his
24
00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:48,560
vibrational control.
He may be the first monkey in
25
00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,880
the story of the 100th monkey,
or somewhere in between, or the
26
00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,240
100th monkey, so to speak, that
creates the vibrational pattern
27
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,760
then available to all humanity.
This is the way to solve the
28
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,400
issue and help others, which
goes far beyond all our external
29
00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,480
solutions.
This is not to say that one
30
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,680
should disregard the need for
the bandage from time to time
31
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,080
along the way.
Those who are called to provide
32
00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,080
humanitarian assistance or
develop some external means to
33
00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,480
help along the way should
certainly not be discouraged.
34
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:32,560
Yet the true solution will be
found within through a change of
35
00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,920
consciousness, the mother
observes.
36
00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,160
Quote each one.
This totality of substance
37
00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,080
constituting your inner and
outer body, the totality of
38
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,640
substance with which your being
is built, from the outermost to
39
00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:51,760
the innermost, is a field of
work.
40
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,640
It is as though one had gathered
together carefully, accumulated
41
00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:00,600
a certain number of vibrations,
and put them at your disposal
42
00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,400
for you to work upon them fully.
It is like a field of action,
43
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:11,120
constantly at your disposal,
night and day, waking or asleep
44
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,880
all the time.
Nobody can take it away from
45
00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,280
you.
It is wonderful.
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:22,480
You may refuse to use it, as
most men do, but it is a mass to
47
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,880
be transformed that is there in
your hands, fully at your
48
00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,800
disposal, given to you for you
to learn to work upon it.
49
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,960
So the most important thing is
to begin by doing that.
50
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,760
You can do nothing with others
unless you are able to do it
51
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,120
with yourself.
You can never give a good advice
52
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,440
to anyone unless you are able to
give it to yourself 1st and to
53
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,680
follow it.
And if you see a difficulty
54
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,480
somewhere, the best way of
changing this difficulty is to
55
00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,240
change it in yourself first.
If you see a defect in anyone,
56
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:04,680
you may be sure it is in you,
and you begin to change it in
57
00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,800
yourself.
And when you will have changed
58
00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,880
it in yourself, you will be
strong enough to change it in
59
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,000
others.
And this is a wonderful thing.
60
00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,880
People don't realize what an
infinite grace it is that this
61
00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,520
universe is arranged in such a
way that there is a collection
62
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,000
of substance, from the most
material to the highest
63
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:31,280
spiritual, all that gathered
together into what is called a
64
00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,880
small individual, but at the
disposal of a central will.
65
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,000
And that is yours, your field of
work.
66
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,280
Nobody can take it away from
you.
67
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,520
It is your own property, and to
the extent you can work upon it,
68
00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,400
you will be able to have an
action upon the world, but only
69
00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,040
to that extent.
One must do more for oneself
70
00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,000
besides than one does for
others.
71
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,400
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
72
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,640
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 2.
73
00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,440
Looking at Oneself and Others,
pages 53 to 54.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,880
It is a characteristic trait of
the human ego personality that
2
00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,760
we easily see faults and issues
in others and in external
3
00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,720
circumstances that we fail to
see within ourselves.
4
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,280
But how do we recognize
something outside if we have no
5
00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,040
way to relate to it?
If we do not produce the
6
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:28,320
vibrational pattern within
ourselves and interpret it, all
7
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:33,160
of our activities, political,
economic, humanitarian,
8
00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,360
technical, supportive, are
essentially meant to comfort or
9
00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,480
help in various ways in the
external life and mitigate
10
00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:46,280
suffering to some degree.
They are more or less like
11
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,360
bandages applied over a wound.
They do not generally go to the
12
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,320
root of the issue nor provide
solutions to eliminate the
13
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,840
suffering or the cause of the
suffering.
14
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,280
The key to getting at the actual
underlying issue is the internal
15
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,320
awareness of the force that
creates these situations as they
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,840
impact the individual being and
set up a vibrational pattern
17
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,280
internally.
As the seeker becomes aware of
18
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,640
these things inwardly, he can
begin to act upon them, not in
19
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:24,760
others, but in himself.
As he succeeds in changing the
20
00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,960
impact of these vibrations and
gaining mastery over them so
21
00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,880
that they cannot transmit
further through him, he also
22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,920
gains the power at that moment
to communicate that capacity to
23
00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:43,120
others, not necessarily through
outward means, but through his
24
00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:48,560
vibrational control.
He may be the first monkey in
25
00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,880
the story of the 100th monkey,
or somewhere in between, or the
26
00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,240
100th monkey, so to speak, that
creates the vibrational pattern
27
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,760
then available to all humanity.
This is the way to solve the
28
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,400
issue and help others, which
goes far beyond all our external
29
00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,480
solutions.
This is not to say that one
30
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,680
should disregard the need for
the bandage from time to time
31
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,080
along the way.
Those who are called to provide
32
00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,080
humanitarian assistance or
develop some external means to
33
00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,480
help along the way should
certainly not be discouraged.
34
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:32,560
Yet the true solution will be
found within through a change of
35
00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,920
consciousness, the mother
observes.
36
00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,160
Quote each one.
This totality of substance
37
00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,080
constituting your inner and
outer body, the totality of
38
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,640
substance with which your being
is built, from the outermost to
39
00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:51,760
the innermost, is a field of
work.
40
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,640
It is as though one had gathered
together carefully, accumulated
41
00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:00,600
a certain number of vibrations,
and put them at your disposal
42
00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,400
for you to work upon them fully.
It is like a field of action,
43
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:11,120
constantly at your disposal,
night and day, waking or asleep
44
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,880
all the time.
Nobody can take it away from
45
00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,280
you.
It is wonderful.
46
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:22,480
You may refuse to use it, as
most men do, but it is a mass to
47
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,880
be transformed that is there in
your hands, fully at your
48
00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,800
disposal, given to you for you
to learn to work upon it.
49
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,960
So the most important thing is
to begin by doing that.
50
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,760
You can do nothing with others
unless you are able to do it
51
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,120
with yourself.
You can never give a good advice
52
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,440
to anyone unless you are able to
give it to yourself 1st and to
53
00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,680
follow it.
And if you see a difficulty
54
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,480
somewhere, the best way of
changing this difficulty is to
55
00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,240
change it in yourself first.
If you see a defect in anyone,
56
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:04,680
you may be sure it is in you,
and you begin to change it in
57
00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,800
yourself.
And when you will have changed
58
00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,880
it in yourself, you will be
strong enough to change it in
59
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,000
others.
And this is a wonderful thing.
60
00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,880
People don't realize what an
infinite grace it is that this
61
00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,520
universe is arranged in such a
way that there is a collection
62
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,000
of substance, from the most
material to the highest
63
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:31,280
spiritual, all that gathered
together into what is called a
64
00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,880
small individual, but at the
disposal of a central will.
65
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,000
And that is yours, your field of
work.
66
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,280
Nobody can take it away from
you.
67
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,520
It is your own property, and to
the extent you can work upon it,
68
00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,400
you will be able to have an
action upon the world, but only
69
00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,040
to that extent.
One must do more for oneself
70
00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,000
besides than one does for
others.
71
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,400
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
72
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,640
Mother, Looking from Within,
Chapter 2.
73
00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,440
Looking at Oneself and Others,
pages 53 to 54.