Sept. 19, 2024
To Think Without Words
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter II Power of Thought, pp. 21-22 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/15/to-think-without-words/
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
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:06,000
We tend to associate the process
we call thinking with the linear
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,000
sequence of words that organize
our understanding in our mind.
3
00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,320
We thus associate thinking with
language and indicate that our
4
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,640
thinking is limited by the
language.
5
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,720
A language that is rich in words
and nuances will yield more
6
00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,080
advanced and complex thinking
than a language that is simpler
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:30,440
and more directly expressive of
our outer experience in the
8
00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,680
world.
According to this understanding,
9
00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,160
if we reflect upon it, however,
we can actually separate
10
00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:43,440
thinking from language, and in
doing so, we remove the
11
00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,720
limitation of language from the
process of thinking.
12
00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,560
The case of Nikola Tesla is
illuminating.
13
00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,720
In his autobiography, he
describes some of the training
14
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,200
he received as a child, which
included guessing the thoughts
15
00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:04,040
of others and the use of
visualization techniques.
16
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,000
He later described how he
developed various of his
17
00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,080
inventions not through linear
thought, but through seeing them
18
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:18,320
in his mind's eye.
Albert Einstein also indicated
19
00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:22,880
that he thought using
visualizations and images, not
20
00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,920
words, to understand the
universe.
21
00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,800
Some of the greatest thinkers
indicated that the use of
22
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,080
language for thought was
essentially a secondary process
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,960
for them.
An interesting experiment was
24
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,920
carried out by a young child for
a school project.
25
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,040
She designed a method to test
for the existence of the power
26
00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,560
of telepathy.
She paired individuals with a
27
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,040
barrier between them.
They had various shapes and
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,400
colors that one party, the
sender was to focus on in his
29
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,800
mind and the other party, the
receiver was to identify without
30
00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,520
any speech intervening.
Various pairs achieved results
31
00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,040
over 70 per cent accuracy, far
beyond the potential of random
32
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,280
chance.
Although this was obviously a
33
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,880
simple experiment and not a
double-blind study, it did
34
00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,440
provide a measure of confidence
that thought in the form of an
35
00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,960
imaged shape and colour could be
communicated silently from one
36
00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,920
person to the other with no
physical or verbal cues.
37
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,800
The power of visualization
itself acts without language.
38
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,000
People who speak different
languages are unable to easily
39
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,120
communicate abstract ideas that
depend on language, but can
40
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,600
quite easily understand
visualized images in the mind of
41
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,760
the other person.
Thought is clearly not limited
42
00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,280
to verbal structure or language,
but to a comprehensive process
43
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:07,280
of understanding that may or may
not be tied to sequential inner
44
00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:12,120
dialogue of words.
When we enter the presence of an
45
00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,920
individual who has developed the
power of thought without the use
46
00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:22,520
of words, we can experience what
many call an atmosphere which is
47
00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,800
conducive to liberating the mind
from the formal structures that
48
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,120
language imposes upon our
thinking.
49
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,920
There can come from this a new
way of seeing and understanding,
50
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,280
the mother observes.
Quote.
51
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,720
So if you want to exercise the
least effect on the mental
52
00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,960
substance, the first thing is to
learn how to think clearly.
53
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,720
And not a verbal thought which
depends on words, but a thought
54
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,680
which can dispense with words,
which can be understood in
55
00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:02,360
itself without words, which
corresponds to a fact, the fact
56
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,160
of a state of consciousness or a
fact of knowledge.
57
00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,760
Just try to think without words.
You will see where you stand.
58
00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,080
Have you never tried it?
Well, then try.
59
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,040
You have an absolutely clear and
precise understanding of what
60
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:21,920
you want to communicate to
others.
61
00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,880
It vibrates in a special way.
It has the power to give a form
62
00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:33,160
to the mental substance.
And then afterwards, as a
63
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,520
concession to human habits, you
organize a certain number of
64
00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,320
words around it to try there
much lower down, to give a
65
00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,200
verbal form to the vibration of
consciousness.
66
00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,200
But the verbal form is entirely
secondary.
67
00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:55,640
It is a kind of covering, a
rather crude one, for the power
68
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,920
of thought.
End Quote.
69
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,680
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 2.
70
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,400
Power of Thought, pages 21 to
22.
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:06,000
We tend to associate the process
we call thinking with the linear
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,000
sequence of words that organize
our understanding in our mind.
3
00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,320
We thus associate thinking with
language and indicate that our
4
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,640
thinking is limited by the
language.
5
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,720
A language that is rich in words
and nuances will yield more
6
00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,080
advanced and complex thinking
than a language that is simpler
7
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:30,440
and more directly expressive of
our outer experience in the
8
00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,680
world.
According to this understanding,
9
00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,160
if we reflect upon it, however,
we can actually separate
10
00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:43,440
thinking from language, and in
doing so, we remove the
11
00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,720
limitation of language from the
process of thinking.
12
00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,560
The case of Nikola Tesla is
illuminating.
13
00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,720
In his autobiography, he
describes some of the training
14
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,200
he received as a child, which
included guessing the thoughts
15
00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:04,040
of others and the use of
visualization techniques.
16
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,000
He later described how he
developed various of his
17
00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,080
inventions not through linear
thought, but through seeing them
18
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:18,320
in his mind's eye.
Albert Einstein also indicated
19
00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:22,880
that he thought using
visualizations and images, not
20
00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,920
words, to understand the
universe.
21
00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,800
Some of the greatest thinkers
indicated that the use of
22
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,080
language for thought was
essentially a secondary process
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,960
for them.
An interesting experiment was
24
00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,920
carried out by a young child for
a school project.
25
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,040
She designed a method to test
for the existence of the power
26
00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,560
of telepathy.
She paired individuals with a
27
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,040
barrier between them.
They had various shapes and
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,400
colors that one party, the
sender was to focus on in his
29
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,800
mind and the other party, the
receiver was to identify without
30
00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,520
any speech intervening.
Various pairs achieved results
31
00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,040
over 70 per cent accuracy, far
beyond the potential of random
32
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,280
chance.
Although this was obviously a
33
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,880
simple experiment and not a
double-blind study, it did
34
00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,440
provide a measure of confidence
that thought in the form of an
35
00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,960
imaged shape and colour could be
communicated silently from one
36
00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,920
person to the other with no
physical or verbal cues.
37
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,800
The power of visualization
itself acts without language.
38
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,000
People who speak different
languages are unable to easily
39
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,120
communicate abstract ideas that
depend on language, but can
40
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,600
quite easily understand
visualized images in the mind of
41
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,760
the other person.
Thought is clearly not limited
42
00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,280
to verbal structure or language,
but to a comprehensive process
43
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:07,280
of understanding that may or may
not be tied to sequential inner
44
00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:12,120
dialogue of words.
When we enter the presence of an
45
00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,920
individual who has developed the
power of thought without the use
46
00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:22,520
of words, we can experience what
many call an atmosphere which is
47
00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,800
conducive to liberating the mind
from the formal structures that
48
00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,120
language imposes upon our
thinking.
49
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,920
There can come from this a new
way of seeing and understanding,
50
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,280
the mother observes.
Quote.
51
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,720
So if you want to exercise the
least effect on the mental
52
00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,960
substance, the first thing is to
learn how to think clearly.
53
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,720
And not a verbal thought which
depends on words, but a thought
54
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,680
which can dispense with words,
which can be understood in
55
00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:02,360
itself without words, which
corresponds to a fact, the fact
56
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,160
of a state of consciousness or a
fact of knowledge.
57
00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,760
Just try to think without words.
You will see where you stand.
58
00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,080
Have you never tried it?
Well, then try.
59
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,040
You have an absolutely clear and
precise understanding of what
60
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:21,920
you want to communicate to
others.
61
00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,880
It vibrates in a special way.
It has the power to give a form
62
00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:33,160
to the mental substance.
And then afterwards, as a
63
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,520
concession to human habits, you
organize a certain number of
64
00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,320
words around it to try there
much lower down, to give a
65
00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,200
verbal form to the vibration of
consciousness.
66
00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,200
But the verbal form is entirely
secondary.
67
00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:55,640
It is a kind of covering, a
rather crude one, for the power
68
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,920
of thought.
End Quote.
69
00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,680
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 2.
70
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,400
Power of Thought, pages 21 to
22.