Understanding and Dealing with the Subtle Vital Interchange in Human Relationships

1
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:06,880
We undergo changes of mood,
feelings, responses, and do not

2
00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:11,000
generally try to understand how
these things come about, their

3
00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,920
source and impact upon our own
state of being.

4
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,680
In some cases, we actually
associate cause and effect with

5
00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,280
an interaction with another
individual, such as when we

6
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,400
exclaim that we are avoiding
meeting a particular person

7
00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,640
because it is a draining
experience.

8
00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,960
This rare recognition is,
however, a sign of the deeper

9
00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,560
interactions that are taking
place constantly between people.

10
00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,720
We do not tend to recognize that
we are subtly influenced in our

11
00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,440
vital being by the vibrational
pattern of the individuals we

12
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,480
are interacting with, such that
we may suddenly have an urge to

13
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:56,440
eat, or experience a form of
trepidation or inner discomfort,

14
00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,320
or feel like taking a nap.
People who associate with

15
00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,800
individuals who use certain
forms of recreational drugs

16
00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,920
frequently describe what they
call a contact high, where they

17
00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,040
are not themselves using those
drugs, but the experience of the

18
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,320
individual they are in contact
with is communicating the

19
00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:21,120
euphoric sensation to them
vicariously.

20
00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:25,920
Similarly, we sometimes feel a
sense of depression looming

21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,800
around us when we interact with
someone who is deeply depressed.

22
00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:35,440
On the other side, we can
interact with people who are

23
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:40,120
intensely focused on a mental
project or a spiritual state of

24
00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,760
being and feel suddenly like we
either are concentrated in our

25
00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:50,240
being or we feel a state of
profound peace, goodwill,

26
00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,800
aspiration, or consecration
associated with picking up the

27
00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:00,360
vibration of an individual or
individuals who are themselves

28
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,640
in that state of being.
Most of this takes place

29
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,199
subconsciously, so we do not
directly tend to associate our

30
00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:13,520
internal sense with the external
relationship that is actually

31
00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,200
creating the vital vibratory
pattern that we associate with

32
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,840
that state.
The spiritual seeker who

33
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:26,200
recognizes the reality of this
type of vital interchange has

34
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:31,040
several ways to deal with it.
Traditionally, the individual is

35
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,560
asked to isolate himself from
this type of vital interaction

36
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:39,440
to be able to focus on his
spiritual development if one

37
00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:44,040
remains active in the world.
However, this is not an ideal or

38
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,640
even a truly workable solution
for such individuals.

39
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,560
The increased awareness of these
subtle interactions is a first

40
00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:58,040
step to be attained thereafter.
He can exercise various forms of

41
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,280
vital protection through
strengthening of the aura or

42
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,120
through mental or spiritual
control that recognizes the

43
00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:11,080
force coming in but consciously
rejects it and its influence,

44
00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,080
Sri Aurobindo observes, Quote
No, people are not conscious of

45
00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,800
these things.
Only a few are.

46
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,840
The vital exchange is there, but
they are not aware of it because

47
00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,280
they live in the external mind,
physical, and these things go on

48
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,840
behind.
Even if they feel more energetic

49
00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,680
after an interchange, or
depressed, or tired, they would

50
00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,360
not attribute it to the talk or
contact, because the interchange

51
00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:45,200
is unconscious, their external
mind in which they live not

52
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,800
being aware of it.
I don't suppose people are at

53
00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,880
all aware of this occult
commerce.

54
00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,840
Some, like Dodet, may observe
the expenditure or throwing out

55
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:01,240
of forces, but not the pulling
or the effect on others.

56
00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,000
The idea of mental interchange
is familiar, though only of the

57
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,200
superficial kind, not the silent
action of mind on mind which is

58
00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,960
always going on.
But the vital impacts are known

59
00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:20,040
only to a few occultists.
If one becomes very conscious,

60
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,480
one can become aware of the
forces acting in and from all

61
00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:31,040
around, EG forces of joy or
depression or anger.

62
00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,800
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother, The

63
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,920
Hidden Forces of Life, Chapter
One, Life Through the Eyes of

64
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,360
the Yogin, pages 17 to 18.