Aug. 24, 2025
Understanding and Managing the Subconscious Part of the Being
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 155-156This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/understanding-and-managing-the-subconscious-part-of-the-being/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,520
The idea that significant events
or forces can take place within
2
00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:09,920
us during sleep or in the
twilight range between sleep and
3
00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,760
waking is something that has
been part of human understanding
4
00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,240
for thousands of years.
In particular, dreams, a
5
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,160
particular form of the sleep
state where the consciousness is
6
00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,080
attending and in some cases
participating actively, have
7
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,760
been explored to some depth in
modern Western psychology.
8
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,120
The work of Freud broke ground
with his study on the
9
00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,400
interpretation of dreams.
Jung went further to describe
10
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,400
what he called the collective
unconscious, which holds
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:48,000
archetypal images that are a
bedrock of how we experience and
12
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,280
understand the world and our
lives.
13
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,360
What has been clearly
recognized, however, has not
14
00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,400
been clearly and adequately
defined and understood.
15
00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,760
Sri Aurobindo has provided A
paradigm for understanding the
16
00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,840
different parts of the being,
and in particular, he has
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,240
explained the subconscious as a
distinct part of the being that
18
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,960
has its own characteristics and
relation to the rest of the
19
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:20,360
being.
The subconscious is a part of
20
00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,400
the being not generally under
the direct control of the
21
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,440
conscious mind.
If we use the analogy of what we
22
00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,560
see in our focus in the external
world during daytime and during
23
00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,640
night time, we may be able to
appreciate the difference.
24
00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,960
When it is daytime, our entire
view is circumscribed and
25
00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:46,120
focused on the world around us.
We do not see, nor do we
26
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,840
generally pay attention to the
universe beyond our planet and
27
00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,800
its ecosphere at night.
However, when we are no longer
28
00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,920
held captive within the
framework of the external
29
00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:04,800
planetary view, we can see the
stars, the planets, the moon,
30
00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,280
and understand that there is a
larger reality, mostly
31
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,760
subconscious or unconscious to
our normal focus that far
32
00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,280
exceeds and has mysteries we
have not breached in our daily
33
00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,120
lives.
Turning then to the subconscious
34
00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:27,160
part of the being in our
individual lives, when the act
35
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,880
of mental awareness of our day
is withdrawn into sleep, the
36
00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,440
control it exercises over what
we attend to and how we respond
37
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,480
to those things is essentially
withdrawn.
38
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,480
The subconscious acts as the
repository of impressions,
39
00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,440
sensations, and all manner of
suggestions and reactions that
40
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,360
we experience in our lives,
whether we consciously attend to
41
00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,880
them or not.
These things are encapsulated
42
00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,840
and remain dormant until
triggered, which can happen by
43
00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:06,960
any new impression or sensation
that opens up that encapsulated
44
00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,200
impression and input from a
force or energy that is in our
45
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,320
psychological environment, or
through an undigested
46
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,040
experience, emotion or thought
process that we carry into our
47
00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:25,120
sleep from our daytime lives.
It is in this way that things we
48
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,360
have actively rejected in our
external lives may suddenly
49
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,720
arise in this mostly unguarded
part of our lives.
50
00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,840
Trioro Bindo has noted below how
this mechanism works and what we
51
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:44,360
can do to begin to manage it.
While he focuses on the control
52
00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,960
of negative impressions and
experiences arising, it must be
53
00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,160
noted that there is also a very
positive side to the mechanism
54
00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,840
of control he outlines.
If we focus our attention before
55
00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,520
we sleep, on our deeper
aspiration, on prayer, on a
56
00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,240
turning of the mind and emotions
to the objectives we seek to
57
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,920
realize in our lives, this can
influence the subconscious.
58
00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,680
As we flood the subconscious
with these positive impressions,
59
00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,640
they can awaken and act in
sleep.
60
00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,800
Many secrets report having
experiences of their teachers or
61
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,640
their guru, or some
inspirational event occurring
62
00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,240
during sleep or dream, including
receiving regular teachings from
63
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,240
a guide or teacher.
People also report that if they
64
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,000
send a suggestion to their
subconscious prior to sleep to
65
00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,680
work out a solution to a
particular issue or concern,
66
00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,120
they frequently awaken with a
new insight or understanding
67
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,160
that helps them resolve the
issue.
68
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,000
Research into sleep learning
shows that certain types of
69
00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,400
learning can be programmed to
occur during sleep as well.
70
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:07,080
The field is wide open and there
is an entire text on the Yoga of
71
00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,160
sleep and Dreams.
The Night School of Sadhna
72
00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,480
compiled by Doctor de La from
the writings of Sri Ovindo and
73
00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,800
the Mother that explores these
questions at considerable
74
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:25,680
length, Sri Ovindo writes quote.
These thoughts that attack in
75
00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:30,240
sleep or in the state between
sleep and waking do not belong
76
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,760
to any part of your conscious
being, but come either from the
77
00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,560
subconscient or from the
surrounding atmosphere through
78
00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,080
the subconscient.
If they are thoughts you had in
79
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,960
the past and have thrown out
from you, then what rises must
80
00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:51,920
be impressions left by them in
the subconscious, for all things
81
00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:57,120
thought, felt or experienced
leave such impressions which can
82
00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,720
rise from there in sleep.
Or the thoughts can have got out
83
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,440
from you into the environmental
consciousness, That is an
84
00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,720
atmosphere of consciousness
which we carry around us and
85
00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,600
through which we are connected
with universal nature.
86
00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,840
And from there they may be
trying to return upon you.
87
00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,400
As it is difficult for them to
succeed in the waking state,
88
00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,200
they take advantage of the
absence of conscious control in
89
00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,440
sleep and appear there.
It is to be hoped that as you
90
00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,320
have rejected them, they will
not come again.
91
00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,920
But if they do, then you must
put a conscious will before
92
00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,560
going to sleep that they should
not come.
93
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,400
A suggestion of that kind on the
subconscient is often
94
00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:52,280
successful, if not at once after
a time, for the subconscient
95
00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:55,880
learns to obey the will put upon
it in the waking state.
96
00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:02,440
End Quote reference Shiro, Bindu
and the mother looking from
97
00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,200
within.
Chapter 5.
98
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,680
Attitudes on the Path, pages 155
to 156.
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,520
The idea that significant events
or forces can take place within
2
00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:09,920
us during sleep or in the
twilight range between sleep and
3
00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,760
waking is something that has
been part of human understanding
4
00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,240
for thousands of years.
In particular, dreams, a
5
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,160
particular form of the sleep
state where the consciousness is
6
00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,080
attending and in some cases
participating actively, have
7
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,760
been explored to some depth in
modern Western psychology.
8
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,120
The work of Freud broke ground
with his study on the
9
00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,400
interpretation of dreams.
Jung went further to describe
10
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,400
what he called the collective
unconscious, which holds
11
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:48,000
archetypal images that are a
bedrock of how we experience and
12
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,280
understand the world and our
lives.
13
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,360
What has been clearly
recognized, however, has not
14
00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,400
been clearly and adequately
defined and understood.
15
00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,760
Sri Aurobindo has provided A
paradigm for understanding the
16
00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,840
different parts of the being,
and in particular, he has
17
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,240
explained the subconscious as a
distinct part of the being that
18
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,960
has its own characteristics and
relation to the rest of the
19
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:20,360
being.
The subconscious is a part of
20
00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,400
the being not generally under
the direct control of the
21
00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,440
conscious mind.
If we use the analogy of what we
22
00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,560
see in our focus in the external
world during daytime and during
23
00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,640
night time, we may be able to
appreciate the difference.
24
00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,960
When it is daytime, our entire
view is circumscribed and
25
00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:46,120
focused on the world around us.
We do not see, nor do we
26
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,840
generally pay attention to the
universe beyond our planet and
27
00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,800
its ecosphere at night.
However, when we are no longer
28
00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,920
held captive within the
framework of the external
29
00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:04,800
planetary view, we can see the
stars, the planets, the moon,
30
00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,280
and understand that there is a
larger reality, mostly
31
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,760
subconscious or unconscious to
our normal focus that far
32
00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,280
exceeds and has mysteries we
have not breached in our daily
33
00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,120
lives.
Turning then to the subconscious
34
00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:27,160
part of the being in our
individual lives, when the act
35
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,880
of mental awareness of our day
is withdrawn into sleep, the
36
00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,440
control it exercises over what
we attend to and how we respond
37
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,480
to those things is essentially
withdrawn.
38
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,480
The subconscious acts as the
repository of impressions,
39
00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,440
sensations, and all manner of
suggestions and reactions that
40
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,360
we experience in our lives,
whether we consciously attend to
41
00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,880
them or not.
These things are encapsulated
42
00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,840
and remain dormant until
triggered, which can happen by
43
00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:06,960
any new impression or sensation
that opens up that encapsulated
44
00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,200
impression and input from a
force or energy that is in our
45
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,320
psychological environment, or
through an undigested
46
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,040
experience, emotion or thought
process that we carry into our
47
00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:25,120
sleep from our daytime lives.
It is in this way that things we
48
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,360
have actively rejected in our
external lives may suddenly
49
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,720
arise in this mostly unguarded
part of our lives.
50
00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,840
Trioro Bindo has noted below how
this mechanism works and what we
51
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:44,360
can do to begin to manage it.
While he focuses on the control
52
00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,960
of negative impressions and
experiences arising, it must be
53
00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,160
noted that there is also a very
positive side to the mechanism
54
00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,840
of control he outlines.
If we focus our attention before
55
00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,520
we sleep, on our deeper
aspiration, on prayer, on a
56
00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,240
turning of the mind and emotions
to the objectives we seek to
57
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,920
realize in our lives, this can
influence the subconscious.
58
00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,680
As we flood the subconscious
with these positive impressions,
59
00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,640
they can awaken and act in
sleep.
60
00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,800
Many secrets report having
experiences of their teachers or
61
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,640
their guru, or some
inspirational event occurring
62
00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,240
during sleep or dream, including
receiving regular teachings from
63
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,240
a guide or teacher.
People also report that if they
64
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,000
send a suggestion to their
subconscious prior to sleep to
65
00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,680
work out a solution to a
particular issue or concern,
66
00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,120
they frequently awaken with a
new insight or understanding
67
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,160
that helps them resolve the
issue.
68
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,000
Research into sleep learning
shows that certain types of
69
00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,400
learning can be programmed to
occur during sleep as well.
70
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:07,080
The field is wide open and there
is an entire text on the Yoga of
71
00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,160
sleep and Dreams.
The Night School of Sadhna
72
00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,480
compiled by Doctor de La from
the writings of Sri Ovindo and
73
00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,800
the Mother that explores these
questions at considerable
74
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:25,680
length, Sri Ovindo writes quote.
These thoughts that attack in
75
00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:30,240
sleep or in the state between
sleep and waking do not belong
76
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,760
to any part of your conscious
being, but come either from the
77
00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,560
subconscient or from the
surrounding atmosphere through
78
00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,080
the subconscient.
If they are thoughts you had in
79
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,960
the past and have thrown out
from you, then what rises must
80
00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:51,920
be impressions left by them in
the subconscious, for all things
81
00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:57,120
thought, felt or experienced
leave such impressions which can
82
00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,720
rise from there in sleep.
Or the thoughts can have got out
83
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,440
from you into the environmental
consciousness, That is an
84
00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,720
atmosphere of consciousness
which we carry around us and
85
00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,600
through which we are connected
with universal nature.
86
00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,840
And from there they may be
trying to return upon you.
87
00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,400
As it is difficult for them to
succeed in the waking state,
88
00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,200
they take advantage of the
absence of conscious control in
89
00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,440
sleep and appear there.
It is to be hoped that as you
90
00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,320
have rejected them, they will
not come again.
91
00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,920
But if they do, then you must
put a conscious will before
92
00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,560
going to sleep that they should
not come.
93
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,400
A suggestion of that kind on the
subconscient is often
94
00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:52,280
successful, if not at once after
a time, for the subconscient
95
00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:55,880
learns to obey the will put upon
it in the waking state.
96
00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:02,440
End Quote reference Shiro, Bindu
and the mother looking from
97
00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,200
within.
Chapter 5.
98
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,680
Attitudes on the Path, pages 155
to 156.
