Sept. 14, 2024
Understanding the Complexity and Risk of Dealing with the Power of Thought Forms
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter II Power of Thought, pp. 14-15 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/09/09/understanding-the-complexity-and-risks-of-dealing-with-the-power-of-thought-forms/
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
00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:06,480
There is a famous story in the
Mahabharata which has a profound
2
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,360
meaning when it comes to the
application of any power of
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,240
action in the world, including
the power to create thought
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,640
formations.
One of the protagonists in the
5
00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,280
Great War that was fought at
Kurukshetra was Arjuna.
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,400
He was the greatest warrior of
his time.
7
00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,800
This story, however, relates to
his son Abhimanyu.
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,920
Arjuna had been teaching
Abimanyu all the various
9
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,360
stratagems of warfare, but had
been unable to fully complete
10
00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,640
his training.
At one point the opposing army
11
00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,840
formed up in a specific
formation on the battleground,
12
00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,560
which no one present at that
moment could Pierce and defeat.
13
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,960
Arjuna was away, taking care of
other urgent matters in the
14
00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,240
battle.
Abhimanyu recognized the
15
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,440
formation and undertook to use
his training to Pierce it and
16
00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:04,239
break the opposing forces power.
He succeeded and entered,
17
00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,960
wreaking havoc on the other
side.
18
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:12,320
However, he was then confronted
with major warriors highly
19
00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:16,040
proficient in the art of
warfare, and he was surrounded
20
00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,120
and trapped.
After putting up a valiant
21
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,680
fight, he was overcome and
succumbed to the overwhelming
22
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,160
force ranged against him.
His success with due to the
23
00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,040
advanced training and
understanding he had acquired on
24
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:36,160
how to penetrate the formation.
His failure was due to the fact
25
00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,080
that he had no knowledge about
how to then extract himself from
26
00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,280
the situation he found himself
in.
27
00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:47,400
The story illustrates an
essential point for anyone who
28
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,160
undertakes to understand and
apply the capacities and powers
29
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,560
that lie hidden within them.
As the following story related
30
00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,560
by the mother so aptly
describes, The development of
31
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,520
thought formations may seem like
it is far distant from an
32
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,039
application of a strategy in
warfare, but the lesson is
33
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,120
actually similar.
The mother notes quote.
34
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,120
I don't know if you have ever
heard of Madam David Neal who
35
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,840
went to Tibet and has written
books on Tibet and who was a
36
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,760
Buddhist and Buddhists.
Buddhists of the strictest
37
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,840
tradition do not believe in the
divine, do not believe in his
38
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,120
eternity, and do not believe in
gods who are truly divine.
39
00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,240
But they know admirably how to
use the mental domain, and
40
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,920
Buddhist discipline makes you a
good master of the mental
41
00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:48,000
instrument and mental domain.
We used to discuss many things
42
00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,560
and once she told me, listen, I
made an experiment.
43
00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,920
She had studied a bit of
theosophy also.
44
00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,760
She said I formed a Mahatma with
my thought.
45
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,240
I formed a Mahatma and she knew.
This has been proved that at a
46
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,840
given moment mental formations
acquire a personal life
47
00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,920
independent of the fashioner,
though they are linked with him,
48
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,080
but independent in the sense
that they can have their own
49
00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,880
will.
And so she told me.
50
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,560
Just imagine, I had made my
Mahatma so well that he became a
51
00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:29,200
personality independent of me
and constantly came to trouble
52
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,960
me.
He used to come scold me for one
53
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,880
thing, give me advice for
another, and he wanted to direct
54
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,680
my life and I could not succeed
in getting rid of him.
55
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:47,720
It was extremely difficult and I
didn't know what to do, Mother
56
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,800
continues.
So I asked her how she had
57
00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,920
tried.
She told me how.
58
00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,520
She said he troubles me a lot.
My Mahatma is very troublesome.
59
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:03,320
He does not leave me in peace.
He disturbs my meditations, he
60
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,480
hinders me from working.
And yet I know quite well that
61
00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,760
it is I who created him, and I
can't get rid of him.
62
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,280
Then I said that's because you
don't have the trick.
63
00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:21,120
Mother laughs and I explained to
her what she should do and the
64
00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,160
next day I used to see her
almost every day in those days.
65
00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:30,280
You see, the next day she came
and told me, ah, I am freed from
66
00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:35,200
my Mahatma laughter.
She had not cut the connection
67
00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,680
because that's of no use.
One must know how to reabsorb
68
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:44,120
1's creation.
That is the only way to swallow
69
00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,560
up again one's formations.
End Quote.
70
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:54,000
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 2.
71
00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,800
Power of Thought, pages 14 to
15.
00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:06,480
There is a famous story in the
Mahabharata which has a profound
2
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,360
meaning when it comes to the
application of any power of
3
00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,240
action in the world, including
the power to create thought
4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,640
formations.
One of the protagonists in the
5
00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,280
Great War that was fought at
Kurukshetra was Arjuna.
6
00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,400
He was the greatest warrior of
his time.
7
00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,800
This story, however, relates to
his son Abhimanyu.
8
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,920
Arjuna had been teaching
Abimanyu all the various
9
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,360
stratagems of warfare, but had
been unable to fully complete
10
00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,640
his training.
At one point the opposing army
11
00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,840
formed up in a specific
formation on the battleground,
12
00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,560
which no one present at that
moment could Pierce and defeat.
13
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,960
Arjuna was away, taking care of
other urgent matters in the
14
00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,240
battle.
Abhimanyu recognized the
15
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,440
formation and undertook to use
his training to Pierce it and
16
00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:04,239
break the opposing forces power.
He succeeded and entered,
17
00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,960
wreaking havoc on the other
side.
18
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:12,320
However, he was then confronted
with major warriors highly
19
00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:16,040
proficient in the art of
warfare, and he was surrounded
20
00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,120
and trapped.
After putting up a valiant
21
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,680
fight, he was overcome and
succumbed to the overwhelming
22
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,160
force ranged against him.
His success with due to the
23
00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,040
advanced training and
understanding he had acquired on
24
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:36,160
how to penetrate the formation.
His failure was due to the fact
25
00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,080
that he had no knowledge about
how to then extract himself from
26
00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,280
the situation he found himself
in.
27
00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:47,400
The story illustrates an
essential point for anyone who
28
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,160
undertakes to understand and
apply the capacities and powers
29
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,560
that lie hidden within them.
As the following story related
30
00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,560
by the mother so aptly
describes, The development of
31
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,520
thought formations may seem like
it is far distant from an
32
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,039
application of a strategy in
warfare, but the lesson is
33
00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,120
actually similar.
The mother notes quote.
34
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,120
I don't know if you have ever
heard of Madam David Neal who
35
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,840
went to Tibet and has written
books on Tibet and who was a
36
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,760
Buddhist and Buddhists.
Buddhists of the strictest
37
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,840
tradition do not believe in the
divine, do not believe in his
38
00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,120
eternity, and do not believe in
gods who are truly divine.
39
00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,240
But they know admirably how to
use the mental domain, and
40
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,920
Buddhist discipline makes you a
good master of the mental
41
00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:48,000
instrument and mental domain.
We used to discuss many things
42
00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,560
and once she told me, listen, I
made an experiment.
43
00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,920
She had studied a bit of
theosophy also.
44
00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,760
She said I formed a Mahatma with
my thought.
45
00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,240
I formed a Mahatma and she knew.
This has been proved that at a
46
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,840
given moment mental formations
acquire a personal life
47
00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,920
independent of the fashioner,
though they are linked with him,
48
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,080
but independent in the sense
that they can have their own
49
00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,880
will.
And so she told me.
50
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,560
Just imagine, I had made my
Mahatma so well that he became a
51
00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:29,200
personality independent of me
and constantly came to trouble
52
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,960
me.
He used to come scold me for one
53
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,880
thing, give me advice for
another, and he wanted to direct
54
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,680
my life and I could not succeed
in getting rid of him.
55
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:47,720
It was extremely difficult and I
didn't know what to do, Mother
56
00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,800
continues.
So I asked her how she had
57
00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,920
tried.
She told me how.
58
00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,520
She said he troubles me a lot.
My Mahatma is very troublesome.
59
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:03,320
He does not leave me in peace.
He disturbs my meditations, he
60
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,480
hinders me from working.
And yet I know quite well that
61
00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,760
it is I who created him, and I
can't get rid of him.
62
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,280
Then I said that's because you
don't have the trick.
63
00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:21,120
Mother laughs and I explained to
her what she should do and the
64
00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,160
next day I used to see her
almost every day in those days.
65
00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:30,280
You see, the next day she came
and told me, ah, I am freed from
66
00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:35,200
my Mahatma laughter.
She had not cut the connection
67
00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,680
because that's of no use.
One must know how to reabsorb
68
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:44,120
1's creation.
That is the only way to swallow
69
00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,560
up again one's formations.
End Quote.
70
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:54,000
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 2.
71
00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,800
Power of Thought, pages 14 to
15.