Nov. 17, 2022
Understanding the Cycles and Phases of Spiritual Development
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2022/11/15/understanding-the-cycles-and-phases-of-spiritual-development/
1
00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:05,100
Several days ago, a Seeker
raised a question, rephrased
2
00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:08,300
here.
I read SRI aurobindo his
3
00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:12,700
writings regularly and for a
time they stay active within me
4
00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:16,700
but then it falls away and I
feel blank inside.
5
00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,900
Am I losing the benefit of Sri?
Aurobindo is teaching and if so,
6
00:00:22,700 --> 00:00:25,300
how can I ensure that it stays
active within me?
7
00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,700
There are periods of active
development and growth and then
8
00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:34,700
there are other periods that are
times of assimilation.
9
00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:40,300
During the assimilation period,
not much of anything is visible
10
00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:45,200
on the surface of the being.
And thus, we may believe that
11
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,800
our spiritual progress has been
somehow suddenly arrested.
12
00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:53,000
We may experience a feeling of
emptiness or dryness.
13
00:00:53,900 --> 00:00:58,800
Then when the needed inner
development is ready, it appears
14
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:04,500
as if miraculously There is a
phenomenon which is called the
15
00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:09,300
all-or-nothing response for
instance if we are in a darkened
16
00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:13,900
area we see only Darkness, we
will not perceive light until
17
00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:18,900
sufficient photons are available
and firing our vision cells in
18
00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:22,700
our eyes.
Thus we do not see a gradual
19
00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:26,500
increase of light but an
appearance of Darkness followed
20
00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:31,300
by a period of sudden light.
Three-hour window describe
21
00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:34,200
something in the evolutionary
development, which is akin to
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,100
this when he discusses the
concept of The evolutionary
23
00:01:38,100 --> 00:01:42,100
psaltis the sudden leap in
Consciousness, that appears to
24
00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:47,200
have no direct precursor and
thus no immediately preceding
25
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,200
species.
This helps explain what
26
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,700
anthropologists consider to be
the gaps.
27
00:01:52,700 --> 00:01:56,500
In the fossil record that seemed
to imply a break in The
28
00:01:56,500 --> 00:01:58,700
evolutionary cycle of
development.
29
00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:03,300
An analogous process occurs in
the development and growth of
30
00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:06,200
Consciousness.
As the individual undertake
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,500
sadhna.
If the Seeker has the basic
32
00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:14,000
understanding of the phases, the
light phase and the dark phase
33
00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:19,100
of the development, taking place
internally and recognizes that
34
00:02:19,100 --> 00:02:23,700
the process continues.
Even if unseen, then Faith,
35
00:02:24,100 --> 00:02:27,200
patience.
And persistence will eventually
36
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,000
be rewarded with the next stage
of Consciousness manifesting in
37
00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,400
the Seeker, when all things have
been prepared behind the scene,
38
00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,300
dr.
Dalal writes, quote, whatever
39
00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:42,300
the path.
Followed the process of inner
40
00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:44,800
growth, involves a
transformation of the normal
41
00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,600
State of Consciousness, a
progressive, Awakening of inner,
42
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,600
and higher states of being
culminating, in a total reversal
43
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:57,600
of Consciousness, a new birth,
One feature of the reversal of
44
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,000
Consciousness which gives it the
appearance of a sudden
45
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,600
revolution rather than a gradual
change is that it involves a
46
00:03:05,608 --> 00:03:08,800
process similar to what has been
called.
47
00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,100
Unconscious incubation.
The term incubation has been
48
00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:18,100
used in Psychology to denote a
period of time during which no
49
00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:21,700
conscious effort is made to
solve a problem, but which
50
00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:26,300
terminates with the solution
citation from Arthur Reber the
51
00:03:26,300 --> 00:03:28,300
penguin dictionary of
psychology.
52
00:03:29,300 --> 00:03:33,600
Hence, the advice to sleep over
an insoluble problem, waiting
53
00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,200
for the solution to emerge, a
somewhat similar phenomenon is
54
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,500
involved in the reversal of
Consciousness.
55
00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,200
It is a sudden happening
preceded by a more-or-less long
56
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,200
period of preparation which
takes place behind the veil of
57
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,200
the surface Consciousness and of
which the Seeker is therefore
58
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:59,100
unaware, The mother observes
quote for a long time.
59
00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,400
You have the impression that
nothing is happening, that your
60
00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,300
Consciousness is the same as
usual, and if you have an
61
00:04:06,300 --> 00:04:11,300
intense aspiration, you even
feel a resistance as though, you
62
00:04:11,300 --> 00:04:14,400
were knocking against a wall,
which does not yield.
63
00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:19,800
But when you were ready within a
last effort, the picking in the
64
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,200
Shell of the being and
everything opens, and you are
65
00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,200
projecting Did into another
consciousness.
66
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,000
Reference SRI aurobindo and the
mother growing within the
67
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:39,200
psychology of inner development
introduction page, Roman 21.
00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:05,100
Several days ago, a Seeker
raised a question, rephrased
2
00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:08,300
here.
I read SRI aurobindo his
3
00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:12,700
writings regularly and for a
time they stay active within me
4
00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:16,700
but then it falls away and I
feel blank inside.
5
00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,900
Am I losing the benefit of Sri?
Aurobindo is teaching and if so,
6
00:00:22,700 --> 00:00:25,300
how can I ensure that it stays
active within me?
7
00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,700
There are periods of active
development and growth and then
8
00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:34,700
there are other periods that are
times of assimilation.
9
00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:40,300
During the assimilation period,
not much of anything is visible
10
00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:45,200
on the surface of the being.
And thus, we may believe that
11
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,800
our spiritual progress has been
somehow suddenly arrested.
12
00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:53,000
We may experience a feeling of
emptiness or dryness.
13
00:00:53,900 --> 00:00:58,800
Then when the needed inner
development is ready, it appears
14
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:04,500
as if miraculously There is a
phenomenon which is called the
15
00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:09,300
all-or-nothing response for
instance if we are in a darkened
16
00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:13,900
area we see only Darkness, we
will not perceive light until
17
00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:18,900
sufficient photons are available
and firing our vision cells in
18
00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:22,700
our eyes.
Thus we do not see a gradual
19
00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:26,500
increase of light but an
appearance of Darkness followed
20
00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:31,300
by a period of sudden light.
Three-hour window describe
21
00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:34,200
something in the evolutionary
development, which is akin to
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,100
this when he discusses the
concept of The evolutionary
23
00:01:38,100 --> 00:01:42,100
psaltis the sudden leap in
Consciousness, that appears to
24
00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:47,200
have no direct precursor and
thus no immediately preceding
25
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,200
species.
This helps explain what
26
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,700
anthropologists consider to be
the gaps.
27
00:01:52,700 --> 00:01:56,500
In the fossil record that seemed
to imply a break in The
28
00:01:56,500 --> 00:01:58,700
evolutionary cycle of
development.
29
00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:03,300
An analogous process occurs in
the development and growth of
30
00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:06,200
Consciousness.
As the individual undertake
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,500
sadhna.
If the Seeker has the basic
32
00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:14,000
understanding of the phases, the
light phase and the dark phase
33
00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:19,100
of the development, taking place
internally and recognizes that
34
00:02:19,100 --> 00:02:23,700
the process continues.
Even if unseen, then Faith,
35
00:02:24,100 --> 00:02:27,200
patience.
And persistence will eventually
36
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,000
be rewarded with the next stage
of Consciousness manifesting in
37
00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,400
the Seeker, when all things have
been prepared behind the scene,
38
00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,300
dr.
Dalal writes, quote, whatever
39
00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:42,300
the path.
Followed the process of inner
40
00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:44,800
growth, involves a
transformation of the normal
41
00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,600
State of Consciousness, a
progressive, Awakening of inner,
42
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,600
and higher states of being
culminating, in a total reversal
43
00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:57,600
of Consciousness, a new birth,
One feature of the reversal of
44
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,000
Consciousness which gives it the
appearance of a sudden
45
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,600
revolution rather than a gradual
change is that it involves a
46
00:03:05,608 --> 00:03:08,800
process similar to what has been
called.
47
00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,100
Unconscious incubation.
The term incubation has been
48
00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:18,100
used in Psychology to denote a
period of time during which no
49
00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:21,700
conscious effort is made to
solve a problem, but which
50
00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:26,300
terminates with the solution
citation from Arthur Reber the
51
00:03:26,300 --> 00:03:28,300
penguin dictionary of
psychology.
52
00:03:29,300 --> 00:03:33,600
Hence, the advice to sleep over
an insoluble problem, waiting
53
00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,200
for the solution to emerge, a
somewhat similar phenomenon is
54
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,500
involved in the reversal of
Consciousness.
55
00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,200
It is a sudden happening
preceded by a more-or-less long
56
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,200
period of preparation which
takes place behind the veil of
57
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,200
the surface Consciousness and of
which the Seeker is therefore
58
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:59,100
unaware, The mother observes
quote for a long time.
59
00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,400
You have the impression that
nothing is happening, that your
60
00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,300
Consciousness is the same as
usual, and if you have an
61
00:04:06,300 --> 00:04:11,300
intense aspiration, you even
feel a resistance as though, you
62
00:04:11,300 --> 00:04:14,400
were knocking against a wall,
which does not yield.
63
00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:19,800
But when you were ready within a
last effort, the picking in the
64
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,200
Shell of the being and
everything opens, and you are
65
00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,200
projecting Did into another
consciousness.
66
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,000
Reference SRI aurobindo and the
mother growing within the
67
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:39,200
psychology of inner development
introduction page, Roman 21.
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