Feb. 14, 2025
Understanding the Role of Attitude and How It Impacts Our Lives
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Introduction by Dr. Dalal, pp. iv-vThis episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/12/understanding-the-role-of-attitude-and-how-it-impacts-our-lives/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found atwww.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Presswww.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,360
In the Sanskrit language there
is a term bhava, which defies
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,560
precise translation into
English, but generally can be
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,280
understood as an orientation of
the being, a feeling or attitude
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,080
of being, a vibrational field
that expresses a specific mood
5
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,680
mode or energy.
This word has a far broader and
6
00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,400
deeper connotation than any
similar single words we may find
7
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,680
in English.
There can be a mode of devotion,
8
00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,560
for instance, where the being
takes on the energy of
9
00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,160
aspiration, prayer, and
consecration.
10
00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,120
Dr. Dalal helps us appreciate
the sense of this term through
11
00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,720
his description of the
psychological connotations of
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,000
the term attitude, which can
encompass states of being,
13
00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,840
knowing and expressing from the
various parts of the being.
14
00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,520
We can look back on our lives
and note times when we managed
15
00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,560
to change our attitude about
something and thereby changed
16
00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,000
the entire direction of the
future in relation to that
17
00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:14,640
person or living being
generally, or our environment or
18
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:20,120
how we respond to situations.
A common example is found in the
19
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,640
way people often relate to bees
in the United States.
20
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,000
As young children, they are
frequently indoctrinated to
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,800
believe that bees are dangerous
and painful, and thus they tend
22
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,360
to treat bees as hostile beings
that should either be avoided
23
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:41,480
out of fear or exterminated.
This category has expanded in
24
00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:46,200
many people's minds to include
honey bees, native pollinating
25
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,480
bees of various types, bumble
bees, as well as yellow jackets,
26
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,640
Hornets, and Wasps.
Some of these beings are
27
00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:00,040
innocuous, busy doing their job
of bringing back pollen to their
28
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,400
hive and as a result,
pollinating much of the food
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,240
that we eat.
Thank you bees.
30
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:11,840
Some are more aggressive and may
need different treatment under
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,400
various circumstances, such as
yellow jackets, but even here
32
00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,560
they have a role to play, and
careful consideration of
33
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,440
location and circumstance can
minimize hostile interactions.
34
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,320
Meanwhile, people, particularly
in the United States, call in an
35
00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:36,280
exterminator and they try to
destroy the bees, including the
36
00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,920
beneficial innocuous ones that
make no trouble for anyone.
37
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,040
Similarly, there is widespread
use of insecticides that kill
38
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,680
bees as part of their
functionality, and people do not
39
00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,000
give this a second thought.
The result in the United States
40
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,600
is the decimation of bee
colonies, colony collapse and a
41
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,360
crisis for future food supplies.
This has gone to such an extent
42
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,640
that scientists are trying to
invent tiny drone bees to
43
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,040
undertake pollination in the
absence of bees.
44
00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,280
So let us back up for a minute
as many people have started to
45
00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,680
become aware of the concern and
have cultivated a new attitude
46
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,080
towards bees, to support bees,
to understand bees and to find
47
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:30,240
ways to not only coexist but to
actually help the bees survive
48
00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,720
the onslaught in the general
society.
49
00:03:33,640 --> 00:03:37,840
This is a visible change in
attitude which has a change in
50
00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,840
action and results that can be
observed.
51
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,240
Such changes take place all the
time as we learn how to retreat
52
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,440
from surface reactions and we
begin to look at the entirety of
53
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,680
the world around us and the
interactions that take place.
54
00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,720
As such RE evaluations take
place, we may find us changing
55
00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:05,120
over time our attitudes and
thereby our interpretations and
56
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,520
responses to many types of
situations.
57
00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,440
Such changes are exemplified by
individuals who have had a
58
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,839
traumatic experience of some
kind, such as a near death
59
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,360
experience and come back
transformed in their
60
00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,640
understanding and way of seeing
the purpose of their lives and
61
00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,200
how they should participate
positively in the world.
62
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,280
Dr. de Lal notes quote what is
meant by attitude?
63
00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:41,320
The phrase attitudes of mind
used by James obviously implies
64
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,800
that attitudes have something to
do with the mind.
65
00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:49,200
Thus, dictionaries define
attitude as a way of thinking or
66
00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,760
as a mental view.
A further understanding of the
67
00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,760
term is provided by psychology,
which defines attitude as an
68
00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:02,160
internal affective orientation
that would explain the actions
69
00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,680
of a person.
This psychological definition
70
00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,360
indicates that an attitude is
not merely a way of thinking,
71
00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,200
but also a way of feeling an
affective or emotional
72
00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,200
disposition which determines a
person's actions.
73
00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:24,280
In psychological jargon, an
attitude has cognitive thinking,
74
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:29,960
affective feeling, and conative
willing components.
75
00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,200
Therefore, a change in one's
attitude towards a thing,
76
00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:40,960
person, circumstance, or event
implies change in the way one
77
00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:46,480
thinks, feels, and is disposed
to act in relation to the thing,
78
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,640
person, circumstance, or event.
End Quote.
79
00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,440
Reference.
Sri Orovindo and the Mother
80
00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,880
looking from within.
Introduction by Doctor Delal,
81
00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,600
pages 4 to 5.
Roman.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,360
In the Sanskrit language there
is a term bhava, which defies
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,560
precise translation into
English, but generally can be
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,280
understood as an orientation of
the being, a feeling or attitude
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,080
of being, a vibrational field
that expresses a specific mood
5
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,680
mode or energy.
This word has a far broader and
6
00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,400
deeper connotation than any
similar single words we may find
7
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,680
in English.
There can be a mode of devotion,
8
00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,560
for instance, where the being
takes on the energy of
9
00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,160
aspiration, prayer, and
consecration.
10
00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,120
Dr. Dalal helps us appreciate
the sense of this term through
11
00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,720
his description of the
psychological connotations of
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,000
the term attitude, which can
encompass states of being,
13
00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,840
knowing and expressing from the
various parts of the being.
14
00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,520
We can look back on our lives
and note times when we managed
15
00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,560
to change our attitude about
something and thereby changed
16
00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,000
the entire direction of the
future in relation to that
17
00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:14,640
person or living being
generally, or our environment or
18
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:20,120
how we respond to situations.
A common example is found in the
19
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,640
way people often relate to bees
in the United States.
20
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,000
As young children, they are
frequently indoctrinated to
21
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,800
believe that bees are dangerous
and painful, and thus they tend
22
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,360
to treat bees as hostile beings
that should either be avoided
23
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:41,480
out of fear or exterminated.
This category has expanded in
24
00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:46,200
many people's minds to include
honey bees, native pollinating
25
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,480
bees of various types, bumble
bees, as well as yellow jackets,
26
00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,640
Hornets, and Wasps.
Some of these beings are
27
00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:00,040
innocuous, busy doing their job
of bringing back pollen to their
28
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,400
hive and as a result,
pollinating much of the food
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,240
that we eat.
Thank you bees.
30
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:11,840
Some are more aggressive and may
need different treatment under
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,400
various circumstances, such as
yellow jackets, but even here
32
00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,560
they have a role to play, and
careful consideration of
33
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,440
location and circumstance can
minimize hostile interactions.
34
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,320
Meanwhile, people, particularly
in the United States, call in an
35
00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:36,280
exterminator and they try to
destroy the bees, including the
36
00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,920
beneficial innocuous ones that
make no trouble for anyone.
37
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,040
Similarly, there is widespread
use of insecticides that kill
38
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,680
bees as part of their
functionality, and people do not
39
00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,000
give this a second thought.
The result in the United States
40
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,600
is the decimation of bee
colonies, colony collapse and a
41
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,360
crisis for future food supplies.
This has gone to such an extent
42
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,640
that scientists are trying to
invent tiny drone bees to
43
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,040
undertake pollination in the
absence of bees.
44
00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,280
So let us back up for a minute
as many people have started to
45
00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,680
become aware of the concern and
have cultivated a new attitude
46
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:25,080
towards bees, to support bees,
to understand bees and to find
47
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:30,240
ways to not only coexist but to
actually help the bees survive
48
00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,720
the onslaught in the general
society.
49
00:03:33,640 --> 00:03:37,840
This is a visible change in
attitude which has a change in
50
00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,840
action and results that can be
observed.
51
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,240
Such changes take place all the
time as we learn how to retreat
52
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,440
from surface reactions and we
begin to look at the entirety of
53
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,680
the world around us and the
interactions that take place.
54
00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,720
As such RE evaluations take
place, we may find us changing
55
00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:05,120
over time our attitudes and
thereby our interpretations and
56
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,520
responses to many types of
situations.
57
00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,440
Such changes are exemplified by
individuals who have had a
58
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,839
traumatic experience of some
kind, such as a near death
59
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,360
experience and come back
transformed in their
60
00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,640
understanding and way of seeing
the purpose of their lives and
61
00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,200
how they should participate
positively in the world.
62
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,280
Dr. de Lal notes quote what is
meant by attitude?
63
00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:41,320
The phrase attitudes of mind
used by James obviously implies
64
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,800
that attitudes have something to
do with the mind.
65
00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:49,200
Thus, dictionaries define
attitude as a way of thinking or
66
00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,760
as a mental view.
A further understanding of the
67
00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,760
term is provided by psychology,
which defines attitude as an
68
00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:02,160
internal affective orientation
that would explain the actions
69
00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,680
of a person.
This psychological definition
70
00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,360
indicates that an attitude is
not merely a way of thinking,
71
00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,200
but also a way of feeling an
affective or emotional
72
00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,200
disposition which determines a
person's actions.
73
00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:24,280
In psychological jargon, an
attitude has cognitive thinking,
74
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:29,960
affective feeling, and conative
willing components.
75
00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,200
Therefore, a change in one's
attitude towards a thing,
76
00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:40,960
person, circumstance, or event
implies change in the way one
77
00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:46,480
thinks, feels, and is disposed
to act in relation to the thing,
78
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,640
person, circumstance, or event.
End Quote.
79
00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,440
Reference.
Sri Orovindo and the Mother
80
00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,880
looking from within.
Introduction by Doctor Delal,
81
00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,600
pages 4 to 5.
Roman.