Understanding the Stages of Coping and Mastery in Response to External Events

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At some point in life, the
individual becomes aware that

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the former methods of reacting
to circumstances and events are

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not only counterproductive but
actually harmful to their own

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health and well-being and the
successful resolution of the

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situation.
Struggling and striving,

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fighting and reacting,
instinctive behaviour and apathy

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and inertia.
All past responses wind up

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leaving the situation
unresolved, the individual

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exhausted or worn out, or in a
state of despair or depression.

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At that point, the individual
begins to mature his

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understanding and utilize his
mental capacity to try to reason

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through the response, develop a
plan of action, and calmly

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implement that plan.
This starts with the passive

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response of coping, as he is no
longer struggling with the

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situation and has come to a
state of readiness to address

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whatever the cause and
circumstance may be.

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And then as the insight and
power expand, it can shift to a

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status of mastery, where he can
have an influence on the

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circumstances and turn them in a
positive direction.

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True mastery, however, cannot be
acquired by use of the mental

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consciousness, as that is too
limited, too narrow in its view,

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and too weak to actually solve
anything comprehensively.

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It takes the deeper knowledge
carried by the psychic

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consciousness, the sole entity,
to truly and fully appreciate

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the depth, complexity and
interactions that make up the

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current status and to then know
the way forward from there, with

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the confidence and certainty of
the soul's guidance in harmony

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with the spiritual force that is
driving force behind the

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manifestation, Dr. de Lal
observes quote.

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It is with the growth of the
mental consciousness that one

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progressively learns to cope
with the various internal and

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external stresses which every
individual experiences in life.

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The stage of coping which is
ushered in by the use of the

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power of reason and the exercise
of mental will in the governance

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of life is characterized by a
certain sense of direction,

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inner ease, security and
confidence.

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Mastery, as conceived by manager
represents a further stage of

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psychological development when
an individual no longer feels

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preyed upon by internal and
external stresses and meets the

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challenges of life with a clear
sense of purpose and with poise

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and serenity.
From the viewpoint of yoga

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psychology, such a state of
mastery pertains to a deeper

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consciousness than that of the
outer being described

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previously.
The deeper consciousness is that

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of the inner being, the person
within who is concealed by the

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outer being and whom we discover
progressively with inner growth.

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Behind the physical, the vital
and the mental parts of the

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outer being there is an inner or
true physical, an inner or true

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vital, and an inner or true
mental which constitute our

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inner or true being.
And behind both the outer and

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inner being is the inner most
being, called by Sri Aurobindo

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the psychic, the individual soul
supporting the mental, vital,

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physical and psychic evolution
of the being.

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Mastery, from the viewpoint of
yoga psychology, begins when an

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individual, no longer completely
identified with the physical,

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vital, and mental personality of
the outer being, learns to live

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progressively in the deeper
consciousness of the person

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within.
The attitudes of the inner

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consciousness from which such an
individual looks at and reacts

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to everything in life are the
subject matter of this book.

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Cultivating these inner
attitudes is an effective means

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for growing into that deeper
consciousness of freedom and

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mastery.
End Quote.

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Reference Shriya Rabindu and the
mother looking from within.

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Introduction by Doctor de la
Pages, Roman, 11:00 to 12:00.