Feb. 20, 2025
Understanding the Stages of Panic and Inertia That Arise When Facing Difficulties and Obstacles in Life
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Amazon Music 
RSS Feed 
Castro 
RadioPublic 
PocketCasts 
YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Introduction by Dr. Dalal, pg. viiiThis episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/18/understanding-the-stages-of-panic-and-inertia-that-arise-when-facing-difficulties-and-obstacles-in-life/
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
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,760
Both panic and inertia are
responses to situations that
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,280
arise in the life of
individuals.
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,400
They come about when something
new or unexpected comes forward
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,680
to challenge the individual.
In the case of panic, there is
5
00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,680
clearly a perception of danger
and the rising of fear in the
6
00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,600
being.
This drives the individual into
7
00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,840
what is generally regarded to be
a manifestation of the fight or
8
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,240
flight reaction.
There is no thought involved.
9
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,440
It is a reaction of the vital
being that drives the
10
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,920
individual's response to the
situation.
11
00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,520
Depending on how the vital being
responds, one can see either the
12
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,240
predominance of the rajasic
impulse or the tamasic reaction.
13
00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,840
With respect to inertia.
There is a falling back into
14
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,040
tamas, particularly if the vital
being is overwhelmed and feels
15
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,240
powerless to achieve any
positive result in a situation.
16
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,800
The vital being is stunned and
exhibits a form of vital
17
00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,920
paralysis and essentially gives
up.
18
00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:12,360
Inertia is a classic symptom of
the predominance of Thomas and
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,640
is considered to be a major
element of the physical
20
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,720
consciousness.
For the most part, these initial
21
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,040
stages of response to something
new, unexpected and potentially
22
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,480
harmful are almost automatic
reactions or instinct driven
23
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,760
reactions that do not involve
clear and deliberate review and
24
00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,640
decision making which come in
later stages.
25
00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,240
Dr. de Lal notes Quote It is
interesting to note that the
26
00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,400
psychiatrist Karl Menninger, in
describing the behaviour of
27
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,720
human beings when faced with
difficulties and obstacles in
28
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,160
life, employs concepts which are
analogous to the concepts of
29
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:59,400
yoga psychology mentioned above.
There are, says Meninger, 5
30
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,720
stages in man's response to life
crises.
31
00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:09,600
Panic, inertia, striving,
coping, mastery.
32
00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,640
Panic, a characteristic of the
vital consciousness, is often
33
00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:19,200
the first reaction to stress,
because in most human beings the
34
00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,680
vital is the predominant part of
the nature.
35
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,400
Inertia, which is the chief
characteristic of the physical
36
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:31,160
consciousness, may precede the
stage of panic, as in the case
37
00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:36,440
of individuals who, dominated by
the physical consciousness, lead
38
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,520
a life of apathy until they are
goaded by a dire difficulty
39
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,440
which throws them into a state
of panic.
40
00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,600
But the state of inertia often
follows upon that of panic when
41
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:54,320
an individual, paralysed by an
overwhelming difficulty, resigns
42
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,880
himself to it or tries to escape
from it.
43
00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,720
In terms of yoga psychology,
such an individual, normally
44
00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,840
living predominantly in the
vital consciousness, temporarily
45
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,560
regresses as a result of stress
to a state dominated by the
46
00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:15,560
physical consciousness.
However, sooner or later, the
47
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,120
majority of individuals recover,
at least to some extent, from
48
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,080
the initial reactions of panic
and inertia and learn to
49
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,400
confront and combat their
difficulties, thus entering the
50
00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,480
stage of striving.
End Quote reference.
51
00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,880
Srioro, Bindu and the Mother.
Looking from within.
52
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,160
Introduction by Doctor Dalal
Page Roman 8.
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,760
Both panic and inertia are
responses to situations that
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,280
arise in the life of
individuals.
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,400
They come about when something
new or unexpected comes forward
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,680
to challenge the individual.
In the case of panic, there is
5
00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,680
clearly a perception of danger
and the rising of fear in the
6
00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,600
being.
This drives the individual into
7
00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,840
what is generally regarded to be
a manifestation of the fight or
8
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,240
flight reaction.
There is no thought involved.
9
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,440
It is a reaction of the vital
being that drives the
10
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,920
individual's response to the
situation.
11
00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,520
Depending on how the vital being
responds, one can see either the
12
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,240
predominance of the rajasic
impulse or the tamasic reaction.
13
00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,840
With respect to inertia.
There is a falling back into
14
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,040
tamas, particularly if the vital
being is overwhelmed and feels
15
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,240
powerless to achieve any
positive result in a situation.
16
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,800
The vital being is stunned and
exhibits a form of vital
17
00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,920
paralysis and essentially gives
up.
18
00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:12,360
Inertia is a classic symptom of
the predominance of Thomas and
19
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,640
is considered to be a major
element of the physical
20
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,720
consciousness.
For the most part, these initial
21
00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,040
stages of response to something
new, unexpected and potentially
22
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,480
harmful are almost automatic
reactions or instinct driven
23
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,760
reactions that do not involve
clear and deliberate review and
24
00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,640
decision making which come in
later stages.
25
00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,240
Dr. de Lal notes Quote It is
interesting to note that the
26
00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,400
psychiatrist Karl Menninger, in
describing the behaviour of
27
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,720
human beings when faced with
difficulties and obstacles in
28
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,160
life, employs concepts which are
analogous to the concepts of
29
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:59,400
yoga psychology mentioned above.
There are, says Meninger, 5
30
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,720
stages in man's response to life
crises.
31
00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:09,600
Panic, inertia, striving,
coping, mastery.
32
00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,640
Panic, a characteristic of the
vital consciousness, is often
33
00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:19,200
the first reaction to stress,
because in most human beings the
34
00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,680
vital is the predominant part of
the nature.
35
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,400
Inertia, which is the chief
characteristic of the physical
36
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:31,160
consciousness, may precede the
stage of panic, as in the case
37
00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:36,440
of individuals who, dominated by
the physical consciousness, lead
38
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,520
a life of apathy until they are
goaded by a dire difficulty
39
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,440
which throws them into a state
of panic.
40
00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,600
But the state of inertia often
follows upon that of panic when
41
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:54,320
an individual, paralysed by an
overwhelming difficulty, resigns
42
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,880
himself to it or tries to escape
from it.
43
00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,720
In terms of yoga psychology,
such an individual, normally
44
00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,840
living predominantly in the
vital consciousness, temporarily
45
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,560
regresses as a result of stress
to a state dominated by the
46
00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:15,560
physical consciousness.
However, sooner or later, the
47
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,120
majority of individuals recover,
at least to some extent, from
48
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,080
the initial reactions of panic
and inertia and learn to
49
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,400
confront and combat their
difficulties, thus entering the
50
00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,480
stage of striving.
End Quote reference.
51
00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,880
Srioro, Bindu and the Mother.
Looking from within.
52
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,160
Introduction by Doctor Dalal
Page Roman 8.