Nov. 11, 2025
Weaknesses of the Vital Nature That Impede the Practice of the Integral Yoga
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 2, Faith — Aspiration — Surrender, pp. 34-35This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/weaknesses-of-the-vital-nature-that-impede-the-practice-of-the-integral-yoga/
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1
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,360
Rio Bindo describes 3 conditions
that can derail the practice of
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,960
integral yoga.
Each of the three represent a
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,320
form of weakness of the vital
nature.
4
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,800
The normal vital nature craves
excitement and seeks new
5
00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,280
experiences all the time.
The transformation of human
6
00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,120
nature, however, involves
efforts that may seem endless
7
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:29,360
and repetitive as the habits and
embedded grooves in the being
8
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:34,160
are not changed quickly.
The seeker must be prepared for
9
00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:39,000
going through the same issues
time and again, and even if it
10
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,520
appears he has succeeded, the
issue may reappear at some point
11
00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,920
in the future as the spiritual
force works ever deeper into the
12
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,120
being and triggers hidden
reactions.
13
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,520
When the consciousness goes
beyond the ego limitations for
14
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,680
the first time, a fear of death
may arise.
15
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,920
This is an experience at the
boundary when the ego recognizes
16
00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,920
that it will dissolve if the
individual takes it any further.
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,680
If fear arises, the individual's
pulled back at once into the
18
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,480
familiar framework of the ego
personality.
19
00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,440
It is only when the seeker is
able to transcend this
20
00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,080
existential fear that he can
definitively rise beyond the
21
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:30,040
limits of the ego. 1/3 issue is
the potential increase in the
22
00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,120
power of the vital drives and
passions with the influx of new
23
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,080
powers active in the being.
This can be of particular
24
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,560
concern if the seeker, in order
to gain new powers, has
25
00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:47,200
undertaken disciplines to try to
artificially suppress the vital
26
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,440
nature.
Suppression tends to increase
27
00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:55,680
the compressed force and thus
with the influx of new energies,
28
00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,520
it can burst forth with
extremely damaging results.
29
00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:07,800
Anger, lust, greed, jealousy,
hatred, rage, violence all
30
00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,840
potentially lie and wait for the
seeker who has not taken the
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,760
necessary steps to bring peace
and harmony to the vital nature.
32
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,480
Shriorbindo notes quote one who
fears monotony and wants
33
00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,000
something new would not be able
to do yoga, or at least this
34
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,240
yoga which needs an
inexhaustible perseverance and
35
00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,840
patience.
The fear of death shows a vital
36
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,480
weakness which is also contrary
to a capacity for yoga.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,440
Equally, one who is under the
domination of his passions would
38
00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:49,080
find the yoga difficult and
unless supported by a true inner
39
00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,760
call and a sincere and strong
aspiration for the spiritual
40
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:58,000
consciousness and union with the
Divine, might very easily fall
41
00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,880
fatally and his effort come to
nothing.
42
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,760
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo, Bases of
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:12,960
Yoga, Chapter 2, Faith,
Aspiration, Surrender, pages 34
44
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:13,920
to 35.
00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,360
Rio Bindo describes 3 conditions
that can derail the practice of
2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,960
integral yoga.
Each of the three represent a
3
00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,320
form of weakness of the vital
nature.
4
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,800
The normal vital nature craves
excitement and seeks new
5
00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,280
experiences all the time.
The transformation of human
6
00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,120
nature, however, involves
efforts that may seem endless
7
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:29,360
and repetitive as the habits and
embedded grooves in the being
8
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:34,160
are not changed quickly.
The seeker must be prepared for
9
00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:39,000
going through the same issues
time and again, and even if it
10
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,520
appears he has succeeded, the
issue may reappear at some point
11
00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,920
in the future as the spiritual
force works ever deeper into the
12
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,120
being and triggers hidden
reactions.
13
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,520
When the consciousness goes
beyond the ego limitations for
14
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,680
the first time, a fear of death
may arise.
15
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,920
This is an experience at the
boundary when the ego recognizes
16
00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,920
that it will dissolve if the
individual takes it any further.
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,680
If fear arises, the individual's
pulled back at once into the
18
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,480
familiar framework of the ego
personality.
19
00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,440
It is only when the seeker is
able to transcend this
20
00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,080
existential fear that he can
definitively rise beyond the
21
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:30,040
limits of the ego. 1/3 issue is
the potential increase in the
22
00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,120
power of the vital drives and
passions with the influx of new
23
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,080
powers active in the being.
This can be of particular
24
00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,560
concern if the seeker, in order
to gain new powers, has
25
00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:47,200
undertaken disciplines to try to
artificially suppress the vital
26
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,440
nature.
Suppression tends to increase
27
00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:55,680
the compressed force and thus
with the influx of new energies,
28
00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,520
it can burst forth with
extremely damaging results.
29
00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:07,800
Anger, lust, greed, jealousy,
hatred, rage, violence all
30
00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,840
potentially lie and wait for the
seeker who has not taken the
31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,760
necessary steps to bring peace
and harmony to the vital nature.
32
00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,480
Shriorbindo notes quote one who
fears monotony and wants
33
00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,000
something new would not be able
to do yoga, or at least this
34
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,240
yoga which needs an
inexhaustible perseverance and
35
00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,840
patience.
The fear of death shows a vital
36
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,480
weakness which is also contrary
to a capacity for yoga.
37
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,440
Equally, one who is under the
domination of his passions would
38
00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:49,080
find the yoga difficult and
unless supported by a true inner
39
00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,760
call and a sincere and strong
aspiration for the spiritual
40
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:58,000
consciousness and union with the
Divine, might very easily fall
41
00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,880
fatally and his effort come to
nothing.
42
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,760
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo, Bases of
43
00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:12,960
Yoga, Chapter 2, Faith,
Aspiration, Surrender, pages 34
44
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:13,920
to 35.
