Oct. 16, 2024
Will-Power Can Aid the Development of the Physical Body
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter V Will-Power, pp. 51-52 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/10/13/will-power-can-aid-the-development-of-the-physical-body/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,560
A woman recounted her experience
of living in a small,
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:06,880
intentional community during her
20's.
3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,520
The community arranged to get
broken bags of cement from a
4
00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,200
nearby production facility at no
charge.
5
00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,520
She was tasked with driving a
van, loading up the 40 LB bags
6
00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,280
and bringing them back to the
location where they were
7
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,280
unloaded and stored for later
use, building a wall.
8
00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:29,480
She was a petite woman, 5 foot 2
and 108 lbs at the time.
9
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,640
She did this work for some
months, eventually moving
10
00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,960
hundreds of sacks.
Looking back, she indicated that
11
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,200
while she carried out the task,
she struggled with it.
12
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,560
It led to long term lower back
issues which she continued to
13
00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,400
experience even 40 to 45 years
later.
14
00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,360
Despite the repetitive weight
lifting she was doing.
15
00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,840
It did not build up her body,
but actually undermined its
16
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,720
basic stability.
Long term efforts made with the
17
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,360
conscious will and intention of
building up the body, such as
18
00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,520
occurs in a systematic course of
weightlifting, can bring about
19
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,720
strong development of the
musculature.
20
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,440
In such instances, not only is
there the use of willpower to
21
00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,680
focus the energy, but there is
generally associated with that
22
00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,720
will the intentional development
of a systematic approach using a
23
00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,760
discipline developed for that
specific purpose, the mother
24
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,800
notes quote.
You.
25
00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,560
See if the matter is considered
in its most modern, most
26
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,640
external form, how is it that
the movements we make almost
27
00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,880
constantly in our daily life, or
which we have to make in our
28
00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,600
work if it is a physical work,
do not help or help very little?
29
00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,560
Almost negligibly.
To develop the muscles and to.
30
00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,600
Create harmony in the body.
These same movements, on the
31
00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,280
other hand, if they are made
consciously, deliberately, with
32
00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,840
a definite aim.
Suddenly start helping you for
33
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:13,040
your muscles and.
To build up your body, there are
34
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,320
jobs, for instance, where people
have to carry extremely heavy
35
00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,400
loads like bags of cement or
sacks of corn or.
36
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,240
Coal.
And they make a.
37
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,520
Considerable effort.
To a certain extent, they do it
38
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,360
with an.
Acquired facility, but that
39
00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,760
doesn't give them harmony of the
body, because they don't.
40
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:33,360
Do it.
With the idea.
41
00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:35,760
Of developing their muscles.
They.
42
00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,800
Do it just like.
That and someone who follows a
43
00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,520
method either 1 he has learned
or.
44
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,400
One he.
Has worked out for himself.
45
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:46,720
And who makes these?
Very movements.
46
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,480
With the will to develop his
muscle or that.
47
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,960
To create.
A general harmony in the body.
48
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,640
He succeeds, therefore in the
conscious will.
49
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,920
There is something which adds
considerably to the movement
50
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:03,000
itself.
Those.
51
00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,640
Who really want to practice
physical culture as it is
52
00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:09,040
conceived now?
Everything they do, they do
53
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,720
consciously.
They walk downstairs
54
00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,160
consciously.
They make the movements of
55
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,880
ordinary life consciously, not
mechanically.
56
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,480
An attentive eye will perhaps
notice a little difference, but
57
00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,440
the greatest difference lies in
the will.
58
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,440
They put into it the
consciousness they put into it.
59
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,520
Walking to go somewhere and
walking as an exercise is not
60
00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,920
the same thing.
It is the conscious will in all
61
00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,080
these things which is important.
It is that which brings about
62
00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,480
the progress and obtains the
result.
63
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,360
Therefore, what I mean is that
the method 1 uses has only a
64
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,920
relative importance in itself.
It is the will to obtain a
65
00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,920
certain result that is important
and quote.
66
00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:02,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
67
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,360
Willpower, pages 51 to 52.
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,560
A woman recounted her experience
of living in a small,
2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:06,880
intentional community during her
20's.
3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,520
The community arranged to get
broken bags of cement from a
4
00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,200
nearby production facility at no
charge.
5
00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,520
She was tasked with driving a
van, loading up the 40 LB bags
6
00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,280
and bringing them back to the
location where they were
7
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,280
unloaded and stored for later
use, building a wall.
8
00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:29,480
She was a petite woman, 5 foot 2
and 108 lbs at the time.
9
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,640
She did this work for some
months, eventually moving
10
00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,960
hundreds of sacks.
Looking back, she indicated that
11
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,200
while she carried out the task,
she struggled with it.
12
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,560
It led to long term lower back
issues which she continued to
13
00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,400
experience even 40 to 45 years
later.
14
00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,360
Despite the repetitive weight
lifting she was doing.
15
00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,840
It did not build up her body,
but actually undermined its
16
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,720
basic stability.
Long term efforts made with the
17
00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,360
conscious will and intention of
building up the body, such as
18
00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,520
occurs in a systematic course of
weightlifting, can bring about
19
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,720
strong development of the
musculature.
20
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,440
In such instances, not only is
there the use of willpower to
21
00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,680
focus the energy, but there is
generally associated with that
22
00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,720
will the intentional development
of a systematic approach using a
23
00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,760
discipline developed for that
specific purpose, the mother
24
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,800
notes quote.
You.
25
00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,560
See if the matter is considered
in its most modern, most
26
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,640
external form, how is it that
the movements we make almost
27
00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,880
constantly in our daily life, or
which we have to make in our
28
00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,600
work if it is a physical work,
do not help or help very little?
29
00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,560
Almost negligibly.
To develop the muscles and to.
30
00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,600
Create harmony in the body.
These same movements, on the
31
00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,280
other hand, if they are made
consciously, deliberately, with
32
00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,840
a definite aim.
Suddenly start helping you for
33
00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:13,040
your muscles and.
To build up your body, there are
34
00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,320
jobs, for instance, where people
have to carry extremely heavy
35
00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,400
loads like bags of cement or
sacks of corn or.
36
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,240
Coal.
And they make a.
37
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,520
Considerable effort.
To a certain extent, they do it
38
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,360
with an.
Acquired facility, but that
39
00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,760
doesn't give them harmony of the
body, because they don't.
40
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:33,360
Do it.
With the idea.
41
00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:35,760
Of developing their muscles.
They.
42
00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,800
Do it just like.
That and someone who follows a
43
00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,520
method either 1 he has learned
or.
44
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,400
One he.
Has worked out for himself.
45
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:46,720
And who makes these?
Very movements.
46
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,480
With the will to develop his
muscle or that.
47
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,960
To create.
A general harmony in the body.
48
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,640
He succeeds, therefore in the
conscious will.
49
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,920
There is something which adds
considerably to the movement
50
00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:03,000
itself.
Those.
51
00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,640
Who really want to practice
physical culture as it is
52
00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:09,040
conceived now?
Everything they do, they do
53
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,720
consciously.
They walk downstairs
54
00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,160
consciously.
They make the movements of
55
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,880
ordinary life consciously, not
mechanically.
56
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,480
An attentive eye will perhaps
notice a little difference, but
57
00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,440
the greatest difference lies in
the will.
58
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,440
They put into it the
consciousness they put into it.
59
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,520
Walking to go somewhere and
walking as an exercise is not
60
00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,920
the same thing.
It is the conscious will in all
61
00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,080
these things which is important.
It is that which brings about
62
00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,480
the progress and obtains the
result.
63
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,360
Therefore, what I mean is that
the method 1 uses has only a
64
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,920
relative importance in itself.
It is the will to obtain a
65
00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,920
certain result that is important
and quote.
66
00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:02,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother Powers within, Chapter 5,
67
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,360
Willpower, pages 51 to 52.