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Articles from santosh krinsky | Selfgrowth.com
- Two Introductory Methods to Develop Remembrance in Work - by Submitted on May 29, 2021 from santosh krinskyDevelopment of the inner attitude of dedication, and remembrance of the Divine in work is a progressive process. Initially, most people are unable to actively keep the focus and remembrance while concurrently concentrating on the work at hand. Sri Aurobindo introduces two methods to begin to ...
Views: 574 - Two Key Forms of Aspiration in the Spiritual Seeking - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2026 from santosh krinskyThe Yoga of Knowledge focuses on the realization of the Self, the consciousness above which is free from the illusions of the external life that most people lead. The Yoga of Devotion focuses on the realisation of the psychic being which turns the being and the sense towards the Divine. The ...
Views: 24 - Two Methods for Achieving Equality of Feelings with Others - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhat causes an individual to ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ someone they meet. Some obvious reasons include similarities or differences in temperament, responses to situations, idea-sets, lifestyle, and, based on acculturation, accidental characteristics such as religion, social standing, career, or ...
Views: 572 - Two Methods for Practicing the Yoga of Works - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2023 from santosh krinskyThere is no clear line of demarcation between the 3 major paths of yoga that are based in the primary aspects of development, the yoga of knowledge, the yoga of devotion and the yoga of works. As they proceed down their somewhat different paths, they must necessarily gain aspects of and bring ...
Views: 504 - Two Necessary Things in the Practice of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Sep 18, 2025 from santosh krinskyThere is a considerable amount of confusion about objectives and methods related to the practice of the integral yoga, primarily due to widely spread ideas about spirituality in general and well-known paths and disciplines that have their own fixed methodologies. Integral Yoga has a different ...
Views: 102 - Two Options for the Seeker to Eliminate Desire - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2021 from santosh krinskyWhen the spiritual aspirant hears that he must eliminate desire from his consciousness, he frequently takes this as a message of ‘renunciation’ and thereby determines to live an isolated life free from the efforts involved in living in the world and interacting within the societal framework. ...
Views: 580 - Two Processes of Traditional Yogic Paths That Can Aid the Sadhana of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Sep 19, 2021 from santosh krinskyWhile the integral Yoga does not depend on the techniques or methods of the traditional yogic paths, Sri Aurobindo has identified several processes that can be of great help in some cases. They help the seeker achieve a state of separation from the outer ego-personality and vital desire-soul, to ...
Views: 531 - Two Steps to Spiritual Experience - by Submitted on Sep 26, 2022 from santosh krinskySpiritual experience takes ‘knowing about’ something to ‘knowing’ it. What we learn from books, what we learn in school, the facts we memorize, the procedures we learn about, are all based in the intellect and while they may open the mind to new things, do not represent actual experience. The ...
Views: 491 - Two Ways to Meet the Resistance of the Nature to the Divine Force: the Way of the Self and the Way of the Psychic - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyWhen we reflect on the difficulty of changing basic human nature, and overcoming the general habits and patterns of universal nature expressing itself in us, we may easily recognise that none of the characteristic powers of mind, life or body will be sufficient to accomplish real and lasting ...
Views: 521 - Unconscious and Automatic Action of Thought Forms and Formations in Daily Life - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2024 from santosh krinskyA story was related by an individual in business which. at the time, seemed somewhat unusual, but now, in context, makes a lot of sense. He indicated that he had a customer who would think about him when she needed to place an order for goods for her store. They seemed to have a very tight ...
Views: 308 - Underdeveloped and Unevolved Powers of Consciousness - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2024 from santosh krinskyAs the evolution of consciousness unfolds we see the development and expression of ever-increasing powers of knowledge and action. There are powers of perception, there are powers of thought and reflection, there are powers of vital expression, emotion, and there are physical powers. Because ...
Views: 272 - Understanding Adverse Forces and the Evolutionary Response to Their Action - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2025 from santosh krinskyHow easy it is, and how comforting, to look at someone who opposes us, or who is creating some form of havoc in the world at large and simply label that individual as pure evil, as a Rakshasa, an Asura, a Demon, or some other form of hostile being. And yet, those individuals are actually part of ...
Views: 206 - Understanding and Addressing Desire, Hunger and Food - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2025 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo translates Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter One, Section Two, Verse 1: “Formerly there was nothing here; this was concealed by Death — by Hunger, for it is Hunger that is Death. That created mind, and he said, ‘Let me have substance.’ He moved about working and as he worked the ...
Views: 128 - Understanding and Addressing Resistance in the Lower Being to the Descent of the Divine Force - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere is a physical sensation that often accompanies the descent of the higher Force into the being. Some people relate this as a type of pressure in the head. Some experience headaches initially. Some find their being shaking to some degree as the nervous system absorbs and distributes the ...
Views: 604 - Understanding and Addressing the Desire and Craving for Food - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2025 from santosh krinskyWe have a fixation on food. We do not seek food just for nourishment and proper care of our bodies, generally; rather, we use food to provide us with comfort, emotional support, and fulfillment of desires for various tastes. We center many of our relationship rituals around food. At some ...
Views: 117 - Understanding and Addressing the Difficulties of Gaining Control of the Ordinary Human Nature and Life, Part 1 - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2022 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo provided advice to an individual who was trying to sort out the direction for his life and how to face the difficulties that confronted him, particularly with respect to certain vital weaknesses to which he was prone. Sri Aurobindo analyzed the condition of this individual in great ...
Views: 476 - Understanding and Addressing the Difficulties of Gaining Control of the Ordinary Human Nature and Life, Part 2 - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2022 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo provided advice to an individual who was trying to sort out the direction for his life and how to face the difficulties that confronted him, particularly with respect to certain vital weaknesses to which he was prone. Sri Aurobindo analyzed the condition of this individual in great ...
Views: 506 - Understanding and Addressing the Mechanism of Anger and its External Cause - by Submitted on Jan 03, 2022 from santosh krinskyIf we examine the phenomenon of anger closely we see how it suddenly rises up and overpowers even those who are normally quite even-keeled in their day to day lives. By studying mob psychology, where we see a large number of individuals inflamed in a crowd setting and set into motion to wreak ...
Views: 503 - Understanding and Attaining the Right Attitude Toward Food for the Yogic Practitioner - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2022 from santosh krinskyShifting the awareness away from the ego-consciousness to the divine standpoint takes place as a ‘tuning’ process which Sri Aurobindo designates as ‘aspiration’. This represents a focus of the attention of the being on the higher consciousness and away from the normal fixation on the outer life ...
Views: 550 - Understanding and Avoiding the Lures and Dangers of the Vital Worlds - by Submitted on Aug 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe importance of preparation of the nature for the spiritual quest, the development of a solid and unshakable aspiration and devotion, and growth of both an understanding and the ability to distinguish what one is seeing and experiencing, cannot be overstated. As the seeker moves into the inner ...
Views: 645 - Understanding and Bridging the Gap Between the Outer Surface Existence and the Inner Being - by Submitted on Jul 24, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe Upanishads describe an aspect of reality that is generally blocked from the external awareness of the body-life-mind complex. The Isha Upanishad states: “The face of Truth is covered with a brilliant golden lid; that do thou remove, O Fosterer, for the law of the Truth, for sight.” (Isha ...
Views: 558 - Understanding and Dealing with Nervous Imbalances Caused by Hostile Forces - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe question of ‘hostile forces’ is one that generally needs a certain amount of reflection. In the West, the major religious denominations frequently speak of the devil, the fallen angels, Satan, and other beings to which they attribute a malignant power that pressures human beings to commit ...
Views: 630 - Understanding and Dealing with the Physical Mind - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2022 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo recognises that in order to effectively address the actions of the mind, the various underlying sources and the energies they raise up in their action must be clearly seen and understood. There is a difference in the way one needs to deal with a persistent emotional reaction, for ...
Views: 513 - Understanding and Dealing with the Subtle Vital Interchange in Human Relationships - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2024 from santosh krinskyWe undergo changes of mood, feelings, responses and do not generally try to understand how these changes come about, their source, and impact upon our own state of being. In some cases, we actually associate ’cause and effect’ with an interaction with another individual, such as when we exclaim ...
Views: 354 - Understanding and Distinguishing the Complex Makeup of Human Nature - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2021 from santosh krinskyEverything we experience is filtered through the mind. For daily life, it may not be essential to go much deeper into the question, although even there some amount of awareness can be helpful, such as when one experiences pain, the actual cause needs to be determined to resolve the issue ...
Views: 757 - Understanding and Managing the Subconscious Part of the Being - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe idea that significant events or forces can take place within us during sleep or in the twilight range between sleep and waking is something that has been part of human understanding for thousands of years. In particular, dreams, a particular form of the sleep state where the consciousness is ...
Views: 128 - Understanding and Overcoming Depression - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn today’s world, depression is a widespread malady that affects people throughout the world. In many cases, pharmaceutical drugs are known to have potential ‘side effects’ that can cause depression, thoughts of suicide, or other dark moods that inhibit the ability of the individual to function ...
Views: 625 - Understanding and Overcoming Obstacles That Obstruct the Psychic Opening - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2021 from santosh krinskyIf human nature can be changed, it has to be at the place where motives and impulsions affect the understanding and the action. The sadhana thus entails a review of the wellsprings of thought and action, and a refusal of the drives and motives of the desire soul of the vital nature. Many times ...
Views: 572 - Understanding and Persevering Through the Darkness and the Delays in the Process of Spiritual Realisation - by Submitted on May 09, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhen we are confronted with difficulties, we employ several different types of responses, mainly depending on instinct, habit, training and the play of the three Gunas, the qualities of Nature, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Sometimes we respond with more effort, sometimes we lapse into depression and ...
Views: 153 - Understanding and Respecting the Body’s Need for Rest - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen an illness strikes the body, its energy must go to recuperation and rebuilding its basic strength. For a practitioner of yoga, as well as for those who have a developed mental or emotional consciousness, or an aesthetic sense, the recuperation and rebuilding phase can be irksome, as there ...
Views: 550 - Understanding and Utilizing the Power of Sincerity in Action - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2024 from santosh krinskyIf we reflect on our own efforts to change things in our lives, whether a resolution to follow a diet, exercise regularly, create a work-rest balance, spend more time with our families, or carry out some effort in our religious or spiritual focus, we will quickly see that our resolve does not ...
Views: 262 - Understanding Conflicting Powers in the Being - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2023 from santosh krinskyIt is practically a universal experience among religious and spiritual seekers, and even among people who are simply developing some kind of an inner life, that they have an aspiration, a desire to consecrate themselves to some goal, principle or idea, and yet, they struggle with opposing ...
Views: 421 - Understanding Desire and the Absence of Desire - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhen seekers take up the spiritual path, they try to follow the guideline to reject desire. They will frequently say “I don’t desire anything”. In many cases, however, this is an obfuscation by the vital nature manipulating the mind to accept something which is not entirely accurate. Let’s break ...
Views: 135 - Understanding Difficulties and Obstacles That Arise During the Yogic Process - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2023 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo is able to illustrate the different ways that seekers wind up facing and dealing with difficulties or obstacles that arise during the yogic process. This is not a “one size fits all” process due to the differing backgrounds, starting points, capacities and social environment ...
Views: 446 - Understanding Experience of a Shift from the External to the Inward Consciousness - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2025 from santosh krinskyAs the seeker begins to go inwards in his awareness, theare are innumerable new experiences that take place. He generally is not able to determine exactly what they mean. In this case, the guidance of an experienced practitioner or of a Guru can be of immense assistance. If a seeker is ...
Views: 82 - Understanding Faith and Its Role in Spiritual Development - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2025 from santosh krinskyThere is a long history of debate about what we believe and how we know what we know. Science and religion have historically taken opposite positions in this debate. Science takes the view that the mind must be able to ascertain objective facts, and draw conclusions based on them. This includes ...
Views: 158 - Understanding Fluctuations in the Force of the Spiritual Sadhana - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe spiritual seeker tends to struggle with the constant recurrence of old thoughts, feelings, reactions and desires. He is also constantly confronted by changes in his energy levels and focus. Much of this is due to the underlying and deeply embedded energies that he has inherited as part of ...
Views: 82 - Understanding Human Nature - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2022 from santosh krinskyAt some point in life, virtually every individual has an experience which is extremely disappointing and painful, due to a perceived betrayal or undue negative reaction from another person. A great part of human interaction is driven by reactions of jealousy, envy, lust, greed, fear, anger or, ...
Views: 521 - Understanding Planes of Existence or Planes of Consciousness - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe reflect on the evolution of consciousness, how Life evolves out of Matter and Mind evolves out of Life in Matter. Nothing can evolve that has not been previously involved, just as a tree can develop out of an acorn, because the genetic coding is 'involved' in that seed and under the proper ...
Views: 419 - Understanding Psychic and Soul In Their Deepest and Original Sense - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2026 from santosh krinskyThe English language leaves a lot of room for confusion, simply because terminology tends to be imprecise, inexact, or vague. The issue is made even more difficult because, particularly in the West, there is very little understanding of the vast field of consciousness, the various planes and ...
Views: 38 - Understanding Societal Expectations and Their Impact on the Individual and His Development - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe generally fail to recognise how much we tend to take on the coloration of the thoughts and feelings of those around us. Just as a chameleon will adapt its body color to blend into its physical environment, we tend to adapt our ideas, opinions, and feelings to match up with those with whom we ...
Views: 348 - Understanding the Action of the Subconscient - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2024 from santosh krinskyThe field of psychology in the West has developed over the last couple of centuries with a focus on the influence of the subconscious levels on our external lives, fixating on trauma, past events and their effect on the way we respond to circumstances in our lives. This has led to techniques ...
Views: 323 - Understanding the Causes and Prevention of Illness - by Submitted on Jul 10, 2023 from santosh krinskyThere are many ideas about the causes of illness, as well as ways to prevent or cure illness. In the West, the prevalent idea is related to what may be called the “germ invasion” theory, namely, that illness is caused by specific physical ‘germs’ (bacteria or viruses) which invade and overpower ...
Views: 560 - Understanding the Complexity and Risks of Dealing with the Power of Thought Forms - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2024 from santosh krinskyThere is a famous story in the Mahabharata which has a profound meaning when it comes to the application of any power of action in the world, including the power to create thought formations. One of the protagonists in the great war that was fought at Kurukshetra was Arjuna. He was the greatest ...
Views: 280 - Understanding the Concept of Divine Grace - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe human mind likes to have a logical reason for events, and therefore we search for a causal relationship between an event and some precursor. We call this “cause and effect” or “causality” or “dependent origination” or “law of karma”, or “law of nature”. However we describe it, we are trying ...
Views: 669 - Understanding the Concept of Wideness in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 18, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe Vedic Rishis spoke of Satyam, Ritam, Brihat, ‘the truth, the right, the vast’. These represent psychological states into which the yogic practitioner can enter in order to embody the truth of the Brahman. The vast consciousness takes us out of the human egoistic standpoint into an awareness, ...
Views: 566 - Understanding the Concept of Wideness in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 18, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe Vedic Rishis spoke of Satyam, Ritam, Brihat, ‘the truth, the right, the vast’. These represent psychological states into which the yogic practitioner can enter in order to embody the truth of the Brahman. The vast consciousness takes us out of the human egoistic standpoint into an awareness, ...
Views: 535 - Understanding the Consciousness of the Body - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2023 from santosh krinskyIf we reflect on how many actions or operations of the physical body take place without our mental intervention, it becomes clear that the body has its own highly developed, and essential, form of consciousness that operates independently of the mind. One common example is widely experienced. An ...
Views: 428 - Understanding the Cycles and Phases of Spiritual Development - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2022 from santosh krinskySeveral days ago a seeker raised a question, rephrased here: “I read Sri Aurobindo’s writings regularly and for a time they stay active within me, but then, it falls away and I feel blank inside. Am I losing the benefit of Sri Aurobindo’s teaching, and if so, how can I ensure that it stays ...
Views: 513 - Understanding the Defense Mechanism of Projection - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2022 from santosh krinskyDue to what we may call ‘observational bias’ we tend to attribute intention and motive to others that we ourselves have internally and project our internal response onto the other party, without knowing exactly what the cause of their action may be from their standpoint. Some of this is due to ...
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