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Articles from santosh krinsky | Selfgrowth.com
- The Forms of Divine Love - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere are two primary manifestations of Divine Love experienced and reported by seekers and devotees around the world, irrespective of particular religious or philosophical backgrounds. The first is a focus on the personal manifestation of the Divine, which brings the seeker to an extremely ...
Views: 645 - The Influence of the Circumconscient Environmental Consciousness - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe paradigm that has ruled Western psychology has focused on treating the individual as a discrete entity, separate and apart from everyone else, and independent of his environment. Pressure may be exerted by societal influences, economic influences or family relationships and expectations, but ...
Views: 645 - 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 - Lights and Sounds Can Indicate Opening to Inner or Subtler Planes of Existence - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2021 from santosh krinskyEverything that exists in the universe has an energy signature or frequency which is manifested by light, colour and sound, whether perceived by our limited sense capabilities or outside their range. As the seeker begins to shift awareness inwards, he is no longer totally reliant on the external ...
Views: 644 - Understanding the Difference Between Psychic and Spiritual - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2023 from santosh krinskyEvery language has its limitations, particularly surrounding areas of development that were not central to the people who developed and utilized that language. This makes it difficult to translate concepts that are self-evident in one language easily or effectively into another language. This ...
Views: 644 - Controlling the Ego in Ordinary Life and in Yoga - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2021 from santosh krinskyIn the normal life of an individual in society, the ego is important, although it’s actions must be managed to permit people to find ways to work together and achieve results. Wherever we turn, we can see the benefits of keeping the ego in check and subordinating the individual’s role within a ...
Views: 643 - Distinguishing Various Types of Symbolic Visions - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2021 from santosh krinskyAs the seeker interacts more with the inner levels of consciousness, there are often various types of visions and symbols which are perceived. These visions, however, are not all from the same source, and do not all carry the same weight or significance. It is another element of the research and ...
Views: 643 - The Creative Power of the Silent Mind - by Submitted on May 16, 2021 from santosh krinskyFor most people there is never a moment of silence in the mind. A constant churning of thoughts, ideas, desires, plans, wishes, concerns, feelings, emotions, perceptions, and needs keeps mental activity of one sort or another always going. We seem to actually fear the silence, so if the inner ...
Views: 643 - The Role of Devotion and Love in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2021 from santosh krinskyEvery part of the being must be engaged if the integral yoga is to progress. The physical body, the vital being, the emotional being, and the mind all have their role. What is a chore for the physical being, and a dry intellectual endeavour for the mind, becomes a source of joy and dedication ...
Views: 643 - The Development of the Human Being and the Transcendence of the Human Being: Personal Growth and Inner Growth Defined - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2022 from santosh krinskyPersonal growth and inner growth, the enhancement of the human being and its capabilities and the transcendence of the human being to develop a being awake and active with a new level of consciousness, are not in conflict with one another. The human being must develop to a certain degree to ...
Views: 642 - The One Thing That Should Never Be Done - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2021 from santosh krinskyAfter intensive mental awakening, vital experiences of spiritual significance, and the emotional uplift and fervour of devotion, there comes a period when the work shifts to the physical mind and framework, and change, that seemed to be so close and real, now seems to be illusory and just about ...
Views: 642 - The Intellect Does Not Have Direct Knowledge - by Submitted on Oct 16, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe mental intellect receives impulses through the senses, organises them, and trues to determine what is true based on that. It then builds hypotheses, theories and ideation around its assortment of perceptions, memory, and experience based on various principles of symbolic logic that it has ...
Views: 640 - Distinguishing the Ordinary Motives of the Vital Being from Spiritual Motivation - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2023 from santosh krinskyThe vital nature has an innate drive towards fulfillment and satisfaction of desire. Since most individuals are oriented towards the outer life, the fulfillment comes through attaining desirable objects of the vital focus. This can be accumulation of wealth, it can be family, fame or achievement ...
Views: 638 - Spiritual Experience and Psychoanalysis - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2021 from santosh krinskyHumanity has a tendency to try to judge everything by its existing level of perception and knowledge. Thus, for most of human existence, people ‘knew’ that the sun rotated around the earth and that the earth was the center of the universe around which everything else moved and upon which ...
Views: 638 - The Three Transformations of Consciousness in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2021 from santosh krinskyIn The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo provides a detailed explanation of what he describes as the “triple transformation”. The first two, the psychic and spiritual transformations, are well-known steps in the spiritual journey and thus, for a good portion of the way, the traditional paths of yoga ...
Views: 638 - Dealing With Physical Pain - by Submitted on Aug 03, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn various places, Sri Aurobindo describes the possibility of pain becoming for the spiritual practitioner an intense form of spiritual bliss, Ananda. He is describing the psychological experience of a realized soul who has separated himself from attachment to and identification with the ...
Views: 636 - Occult Powers and the Secret Knowledge - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere are many who seek after various powers, and study occultism and mysticism with the purpose of achieving unique ‘super powers’. Traditional practices of yoga, while acknowledging that certain powers may result from the practices, make it clear that they are not the object and, indeed, ...
Views: 636 - The Action of Karma and the Nature of Suffering - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2022 from santosh krinsky“What goes around comes around” and “karma” both basically indicate that there is a factor in existence that rewards good deeds and punishes bad deeds. But do we really see that things work this way? Is there some divine entity sitting up in the clouds, watching our good and bad actions, and ...
Views: 636 - The Nature and Action of Faith in the Spiritual Path - by Submitted on May 06, 2021 from santosh krinskyOne of the great reported examples of faith in the spiritual path is the inspiring story of Tibet’s great yogi, Milarepa. Briefly, his family was cheated out of their inheritance when his father died, and put into a condition of extreme suffering. He left to learn Black Magic to take his revenge ...
Views: 636 - The Vital Nature and Its Role in Ordinary Life and Spiritual Life - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2021 from santosh krinskyIn the ordinary life in the world, the action of vital desire, and the attempt to fulfill the desires is accepted to such a degree that it is not even consciously noted or treated as anything other than ‘human nature’. Society sets certain customary restraints or limits in order to build a civil ...
Views: 636 - Distinguishing Between the Qualities of Quiet, Calm, Peace and Silence in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 13, 2021 from santosh krinskyNear the top of the “wish list” for most spiritual aspirants is achieving “peace”. This is generally understood however in a very personal sense to alleviate the turmoil, dissention and conflict that invariably arises in our normal circumstances living in the world. It is rarely appreciated ...
Views: 635 - Human Love and Divine Love - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyHow do we understand the term ‘love’ in the context of spiritual sadhana? We bring to the term a large number of impressions, ideas, and conceptions based on our cultural background, educational upbringing and socialization in our society. We have no direct experience, for the most part, of ...
Views: 635 - Sleep, Rest and Consciousness - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2022 from santosh krinskyWestern scientists describe the various stages of sleep. Yet they are looking at sleep from outside and do not know how to correlate the stages with the movement of consciousness during sleep. They recite facts based on observation and brain wave activity and pronounce that one is experiencing ...
Views: 635 - The Kundalini, the Tantra and the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Sep 25, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe opening and activation of the subtle energy centres described in the Tantras and known generally as Kundalini Yoga, differs from the practices of integral Yoga as to process, but not necessarily as to the end result. In both cases, the subtle centres, or chakras, are opened and energy is ...
Views: 635 - How to Sleep Well - by Submitted on May 13, 2022 from santosh krinskyOne of the most frequent concerns raised by people generally is their inability to get a good night’s sleep. Insomnia, as well as restless sleep, seems to be a widespread concern. Among practitioners of yoga, the concern goes even farther, in that they desire to convert sleep into a luminous, ...
Views: 634 - The Mother: Supreme Nature That Manifests All Existence - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe Supreme Divine is “One without a second”. Yet we can still make mental distinctions between the Transcendent, the Universal and the Individual aspects of the Divine, as that is the nature of the mental consciousness, and we can focus on one or another of these aspects without forgetting the ...
Views: 634 - The Nature of the Sexual Impulse - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe sexual impulse and energy is one of the basic primary drives in Nature and is widespread in the animal kingdom, although there are instances of asexual reproduction. The drive is so powerful that it can drive beings to extreme lengths, even killing off rivals, or fighting to maintain ...
Views: 634 - The Source and Origin of Desire and the Mechanism of Its Action in the Being - by Submitted on Dec 26, 2021 from santosh krinskyAn individual experiences a craving, an urge, a desire and automatically tries to fulfill it through some action. If it is hunger or thirst, the individual wants to eat or drink. If it is a more complex desire, something that cannot simply be accomplished, the mind is brought into the picture to ...
Views: 633 - Additional Forms of Disturbance Associated with the Physical Mind - by Submitted on Apr 14, 2022 from santosh krinskyDr. Dalal identifies other manifestations of the physical mind which can present issues for an individual. Everyone has had the experience, at some point or another, of thoughts that keep revolving around in the brain, and no matter how much one tries, they continue to crop up and recur. We chew ...
Views: 632 - Human Motives and Divine Motives in Action - by Submitted on May 26, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere is a difference between action undertaken with the usual motives in the normal course of human life, and actions undertaken by the spiritual seeker attempting to achieve spiritual growth and realisation of the Divine. The outer form of action, in and of itself, does not make an action ...
Views: 632 - Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice — Summary and Conclusions - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2022 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo took up yoga, not for individual salvation or to abandon the life of the world, but to aid in transforming life, for action in the world. He developed a deep background and understanding of the major lines of thought and development of the West, including his studies of Greek and ...
Views: 632 - Three Differences Between Integral Yoga and Traditional Spiritual Paths - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2021 from santosh krinskyPeople frequently wonder how the integral yoga may differ from the traditional paths of yogic practice. The aim of the integral yoga is to transform consciousness here on earth; it is not fixated solely on individual liberation, although individual realisation is a necessary step on the path, ...
Views: 632 - Distinguishing the Psychic Transformation from the Spiritual Transformation - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2021 from santosh krinskySpiritual experience and progress can be confusing. In many cases the seeker is misled or misunderstands what is actually taking place, and the significance of it. Spiritual paths generally recommend the seeker find an experienced guide, or Guru, among other reasons, to help mitigate confusion ...
Views: 631 - The Role of the Emotions in the Practice of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2021 from santosh krinskyEmotions tend to be hard to deal with. Spiritual seekers recognise that emotions can disrupt the focus and lead the seeker into undesirable vital entanglements. Many spiritual paths counsel cutting off the emotional outlets and renouncing the life in the world. They ask the seeker to abandon ...
Views: 631 - The Elements of the Psychic Transformation - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe first of the three major transformations of consciousness that Sri Aurobindo describes as required to actually effect the needed change in human nature, is the psychic transformation. With this transformation, the soul comes forward, takes control of the mind, life and body and turns them ...
Views: 630 - The Process of Establishing Equality in the Being - by Submitted on May 23, 2021 from santosh krinskyAs Sri Aurobindo has indicated, the practice of yoga is a science of applied psychology. The normal and habitual patterns of response that we exhibit need to be both understood and modified, energies redirected, and new forces allowed to intervene and exert their influence in our lives. ...
Views: 630 - 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 - Guarding One’s Faith - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2022 from santosh krinskyFaith, as described by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, is not a dogmatic acceptance of a system of ideas or ‘articles of faith’; rather, it is a form of knowledge that arises from deeper within, from the soul and its connection with the universe, which provides a certainty that goes beyond the ...
Views: 629 - Three Main Causes of Madness, Psychological Collapse and Failure of the Spiritual Quest - by Submitted on Dec 16, 2021 from santosh krinskyThose who take up the spiritual quest face numerous difficulties along the way. Old habits and ways of seeing and acting are suddenly challenged, while at the same time energies long subdued or depressed may arise as the various chakras begin to open and pour out their energy. The various parts ...
Views: 629 - Anger and Depression - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2022 from santosh krinskyDepression and anger represent two types of response to a vital impulse or desire which has been thwarted, or to external pressures which try to overwhelm the individual. When we understand the action of the 3 gunas, or qualities of nature, sattwa, rajas and tamas, it is easy to see that when ...
Views: 628 - Aspiration, Faith and Realisation - by Submitted on Jun 26, 2022 from santosh krinskyAspiration in terms of the yogic process is a tuning of the consciousness towards the spiritual reality, and thereby shifting the focus away from the ego-personality to the divine. The aspiration directs the attention, but must be followed up with an attitude of receptivity so that the response, ...
Views: 628 - Out of Body Experiences - by Submitted on Aug 29, 2021 from santosh krinskyMost people, embedded in the physical body and its consciousness, find it difficult, if not impossible, to accept or validate the reality of the out of body experience. At the same time, there are countless anecdotes of people who have an out of body experience, or the related ‘near death ...
Views: 628 - Personal Effort and Surrender in the Sadhana of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe “either/or” limitations of the mental processes leads us generally to believe that spiritual progress either comes with individual effort, or alternatively, through ‘surrender’ of the ego and letting the Divine, or the Guru, bring about the progress. Thus, there are individuals who undertake ...
Views: 628 - Save the Oceans to Save the Planet, Part 4: Tough Choices to Achieve Real Solutions - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere are numerous vested interests, spanning the entire globe, which make the issues surrounding the degradation of the ocean and the ability of the planet to sustain human life and civilization, virtually impossible to resolve from our normal perspectives. Any change that seems necessary or ...
Views: 628 - The Devotee and the Yoga of Devotion, Part 1 - by Submitted on Jul 03, 2021 from santosh krinskyWhich comes first, the experience of the Divine Presence or the aspiration to bask in the Presence? This question arose in a dialogue between a disciple and Sri Aurobindo and led to an extensive response from Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo describes the attitude, motive and dedication of a devotee ...
Views: 628 - Understanding the Witness Consciousness — the Separation of Purusha and Prakriti - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2021 from santosh krinskyWe tend to identify with the perceptions, sensations, desires, feelings and thoughts we experience and through the ego-consciousness, we take ownership of them and believe that they are what makes up our unique individuality. When we sit quietly, and turn our attention away from the outer world, ...
Views: 628 - Developing Receptivity to the Action of the Higher Force for Transformation of the Nature - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2021 from santosh krinskyWe turn our attention and focus normally to the needs of the body, the desires and ambitions of the vital being, the impact of perceptions and the thought processes of our minds. Even when we take up a spiritual path, we try to find a practice that may involve the body, the life-energy and / or ...
Views: 627 - The Source and Significance of Visions - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2021 from santosh krinskySeeking visions has been a part of what has been called a “spiritual journey” by countless individuals around the world throughout history and in all religious and spiritual traditions. The “vision quest” is a well known and accepted activity among seekers. Christian mystics, for instance, chose ...
Views: 627 - Understanding the Need and Limitations for Rules and Guidelines in Social Interactions and Activity in the World - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2021 from santosh krinskyFinding and holding the right balance between the inner life and the outer action is one of the constant difficulties facing the seeker. In the ordinary human life, focus on the outer world and its demands takes precedence and there is little or no emphasis on an inner life. During this phase, ...
Views: 627 - Helping Others in the Spiritual Path - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2022 from santosh krinskyThere is an impulse to share something that we find valuable in our own lives. This impulse is oftentimes harnessed by religious organizations or spiritual groups to become a method of proselytizing and conversion, and in some cases, it can become a situation filled with pressure on the ...
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