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- Cultivating Inner Peace as the Basis of Spiritual Sadhana - by Submitted on Feb 03, 2023 from santosh krinskyGiven the reactive nature of the external being, the mind, the vital, the physical body, there is generally a lack of peace and we are driven from one response to another as circumstances, events, sense impressions, etc. impinge upon us. Development of an awareness that is separated from this ...
Views: 524 - The Individual and the Collectivity - by Submitted on Nov 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyMany studies have been done, and real-life examples have shown the power of a body of people focused on a particular feeling, thought or action. Mob psychology shows that individuals who otherwise might be seen as quiet and peaceful can be riled up into paroxysms of anger when part of an angry ...
Views: 524 - The Role of the Ego in the Evolution of Consciousness - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn one of his aphorisms, Sri Aurobindo observes: “…the ego was the helper, the ego is the bar.” For most spiritual seekers, the attachment to the ego-personality is the great hindrance which they must find a way to overcome. Some try extreme methods to minimize the role and power of the ego. But ...
Views: 524 - The Subconscient Is the Repository of Habits and Atavistic Behaviour That Must Be Cleared During the Yogic Process - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2024 from santosh krinskyWe bring into this life many propensities as well as genetic tendencies, which are compounded and accentuated by early learning that takes place in the family and in the society. Prenatal influences as well as learning that takes place after the birth process and in the very early childhood ...
Views: 524 - Equality: the State of Inner Peace in the Face of Provocation - by Submitted on Jan 31, 2023 from santosh krinskyHow do we typically respond to the situations that we meet in the world? We want to fulfill our desires, have our wishes and ideas carried out, and have a modicum of control in our lives. When things do not go as we wish, we become frustrated, angry, resentful or otherwise upset. On the other ...
Views: 523 - Habitual Responses and the Process of Auto-Suggestion Arising from the Action of the Subconscious Level - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2024 from santosh krinskyThere is a complex interaction between the external mind-life-body complex and the subconscious level of our existence. As we experience various things in our lives, including illness, accidents or various circumstances, our mind tries to build a pattern of recognition and develops a memory. ...
Views: 523 - The Nature of Equality in Yogic Psychology - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe term ‘equality’ in general use relates to inter-personal relationships within the society, but that is not how the term is utilized in yogic psychology. Equality in that sense means the ability to accept all touches from the universe, perceptions, feelings, thoughts, emotions, powers and ...
Views: 523 - Observing and Controlling One’s Speech - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2022 from santosh krinskyMauna Sadhana, the discipline of silence, can be a very powerful way to gain insight into the impulse to speech and the control of speech. We frequently speak without filtering what we have to say. The idea comes into our mind and before we know it, it is making its way out in the form of ...
Views: 522 - Passivity and Weakness of Will-Power Can Be a Disturbance of the Physical Consciousness - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2022 from santosh krinskyPeople struggle all the time with the force of desire and how to deal with it in their lives. For the yogic practitioner this becomes an even greater concern as desire causes countless difficulties in bringing the inner being to a state of peace in which the yogic consciousness can flourish. ...
Views: 522 - The Nature, Character and Evolutionary Role of the Psychic Entity, the Soul - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe Rishis of the Rig Veda place Agni at the beginning and in a central role in the spiritual development they described. The flame of aspiration, the ‘knower of all things born’, the mystic fire is the starting point for spiritual growth. This flame resides in the psychic being, the soul, ...
Views: 522 - The Psychic Entity Knows the Purpose and Significance of Our Existence - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen we live primarily, or entirely, focused on our external life via the instruments of the body, life-force and mind, we cannot determine nor recognise the purpose and significance of our existence. We may speculate. We may hold opinions. We may adhere to some doctrine, such as a religious ...
Views: 522 - The Subconscious Basis of Our Individual Being, Part 2 - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2022 from santosh krinskyAs if the genetic, prenatal and neonatal influence, and the habits and customs of the society into which one is born is not sufficient burden to have to deal with as it rises up from the subconscient levels of our being, we also have to address the current influences provided through peer ...
Views: 522 - Soul-Mates, Marriage and the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe soul-mate, the individual who is intended to match your soul in this lifetime, the perfect partner, the person who helps one make life work. People are always seeking for just the perfect match, and there are any number of romantic notions about how this occurs in life. People then say that ...
Views: 521 - The Choice Before the Practitioner of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe pressure of both the habitual patterns established by the physical body, the vital life energy and the mental development, together with the pressure of society and the impact of past education, creates an enormous impediment to the radical change in standpoint necessitated for the ...
Views: 521 - The Divine Nature of Beauty: an Expression of Ananda in Manifestation - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2022 from santosh krinskyWe are predisposed, through cultural habit, to see beauty in an outward form. Those who look a bit deeper warn us that ‘beauty is only skin-deep’, and that outward forms of beauty may hide inward blemishes. The essence of deception is to create the appearance of outward beauty while hiding ...
Views: 521 - The Necessity and Methods of Overcoming Inertia in the Physical Nature - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe quality of Tamas has as a major characteristic the sense of inertia. Nothing seems to be moving or advancing, there is little energy or will active to undertake action, there is an overpowering sense of helplessness, weakness, failure and dullness. Many times people confuse dullness or ...
Views: 521 - The Need for Time to Assimilate the Descent of the Divine Force - by Submitted on Sep 30, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe vital nature craves excitement and signs of progress. It feels like time spent reflecting, relaxing, or contemplating may be ‘wasted time’. This is similar to the mindset that sees a vacant piece of land, with just plants, flowers and trees on it as ‘wasted’ as it has not been ‘developed’. ...
Views: 521 - 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 - 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 - Is It Realistic to Expect Instant Transformation of Human Nature? - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe live in a time where we expect everything to happen instantly. We want to take a pill and achieve ‘instant enlightenment’. Life is speeding up with enhancements to communications, travel, and devices that make us react faster every day. Life itself seems to have speeded up and days disappear ...
Views: 520 - Overcoming Disturbance of the Nerves - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen an individual takes up the inner observation process and begins to look carefully at the motives, actions, feelings, emotions and ideas that dominate the being, there is frequently a stage where the witness consciousness becomes ‘self-critical’ and worries about every misstep, every wrong ...
Views: 520 - Spiritual Practice Requires Strength of Body, Life and Mind - by Submitted on Jan 16, 2022 from santosh krinskyMany people mistakenly believe that those who take up the spiritual life and withdraw from active involvement in the outer life of society, marriage, familiy, commerce, governance, etc. are somehow weak or unfit to succeed in society and they are “taking the easy way out”. It is true that some ...
Views: 520 - The Body’s Will to Health Is the True Cure of Illness - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2022 from santosh krinskyMost people associate the will-power with the mind. We concentrate on achieving something and we “set our mind to it” and exercise our will. When the issue turns to overcoming vital habits or bodily weaknesses, however, we find that the mental will is much less effective, and in many cases, we ...
Views: 520 - The Need to Overcome the Subconscious State of Sleep - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2022 from santosh krinskyNormally when we sleep, the body goes into a state of tamas and with it, the consciousness loses the thread of the progress of the preceding day. While the progress is not ‘lost’ in the long run, it does mean that we tend to have to re-establish what was done previously time and again. Something ...
Views: 520 - Vital Disturbances Arise from Universal Nature and Bring Forth Habitual Responses - by Submitted on Oct 30, 2021 from santosh krinskyIn The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo explores the boundaries of the Ignorance and a framework for attaining knowledge. He describes at some length, the ‘circumconscient’ influence on what we believe are our own internal actions and reactions. We view ourselves through the ego-consciousness and ...
Views: 520 - Conquering Difficulties With a Positive Mind-Set - by Submitted on Oct 03, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe Indian tradition relates a story of the divine singer, Narad, which emphasizes the power of a positive mind-set in the spiritual quest. He came across a yogi undertaking strenuous discipline, tapasya, This yogi inquired how much longer he would need to achieve enlightenment. Narad replied “4 ...
Views: 519 - How to Transform One’s Nature By Overcoming Mental and Vital Bias - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2022 from santosh krinskyOnce we have recognised that we cannot rely on the mental being to truly review, analyse and control the vital desire-soul of the external being, and adopted the principle enunciated by the Mother to hold up each thought, feeling, emotion, action and motivation before a ‘screen’ of one’s highest ...
Views: 519 - Observing, Understanding and Overcoming the Impact of Negativity and Hostility on the Sensitive Nature of the Refined Individual - by Submitted on Jul 11, 2022 from santosh krinskyRefined and sensitive individuals tend to judge others by their own internal standard. In many cases, this means expecting others to always respond with good will, compassion and honesty. They build up an image of how the world ‘works’ that is based on their inner sense of things, and in many ...
Views: 519 - Developing and Integrating Calm and Peace in the Being - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2023 from santosh krinskyIf we remain constantly in active motion and react to all the sense impressions and pressures that impinge upon us from the outer world, it is difficult to achieve a status of calm or peace. One of the values of sitting regularly for a time of quiet reflection, meditation or concentration is ...
Views: 518 - Distinguishing Between Personal Growth and Inner Growth - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhile humanity embodies the development of the mental consciousness, in principle, it must be noted that this generalisation does not apply specifically to each and every human individual. Just as the field of statistics does not predict any single event, and the observational experiments of ...
Views: 518 - Elements Common to the Paths of Inner Growth - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, there are 8 limbs, or steps, systematically presented as the basis for the practice of Yoga. The first two of these, known as yamas and niyamas present preliminary practices to purify and stabilize the being to prepare for the practice of yoga. Many people consider ...
Views: 518 - A Sudden and Decisive Spiritual Opening Transforms the Individual’s Life When It Takes Place - by Submitted on Dec 01, 2022 from santosh krinskySometimes the spiritual opening comes in what appears to be a miraculous fashion and the direction of the individual’s life takes a major turn. This goes beyond a brief glimpse of the spiritual truth which can fade and require renewal in order for it to stabilise and solidify the direction. Such ...
Views: 517 - Evolution of Consciousness - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2022 from santosh krinskyNature takes a long time to effectuate substantive evolutionary progress in manifesting higher, more complex and more powerful forms of consciousness. The shift from the realm of Matter took countless millennia. The first appearance of Life was simple and, again, the time required was far beyond ...
Views: 517 - The Separation of Purusha and Prakriti as a Powerful Tool for Shifting the Standpoint Out of the Ego-Personality and into the Divine Standpoint - by Submitted on Dec 02, 2021 from santosh krinskyAs long as we remain rooted in the ego-consciousness, we identify ourselves with the mind, life and body and their needs, demands, and habitual ways of responding to the challenges of existence. Within this framework, we are trapped by the definitions and boundaries that circumscribe our ...
Views: 517 - Transforming the Vital Nature, Part 2: Overcoming Difficulties and Obstacles on the Path - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe primary initial difficulties faced by the sadhak in overcoming the vital nature are related to the Gunas of Rajas and Tamas. Rajas is naturally energetic and somewhat aggressive and thus, it tackles issues with vehemence. When it becomes frustrated or suffers a setback, it tends to recoil ...
Views: 517 - How Can One Transform the Vital? Part 1: Observation, Understanding, Action & Resistance - by Submitted on Jul 20, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe Mother provides a clear approach to transforming the vital nature. In part 1 she addresses how to gain perspective, the necessary steps involved and the kind of resistance that arises and what can be done about it. The Mother notes: “The first step: will. Secondly, sincerity and ...
Views: 516 - Progressively Becoming Conscious - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2022 from santosh krinskyEveryone believes they are ‘conscious’. Spiritual seekers, especially, having awakened from the purely mechanical, habitual processes of the external life, certainly believe they are conscious. Those who believe in various religious traditions, by virtue of that belief, accept that they are ...
Views: 516 - Calmness Belongs to the Strong — Quietude Is the Basis of True Power - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2023 from santosh krinskyIn today’s world we are confronted by politicians and business leaders who act aggressively, beat their chests, berate others, bully and otherwise exhibit behavior that proclaims “might is right” and therefore, due to their financial power or physical strength, they have the right to control ...
Views: 515 - Do We Know What We Seek in Our Lives? - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2022 from santosh krinskyWe feel like something is missing in our lives. It could be something material, it could be just a pang of hunger or thirst. It could be a sense of emotional emptiness, unattached to a specific object. We may feel like we need to find out something, do something, know something, respond to ...
Views: 515 - Intellectual Understanding and Understanding in the Consciousness - by Submitted on Mar 25, 2022 from santosh krinskyThose who find their basis primarily in the mind tend to believe that their intellectual understanding of something represents something real and definitive and that their “knowing” means they “know” something. This is however, not quite accurate. For instance, one can read books and “know” ...
Views: 515 - The Strength in Stillness - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe live in a world that prizes action and that continually impinges upon us with various information feeds and input from all directions. Quiet and stillness, the ability to remain calm without agitation or upset, the ability to achieve true peace in the mind, in the vital and nervous being and ...
Views: 515 - Applying the “Hundredth Monkey” Phenomenon - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2023 from santosh krinsky“The liberation of the individual soul is therefore the keynote of the definite divine action; it is the primary divine necessity and the pivot on which all else turns.” This is the first step but what must also be recognized is that as individuals here and there achieve new states of ...
Views: 514 - The Usefulness of Suffering - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2022 from santosh krinskyDr. Dean Ornish held a webinar on Sunday November 20, 2022 with the Vegan Society of Honolulu, Hawaii, in which he succinctly explained the role of suffering in the progress of humanity. For those who do not know about his work, Dr. Ornish has spent decades studying the impact of diet and ...
Views: 514 - Following the Unique Path of One’s Deepest Aspiration to Spiritual Realisation - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2022 from santosh krinskyIt is a somewhat difficult concept for most people to accept: that each individual has his own spiritual path and realisation before him, and that it is therefore neither appropriate nor fruitful to spend time trying to either criticise or convert others to one’s own path or view, or to attempt ...
Views: 513 - Having Hobbies is Important for Kids – Here’s Why! - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2020 from Saurabh GuptaAny leisure time activity that piques the interest and curiosity of a young mindis likely to turn into his or her hobby. There is so much more to a hobby than being just another pastime activity that entertains or fills up those spare moments for children. If you are wondering whether your ...
Views: 513 - How Do Spiritual Experiences Come About? - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2023 from santosh krinskyWhile we are allured by the idea of spiritual experiences, or, if one looks at the popular media, the idea of some kind of unusual powers that an individual can develop, obtain or possess, we actually have very little idea about what is really possible, and how it actually occurs. Popular ...
Views: 513 - The Difference Between Indulgence, Suppression and Rejection of the Movement of Desire - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2022 from santosh krinskyYogic practitioners have a number of different methods they have utilized to try to gain control over the movement of vital desire. The disturbances caused by desire, and the distractions that result are clearly inimical to success in the yogic sadhana. Some, like those who practice various ...
Views: 513 - The External Personality and the Psychic Being - by Submitted on Mar 28, 2023 from santosh krinskyFor most people, the external personality and being, the body and its needs and habits, the life-force and its desires and the mind and its particular predilections, represent “who they are”. Rarely, an individual reflects deeply on the question of ‘who am I’ and begins to understand that there ...
Views: 513 - 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 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 ...
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