The Synthesis of Yoga (2000-2001, Super school, Auroville) - Session 13 (13 January 2001)
We had done the Shastra. We are doing utsaha, we shall soon go on to the Guru and then we shall come to kala. These are the four aids of which Sri Aurobindo has spoken. The Shastra, the science of the processes and the operations that govern the yoga leading towards realisation. Utsaha is the effort; the enthusiasm on the part of the pupil which uplifts itself so that the teacher can lead the individual forwards towards the realisation.
What is the place of this aspiration from the pupil? Aspiration that makes you make an effort. What is the role of effort in the process of yoga? This is the question. We have almost finished it but not fully, therefore I would like to revise it. We shall put our focus on the right points. Sri Aurobindo spoke of three stages. There are three stages and Sri Aurobindo tells us the role of effort in each of the three stages. There is a wrong notion: that the Divine exists, he does everything; therefore if I have to do yoga he will make me do it. He does everything; if he wants that I should do yoga, he will make me do yoga. Very often this is taken as an excuse for not making the effort on our part. He will do everything and if he is doing everything he will do this also. This is an ignorant reaction to a profound truth. You know when a truth is spoken but at the wrong place: truth becomes falsehood. It is true that everything is done by the Divine but we have to see how the Divine does everything, what is the complexity of that action and if you don’t see the complexity then you are not saying the truth as a whole. The Divine is of course the initiator, the performer and the result all that is the Divine. It is true that if he wants it will be done. But in our ignorance we do not know that he wants it. Therefore we must also say that. If you really want to speak the Truth you should not merely say: “If he wants it will be done.” It is an incomplete statement. We must find out whether he really wants to or not. To make a full statement you should say: “If he wants…” The moment you say: “If he wants…” you are ignorant. Therefore your statement is incomplete. You should find out whether he wants to. So, even to go from this state to that state you have to make an effort. You must know that he really wants it.
I had told you last time when I drew a diagram… I had said that this is the Divine Power. It is this Power which is working everywhere. But I had told you that at a certain stage this Divine Power creates a blockage — it is also created by Itself, the blockage also is created by the Divine Power. This introduces the element of complexity. There is a difference between Divine Power manifesting unobstructed and the Divine Power manifesting through a blockage. There is a knot or there are series of knots which are created because of this blockage. Each knot is what is called the ego. Each one of us has this ego. Because of this egoistic knot the force, which should really proceed smoothly, unobstructed, gets twisted all over and does not move smoothly. That is why what we see in this world is not as a direct manifestation of the Divine. All kinds of twists are present in this manifestation. Therefore this world is full of difficulties, obstructions, and phenomena of incapacities, of death, pain. All these phenomena result from this central thread of ego.
We have to examine that although behind power is at work always, it is moving in us through a twist. As a result, this twist has three elements in it. First this ego ignorantly thinks that this power is its power. It does not recognise that there is a Supreme power which is behind it. On the contrary it says: “This power which is moving in me is my power.” It does not recognise the superior power behind. As a result the greatness, the supremacy of this power is narrowed down. So that power itself becomes diminished. The second result is that there is a resistance to this power. Whatever power comes from above is resisted — there is an opposite movement. So not only is the power diminished because of the egoistic idea that the power comes from myself, but the power is also resisted. This is the second result. And the third result is that the ego builds up a wall. The power diminishes, the power is resisted and finally the ego builds up like a spider, a small home for itself — a fortress is built up. In that fortress, if you listen to the music in it, you will find only one word or two words being hummed all the time: “I am doing, I am doing, I am doing… I am the doer. I am the doer, I am the doer…” Because of this constant music which is going on the constant belief is that the ego is the doer. When the ego is told the Divine is the entire doer, it is only when it does not want to do anything it says let the Divine do it. Not that it really believes that the Divine is the doer, it wants to resist it and to resist, it says if the Divine is the doer, let him do it, I don’t do anything. But inwardly the belief is I am the doer. That belief is not cancelled. It is only that in answer you are using the words of wisdom not out of your real conviction that the Divine is the doer. Your conviction is that I am the doer. If your conviction is lost and you really say the Divine is the doer then of course the consequence is absolutely perfect. The divine will certainly do and he is always doing whatever is to be done. But because the ego’s strong conviction operates, we have to deal with it in that state of consciousness and therefore the element of effort is needed. All effort is necessitated on account of this false idea that I am the doer. If this false idea is removed then there is no place for the effort. The role of the effort is a resultant of this consciousness that I am the doer. Therefore if you want to put yourself in the right condition you must start by saying “I have to make an effort.” You have to work on the contrary: “I have to make the effort.”
And when you make the effort Sri Aurobindo says there are three stages. The first effort is to be in the process of reversal so that you can transcend this wall which has been built by the ego so that the consciousness which is vibrating here, becomes able to exceed itself and identify itself with the source of the power. It is called effort at self-transcendence and identity with the Supreme self. In this entire process, effort is needed. Constantly we go back to this wall, constantly we fall and constantly we have to lift ourselves to transcend our little ego and to identify with the Self. This is the first long stage. It is a very long stage. During this stage if you make a false statement: “The Divine will do”, Sri Aurobindo says, “Do not remain under the illusion that the Divine will do yoga for you.” The Divine demands from you but does not impose himself upon you. That is because the ego believes that it is the doer. So long as it believes that it is the doer there is a resistance so the Divine power even if it wants will be broken. That is the meaning of the divine demanding but not imposing. It tells you the real truth but as long as this false idea remains active, operative, under conviction you are asked to make an effort to transcend yourself and to arrive at identity with the Supreme Self, the Transcendental and Universal Self. This is the first stage.
The second stage is that you receive the power directly, not through the knots, not through the blockage. To receive the power of the Divine so that this power is able to work unaffected by this wall. And all the instruments of your being are transformed. Our egoistic consciousness is a complex web; it is like a spider’s web, there are many threads interwoven. There is the web of the body, life and mind. These are the three instruments and the egoistic thread is interwoven into all these three. Everywhere there is an egoistic thread, egoistic consciousness which is resisting. I told you there are three things which are happening all the time: diminution of the power, resistance to the power and the perpetuity of the wall. This power which comes directly more and more once you establish a contact with the Self, with the Divine; once you establish identity with it the force which is flowing all the time is now received and transforms the mind, life and body. This also is a very-very long process.
And the third stage is when all these walls are broken and instead of ego there remains only jivatma now. The ego is gone, only jivatma remains. And the very nature of jivatma is a constant self-surrender, automatic, not laboured, an automatic self-surrender to the Supreme. It is the beloved friend of the Divine, constantly dependent upon the Divine, a happy companion to the Divine. And then a Divine centre is created so that it works in the world as a free channel of the Divine, unobstructed channel of the Divine through whom the Divine force is spread in the world.
These are the three stages. The first stage is an effort to transcend, the diminution of the power of the Divine, the resistance to the Divine power and the walls, which have been created by the ego, are broken. This is the first stage and here we have to make a tremendous effort. Only then this notion will be cancelled in the psychological condition. This strong belief will be annulled. First is the contact, then the identity. When this happens, or as you move more and more toward the contact and the identity, more and more you realise that you are not the doer, there will be hardly any effort left. The more you attain, a time comes when you just will and the result is accomplished because the walls are not there and the Supreme power is at work automatically. A major portion of our life or yoga is the long space of effort. Therefore we should never arrogate to ourselves the right to say: “I will now make no effort. If the Divine wants it he will do it.” It is a false and proud reaction to the great truth that the Divine is the doer. We should not be deluded; we should always make an effort. Effort is our prerogative, you might say, it is a privilege — we have to make an effort. The more and more we reach this point of contact and identity the force will always work itself out. You will see automatically that you have given yourself to this power and the power goes on working. And when you become the Divine centre automatically you will not feel that you are the doer, it is he who is doing automatically. There is no effort there.
Now let us read this paragraph because it is very important. It applies to every one of us. We are all disciples and we are all instruments. This paragraph summarises the role of the disciple, what we have to do from our side.
The process of the integral Yoga has three stages, not indeed sharply distinguished or separate, but in a certain measure successive. There must be, first, the effort towards at least an initial and enabling self-transcendence and contact with the Divine; next, the reception of that which transcends, that with which we have gained communion, into ourselves for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
These are the three stages. We shall repeat it because these three stages have to be remembered. It is a key for all Integral Yoga. Whenever you want to judge how far you have progressed you take these three statements and see where you stand. And largely you will find that you are in the first stage because it is only when the question does not arise in your mind that you know it is already transcended. As long as there is a question you are still in the first stage.
There must be, first, the effort towards at least an initial and enabling self-transcendence and contact with the Divine; next, the reception of that which transcends, that with which we have gained communion, into ourselves for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
I will not proceed further because I want that this is established. I shall read once more again in a different way.
There must be first, what?
There must be, first, the effort towards at least an initial and enabling self-transcendence and contact with the Divine; next, the reception of that which transcends, that with which we have gained communion, into ourselves for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Next, what is next?
There must be, first, the effort towards at least an initial and enabling self-transcendence and contact with the Divine; next, the reception of that which transcends, that with which we have gained communion, into ourselves for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
You have begun to talk to God; because of the context we are now unable to speak to him, into ourselves for what purposes?
..for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
First to go up, allow what is above into ourselves and then third to become a divine centre in the world.
Now Sri Aurobindo analyses the exact role of effort in all the three stages.
So long as the contact with the Divine is not in some considerable degree established, so long as there is not some measure of sustained identity, sāyujya, the element of personal effort must normally predominate. But in proportion as this contact establishes itself, the sadhaka must become conscious that a force other than his own, a force transcending his egoistic endeavour and capacity, is at work in him and to this Power he learns progressively to submit himself and delivers up to it the charge of his Yoga.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
It is a long process and during that period personal effort must predominate. There must be a constant effort on our side, vigilance.
But in proportion as this contact establishes itself, the sadhaka must become conscious that a force other than his own, a force transcending his egoistic endeavour and capacity, is at work in him and to this Power he learns progressively to submit himself and delivers up to it the charge of his Yoga.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
The more and more you are in contact with the Divine during your conversations with the Divine you always say: “Please take charge of my yoga.” You learn that actually he is doing everything so you admit, submit and accept it and give the charge of your yoga in his hands. And when he enters into the yoga then your personal effort diminishes, it is not very much needed. Provided this happens. Let us not delude ourselves that now the Divine has taken charge of our yoga. Should we examine ourselves again and again and again ? Has he really taken the charge? Till that time unless you are sure that the Divine himself tells you “Look now don’t worry. I have taken charge of you.” Then your effort diminishes more and more.
In the end his own will and force become one with the higher Power; he merges them in the divine Will and its transcendent and universal Force. He finds it thenceforward presiding over the necessary transformation of his mental, vital and physical being with an impartial wisdom and provident effectivity of which the eager and interested ego is not capable. It is when this identification and this self-merging are complete that the divine centre in the world is ready. Purified, liberated, plastic, illumined, it can begin to serve as a means for the direct action of a supreme Power in the larger Yoga of humanity or superhumanity, of the earth’s spiritual progression or its transformation.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
There is a beautiful word in the Gita: muktasyakarma. It is a Sanskrit phrase which means action of the liberated. Karma means action, sya means of and mukta means liberated. He is therefore described by Sri Aurobindo as purified, liberated, plastic, illumined —four important words. This is the mark of the liberated man. During the process of yoga we have to try to attain to these four qualities: purification, liberation, plasticity, illumination. There are numerous stages of purification, liberation, plasticity and illumination. We have to keep this goal before us and only then we really begin to do what is called Divine’s work. There is among us a wrong use of this word. We often tell ourselves and the world that we are doing Divine’s work. Be careful in using this word. It is not an accurate term when we speak. To be able to do Divine’s work you must have these four qualities: purification, liberation, plasticity, illumination. Till that time you have no authority to say “I am doing Divine’s work.” If you say so it is a false statement.
Very often we say I am doing Mother’s work. Actually one disciple wrote to the Mother saying: “Mother’s, I want to do Mother’s work.” Mother said, that will take a long time. To really do Mother’s work is a long-long process. You have to reach this point. Before that you must do work for the Divine, as there is a difference between doing Divine’s work and to do work for the Divine. When you do the work for the Divine you are in the first stage. From here you are offering to the Divine, it is only the first stage. You are attempting to go in self-transcendence to contact and identify with the Divine. Then comes the second process of receiving the self into ourselves, into your body, life and mind to transform them. When this is accomplished then you can now be entitled, qualified to say, I am now doing Divine’s work. Muktasyakarma, you become liberated. You are no more subject to passions — that is one important mark. The word passion is a very important word. To be passionate or to be under a passion is to be passive. Something is overpowering you. So much overpowering you that you are passive to it. You are like a slave to it. To be a slave to a feeling, to an emotion, so you cannot resist it at all. You are so passive to it that you allow it to manifest through you; you are bound to it. So long as passions work through you, you are bound, you are a slave. You are not liberated. To be liberated is to have no overpowering influence over you. Passion is a mark of being bound — in bondage.
So, when you are purified, liberated, plastic, illumined then you begin to serve as a means for the direct action of the Supreme Power in the larger yoga of humanity or superhumanity. You really become a contributor; you are then the messenger of God, you are the prophet of God, the Son of God and then you can work in humanity as a free being unbound by any bonds and you contribute to the spiritual progression of humanity.
This is the paragraph that we had done last time. I have revised it because it is a very important paragraph. In a sense, we might say, the whole Integral Yoga is summarised in one paragraph here.
Question: What does ‘provident effectivity’ mean?
“… with an impartial wisdom and provident effectivity…” When you are working upon yourself egoistically, when you make an effort egoistically you are partial to yourself, you are favourable to yourself, you justify yourself, you are not able to see your own defects but when the Divine works in you then the Divine himself tells you: “Here you are wrong” and you are able to admit that here you are wrong. You look at yourself, as it were, like a scientist looking through a microscope. You are no more trying to hide this corner of your being or that corner of your being; you are no more trying to justify this or to justify that. You don’t have any kind of excuse; it is very sharp, very powerful. You allow the Divine himself to work in you with the four powers of the Mother.
There is Maheswari, who works on you with wisdom, but impartial wisdom, and reveals in you all the defects, pitilessly. Because you are working for him, open to the Divine, therefore he will not cease to reveal your defects —he will illumine you and say, here is your defect, there is your defect. When you become aware of your own defects, think that the Divine is working very well with you. The Divine is helping you because he is now impartially working with you so that you can see your defects very clearly. This is one way of the Divine working.
When necessary he works with the power of Mahakali — impetuously, even destroys you, you might say. In one second the great obstruction is removed. Like a good doctor who wants to take out the thorn which has gone deeply into the flesh and in one second he just takes it out. It was a tremendous pain at that time but then it was over. The obstacle is gone. This is the second way in which the Divine works in you with provident effectivity. The effectivity which is marvellous. But the Mahakali’s action does not come arbitrarily. The Divine sees how much you can bear. He is a very good doctor. He knows exactly when you can bear him, and how much, what dosage to give — therefore provident. When you are absolutely open to the Divine, when you will not misunderstand him he will come with impetuosity. It is as if, even when you are resisting, he will take you in his embrace because you are so open to him, he knows that now you have shed off all your resistances, then he works powerfully. But when it is not the case, he moves slowly. That is the meaning of provident effectivity. When this dosage is necessary he gives that dosage, according to your capacities, how much you can bear. The divine is neither in a hurry nor he is sluggish. At the right moment the right amount of energy is given and he enters into you very wisely, very impartially and providentially, according to your necessity, according to your openness to him.
He works with the power of Mahalakshmi. He pours into you the bewitching smile which is irresistible. He is extremely intimate. The contact is so magical that you melt into his presence. All the resistances are gone. Not like Mahakali’s action but your heart melts automatically when the Divine works in you through the Mahalakshmi power.
He acts through the power of Mahasaraswati. Mahasaraswati is a constant toiler, constant worker. The Divine is at work day and night. Once you have reached that state of contact with the Divine remember the Divine doesn’t see the day and night. He is constantly working. Even in your sleep when you are unconscious he is conscious; when you cannot be vigilant he is vigilant; he protects you. He does not allow you to slip down, he keeps you always aloft. That is the power of Mahasaraswati. And he toils on every defect like a goldsmith. He takes every little thing, each small amount of gold in us and makes various kinds of beautiful shapes. Everything is so chiselled, everything shines with that chiselling. And Mahasaraswati is the one who does the work so perfectly that when the work is done it is found that no defect is left, no work is left unattended, nothing is omitted and nothing is forgotten.
These are the four powers which are summarised by Sri Aurobindo as impartial wisdom and provident effectivity. These are the four powers by which the Divine works of which the ego is not at all capable, of which the eager and interested ego is not capable. That little puny thing that we call ego —myself —which is eager for this and eager for that and wants this result and that result immediately and prides himself, this eager and interested ego is not capable of this impartial wisdom and this provident effectivity.
Always indeed it is the higher Power that acts. Our sense of personal effort and aspiration comes from the attempt of the egoistic mind to identify itself in a wrong and imperfect way with the workings of the divine Force. It persists in applying to experience on a supernormal plane the ordinary terms of mentality which it applies to its normal experiences in the world. In the world we act with the sense of egoism; we claim the universal forces that work in us as our own; we claim as the effect of our personal will, wisdom, force, virtue the selective, formative, progressive action of the Transcendent in this frame of mind, life and body. Enlightenment brings to us the knowledge that the ego is only an instrument; we begin to perceive and feel that these things are our own in the sense that they belong to our supreme and integral Self, one with the Transcendent, not to the instrumental ego. Our limitations and distortions are our contribution to the working; the true power in it is the Divine’s. When the human ego realises that its will is a tool, its wisdom ignorance and childishness, its power an infant’s groping, its virtue a pretentious impurity, and learns to trust itself to that which transcends it, that is its salvation. The apparent freedom and self-assertion of our personal being to which we are so profoundly attached, conceal a most pitiable subjection to a thousand suggestions, impulsions, forces which we have made extraneous to our little person. Our ego, boasting of freedom, is at every moment the slave, toy and puppet of countless beings, powers, forces, influences in universal Nature. The self-abnegation of the ego in the Divine is its self-fulfilment; its surrender to that which transcends it is its liberation from bonds and limits and its perfect freedom.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Just as the last paragraph that we read it is a complete statement of the Integral Yoga in one paragraph. Similarly this paragraph gives us a complete analysis of all the obstacles that are in our path. How we put obstacles in our own path because of our own egoism.
But still, in the practical development, each of the three stages has its necessity and utility and must be given its time or its place.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
When you are ignorant you make a tremendous effort. When you begin to have more and more contact, personal effort will diminish more and more as the contact grows more and more. And when you become the Divine centre there is no personal effort at all — it is all gone. All the three stages have their necessity and their utility. Predominance of personal effort; gradual diminution of personal effort; loss of personal effort.
But still, in the practical development, each of the three stages has its necessity and utility and must be given its time or its place. It will not do, it cannot be safe or effective to begin with the last and highest alone. It would not be the right course, either, to leap prematurely from one to another. For even if from the beginning we recognise in mind and heart the Supreme, there are elements of the nature which long prevent the recognition from becoming realisation. But without realisation our mental belief cannot become a dynamic reality; it is still only a figure of knowledge, not a living truth, an idea, not yet a power. And even if realisation has begun, it may be dangerous to imagine or to assume too soon that we are altogether in the hands of the Supreme or are acting as his instrument. That assumption may introduce a calamitous falsity; it may produce a helpless inertia or, magnifying the movements of the ego with the Divine Name, it may disastrously distort and ruin the whole course of the Yoga. There is a period, more or less prolonged, of internal effort and struggle in which the individual will has to reject the darkness and distortions of the lower nature and to put itself resolutely or vehemently on the side of the divine Light. The mental energies, the heart’s emotions, the vital desires, the very physical being have to be compelled into the right attitude or trained to admit and answer to the right influences. It is only then, only when this has been truly done, that the surrender of the lower to the higher can be effected, because the sacrifice has become acceptable.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
If you just sit alone saying I am now at the third stage when you are only in the first stage it will be a disaster. If you just sit down saying “Now the Divine is working in me, I am a Divine center” when you are not it will be a disaster.
But still, in the practical development, each of the three stages has its necessity and utility and must be given its time or its place. It will not do, it cannot be safe or effective to begin with the last and highest alone. It would not be the right course, either, to leap prematurely from one to another. For even if from the beginning we recognise in mind and heart the Supreme, there are elements of the nature which long prevent the recognition from becoming realisation. But without realisation our mental belief cannot become a dynamic reality; it is still only a figure of knowledge, not a living truth, an idea, not yet a power. And even if realisation has begun, it may be dangerous to imagine or to assume too soon that we are altogether in the hands of the Supreme or are acting as his instrument. That assumption may introduce a calamitous falsity; it may produce a helpless inertia or, magnifying the movements of the ego with the Divine Name, it may disastrously distort and ruin the whole course of the Yoga. There is a period, more or less prolonged, of internal effort and struggle in which the individual will has to reject the darkness and distortions of the lower nature and to put itself resolutely or vehemently on the side of the divine Light. The mental energies, the heart’s emotions, the vital desires, the very physical being have to be compelled into the right attitude or trained to admit and answer to the right influences. It is only then, only when this has been truly done, that the surrender of the lower to the higher can be effected, because the sacrifice has become acceptable.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Gradually, you should always be very wise in moving forward from one stage to the other. When you are egoistic, admit that you are egoistic but then do your effort. You cannot cure egoism just by saying, “I am not egoist”. It takes a long time, therefore at such time be humble and say, “Yes I am egoistic now but I am making an effort because it is appropriate to the egoistic stage.”
For even if from the beginning we recognise in mind and heart the Supreme, there are elements of the nature which long prevent the recognition from becoming realisation.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
A mere idea that God is the doer of all things will not give the realisation that God is the doer of all things.
But without realisation our mental belief cannot become a dynamic reality; it is still only a figure of knowledge, not a living truth, an idea, not yet a power. And even if realisation has begun, it may be dangerous to imagine or to assume too soon that we are altogether in the hands of the Supreme or are acting as his instrument. That assumption may introduce a calamitous falsity..
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Before you realise the Divine has taken charge of you, you begin to say the Divine has taken charge of you because you have spoken to him, mere speaking to him does not mean that he has really answered. He must accept you, he must really take you in his hands and you must be sure that he is taking you in his hands. He must tell you definitively: “Yes I am now taking you in charge.”
..it may be dangerous to imagine or to assume too soon that we are altogether in the hands of the Supreme or are acting as his instrument. That assumption may introduce a calamitous falsity; it may produce a helpless inertia or, magnifying the movements of the ego with the Divine Name, it may disastrously distort and ruin the whole course of the Yoga. There is a period, more or less prolonged, of internal effort and struggle in which the individual will has to reject the darkness and distortions of the lower nature and to put itself resolutely or vehemently on the side of the divine Light. The mental energies, the heart’s emotions, the vital desires, the very physical being have to be compelled into the right attitude or trained to admit and answer to the right influences. It is only then, only when this has been truly done, that the surrender of the lower to the higher can be effected, because the sacrifice has become acceptable.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Then you know that the Divine has really accepted your sacrifice, all your tapasya. There was a disciple who asked Sri Aurobindo: “Can I see the Divine? Sri Aurobindo said: “The question is whether the Divine wants to see you.” This is the stage you should arrive at. The Divine must want to see you and take your charge and this come when you are constantly making an effort — tapasya.
The personal will of the sadhaka has first to seize on the egoistic energies and turn them towards the light and the right; once turned, he has still to train them to recognise that always, always to accept, always to follow that. Progressing, he learns, still using the personal will, personal effort, personal energies, to employ them as representatives of the higher Power and in conscious obedience to the higher Influence. Progressing yet farther, his will, effort, energy become no longer personal and separate, but activities of that higher Power and Influence at work in the individual. But there is still a sort of gulf or distance which necessitates an obscure process of transit, not always accurate, sometimes even very distorting, between the divine Origin and the emerging human current. At the end of the process, with the progressive disappearance of egoism and impurity and ignorance, this last separation is removed; all in the individual becomes the divine working.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
This is the first thing to do. To seek the knowledge; to seek to do the right action constantly; to come out of the error; to discover the Truth; to stop doing wrong actions and to constantly practice the right action. Because it is the first step I started with speaking to you about Dharma, you remember long long ago. The first thing to be done is to seek the Light and the Right as a light of Dharma and to practice Dharma. It is a long process.
The personal will of the sadhaka has first to seize on the egoistic energies and turn them towards the light and the right; once turned, he has still to train them to recognise that always, always to accept, always to follow that. Progressing, he learns, still using the personal will, personal effort, personal energies, to employ them as representatives of the higher Power and in conscious obedience to the higher Influence. Progressing yet farther, his will, effort, energy become no longer personal and separate, but activities of that higher Power and Influence at work in the individual. But there is still a sort of gulf or distance which necessitates an obscure process of transit, not always accurate, sometimes even very distorting, between the divine Origin and the emerging human current. At the end of the process, with the progressive disappearance of egoism and impurity and ignorance, this last separation is removed; all in the individual becomes the divine working.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
The word always is very important. Because our egoism when he succeeds to do one thing then it relaxes. It says, “I have done it.” But it does not remember that it has to be done always — persistence in doing the right, persistence in discovering the Truth.
Progressing, he learns, still using the personal will, personal effort, personal energies, to employ them as representatives of the higher Power and in conscious obedience to the higher Influence.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
The word obedience is very-very-very-very important. Obedience is the one thing the ego does not like. Ego likes affirmation, assertion. Therefore obedience must be learned. To obey the higher influence, to achieve the state of obedience is a tremendous achievement. First you discover which is the higher influence and then to cultivate the influence of obedience. You may not like the order of the higher influence but you should obey. Therefore in the Indian system of Yoga the student was told: “Obey first, obey in the middle, obey last.” At every stage of your movement do not disobey. If you really want the highest, obedience must be willing obedience, not that you are whipped to obey. If you want the Divine, if you are eager for the Divine realisation then since you are in the ignorance and darkness, since you are committing errors, since you easily swerve from the right path you should willingly tell the higher influence — “As thou will, as Thou will.” As you will, as you will, let it be done. The eagerness to obey should be the real condition of consciousness. You should be very eager. Normal egoism wants to resist. “Why should I do it? I don’t like it!” But obedience to the higher influence. Remember this. Obedience does not mean that you obey indiscriminately anything and everything whoever commands you. No! You should be very discriminating. Whom do you obey? The one who is higher in influence. There the obedience should be perfect, ungrudging. You should be very happy to obey even when you do not believe; when your mind says that it does not want to. As long as you are a pupil, as long as you are a student you want to obey, you want to move forward and obedience is the path.
Progressing yet farther, his will, effort, energy become no longer personal and separate, but activities of that higher Power and Influence at work in the individual. But there is still a sort of gulf or distance which necessitates an obscure process of transit, not always accurate, sometimes even very distorting, between the divine Origin and the emerging human current. At the end of the process, with the progressive disappearance of egoism and impurity and ignorance, this last separation is removed; all in the individual becomes the divine working.
Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Four Aids
Even at the higher level of your development, when you can see the higher will working in you, even then Sri Aurobindo says do not delude yourself, there is still a gulf between you and him.
But there is still a sort of gulf or distance which necessitates an obscure process of transit, not always accurate, sometimes even very distorting, between the divine Origin and the emerging human current. At the end of the process, with the progressive disappearance of egoism and impurity and ignorance, this last separation is removed; all in the individual becomes the divine working.