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Integral Understanding

 

 

  • Sri Aurobindo's position is that the world is an integrated existence. He calls His yoga Integral Yoga.
  • As in an automatic machine where all functions are interrelated, the world, the universe, and the human life are interrelated. It means each part is directly or indirectly related to all the other parts. If this is true, to understand any one process in terms of every other process can be called integral understanding.
  • For instance, understanding is the formation of thought with respect to the object. From the point of view of energy, it can be described as the energy form of mind. Again, from the point of view of strategy, understanding can be described as the surrender of emotions - giving up of the movements of vital energy.
  • The description of matter as delight of existence in the chapter on matter is summarised in seven steps in the last paragraph.
  • An integral understanding makes it possible to see this summary in terms of every other processes of creation such as,

- The building up of the seven ignorances and shedding them.

- Spirit and Matter are the same.

- Triple transformation.

- Ego-Purusha-the World Being-the Transcendental Being.

- Force and Consciousness reuniting.

- Movement of the surface to the subliminal.

- Aspiration-Consecration-Surrender.

  • That one is able to understand one result from another process too, indicates that it can be understood from all other processes.
  • The triple process of Self-determination, Self-limitation and Self-absorption and the dual process of subjective-objective status serves well in understanding matter.
  • It will be rewarding to see Surrender as a process here.
  • Effort is for the existing plane, Surrender is for the next.
  • If the existing plane can be subdivided, Surrender can enter here itself.
  • Theoretically Surrender can be all the process or strategy.
  • If the baby unconsciously surrenders to its mother, the adult can consciously surrender to the Divine.
  • Those who have successfully surrendered a thought know that the consecration of that thought needs a concentration far greater than what is required for silencing it. Sri Aurobindo makes a distinction between mental silence and Supramental Silence.
  • As thought originates in the body, a concentration needed to consecrate the thought must extend to the body - an all-inclusive concentration.
  • We see this concentration is spread all over the being and it does not permit trance at any stage. It makes the faculties awake, more awake than usual.
  • Such a consecration of a thought fills the mind with Silence but it is difficult to maintain it as the entire energism of the mind presses for expression as thought.
  • One way of sustaining it is to proceed, if possible, to consecrating the emotions.
  • Thought is a formation of mental understanding. Emotions are movements of energy, full of force, far more difficult to handle.
  • Succeeding these, one sees behind it the new urge of the body which is like a slow moving mountain. Its power is greatest.
  • These are the essential preliminary steps in reaching the first fundamental siddhi, inconceivably difficult for the devotee.
  • The impossible becomes possible in a given context of a project,in view of its limitation and the action of grace that awaits the touch of integrality or sincerity.
  • When all the three stages are successfully completed, one still sees the floating impulses of thoughts, feelings and urges as they are of the subtle plane. Our work was in the gross plane. The constant overlapping generates confusion. A quiet observation reduces that confusion.
  • The automatic accomplishment of work as we proceed reveals that effort giving place to surrender. It accomplishes with two attributes.

1. It is instantaneous and miraculous.

2. Accomplishment aimed at the finite dimension fulfils itself in the infinite vastness.

  • The more we are willing to give up effort, the greater is the possibility of surrender.
  • Effort, we see, postpones results, surrender precipitates them.
  • It is seen that effort is a fetter.
  • This is a knowledge about the effectivity of surrender obtained through a very long effort.
  • Actually, it is a knowledge about the result.
  • If surrender is the best strategy to acquire the knowledge about results, is not surrender equally best to acquire pure knowledge not predicated to results? Yes, it is.
  • Knowledge ends in results.
  • Now, having known about the results, we move to knowledge.
  • To resort to surrender to acquire knowledge, we can say, we approach total surrender.
  • What Sri Aurobindo wrote a hundred years ago takes me fifty years to understand and that is about the result. From there I need to move to its earlier stages.
  • All these are mental processes of understanding and achievement.
  • Moving to the soul from the mind, we see this knowledge enthroned there.
  • Entering the psychic, this knowledge is in operation there.
  • The Psychic guides. It has no power to act.
  • Human choice gives that guidance Power.
  • Instantaneous miraculousness is seen when the outer shifts to the inner. Time gives place to its higher dimensions, matter issue delight.
  • In Matter becoming Delight of existence, we see the surrender of Sat to self-absorption first, and finally self-discovery.



story | by Dr. Radut