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The Intense Opposition of Basic Human Nature to Any Attempt to Change or Grow into a New Status and the Need to Persevere · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Until an individual takes up the issue of inner growth and
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  development whether this is for Spiritual progress, mental
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  development, emotional growth, vital discipline, or some kind
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  of physical control. He tends to take very little
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  notice of any inner conflict or struggle.
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  He just acts naturally according to his own idea of what his life
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  is about. This all changes when an
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  individual attempts to undertake any manner of change.
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  In some part of his being, this may be a very physical activity,
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  such as an attempt to lose weight, to carry out a
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  resolution, to exercise to overcome an addiction such as to
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  drugs, alcohol or caffeine, where it may be on the vital
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  level, for instance, to resolve to overcome a tendency to anger,
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  or restrain impulses of desire in some form or it may be an
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  attempt to remain calm under provocation, or restrain,
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  impulsive thinking, or behavior, The individual immediately
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  begins to recognize the difficulty.
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  As the old habits, try to assert themselves or the reactive
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  nature simply responds. Contrary to the, will the diet
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  or will find himself binging and a struggle to restrain the
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  impulse to eat and Sue's. Addictions create psychological
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  dependency as well as physical dependency.
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  And thus, there is an intense internal conflict from any
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  attempt to stop the addiction. For the spiritual seeker of the
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  situation becomes more acute, as he begins to actively witness
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  these actions from our Viewpoint that rejects them and desires to
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  embody. A new Consciousness that seems
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  to run counter to the basic embedded instincts and habits of
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  human nature. Thus, the spiritual Seeker finds
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  himself in a constant struggle, as each element of basic human
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  nature. So freely accepted as part of
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  the human situation. Comes up for review and change
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  within the context of the evolution of Consciousness.
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  And the shifting of the basic standpoint from which human
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  behavior derives, The constant overwhelming nature of this
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  multi, farias opposition to the spiritual growth, makes the
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  secret believe in many cases that he is destined to fail.
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  When in actuality. What is taking place is that he
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  has a more precise View and insight into the human condition
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  and has taken on a challenge. That goes far beyond any
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  individual aspect addressed in the course of ordinary life, The
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  need to observe deny support of the will and shift.
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  The focus to the spiritual. Aim are the method to be
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  employed. While the struggle may be
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  continuous and involve all the elements of human life.
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  It is only taken up by those who are called to this path, and
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  they are individuals who inherently have the inner
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  fortitude, and the support of the Divine Grace To Succeed.
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  As long as they do not give in to the despair or depression and
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  simply persevere, SRI aurobindo notes, quote, the experience
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  which so alarms you of states of Consciousness in which To say
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  and do things. Contrary to your true, will is
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  not a reason for despair. It is a common experience in one
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  form or another of all who try to rise above their ordinary
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  nature. Not only those who practice yoga
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  but religious men and even those who seek only a moral control
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  and self-improvement are confronted with this difficulty.
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  And here again, it is not the yoga or the effort after
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  Perfection that creates this condition.
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  There are contradictory elements in human nature and in every
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  human being through, which he is made to act in a way, which is
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  better mind disapproves. This happens to everybody.
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  To the most ordinary men in the most ordinary life.
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  It only becomes marked and obvious to our minds when we try
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  to rise above our ordinary external selves.
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  Because then we can see that it is the lower Elements which are
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  being made to revolt consciously against the higher will there
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  then seems to be for a time of division in the nature because
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  the true being and all that supports it, stand back and
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  separate from these lower elements.
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  At one time, the true being occupies, the field of the
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  nature at another, the lower nature used by some country
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  Force, pushes it back and seizes the ground.
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  If there is the firm will to progress, this division is over
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  past and in the unified nature, unified around that will, there
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  may be other difficulties, but this kind of Discord and
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  struggle will disappear. Ear and quote, reference SRI
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  aurobindo in the mother growing within the psychology of inner
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  development. Chapter 6 growth of
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  Consciousness difficulties and pitfalls ages 113 and 114.