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The Action of Spiritual Force Is Generally Conditioned by the Field Within Which It Works · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  We tend to operate under the fallacy that any spiritual force
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  that is operative will automatically and completely
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  achieve its intended result without difficulty.
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  We forget thereby the way forces actually work in the world.
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  There are always starting points, conditions, limitations,
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  and opposing forces, as well as the object upon which the force
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  is working and its status and the overall situation within
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  which the operation is taking place.
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  We observe in the laws of motion that there is a tension between
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  centrifugal force and centripetal force.
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  When they are in balance, we see a planetary orbit.
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  If one becomes predominant, either there is a collision or a
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  complete pulling away that occurs.
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  We see in the economic models of supply and demand, but there are
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  countervailing forces at work, some of which work to raise
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  prices, some lower prices. We see in politics the
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  offsetting forces of progressive and conservative, which when
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  equally balanced, can lead to a form of gridlock or paralysis in
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  the political system within the body.
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  When a disease Organism is active, there's a
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  counterbalancing force of action from the immune system to fight
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  off the disease. If the disease proves stronger
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  than the immune response, the patient may die or be severely
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  injured. If the immune response is
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  successful, the disease is overcome.
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  During World War 2, the Nazi ideology gained rapid strength
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  and overcame much of Europe. Eventually, the countervailing
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  forces got organized, focused, and overcame the Nazi
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  domination. It is similar with the action of
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  forces in each human individual's life.
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  There is the force of desire and the action of discipline.
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  There are forces of inertia and forces of action.
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  The issue, however, is not simply related to
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  counterbalanced forces at work. Every force has to contend with
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  the conditions of the recipient of the force, the receptivity to
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  accept and utilize the force, the preparation of the
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  instruments that have to utilize the force, the situation in the
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  environment that may favor or dispose against the success of
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  the force at work. Spiritual aspirants everywhere
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  have experienced the forces of desire, ambition, despair,
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  temptation, laziness, etcetera, which act to interfere with the
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  progress, distract, delay or obstruct the forward movement.
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  Over time, we can see a trend toward increasing progress,
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  increasing action of consciousness, but this is, at
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  the detailed level, not a straight line without setbacks,
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  obstacles, perturbations, resistance.
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  Rather, we find that forces that are supportive of the status quo
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  may fight intensely to maintain that situation when they are
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  confronted by forces of progress.
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  In human society. A good example is provided by
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  the attempt of people who hold wealth to try to suppress, hold
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  down, and otherwise prevent others from gaining the power of
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  wealth and thus freeing themselves from subjugation in
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  one form or another. We see it in the attempts to
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  maintain abusive structures based in racism, sexism, or
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  other forms of segregation. There is a proverb that
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  indicates that a cornered beast is more dangerous as it
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  recognizes the threat to its base of power and existence.
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  Spiritual forces generally work within the framework of nature
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  and affect their changes through the long, slow and arduous
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  process of time. Rarely do they work to overturn
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  the established patterns of nature entirely.
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  Rather they create opportunities for the existing powers in
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  nature to embrace, accept and respond to a new vision.
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  There is of course at times a need for a strong purifying and
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  cleansing force to work, but this generally comes when the
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  ground is prepared and a wider segment of humanity is ready and
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  able to accept the new direction that is shown.
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  Revolutions that overthrow an existing order, but which are
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  not based in substantive changes in human nature tend to
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  reintroduce the very type of power structures that existed
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  previously with just a change of those specific individuals in
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  power. The true change occurs when
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  there is an actual progress prepared at the deeper levels so
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  that humanity can move forward to a next stage and not fall
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  back into old habits of action. There may be a major,
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  tremendous, apparently revolutionary or miraculous leap
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  forward overturning existing patterns with the advent of an
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  entirely new level of consciousness.
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  Yet even here the basis of the earlier terms is kept very much
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  in place and just upgraded, harmonized and taught to accept
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  the higher power and guidance. As we see with the expression of
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  mental power and its action upon life and matter.
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  Sri Robindo notes quote, it is not unless it is a super mental
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  force, a power that acts without conditions and limitations.
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  The conditions and limits under which Yoga or Sadhna has to be
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  worked out are not arbitrary or capricious.
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  They arise from the nature of things.
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  These, including the will, receptivity, ascent, self
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  opening and surrender of the Sadiq, have to be respected by
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  the Yoga force unless it receives a sanction from the
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  Supreme to override everything and get something done.
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  But that sanction is sparingly given.
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  It is only if the Super mental power came fully down, not
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  merely sent its influences through the over mind, that
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  things could be very radically directed towards that object.
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  For them the sanction would not be rare, for the law of the
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  truth would be at work, not constantly balanced by the law
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  of the ignorance. End Quote Reference Sri Oro
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  Bindu and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Chapter 7,
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  Spiritual Forces of Help and Succor, pages 163 to 164.