Latest / Sri Aurobindo Studies / The Need for the Persistence of Faith to Succeed in the Yogic Endeavour

Transcript

The Need for the Persistence of Faith to Succeed in the Yogic Endeavour · Sri Aurobindo Studies

• 0:00
  We often do not recognize that there are different parts of our
• 0:04
  being that may be at different stages in terms of the spiritual
• 0:08
  focus, the dedication, the faith, and the commitment.
• 0:13
  Thus, when our mind gets distracted or concerned, or when
• 0:18
  our vital nature goes off in another direction, we may tend
• 0:22
  to feel like we are failing in the spiritual practice and we
• 0:26
  entertain considerations of giving up.
• 0:30
  The great Tibetan Yogi Milarepa reached a point in his spiritual
• 0:34
  focus that made him believe that he had no chance at acquiring
• 0:38
  the teaching and obtaining liberation in his lifetime.
• 0:42
  After some periods of years when he was made to undertake back
• 0:47
  breaking work while his guru gave the teachings to other
• 0:51
  disciples who came to learn, he actually reached the point of
• 0:55
  considering suicide when he felt like he was a complete failure.
• 1:01
  It was only after that that his guru Marpa gave him the
• 1:05
  teachings and instruction needed to succeed.
• 1:08
  He eventually attained success. What carried him through despite
• 1:14
  his doubts, fears and insecurities was his ultimate
• 1:18
  spiritual faith. The main thing is to persevere
• 1:24
  and not let any of the external aspects of the being interfere
• 1:28
  with the soul's faith in its spiritual destiny.
• 1:33
  As Shri Aurobindo has pointed out, quote he who chooses the
• 1:38
  infinite has been chosen by the infinite.
• 1:41
  End Quote. From the divine standpoint, the
• 1:45
  success is assured as long as the seeker persists, even if
• 1:51
  along the way the seeker needs to confront and overcome
• 1:55
  numerous issues, obstacles and distractions.
• 2:00
  In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna assures Arjuna that no efforts
• 2:05
  of faith, no efforts of dedicated effort are ever lost.
• 2:11
  Even if the seeker does not realize fully in one lifetime,
• 2:14
  the progress continues to carry him forward.
• 2:18
  Apropos this point, there is a famous story of the divine
• 2:23
  singer Narod who met a Yogi who was practising severe
• 2:26
  austerities to achieve liberation.
• 2:29
  The Yogi asked Narod when he would achieve the sought after
• 2:33
  liberation. Narod indicated that it would be
• 2:37
  within four more lifetimes. The process from the side of the
• 2:42
  divine is continuous beyond birth, death and rebirth.
• 2:49
  There is thus from that viewpoint, no cause for anxiety,
• 2:52
  despair or depression. These are all reactions of the
• 2:56
  ego personality that wants to see the progress and have
• 3:00
  instant success as defined by the ego.
• 3:04
  But if the issue is the change of human nature, clearly we have
• 3:10
  to redefine what constitutes success and what constitutes A
• 3:15
  realistic time frame, Sri Aurobindo writes Quote.
• 3:21
  Even a faltering faith and a slow and partial surrender have
• 3:26
  their force and their result. Otherwise only the rare few
• 3:30
  could do sadhna at all. What I mean by the central faith
• 3:34
  is a faith in the soul or the central being behind a faith
• 3:39
  which is there even when the mind doubts and the vital
• 3:42
  despairs and the physical wants to collapse, and after the
• 3:46
  attack is over, reappears and pushes on the path again.
• 3:52
  It may be strong and bright, it may be pale and in appearance
• 3:57
  weak, but if it persists each time and going on, it is the
• 4:03
  real thing. End Quote.
• 4:07
  Reference Sri Aurobindo and the Mother looking from within,
• 4:11
  Chapter 5. Attitudes on the Path, page 129.