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Understanding the Stages of Coping and Mastery in Response to External Events · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  At some point in life, the individual becomes aware that
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  the former methods of reacting to circumstances and events are
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  not only counterproductive but actually harmful to their own
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  health and well-being and the successful resolution of the
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  situation. Struggling and striving,
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  fighting and reacting, instinctive behaviour and apathy
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  and inertia. All past responses wind up
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  leaving the situation unresolved, the individual
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  exhausted or worn out, or in a state of despair or depression.
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  At that point, the individual begins to mature his
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  understanding and utilize his mental capacity to try to reason
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  through the response, develop a plan of action, and calmly
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  implement that plan. This starts with the passive
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  response of coping, as he is no longer struggling with the
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  situation and has come to a state of readiness to address
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  whatever the cause and circumstance may be.
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  And then as the insight and power expand, it can shift to a
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  status of mastery, where he can have an influence on the
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  circumstances and turn them in a positive direction.
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  True mastery, however, cannot be acquired by use of the mental
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  consciousness, as that is too limited, too narrow in its view,
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  and too weak to actually solve anything comprehensively.
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  It takes the deeper knowledge carried by the psychic
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  consciousness, the sole entity, to truly and fully appreciate
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  the depth, complexity and interactions that make up the
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  current status and to then know the way forward from there, with
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  the confidence and certainty of the soul's guidance in harmony
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  with the spiritual force that is driving force behind the
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  manifestation, Dr. de Lal observes quote.
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  It is with the growth of the mental consciousness that one
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  progressively learns to cope with the various internal and
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  external stresses which every individual experiences in life.
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  The stage of coping which is ushered in by the use of the
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  power of reason and the exercise of mental will in the governance
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  of life is characterized by a certain sense of direction,
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  inner ease, security and confidence.
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  Mastery, as conceived by manager represents a further stage of
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  psychological development when an individual no longer feels
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  preyed upon by internal and external stresses and meets the
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  challenges of life with a clear sense of purpose and with poise
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  and serenity. From the viewpoint of yoga
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  psychology, such a state of mastery pertains to a deeper
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  consciousness than that of the outer being described
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  previously. The deeper consciousness is that
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  of the inner being, the person within who is concealed by the
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  outer being and whom we discover progressively with inner growth.
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  Behind the physical, the vital and the mental parts of the
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  outer being there is an inner or true physical, an inner or true
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  vital, and an inner or true mental which constitute our
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  inner or true being. And behind both the outer and
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  inner being is the inner most being, called by Sri Aurobindo
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  the psychic, the individual soul supporting the mental, vital,
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  physical and psychic evolution of the being.
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  Mastery, from the viewpoint of yoga psychology, begins when an
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  individual, no longer completely identified with the physical,
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  vital, and mental personality of the outer being, learns to live
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  progressively in the deeper consciousness of the person
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  within. The attitudes of the inner
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  consciousness from which such an individual looks at and reacts
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  to everything in life are the subject matter of this book.
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  Cultivating these inner attitudes is an effective means
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  for growing into that deeper consciousness of freedom and
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  mastery. End Quote.
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  Reference Shriya Rabindu and the mother looking from within.
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  Introduction by Doctor de la Pages, Roman, 11:00 to 12:00.