Latest / Sri Aurobindo Studies / The Need for Silence of the Thinking Mind for the Spiritual Transformation
Transcript
- 0:01For most people, the mind is always active with an internal
- 0:06commentary or dialogue running as people react to situations or
- 0:11try to solve various issues as the mind is trained to undertake
- 0:17intellectual processes. It follows a process of logic
- 0:21and organization that is used to understand and act upon things
- 0:25in the world. The process we call thinking is
- 0:30a step-by-step and detailed internal system that tries to
- 0:35work its way through. What many call a decision tree.
- 0:39This process naturally focuses on a specific object goal or
- 0:44problem to be solved. Narrows the focus fragments the
- 0:49attention to this one thing that needs to be resolved and then
- 0:54create the series of steps to move from where the mind is now
- 0:59to where it needs to be to find and Implement a solution when
- 1:05confronted with the idea of silencing, the mind we
- 1:08naturally. We are fearful that we will
- 1:11either lose our ability to think and solve problems or issues, or
- 1:17that we will simply become dull and unable to function.
- 1:22At the same time, it is necessary to appreciate that the
- 1:26higher Realms of awareness, which SRI aurobindo calls,
- 1:31higher mind and Lumen Vine over mind and eventually supermind
- 1:38function under an entirely different set of principles
- 1:42through the presentation of a comprehensive or universal view
- 1:46that sees connections and interconnections and does not
- 1:51narrow. Itself down in a single train of
- 1:54thought. For these to become functional,
- 1:58it is necessary for the normal mental process to subside and
- 2:03stay in a status of Silence, albeit, and alert receptive
- 2:08silence, not a dull distracted, dark or intoxicated state of
- 2:14blankness of the Mind. SRI aurobindo writes, quote the
- 2:20thinking mind has to learn how to be entirely silent.
- 2:24It is only then that true knowledge can come the turmoil
- 2:29of mental. Intellectual activity, has also
- 2:32to be silenced like the vital activity of desire in order that
- 2:36the calm and peace may be complete knowledge has to come.
- 2:42But from above In this calm, the ordinary mental activities like
- 2:48the ordinary vital activities, become surface movements, with
- 2:52which the silent inner self is not connected.
- 2:56It is The Liberation necessary in order that the true knowledge
- 3:01and the true life activity may replace or transform the
- 3:06activities of the ignorance. To think and question about an
- 3:11experience when it is happening, is the wrong thing to do.
- 3:15It stops, where it diminishes it?
- 3:19Let the experience have its full play.
- 3:23If it is something like this new life force or peace or force, or
- 3:27anything else helpful, When it is over, you can think about it,
- 3:33not while it is proceeding for these experiences Are Spiritual
- 3:39and not mental and the mind has to be quiet, and not interfere.
- 3:45And quote reference SRI aurobindo, integral yoga, SRI,
- 3:51aurobindo stitching and method of practice, chapter 9,
- 3:56transformation of the nature, transformation of the Mind.
- 4:00Pages to 42 to 45.