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Periods of Apparent Emptiness or Dryness in the Spiritual Practice · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  In the external life, we are trained to desire visible signs
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  of forward movement, progress, constant development.
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  We believe if we are not moving forward, then we must be
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  retrogressing. We value action over quiet
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  times. When we are relieved from
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  action, such as during a vacation or at the stage of
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  retirement from the working life, we frequently find that
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  there is a complete sensation from involvement in almost any
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  form of activity. The statement that I do not want
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  to do any work I worked my whole life is a frequent accompaniment
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  to this state of affairs, illustrating the state of mind
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  of the individual. We tend to carry over these
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  attitudes into the spiritual sadhna until such time as we
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  gain the understanding that spiritual growth is not always
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  visible and not always dynamically active on the
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  surface. Srioro Bindo describes a process
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  of ascent and integration. The spiritual power shifts us
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  into a higher vibratory pattern, but it's still need to work
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  itself out through the mind, the vital being, and the physical
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  body. Each of these successively more
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  dense aspects of our being need to both imbibe the new energy
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  and adjust their functioning to accommodate the new force at
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  work. Much of this process goes on
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  behind the scenes. We may not see the work going
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  on, but it continues nevertheless.
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  The real issue then comes down to the reaction the seeker has
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  to these periods of assimilation.
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  As long as he is carrying the habitual pattern of the external
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  life and its set of expectations, he becomes
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  distressed and concerned about the lack of visible forward
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  movement and he can either fall into a state of depression or a
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  state evidencing a lack of faith in the process.
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  This can create a lot of unnecessary tension and self
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  doubt which simply disrupts the energetic flow and slows it
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  down. A balance needs to be found that
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  provides the seeker with understanding, patience,
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  perseverance and ongoing aspiration.
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  The focusing of the mind and heart on the inner psychic being
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  and its natural link to the Divine, if possible during these
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  periods, is of immense value. Shriora window notes quote the
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  interval periods when all is quiet and nothing being done on
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  the surface come to all and cannot be avoided.
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  You must not cherish the suggestion that is it is because
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  of your want of aspiration or any other unfitness that it is
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  so. And if you had the constant
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  ardent aspiration, then there would be no such periods and
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  there would be an uninterrupted stream of experiences.
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  It is not so. Even if the aspiration were
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  there, the interval periods would come.
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  If even in them one can aspire, so much the better.
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  But the main thing is to meet them with quietude and not
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  become restless, depressed or despondent.
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  A constant fire can be there only after a certain stage has
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  been reached, that is, when one is always inside, consciously
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  living in the psychic being. But for that all this
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  preparation of the mind, vital, physical, is necessary.
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  For this fire belongs to the psychic, and one cannot command
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  it always merely by the mind's effort.
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  Naturally, the more one pointed the aspiration, the swifter the
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  progress. The difficulty comes when either
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  the vital with its desires or the physical with its past
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  habitual movements comes in, as they do with almost everyone.
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  It is then that the dryness and difficulty of spontaneous
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  aspiration come. This dryness is a well known
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  obstacle in all sadhna, but one has to persist and not be
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  discouraged if one keeps the will fixed.
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  Even in these barren periods they pass, and after their
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  passage a greater force of aspiration and experience
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  becomes possible. End Quote.
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  Reference. Shrioro Bindu and the Mother
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  looking from within, Chapter 4 where deals and Difficulties
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  pages one O 3 to one O 4.