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The Most Helpful Attitude for Spiritual Progress · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  The vital nature in particular is addicted to drama, it seeks
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  attention and excitement and added complication is that in
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  modern society with our fixation on all types of electronic
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  stimulation, Internet, mobile phones, radio, television,
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  cinema, along with neon signs, blaring ads and loud speakers
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  etcetera, we find that the nervous being and the vital
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  nature are kept in a state of constant agitation.
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  This type of energetic status makes it hard, if not virtually
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  impossible to open and be receptive to the higher forces
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  that are trying to manifest. The optimal state of awareness
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  is 1 of quietude and serene receptivity.
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  The more we cater to the vitals, call for struggle, suffering and
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  disruptive efforts, the less we maintain the readiness to both
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  receive and accept the higher forces and let them work in the
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  being. How then can we undertake any
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  form of spiritual practice in the modern world?
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  As long as we remain absorbed in the external life and live on
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  the surface of our being, we are subject to reacting to every
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  impulse that comes our way, to the point that our spiritual
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  focus can become obscured by the noise of the outer world as it
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  impinges upon us, as well as our internal reaction to that noise.
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  The signal that represents the focused energy and consciousness
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  of the higher force that tries to manifest is obscured by this
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  noise. Swami Vivekananda in his
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  lectures on Raji Yoga describes the state of agitation of the
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  nervous pathways and the mind stuff.
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  He provides various ways to calm the being to a state of clear
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  receptivity. There are in fact any number of
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  methods dependent upon where the seeker is in his sadhna at the
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  time. Sri Rabindu and the Mother do
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  not ask us to rely on any specific technique, although we
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  can use these tools if need be and if appropriate to the
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  situation. Rather, they focus on the larger
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  attitudinal poise of the being. This provides the framework for
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  all other actions to support the spiritual effort.
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  The primary method is the shift of the consciousness away from
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  the ego personality and its daily drama to either the Higher
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  Self, the Atman, or to the psychic being, the sole entity
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  spark of the Divine deep within the psychic being naturally
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  maintains an attitude of aspiration, consecration and
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  receptivity that represents the ideal state of awareness for the
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  spiritual seeker. The Mother writes quote.
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  To live within in a constant aspiration for the Divine
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  enables us to look at life with a smile and to remain peaceful
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  whatever the outer circumstances may be.
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  End Quote. Fioro Vendo observes quote.
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  Always seek to progress in quietude, happiness and
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  confidence. That is the most helpful
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  attitude. Do not listen to contrary
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  suggestions from outside. End Quote.
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  Reference. Fioro, Vendo and the Mother
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  Looking from within. Chapter 5.
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  Attitudes on the Path Age 113.