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The Value of the Witness Consciousness in the Yogic Endeavour · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  The witness consciousness is an extremely useful mode for the
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  seeker to adopt in any attempt to overcome the limitations and
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  deformations of the external nature, whether to try to attain
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  liberation and release from the world or, as Sri Aurobindo
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  suggests, to work toward the eventual divinization of life on
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  earth through the evolution of consciousness.
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  If we look upon our being as a receiving and transmitting
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  instrument of the forces active in the Universal Manifestation,
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  we begin to recognize that stepping back from the process
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  and observing it from a different standpoint provides an
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  incredible power to both avoid entanglement with the forces
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  that are operative normally as well as manage those forces.
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  Utilizing the understanding provided by this observational
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  viewpoint to align with the higher forces, the aspiration of
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  the psychic entity at the centre of the being, and to become
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  receptive too and allow the action of the higher forces
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  waiting to manifest. Here, without this
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  instrumentality of the witness consciousness, we are enmeshed
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  in the mix of forces at work that impinge upon our body, life
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  and mind in a confused and relatively undirected manner.
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  The witness consciousness acts to align the being in One
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  Direction and to focus the attention on those energies that
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  are helpful to the process of the evolutionary action, Sri
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  Aurobindo observes. Quote.
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  By so standing back, it will be easier also for you to find a
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  quiet poise in yourself behind the surface struggle, from which
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  you can more effectively call in the help to deliver you the
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  Divine presence. Calm, peace, purity, force,
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  light, joy, wideness are above waiting to descend in you find
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  this quietude behind, and your mind also will become quieter.
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  And through the quiet mind you can call down the descent first
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  of the purity and peace, and then of the Divine Force.
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  If you can feel this peace and purity descending into you, you
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  can then call it down again and again till it begins to settle.
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  You will feel too, the Force working in you to change the
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  movements and transform the consciousness.
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  In this working you will be aware of the presence and power
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  of the Mother. Once that is done, all the rest
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  will be a question of time and of the progressive evolution in
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  you, of your true and divine nature.
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  End Quote. Reference Sri Aurobindo, Basis
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  of Yoga, Chapter 3 in difficulty, page 44.