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Mastery Beyond Asceticism and Indulgence · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Human beings have a tendency to move from one extreme to the
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  other, like a pendulum swing. When we are faced with a
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  particular concern we want to resolve, we apply this tendency.
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  When it comes, therefore, to the force of desire and the
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  attraction of material objects, we either become attached to
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  them and try to grab and hold on to them the materialist
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  approach, or else we try to remove their influence from our
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  lives and thereby deny our relation to these objects.
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  The ascetic approach in The Life Divine Shrioro Bindo provides a
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  comprehensive overview of each of these extremes in the
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  chapters on the materialist denial and the refusal of the
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  Ascetic. His solution lies in the
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  perception of unity as outlined in the chapter Reality
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  Omnipresent. A true solution to our
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  relationship with material things and the desire to possess
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  them is not in simply abandoning them, nor is it in losing
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  oneself in the attempt to satisfy the desire for
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  possession that we have. When we come into relation with
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  these material objects, we find in nature a widespread,
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  seemingly wild dispersal of seeds in order to ensure the
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  survival of the various species. As the mental power develops, we
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  find a much more targeted action that does not require this type
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  of apparently wasteful action. As the consciousness develops,
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  there can come a point where action is directed, controlled,
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  and poised for achieving the intended purpose without falling
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  either to the side of ascetic denial of the force of the
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  material creation or to the side of nature's untrammeled
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  dispersion. For the spiritual secret too,
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  there comes a point where indulgence and desire or an
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  attachment to the objects of the senses needs to be curtailed so
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  that the focus and energy can be directed toward the spiritual
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  pursuits. Ideally this can be done through
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  non attachment without going to the extreme of the ascetic
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  refusal. In early stages it may be
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  necessary for the secret to cut himself off from the process
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  until he is able to maintain his central focus and not be
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  distracted. At that point he may take up
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  interfacing with material objects and activities if he is
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  called upon to carry out his yogic development in the world.
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  Sri Aurobindo notes quote Asceticism for its own sake is
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  not the ideal of this yoga, but self-control in the vital and
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  right order in the material are a very important part of it, and
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  even an ascetic discipline is better for our purpose than a
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  loose absence of true control. Mastery of the material does not
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  mean having plenty and profusely throwing it out or spoiling it
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  as fast as it comes or faster. Mastery implies in it the right
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  and careful utilization of things and also a self-control
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  in their use. End Quote Reference Srioro Bindo
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  Bases of Yoga Chapter 4. Desire, food, sex, age 65.