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The Development of the Spiritual Focus Over Time · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  We tend to measure success or failure in terms of specific
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  results. We see in our relatively short
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  individual lifetime based on our preconceived or societally.
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  Sanctioned ideas about what constitutes success or failure
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  when it comes to progress in Spiritual Development.
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  However, this is not necessarily either the correct judgment term
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  the timeframe within which Which something can be evaluated, nor
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  the correct criteria for deciding what constitutes
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  success. Sometimes what appears to be a
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  life of constant struggle and difficulty, may actually be a
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  blessing that shifts us out of some comfortable but not
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  inwardly. Beneficial situation in life and
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  moves our Focus towards some deeper sense of being and a
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  realization based on the deeper truth of our existence
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  Similarly, in an evolutionary progression that occurs over
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  many lifetimes, it is virtually impossible to either measure
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  one's own progress against that of others were even some
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  independent yardstick or to determine the actual status of
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  one Spiritual Development. Much of the inner growth
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  actually takes place, unseen and unnoticed until such time as it
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  is ready to manifest. Whether this occurs in the
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  current life, or in some future, lifetime is very much irrelevant
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  to the developing Soul. Even if the surface being is
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  impatient for results. In the bhagwad Gita Arjuna
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  propound, a question to Shri Krishna about whether effort
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  undertaken in the life to achieve spiritual realization,
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  can lead to failure, both in the outer life and in the spiritual
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  attempt, if it does not come to fruition Shri Krishna encourages
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  Arjuna, by pointing out that no effort is ever lost.
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  And that all spiritual focus and aspiration has its effect.
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  Even if not recognized by the practitioner thus there is no
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  need for despondency SRI, aurobindo observes quote, but
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  this is not always the manner of the commencement.
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  The Sadiq is often LED gradually and there is a long space
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  between the first turning of the mind and the full Ascent of the
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  nature to the thing towards which it turns There may at
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  first be, only a vivid intellectual interest of
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  forcible attraction towards the idea and some imperfect form of
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  practice or perhaps, there is an effort, not favored by the whole
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  nature, a decision or a turn imposed by an intellectual
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  influence or dictated by personal affection and
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  admiration for someone who is himself consecrated and devoted
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  to the highest. In such cases.
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  A long period of preparation may be necessary before.
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  There comes the irrevocable, Consecration, and in some
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  instances, it may not come. There may be some Advanced.
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  There may be a strong effort even much purification and many
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  experiences other than those that are Central or supreme.
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  But the life will either be spent in preparation or a
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  certain stage. Having been reached the Mind
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  pushed by an insufficient driving force May rest content
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  at the limit of the effort possible to it.
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  Or there may even be a recoil to the lower life.
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  What is called in the ordinary parlance of yoga a fall from the
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  path. This lapse happens because there
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  is a defect at the very center, the intellect has been
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  interested. The heart attracted the will is
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  strong itself to the effort but the whole Nature has not been
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  taken captive by the Divine. It is only acquiesced in the
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  interest, the attraction or the Endeavour.
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  There's been an experiment. Perhaps, even an eager
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  experiment but not the total self-giving to an imperative
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  need of the Soul or to an unforeseen, a couple ideal even
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  such imperfect yoga. Has not been wasted for no
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  upward. Effort is made in vain, even if
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  it fails in the present were arrives, only at some
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  Preparatory stage or preliminary realization. has yet determined
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  the souls future but if we desire to make the most of the
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  opportunity that this life gives us, if we wish to respond
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  adequately to the call we have received and to attain to the
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  goal, we have glimpsed not merely Advanced a little towards
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  it, it is essential that there should be an entire self giving
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  The Secret of success in yoga is to regard.
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  It not as one of the aims to be pursued in life, but as the
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  whole of life and quote, reference SRI aurobindo, and the
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  mother growing within the psychology of inner development.
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  Chapter 2, Awakening of Consciousness Pages, 18 to 20,