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Kosmoleo
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 22 2013 : 03:55:18 AM
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This is a quote from Sri Aurobindo I've been struggling to understand.
" One of the unfortunate consequences of silencing the mind through Yoga is that mental control over the desires, AKA our cloak of morality, suddenly disappears! Then one discovers that one is capable of engaging in all kinds of things! One finds dormant hungers rising up unexpected and unchecked, as if one has become the passive instrument for their operation. "
That is confusing to me because I thought yoga and meditation were supposed to help one gain greater mental control over the desires. Can anyone help me understand this seeming contradiction...? |
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Mykal K
Germany
266 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2013 : 07:41:42 AM
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Hi,
I can say that for me, there is greater understanding of ones motives. I do not know what he is talking about in your quote, it is not alinged with my understanding... I do not tend to control, or apply force on myself (if I am able), but it takes some truth seeking mindset I guess - if you want to drop your sh*t and start to live.
Maybe for those who want their mind games to continue then there is danger of intellectualizing (covering their holes and manipulating others), and then those would fall prey to their 'desires' (mind games - not true needs), and would convince themslves and others that it is ok.
Ha, maybe that's what he meant!
Sorry if not... Cheers! |
Edited by - Mykal K on Dec 22 2013 07:50:32 AM |
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Mykal K
Germany
266 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2013 : 07:56:32 AM
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| Btw it is not easy to drop your sh*t , or even recognize that you have it! |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2013 : 10:32:08 AM
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My understanding of what he is saying:
Once the "rights" and "wrongs" as defined by the mind are gone, the desires that were restrained by the mind, start to surface. But to me, by this point we have enough inner silence to let those desires go and manifest as we need it (thy will) and not as we want it (my will). That is why samyama has been so important to me... teaches us to let go what arises into stillness.
The Patanjali's 8 limbs starts with yamas and niyamas, this is to make us aware and get used to "right" living before all the mind barriers fall away... this is to protect the yogi. In AYP, we start with meditation and let the yamas and niyamas come to us from within... it's because once we have access to inner silence and have learnt samyama and letting go, our desires naturally become an expression of thy will.
The thing I think he is warning about are people who run after siddhis, where they take their desires and put in a lot of energy into manifesting it. Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with that, there are yogi's who can manifest things, make objects move, fight tigers with their bare hands (if you have read "Autobiography of a yogi" you will know what I am talking about) etc... but when this happens, the yogi forgets that these powers are side effects of having access to stillness (what we in AYP call scenery), and if we get lost in this, we will stay lost for a long time... finally it is not about manifesting the desires with "my will", but allowing "thy will" to manifest what is needed, so we can progress in this path and become one with the divine... rather than stay caught up in the powers.
Here is a wonderful example of what he is talking about:
Autobiography of a Yogi/Chapter 6/The Tiger Swami |
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Vlad
Russia
2 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2014 : 5:54:48 PM
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Can someone recommend to me the best sri aurobindo book to start with ? i am truly eager to find out more about this master.
Vlad |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2014 : 02:42:44 AM
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Hi Vlad,
quote:
Originally posted by Vlad
Can someone recommend to me the best sri aurobindo book to start with ? i am truly eager to find out more about this master.
Vlad
Many have been introduced to Sri Aurobindo's teachings from reading Satprem's Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness. It's a good introduction from a French disciple. The book has been translated in Russian. You may find it in the library.
Sri Aurobindo's Savitri is a lovely poetic masterwork. Words can only fall short to describe the refined elegance of this literary masterpiece.
The Life Divine is Aurobindo's philosophical opus. As a youngster, Aurobindo was sent by his father to the UK to complete his education there. He was a brilliant student of ancient Western literary works and philosophies. His philosophy is a merging of Western and Eastern wisdom. In short: Manifesting the Divine on the earthly plane (rather than doing spiritual practices to escape the mundane). An example of what his teachings have helped manifest can be witnessed in beautiful Auroville.
Reading Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga will help you perceive his view on Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga as well as his own development of these three paths.
Wish you uplifting readings,
Omsat |
Edited by - Omsat on Jun 02 2014 02:46:34 AM |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2014 : 10:33:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kosmoleo
This is a quote from Sri Aurobindo I've been struggling to understand.
" One of the unfortunate consequences of silencing the mind through Yoga is that mental control over the desires, AKA our cloak of morality, suddenly disappears! Then one discovers that one is capable of engaging in all kinds of things! One finds dormant hungers rising up unexpected and unchecked, as if one has become the passive instrument for their operation. "
That is confusing to me because I thought yoga and meditation were supposed to help one gain greater mental control over the desires. Can anyone help me understand this seeming contradiction...?
Exactly as he says.
A mind freed from the shackles of culture and personality (at least to a degree) tends to be more permissive to the spontaneous desires of the body.
It does seem paradoxical from a certain perspective that increased silence leads to more liberal behavior. And yet from another perspective it makes perfect sense.
We have the freedom to taste. But there are always consequences even with silence. Karma doesn't take holidays |
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sivasambho
USA
136 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2014 : 6:02:55 PM
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| Its true that that karma doesnt take holidays :), however the hope is with the acquired silence there is a an opportunity to perceive things clearly. When things are perceived clearly, things could essentially come down to anyday is a holiday, no matter if you have karma or not. |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2014 : 01:39:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sivasambho
Its true that that karma doesnt take holidays :), however the hope is with the acquired silence there is a an opportunity to perceive things clearly. When things are perceived clearly, things could essentially come down to anyday is a holiday, no matter if you have karma or not.
My point, and I think the point of the quote, is that we are all still learning, silence or no silence.
When we remove the contrived framework of culture from the mind, it becomes free to express itself. Hence the mind becomes more expressive. With freedom comes an even stronger compulsion to express.
From an outside perspective, behavior may be becoming more liberal. From the inner perspective it does not matter if things are in deed or mind. So all remains the same. The mind only fools itself that its morally superior. Don't believe the hype. |
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amplify
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2014 : 1:25:10 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Omsat
Hi Vlad,
quote:
Originally posted by Vlad
Can someone recommend to me the best sri aurobindo book to start with ? i am truly eager to find out more about this master.
Vlad
Many have been introduced to Sri Aurobindo's teachings from reading Satprem's Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness. It's a good introduction from a French disciple. The book has been translated in Russian. You may find it in the library.
Sri Aurobindo's Savitri is a lovely poetic masterwork. Words can only fall short to describe the refined elegance of this literary masterpiece.
The Life Divine is Aurobindo's philosophical opus. As a youngster, Aurobindo was sent by his father to the UK to complete his education there. He was a brilliant student of ancient Western literary works and philosophies. His philosophy is a merging of Western and Eastern wisdom. In short: Manifesting the Divine on the earthly plane (rather than doing spiritual practices to escape the mundane). An example of what his teachings have helped manifest can be witnessed in beautiful Auroville.
Reading Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga will help you perceive his view on Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga as well as his own development of these three paths.
Wish you uplifting readings,
Omsat
Those are great books, but imo the best Aurobindo book to start with is The Integral Yoga, which is mostly Aurobindo's simple replies to questions about practice. Much more practical and less philosophical than the above recommendations, also not 1000 pages of densely packed grammatically challenging prose. |
Edited by - amplify on Jul 25 2014 1:43:25 PM |
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Some help with this quote from Sri Aurbindo please
