Letters on Yoga — IV

From Auroville Wiki
Revision as of 06:04, 11 June 2021 by Kristen (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Gray arrow left short.png   Sri Aurobindos books height70.png   Gray arrow right short.png



Letters on Yoga — IV
Transformation of Human Nature
in the Integral Yoga


PART ONE: SADHANA ON THE LEVEL OF THE MIND

Section One: The Mind and Sadhana

The Mind and Other Levels of Being Paper icon.png
The Mind and the Divine Consciousness 5
The Mind and the Supermind 5
The Mind and Intuition 6
The Mind and Inspiration 7
The Mind and the Psychic 7
The Mind and the Lower Nature 9
Intellect and the Intellectual Paper icon.png
Limitations of the Intellect 11
The Intellect, the Pure Reason and Knowledge 14
Intellect, Intellectual and Intelligence 15
The Intellectual Man and the Emotional Man 18
Mental Difficulties and the Need of Quietude Paper icon.png
The Activity of the Mind 20
Imaginations 21
Confusion 22
Worry 23
Hastiness 23
Slowness 24
Opposing Points of View 25
Silliness 25
Analysis and Dissection 25
The Need of Quietude 27
The Physical Mind and Sadhana Paper icon.png
The Activity of the Physical Mind 30
The Unsteadiness of the Physical Mind 33
The Obscurity of the Physical Mind 34
Other Problems of the Physical Mind 35
The Physical Mind and the Lower Vital 37
The Physical Mind and the Psychic 38
The Physical Mind and Peace and Silence 39
Thought and Knowledge Paper icon.png
Thoughts Come from Outside 40
Control of One’s Thoughts 43
Thoughts and Words 47
The Idea and What Lies Behind It 47
Thought and Knowledge 48
Knowledge and Ignorance 48
Knowledge and the Divine Consciousness 49
Mental Knowledge and Knowledge from Above 49
Knowledge and Mental Questions 50
Understanding and the Higher Light 52
Knowledge and the Psychic 53
Knowledge and Mental Silence 54
Knowledge, Experience and Realisation 56

Section Two: Cultivation of the Mind in Yoga

Mental Development and Sadhana Paper icon.png
The Development of the Mind 59
Reading and Sadhana 60
Reading What Is Helpful to the Sadhana 62
Reading and Detachment 64
Reading Novels and Newspapers 65
The Place of Study in Sadhana Paper icon.png
Study and Sadhana 69
Study and Mental Development 69
School Studies and Yoga 71
The Study of Languages 71
The Study of Philosophy 73
The Study of Logic 74
The Study of Science 75
The Power of Expression and Yoga Paper icon.png
Verbal Expression 76
Expression and Language 76
Spoken and Written Expression 77
Writing and Sadhana 77
Poetry and Sadhana 78
Speech and Yoga Paper icon.png
Outer Speech and the Inner Life 80
Talking and Dispersion of the Consciousness 81
Talking and Fatigue 82
Useless, Unnecessary or Light Speech 83
Control of Speech 85
Criticising Others 87
Gossip 88
Speaking the Truth 89
Mauna or Keeping Silence 92
Other Aspects of Speech Control 94

PART TWO: SADHANA ON THE LEVEL OF THE VITAL

Section One: The Vital Being and Sadhana

The Nature of the Vital Paper icon.png
Living in the Vital 101
The Irrationality of the Vital 103
The Deceptiveness of the Vital 104
A Good Instrument But a Bad Master 105
Purification of the Vital 107
Discipline of the Vital 107
Surrender of the Vital 109
Conversion of the Vital 110
Liberation of the Vital 111
The Higher Vital Movement 111
The Emergence of the True Vital 111
Vital Sincerity, Aspiration, Consecration 113
Peace and Quiet in the Vital 114
The Vital and Other Levels of Being Paper icon.png
The Spirit and the Vital 116
The Higher Consciousness and the Vital 116
The Intuition and the Vital 120
The Psychic and the Vital 120
The Mind and the Vital 123
The Physical and the Vital 127
Wrong Movements of the Vital Paper icon.png
The Phrase “Wrong Movements” 129
Vital Reactions 129
Vital Suggestions 130
Vital Restlessness 132
Vital Dryness 134
Vital Resistance 136
Vital Dissatisfaction and Non-Cooperation 138
Vital Disturbance and Revolt 140
Rejection of Wrong Vital Movements 143
Return of Vital Movements after Rejection 145
Alternation of Good and Bad Vital Conditions 148
The Lower Vital Being Paper icon.png
The Decisive Ordeal of This Yoga 150
The Lower Vital Not Reasonable 156
The Resistance of the Lower Vital 157
Rejecting Wrong Movements of the Lower Vital 158
Avoiding Premature Engagement with the Lower Vital 164
Ananda and the Lower Vital 165
Aspiration and Offering in the Lower Vital 168
Peace and Calm in the Lower Vital 169

Section Two: Vital Temperament

Cheerfulness and Happiness Paper icon.png
Cheerfulness 173
Humour and Seriousness 174
Happiness and Contentment 175
Sorrow and Suffering Paper icon.png
Joy and Sorrow 177
Sorrow and Pain and Suffering 177
Melancholy 180
Depression and Despondency Paper icon.png
Discouragement 182
Depression 183
Depression Often Comes from Outside 185
Dealing With Depression 186
Depression and the Gospel of Sorrow 189
Despair and Despondency 206
Sentimentalism, Sensitiveness, Instability, Laxity Paper icon.png
Sentimentalism 210
Sensitiveness 210
Shyness 213
Indecision and Instability 213
Laxity 214

Section Three: Vital Defects

Ego and Its Forms Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
Ego and Egoism 217
Ego in Different Parts of the Being 221
The Vital Ego 222
Rajasic and Tamasic Ego (Ahankara) 225
Ego-centricity 228
The Egoism of the Instrument and the Magnified Ego 230
Getting Rid of the Ego and of Egoism 232
Getting Rid of the Ego Altogether 236
Selfishness 238
Ambition 239
Vanity 240
Pride and Self-Esteem 241
Self-Respect, Amour-Propre, Superiority 243
Jealousy and Abhiman 244
Wounded Feeling 247
Ingratitude 250
Desire Paper icon.png
The Nature of Desire 251
The Small Desires of the Vital Physical 256
Desire and Need 257
Demand and Desire 258
Getting Rid of Desire 260
Desire and Suppression (Nigraha) 264
Anger and Violence Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Nature of Anger 267
Anger Comes from Outside 271
Anger and the Psychic 274
Vindictiveness and Cruelty 276
Violence 276
Fear Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
Fear and Yoga 278

Section Four: Human Relations in Yoga

Human Relations and the Spiritual Life Paper icon.png
Relations with Others in Yoga 283
Love for Others and Love for the Divine 290
Family Ties and Duties 291
Relations between Parents and Children 293
Old Relations 293
Friendship and Affection 294
Vital Love 298
Vital Love and Psychic Love 301
Personal Relations in Yoga 302
Universal Love and Personal Relations 304
Relations between Men and Women in Yoga 306
Loneliness 310
Interactions with Others and the Practice of Yoga Paper icon.png
Cultivating Equality and Goodwill 312
Indifference to What Others Think or Say 313
Overcoming Dependence 315
Overcoming Attachment 316
Helping Others 317
Receiving Help from Others 320
Concern for Others 320
Sympathy for Others 321
Mothering Others 321
Working with Others 322
Dispersion through Contact with Others 323
Mixing with Others 325
Vital Expansiveness 326
Vital Interchange 328
Talking, Letter-Writing and Vital Interchange 333
Talking or Thinking about Others 334
The Drawing of Vital Forces by Others 335
Limiting Contacts with Others 337
Inner Detachment Preferable to Outer Withdrawal 338
Qualified Utility of Retirement for Sadhana 339
Dangers of Complete Retirement 341
Relations in Ordinary Life 344
Problems in Human Relations Paper icon.png
Hatred and Dislike 346
Quarrels and Clashes 347
Fault-Finding and Criticism 351
Benefiting from Criticism 352

PART THREE: SADHANA ON THE PHYSICAL, SUBCONSCIENT AND INCONSCIENT LEVELS

Section One: Sadhana on the Level of the Physical

The Transformation of the Physical Paper icon.png
The Need to Transform the Physical 359
Coming Down into the Physical 363
The Bringing of Realisation into the Physical 366
The Physical Sadhana 367
Levels of the Physical Being Paper icon.png
The Physical Consciousness 372
The Mental Physical and the Vital Physical 375
The Material Consciousness 378
The Body Consciousness 379
The Body 379
Care for the Body 381
Weakness of the Body 381
Forgetfulness of the Body 383
The Physical and the Mind 383
The Physical and the Vital 384
The Physical and the Psychic 385
The Ascent of the Being 387
Difficulties of the Physical Nature Paper icon.png
The Real Difficulty 388
Obstruction and Obscuration 389
Inertia 391
Dealing with Inertia and Tamas 395
The Difficulty of Eliminating Inertia and Tamas 397
Physical Fatigue 399
Giddiness 400
Restlessness 400
Habitual Movements and Old Habits 401
Mechanical Movements 405
Externalisation 406
Feelings of Incapacity and Discouragement 408
Stupidity and Ignorance 412
Agnosticism 414
Fear of Death 415

Section Two: Food, Sleep, Dreams and Sex

Food Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Yogic Attitude towards Food 419
Attachment to Food 421
Greed for Food 422
Taste 424
Sensitivity to Smell 425
Hunger 426
Quantity of Food 427
Fasting 430
Types of Food 433
Intoxicants 435
Sleep Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Yogic Attitude towards Sleep and Food 437
The Need of Sleep and Rest 438
The Amount of Sleep Needed 440
The Real Rest which Restores 441
Getting Good Sleep 443
Sleep during the Day 444
Sleep and Sadhana 444
Loss of Consciousness during Sleep 445
Conscious Sleep 448
Concentration before and after Sleep 450
Hearing Music after Waking 452
The Waking Mind and Sleep 452
Depression in Sleep 452
Dreams Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
All Sleep Full of Dreams 455
Different Kinds of Dreams 455
Subconscient Dreams 459
Vital Dreams 460
Symbolic Dreams on the Vital Plane 463
Formations in Vital Dreams 466
Unpleasant or Bad Vital Dreams 467
Mental Dreams 469
People Seen in Dreams 470
The Waking and Dream States 470
Dream-Experiences 471
Remembering Dreams 473
Understanding the Meaning of Dreams 475
The Meaning of Some Dreams 477
Sex Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Role of Sex in Nature 485
Sex a Movement of General Nature 486
Sex and Ananda 488
Sex and Love 490
Sex and the New European Mystics 493
Sex-Indulgence and the Integral Yoga 494
Subtle Forms of Sex-Indulgence 499
Transformation of the Sex-Energy: The Theory of Brahmacharya 504
Mastery of the Sex-Impulse through Detachment 508
Mastery through a Change in the Consciousness 512
Mastery through the Force of Purity 512
Mastery through the Working of the Higher Consciousness and Force 513
Rejection of the Sex-Impulse from the Various Parts of the Being 514
Sex and the Subconscient 520
Tamasic Inertia and the Sex-Impulse 522
Sex-Thoughts and Imaginations 522
Sexual Difficulties among Men 524
Sex-Dreams and Emissions 524
Physical Causes of Sex-Dreams and Emissions 528
Worry, Depression and Sex-Dreams and Emissions 529
Masturbation 531
Sexual Difficulties among Women 534
Social Contact and Sex 538
Touch and Sex 540
Celibacy 542
Marriage 543
The Relationship of Man and Woman 545
Skin Diseases and Sex 545

Section Three: Illness, Doctors and Medicines

Illness and Health Paper icon.png
Illness and Yoga 549
Illness Not the Result of the Force 552
The Lower Nature, the Hostile Forces and Illness 553
The Suggestion of Illness 555
Curative Auto-Suggestion: The Coué Method 559
Faith, Confidence and Cure 561
Parts of the Being and Illness 562
Accepting and Enjoying Illness 565
Depression and Illness 567
Fear and Illness 568
Inertia and Illness 570
Anger and Illness 571
Work and Illness 571
Sleep and Illness 572
Pain 572
Separation and Detachment from Pain 575
Doctors and Medicines Paper icon.png
Cure by Yogic Force and by Medicines 578
The Role of Doctors 581
Medical Systems 582
The Right Use of Medicines 584
Specific Illnesses, Ailments and Other Physical Problems Paper icon.png
Cancer 586
Tuberculosis 586
Fever 587
Influenza 587
Head Cold 587
Weak Vision 588
Glaucoma 588
Stammering 588
Menstrual Problems 589
Constipation 589
Sciatica 589
Growing Taller 590
Bearing the Heat 590

Section Four: The Subconscient and the Inconscient and the Process of Yoga

The Subconscient and the Integral Yoga Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Change of the Subconscient 595
The Subconscient, the Inner Being and the Outer Being 596
The Subconscient and the Physical Being 597
Habits and the Subconscient 600
The Environmental Consciousness and the Subconscient 601
The Rising Up of Things from the Subconscient 603
Dealing with the Subconscient 608
Dealing with Memories from the Subconscient 610
Clearing or Emptying the Subconscient 611
Illumining the Subconscient 611
Psycho-analysis and the Integral Yoga 612
The Inconscient and the Integral Yoga Paper icon.png
The Descent of the Sadhana into the Inconscient 617

PART FOUR: DIFFICULTIES IN THE PRACTICE OF THE INTEGRAL YOGA

Section One: Difficulties of the Path

The Difficulties of Yoga Paper icon.png
Difficulties and the Aim of Life 625
Difficulties and the Integral Yoga 627
Why Difficulties Come 635
The Difficulties of Human Nature Paper icon.png
Obstacles of Human Nature 638
The Dual Nature of the Human Being 639
The Good and the Evil Persona 647
Outward Circumstances and Personal Defects 653
Imperfections and Periods of Arrest Paper icon.png
Imperfections and Progress towards Perfection 655
Periods of Difficulty and Arrest 663
Resistances, Sufferings and Falls Paper icon.png
Resistances in Sadhana 667
Pain and Suffering 670
Dangers, Falls and Failures 674

Section Two: Overcoming the Difficulties of Yoga

The Right Attitude towards Difficulties Paper icon.png
The Sunlit Path and the Path of Darkness 681
Optimism and Pessimism 692
Treating Difficulties as Opportunities 692
The Certitude of Victory 694
Steps towards Overcoming Difficulties Paper icon.png
Ways of Dealing with Difficulties 696
Facing Circumstances 697
Recognising One’s Weaknesses 699
Stating One’s Difficulties 703
Detaching Oneself from Difficulties 705
Rejecting Wrong Movements 707
Vigilance, Resolution, Will and the Divine Help Paper icon.png
The Need of Vigilance 709
The Need of Resolution 712
The Need of Aspiration 713
The Need of Will 715
Lack of Will 719
Will and the Divine Force or Power 720
Personal Effort and the Divine Force or Power 722
Letting the Force Work 724
The Divine Help 724
The Divine Protection 724
Time and Change of the Nature Paper icon.png
Time Needed for Change 726
Freedom from the Past 730
The Past and the Future 732
Dealing with Depression and Despondency Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
Despondency over Difficulties 734
Dwelling on One’s Weaknesses or Difficulties 739
Raising Up Difficulties 743
Struggling with Difficulties 744
The Absurdity of Suicide 747

Section Three: The Opposition of the Hostile Forces

The Hostile Forces and the Difficulties of Yoga Paper icon.png Wiki icon.png
The Existence of the Hostile Forces 757
The Function of the Hostile Forces 758
Testing Oneself against the Hostile Forces 761
The Divine Force and the Adverse Force 762
The Forces of the Lower Nature and the Hostile Forces 763
Vital Resistance, Physical Inertia and the Hostile Forces 767
The Hostile Forces and Universal Forces 768
The Hostile Forces and the Spiritual Consciousness 768
Attacks by the Hostile Forces Paper icon.png
Attacks Not Uncommon 769
Attacks Often Follow a Progress 770
Positive and Negative Means of Attack 776
Attacks through Suggestions 776
Attacks through Others 780
Dealing with Hostile Attacks Paper icon.png
Fear of Attacks 782
Thinking Too Much about Attacks 782
Discouragement about Attacks 784
Rejection of Attacks 787
Detachment 792
Dissolution 792
Steadiness and Persistence 793
Peace and Purity 793
Faith and Surrender 794
Psychic Openness 795
Reliance on the Power or Force 796
Reliance on the Mother 797
Accidents, Possession, Madness Paper icon.png
Accidents 800
Possession by Vital Forces 801
Neurasthenia 802
Hysteria 804
Epilepsy 805
Madness 806


Notes are paraphrased from the “Publisher's Note” and “Note on the Texts”.