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- Depression and the Influence of the Gunas in Spiritual Development - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere is a strong inclination for those spiritual practitioners who particularly follow a way of devotion, regardless of religious tradition around the world, to cry out for the presence of the Divine and to lament any feeling of separation. Depending on the play of the Gunas, this can take ...
Views: 537 - Desire and True Need for a Yogic Practitioner - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2021 from santosh krinskyToday’s civilisation is fixated on possession and ownership of material things, and people are generally respected and honored for their ability to accumulate resources. This has led to extreme inequality in terms of the resources available for use by people on the planet, as a very small number ...
Views: 593 - Desire — and the Need to Control Desire - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2022 from santosh krinskyPeople believe that suppression of the vital forces that are actuated by the force of desire can lead to imbalance and mental illness. For this reason, Western psychology has recommended the moderate expression of these forces, and has generally counseled having a healthy vital life that does ...
Views: 582 - Detachment from and Mastery of the Surface Nature - by Submitted on May 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen we are first confronted with the concept of detachment from our external nature, we tend to approach it from a mental standpoint and thus, try to shut down our emotions and mental reactions with various types of response such as forms of stoicism, renunciation, or a show of non-caring, or ...
Views: 536 - Detachment, Liberation and Mastery - by Submitted on Aug 14, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe question of detachment, renunciation, is frequently interpreted as one of avoidance and a rejection of the external life in the world. It most often turns to austerity. If one follows this line of approach to its logical conclusion, the only solution is to renounce all action, renounce all ...
Views: 115 - Determining the Appropriate Posture for Beginning with Meditation - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2023 from santosh krinskyFor someone beginning with meditation, every aspect of the process raises a question. One of these questions relates to the body. The eventual goal is to attain a state whereby meditation can occur regardless of what the body is doing or how it is positioned. However, this is not usually the way ...
Views: 592 - Determinism in the Exercise of Free Will — Free Will in the Carrying Out of Determinism - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2024 from santosh krinskyWe generally jump to extremes in our way of looking at things from our normal, mental viewpoint. Thus, we either want to accept that everything is absolutely determined and thus, every move we make, every action, every reaction, is choreographed down to the slightest detail; or else, we want to ...
Views: 287 - Developing a Power to Perceive and Understand Ourselves and Our World By Minimizing the Distortions and Biases That Are Inherent in Our Human Instrumentation and Process - by Submitted on Aug 12, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhenever we try to understand something, we are met with various types of inherent biases that skew the determinations we make. Not only are our senses, our perceptions and our thoughts subject to various forms of filtering, but they are also skewed by our past experience, the fact that our ...
Views: 127 - Developing a Strong Power of Knowledge and Will To Manage and Control the Vital Nature - by Submitted on May 18, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhile a reaction may seem to be taking place instantaneously, it is always conditioned by prior acts or events, the chain of cause and effect, dependent origination or the law of karma, however one wants to term it. By adopting the standpoint of the witness consciousness, observing the external ...
Views: 157 - Developing and Expressing the Flame of Divine Love While Avoiding the Misappropriation of the Energy for Lower Vital Gratification - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2021 from santosh krinskySuppression of the vital being and the emotions is often prescribed by those following a spiritual or religious discipline, due to the mixed nature of the expression that occurs in an untransformed and unpurified vital being. It is also true that there have been a number of cases, including high ...
Views: 615 - Developing and Integrating Calm and Peace in the Being - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2023 from santosh krinskyIf we remain constantly in active motion and react to all the sense impressions and pressures that impinge upon us from the outer world, it is difficult to achieve a status of calm or peace. One of the values of sitting regularly for a time of quiet reflection, meditation or concentration is ...
Views: 511 - Developing Aspiration Without Admixture of Desire - by Submitted on May 04, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe Bhagavad Gita devotes considerable focus to the operation of the three gunas, qualities of the action of the nature, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. The Gita indicates that all actions are modified and controlled by the action of the gunas. This includes the practice of spiritual sadhana. Rajas ...
Views: 647 - Developing Gnostic Living Amidst a World of Opposition - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2024 from santosh krinskyAnother, and serious, issue that arises is the relationship of the gnostic individuals and community to that wider world of humanity and life in general which remains based in the physical, vital and mental principles and thus, continues to operate on the basis of division, fragmentation and the ...
Views: 319 - Developing Harmonious Relationships with Close Family, Friends and Associates - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2022 from santosh krinskyEven among those closest to one another, there remain differences of habit and temperament. Issues of personal grooming, dietary choices, choices in music or other media interactions, time commitments, interactions about caring for the common shared space all work to create minor daily ...
Views: 596 - Developing the Inner Poise of Equality in the Practice of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 22, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe more reactive we are to people and events, the more dispersed our awareness is and this draws away from the ability of the practitioner of the yoga to create and maintain the inner connection to the spiritual force that is pressing to manifest the next phase of the evolutionary development. ...
Views: 568 - Developing the Power to Remove Illnesses from the Physical Body - by Submitted on Jun 15, 2025 from santosh krinskyAn illness is a vibrational pattern that impacts the body and its normal operations. If one does not succeed in rejecting it before it breaks through the protective vital sheath and then, if one fails to prevent it from taking hold at all in the physical body, one is left with having to deal ...
Views: 173 - Developing the Proper Attitude of Yogic Equality in Relation to Present Reality and Future Development - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2022 from santosh krinskyWe tend to view everything from our individual ego-standpoint, and as a result, we take difficulties as being our own, as well as any obstacles, setbacks or delays being directly tied to ourselves. We tend to believe that we are either bound by some karmic destiny, or by the astrological pattern ...
Views: 972 - Developing Will-Power - by Submitted on Jan 15, 2024 from santosh krinskyWhen we are interested in something we naturally focus on that to the exclusion of other distractions. Time passes and we do not notice it. Things that would ordinarily engage our attention are disregarded. This power of ‘one pointed’ concentration is however elusive when it arises just out of ...
Views: 372 - Development from Witness of the Nature to Master of the Nature - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2025 from santosh krinskySankhya philosophy, also referenced in the Bhagavad Gita and certain Upanishads with respect to its understanding of the respective roles of the Purusha, the witness consciousness and Prakriti, the active nature, provides a guiding light for those seeking liberation from bondage to the external ...
Views: 128 - Development of Consciousness. Insight. Part I - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2020 from Jacklyn LoWe are all gathered here, on this dense planet Earth, because of our low consciousness. Each of us receives an individual life scenario as a present at birth. As a result, everyone gets the opportunity to correct mistakes and misdeed made in previous lives. This allows us to continue our ...
Views: 903 - Development of Consciousness. Insight. Part II ( out of III) - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2020 from Jacklyn LoLike anything in the Universe, our Consciousness is a subject of Evolution and Devolution. If one person forms an individual consciousness, then a group of people moulds a collective consciousness. For example, a collective consciousness might belong to a small group of people such a ...
Views: 1040 - Development of the Witness Consciousness Separate from the Analytical Mind Is Needed to Truly Understand the Springs of Action in Mind, Life and Body - by Submitted on May 07, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe ability to perceive, understand and modify the actions of the body, life and mind requires the development of a new standpoint outside of the body-life-mind complex. For this reason, the attempt to undertake this process with the analytical power of the mind is bound to fail. Not only can ...
Views: 539 - Dharma and Life in Balance - by Submitted on May 20, 2020 from Maetreyii Ma NolanDharma needs to be followed both by individuals and by the collective society as a whole. When an individual is out of alignment with dharma, their life becomes disjointed and they cease to have a harmony with the world around them. They become self-centered and self-absorbed. When a society, a ...
Views: 1133 - Differences Between the Practice of Magic and Spiritual Action - by Submitted on May 31, 2024 from santosh krinskyIt is an obvious fact that as one grows and develops in the spiritual path, the concentration of conscious force, tapasya, will definitely increase not only the spiritual development, but also the powers that the individual has available to accomplish action in his life in the world. In the ...
Views: 268 - Different Areas of Personal Development - by Submitted on Aug 13, 2012 from Nik HalikIf you’ve awaken to the realization of pursuing personal development, that’s a good place to start. Sometimes, it may be somewhat daunting trying to pick a particular aspect of self development to start with. Well, the first step is to do an inner search, in order to know the area that requires ...
Views: 1568 - Difficulties Are Blessings If We Know How to Face Them - by Submitted on May 12, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhether we term it divine Will, synchronicity, coherence, quantum entanglement, cause and effect, dependent origination, karma, or the law of attraction (or any other terminology), there remains a truth that the specific time, place and circumstance we occupy in the world is due to a stream of ...
Views: 138 - Difficulties Provide the Possibility of Progress - by Submitted on May 14, 2025 from santosh krinskyIf we examine the times and phases of our lives, we find that when things seem to be going smoothly forward and we feel great, we want to enjoy and appreciate the good times. We thus tend to slacken our efforts so that we can get the most out of the positive energies we are experiencing. This is ...
Views: 132 - Difficulties, Obstacles and the Spiritual Path - by Submitted on Mar 13, 2023 from santosh krinskyEvery individual faces difficulties during his lifetime. They may be difficulties imposed due to external circumstances attendant on one’s birth, cultural or societal position, opportunities, or economic prospects. They may be difficulties that arise due to climate or natural disasters. They may ...
Views: 465 - Dilemmas of Being in Business #2: What it is like when YOU are smarter than your Boss! - by Submitted on Jun 21, 2012 from Rosie KuhnYou and a colleague, Harry are up for a promotion. You know you are the better person for the job, but Harry got the position. He’s pompous, arrogant and doesn’t have the leadership skills that inspire you to generate, well, anything. You scratch your head in disbelief that he was chosen over ...
Views: 1459 - Dilemmas of Being in Business #3: Seeing the Big Picture - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2012 from Rosie KuhnI can’t tell you the number of times over that past few weeks that I’ve heard the term seeing the big picture. I pay attention when something is said two or more times; there’s something to be mined for myself and perhaps for others. Seeing the Big Picture; what the heck does that mean? What ...
Views: 1500 - Discernment of Good and Bad Thoughts - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen we initially reflect on “what is a good thought” and “what is a bad thought”, the first ideas that arise almost inevitably harken back to whatever cultural, moral or ethical code prevails within the society of the time, whether this is based on religion or developed cultural understandings ...
Views: 615 - Discover Happiness - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2016 from Kieran RevellWhen your life is meaningful, fulfilling and purposeful you carry in your heart the passion to create something extraordinary for others and for yourself Wouldn’t the world be a great place if we all discovered happiness! What if we had the opportunity to find our purpose in life? Imagine ...
Views: 1340 - Discover your destiny! - by Submitted on May 30, 2018 from Joan Marie WhelanDeclare daily, the truth that the Lord is guiding you! Your Creator has destined you to leave your mark! Your job is to believe and trust that it is all coming together. Don’t be in doubt, or fear or even feeling that you are inadequate; instead begin to visualize what it is you are seeking. ...
Views: 1262 - Discovering One’s Role or Mission in Life - by Submitted on May 02, 2023 from santosh krinskyWhen we are fixed in the external personality we take our cues about our role in life from our family, our friends, the social and economic environment and, with that framing, our particular interests and aptitudes. As a child we may want to emulate people in uniforms and thus, may want to be a ...
Views: 403 - Discrimination to Recognise the Distinction of Different Forces and the Various Parts of the Being is Necessary for the Spiritual Seeker - by Submitted on May 31, 2023 from santosh krinskyThe Buddhist tradition describes Manjushri as a Bodhisattva who, with his flaming sword of discrimination, cuts through illusion and falsehood to disclose the truth of existence. The power of discrimination between different powers, forces, impressions, suggestions, and their source and intent ...
Views: 732 - Disolve Denial and Awaken the Potential of an Authentic Life - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2013 from Kay HutchinsonMany of you are expressing that this start of the year of the snake has been a very important time for soul searching and experiencing breakthroughs of profound awakenings, and alongwith this comes recognizing the depth of resistant patterns that have been sabotaging your abilities to manifest ...
Views: 1447 - Distinguishing an Attitude of Equality From One of Indifference - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe mental framework frequently wants to find an “either/or” option rather than looking at the nuance needed to resolve multiple views of pending questions. Thus, when we are asked to consider achieving a poise of equality in the face of provocation of any sort, positive or negative, we will ...
Views: 156 - Distinguishing and Addressing Undivine and Antidivine Forces - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2025 from santosh krinskyThere is a real difference in motivation and intention between what may be considered to be ignorant responses, and those that are malignant. Seekers face a difficulty or some resistance in the external nature constantly. For the most part, this resistance is due to the long embedded habits and ...
Views: 77 - Distinguishing Between Personal Growth and Inner Growth - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhile humanity embodies the development of the mental consciousness, in principle, it must be noted that this generalisation does not apply specifically to each and every human individual. Just as the field of statistics does not predict any single event, and the observational experiments of ...
Views: 507 - Distinguishing Between the Mind, the Vital Mind and the Physical Mind in the Process of Yogic Sadhana - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2021 from santosh krinskyWe transcribe and filter impulses and feelings that arise from the physical body and the vital action through our minds, and thus, we generally confuse the awareness or the response that arises through this process as a mental functioning. Sri Aurobindo distinguishes between the physical mind, ...
Views: 790 - Distinguishing Between the Qualities of Quiet, Calm, Peace and Silence in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 13, 2021 from santosh krinskyNear the top of the “wish list” for most spiritual aspirants is achieving “peace”. This is generally understood however in a very personal sense to alleviate the turmoil, dissention and conflict that invariably arises in our normal circumstances living in the world. It is rarely appreciated ...
Views: 626 - Distinguishing Concentration and Meditation from One Another - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2023 from santosh krinskyIf we observe the mental status that takes place at times when we focus on achieving some objective or other, taking a test, working on a project, running a race, playing music, or creating some work of art, for example, we see that the attention is focused intensely on the task at hand, and ...
Views: 680 - Distinguishing Magic from Occultism - by Submitted on May 30, 2024 from santosh krinskyThere is considerable confusion between the concept of occultism and the idea of the practice of magic (whether considered ‘white’ magic or ‘black’ magic). Occultism essential is the science of dealing with forces subliminal to our outer senses, but nevertheless active and acting upon our being. ...
Views: 269 - Distinguishing Psychic Experience from Occult or Abnormal Experience - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2026 from santosh krinskyHow does one distinguish between psychic experience, as defined by Sri Aurobindo, as soul experiences, from the vast array of experiences that occur on the mental or vital planes that have been called ‘psychic’ phenomena? Once one has the clue about the different parts of the being and their ...
Views: 26 - Distinguishing Rapid Process of Thought from True Intuition - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2025 from santosh krinskyWe occasionally meet people who seem to be highly intuitive. With very few facts, and with a very fast response time, they seem to understand and decide things successfully that we are struggling to deal with, and for which we need considerably more time. In some cases, there may be the ...
Views: 246 - Distinguishing Soul from Vital Being - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2026 from santosh krinskyThe lack of experience and recognition of the action of the soul makes it difficult for most people to understand the reality of the soul. For this reason, people tend to confuse the true soul with the vital soul of desire, which Sri Aurobindo calls the ‘desire-soul’. This is an expression of ...
Views: 22 - Distinguishing the Ordinary Motives of the Vital Being from Spiritual Motivation - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2023 from santosh krinskyThe vital nature has an innate drive towards fulfillment and satisfaction of desire. Since most individuals are oriented towards the outer life, the fulfillment comes through attaining desirable objects of the vital focus. This can be accumulation of wealth, it can be family, fame or achievement ...
Views: 629 - Distinguishing the Psychic Transformation from the Spiritual Transformation - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2021 from santosh krinskySpiritual experience and progress can be confusing. In many cases the seeker is misled or misunderstands what is actually taking place, and the significance of it. Spiritual paths generally recommend the seeker find an experienced guide, or Guru, among other reasons, to help mitigate confusion ...
Views: 625 - Distinguishing the Subconscient from the Subliminal Aspects of Consciousness - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2023 from santosh krinskyThere is considerable confusion about the “subconscient” and the “subliminal” aspects of consciousness. Essentially, the subliminal references aspects of the independent levels of consciousness that embody the subtle physical, the subtle vital and the subtle mental. These levels are independent ...
Views: 414 - Distinguishing the Supracosmic Reality from the Supramental Consciousness - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe long history of focus by spiritual aspirants on achieving oneness with the Transcendent, the Eternal, while subordinating or outright denying the life of the world, has created substantial confusion about the significance of life, the nature of the manifested universal creation, and the ...
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