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Articles from santosh krinsky | Selfgrowth.com
- The Purpose and Significance of Life Becomes Clear as the Individual Contacts the Psychic Being - by Submitted on Oct 02, 2023 from santosh krinskyMost people do not understand why it is they are alive, what it is they are here to do in the world. Many simply think that ‘eat, drink and be merry’ is the sum of their purpose; in other words, they do not recognise a life purpose or mission in that sense, and just want to find a way to enjoy ...
Views: 315 - The Purusha, the Master of the Nature, Sanctions, Upholds, Directs and Changes the Nature - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2025 from santosh krinskyWe are not destined to be the puppet or plaything of the external Nature, Prakriti, through the working of the 3 Gunas or qualities of Nature. When we shift our standpoint to that of the Divine, when we recognise our Oneness with the creative Force, we can participate in the ordering and the ...
Views: 78 - The Qualities of Food and Spiritual Practice - by Submitted on Jan 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen people take up spiritual practices, they are exposed to many different ideas about the proper diet. With the idea that ‘you are what you eat’, there is a long list of foods that are considered suitable for spiritual practitioners to eat, what are called in the ancient traditions of India, ...
Views: 512 - The Quality of Rajas and Its Impact on the Spiritual Sadhana - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe quality of Rajas, when it predominates in the action of the individual seeking spiritual growth, can have quite disruptive effects. A certain amount of focus and energy is required for any spiritual endeavour, to be sure, but there is a fine line between too little energy and too much. Rajas ...
Views: 93 - The Quest to Establish the Connection to the Higher, Subtler, Causal Planes of Existence - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2025 from santosh krinskyAt a certain point in life, an individual begins to appreciate that the surface events, surface ‘facts’, the ‘reality’ of the external world are all derivative results, with the causal forces and energies active on more subtle planes or domains and creating from that place, the physical forms ...
Views: 182 - The Question of Possession by Vital Entities - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2024 from santosh krinskyThe question of possession by vital beings has been sensationalized to such an extent in modern society, with an entire genre of motion pictures depicting such things in an extreme way, that it is difficult to have a serious discussion and review of whatever reality underlies these sensational ...
Views: 273 - The Question of Possession of an Individual by Vital Beings - by Submitted on May 16, 2024 from santosh krinskyOnce we acknowledge the idea that forces, beings or entities from the vital planes can act upon and through human individuals, the question then arises as to how we can identify this action and distinguish it from what we might call normal actions of a human being under the impulsion of the ...
Views: 258 - The Radiating Power of an Inner Transformative Force - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2025 from santosh krinskyThere are many methods that have been tried to shift ideas, thoughts, motives and actions in the world. Some of these methods involve subtle, or not so subtle, use of various forms of propagandizing, proselytizing, sermonizing, or dominating others through use of covert or overt force, including ...
Views: 99 - The Realisation of the Self and the Realisation of the Psychic Being and the Individual Ego-Consciousness - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe generally live, most of the time, within a framework of the ego-consciousness. We look at and experience our lives from this standpoint, and it places limitations on our understanding and our response to circumstances. Those who are called to yoga and spiritual development practices in ...
Views: 313 - The Realisations of the Self and the Psychic Being - by Submitted on Mar 17, 2021 from santosh krinskyPeople follow different spiritual paths and practices and tend to identify with their own path and the spiritual experiences and realisations that come with it. In some cases, they believe that the experience they have is the preeminent or real experience while others are less authentic. In ...
Views: 618 - The Reality of Being Born Into the Spirit - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2025 from santosh krinskyPeople commonly believe that espousing a particular religion or religious doctrine, reading scriptural texts, singing devotional songs, practicing yoga, or meditation or any of the numerous other practices often called ‘spiritual’ makes them spiritual. While these practices may help to turn ...
Views: 143 - The Reality of Psychic Powers - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2025 from santosh krinskyThe well-known actress Shirley Maclaine described in her book Out on a Limb (and included in the film version under the same name) her experiences with various psychic mediums who were able to actually relate to her details from her life that were not possibly known by them. She began from a ...
Views: 214 - The Reality of Subjective Visions and Objective Sight - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2025 from santosh krinskyModern society, influenced heavily by the scientific/technical focus of the West, puts a premium on the concept of “objectivity” versus anything that can be considered ‘subjective’, which is then treated with suspicion and largely dismissed. This implies several things. First, it implies that ...
Views: 174 - The Reality of Worlds of Existence Other than the Physical World - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe have a strong bias in favor of accepting things that we can perceive with our physical senses, and we tend to disbelieve or discount anything that is not directly, physically available to our experience. Yet if we reflect on the totality of our life experience, it becomes clear that there are ...
Views: 407 - The Relationship Between the Development of External Power and Inner Power - by Submitted on Aug 26, 2024 from santosh krinskyDeveloping external power through the use of technology has several unexpected or unintended consequences. One of these, of course, is to give us powers of observation and action that were not available to us through the normal progression of physical, vital and mental development. In order to ...
Views: 234 - The Resolution of the Opposition of Free Will and Determinism - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2024 from santosh krinskyAs long as we remain rooted in the external surface consciousness and ego-personality, we are firmly bound by the determinism of Nature. Nature, whether on the physical, vital or mental level, operates under its own ‘laws’ of action. The more dense the expression of consciousness is, the more ...
Views: 298 - The Respective Roles of the Jivatman and the Psychic Being - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2021 from santosh krinskyIn the Taittiriya Upanishad, a seeker successively realises the basis of existence, first in the physical sheath, then in the vital or life sheath, and then in the mental sheath, before exceeding each of these as the progression of his realisation went beyond the mind into the “knowledge” and ...
Views: 645 - The Richness of the Evolution in the Knowledge - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2024 from santosh krinskyMost of us are wedded to the sense that enjoyment of life and richness of experience are inseparably linked to the play of the dualities. We believe and find our satisfaction in the mixture of darkness and light, joy and pain, beauty and ugliness, and the challenges attendant on meeting and ...
Views: 306 - The Right Attitude Turns Difficulties Into Opportunities for the Spiritual Aspirant - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2025 from santosh krinskyParticularly (but not exclusively) in the beginning of the spiritual sadhana, the seeker has to find a way to navigate through the countless obstacles, resistances and difficulties that arise as he tries to transition from a focus on the external responses of the ego-personality and the embedded ...
Views: 35 - The Risks and Difficulties of Eliminating Lower Drives Through Purposeful Indulgence, Part 1 - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe idea of overcoming lower drives and desires of the vital, or that stem from the physical or the subconscient, through indulgence in a purposeful way is an enticing one, particularly to the vital nature, which can use this excuse to convince the mind to fulfill the myriad of powerful desires ...
Views: 547 - The Risks and Difficulties of Eliminating Lower Drives Through Purposeful Indulgence, Part 2 - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2021 from santosh krinskyDealing with deeply embedded drives of the subconscient and the lower vital through raising them up and indulging in them not only contains risks that one may fall into a deeper pattern of habitual response, but also can be a pretext for the vital enjoyment of the action with a veneer to ...
Views: 548 - The Road to Silence of the Mind - by Submitted on Jun 15, 2021 from santosh krinskyIt is essentially a universal experience that when we sit for meditation, we see clearly the constant running of thoughts, perceptions, feelings, emotions, desires etc. that occupies the mind all the time, but to which we pay little attention when going about the activities of daily life. There ...
Views: 665 - The Role and Benefit of the Physical Body - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2023 from santosh krinskySpiritual aspirants frequently complain about the obstructions provided by the physical body. There is a need to eat, a need to sleep, the constant pressure of physical existence, the wear and tear of the aging process, the potential for illness or injury, and the eventual breakdown and ...
Views: 334 - The Role and Destiny of the Body - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe physical body has provided spiritual seekers with a riddle and a challenge throughout time and across the globe. For those focused on the external life there is no question. They enjoy, they develop the capacities of the body, they do not think twice about it, other than to the extent that ...
Views: 664 - The Role and Destiny of the Vital Force - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe life-force represents the next evolutionary stage beyond physical Matter. It transforms material energy and channels it for development of perception, feeling, and interaction. It prepares the way for the advent of the subsequent evolutionary phase of the manifestation of Mind. When it first ...
Views: 680 - The Role and Function of the Guru, the Teacher - by Submitted on Jan 10, 2023 from santosh krinskyThere are a number of ways that a teacher, or Guru, impacts the student or disciple. To the extent there is a method or science involved, that science can be described, organised and taught to the disciple. We see this frequently in the sciences of Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga, as the teacher takes ...
Views: 492 - The Role and Importance of the Ego - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2023 from santosh krinskyIf we view the development of the ego through the lens of the evolution of consciousness, we can see the importance that this evolutionary step plays. The process of individuation opens up the potentiality of new, complex interactions, creative development and faster evolutionary change. The ...
Views: 396 - The Role and Nature of Avatars and Vibhutis - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe long, slow and steady evolutionary progression in the world occasionally reaches a point where a focused, concentrated action can move it along, prepare the advent of the next stage, and set some new directions in motion. These special efforts generally are associated with a specific person ...
Views: 524 - The Role and Rationale for the Existence of Hostile Forces - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe argument has been going on forever: “why does God permit evil to exist?” and “if the Divine constitutes everything, where do the hostile forces come from?” John Milton, in his Paradise Lost, posited ‘fallen angels’ who were thrown out of heaven as the cause of evil in the human world. ...
Views: 640 - The Role of Aspiration in the Spiritual Development of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 02, 2021 from santosh krinskySri Aurobindo identifies aspiration as one of the important steps in the sadhana of the integral yoga. What exactly is aspiration? We can understand it by looking at the operation of a frequency tuner, such as a radio or television tuner. There are numerous channels available, and the tuner ...
Views: 539 - The Role of Devotion and Love in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2021 from santosh krinskyEvery part of the being must be engaged if the integral yoga is to progress. The physical body, the vital being, the emotional being, and the mind all have their role. What is a chore for the physical being, and a dry intellectual endeavour for the mind, becomes a source of joy and dedication ...
Views: 609 - The Role of Free Will in the Surrender of the Ego - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2021 from santosh krinskyOur mental logic frequently stumbles over the apparent contradictions that lead us to adopt an extreme position over a more nuanced view of things. The debate about the role of free will in the processes of the yoga which involve the surrender of the ego to the action of the divine Force is one ...
Views: 543 - The Role of Medicine in Treating Illness for the Practitioner of Yoga - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2022 from santosh krinskyThe spiritual seeker often is confronted with a situation that seems to pit faith against medical science. The debate between religion and science goes back millennia and this is one small part of that larger debate. Those who are dedicated practitioners are asked to face all difficulties with ...
Views: 560 - The Role of Sex in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2022 from santosh krinskyWhen Sri Aurobindo states “all life is yoga”, he is speaking generally about the long, slow ‘yoga of nature’ which is taking place in the universe, leading to ever-greater stages of consciousness manifesting and transforming, successively, the previously manifested planes of awareness. This ...
Views: 508 - The Role of Spiritual Experiences in the Change of Human Nature - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2023 from santosh krinskyThe vital ego is attracted to the excitement of having experiences that are unusual or powerful. It therefore wants to find ways to repeat or expand upon them once they have had such an experience. In reality, however, there is very little of long-term value in this approach. The experiences ...
Views: 407 - The Role of the Ego in the Evolution of Consciousness - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn one of his aphorisms, Sri Aurobindo observes: “…the ego was the helper, the ego is the bar.” For most spiritual seekers, the attachment to the ego-personality is the great hindrance which they must find a way to overcome. Some try extreme methods to minimize the role and power of the ego. But ...
Views: 491 - The Role of the Emotions in the Practice of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2021 from santosh krinskyEmotions tend to be hard to deal with. Spiritual seekers recognise that emotions can disrupt the focus and lead the seeker into undesirable vital entanglements. Many spiritual paths counsel cutting off the emotional outlets and renouncing the life in the world. They ask the seeker to abandon ...
Views: 597 - The Role of the Inner Standpoint in Overcoming Depression and Ambition in the Practice of Yoga - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2021 from santosh krinskyMany people, not just those who practice yoga, experience times when they feel like their lives are meaningless, they are helpless to change, and the round of daily life, with its little wants and needs, and fulfillment of desires, is empty and distasteful. They experience in some cases a sense ...
Views: 514 - The Role of the Mental Will in the Spiritual Development of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 02, 2021 from santosh krinskyThe will power is a real and important part of the effort by the individual. Will power can be developed through exercise, just as we develop the physical muscles through exercise and weight training. In our development of the mental will, we frequently become frustrated when something we try to ...
Views: 540 - The Role of the Mind in the Search for Ultimate Truth - by Submitted on Jan 04, 2025 from santosh krinskyAs mental beings we tend to believe that the mind is able to determine the truth of things. We soon learn, however, that there are many issues that prevent the mind from actually ascertaining truth in any ultimate form. We rely on the perceptions of our senses, but those senses can be misled. ...
Views: 175 - The Role of the Physical Body in the Spiritual Sadhana - by Submitted on Jan 01, 2026 from santosh krinskyA human birth is considered to be an important and valuable step in the growth of the soul and in the evolutionary development of consciousness in furtherance of the divine manifestation. It is not to be wasted. The traditions of India indicate that even the gods, who are static beings, would ...
Views: 17 - The Role of the Psychic Being in the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2022 from santosh krinskyIn order to both observe and manage the actions and reactions of the mind, life and body, it is necessary to achieve a standpoint outside of their action. Sri Aurobindo identifies the psychic being as the separate entity, what may be called the ‘soul’, as the consciousness capable of this ...
Views: 502 - The Role of the Soul - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2025 from santosh krinskyWhen we read in the Puranas of India, we find that there are a host of beings who are essentially non-evolutionary, static beings. They may be gods, demons or animals, or occupy any number of other positions in the scale of the manifested existence. An interesting note, however, is that if they ...
Views: 141 - The Role of the Vital-Physical Aspect of Our Being - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2023 from santosh krinskyWhen we observe the nerves and their role in our actions, we see that they carry vital sensations within a physical frame to connect our senses and responses to external pressures to the brain, and then, carry impulses back to the organs of action. Most people do not recognise the essential role ...
Views: 354 - The Role of the Witness Consciousness in Overcoming the Force of Desire - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2023 from santosh krinskyWe are generally so embedded in the external surface consciousness and the ego-personality that we naturally believe that represents ‘who we are’. This focus on the external being, however, is subject to being driven by impulsions, desires, impressions and various forces that are at work to push ...
Views: 312 - The Role of Work in the Sadhana of the Integral Yoga - by Submitted on May 27, 2021 from santosh krinskyThere is a famous story in the Upanishads which illustrates both the role and the power of work in spiritual practice and realisation. A youth approached a teacher to learn the spiritual truths of existence. The teacher handed over to him 2 head of cattle and said that he would take him up as a ...
Views: 631 - The Role, Nature and Action of the Physical Mind - by Submitted on Oct 19, 2021 from santosh krinskyIf we reflect on the amount of time and focus we give to organizing and living our external physical lives, dealing with food, shelter, clothing, comforts of various sorts, entertainment, travel, family and friends, it becomes clear that a considerable part, indeed the greatest part, of our time ...
Views: 504 - The Science of Living - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2023 from santosh krinskyThe wisdom seekers of past ages essentially set forth one overriding dictum “Know Thyself”. Simple enough! We then, however, begin to understand the difficulties involved. Sri Ramana Maharshi poignantly asks us to inquire ‘who am I”? Who, indeed…. For those who live primarily in the external ...
Views: 383 - The Secret of Success in Spiritual Sadhana Is to Maintain the Aspiration and Focus and Never Give Up - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2025 from santosh krinskyFailure turns out to be the stepping stone to success. We tend to become obsessed with being ‘perfect’ in the spiritual sadhana. We identify things we should be thinking, things we should be doing, ways we should be acting and responding to situations, and create for ourselves a set of rules or ...
Views: 51 - The Secret Significance and Process of Evolution - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2021 from santosh krinskyWestern science has attempted to understand existence by analysis, first and foremost of the outer forms and forces we experience in the world around us. The mind’s analytical and organisational capabilities have been brought intensively to bear upon the forms of existence, the material basis, ...
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