Addressing Vital Interchange in the Context of Spiritual Practice

The normal human viewpoint in today’s world is one of separate individuality. We believe, based on that viewpoint, that we are free and independent and make our own choices exercising our free will. In actuality, however, this is not quite true. All relationships in society involve subtle vital interchanges, whether between individuals with one another, or in a larger scope of a situation, event or social setting. Our actions and reactions are generally colored by this influence and, while we may believe that we are acting from our own ‘free will’, in many cases we are conditioned, through these vital influences, to respond in a particular manner. In today’s world, with the power of social media, ‘influencers’, marketing and subtle advertising, in fact, highly advanced algorithms can predict the responses of the vast number of people to specific types of stimuli, emotional coloring or ideas.

The occult vital interchange takes place constantly even when we do not consciously recognise it. Certain sensitive individuals are able to see and appreciate the influences that come in from outside. Most people have had experiences which they, however, have not consciously associated with the action of such vital interchange. For instance, people may feel the presence of someone watching or following them, or there may be a feeling of fear, or excitement when a crowd gets worked up. People tend to lose inhibitions when they are in an atmosphere that encourages such things, such as nightclubs, rock concerts, political rallies, or other ‘charged’ environments. There are also individual relations that take on the color of a strong vital interchange, such as when one feels a sense of depression around a friend who is sad or grief stricken or depressed; or when one suddenly feels hungry after passing through a greed-laced situation!

Spiritual practitioners have a unique opportunity to develop the power of seeing and appreciating these occult factors in the vital relationships in which they participate. This is important for the practitioner to keep the focus and energy directed towards the divine realisation and not have the vital energy drawn down or distracted through these impacts of interchange.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “When one is with another for some time talking etc., there is always some vital interchange, unless one rejects what comes from the others instinctively or deliberately. If one is impressionable, there may be a strong impression or influence from the other. Then when one goes to another person it is possible to pass it on to the other. That is a thing which is constantly happening. But this thing happens without the knowledge of the transmitter. When one is conscious, one can prevent it happening.”

“… the ordinary movements of interchange are harmless provided they are kept within moderate limits. What creates a difficulty in the sadhana is that one may easily draw in undesirable influences or pass them on to others. It is the reason why at certain stages a limitation of talk, intercourse etc. is often advisable. But the true remedy is to become inwardly conscious, to know and be able to repel any undesirable incursion or influence, to be able when speaking, mixing etc. to keep a defence round one and allow to pass in only what one can accept and nothing else. Also to measure what one can give out safely and what one cannot. When one has the consciousness and the practice, this working becomes almost automatic.”

Sri Aurobindo, Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice, Chapter 11, Human Relationships in Yoga, Mixing with Others, pp 332-335