Perspective on Dealing with Recurrence of Undesirable Reactions Occurring During the Attempt to Change Human Nature Through the Yogic Practice

When an individual takes up the practice of Yoga, he generally expects to see palpable and constant progress towards whatever he has set as his goal in that practice. When the yogic practice is focused on bringing about the next stage of the evolution of consciousness, and integrating the changes that would necessarily take place in human nature, both as preliminary steps to make it possible, and then as essential changes due to that evolutionary leap, progress is often difficult to identify easily. The complexity and the deep habitual reactions of human nature lead to periods of progress followed by periods of apparent regression and uprise of undesirable responses that can create tremendous discouragement and depression to the seeker.

The question that the seeker needs to appreciate is that human nature, as currently constituted, has developed over many millennia. How can he expect to overcome the force of habits that have such a long and approved right within human life? What is required here is the perspective about the time, as well as distance from the ego-personality and the vital nature which crave approval and visible progress. The seeker focuses on the yogic process, leaving the results up to the working of the higher force, without discouragement, without despair, and without expectation. The foundation of peace that comes from this perspective is the most helpful basis for true progress to occur. Eventually, as the focus shifts from the normal physical, vital and mental movements to respond to the higher vibratory levels of the spiritual forces, the unwanted responses fall away on their own, similar to the way that as a person grows out of childhood, he leaves behind playing with the toys of childhood, and takes up different focus, energy and activities that speak to his new stage of growth in his life.

Sri Aurobindo observes: “It is quite normal for difficulties to come back… and it is not a proof that no progress has been made. The recurrence (after one has thought one has conquered) is not unaccountable. I have explained in my writings what happens. When a habitual movement long embedded in the nature is cast out, it takes refuge in some less enlightened part of the nature, and when cast out of the rest of the nature, it takes refuge in the subconscient and from there surges up when you least expect it or comes up in dreams or sudden inconscient movements or it goes out and remains in wait in the environmental being through which the universal Nature works and attacks from there as a force from outside trying to recover its kingdom by a suggestion or repetition of old movements. One has to stand fast till the power of return fades away. These returns or attacks must be regarded not as parts of oneself, but as invasions — and rejected without allowing any depression or discouragement. If the mind does not sanction them, if the vital refuses to welcome them, if the physical remains steady and refuses to obey the physical urge, then the recurrence of the thought, the vital impulse, the physical feeling will begin to lose its last holds and finally they will be too feeble to cause any trouble.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology, Chapter 2, Planes and Parts of the Being, pp. 70-71