The Need for a Settled Peace and Silence in the Mind As the First Stage of Yogic Practice

The vital nature seeks ‘experiences’. These experiences are something special that sets the individual apart. In most cases, these experiences come as signposts along the way to motivate the seeker and guide. But the vital ego latches on to them and desires them to repeat as well as have new ever more meaningful experiences. This sets up a pattern of vital desire and, when they do not come, potential frustration and doubt.

Sri Aurobindo does not dismiss the value of spiritual experiences. He does, however, make it clear that this is not the first and most essential thing. Spiritual experiences are also not the objective, and many people, once they have set their feet on the path, do not have the kind of ‘headline’ spiritual experiences that are the object of the vital desire. The yogic practice is intended to shift the consciousness not to simply collect experiences.

The force that brings the experiences, and the spiritual development is a powerful force and an unprepared ‘vessel’ (mind-life-body complex) will tend to ‘spill’ rather than hold the force. This accentuates the need to strengthen the body, the nervous paths, the vital being and the mind to be able to hold the force and let it do its work. Calm and peace in each aspect of the being are signs that the being is preparing to hold and utilize the new spiritual force as it descends into the being.

We tend to be reactive in our mind, our emotions and our nervous responses. The mind jumps after every sensation, reacts to every provocation and nervous impulse, and has difficulty achieving a stable, quiet attitude that allows it to receive clearly the spiritual impulse.

Some people go to the opposite extreme and develop a level of tamasic passivity that simply allows whatever comes to take over and move the being. These individuals believe that allowing anything that comes means they are achieving quietude rather than reacting. That is, however, a conce
when the forces that are coming are those of the lower vital nature, and those that want to manipulate the individual to their own end. It is therefore essential to recognise the balance needed in achieving both peace and clear insight and discrimination as to what forces are at work.

Sri Aurobindo observes: “The first thing to do in the sadhana is to get a settled peace and silence in the mind. Otherwise you may have experiences, but nothing will be permanent. It is in the silent mind that the true consciousness can be built.”

“A quiet mind does not mean that there will be no thoughts or mental movements at all, but that these will be on the surface and you will feel your true being within separate from them, observing but not carried away, able to watch and judge them and reject all that has to be rejected and to accept and keep to all that is true consciousness and true experience.”

“Passivity of the mind is good, but take care to be passive only to the Truth and to the touch of the Divine Shakti. If you are passive to the suggestions and influences of the lower nature, you will not be able to progress or else you will expose yourself to adverse forces which may take you far away from the true path of Yoga.”

“Aspire to the Mother for this settled quietness and calm of the mind and this constant sense of the inner being in you standing back from the exte
al nature and turned to the Light and Truth.”

“The forces that stand in the way of sadhana are the forces of the lower mental, vital and physical nature. Behind them are adverse powers of the mental, vital and subtle physical worlds. These can be dealt with only after the mind and heart have become one-pointed and concentrated in the single aspiration to the Divine.”

Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pp. 1-2