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ARTArticleHow To Deal With Vampirism When Confronted With ItWhen an individual is confronted with a possible, or likely, case of vampirism, several questions arise. The first is how the individual can be safe from the negative effects of such activity impacting them or their family, friends or associates directly; the second is the possibility and likelihood of being able to transform or change them; in other words, ‘defense’ and ‘offense’, if you will.ARTArticleHow to Develop and Utilize the Power of Intuition in OneselfThose who wish to develop and utilize the power of intuition in their own lives have to address their active mental process, so as to open up the receptivity to the higher intuitive force, and allow it to modify the action of the mentality itself. There is a parable out of the teachings of Jesus that says essentially that one does not put new wine into old bottles. This is relevant here, as the intuition cannot be jumbled successfully into the normal mental process that is the standard known by most people.ARTArticleHow to Develop New Powers of ActionOne of the ways we tend to limit ourselves is to decide, in advance, that we cannot succeed at something, that we don’t have the education, the experience, the skill or the necessary training to accomplish that task. We imprison ourselves within our narrow range by this type of mental restriction. Instead of experiencing life, trying to do new things, we give up before we start. A disciple asks: “Sometimes there are latent powers in us of which we are unaware. To do a work, how is one to know whether one is capable of doing it or not?”ARTArticleHow to Experience the Influx of Universal Forces Directly Through the Experience of a Wider ConsciousnessThe Vedic Rishis described a change in conscious awareness as representing satyam, rtam, brihat, the truth, the right, the vast. It is difficult for most people living in the modern world to gain a conception of the vastness of existence. We may know intellectually that the universe is large, we may know that the world, from our individual perspective is large, but the sense of infinity, the sense of unending wideness is missing as we remain circumscribed by the limits of our daily life and the frenetic pace of interaction that occurs within that life.ARTArticleHow to Gain a True Understanding of Another Person’s ViewpointWhen we are met with ideas or understanding propounded by others that we do not agree with we tend to create a mental barrier as a defense and then develop our mental arguments to contradict or overtu the proposed ideas. There is very little, if any, true understanding that comes out of such interactions. People wind up ‘talking past’ one another as if they are engaged in two separate and different conversations. There is also no basis for achieving a greater harmony from such interactions.ARTArticleHow to Gain Control Over the Subconscient Impact on the Exte al BeingIdeally we want some kind of a pill we can take, some kind of an instant solution, some magic formula that will instantly resolve some difficulty we face when a subconsicent formation has been triggered. We react without any advance warning when this occurs. it is also the source of many deep-seated psychological responses, whether in terms of our emotional response, our physical response, or any habitual patterns we have developed over time. This also includes things such as addictive behaviour, ’emotional eating’, and various forms of co-dependent relationships.ARTArticleHow to Know GodThe Taittiriya Upanishad speaks of the unified field of the conscious universe: “The Spirit who is here in a man and the Spirit who is there in the Sun, it is one Spirit and there is no other.” [Taittiriya Upanishad, Brahmanandavalli, Chapter 8, translated by Sri Aurobindo in The Upanishads]ARTArticleHow to Utilize Will-Power EffectivelyMost people have very little idea about how to utilize will-power effectively, because they don’t fully understand what will-power actually is and how it needs to be focused and concentrated. Essentially will-power is the function that concentrates the ‘signal’ while reducing the ‘noise’ in a transmission of energy. It is like the difference between a laser beam and a light bulb. Using this image, we find that most people fail to fully focus the energy they are putting out and thus, it is diffused and the energy is dispersed without a strong functional effect.ARTArticleHow We Reflect on the Forces That Impact the Direction and Development of Our LivesChance, coincidence, free will, astrological influences, fate, destiny, karma, chain of causality, predestination, determinism, correlation, causality, foreknowledge, past life influences, fortune telling, divination, omens, predestination, oracles, Divine Plan — these terms all come up when we reflect upon how our lives develop over time. From the standpoint of our ego-personality, we believe that we are somehow masters of our own fate, we are ‘in charge’, ‘self-made’, acting with ‘free will’. A deeper review yields other considerations.ARTArticleHypnosis and Individual Development of Its Action for Liberation from the Control of the Surface Waking ConsciousnessWe tend to label actions and thereby don’t reflect on the implications of them. Thus, for most people, when we use the term ‘hypnosis’ we associate it with a hypnotist using some unique power to gain some control over another individual’s will and actions. Since its introduction in the West, hypnosis has been controversial, both as to its actual power of action and the implications of that power of action. Many have lumped it into the category of ‘pseudo-science’, a sort of ‘trick’ carried out by a magician or con-man.ARTArticleIllness and the Power of SuggestionThe body consciousness responds to suggestions whether they come through the mind, the vital or directly act upon the physical level, whether consciously noted or not. This has the potential to cause illness in the body if it happens to be a negative suggestion, or to cure illness if it is a positive suggestion.ARTArticleIllness and the Vital SheathThere are historical examples of individuals who were caught in the middle of a major epidemic, such as the plague, who worked daily among the infected populace, yet failed to become ill. Invariably we can see that they maintained a strong vital envelope, or aura, around themselves and never accepted the suggestion of the contagious illness. There are also examples of those who maintained this strength for some time, but got worn down, and through stress and exhaustion, weakened their vital sheath sufficiently to eventually succumb to the disease.ARTArticleImagination and ScienceJules Verne, a writer who was not himself a scientist, nevertheless inspired generations of scientists. He did not invent the idea of the submarine, but in his book Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, he worked out a number of conceptual issues so that submarine use could become widespread, and he opened up the wonder and beauty of the undersea world, so that people would be inspired to try.ARTArticleImagination Can Help or Harm Depending on the Intention Behind Its UseEvery great power that humanity discovers and wields in the world has both its negative and its positive side. It can either be utilized to destroy or to support, benefit and create. For example, humanity has harnessed the use of fire. Fire can burn down the house, or it can cook one’s food. Rocket technology can be used to create weapons, or to explore the solar system. Certain medicines can be used to poison an individual.ARTArticleImagination is a Power of FormationMost people tend to respond to life circumstances and opportunities based on past experience, training, education and any guidelines or rules they have imbibed from their past, all combined with their basic outlook on their lives, their desires, their needs and their circumstances. We can say that they are focused primarily on the past and the present. They do not attempt to develop the power of imagination to any degree, as they do not see how it ‘fits’ their day to day lives.ARTArticleImmersion in the Exte al Nature: the Roots of Atheism and AgnosticismMany people profess to believe in the existence of God based on the teachings of their religion. Because the belief is based solely on a teaching, rather than actual experience that would support this belief, they may, in many cases, not take their faith in God seriously enough to actually abide by the rules, laws and commandments set forth for regulating their behaviour in their lifetime. The Judeo-Christian belief in God and the 10 Commandments is a case in point. Many professed believers still commit adultery, steal or kill!ARTArticleImmersion of the Individual in the Experience of Theatrical PerformancesWith the rise of modern technology in the field of film-making, we find an immersive experience in movie theaters engulfs the viewer deeply in the action. This includes high resolution images, 3D technology, giant wide screens, comfortable seating and surround sound. The viewer of such films is captivated by this technology to such an extent that he begins to identify with characters being portrayed and begins to feel and experience things from the viewpoint of that character. For a time, many totally forget themselves and identify with the characters and activity taking place in the film.ARTArticleImpersonal and Personal Aspects of Consciousness in the Universal ManifestationOur understanding of existence is very much rooted in our own anthropocentric view of things. We generally recognise the awareness we hold within ourselves, and, viewing other beings and forms in our visible environs, we either attribute to them no consciousness, or, at best, lower forms or development of consciousness.ARTArticleIncreasing Lifespan and Wellness Is the Trajectory of Human DevelopmentIf we observe the trajectory of human development, we can see a very clear direction taking shape. As we have become more conscious of the stages of life, and the processes that accompany those stages, including the increasing weakening and deterioration of the body and the life energy, and the eventual breakdown and thus, the movement toward the death of the body, we also have taken steps to learn how to increase health, wellness and longevity.ARTArticleIncreasing Lifespan and Wellness Is the Trajectory of Human DevelopmentIf we observe the trajectory of human development, we can see a very clear direction taking shape. As we have become more conscious of the stages of life, and the processes that accompany those stages, including the increasing weakening and deterioration of the body and the life energy, and the eventual breakdown and thus, the movement toward the death of the body, we also have taken steps to learn how to increase health, wellness and longevity.ARTArticleIndividual Spiritual Change and the CollectivityAs the evolutionary pressure begins to develop individuals who undergo the spiritual transformation we have been discussing, there is still the issue of how these individuals can impact the wider life of humanity. Isolated individuals surrounded by an untransformed mass of humanity and the ordinary human social order have really only a couple of viable choices. The first is to withdraw themselves and develop their own inner life. The second is to do the best they can to help and guide humanity in its slow effort of transformation.ARTArticleIndividual Spiritual Change and the CollectivityAs the evolutionary pressure begins to develop individuals who undergo the spiritual transformation we have been discussing, there is still the issue of how these individuals can impact the wider life of humanity. Isolated individuals surrounded by an untransformed mass of humanity and the ordinary human social order have really only a couple of viable choices. The first is to withdraw themselves and develop their own inner life. The second is to do the best they can to help and guide humanity in its slow effort of transformation.ARTArticleInfinite Grace: Overcoming the Law of Inertia to Effectuate ChangeThe law of inertia holds that it takes energy to move something that is stationary, and the more massive the object is, the more energy required to move it. A similar principle operates in human actions. We have our fixed habits, whether physical habits, instincts, trained responses, preconceived notions, biases, determined routines, etc. that represent our ‘status quo’. This all operates essentially on its own, as the same law of holds that a body in motion tends to stay in motion.ARTArticleInfluence of the Supramental Principle on EarthThe supramental consciousness, as the next evolutionary stage, will eventually resolve the difficulties of the transitional period and establish itself on earth. The question then arises, what is the relationship between the gnostic beings and the existing organisation of beings rooted in body, life and mind. Sri Aurobindo reminds us that we are obviously dealing with speculation at this point.ARTArticleInterpreting Actions in the World Based on Our Preconceived Ideas and NotionsIn the Mahabharata, a story is related that illustrates the inability of anyone to judge an action by the outer form it takes or the result that eventuates. The birth of Bhishma is related in the Adi Parva. Prince Shantanu fell in love with a beautiful woman he met and asked her to marry him. She agreed on the condition that he never question any of her acts. She gave birth successively to a number of sons, and immediately took them to the River Ganga and drowned them, one after another. This went on for a number of times.ARTArticleIntuition and the Need for Self-SurrenderWe get an intimation of what we should do, how we should respond to a situation. Then all the excuses and justifications and ‘needs’ and temporizing begin, and we find that there are good reasons why we should not do exactly, in the precise way, that the inner guidance tells us something should be done. It is not the time, there are so many issues or obstacles, there may be negative consequences from feedback or pushback when we try to act. Whatever it may be, the guidance gets ‘watered down’.ARTArticleInvolution and Evolution of Consciousness in the Material World of FormsWe observe the material world around us and as we study that world, we see the development of forms of ever-greater complexity and power of action and intelligence. Charles Darwin described the process of the evolution of forms in his book The Origin of Species. The cause and purpose, however, were never satisfactorily answered. This led to the debate between religion and science, with religion essentially holding that beings were created by God in their present forms and that the idea of evolution of forms was mistaken.ARTArticleInvolution, Evolution and the Pressure from Domains of Life and MindWe tend to take the development of life, and mind, for granted. We do not actually reflect on what it takes for them to emerge from Matter. Many believe that somehow various chemical elements in the material world are impacted by the radiation from the sun and through the heat of the core of the planet to modify material substance, recombine chemicals and ‘voila’ life and then mind will emerge!ARTArticleIs Spiritual Force Real?Sri Aurobindo once told about an incident that helped spark his interest in yoga-force. His brother was very ill. A wandering yogi came by and when he learned on that illness, asked for a glass of water which he then proceeded to infuse with mantas. The illness was quickly overcome once Sri Aurobindo’s brother drank the mantra-infused water. Sri Aurobindo remarked that anything that has that kind of power needs to be investigated!ARTArticleJust Because We Cannot Observe It Directly, Does Not Mean Spiritual Force Does Not ExistA devotee reported several incidents that appeared to be the result of spiritual force. The first occurred in early 1973 in Los Angeles. He attended a talk by Udar Pinto of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and afterwards joined his party for dinner, at which there was extensive discussion. Udar told the devotee ‘you should come to the Ashram”. The devotee replied that he had no money and had no idea how he would be able to pay for the plane flight or a stay in Pondicherry, India.

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