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ARTArticleThe Psychic Being and TransformationAs long as we remain rooted in the awareness of mind-life-body, we see the world and our existence as a fragmented collection of separate objects, beings and forces and we act as if we are separate and distinct from everything else. The spiritual transformation of consciousness involves a shift of standpoint to that of oneness, where we can see and experience the unity of the entire creation, and can act from the deeper intention of that unified existence.ARTArticleThe Purpose and Significance of Life Becomes Clear as the Individual Contacts the Psychic BeingMost 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 their lives, satisfy their physical needs and cravings, enjoy their desires and relationships and then seek entertainment to avoid boredom, loneliness and ennui.ARTArticleThe Realisation of the Self and the Realisation of the Psychic Being and the Individual Ego-ConsciousnessWe 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 general have traditionally focused on one or the other of two primary realisations. On the one side, there is the attempt to shift the standpoint from the ego-consciousness to the divine standpoint, through realisation of the Self which is a portion of the Divine.ARTArticleThe Reality of Worlds of Existence Other than the Physical WorldWe 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 many experiences, innumerable forces and powers, that are not susceptible to direct sense perception, yet are able to be determined as real.ARTArticleThe Role and Benefit of the Physical BodySpiritual 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 dissolution of the body and the attendant needs of caring for and addressing the circumstances of the body. As they focus on the vital, mental and spiritual aspects of their existence, seekers frequently begrudge the role the body plays and the need to address its requirements.ARTArticleThe Role and Importance of the EgoIf 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.ARTArticleThe Role of the Vital-Physical Aspect of Our BeingWhen 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 exte
al pressures to the brain, and then, carry impulses back to the organs of action. Most people do not recognise the essential role of this interface between the vital and the physical in determining how we react, and then how we respond to the situations of our lives.ARTArticleThe Role of the Witness Consciousness in Overcoming the Force of DesireWe are generally so embedded in the exte
al surface consciousness and the ego-personality that we naturally believe that represents ‘who we are’. This focus on the exte
al being, however, is subject to being driven by impulsions, desires, impressions and various forces that are at work to push or pull us in various directions. We are generally not even aware that these forces are acting upon us, and thus, believe that we are self-determining beings who are in control of our lives, our thoughts, our actions and reactions.ARTArticleThe Science of LivingThe 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 exte
al surface being, we are an amalgam of the thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, instincts, habits and trained responses that make up that surface personality and that all together help us for the ego-consciousness with which we identify.ARTArticleThe Self of the Physical, the Vital, the Mental and the JivatmanThe Taittiriya Upanishad describes a series of planes or sheathes that are ever more subtle, with the outermost sheath being the physical being, and then the vital sheath and the mental sheath, which makes up our ordinary human existence. Each of these sheaths are connected to a plane of universal nature that has its own characteristic action, and each one has its own being that is separate from the ego-personality of the individual and which acts as the central organizing awareness for that being behind the exte
al existence.ARTArticleThe Self, the Spirit, the Soul, the Terrestrial Evolution and the Supreme Divine BeingAs an individual begins to consciously try to understand the yogic path and connect with his soul and discover his true self, and then find and consciously participate in the spiritual purpose of the divine manifestation, he is confronted with a number of different terms and elements that need to be distinguished and properly ordered so as to make the process clear and understandable. Sri Aurobindo has done this in a very brief overview.ARTArticleThe Self: Transcendent, Universal and IndividualIn order to distinguish standpoint and nexus of attention, we refer to the Divine Being as either Transcendent, i.e. exceeding the entire manifested universe and containing both the manifest and unmanifest aspects; Universal, i.e. the consciousness that maintains awareness of the universal creation; or Individual, i.e. the consciousness that represents each individual being’s nexus within the universal creation. These are not ‘separate and distinct’ from one another, as they are all aspects of the same consciousness, just seen from different perspectives.ARTArticleThe Separation of Consciousness From the Physical BodyLarge numbers of individuals have reported the experience of being conscious outside of their physical body. This frequently happens within the context of a near death experience. The individual reports his awareness up above looking down on the body, or outside observing what is taking place. In some cases, the individual, when he returns to the body and regains awareness there, can report about people and activities and describe the location and the circumstances even though he was technically dead and lacking consciousness within the body.ARTArticleThe Separation of the Witness Consciousness from the Exte
al NatureWe tend to identify ourselves with the specific body-life-mind complex we inhabit and which becomes the nexus for the ego-consciousness.âThis identification, however, makes it virtually impossible to gain real insight or mastery over the mind, life and body. The process followed by the devotee in the Taittiriya Upanishad systematically had him discover that he was not the body, the life-energy nor the mind, as he systematically tried to understand who or what he was. The sage of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi, asked the question repeatedly “who am I”? He used this to peel away the layers of tARTArticleThe Shift from Ego-Personality to Divine StandpointWe generally tend to believe that if we focus intensely enough, if we undertake serious spiritual disciplines, we will achieve the goal of spiritual liberation or realisations that we may be seeking. There are no doubt many benefits from practicing spiritual disciplines, undertaking tapasya, and building the aspiration within the being. These steps can help to remove covering obstacles that would otherwise prevent or impede the development of the spiritual forces that need to manifest within us to effectuate the changes for which we aspire.ARTArticleThe Shift or Reversal of Consciousness Happens All At Once, Not GraduallyWe are used to the idea that if we practice something, if we undertake a course of study, we will gradually increase our ability and our level of understanding, so that eventually we move, in the academic field, for example, from primary school to high school, to college, potentially to graduate school, and at each stage, we become more accomplished in our chosen field of endeavour. The shift of consciousness does not appear to work under that mode of development however.ARTArticleThe Soul and the JivatmanAs the seeker proceeds in the path of yoga, it is important that he not misinterpret or misunderstand what he experiences or what the source of the experience may be. Most people confuse the terms Self, Spirit, and soul so that they really cannot appreciate the difference aspects or significances. The traditional paths of yoga frequently set as the goal a liberation from the exte
al nature through realization of the Self or Spirit, above, free, independent, unattached to the world and what it has to offer.ARTArticleThe Soul and the Psychic BeingThe soul is a portion of the Divine specifically detailed to each individual being that is created as part of the universal manifestation. The soul develops the inmost being, the psychic being, through lifetimes of experience. This psychic being grows, matures and transitions through birth and death as the aspect of the soul that accumulates the essence of experience as a basis for continued evolution of consciousness over time.ARTArticleThe Soul Provides the Continuity of Consciousness from Life to LifeWithin a particular lifetime we experience a sense of continuity of being, which we normally attribute to the ego-personality. The sense of ego helps us identify with the body, life and mind we currently inhabit and utilize. This ego-sense is held together by the force of memory and by an identification with the body, despite any changes through which it has gone. We do not remember all of the feelings, thoughts, events, activities and experiences that have occurred throughout or lives. Who actually can remember, for instance, the experience of being a baby, a toddler, a youth, etc.ARTArticleThe Soul, its Evolutionary Development on Earth and the Universal ManifestationIn the ancient text of India, it is said that a human birth is essential for progress, and that even the Gods, if they desire to attain some new development, need to take birth in a human form. It is clear that generally the physical body, the vital nature and the mental development dissolve sequentially upon the death and dissolution of the body. It becomes obvious therefore that the development, the evolutionary progression that takes place, is not based in the body-life-mind complex or the ego-personality that attaches to them in any particular lifetime.ARTArticleThe Soul, the Evolution of Consciousness Through Time and the Soul’s Development from Life to LifeThe questions of what happens to us after we die, whether we are reborn, and if so, in what form or manner have occupied human beings from time immemorial. What is the purpose of life and what are we, as conscious individuals, supposed to do with the life we are living?ARTArticleThe Soul, the Psychic Being and the Evolution of ConsciousnessMost people live their lives centered around the ego-personality and the exte
al life. Their focus and actions are based in the needs, desires and gratifications that are put up by the body, the vital life-energy and the mind. They do not have a conscious relationship with the soul or the most inward being, the psychic being, and thus, they do not fall under the explicit direction or control of the soul or psychic being.ARTArticleThe Source and Nature of the Mental SubstanceHow does Mind evolve out of Matter? Some scientists will tell you that through random chance, chemicals and electrical forces and heat led to the development of beings capable of reflecting, thinking and contemplating deep thoughts, exploring the nature of life and the universe, etc. They do not explain how and in what manner the random elements they say are combining randomly actually arose, and how everything fits together in an interlocking, inter-related reality that includes both mathematical precision and inter-dependence to the highest degree.ARTArticleThe Spectrum of Consciousness: From Superconscient to InconscientAll consciousness operates on a continuum with each plane representing certain vibrational spectra that are perceptible to those able to receive and process the vibrations of that plane. We know from research with various beings such as insects and animals of various sorts that they have different ranges that they can perceive and respond to, which may partially overlap with ours, but which may also encompass ranges higher, and lower than what we can deal with as human beings.ARTArticleThe Spiritual Path and Ascetic PracticesThe vital nature craves excitement. It also craves recognition and acknowledgement, in the form of vanity, aggrandisement of the ego, and seeking for fame. The vital nature is also quite impatient and wants to see results right away. When the vital nature enters into the spiritual realm, it brings the seeker to the idea that by suppressing the impulses, by torturing the body, by crippling the mental functions, it can achieve the result, ‘storming the gates of heaven’, so to speak.ARTArticleThe Standpoint of the Individual Rooted in the Vital NatureEach individual is rooted primarily in one of the major component aspects of our human individuality. Some are clearly rooted in the physical and their thoughts, actions and needs are those called for by the physical being. The vast majority of people are moved by their vital being, and are moved by their sensations, emotions, desires and vital drives. A much smaller number are based in the mental range and their focus is then on conce
s and issues of the mental being. There are also those who are rooted in either the psychic/soul aspect or the spiritual aspect of the bing.ARTArticleThe State of Conscious SleepOne of the reasons that a seeker is advised to have the assistance of an experienced guide, or guru, in the spiritual path, is that it is easy to be confused about the real meaning of what is written in the texts. For instance, when we hear about the concept of ‘conscious sleep’ or we see Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita extolled as gudakesha, usually translated as ‘conqueror of sleep’, we tend to believe this implies staying awake, and strugglilng to not let the observing mind fall into a state of sleep. What generally results is a state of exhaustion as the body and mind do not get the opportunitARTArticleThe Status of the Purusha in the Individual and in the Universal ManifestationWe see pattens repeating from the macro-level to the micro-level. The study of fractals shows us that there are indeed certain patterns and relationships that repeat themselves in every smaller configurations as we drill down toward the micro-level. The macrocosm and the microcosm reflect the same overarching framework of existence.ARTArticleThe Subconscient and the InconscientWe are conscious and aware of forces and energies that operate within a certain specified range. Anything that falls outside that range, whether above or below, remains unseen and unknown to us, even if the forces operative in those superior or inferior ranges impact our thoughts, feelings, perceptions and life-energies.ARTArticleThe Subliminal Consciousness Provides the Gateway to Knowledge and CreativityIt is typical for human beings to associate their knowledge, their artistic achievements, their skills as something they create within themselves. They tether the ego-consciousness to all such developments, believing that somehow they are unique and special in terms of the ability to create wonderful things all by themselves. In the West, successful people have the illusion of the ‘self-made man’.