Sri Aurobindo continues his discussion on how to overcome the constitutional and psychological ignorance by discussing the levels of consciousness that lie above the Mind, and describing the different options including maintaining our standpoint in the mental sphere but incorporating influences from these higher levels; as well as the option of moving our standpoint to these higher realms and thereby allowing the full and free play of their power and knowledge to effect a complete transformation of the Mind, Life and Body, as well as life in the world.
“In the superconscience beyond our present level of awareness are included the higher planes of mental being as well as the native heights of supramental and pure spiritual being. The first indispensable step in an upward evolution would be to elevate our force of consciousness into those higher parts of Mind from which we already receive, but without knowing the source, much of our larger mental movements, those, especially, that come with a greater power and light, the revelatory, the inspirational, the intuitive. On these mental heights, in these largenesses, if the consciousness could succeed in reaching them or maintain and centre itself there, something of the direct presence and power of the Spirit, something even,–however secondary or indirect,–of the Supermind could receive a first expression, could make itself initially manifest, could intervene in the government of our lower being and help to remould it.”
“It is possible without an actual ascent into these at present superconscient mental planes or without a constant or permanent living in them, by openness to them, by reception of their knowledge and influences, to get rid to a certain extent of our constitutional and psychological ignorance; it is possible to be aware of ourselves as spiritual beings and to spiritualise, though imperfectly, our normal human life and consciousness. There could be a conscious communication and guidance from this greater more luminous mentality and a reception of its enlightening and transforming forces. That is within the reach of the highly developed or the spiritually awakened human being; but it would not be more than a preliminary stage.”
More on this subject in the next post.
Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine, Book 2, Part 2, Chapter 19, “Out of the Sevenfold Ignorance towards the Sevenfold Knowledge.”
