Universal Forces and the Subconscient

There are many functions of our existence that take place without the conscious awareness or intervention of the mind. All of the complex functions of the body and its organs, for instance, are very much independent of control by our conscious mind and will, although some of these functions may, through intensive training and focus, come under at least partial control, such as the generation of inner heat in the Tibetan practice of tummo.

There are similar subconscious process that occur on the levels of perception, feeling, emotion and mental ideation. The entire realm of what we call ‘instinct’ is a basically automatic reaction in one of the vital responsive systems that takes over instantaneously when the necessary triggers or precursors arrive and prod the vital nature. This all takes place at the subconscious level.

Much of what enters through the vital envelope remains subliminal to us and if it finds a corresponding receptivity in the subconscious of the individual, it sets up a sympathetic vibration. This is illustrated by the musical instrument called the sitar, which has primary strings and ‘sympathetic’ strings. When the primary string is played, the sympathetic strings vibrate automatically. When any vibration enters the subconscient, it awakens any responsive ‘strings’ that may be lying there, seeds sprout and movement of energy ensues, as if from within us, but really as a response and reaction to the vibrations that have reached us from outside.

Sri Aurobindo observes: “The universal forces act very often through the subconscient — especially when the force they send is something the person has been in the habit of obeying and of which the seeds, impressions, ‘complexes’ are strongly rooted in the subconscient — or, even if that is no longer the case, of which there is a memory still in the subconscient.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp. 83

Universal Forces, the Aura and the Individual Consciousness

Many people hold that the truth of existence is an “either/or” proposition. If the universal forces create all of existence, then the individual is essentially an illusory conception; and on the other hand, if the individual is a real and separate entity, then the universal is somehow denied or disproven. It is however not necessary to go to either of these two extremes in our understanding of our existence in relation to the universal manifestation. Sri Aurobindo resolves this conflict in chapter 4 of The Life Divine, a chapter titled ‘Reality Omnipresent”. The universal is real and each individual form, formation or being is also real, being constituted of and being a nexus of the action for the universal forces. The individual is not wholly separate and independent but is part and parcel of that universal creation, dependent on it and the forces that manifest, for his own existence.

There is a constant interchange taking place between this ‘nexus’ in the form of an individual being or formation, and the universal forces that are acting to create the existence we experience. These larger forces act upon us and condition and drive our responses and actions. Because they are not obviously palpable to our external senses in a direct way, we tend to know them primarily through their effects. There is however an intervening “buffer” that acts to receive the external impacts, and this is the aura or vital envelope. As a person becomes more able to experience the impacts on the aura, he is able to begin to have direct knowledge of the interchange that is taking place and thereby work to accept, modify or reject the action of some of these forces.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “Each man has his own personal consciousness entrenched in his body and gets into touch with his surroundings only through his body and senses and the mind using the senses.”

“Yet all the time the universal forces are pouring into him without his knowing it. He is aware only of thoughts, feelings, etc., that rise to the surface and these he takes for his own. Really they come from outside in mind waves, vital waves, waves of feeling and sensation, etc., which take particular form in him and rise to the surface after they have got inside.”

“But they do not get into his body at once. He carries about with him an environmental consciousness (called by the Theosophists the Aura) into which they first enter. If you can become conscious of this environmental self of yours, then you can catch the thought, passion, suggestion or force of illness and prevent it from entering into you. If things in you are thrown out, they often do not go altogether but take refuge in this environmental atmosphere and from there they try to get in again. Or they go to a distance outside but linger on the outskirts or even perhaps far off, waiting till they get an opportunity to attempt entrance.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp. 82-83

The Material Universe, the Causative Plane and the Forces of Manifestation

When we look at existence from the individual standpoint, we see a number of solid forms interacting with one another. We do not see how they came into existence (other than the physical, material, practical methodology we can observe, which fails to give us the causative factors or significance.) We do not see the forces that play through each of these forms, and we experience most of our life as originating within each form ‘somehow’. This view is unfortunately so limited and framed as to prevent us from gaining a complete or true understanding of existence.

In the Taittiriya Upanishad, a young seeker was instructed to practice concentration of thought. He began with the idea of the material, physical nature being the basis of things, but as he carried out his concentration, he eventually recognised that Matter is dependent on Prana, or the Life-Force, for its existence, and in turn, the Life-Force is dependent on Mind, and then in turn, comes the “causal plane” of existence, which itself eventuates from the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss in an ultimate realisation.

Western science has been following a similar curve of enlightenment. Scientists now recognise that Matter is a condensed form of energy. All forms are developed through some intelligence that utilizes certain principles and rules to create and operate the interaction of all physical forms and forces. Now scientists, as they push into the quantum world, are beginning to recognise that there is consciousness that stands behind and acts as the original power that develops all the forces and forms of mind, life and the physical reality of the universe. The forms are created through various expressions of what we call ‘radiation”, the streaming of energy, which is identified as a wave-form until it is actually ‘observed’ at which time it is perceived as a ‘point’. Thus, everything in the universe is apparently capable of being seen both as a wave and as a particle.

While it is easiest for us to observe these things at the physical level, it is also true that a similar process works on the vital, mental and spiritual levels of existence. The more subtle levels tend to be closer to the causative plane, while the denser levels are the result of that causative action.

Turning then to the individual forms and beings in the world, we begin to appreciate that they are the result, not the cause, and that they are reception and transmission points, a nexus, for the movement and expression of these waves of consciousness and the creative energy that arises from that consciousness to create the universe and its virtually endless forms and interactions.

Sri Aurobindo notes: “… they [cosmic forces] move in masses, waves, currents constantly constituting and reconstituting beings and objects, movements and happenings, entering into them, passing through them, forming themselves in them, throwing themselves out from them on other beings and objects. Each natural individual is a receptacle of these cosmic forces and a dynamo for their propagation; there passes from each to each a constant stream of mental and vital energies, and these run too in cosmic waves and currents no less than the forces of physical Nature. All this action is veiled from our surface mind’s direct sense and knowledge, but it is known and felt by the inner being, though only through a direct contact; when the being enters into the cosmic consciousness, it is still more widely, inclusively, intimately aware of this play of cosmic forces.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pg. 82

What Causes the Wind?

A young child was asked what causes the wind. The child replied: “When the trees move their branches and leaves, that is what makes the wind!” This extremely logical observation mirrors the way we tend to look at the world. We think that we make the decisions, that we are ‘in charge’ of what we do, and we fail to see that there are larger universal forces that move all action in us and others and in the world at large. When we pose for ourselves the analogous question, where do our feelings come from, or where do our thoughts come from, we tend to give the same response as the child about the wind!

If we reflect a little, however, we soon begin to recognise that there are indeed larger forces at work. We can see different societies that have developed different frames of reference, and the individuals in those societies tend to respond according to the pattern of their own society or culture.

The Bhagavad Gita states: “The Lord, O Arjuna, is seated in the heart of all beings turning all beings mounted upon a machine by his Maya.. [Ch 18, S. 61] We respond according to the action and interplay of the three Gunas. We speak of the ‘time spirit’ to describe a general approach to understanding life, action and our role in the world. This is an implicit recognition that there are universal forces that shape and guide our lives, our actions and our reactions, and as these forces move, so we move under their impulsion.

The question then arises as to how we can begin to know and understand these universal, cosmic forces that act upon us and determine situations and our responses to them. As long as we remain fixated on the outer world and the physical senses, we remain essentially oblivious to their action. When we shift our standpoint inwards or upwards, bring calm and clarity to our awareness, we can begin to experience the impact of these forces in our lives.

Sri Aurobindo observes: “Universal forces means all forces good or bad, favourable or hostile, of light and darkness that move in the cosmos.”

“They [the cosmic forces] act on everyone, according to the person’s nature — and his will and consciousness.”

“These [impersonal forces of the world] we know only by their results, by the little that we can seize of their visible action and consequence. Among them it is mostly the physical world-forces of which we have some knowledge, but we live constantly in the midst of a whirl of unseen mind-forces and life-forces of which we know nothing, we are not even aware of their existence. To all this unseen movement and action the subliminal inner consciousness can open our awareness, for it has a knowledge of it by direct contact, by inner vision, by a psychic sensitiveness; but at present it can only enlighten our obtuse superficiality and outwardness by unexplained warnings, premonitions, attractions and repulsions, ideas, suggestions, obscure intuitions, the little it can get through imperfectly to the surface. The inner being not only contacts directly and concretely the immediate motive and movement of these universal forces and feels the results of their present action, but it can to a certain extent forecast or see ahead their further action; there is a greater power in our subliminal parts to overcome the time barrier, to have the sense or feel the vibration of coming events, of distant happenings, even to look into the future. It is true that this knowledge proper to the subliminal being is not complete; for it is a mixture of knowledge and ignorance and it is capable of erroneous as well as of true perception.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pp. 81-82

Becoming Aware of Cosmic and Universal Forces That Impact Our Existence

Enormous forces are at work in the universe. Vast numbers of stars and their planetary groupings move at high speed. Radiation of various sorts streams throughout the universe. There is a cosmic background radiation that scientists can now measure as they develop ever-finer instrumentation to try to understand the universal creation. Here on earth, we exist due to the radiation provided by the sun which provides the energy needed to sustain life on the planet. We are subject to gravitational forces including the influence of the Moon.

We recognise some of these forces ourselves to some degree when we deal with sunburn, UV rays impacting our vision, etc. We harness electricity to run much of our lives. These unseen forces are now able to be measured, quantified and harnessed to a great degree.

These are the universal cosmic forces at the material level of the creation. There are also similarly universal forces that operate on the vital, the mental and indeed other planes of existence that we cannot ‘see” but which we can experience in their impact on our lives.

Those who take up spiritual practices tend to develop awareness of many of these more subtle forces. Just as we have found ways to identify and measure material forces of the universe, we are finding ways to identify and measure these other, more subtle, levels of vibration and their impacts.

Sri Aurobindo writes in his epic poem Savitri: a Legend and a Symbol, Book I, Canto 3: ““Awakened to the lines that Nature hides, Attuned to her movements that exceed our ken, He grew one with a covert universe. His grasp surprised her mightiest energies’ springs, He spoke with the unknown Guardians of the worlds, Forms he descried our mortal eyes see not, His wide eyes bodied viewless entities, He saw the cosmic forces at their work And felt the occult impulse behind man’s will.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 4 Cosmic and Universal Forces, pg. 80

An Accident Avoided

The Mother advises us that we are generally not aware of the action of all the subtle forces and how they interact to cause circumstances that occur in the external world. She further notes that with awareness, many accidents could be avoided. This reminds us of an incident reported some time back:

It occurred in 1981. Two devotees were in the process of traveling across the USA visiting various national parks. It was mid- to late-summer when they reached Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is noted not only for its geysers and other geological features, but also for the abundance of wildlife.

The devotees were driving on one of the main roads in the park in a Dodge van. The driver had an intimation that “something” was going to happen, and he was driving exceedingly slowly on the road in the near twilight conditions. A park ranger came up behind the van and was clearly frustrated with how slowly the van was moving. After a few minutes, the park ranger passed the van and sped by. The driver remained extremely cautious, not sure why, but feeling that there was something up ahead that would require immediate reaction. Suddenly a massive bison ran into the roadway immediately in front of the van. The driver hit the brakes hard, and all kinds of things in the van went flying through the cabin. When the van stopped, there was an enormous bison right in front of the vehicle within inches. Had the driver been moving at any faster speed, a tragic accident would clearly have occurred. The uncanny sense of an impending event saved everyone from the harm that would clearly have occurred in a collision with a fully mature adult bull bison standing almost 6 feet tall and weighing likely close to 2000 pounds.

The devotees were shaken by the near-miss, but were grateful for what was so clearly a warning and an intimation that protected them from this accident that was “waiting to happen”.

The exact mechanism that brought this subtle awareness could not be described by the participants. They attributed it to Divine Grace. The Grace clearly acted, and there was a subtle vital awareness that it awakened in the driver. We can speculate that perhaps while driving in a park known for its wildlife, particularly bison herds, and the time of year, and the time of day, the driver was somehow subtly alerted to the possibilities, but it goes beyond that simple explanation by the fact that the speed of the vehicle was far below the normal driving speeds, and yet, was exactly the speed that could be driven to avoid the collision.

The Mother speaks of other senses and possibly some subtle sense had opened up to be receptive to what was moving in the world in that natural setting at that time. There was clearly some type of premonition alerting them. The participants did not know why or how. We will likely never know the exact cause or action that created the situation, the awareness of the situation and the response to the situation. We can only know that we are confronted with a clear example of ‘an accident avoided.’

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 3 Hidden Forces Around, pg. 78

Causes of Accidents

Western scientists tell us that the universe is always tending toward a state of lower energy and less organisation, a concept that they call ‘entropy’. While this concept was developed and applied in the field of physics, particularly in the law of thermodynamics, it has been extended and claimed to apply throughout many levels of existence, and some even claim that it is so pervasive that eventually all of existence will reach a status of equilibrium in total dispersal, emptiness, and lack of cohesion. The concept of the expanding universe and the increasing dispersion of the energy at work in the universe, is claimed to be the result of increasing entropy in furtherance of this theory.

On the other side of the debate, however, is the idea that we can see an evolution of consciousness that shows an increasing level of integration, complexity and organisation, and thus, acts as a counter-weight to entropy.

This is similar to the counter-balancing forces of centrifugal and centripetal force. One of these pulls systems apart, the other pushes them together. There is a dynamic tension between the two forces that leads to potential disruptions when the two interact.

We can see the same thing when it comes to the forces of existence, the force of increasing consciousness confronted by the force of decreasing consciousness, the forces of progress versus the forces of retrogression, the force of development versus the force of dissolution.

When the opposing forces meet and interact, we can expect to see unanticipated results and situations arise. This is the point at which what we term ‘accidents’ tend to arise. We can see this interaction occur on all levels, physical, vital, emotional, and mental, as well as the points where these different domains interact with one another. There are forces that actively work to create disharmony and dissolution, just as there are forces that actively work toward harmony and unity.

If an individual begins to become conscious and aware of the play of these forces, the movements that both support and oppose the progress one is attempting to make, the growth one is experiencing, it becomes possible to modify, ameliorate or even avoid many of these accidents. Observation and a calm discernment are the key to minimizing the influence of accidents in the life. While there may be forces or circumstances beyond one’s control, at least a certain number of them fall within the realm of individual action. In some cases, associating the thought and focus on the guru, the supportive forces or the chosen deity can add their influence into the situation to aid in meeting the opposing force more effectively.

The Mother notes: “Accidents are due to many things; in fact they are the result of a conflict of the forces in Nature, a conflict between the forces of growth and progress and the forces of destruction. When there is an accident, an accident that has lasting results, it is always the result of a more or less partial victory of the adverse forces, that is, of the forces of disintegration, disorganisation.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 3 Hidden Forces Around, pg. 78

Observing the Dance of Vibrations

Our normal human view of things is limited by the restraining effect of our senses, as well as our ability to consciously receive and interpret what we perceive through the senses. We do not generally experience the living, breathing life of plants or trees, for instance. We do not ordinarily see the vibration of the aura as it surrounds our bodies. Occasionally, we can see the vibrations of heat as it rises off a hot surface. We do not either work to extend our perceptions, nor even to extrapolate from what we can and do experience that all existence is made up of vibratory patterns that touch each other, impact each other and blend and mix with each other.

Many things that occur within us, our body reactions, health issues, vital and emotional responses, mental ideas and concepts, would be understood more clearly if we could actually see the vibrations that surround and penetrate us and their interaction to bring about the results that we actually experience.

The Mother observes: “If you could see that kind of dance, the dance of vibrations which is there around you all the time, you would see, would understand well what I mean.”

“For example, in a game, when you play, it is like this (gesture), and then it is like the vibrations of a point, it goes on increasing, increasing and increasing until suddenly, crash!… an accident. And it is a collective atmosphere like that; we come and see it, you are in the midst of a game — basketball or football or any other — we feel it, see it, it produces a kind of smoke around you (those vapours of heat which come at times, something like that), and then it takes on a vibration like that, like that, more and more, more and more, more and more until suddenly the equilibrium is broken: someone breaks his leg, falls down, is hit on the mouth by a ball, etc. And one can foretell beforehand that this is going to happen when it is like that. But nobody is aware of it.”

“Yet, even in less serious cases, each one of you individually has around him something which instead of being this very individual and very calm envelope which protects you from all that you don’t want to receive… I mean, your receptivity becomes deliberate and conscious, otherwise you do not receive; and it is only when you have this conscious extremely calm atmosphere, and as I say, when it comes from within (it is not something that comes from outside), it is only when it’s like this that you can go with impunity into life, that is, among others and in all the circumstances of every minute…”

“Otherwise if there is something bad to be caught, for example, anger, fear, an illness, some uneasiness, you are sure to catch it. As soon as it starts doing this (gesture), it is as though you called all similar vibrations to come and get hold of you.”

“What is to be wondered at is the unconsciousness with which men go through life; they don’t know how to live, there’s not one in a million who know how to live, and they live like that somehow or other, limping along….”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 3 Hidden Forces Around, pp. 77-78

Perceiving the Vibrations That Create Conditions of Illness and Counteracting Them

It turns out that dogs can be trained to identify an imminent diabetic reaction in an individual, or to determine the presence of cancer. If we reflect on the implications of this for a moment, it becomes clear that there are indications that can be picked up by the dog’s senses, even if most (or even all) human beings are unaware of these things. It could be a frequency or vibration, it could be a scent that emanates, or some other subtle sensory stimuli perceptible to the dog. If a human being were able to extend his power of perception, or at least become sensitive enough to pick up and understand what is being perceived on a subtle level, then such things would become possible to the human being as well. Some individuals report that they can tell someone who is stricken with the flu by a greenish cast that they give off!

Recently we reviewed an experiment conducted on mice who were subjected to the vibrations of cancerous mice and who subsequently developed tumours,and then, were subjected to the vibrations of healthy mice and the tumours regressed.

There is a constant play of vibrations that impact the mind, the vital envelope, or aura, and the physical frame of the body. We simply fail to see the subtle signals or energies either because they vibrate outside our range of perception, or because we are not trained, and receptive or quiet enough to take cognizance of them.

As individuals become receptive and aware of these vibratory patterns acting upon them, they can also take steps to reject or eliminate their ability to negatively impact the body and its equilibrium. In some cases, individuals who are sensitive and who have developed the power to focus their own energies to counteract the vibrations, can heal themselves and others. The healing powers of Jesus, for instance, represented such an energetic power. This power is not, however, unique, but something that healers, shaman, and doctors have cultivated world-wide. Many individuals turn to prayer, faith or reliance on their chosen deity or guru to call for aid in their adversity. In his Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda described an illness and recovery facilitated by faith in the Guru. The connection to the guru and the guru’s vibratory pattern was able to eliminate the vibrations caused by the disease condition.

An interesting report came from an individual who was suffering from extreme dysentery during a stay in India some years ago. He inquired about a doctor and was told to definitely visit a particular homeopathic doctor. That doctor asked all kinds of questions about whether he preferred hot or cold showers, and other seemingly irrelevant things. He then gave the individual some homeopathic pellets as a prescription with the statement, that the extreme motions of the bowels would cease within about 15 minutes! It would still take time to heal the body from the bleeding that had been caused, but the immediate cause of the physical harm to the body would be ended. Homeopathic medicine works on an energetic level, with no ‘measurable’ active ingredient the way Western medicine views things, so the only possible explanations were that the subtle vibrations of the homeopathic remedies actually supported the body, or else, the healing power exuded by the doctor was able to act on the patient, or the patient was simply convinced to heal, or some combination of the above factors. One way or the other, the disease condition was brought to an immediate halt as a result of that visit.

A disciple asks: “When Sri Aurobindo says that illness comes from outside, what exactly is it that comes?”

The Mother responds: “It is a kind of vibration made up of a mental suggestion, a vital force of disorder and certain physical elements which are the materialisation of the mental suggestion and the vital vibration. And these physical elements can be what we have agreed to call germs, microbes, this and that and many other things.”

“It may be accompanied by a sensation, may be accompanied by a taste, also by a smell, if one has very developed subtle senses. There are these formations of illness which give a special taste in the air, a special smell or a slight special sensation.”

“People have many senses which are asleep. They are terribly tamasic. If all the senses they possess were awake, there are many things they would perceive, which can just pass by without anyone suspecting anything.”

“For example, many people have a certain kind of influenza at the moment. It is very wide-spread. Well, when it comes close, it has a special taste, a special smell, and it brings you a certain contact (naturally not like a blow), something a little more subtle, a certain contact, exactly as when you pass your hand over something, backwards over some material… You have never done that? The material has a grain, you know; when you pass your hand in the right direction or when you pass it like this (gesture), well, it makes you… it is something that passes over your skin, like this, backwards. But naturally, I can tell you, it doesn’t come like a staggering blow. It is very subtle but very clear. So if you see that, you can very easily…”

“Besides, there is always a way of isolating oneself by an atmosphere of protection, if one knows how to have an extremely quiet vibration, so quiet that it makes almost a kind of wall around you. — But all the time, all the time one is vibrating in response to vibrations which come from outside. If you become aware of this, all the time there is something which does this (gesture), like this, like this, like this (gestures), which responds to all the vibrations coming from outside. You are never in an absolutely quiet atmosphere which emanates from you, that is, which comes from inside outward (not something which comes from outside within), something which is like an envelope around you, very quiet, like this — and you can go anywhere at all and these vibrations which come from outside do not begin to do this (gesture) around your atmosphere.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 3 Hidden Forces Around, pp. 75-77

The Process of Illness Invading the Body and the Means to Reject It

The vital envelope sends us signals if we are able to perceive them. Sometimes we begin to feel run down, tired, exhausted, or stressed out. We may begin to feel a little feverish or feel the beginning of what we might call a cold or sore throat occurring. This is prior to the full expression of an illness, and may just be the feeling or sense the individual receives. This is an early warning signal that something is trying to break through the first line of defense of the body and manifest an illness.

Recently it was reported that an individual started feeling specific intense itching along a band of the trunk of the body which corresponded to the appearance of shingles. No rash had broken out, but the symptomology followed that of the outbreak of shingles and the individual confirmed both that he had had a case of chicken pox as a child (precursor with the same virus that stays in the body) and that he had contacted a physician who reviewed the case and confirmed that it was a case of shingles and he should expect the rash to appear within 3-4 days of that time.

The interesting part of the story is that the physician prescribed a dietary supplement that he indicated had an anti-viral action, and within a few days, not only were the initial symptoms relieved, but the entire outbreak of the full-blown case of shingles was avoided The physician noted that the individual caught the symptoms early enough that apparently the disease condition was thrown out.

We see several things here: first, the observation at a subtle level of symptoms that foreshadow an attack upon the physical body. Second, the exercise of the will of rejection. Third, the use of a dietary supplement to support the mental, vital and physical belief in the rejection. Fourth, the power of belief to influence the course of disease under various circumstances. This last is actually supportive of the known ‘placebo effect’ where an individual is given a substance he “believes’ to be effective even if it is purely inert, and this belief effectuates a cure or remission in over 30% of the cases without use of any actual medicine. Whether one calls the mechanism the ‘placebo effect’ or faith healing, or auto-suggestion, one way or the other, if the mind and the will can bring a force directly to the body and the body accepts this force, it can overcome or throw off the advent of disease.

Additional means of rejection include the use of hypnotic suggestion or in the case of those who have strong devotion, an openness and receptivity to the force of the deity, guru or guide, who then can enhance the individual’s own force with their support.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “Attacks of illness are attacks of the lower nature or of adverse forces taking advantage of some weakness, opening or response in the nature, — like all other things that come and have got to be thrown away, they come from outside. If one can feel them so coming and get the strength and the habit to throw them away before they can enter the body, then one can remain free from illness. Even when the attack seems to rise from within, that means only that it has not been detected before it entered the subconscient; once in the subconscient, the force that brought it rouses it from there sooner or later and it invades the system. When you feel it just after it has entered, it is because though it came direct and not through the subconscient, yet you could not detect it while it was still outside. Very often it arrives like that frontally or more often tangentially from the side direct, forcing its way through the subtle vital envelope which is our main armour of defence, but it can be stopped there in the envelope itself before it penetrates the material body. Then one may feel some effect, e.g., feverishness or a tendency to cold, but there is not the full invasion of the malady. If it can be stopped earlier or if the vital envelope of itself resists and remains strong, vigorous and intact, then there is no illness; the attack produces no physical effect and leaves no traces.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 3 Hidden Forces Around, pp. 74-75