The spiritual seeker is so close to the movements and reactions of the mind, life and body, in most circumstances, that he can easily become confused or concerned about the process, timing and steps of the desired changes to responses of the external nature. It is frequently noted that it is easier to see the difficulties and the solutions for others than for oneself. When the seeker is in the midst of the process of trying to effectuate any changes, it is easy, therefore, to become discouraged by what appear to be delays, setbacks and recrudescences of the old nature and its embedded response and reaction cycle.
It is useful to step back and take a wider and longer view of how the process of rejection and change actually takes place. The seeker may struggle trying to use his mind, his will, his emotional engagement to effectuate change. He may find that he only has mixed results and, on occasion, the undesired reactions or movements reappear.
Sri Aurobindo provides the needed overview as he examines the process of the systematic elimination of an unwanted sex-impulse for the spiritual practitioner propounding the problem to him. A similar process is involved in dealing with virtually any vital or lower-vital movements that the seeker is rejecting.
Sri Aurobindo observes: “The sex-trouble is serious only so long as it can get the consent of the mind and the vital will. If it is driven from the mind, that is, if the mind refuses its consent, but the vital part responds to it, it comes as a large wave of vital desire and tries to sweep the mind away by force along with it. If it is driven also from the higher vital, from the heart and the dynamic possessive life-force, it takes refuge in the lower vital and comes in the shape of smaller suggestions and urges there. Driven from the lower vital level, it goes down into the obscure inertly repetitive physical and comes as sensations in the sex-centre and a mechanical response to suggestion. Driven from there too, it goes down into the subconscient and comes up as dreams and night-emissions even without dreams. But to wherever it recedes, it tries still for a time from that base or refuge to trouble and recapture the assent of the higher parts, until the victory is complete and it is driven even out of the surrounding or environmental consciousness which is the extension of ourselves into the general or universal Nature.”
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 78-79
Sri Aurobindo Studies 