We are constantly being inundated by forces active in the world. These forces may be physical, such as the radiation from the sun, radioactivity from the earth, the power of wind, waves, gravitational influences, etc. They may also be vital forces that provoke sympathetic vibrations within us based on long habit or instinctive reaction or some trained response we have developed with respect to events, circumstances, relationships or traumas in our past experience. They may also be mental forces which may feed us ideas, opinions, speculations, imaginations that are circulating in the world. These forces may be introduced to us through the medium of specific individuals, events, or interactions; but they may also reach us unseen and unheard, and try to find their entrance through some form of inattention or through active acceptance on our part.
The practitioner of yoga may shift his standpoint from the external personality to the inner psychic being and from there, he begins to observe the forces that want to move him to thought, word, or deed. He may accept, modify, reject, or retransmit these forces, as the case may be. He may also reject a particular force in his mind, but still have vital or physical acceptance of it, thus, giving the force an entry-point to his being.
It is a frequent observation that when one of these forces, particularly strong vital forces, is rejected by the conscious observer, it tends to try to assert its ‘rights’ of activity through an enhanced force. Sri Aurobindo also mentions the potential action of ‘hostiles’. We tend not to realize that we are not the only conscious beings in the universe, or that beings that live in different vibrational fields may be as conscious, or more conscious than we are, and that they may have the ability to interact with us at certain vibrational levels.
We may reflect that humanity tends to feed off of beings that vibrate in many cases at a lower vibrational level. We can appreciate that there may be beings who may feed off of the vital energies we vibrate, and in some cases, they may act to provoke such vital expression for them to feed off of. They may then try to activate energies of greed, lust, anger, hatred, violent passions as providing them vital “food” they seek. In some cases they may feel like they possess or own us and if we try to block them they try to take retributive action to “bring us into line”. Most people do not actually actively experience these things and thus remain ignorant of these vital beings, their powers and their ability to manipulate human vital responses. The physical body and the vital envelope, as well as mental development may actually provide some measure of protection for the individual. The more an individual becomes conscious, however, of the action of vital forces and the flow of energies from outside, in and around and through each of us, the more likely it is that he will be able to see and recognise the attempts made by these forces to influence and control.
There are a number of ways the seeker can develop ironclad protection from attacks by these forces, primary of which is the shifting of the standpoint to the inner consciousness of the psychic being and the aspiration, devotion and consecration that this shift of standpoint brings to the being. Dedication, surrender and rejection of vital forces that try to invade are a result of this shift.
Sri Aurobindo writes: “As for the waves that recur from general Nature, it is the natural tendency of the inferior forces there to try and perpetuate their action in the individual, to rebuild what he has unbuilt of their deposits in him; so they return on him, often with an increased force, even with a stupendous violence, when they find their influence rejected. But they cannot last long once the environmental consciousness is cleared — unless the ‘Hostiles’ take a hand. Even then these can indeed attack, but if the sadhak has established his position in the inner self, they can only attack and retire.”
Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 5, Physical Consciousness — Subconscient — Sleep and Dream — Illness, pg. 90
Sri Aurobindo Studies 