Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 4
But when we look more closely, we perceive that this normality is deceptive and that in fact there are several directions in which human mind reaches beyond itself, tends towards self exceeding; these are precisely the necessary lines of contact or veiled or half-veiled passages which connect it with higher grades of consciousness of the self-manifesting Spirit. First, we have noted the place Intuition occupies in the human means of knowledge, and Intuition is in its very nature a projection of the characteristic action of these higher grades into the mind of Ignorance.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that the mental consciousness of man is limited in his normal state. Sri Aurobindo says that this normality is deceptive. Our mind does not always operate within this normal state. There are several directions in which the human mind reaches beyond this normal state; the human mind tends to exceed itself.
The channels by which the human mind exceeds itself are precisely the necessary lines of contact with the higher ranges of consciousness of the self-manifesting Spirit. They are the veiled or half-veiled passages which connect our normal consciousness with the higher grades of it.
In the first place we can see that intuition occupies an important place as a means of human knowledge. What is the nature of Intuition?
In its very nature, intuition is a projection of the characteristic action of the higher grades of consciousness into the mind which is in a state of Ignorance. Sometimes we get flashes of knowledge about something or some event by intuition going beyond our reasoning mind.
(Quite often without even concentrating, without going through the normal stages of the intellect, to find out, to understand, we have suddenly certain perceptions and we know that is the truth: that is the play of intuition – Shri M.P.Pandit – Talks on the Life Divine, p. 175)
(Albert Einstein was facing criticism for challenging centuries of scientific thought. One would assume that Einstein favoured logic over intuition, but the reverse is true. Einstein is widely quoted as saying, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.”
The objection to Einstein’s groundbreaking theory of relativity in the 1920s was unprecedented and extremely fierce, but the physicist followed his instinct and stood by his work. Einstein’s general theory of relativity is now renowned as a pinnacle of modern-day physics.)
It is true that in human mind its action is largely hidden by the interventions of our normal intelligence; a pure intuition is a rare occurrence in our mental activity: for what we call by the name is usually a point of direct knowledge which is immediately caught and coated over with mental stuff, so that it serves only as an invisible or a very tiny nucleus of a crystallisation which is in its mass intellectual or otherwise mental in character; or else the flash of intuition is quickly replaced or intercepted, before it has a chance of manifesting itself, by a rapid imitative mental movement, insight or quick perception or some swift-leaping process of thought which owes its appearance to the stimulus of the coming intuition but obstructs its entry or covers it with a substituted mental suggestion true or erroneous but in either case not the authentic intuitive movement.
EXPLANATION
Do we receive the intuition without any mixture? Pure intuition is a rare occurrence in our mental activity. It is largely hidden by the interventions of our normal intelligence. Intuition is usually a point of direct knowledge. The moment it enters into us it is immediately caught and coated over with our mental stuff.
As a result of the covering by our mental workings, intuition serves only as an invisible or a very tiny nucleus of a crystallisation or formation. The mass of such a formation is dominated by our mental or intellectual workings.
The intuition always occurs in a flash. Before it could manifest itself it is quickly replaced or intercepted by our mind. This interception happens in the form of a rapid imitative mental movement (i.e.our intellect imitates the message of the intuition), insight or quick perception. Thus the content of the intuition is misinterpreted by our intellect.
Or when intuition comes, instantly there is some swift leaping process of thought in our mind. Such a thought process is caused by the stimulus of the coming intuition. But it obstructs the entry of intuition and covers it with a substituted mental suggestion. Our mental suggestion may be true or erroneous. But in either case it is not an authentic intuitive movement.
Nevertheless, the fact of this intervention from above, the fact that behind all our original thinking or authentic perception of things there is a veiled, a half veiled or a swift unveiled intuitive element is enough to establish a connection between mind and what is above it; it opens a passage of communication and of entry into the superior spirit-ranges. There is also the reaching out of mind to exceed the personal ego limitation, to see things in a certain impersonality and universality.
EXPLANATION
All the same, it is a fact that there is intervention from above. It is also a fact that there is a veiled, a half-veiled or a swift unveiled (occuring in a flash) intuitive element behind all our original thinking or authentic perception of things. These facts are enough to establish a connection between mind and what is above it.
This connection opens a passage of communication and passage of entry into the superior spirit-ranges. The mind reaches out of itself to exceed the personal ego limitation. Instead of seeing things from a ego based narrow perspective mind begins to see things in a certain impersonality and universality (Impersonality means there is no involvement of one’s own personality; universality means the consciousness expands from individual to the universal).
Impersonality is the first character of cosmic self; universality, non-limitation by the single or limiting point of view, is the character of cosmic perception and knowledge: this tendency is therefore a widening, however rudimentary, of these restricted mind areas towards cosmicity, towards a quality which is the very character of the higher mental planes,— towards that superconscient cosmic Mind which, we have suggested, must in the nature of things be the original mind-action of which ours is only a derivative and inferior process.
EXPLANATION
Impersonality is the first character of cosmic self (personality is associated with individual self). Universality means non-limitation by the single or limiting point of view. It is the character of cosmic perception and knowledge as different from individual perception and knowledge.
When mind exceeds the personal ego limitation, when the passage of communication to superior spirit ranges is opened there is tendency of widening of mind. This widening of the restricted mind areas, however rudimentary, is a tendency towards cosmicity, a quality which is the very character of the higher mental planes.
It is the movement of the mind towards the superconscient cosmic Mind. We have already seen that the superconscient cosmic Mind must be the original mind-action in the nature of things. It was the original Mind principle descended in involution in the physical world. Our mind is only a derivative and inferior process of superconscient cosmic Mind.
Again, there is not an entire absence of penetration from above into our mental limits. The phenomena of genius are really the result of such a penetration,—veiled no doubt, because the light of the superior consciousness not only acts within narrow limits, usually in a special field, without any regulated separate organisation of its characteristic energies, often indeed quite fitfully, erratically and with a supernormal or abnormal irresponsible governance, but also in entering the mind it subdues and adapts itself to mind substance so that it is only a modified or diminished dynamis that reaches us, not all the original divine luminosity of what might be called the overhead consciousness beyond us. Still the phenomena of inspiration, of revelatory vision or of intuitive perception and intuitive discernment, surpassing our less illumined or less powerful normal mind-action, are there and their origin is unmistakable.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo says there is penetration of knowledge into our mental limits from the higher planes. We cannot say that such a phenomenon is entirely absent. The phenomena of genius are really the result of such a penetration. Yet we find that such phenomena are not fully visible but veiled behind our normal mental activities.
This is because the light of the superior consciousness acts within narrow limits. It acts usually in a special field without any regulated separate organisation of its characteristic energies. It often acts quite fitfully, erratically. Such acts are often characterised by a supernormal or abnormal irresponsible governance. It does not act like our organised reason.
Also the light from the superior planes, in entering the mind subdues and adapts itself to mind substance. Therefore what reaches our mind is only a modified and diminished potentiality. The overhead consciousness beyond our mind is full of original divine light. Not all of it reaches us.
Still there are phenomena of inspiration, of revelatory vision or of intuitive perception and intuitive judgement which surpass our less illumined or less powerful normal mind-action. The origin of all such phenomena are unmistakably from higher planes.
Finally, there is the vast and multitudinous field of mystic and spiritual experience, and here the gates already lie wide open to the possibility of extending our consciousness beyond its present limits,—unless, indeed, by an obscurantism that refuses to inquire or an attachment to our boundaries of mental normality we shut them or turn away from the vistas they open before us. But in our present investigation we cannot afford to neglect the possibilities which these domains of mankind’s endeavour bring near to us, or the added knowledge of oneself and of the veiled Reality which is their gift to human mind, the greater light which arms them with the right to act upon us and is the innate power of their existence.
EXPLANATION
Finally, one cannot ignore the fact that there is the vast and multitudinous field of mystic and spiritual experience. In this field the gates are already kept wide open to the possibility of extending our consciousness beyond its present limits.
We can deny this possibility to us only by a deliberate practice of withholding knowledge and failing to inquire into the Truth; or by attaching ourselves to the boundaries of normal mentality, we shut them or turn away from the possibilities they open before us.
Sri Aurobindo says in our present investigation into the higher ranges of consciousness we cannot afford to ignore these possibilities brought near to us by the domains of mankind’s efforts. Nor can we ignore the added knowledge of oneself and of the veiled Reality (Divine) which is the gift of such mystic and spiritual experience to the human mind. Nor can we ignore the greater light which is the inborn power of their existence that gives them the right to act upon us.