All Life Is Yoga: Control of the Speech E-Book

Sri Aurobindo

• Herausgeber: Sri Aurobindo Digital Edition
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 67

Beschreibung

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on the importance of control of speech. “There is a silence behind life as well as within it and it is only in this more secret, sustaining silence that we can hear clearly the voice of God.” – Sri Aurobindo

Leseprobe

Omsriaurobindomira

All

Life

Is

Yoga

“All life is Yoga.” – Sri Aurobindo

Control of the Speech

Sri Aurobindo | The Mother

SRI AUROBINDODIGITAL EDITION

SRI AUROBINDO BHAVANBERCHTESGADENER LAND

www.sriaurobindo.center

PublisherAURO MEDIAVerlag und FachbuchhandelWilfried SchuhGermany

www.auro.media

eBook Design

SRI AUROBINDO DIGITAL EDITIONGermany, Berchtesgaden

ALL LIFE IS YOGAControl of the SpeechSelections from the Works ofSri Aurobindo and the MotherFirst edition 2022ISBN 978-3-96387-096-5

© Photos and selections of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother:Sri Aurobindo Ashram TrustPuducherry, India

Flower on the cover:Leucanthemum x superbum (Chrysanthemum x superbum). White, yellow.Spiritual significance and explanation given by the Mother:Creative WordBelongs only to the Divine.

Publisher’s Note

This is one in a series of some e-books created by SRI AUROBINDO DIGITAL EDITION and published by AURO MEDIA under the title All Life Is Yoga. Our effort is to bring together, from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, simple passages with a practical orientation on specific subjects, so that everyone may feel free to choose a book according to his inner need. The topics cover the whole field of human activity, because true spirituality is not the rejection of life but the art of perfecting life.

While the passages from Sri Aurobindo are in the original English, most of the passages from the Mother (selections from her talks and writings) are translations from the original French. We must also bear in mind that the excerpts have been taken out of their original context and that a compilation, in its very nature, is likely to have a personal and subjective approach. A sincere attempt, however, has been made to be faithful to the vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. These excerpts are by no means exhaustive.

Bringing out a compilation from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, which have a profound depth and wideness unique, is a difficult task. The compiler’s subjective tilt and preferences generally result in highlighting some aspects of the issues concerned while the rest is by no means less significant. Also without contexts of the excerpts the passages reproduced may not fully convey the idea – or may be misunderstood or may reduce a comprehensive truth into what could appear like a fixed principle.

The reader may keep in mind this inherent limitation of compilations; compilations are however helpful in providing an introduction to the subject in a handy format. They also give the readers a direct and practical feel of some of the profound issues and sometimes a mantric appeal, musing on which can change one’s entire attitude to them.

The excerpts from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother carry titles and captions chosen by the editor, highlighting the theme of the excerpts and, whenever possible, borrowing a phrase from the text itself. The sources of the excerpts are given at the end of each issue.

We hope these compilations will inspire the readers to go to the complete works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and will help them to mould their lives and their environments towards an ever greater perfection.

“True spirituality is not to renounce life, but to make life perfect with a Divine Perfection.” – The Mother

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Contents

Title PageCopyrightPublisher’s NoteI. WORDS OF SRI AUROBINDOQuotation1. Talking2. Control of the Speech3. Speaking of One’s Spiritual Experiences4. Truth-Speaking5. Two Great Forces: Silence and SpeechII. WORDS OF THE MOTHERQuotation1. Words of the Mother2. Why Do People Speak Uselessly?3. Categories of Spoken Words and their Control4. True Aspiration Free from Words5. Communication Without Words6. When One Does Not Understand Something7. To Know What Is Behind the Words8. The Power of Words9. Precise Thinking Without Words10. Creative Word11. Harm Done by Incontinence of Speech12. Just Try for an HourAPPENDIXReferences

Guide

CoverTable of ContentsStart Reading

I.

WORDS OF SRI AUROBINDO

There is a silence behind life as well as within it and it is only in this more secret, sustaining silence that we can hear clearly the voice of God.

– Sri Aurobindo

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Chapter 1

Talking

Speech is usually only the expression of the superficial nature – therefore to throw oneself out too much in such speech wastes the energy and prevents the inward listening which brings the word of true knowledge.

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It is quite possible for one person to get depressed by talking with another. Talking means a vital interchange, so that can always happen.

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Talk – of the usual kind – does very easily disperse or bring down the inner condition because it usually comes out of the lower vital and the physical mind only and expresses that part of the consciousness – it has a tendency to externalise the being. That is of course why so many Yogis take refuge in silence.

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If the peace is very strong within, talking does not cloud it – because this peace is not mental or vital even when it pervades the mind and vital – or else it is a cloud that quickly passes without touching deeply. Usually however such talk [about others] disperses the consciousness and one can lose much. The only disadvantage of not talking is that it isolates too much, if it is absolute, but by not talking these things one loses nothing.

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Harangues and exhortations touch only the surface of the mind. If the mind is in agreement it is pleased and stimulated, but that is all. If it is not in agreement the mind criticises or becomes impatient and turns aside. If the harangue is very forcible it may touch the vital sometimes and produce a momentary effect.

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In all things there must be a control over thought and speech also. But while rajasic violence is excluded, a calmly forceful severity of thought and speech where severity is needed is sometimes indispensable.

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The habit of criticism – mostly ignorant criticism of others – mixed with all sorts of imaginations, inferences, exaggerations, false interpretations, even gross inventions is one of the universal illnesses of the Asram. It is a disease of the vital aided by the physical mind which makes itself an instrument of the pleasure taken in this barren and harmful pursuit of the vital. Control of the speech, refusal of this disease and the itch of the vital is very necessary if inner experience has to have any true effect of transformation in the outer life.

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It is also better to be more strict about not talking of others and criticising them with the ordinary mind – not only in the case of X or Y but all. It is necessary in order to develop a deeper consciousness and outlook on things that understands in silence the movements of Nature in oneself and others and is not moved or disturbed or superficially interested and drawn into an external movement.

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Chapter 2

Control of the Speech

Yes, it would be better to get full control of the speech – it is an important step towards going inward and developing a true inner and Yogic consciousness.

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Absolute silence and looseness of talk are two extremes; neither is good. I have seen many people practising maunavrata, but afterwards they are just as talkative as before. It is self-mastery you must get.

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