Vital has an immense craving for emotions. Whenever any thought arises, Vital immediately tries to inject that emotion into the body. Because of this, humans constantly experience stress, physical disorders, illnesses, and loss of energy.
But the brain’s work itself does not consume any energy. In fact, the brain has no emotions at all. Emotions belong only to the Vital. It is very difficult for a person to clearly identify or decide what the “mind” actually is, especially the one that is not entangled with the outside world. We almost cannot identify it properly because both (mind and Vital) seem to respond simultaneously.
After this understanding became complete, I felt a powerful energy rising from the middle of my head and entering into the sky. Then I felt myself expanding and rising into the sky. From there, all human beings appeared very small. It was an extremely clear and vivid experience.
One important insight I gained about the Vital: It is always like a septic tank. If you try to clean it directly by removing the impurities, they don’t easily go away. But when “higher consciousness” descends into it, the Vital automatically closes/shuts down on its own. And when we return to the external world, the Vital slowly takes its usual form again. This seems to be a natural process.
Quite so. The vital tends to stay quiet; its disturbing elements hide in the subconscient, slowly to re-emerge and, if encouraged, invade. That is why Sri Aurobindo speaks of rejection, a more active process where effort is made to throw away the disturbing elements. A dynamic meditation invoking the Mother’s Grace and offering the wrong and disturbing movements to the Mother not only calms them but also, slowly and surely, transmutes them.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
