Sri Aurobindo explains to Nirod da: ‘A little observation ought to show that you are not manufacturing your own thoughts, but rather thoughts occur in you. Thoughts are born, not made—like poets, according to the proverb. Of course, there is a sort of labour and effort when you try to produce or else to think on a certain subject, but that is a concentration for making thoughts come up, come in, come down, as the case may be, and fit themselves together. The idea that you are shaping the thoughts or fitting them together is an egoistic delusion. They are doing it themselves, or Nature is doing it for you, only under a certain compulsion;’🤔

If it’s a delusion that we are shaping or controlling our thoughts, what then is the significance of consciously cultivating a particular noble mindset by rejecting other thought patterns? Are we just making choices only from existing material?

If this is right, then man is doing nothing at all except for giving or refusing his consent to Nature’s preoccupations with him. Choice seems to be the only thing possible for man. Is Is that correct?

Yes, this is one of the things that strikes as an obvious truth that thoughts, feelings, desires, none of them are generated by us. They arise in some cosmic field and we receive them either through our immediate environment (hence the importance of company and places we go) or, especially thoughts, from a vaster cosmic field. We become aware when they have entered and begun to climb or descend as the case may be. The ego-self appropriates them as one’s own, even gets tuned and attached to one type and level of thought or another and calls them one’s own, fights for their dominion (as in ideologies) or succumbs to their force (as when people get wrong suggestions and acts upon them.

We are indeed receivers and transmitters. But the receiving itself depends upon the state of consciousness and the level we are attuned to. That is why the Mother insists so much on the change of consciousness as being the main thing. If the consciousness changes then automatically certain thoughts, feelings, desires become impossible. This change is effected through ‘Yoga’. Until that is done, one has to learn to step back, observe the level and type of thoughts, accept or refuse them and if needed, stop their flow. This is not as easy as it seems. Cultivating right and noble  thoughts is therefore the next best, a good preparatory step. It is like replacing certain rajo-tamasic (negative) with rajo-sattwic (positive) thoughts and feelings, tuning oneself to the higher thoughts by reading uplifting things and keeping such company, each has its place and role. But as anyone who has tried it knows that it is not enough. A better way lies in knowing what thoughts and feelings to consent and what to refuse. But ultimately the final solution lies only in a change of consciousness followed by the transformation of the nature and the instruments it has evolved.

Affectionately,

Alok Da