Different yogis put different meaning in the word Self realisation because depending upon the angle of approach. The Divine is one but also infinite. He manifests Himself on different planes and at different levels. That is why there are so many cults, sects religions, each claiming to grant Self realization.
In Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga all these different sides of Self realisation are brought together in the realisation of the Integral Divine.
Unlike traditional Yoga which creates an unbridgable divide between The Creator and Creation by declaring creation to be either an illusion or, at best a preparation for a God who is other than the world, Sri Aurobindo says that it is God who has become this world. In other words the world is a progressive manifestation of God. But the manifestation is far from complete, that is why it is far from perfect. But in the course of time, the world will manifest the Divine Perfection inherent in its core, ever more and more. Man’s goal and the goal of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga therefore is not to escape from the world into Nirvana but to collaborate in the Divine Manifestation. The traditional yoga, on the other hand states mukti as the goal, an escape from the world in a salvation beyond.
In accordance with the goal being to manifest the Divine Perfection here, the method of the Integral Yoga is different and includes, in the process taking up and transforming the mind, life and body as well as the world consciousness so that these can manifest the Divine.
There are other differences such as the karma theory which according to Sri Aurobindo is not so much a system of reward and punishment as of learning through consequences and growing thereby. There is also the central Idea that Man is a transitional being and will be surpassed by a new species of supramental beings whose consciousness will be divinised and whose very body will be transmuted into a Divine body. He has also made certain important predictions about India and the world as the supramental Force becomes more and more active. But by far the most important aspect is that this Yoga does not proceed by any set methods or standard techniques as by a growing surrender and reliance on the Divine Mother with faith, aspiration and sincerity as the main support.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
