Understanding Fluctuations in the Force of the Spiritual Sadhana

The spiritual seeker tends to struggle with the constant recurrence of old thoughts, feelings, reactions and desires. He is also constantly confronted by changes in his energy levels and focus. Much of this is due to the underlying and deeply embedded energies that he has inherited as part of human nature as it has been developed and manifested. Some of this is due to education, expectations and societal pressures that have helped shape his being in this lifetime. Another portion are due to the constant changing of the three Gunas as they adjust their predominance from one moment to the next. And then, there is a portion that is based in the complex interaction between the different parts of the being and their characteristic (and varying from one another) ways and modes of acting and reacting.

As the seeker starts from the ego-consciousness and the external personality, he may be somewhat overwhelmed and not truly appreciate either what is taking place within his psychological makeup, nor the way to resolve the issues. Thus, he may become confused, despondent and dissatisfied with what he perceives to be a lack of progress or focus as these constant variations arise within him.

Endless amounts of patience are required as the seeker begins to appreciate the enormity of the work of transformation of human nature and the time frames and complexity involved in the process. He also needs to gain both an appreciation for and a continual focus on shifting the standpoint away from the external personality so that he can more and more shift the focus of the being away from external consideraitons, stay in contact with the psychic being and thereby create and maintain the conscious link to the higher forces of consciousness that actually carry out the transformative changes that are required.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “These fluctuatioins in the force of the aspiration and the power of the sadhana are unavoidable and common to all sadhaks until the whole being has been made ready for the transformation. When the psychic is in front or active and the mind and vital consent, then there is the intensity. When the psychic is less prominent and the lower vital has its ordinary movements or the mind its ignorant action, then the opposing forces can come in unless the sadhak is very vigilant. Inertia comes usually from the ordinary physical consciousness, especially when the vital is not actively supporting the sadhana. These things can only be cured by a persistent bringing down of the higher spiritual consciousness into all the parts of the being.”

Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 48-49