Ascent and Integration Define Spiritual Progress for the Seeker

Transforming human nature does not happen ove
ight. There are thus periods when the spiritual force is actively experienced and descending into the being; and then, there are other periods where it needs to adjust the responses of the mind, the life energy and the physical body to both hold and accommodate the impact of the force and thereby create the needed changes. Sri Aurobindo describes this process as one of ascent and integration. Both are essential elements in the transformational process and the seeker soon learns that he can only receive a certain amount of Force at a time until the being is widened, the receptivity is enhanced and the necessary changes are being made to use that force. If the seeker ‘pulls’ the force it can be ‘spilled’ if the being is not prepared to hold it, and this can lead to various forms of imbalance, disruption or disturbances.

Eventually the seeker also recognises that the yoga is not fixated on accumulating experiences, but on the actual work of change needed to manifest the next stage of the evolution of consciousness, a work that involves addressing virtually every part of the benig, every response, every reaction, every habit, every instinct, every trained action, to open the being to a new way of seeing, acting and responding. Thus the need for perspective, receptivity, contnual faith and patience with the process.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “The length of your period of dullness is also no sufficient reason for losing belief in your capacity or your spiritual destiny. I believe that alte
ations of bright and dark periods are almost a universal experience of Yogis, and the exceptions are very rare. If one inquires into the reason of this phenomenon, — very unpleasant to our impatient human nature, — it will be found, I think, that they are in the main two. The first is that the human consciousness either cannot bear a constant descent of the Light or Power or Ananda, or cannot at once receive and absorb it; it needs periods of assimilation; but this assimilation goes on behind the veil of the surface consciousness; the experience or the realisation that has descended retires behind the veil and leaves this outer or surface consciousness to lie fallow and become ready for a new descent. In the more developed stages of the Yoga these dark or dull periods become shorter, less trying as well as uplifted by the sense of the greater consciousness which, though not acting for immediate progress, yet remains and sustains the outer nature. The second cause is some resistance, something in the human nature that has not felt the former descent, is not ready, is perhaps unwilling to change, — often it is some strong habitual formation of the mind or the vital or some temporary inertial of the physical consciousness and not exactly a part of the nature, — and this, whether showing or concealing itself, thrusts up the obstacle. If one can detect the cause in oneself, acknowledge it, see its workings and call down the Power for its removal, then the periods of obscurity can be greatly shortened and their acuity becomes less. But in any case the Divine Power is working always behind and one day, perhaps when one least expects it, the obstacle breaks, the clouds vanish and there is again the light and the sunshine. The best thing in these cases is, if one can manage it, not to fret, not to despond, but to insist quietly and keep oneself open, spread to the Light and waiting in faith for it to come; that I have found shortens the ordeals. Afterwards, when the obstacle disappears, one finds that a great progress has been made and that the consciousness is far more capable of receiving and retaining than before. There is a return for all the trials and ordeals of the spiritual life.”

Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 3, In Difficulty, pp. 45-47