The Action of the Superconscient in Our External Lives

Just as forces and vibrations act upon us that vibrate below our normal human level of perceptive range, and bring in much of the past, subconscient, dark and ignorant reactions that drive much of our human life, so also there are forces and vibrations that enter us from above our perceptible range, which have their source and origin in what we may call the ‘superconscient’ levels. Because they are outside our immediate range of perception, they mostly enter us unseen and unknown, what many would call ‘subliminally’ and from there they work to influence and express themselves as possible through our external being and personality. Sri Aurobindo points out that the action here works through the chakras, the subtle energy centers that channel the various forces at work in the being into the external life. To the extent that we are capable of opening to the energetic action of the respective chakras, the powers and forces that enter and collect there can have a direct influence on our lives.

It is from the higher superconscient ranges that those things we name inspiration, intuition, revelation, vision and creative insights occur. While we receive them without conscious awareness, we express them as much as possible and treat them as our own creative actions, when in fact they are the result of our receptivity to and ability to channel forces stemming from these higher ranges of consciousness.

Sri Aurobindo notes: “… from there … come all the greater aspirations, ideals, strivings towards a better self and better humanity without which man would be only a thinking animal — as also most of the art, poetry, philosophy, thirst for knowledge which relieve, if they do not yet dispel, the ignorance.”

“The role of the superconscient has been to evolve slowly the spiritual man out of the mental half-animal.”

“Even in Europe the existence of something behind the surface is now very frequently admitted, but its nature is mistaken and it is called subconscient or subliminal, while really it is very conscious in its own way and not subliminal but only behind the veil. It is, according to our psychology, connected with the small outer personality by certain centres of consciousness of which we become aware by yoga. Only a little of the inner being escapes through these centres into the outer life, but that little is the best part of ourselves and responsible for our art, poetry, philosophy, ideals, religious aspirations, efforts at knowledge and perfection.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch. 2 Hidden Forces Within, pg. 43