Changes

Read Summary of '''[[Self Observation Summary|Self Observation]]'''

= What We have in all functionings of the mentality four elements, the object of mental consciousness, the act of mental consciousness, the occasion and the subject. In the self-experience of the self-observing inner being, the object is always some state or movement or wave of the conscious being, anger, grief or other emotion, hunger or other vital craving, impulse or inner life reaction or some form of sensation, perception or thought activity. The act is Selfsome kind of mental observation and conceptual valuation of this movement or wave or else a mental sensation of it in which observation and valuation may be involved and even lost,—so that in this act the mental person may either separate the act and the object by a distinguishing perception or confuse them together indistinguishably. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/memory-ego-and-self-Observation =experience#p5</ref> <center>~</center>

...if he [man] is not to remain this being of the surface ignorance seeking obscurely after the truth You may have a mental power of things and collecting and systematising fragments and sections of knowledgeobservation, the small limited and half-competent creature a vital power of the cosmic Force which he now is in his phenomenal nature. He must know himself and discover and utilise all his potentialities: but to know himself and the world completely he must go behind his own and its exteriorobservation, he must dive deep below his own mental surface and the a physical surface power of Natureobservation. This he can only do by knowing his inner mentalWhen you observe ideas, vitalfor instance, physical and psychic being and its powers and movements and the universal laws and processes train of ideas, the occult Mind and Life which stand behind the material front logic of the universe….But this knowledge must be something more than a creed or a mystic revelation; his thinking mind must be able to accept itideas, to correlate it with is not altogether the principle same power of things observation as when you look at a friend doing athletics and see whether he is making his movements correctly or not. That is, the observed truth capacity of the universe: this attention is the work of philosophythere in both cases, and but it works in the a different field . It can't be said that it is one part of the truth being observing the others; it is the faculty of observation developing in each part of the spirit it can only be done by a spiritual philosophybeing—that is, whether intellectual in its method or intuitivethe faculty of concentration and attention. (The Mother, 18 June 1958) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0906/1827-junejanuary-19581954#p3p34</ref>

There are many voices, and all are not divine; this may be only a voice of desire. All that keeps one faithful to the Truth and insists on peace, purity, devotion, sincerity, a spiritual change of the nature can be listened to with profit; the rest must be observed with discrimination and not followed blindly. Keep the fire of aspiration burning, but avoid all impatient haste. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/inner-voices-and-indication~</refcenter>

'''The Three Gunas'''ordinary mind knows itself only as an ego with all the movements of the nature in a jumble and, identifying itself with these movements, thinks "I am doing this, feeling that, thinking, in joy or in sorrow etc." The first beginning of real self-knowledge is when you feel yourself separate from the nature in you and its movements and then you see that there are many parts of your being, many personalities each acting on its own behalf and in its own way. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/28/the-psychic-being#p84</ref>

The idea of the three essential modes of Nature is a creation of the ancient Indian thinkers and its truth is not at once obvious, because it was the result of long psychological experiment and profound internal experience. Therefore without a long inner experience, without intimate self-observation and intuitive perception of the Nature-forces it is difficult to grasp accurately or firmly utilise. Still certain broad indications may help the seeker on the Way of Works to understand, analyse and control by his assent or refusal the combinations of his own nature. These modes are termed in the Indian books qualities, guṇas, and are given the names sattva, rajas, tamas. Sattwa is the force of equilibrium and translates in quality as good and harmony and happiness and light; rajas is the force of kinesis and translates in quality as struggle and effort, passion and action; tamas is the force of inconscience and inertia and translates in quality as obscurity and incapacity and inaction. Ordinarily used for psychological self-analysis, these distinctions are valid also in physical Nature. Each thing and every existence in the lower Prakriti contains them and its process and dynamic form are the result of the interaction of these qualitative powers. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-three-modes-of-nature#p2~</refcenter>

[[Your consciousness becomes a screen or mirror; but this is when you are in a state of contemplation, a mere observer; when you are active, it is like a searchlight. You have only to turn it on, if you want to see luminously and examine penetratingly anything in any place. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/30-june-1929#top|Back to Contents]]p7</ref>

= Reasons for Self-'''Observation =is Not Discernment'''

The true and ultimate, as distinguished from For the immediate or intermediate importance capacity of our observing, reasoning, inquiring, judging intelligence is that it prepares the human being for observation must not be confused with the right reception and right action capacity of a Light from above which must progressively replace in him the obscure light from below that guides the animaldiscernment.Discernment is an intellectual capacity.Man Something like a judgment already enters into it, what we call "discrimination": you can bring an enlightened will, an enlightened thought and enlightened emotions to distinguish between the difficult work origin of his self-development; he can more one thing and more subject to these more conscious of another, and reflecting guides the inferior function reciprocal value of desirethese things. In proportion as he can thus master and enlighten his lower self, he is man and no longer an animal. When he can begin But that ought to replace desire altogether by be founded on a still greater enlightened thought and sight and will in touch with the Infinitecorrect observation. The power of observation comes first, consciously subject to a diviner will than his own, linked to a more universal and transcendent knowledge, he has commenced the ascent towards the superman; he is on his upward march towards the Divinediscernment follows.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2303/self30-june-consecration1929#p17p7</ref>

= How =What to Observe ==

But Have you must begin when very smallever practised distinguishing what comes from your mind, and consciouslywhat comes from your vital, very consciouslywhat comes from your physical?... For it is mixed up; it is mixed up in the outward appearance. If you must begin with do not take care to distinguish, it makes a sense of observation kind of soup, all the movements in that together. So it is indistinct and difficult to discover. But if you observe yourself, of their relation with othersafter some time you see certain things, you feel them to be there, of—preciselylike that, of as though they were in your degree of independence, real individuality, of knowing skin; for some other things you feel you would have to go within yourself to find out from where impulses they come from; for other things, you have to go still further inside, where other movements come fromor otherwise you have to rise up a little: whether it is contagion from outside or something that arises comes from within yourselfunconsciousness. A And there are others; then you must go very profound study of all the movements in oneself is necessary in order deep, very deep to succeed simply in crystallising a being who find out from where they come. This is just a little conscious, a little consciousbeginning. (The Mother, 22 September 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0605/2210-septemberjune-19541953#p43p31</ref>

You project yourself on '''Observing the screen and then observe and see all that is moving there and how it moves and what happens. You make a little diagram, it becomes so interesting then. And then, after a while, when you are quite accustomed to seeing, you can go one step further and take a decision. Or even a still greater step: you organise—arrange, take up all that, put each thing in its place, organise in such a way that you begin to have a straight movement with an inner meaning. And then you become conscious of your direction and are able to say: "Very well, it will be thus; my life will develop in that way, because that is the logic of my being. Now, I have arranged all that within me, each thing has been put in its place, and so naturally a central orientation is forming. I am following this orientation. One step more and I know what will happen to me for I myself am deciding it....". (The Mother, 29 July 1953) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/29-july-1953#p47</ref>Inner Being'''

It For a larger mental being is not there within us, a larger inner vital being, even a larger inner subtle-physical retirement that is neededbeing other than our surface body-consciousness, and by entering into this or becoming it, identifying ourselves with it, we can observe the springs of our thoughts and feelings, but an inner detachment from the mental formations sources and vital desiresmotives of our action, the operative energies that build up our surface personality. To find For we discover and can know the real self above and within inner being that secretly thinks and live perceives in us, the vital being thatsecretly feels and acts upon life through us, not in the mind's conceptions or subtle-physical being that secretly receives and responds to the vital's reactionscontacts of things through our body and its organs. These must be observed Our surface thought, feeling, emotion is a complexity and looked at not as one's own confusion of impulsions from within and impacts from outside us; our reason, our organising intelligence can impose on it only an imperfect order: but as movements here within we find the separate sources of our mental, our vital and our physical energisms and can see clearly the pure operations, the distinct powers, the composing elements of each and their interplay in a surface ignorant natureclear light of self-vision. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3121/interactionsknowledge-withby-othersidentity-and-the-practice-ofseparative-yogaknowledge#p111p12</ref>

It is only when As the inner consciousness grows by sadhana, these dream experiences increase in number, clearness, coherence, accuracy and after some growth of experience and consciousness, we can, if we observe, come to understand them and their significance to our inner life. Even we can by training become so conscious as to follow our own passage, usually veiled to our awareness and memory, through many realms and the yogic process of quieting the mind itself that return to the waking state. At a profounder result certain pitch of our self-observation becomes possiblethis inner wakefulness this kind of sleep, a sleep of experiences, can replace the ordinary subconscient slumber. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2130/indeterminatesthree-cosmicexperiences-determinationsof-andthe-theinner-indeterminablebeing#p12p6</ref>

But if you remain very quiet, only if you observe—as though you were silently looking at something, you understand—then you will begin seeing more precisely, and little by little distinguishing between different categories of things. You will be able [[#top|Back to know what one thing is and what another etc., whether it comes from you or from outside, whether it is on a material plane or on another plane. All this is learnt through a very quiet observation, quiet but very sharp, you understand; because there are very tiny shades, very tiny, between different things, and when you get used to distinguishing these nuances, you can discern exactly what it is. (The Mother, 20 October 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/20-october-1954#p46</ref>Contents]]

== Silence =Why is Self-Observation Important? =

It ...if he [man] is really an inner silence that not to remain this being of the surface ignorance seeking obscurely after the truth of things and collecting and systematising fragments and sections of knowledge, the small limited and half-competent creature of the cosmic Force which he now is needed—a something silent within that looks at outer talk in his phenomenal nature. He must know himself and discover and action utilise all his potentialities: but feels it as something superficialto know himself and the world completely he must go behind his own and its exterior, he must dive deep below his own mental surface and the physical surface of Nature. This he can only do by knowing his inner mental, vital, not as itself physical and psychic being and its powers and movements and the universal laws and is quite indifferent processes of the occult Mind and untouched by Life which stand behind the material front of the universe. ...But this knowledge must be something more than a creed or a mystic revelation; his thinking mind must be able to accept it. It can bring forces , to support speech correlate it with the principle of things and the observed truth of the universe: this is the work of philosophy, and action or in the field of the truth of the spirit it can stop them only be done by withdrawal or it can let them go on and observe without being involved a spiritual philosophy, whether intellectual in its method or movedintuitive. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3109/speech18-andjune-yoga1958#p76p3</ref>

...You must be able to silence your head absolutely and be completely detached, not to have (for example, when you are looking for the solution of a problem), not to have already in your head the solution that seems to you right or the best or most profitable. That must not be there. You must become absolutely like a blank paper, with nothing on it. And you proceed in that way, with a very sincere aspiration to know the truth, without assuming beforehand that it will be like this or like that; because otherwise you will see only your own formation. The very first condition is that the head must keep completely silent during the time one is observing. (The Mother, 30 September 1953) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/30-september-1953#p13~</refcenter>

To silence work for your perfection, the first step is to become conscious of yourself, of the different parts of your being and their respective activities. You must learn to distinguish these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the mind it origin of the movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you to action. It is not enough an assiduous study which demands much perseverance and sincerity. For man's nature, especially his mental nature, has a spontaneous tendency to throw back each thought give a favourable explanation for everything he thinks, feels, says and does. It is only by observing these movements with great care, by bringing them, as it comeswere, before the tribunal of our highest ideal, with a sincere will to submit to its judgment, that we can only be hope to form in ourselves a subordinate movementdiscernment that never errs. One For if we truly want to progress and acquire the capacity of knowing the truth of our being, that is to say, what we are truly created for, what we can call our mission upon earth, then we must get back from all thought , in a very regular and be separate constant manner, reject from us or eliminate in us whatever contradicts the truth of our existence, whatever is opposed to it. In this way, little by little, a silent consciousness observing all the thoughts if they comeparts, but not oneself thinking or identified with all the thoughtselements of our being can be organised into a homogeneous whole around our psychic centre. Thoughts must This work of unification requires much time to be felt as outside things altogetherbrought to some degree of perfection. It is then easier Therefore, in order to accomplish it, we must arm ourselves with patience and endurance, with a determination to reject thoughts or let them pass without their disturbing prolong our life as long as necessary for the quietude success of the mindour endeavour. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3112/interactions-with-others-and-the-practicescience-of-yogaliving#p99p5</ref>

But a time comes when instead of doing things automatically, impelled by a consciousness and force of … if each element which one is quite unaware—a time comes when one can observe what goes on in oneselfwith its ignorance, study one's movementsits unconsciousness, find their causesits egoism, and at is put before the same time begin will to exercise a control first over what goes on within uschange and one remains awake, compares, then on the influence cast on us from outside which makes us actobserves, in the beginning altogether unconsciously studies and almost involuntarilyslowly acts, that becomes infinitely interesting, but gradually more one makes marvellous and more consciously; and the will can wake up and reactquite unexpected discoveries. Then One finds in oneself lots of small hidden folds, little things one had not seen at that moment, the moment there is beginning; one undertakes a conscious will capable sort of reactinginner chase, one may saygoes hunting into small dark corners and tells oneself: "What, I was like that! This was there in me, "I have become conscious.am harbouring this little thing" This does not —sometimes so sordid, so mean that , so nasty. And once it is a total and perfect consciousnesshas been discovered, how wonderful! One puts the light upon it means that and it is a beginning: for example, when one is able to observe all the reactions in one's being disappears and to you no longer have a certain control over them, to let those one approves of have playreactions which made you so sad before, and when you used to controlsay, stop, annul those one doesn't approve of"Oh! I shall never get there. (The Mother, 28 November 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0804/2819-novemberapril-19561951#p19p14</ref>

One can be quiet, happy, cheerful without being all If you had that in a light or shallow way—and observation (from the happiness need inner spiritual, not bring any vital reaction. All that the outer intellectual and ethical viewpoint), then it would be comparatively easy for you need to do is get out of your difficulties; for instance you would find at once where this irrational impulse to be observant flee away came from and vigilantit would not have any hold upon you. Of course,—watchful so all that you may not give assent can only be done to wrong movements or the return of the old feelings, darkness, confusion etc. Not fear, but vigilance. If best effect when you remain vigilant, then with stand back from the increase play of your nature and become the Force upholding Witness-Control or the Spectator-Actor Manager. But that is what happens when you, a power take this kind of self-control will come, a power to see and reject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when it comesseeing posture. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/fearmental-difficulties-and-the-need-of-quietude#p12p23</ref>

But you have only to observe yourselves... you can observe yourself, catch yourself at least a hundred times a day, with a mind which decides everything, knows everything, judges everything, knows very well what is good, what bad, what is true, what false, what is right... And also how one should act, what this person should have done, how to resolve that problem.... All men know, you see... If they were at the head of governments, for instance, they would know very well how to manage everything! But people don't listen to them... that's all! (The Mother, 21 July 1954) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/21-july-1954#p40~</refcenter>

== Being Sincere The true and Impartial ==ultimate, as distinguished from the immediate or intermediate importance of our observing, reasoning, inquiring, judging intelligence is that it prepares the human being for the right reception and right action of a Light from above which must progressively replace in him the obscure light from below that guides the animal. ...Man can bring an enlightened will, an enlightened thought and enlightened emotions to the difficult work of his self-development; he can more and more subject to these more conscious and reflecting guides the inferior function of desire. In proportion as he can thus master and enlighten his lower self, he is man and no longer an animal. When he can begin to replace desire altogether by a still greater enlightened thought and sight and will in touch with the Infinite, consciously subject to a diviner will than his own, linked to a more universal and transcendent knowledge, he has commenced the ascent towards the superman; he is on his upward march towards the Divine.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/self-consecration#p17</ref>

For that you must be absolutely sincere and impartial. You must observe yourself as if you were observing and criticising a third person. You must not start with an idea that this is your life's mission, this is your particular capacity, this you are = How to do or that you are to do, in this lies your talent or genius, etc. That will carry you away from the right track. It is not the liking or disliking of your external being, your mental or vital or physical choice that determines the true line of your growth. Nor should you take up the opposite attitude and say, "I am good for nothing in this matter, I am useless in that one; it is not for me." Neither vanity and arrogance nor self-depreciation and false modesty should move you. As I said, you must be absolutely impartial and unconcerned. You should be like a mirror that reflects the truth and does not judge. (The Mother, 12 November 1952) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/15/12-november-1952#p6</ref>Observe Oneself? =

Have you never felt this? As though you were a little behind or above things, and were looking at them taking place but were not doing anything yourself? Witness means an observer, someone who looks on and does not act himself. So, when the mind is very quiet, one can withdraw a little in this way from circumstances and look at things as though he were a witness, a spectator, and not participating in the action himself. This gives you a great detachment, a great quietude, and also a very precise sense of the value of things, because it cuts the attachment to action. When you know how to do this with yourself, when you can withdraw and watch yourself acting, you learn many things about yourself. When you are all mixed up and take part in the action, you do not observe yourself acting, you don't know what you are like. But when you draw back and look at yourself, you can perceive many imperfections which you wouldn't have seen otherwise. (The Mother, 13 October 1954) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/13-october-1954#p2~</refcenter>

The witness Purusha in You project yourself on the mind observes screen and then observe and see all that the inadequacy of his effort, all the inadequacy in fact of man's life is moving there and nature arises from the separation how it moves and the consequent strugglewhat happens. You make a little diagram, it becomes so interesting then. And then, want of knowledgeafter a while, want of harmonywhen you are quite accustomed to seeing, want of onenessyou can go one step further and take a decision. It is essential for him to grow out of separative individualityOr even a still greater step: you organise—arrange, take up all that, to universalise himselfput each thing in its place, organise in such a way that you begin to make himself one have a straight movement with the universean inner meaning. This unification can be done only through the soul by making our soul And then you become conscious of mind one with the universal Mindyour direction and are able to say: "Very well, our soul of it will be thus; my life one with the universal Life-soulwill develop in that way, our soul of body one with because that is the universal soul logic of physical Naturemy being. Now, I have arranged all that within me, each thing has been put in its place, and so naturally a central orientation is forming. I am following this orientation. One step more and I know what will happen to me for I myself am deciding it....". <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2405/the29-perfectionjuly-of-the-mental-being1953#p15p47</ref>

For If one begins to find out, to understand what a feeling is and what a thought is, and how it works, then one can already go quite far on the path with that you . One must at the same time observe yourself veryhow his feelings and thoughts have an action on the body, very attentivelywhat the reciprocity is. And then, and if there is anything another exercise which consists in you which produces something like a small intense vibrationlooking into oneself for what is persistent, then you may be sure that there lies a desire. For examplewhat is lasting, you something which makes one say, "This food is necessary for meI"—you believe, you imagine, you think that you need such and such a thing and you find the necessary means to obtain which is not the thingbody. To know if it is a need or a desireFor obviously, you must look at yourself when one was very closely small, and ask yourselfthen when each year one grows up, "What will happen if I cannot get the thing?" Then if the immediate answer isone takes fairly long distances, "Ohfor example a distance of about ten years, it will be they are very baddifferent "I"s from what one was when as small as this (gesture), you may be sure and then what one is now; it is difficult to say that it is a matter of desirethe same person, you see. It If one takes only this, still there is something which has the feeling of always being the same for everythingperson. So one must reflect, seek, try to understand what it is. For every problem This indeed can lead you draw backfar on the path. Then if one also studies the relation between these different things—between thoughts, look at yourself and askfeelings, their action on the body, the reciprocal action of the body on these things—and also what it is that says "Let us see, am I going to have the thing?" If at that moment something in you jumps up with joypermanently, you may be certain there what it is that can trace a desire. On curve in the movement of the other handbeing, if something tells you, "Ohone seeks carefully enough, I am not going to get it", leads you quite far. Naturally if one seeks far enough and you feel very depressedwith enough persistence, then again it is a desireone reaches the psychic. (The Mother, 25 January 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0407/259-januarymarch-19511955#p3p23</ref>

As a general rule, with a few very rare exceptions, men are content to observe more or less accurately everything that happens around them, and sometimes within themselves, and to classify all these observations according to one superficial system of logic or another. And they call this organisation, these systems, "knowledge". It has never occurred to them, they have not even begun to perceive that all the things they see, touch, feel, experience, are false appearances and not reality itself. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/10/aphorism-7#p3~</refcenter>

It is evident that our state on When we are in contact with the surface is indeed a state of knowledge, so far as it goes, but a limited Divine or in contact with an inner knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance andvision, we begin to a very large extent, by reason of its limitation, itself a kind see all the circumstances of ignorance, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorance. It could not be otherwise since our awareness of the world is born of life in a separative new light and surface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; can observe how they all tended without our knowledge of ourselves, though more direct, is stultified by its restriction to knowing it towards the surface growth of our beingand consciousness, by an ignorance of our true self, towards the true sources of our naturework we had to do, the true motive-forces of our action. It is quite evident towards some development that we know ourselves with had to be made,—not only a superficial knowledgewhat seemed good,—the sources of our consciousness and thought are a mystery; fortunate or successful but the true nature of our mindstruggles, emotionsfailures, sensations is a mystery; our cause of being and our end of beingdifficulties, the significance of our life and its activities are a mystery: this could not be if we had a real self-knowledge and a real world-knowledgeupheavals. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2129/knowledgethe-bydivine-identitygrace-and-separative-knowledgeguidance#p7p33</ref> == By Vigilance ==

One throws oneself out all the time; all the time one livescan be quiet, as it were, outside oneselfhappy, cheerful without being all that in such a superficial sensation light or shallow way—and the happiness need not bring any vital reaction. All that it you need to do is almost as though one were outside oneself. As soon as one wants even to observe oneself a littlebe observant and vigilant, control oneself a little, simply know what is happening, one is always obliged —watchful so that you may not give assent to draw back wrong movements or pull towards oneselfthe return of the old feelings, to pull inwards something which is constantly like thatdarkness, on the surfaceconfusion etc. And it is this surface thing which meets all external contactsNot fear, puts but vigilance. If you in touch remain vigilant, then with similar vibrations coming from others. That happens almost outside the increase of the Force upholding you, a power of self-control will come, a power to see and reject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when it comes. (The Mother, 20 June 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0831/20-june-1956fear#p49p12</ref>

As the surface mental entity moving from moment to moment, not observing his essential self but But you have only his relation to his experiences of the Time-movementobserve yourselves... you can observe yourself, in that movement keeping the future from himself in what appears to be catch yourself at least a hundred times a blank of Ignorance and non-existence but is an unrealised fullnessday, grasping knowledge and experience of being in the presentwith a mind which decides everything, putting it away in the past which again appears to be a blank of Ignorance and non-existence partly lightedknows everything, partly saved and stored up by memoryjudges everything, he puts on the aspect of a thing fleeting and uncertain seizing without stability upon things fleeting and uncertain. But in realityknows very well what is good, we shall findwhat bad, he what is always the same Eternal who is for ever stable and self-possessed in His supramental knowledge and true, what false, what he seizes on is right... And also for ever stable and eternal; for it is himself how one should act, what this person should have done, how to resolve that he is mentally experiencing in problem.... All men know, you see... If they were at the succession head of Timegovernments, for instance, they would know very well how to manage everything! But people don't listen to them. .. that's all! <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/06/21/memory-self-consciousness-and-thejuly-ignorance1954#p15p40</ref>

If we But a time comes when instead of doing things automatically, impelled by a consciousness and force of which one is quite unaware—a time comes when one can observe what goes on in oneself, study one's movements, find their causes, and at the same time begin to exercise a happeningcontrol first over what goes on within us, we judge and explain it then on the influence cast on us from outside which makes us act, in the result beginning altogether unconsciously and from a glimpse of its most external constituentsalmost involuntarily, circumstances or causesbut gradually more and more consciously; but each happening and the will can wake up and react. Then at that moment, the moment there is the outcome of a complex nexus conscious will capable of forces which we do not and cannot observereacting, because all forces are to us invisibleone may say,—but they are "I have become conscious." This does not invisible to the spiritual vision of the Infinite: some of them are actualities working to produce or occasion mean that it is a new actualitytotal and perfect consciousness, some are possibles it means that are near it is a beginning: for example, when one is able to observe all the pre-existent actuals reactions in one's being and in to have a way included in their aggregate; but there can intervene always new possibilities that suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves certain control over them, to the nexuslet those one approves of have play, and behind all are imperatives or an imperative which these possibilities are labouring to actualisecontrol, stop, annul those one doesn't approve of. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2108/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya28-prakritinovember-shakti1956#p7p19</ref>

= Self Observation in context of === Personality and Self-Observation == === Three Gunas and Self-Observation === In this progression the first step is a certain detached superiority to the three modes of Nature. The soul is inwardly separated and free from the lower Prakriti, not involved in its coils, indifferent and glad above it. Nature continues to act in the triple round of her ancient habits,—desire, grief and joy attack the heart, the instruments fall into inaction and obscurity and weariness, light and peace come back into the heart and mind and body; but the soul stands unchanged and untouched by these changes. Observing and unmoved by the grief and desire of the lower members, smiling at their joys and their strainings, regarding and unoverpowered by the failing and the darknesses of the thought and the wildness or the weaknesses of the heart and nerves, uncompelled and unattached to the mind's illuminations and its relief and sense of ease or of power in the return of light and gladness, it throws itself into none of these things, but waits unmoved for the intimations of a higher Will and the intuitions of a greater luminous knowledge. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-three-modes-of-nature#p13~</refcenter>

=== Parts and Planes Take one hour of the Being === Have you ever practised distinguishing what comes from your mindlife, what comes from your vital, what comes from your physical?... For it the one which is mixed up; it is mixed up in the outward appearance. If most convenient for you do not take care to distinguish, it makes a kind of soup, all and during that together. So it is indistinct and difficult to discover. But if you time observe yourself, after some time you see certain things, you feel them to be there, like that, as though they were in your skin; for some other things you feel you would have to go within yourself to find out from where they come; for other things, you have to go still further inside, or otherwise you have to rise up a little: it comes from unconsciousnessclosely and say only the absolutely indispensable words. And there are others; then you must go very deep, very deep to find out from where they come. This is just a beginning. (The Mother, 10 June 1953) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0503/10-june-1953anger#p31p15</ref>

To work for your perfection, the first step is to become conscious of yourself, of the different parts of your being and their respective activities. You must learn to distinguish these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin of the movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you to action. It is an assiduous study which demands much perseverance and sincerity. For man's nature, especially his mental nature, has == By Developing a spontaneous tendency to give a favourable explanation for everything he thinks, feels, says and does. It is only by observing these movements with great care, by bringing them, as it were, before the tribunal of our highest ideal, with a sincere will to submit to its judgment, that we can hope to form in ourselves a discernment that never errs. For if we truly want to progress and acquire the capacity of knowing the truth of our being, that is to say, what we are truly created for, what we can call our mission upon earth, then we must, in a very regular and constant manner, reject from us or eliminate in us whatever contradicts the truth of our existence, whatever is opposed to it. In this way, little by little, all the parts, all the elements of our being can be organised into a homogeneous whole around our psychic centre. This work of unification requires much time to be brought to some degree of perfection. Therefore, in order to accomplish it, we must arm ourselves with patience and endurance, with a determination to prolong our life as long as necessary for the success of our endeavour. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-science-of-living#p5</ref>Quiet Mind ==

….You may have a mental power of observation, a vital power of observation, a physical power of observation. When you observe ideas, for instance, the train of ideas, the logic of the ideas, it It is not altogether the same power of observation as only when you look at a friend doing athletics and see whether he is making his movements correctly or not. That is, the capacity of attention is there in both cases, but it works in a different field. It can't be said that it is one part of the being observing the others; it is the faculty of observation developing in each part of the being—that is, the faculty of concentration and attention. For the capacity of observation must not be confused with the capacity of discernment. Discernment is an intellectual capacity. Something like a judgment already enters into it, what we call "discrimination": you can distinguish between follow the origin yogic process of one thing and of another, and quieting the reciprocal value of these things. But mind itself that ought to be founded on a correct observation. The power profounder result of our self-observation comes first, discernment followsbecomes possible. (The Mother, 27 January 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0621/27indeterminates-januarycosmic-determinations-and-the-1954indeterminable#p34p12</ref>

For a larger mental being is there within us, a larger inner vital being, even a larger inner subtle-physical being other than our surface body-consciousness, and by entering into this or becoming it, identifying ourselves with it, we can observe the springs of our thoughts and feelings, the sources and motives of our action, the operative energies that build up our surface personality. For we discover and can know the inner being that secretly thinks and perceives in us, the vital being that secretly feels and acts upon life through us, the subtle-physical being that secretly receives and responds to the contacts of things through our body and its organs. Our surface thought, feeling, emotion is a complexity and confusion of impulsions from within and impacts from outside us; our reason, our organising intelligence can impose on it only an imperfect order: but here within we find the separate sources of our mental, our vital and our physical energisms and can see clearly the pure operations, the distinct powers, the composing elements of each and their interplay in a clear light of self-vision. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledge#p12~</refcenter>

There is a state of being experienced in Yoga in which we become a double consciousnessA quiet mind does not mean that there will be no thoughts or mental movements at all, one but that these will be on the surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by thoughts and feelings, grief and joy and all kinds of reactions, the other you will feel your true being within calm, vast, equalseparate from them, observing the surface being with an immovable detachment or indulgence or, it may bebut not carried away, acting upon its agitation able to quiet, enlarge, transform it. So too we can rise to a consciousness above watch and observe the various parts of our being, inner judge them and outer, mental, vital and physical and the subconscient below reject all, and act upon one or other or the whole from that higher status. It is possible also has to go down from that height or from any height into any of these lower states be rejected and take its limited light or its obscurity as our place of working while the rest that we are is either temporarily put away or put behind or else kept as a field of reference from which we can get support, sanction or light to accept and influence or as a status into which we can ascend or recede and from it observe the inferior movements. Or we can plunge into trance, get within ourselves and be conscious there while keep to all outward things are excluded; or we can go beyond even this inner awareness and lose ourselves in some deeper other consciousness or some high superconscience. There that is also a pervading equal true consciousness into which we can enter and see all ourselves with one enveloping glance or omnipresent awareness one and indivisibletrue experience. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2129/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakriti-shaktipeace#p23p10</ref>

It is difficult to say generally what is conscious; There are four movements which are usually consecutive, but naturally, if something observes, it is always the "witness" element which in this part—in each part of the being there end may be simultaneous: to observe one's thoughts is something which is a "witness"the first, which looks on. There to watch over one's thoughts is even a physical witness which can get very much in the way; for instancesecond, if it watches you playing, this can paralyse you considerably. There to control one's thoughts is also a vital witness which looks at you, sees your desires the third and enjoys highly all that happens; it acts also as a brake. There to master one's thoughts is the mental witness which judges ideasfourth. To observe, which saysto watch over, "This idea contradicts this other"to control, and which arranges everything. Then there is the great psychic Witness, who is the inner divinityto master. (The Mother, 22 March 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0403/22-marchconjugate-1951verses#p6p7</ref>

Sometimes there is no relation among these different witnesses—there ought to be, but it is not always there. But if there is in the being a will to become perfect, the relation is established quite quickly; one can refer to another and finally, if there is a sufficient sincerity, sufficient concentration, you come to the supreme inner Witness who can judge all things. But generally it may be said that it is always a part of the mind, more or less enlightened, in a little closer contact with the inner being, which observes and judges. (The Mother, 22 March 1951) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/22-march-1951#p7~</refcenter>

A man with What happens usually is that something touches the vital, often without one's knowing it, and brings up the old ordinary or external consciousness in such a very developed introspective mind often identifies himself with way that the witness part of his inner mind gets covered up and observes his own all the old thoughts and studies their naturefeelings return for a time. That It is a beginning which makes it easy for the full detachment to comephysical mind that becomes active and gives its assent. For others it is less easyIf the whole mind remains quiet and detached observing the vital movement, but not giving its assent, then to reject it can be done by allbecomes more easy. This established quietude and detachment of the mind marks always a great step forward made in the sadhana. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3031/innerthe-detachmentvital-and-theother-levels-witnessof-attitudebeing#pp45</ref>

You have to become conscious—that is to say, there must be something in you which is not carried away by thoughts and feelings, but looks at them and observes how they work and how they affect you. The part that observes and knows is called the Witness sākṣī in man. It is always possible to develop this in oneself. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/inner-detachment-and-the-witness-attitude#p25~</refcenter>

...behind there is the psychic which supports the development, the growth of the being and gives this continuity of consciousness, makes one feel that he is the same being even while being absolutely different, absolutely different. If later one observes himself sufficiently, he can see that the things he understood and could do at that time are things which seem to him absolutely inconceivable now, and that he could never do a similar thing because he is no longer that person at all. And yet, because within there was the psychic consciousness which is immortal, one has the feeling that it is always the same being which was there and continues to be there and will continue to be there with more or less progressive and more or less conscious changes. (The Mother, 29 June 1955) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/29-june-1955#p28~</refcenter>

The ordinary mind knows itself only as It is really an ego with all the movements of the nature in a jumble inner silence that is needed—a something silent within that looks at outer talk andaction but feels it as something superficial, identifying not as itself with these movements, thinks "I am doing this, feeling that, thinking, in joy or in sorrow etc." The first beginning of real self-knowledge and is when you feel yourself separate from the nature in you quite indifferent and its movements and then you see that there are many parts of your being, many personalities each acting on its own behalf and in its own wayuntouched by it. The two different beings you feel are—one, the psychic being which draws you towards the Mother, the other the external being mostly vital which draws you outward It can bring forces to support speech and downwards towards the play of the lower nature. There is also in you behind the mind the being who observes, the witness Purusha, who action or it can stand detached from the play of the nature, observing stop them by withdrawal or it can let them go on and able to chooseobserve without being involved or moved. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2831/thespeech-psychicand-beingyoga#p84p76</ref>

The actions are of importance only as expressing what is in the nature. You have to be conscious of whatever in your actions is not in harmony with the Yoga and to get rid of it. But for that what is needed is your own consciousness, the psychic, observing from within and throwing off what is seen to be undesirable. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/work-and-yoga#p45~</refcenter>

The mental being within watchesYou must be able to silence your head absolutely and be completely detached, not to have (for example, when you are looking for the solution of a problem), observes and passes judgment on all not to have already in your head the solution that happens in seems to youright or the best or most profitable. The psychic does That must not watch and observe in this way be there. You must become absolutely like a witnessblank paper, but with nothing on it feels and knows spontaneously . And you proceed in that way, with a much more direct and luminous way by the very purity of its own nature and sincere aspiration to know the divine instinct within ittruth, and so, whenever without assuming beforehand that it comes to will be like this or like that; because otherwise you will see only your own formation. The very first condition is that the front it reveals at once what are the right and what head must keep completely silent during the wrong movements in your naturetime one is observing. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2805/the-jivatman-in-the30-integralseptember-yoga1953#p40p13</ref>

Gradually, as To silence the action mind it is prolonged and the outer being begins not enough to assimilate this actionthrow back each thought as it comes, there awakens that can only be a capacity of observationsubordinate movement. One must get back from all thought and be separate from it, first in a silent consciousness observing the mental consciousnessthoughts if they come, and a kind of objectivisation occurs: something in but not oneself thinking or identified with the mind looks on, observes and translates in its own waythoughts. This is what you call understanding, and this is what gives you the impression (smiling) that you are having an experienceThoughts must be felt as outside things altogether. But that It is already considerably diminished in comparison with the experience itself, it is a transcription adapted then easier to your mental, vital and physical dimension, that is, something that is shrunken, hardened—and it gives you at reject thoughts or let them pass without their disturbing the same time quietude of the impression that it is growing clearer; that is to say, it has become as limited as your understandingmind. (The Mother, 31 October 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0831/31interactions-with-others-and-the-practice-octoberof-1956yoga#p19p99</ref>

...We have in all functionings of == By Developing the mentality four elements, the object of mental consciousness, the act of mental consciousness, the occasion and the subject. In the self-experience of the self-observing inner being, the object is always some state or movement or wave of the conscious being, anger, grief or other emotion, hunger or other vital craving, impulse or inner life reaction or some form of sensation, perception or thought activity. The act is some kind of mental observation and conceptual valuation of this movement or wave or else a mental sensation of it in which observation and valuation may be involved and even lost,—so that in this act the mental person may either separate the act and the object by a distinguishing perception or confuse them together indistinguishably. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/memory-ego-and-self-experience#p5</ref>Witness Attitude ==

So the man of real merit Have you never felt this? As though you were a little behind or the more civilised man has a whole mental construction to which he must conform in order to be in harmony with the ideal of the environment in which he lives. But above things, and were looking at them taking place but were not doing anything yourself? Witness means an observer, someone who looks on and does not conform at least to act himself. So, when the smallest part of mind is very quiet, one can withdraw a little in this construction would be considered way from circumstances and look at things as though he were a witness, a savage spectator, and would be thrown out of not participating in the society immediatelyaction himself. In factThis gives you a great detachment, a great quietude, people who are criminals or half-mad are those who obey their impulses without any mental control. There isn't and also a single person among you who gives way without control to all very precise sense of the impulses that get hold value of himthings, because it cuts the attachment to action. You have only When you know how to observe yourselves livingdo this with yourself, when you spend your time sayingcan withdraw and watch yourself acting, "Noyou learn many things about yourself. When you are all mixed up and take part in the action, this I canyou do not observe yourself acting, you don't do"know what you are like. But when you draw back and look at yourself, or "This I you can", or in restraining one movement or encouraging another. This is mental controlperceive many imperfections which you wouldn't have seen otherwise. (The Mother, 15 September 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/1513-septemberoctober-1954#p9p2</ref>

What happens usually is that something touches the vital, A man with a very developed introspective mind often without one's knowing it, and brings up identifies himself with the old ordinary or external consciousness in such a way that the inner witness part of his mind gets covered up and all the old observes his own thoughts and feelings return for a timestudies their nature. It That is a beginning which makes it easy for the physical mind that becomes active and gives its assentfull detachment to come. If the whole mind remains quiet and detached observing the vital movementFor others it is less easy, but not giving its assent, then to reject it becomes more easy. This established quietude and detachment of the mind marks always a great step forward made in the sadhanacan be done by all. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3130/theinner-vitaldetachment-and-other-levelsthe-ofwitness-beingattitude#p45p</ref> <center>~</center>

After each crisis You have to become conscious—that is to say, there must be something in you which is something gainednot carried away by thoughts and feelings, if there has been a victory but looks at them and observes how they work and rejectionhow they affect you. The gain part that observes and knows is to externalise called the vital disturbance, so that even if it returns it will be felt so much an outside force that the observing consciousness (mental, higher vital) cannot be disturbedWitness sākṣī in man. If you keep that, it will be an immense advanceIt is always possible to develop this in oneself. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3130/wronginner-movementsdetachment-ofand-the-vitalwitness-attitude#p68p25</ref>

=== Physical By Sincerity and Self-Observation =Impartiality ==

One can prepare the body through a series of observations, studies, understandings,by showing it examples, making it understand things For that you must be absolutely sincere and impartial. You must observe yourself as one makes if you were observing and criticising a child understand them, either by observing its own movements―but generally, in third person. You must not start with an idea that this, one is comparatively blind!―or by observing those of others. And in a more general wayyour life's mission, this preparation will be based on recognised studiesis your particular capacity, on clear facts. Like this, for instance: you are to do or that a certain number of personsyou are to do, placed in exactly similar circumstancesthis lies your talent or genius, experience, each one of them, very different effectsetc. That will carry you away from the right track. One may go even further: in a given set It is not the liking or disliking of definite circumstancesyour external being, there is a certain number your mental or vital or physical choice that determines the true line of particularyour growth. Nor should you take up the opposite attitude and say, definite individuals"I am good for nothing in this matter, I am useless in apparently quite identical conditionsthat one; it is not for me." Neither vanity and arrogance nor self-depreciation and false modesty should move you. As I said, you must be absolutely impartial and for some unconcerned. You should be like a mirror that reflects the effects are catastrophic, while others escape without any harmtruth and does not judge. (The Mother, 4 July 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0815/412-julynovember-19561952#p15p6</ref>

If it is an inert tamasic passivity subject to any influence and unable to react, then it is subjection to Nature. If it is a sattwic passivity of the Witness observing and understanding the movements of Nature, then it is an intermediate condition, often necessary for knowledge. If it is a luminous passivity open to the Divine, shut to all other influences, then it is not subjection to Nature but surrender to the Divine. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/difficulties-of-the-physical-nature#p24~</refcenter>

For the giddinessIf you observe yourself, it may be you will see that in concentration as soon as you do something which disturbs you go partly out of your body; thena little, if the mind immediately gives you get up and move before the whole consciousness has come back, there a favourable reason to justify yourself—this mind is just such a giddiness as you describecapable of gilding everything. You can observe in future and see whether In these conditions it is not this that happensdifficult to know oneself. One has must be absolutely sincere to be careful not able to move after deep concentration or trance, till there is do it and to see clearly into all the full consciousness in little falsehoods of the bodymental being. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3104/difficulties-of-the15-physicaljanuary-nature1951#p59p3</ref>

== Consciousness and Self-Observation By Becoming Aware of Desire ==

Your consciousness becomes For that you must observe yourself very, very attentively, and if there is anything in you which produces something like a screen small intense vibration, then you may be sure that there lies a desire. For example, you say, "This food is necessary for me"—you believe, you imagine, you think that you need such and such a thing and you find the necessary means to obtain the thing. To know if it is a need or mirror; but this a desire, you must look at yourself very closely and ask yourself, "What will happen if I cannot get the thing?" Then if the immediate answer is when , "Oh, it will be very bad", you are in may be sure that it is a state matter of contemplationdesire. It is the same for everything. For every problem you draw back, look at yourself and ask, "Let us see, a mere observer; when am I going to have the thing?" If at that moment something in you are activejumps up with joy, it you may be certain there is like a searchlightdesire. You have only to turn it onOn the other hand, if something tells you want , "Oh, I am not going to see luminously get it", and examine penetratingly anything in any placeyou feel very depressed, then again it is a desire. (The Mother, 30 June 1929) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0304/3025-junejanuary-19291951#p7p3</ref>

However, if one observes things a little deeply, one perceives that there is progress, that things become better and better, though apparently they do not improve. And for a consciousness seated a little higher, it is quite evident that all evil—at least what we call evil—all falsehood, all that is contrary to the Truth, all suffering, all opposition is the result of a disequilibrium. I believe that one who is habituated to seeing things from this higher plane sees immediately that it is like that. (The Mother, 8 January 1951) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/8-january-1951#p13~</refcenter>

There are two centres or parts of the consciousness—one is a witnessIf you observe yourself attentively, sākṣī, and observes, the other consciousness is active and it is this active consciousness you will see that before acting you felt going down deep into the vital being. If your mind had not become activeneed an inner impetus, something which pushes you would have known where it went and what it went there to experience or do. When there In the ordinary man this impetus is an experiencegenerally desire. This desire ought to be replaced by a clear, you should not begin to think about itprecise, for that is constant vision of no use at all and it only stops the experience—you should remain silent, observe and let it go on to its endTruth. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3004/suggestions-for-dealing21-withdecember-experiences1950#p8p7</ref>

At a certain stage ==By Education of the sadhana, in the beginning (or near it) of the more intense experiences, it sometimes happens that there is the intense realisation of some aspect of the Divine, a sort of communion with it, and that is seen everywhere and all as that. It is a transitory phase and afterwards one gets the larger experience of the Divine in all its aspects and beyond all aspects. Throughout the experience there should be one part of the being that observes and understands—for sometimes ignorant sadhaks are carried away by their experience and stop short there or fall into extravagance. It must be taken as an experience through which you are passing. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/suggestions-for-dealing-with-experiences#p10</ref>Senses==

== Thoughts But it is through sensations that you learn: by seeing, observing, hearing. Classes develop your sensations, studies develop your sensations, the mind receives things through sensations. By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided; if you learn to see well, exactly, precisely; if you learn to hear well; if you learn through touch to know the nature of things; if you learn through the see of smell to distinguish between different odours—all these are a powerful means of education. In fact, they should be used for this, as instruments of observation, control and Selfknowledge. If one is sufficiently developed, one can know the nature of things through sight; through the see of smell one may also know the value, the different nature of things; by touch one can recognise things. It is a question of education; that is, one must work for it. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-Observation ==march-1954#p13</ref>

Thoughts are not the essence of mind-being, they are only an activity of mental nature; if that activity ceases, what appears then as a thought-free existence that manifests in its place is not a blank or void but something very real, substantial, concrete we may say—a mental being that extends itself widely and can be its own field of existence silent or active as well as the Witness, Knower, Master of that field and its action. Some feel it first as a void, but that is because their observation is untrained and insufficient and loss of activity gives them the sense of blank; an emptiness there is, but it is an emptiness of the ordinary activities, not a blank of existence. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/three-experiences-of-the-inner-being#p3~</refcenter>

It is only graduallyThe child must be taught to observe, very slowly, through the movements of life to note his reactions and a more or less careful impulses and thorough education that you begin to have sensations which are personal to youtheir causes, feelings and ideas which are personal to you. An individualised mind is something extremely rarebecome a discerning witness of his desires, which comes only after a long education; otherwise it is a kind his movements of thought-current passing through your brain violence and then through another's and then through a multitude passion, his instincts of other brains, possession and all this is in perpetual movement appropriation and has no individuality. One thinks what others are thinking, others think what still others are thinking, domination and everybody thinks like that in a great mixture, because these are currents, vibrations the background of thought passing from one to another. If you look at yourself attentively, you will very quickly become aware that very few thoughts in you are personal. Where do you draw vanity which supports them from?—From what you have heard, from what you have readtogether with their counterparts of weakness, what you have been taughtdiscouragement, depression and how many of these thoughts you have are the result of your own experience, your own reflection, your purely personal observation?—Not manydespair. (The Mother, 20 February 1957) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0912/20vital-february-1957education#p6p14</ref>

To observe your thoughts, you must first of all separate yourself from them. In the ordinary state, the ordinary man does not distinguish himself from his thoughts. He does not even know that he thinks. He thinks by habit. And if he is asked all of a sudden, "What are you thinking of?", he knows nothing about it. That is to say, ninety-five times out of a hundred he will answer, "I do not know." There is a complete identification between the movement of thought and the consciousness of the being. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/conjugate-verses#p12~</refcenter>

The indispensable starting-point is a detailed and discerning observation of the character to be transformed.In most cases, that itself is a difficult and often a very baffling task.But there is one fact which the old traditions knew and which can serve as the clue in the labyrinth of inner discovery.when undesirable thoughts comeIt is that everyone possesses in a large measure, if you look at themand the exceptional individual in an increasing degree of precision, observe themtwo opposite tendencies of character, if you take pleasure in following them almost equal proportions, which are like the light and the shadow of the same thing. Thus someone who has the capacity of being exceptionally generous will suddenly find an obstinate avarice rising up in their movementshis nature, they the courageous man will never stop coming. It is be a coward in some part of his being and the same thing when you good man will suddenly have undesirable feelings or sensation: if you pay attention wicked impulses. In this way life seems to themendow everyone not only with the possibility of expressing an ideal, concentrate on them or even look at them but also with contrary elements representing in a concrete manner the battle he has to wage and the victory he has to win for the realisation to become possible. Consequently, all life is an education pursued more or less consciously, more or less willingly. In certain indulgencecases this education will encourage the movements that express the light, they in others, on the contrary, those that express the shadow. If the circumstances and the environment are favourable, the light will grow at the expense of the shadow; otherwise the opposite will never stophappen. But if you absolutely refuse And in this way the individual's character will crystallise according to receive the whims of Nature and express themthe determinisms of material and vital life, after some unless a higher element comes in in time they stop, a conscious will which, refusing to allow Nature to follow her whimsical ways, will replace them by a logical and clear-sighted discipline. You must be patient and very persistentThis conscious will is what we mean by a rational method of education. (The Mother, 22 September 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0612/22-septembervital-1954education#p19p6</ref>

Most people—and not only those who are uneducated but even the well-read—can have the most contradictory, the most opposite ideas in their heads without even being aware of the contradictions….And if you observe yourself, you will see that you have many ideas which ought == How to be linked by a sequence of intermediate ideas which are the result of a considerable widening of the thought if they are not to coexist in an absurd way. (The Mother, 20 February 1957) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/20-february-1957#p8</ref>Observe Thoughts==

When one practises Yoga and observes <center>~</center> Thoughts are not the thoughtsessence of mind-being, one sees that they come from outside, from universal Nature, from the are only an activity of mentalnature; if that activity ceases, vital or subtle physical worlds etc. The proper thing what appears then as a thought-free existence that manifests in its place is then to stand back from these thoughts, voices not a blank or suggestionsvoid but something very real, to reject them or else control themsubstantial, to make the mind free concrete we may say—a mental being that extends itself widely and quiet and open only to can be its own field of existence silent or active as well as the divine lightWitness, forceKnower, Master of that field and its action. Some feel it first as a void, knowledge but that is because their observation is untrained and insufficient and loss of activity gives them the presence sense of the Divine….Aspireblank; an emptiness there is, get into contact with but it is an emptiness of the Light and the true Forceordinary activities, reassert your will to reject these suggestions and voices. Do not take interest in these voices, keep the mind quieta blank of existence. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3130/thoughtthree-experiences-of-the-andinner-knowledgebeing#p5p3</ref>

This sensational thought-mind which It is based upon senseonly gradually, memoryvery slowly, associationthrough the movements of life and a more or less careful and thorough education that you begin to have sensations which are personal to you, first ideas feelings and resultant generalisations or secondary ideas, is common which are personal to all developed animal life and mentality…you.The intelligence and will of the animal are involved in the sense-An individualised mind and therefore altogether governed by it and carried on its stream of sensationsis something extremely rare, sense-perceptions, impulseswhich comes only after a long education; otherwise it is instinctive. Man is able to use a reason kind of thought-current passing through your brain and will, then through another's and then through a self-observingmultitude of other brains, thinking and all-observing, an intelligently willing mind which this is in perpetual movement and has no longer involved in the sense-mindindividuality. One thinks what others are thinking, others think what still others are thinking, but acts from above and behind it everybody thinks like that in its own righta great mixture, because these are currents, with a certain separateness and freedomvibrations of thought passing from one to another. He is reflectiveIf you look at yourself attentively, has a certain relative freedom of intelligent you willvery quickly become aware that very few thoughts in you are personal. He has liberated in himself Where do you draw them from?—From what you have heard, from what you have read, what you have been taught, and has formed into a separate power how many of these thoughts you have are the buddhiresult of your own experience, your own reflection, your purely personal observation?—Not many. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2409/purification-intelligence20-andfebruary-will1957#p4p6</ref>

….But it is through sensations that you learn: by seeing, observing, hearing. Classes develop your sensations, studies develop your sensations, the mind receives things through sensations. By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided; if you learn to see well, exactly, precisely; if you learn to hear well; if you learn through touch to know the nature of things; if you learn through the see of smell to distinguish between different odours—all these are a powerful means of education. In fact, they should be used for this, as instruments of observation, control and knowledge. If one is sufficiently developed, one can know the nature of things through sight; through the see of smell one may also know the value, the different nature of things; by touch one can recognise things. It is a question of education; that is, one must work for it. (The Mother, 31 March 1954) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-march-1954#p13~</refcenter>

== Education When one practises Yoga and observes the thoughts, one sees that they come from outside, from universal Nature, from the mental, vital or subtle physical worlds etc. The proper thing is then to stand back from these thoughts, voices or suggestions, to reject them or else control them, to make the mind free and quiet and open only to the divine light, force, knowledge and the presence of the Divine. ...Aspire, get into contact with the Light and the true Force, reassert your will to reject these suggestions and voices. Do not take interest in these voices, keep the mind quiet. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/thought-and Self-Observation ==knowledge#p5</ref>

The indispensable starting-point is a detailed and discerning observation of the character to be transformed. In most cases, that itself is a difficult and often a very baffling task. But there is one fact which the old traditions knew and which can serve as the clue in the labyrinth of inner discovery. It is that everyone possesses in a large measure, and the exceptional individual in an increasing degree of precision, two opposite tendencies of character, in almost equal proportions, which are like the light and the shadow of the same thing. Thus someone who has the capacity of being exceptionally generous will suddenly find an obstinate avarice rising up in his nature, the courageous man will be a coward in some part of his being and the good man will suddenly have wicked impulses. In this way life seems to endow everyone not only with the possibility of expressing an ideal, but also with contrary elements representing in a concrete manner the battle he has to wage and the victory he has to win for the realisation to become possible. Consequently, all life is an education pursued more or less consciously, more or less willingly. In certain cases this education will encourage the movements that express the light, in others, on the contrary, those that express the shadow. If the circumstances and the environment are favourable, the light will grow at the expense of the shadow; otherwise the opposite will happen. And in this way the individual's character will crystallise according to the whims of Nature and the determinisms of material and vital life, unless a higher element comes in in time, a conscious will which, refusing to allow Nature to follow her whimsical ways, will replace them by a logical and clear-sighted discipline. This conscious will is what we mean by a rational method of education. <ref>http://incarnateword.=Difficulties in/cwm/12/vitalSelf-education#p6</ref>Observation=

..The child must be taught to observe, to note his reactions and impulses and their causes, to become a discerning witness ==Danger of his desires, his movements of violence and passion, his instincts of possession and appropriation and domination and the background of vanity which supports them, together with their counterparts of weakness, discouragement, depression and despair. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/vital-education#p14</ref>Ego==

= Results But to begin with, how many times, if one thinks, if one quite simply observes oneself, does one catch oneself saying, "It is I!" And, then, one congratulates oneself sometimes, one says, "After all I can do something, I am capable!" I am going further: how many people would be capable of Selfdoing anything at all if simply deprived of the pleasure of being able to tell themselves, "I have done this, I have realised that, I have made a progress, how well I played this game"? How many people would be able to sincerely do something if this pleasure were taken away? I have known individuals whose mind was much more developed than the rest of the being, they had understood very well (almost too well); they sat down to meditate and all their energy was gone, all vitality evaporated into a kind of peace, not unpleasant, but very still. There is no more need to do anything, no longer any need to move, one dreams. ...Under a tree, arms crossed, one leaves the Divine to do everything for oneself, including feeding you if you need it. This is perhaps very well, but this shows that the instrument is not ready; it is not really at the service of the Divine, it is at the service of the ego, and when the ego is taken away, it does nothing any longer. Therefore, so long as one lives in the ego this illusion is necessary to make you act; it is necessary to keep up action until one is completely transformed or, in any case, till the true consciousness is established. (The Mother, 5 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/5-april-Observation =1951#p14</ref>

If you observe yourself attentively, you will see that before acting you need an inner impetus, something which pushes you. In the ordinary man this impetus is generally desire. This desire ought to be replaced by a clear, precise, constant vision of the Truth. (The Mother, 21 December 1950) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/21-december-1950#p7~</refcenter>

If you observe yourself, you will see that as soon as ...if you do something which disturbs you a littleyour tapasya, all the mind immediately gives you a favourable reason to justify yourself—this mind is capable of gilding everything. In these conditions time observing yourself doing it and telling yourself, "Am I making any progress, is difficult this going to know oneself. One must be absolutely sincere better, am I going to be able to do succeed?", then it is your ego, you know, which becomes more and to see clearly into all more enormous and occupies the little falsehoods of the mental beingwhole place, and there is no room for anything else. (The Mother, 15 January 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/1526-januaryapril-1951#p3p35</ref>

= Difficulties during SelfConstantly man rushes into external action in order not to have time to observe himself and how he lives. For him this is expressed by the desire to escape from boredom. Indeed, for some people it is much more tiresome to remain quiet—seated, or to be still. So for them it represents an escape from boredom: to make a lot of noise, to commit many stupidities, and become terribly restless; it is their way of escaping boredom. And when they sit quietly and look at themselves, they are bored. Perhaps because they are boring. That's very likely. The more boring one is, the more one is bored. Very interesting people usually are not bored. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/26-Observation =january-1955#p14</ref>

== Danger of Focusing on the Ego Negative==

But to begin with, how many times, if one thinks, if one quite simply observes oneself, does one catch oneself saying, "It is I!" And, then, one congratulates oneself sometimes, one says, "After all I can do something, I am capable!" I am going further: how many people would To be capable of doing anything at all if simply deprived of always observing faults and wrong movements brings depression and discourages the pleasure of being able faith. Turn your eyes more to tell themselves, "I have done this, I have realised that, I have made a progress, how well I played this game"? How many people would be able to sincerely do something if this pleasure were taken away? I have known individuals whose mind was much more developed than the rest of the being, they had understood very well (almost too well); they sat down to meditate coming Light and all their energy was gone, all vitality evaporated into a kind of peace, not unpleasant, but very still. There is no more need less to do anything, no longer any need to move, one dreamsimmediate darkness.... Under a treeFaith, arms crossedcheerfulness, one leaves confidence in the Divine to do everything for oneself, including feeding you if you need it. This is perhaps very well, but this shows ultimate victory are the things that the instrument is not ready; it is not really at the service of the Divinehelp, it is at —they make the service of the ego, progress easier and when the ego is taken away, it does nothing any longerswifter. Therefore, so long as one lives in the ego this illusion is necessary to make you act; it is necessary to keep up action until one is completely transformed or, in any case, till the true consciousness is established. (The Mother, 5 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0431/5steps-towards-aprilovercoming-1951difficulties#p14p28</ref>

...if you do your tapasya, all the time observing yourself doing it and telling yourself, "Am I making any progress, is this going to be better, am I going to succeed?", then it is your ego, you know, which becomes more and more enormous and occupies the whole place, and there is no room for anything else. (The Mother, 26 April 1951) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/26-april-1951#p35~</refcenter>

Do not be over-eager for experience,—for experiences you can always get, having once broken the barrier between the physical mind and the subtle planes. What you have to aspire for most is the improved quality of the recipient consciousness in you—discrimination in the mind, the unattached impersonal Witness look on all that goes on in you and around you, purity in the vital, calm equanimity, enduring patience, absence of pride and the sense of greatness—and more especially, the development of the psychic being in you—surrender, self-giving, psychic humility, devotion... a sufficient foundation and a consciousness always self-observant, vigilant and growing in these things is indispensable—for perfect purification is the basis of the perfect siddhi. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/the-danger-of-the-ego-and-the-need-of-purification#p14</ref>

== Escape attitude ==<center>~</center> To become conscious of what is to be changed in the nature is the first step towards changing it. But one must observe these things without being despondent or thinking "it is hopeless" or "I cannot change". You do right to be confident that the change will come. For nothing is impossible in the nature if the psychic being is awake and leading you with the Mother's consciousness and force behind it and working in you. This is now happening. Be sure that all will be done. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/speech-and-yoga#p53</ref>

Constantly man rushes into external action in order not to have time to observe himself and how he lives. For him this is expressed by the desire to escape from boredom. Indeed, for some people it is much more tiresome to remain quiet—seated, or to be still. So for them it represents an escape from boredom: to make a lot of noise, to commit many stupidities, and become terribly restless; it is their way of escaping boredom. And when they sit quietly and look at themselves, they are bored. Perhaps because they are boring. That's very likely. The more boring one is, the more one is bored. Very interesting people usually are not bored. (The Mother, 26 January 1955) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/26-january-1955#p14~</refcenter>

== Focusing on Despair and despondency are always wrong. If you make a mistake, quietly observe it and correct the Negative ==tendency next time. Even if the mistake recurs often, you have only to persevere quietly—remembering that nature cannot be changed in a day. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/depression-and-despondency#p67</ref>

To be always observing faults and wrong movements brings depression and discourages the faith. Turn your eyes more to the coming Light and less to any immediate darkness. Faith, cheerfulness, confidence in the ultimate victory are the things that help,—they make the progress easier and swifter. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/steps-towards-overcoming-difficulties#p28~</refcenter>

If you had [Based on Aphorism 7—What men call knowledge is the reasoned acceptance of false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the veil and sees. Reason divides, fixes details and contrasts them; Wisdom unifies, marries contrasts in a single harmony].<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/10/aphorism-7#p3</ref> <center>~</center> It is evident that observation (from our state on the inner spiritualsurface is indeed a state of knowledge, so far as it goes, not the outer intellectual but a limited knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance and ethical viewpoint), then it would be comparatively easy for you to get out a very large extent, by reason of its limitation, itself a kind of your difficulties; for instance you would find ignorance, at once where this irrational impulse to flee away came from best a mixed knowledge-ignorance. It could not be otherwise since our awareness of the world is born of a separative and it would not have any hold upon you. Of coursesurface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; our knowledge of ourselves, though more direct, all that can only be done is stultified by its restriction to the best effect when you stand back from surface of our being, by an ignorance of our true self, the play true sources of your our nature and become , the Witnesstrue motive-Control or the Spectator-Actor Managerforces of our action. But It is quite evident that we know ourselves with only a superficial knowledge,—the sources of our consciousness and thought are a mystery; the true nature of our mind, emotions, sensations is what happens when you take a mystery; our cause of being and our end of being, the significance of our life and its activities are a mystery: this kind of could not be if we had a real self-seeing postureknowledge and a real world-knowledge. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3121/mentalknowledge-by-difficultiesidentity-and-the-need-ofseparative-quietudeknowledge#p23p7</ref> <center>~</center>

= Other fields of SelfOne throws oneself out all the time; all the time one lives, as it were, outside oneself, in such a superficial sensation that it is almost as though one were outside oneself. As soon as one wants even to observe oneself a little, control oneself a little, simply know what is happening, one is always obliged to draw back or pull towards oneself, to pull inwards something which is constantly like that, on the surface. And it is this surface thing which meets all external contacts, puts you in touch with similar vibrations coming from others. That happens almost outside you. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/20-Observation =june-1956#p49</ref>

== Meditation =Self Observation - Exploring Realms of Consciousness=

... when Man is a type among many types so constructed, one comes out pattern among the multitude of meditationpatterns in the manifestation in Matter. He is the most complex that has been created, some time later—usually not immediately—from within the being something new emerges richest in content of consciousness and the curious ingeniousness of his building; he is the consciousness: a new understandinghead of the earthly creation, but he does not exceed it…. If there is a new appreciation of thingsperfection to which he has to arrive, it must be a new attitude perfection in life—in shorthis own kind, a new way within his own law of being. This may be fugitive, but at that moment, if one observes —the full play of it, one finds that something has taken one step forward on the path but by observation of understanding or transformationits mode and measure, not by transcendence. It may be an illuminationTo exceed himself, an understanding truer or closer to grow into the truthsuperman, or a power to put on the nature and capacities of transformation which helps you to achieve a psychological progress or god would be a widening contradiction of the consciousness or a greater control over your movementshis self-law, over the activities of the beingimpracticable and impossible. (The Mother , 5 June 1957) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0922/5man-and-junethe-1957evolution#p20p8</ref>

The mind is always in activity, but we do not observe fully what it is doing, but allow ourselves to be carried away in the stream of continual thinking. When we try to concentrate, this stream of self-moved mechanical thinking becomes prominent to our observation. It is the first normal obstacle (the other is sleep during meditation) to the effort towards Yoga. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/concentration-and-meditation#p30~</refcenter>

Now the procedure to deal with dreams and the dreamland. First become conscious—conscious of your dreams. Observe the relation between them and the happenings of your waking hours. If you remember your night, you will be able to trace back very often the condition of your day to the condition of your night. In sleep some action or other is always going on in your mental or vital or other plane; things happen there and they govern your waking consciousness. (The Mother, 21 April 1929) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/21-april-1929#p6~</refcenter>

It There is a tremendous field state of observation—there is no end to the discoveries you can make being experienced in Yoga in your dreams. But there is which we become a double consciousness, one important point: you must not go on the surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by thoughts and feelings, grief and joy and all kinds of reactions, the other within calm, vast, equal, observing the surface being with an immovable detachment or indulgence or, it may be, acting upon its agitation to sleep when you are very tiredquiet, for if you doenlarge, you fall into transform it. So too we can rise to a sort consciousness above and observe the various parts of unconsciousness in which dreams do whatever they like with youour being, inner and outer, mental, vital and physical and the subconscient below all, and you have no reactionact upon one or other or the whole from that higher status. Just It is possible also to go down from that height or from any height into any of these lower states and take its limited light or its obscurity as I said our place of working while the rest that you should not eat without having taken restwe are is either temporarily put away or put behind or else kept as a field of reference from which we can get support, I would advise everyone to rest before going to sleepsanction or light and influence or as a status into which we can ascend or recede and from it observe the inferior movements. And for thatOr we can plunge into trance, you must know how to restget within ourselves and be conscious there while all outward things are excluded; or we can go beyond even this inner awareness and lose ourselves in some deeper other consciousness or some high superconscience. There is also a pervading equal consciousness into which we can enter and see all ourselves with one enveloping glance or omnipresent awareness one and indivisible. (The Mother, 1 February 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/1521/1brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-februaryprakriti-1951shakti#p14p23</ref>

As <center>~</center> In this progression the first step is a certain detached superiority to the inner consciousness grows by sadhanathree modes of Nature. The soul is inwardly separated and free from the lower Prakriti, not involved in its coils, these dream experiences increase indifferent and glad above it. Nature continues to act in numberthe triple round of her ancient habits, clearness—desire, coherencegrief and joy attack the heart, accuracy the instruments fall into inaction and after some growth of experience obscurity and consciousness, we can, if we observeweariness, light and peace come to understand them back into the heart and mind and body; but the soul stands unchanged and their significance to our inner lifeuntouched by these changes. Even we can Observing and unmoved by training become so conscious as to follow our own passagethe grief and desire of the lower members, usually veiled to our awareness smiling at their joys and memorytheir strainings, through many realms regarding and unoverpowered by the failing and the darknesses of the thought and the process wildness or the weaknesses of the return heart and nerves, uncompelled and unattached to the waking state. At a certain pitch mind's illuminations and its relief and sense of ease or of this inner wakefulness this kind power in the return of sleeplight and gladness, a sleep it throws itself into none of experiencesthese things, can replace but waits unmoved for the intimations of a higher Will and the ordinary subconscient slumberintuitions of a greater luminous knowledge. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3023/the-three-experiencesmodes-of-the-inner-beingnature#p6p13</ref>

If one begins to find out"The Shakti, to understand what a feeling is and what a thought is, and how it works, then one can already go quite far on the path with that. One must at power of the same time observe how his feelings Infinite and thoughts have an action on the bodyEternal descends within us, what the reciprocity is. And thenworks, there is another exercise which consists in looking into oneself for what is persistentbreaks up our present psychological formations, what is lastingshatters every wall, something which makes one say "I"widens, and which is not liberates... she frees the consciousness from confinement in the body. For obviously, when one was very small, ; it can go out in trance or sleep or even waking and then when each year one grows up, if one takes fairly long distances, for example a distance enter into worlds or other regions of about ten yearsthis world and act there or carry back its experience. It spreads out, they are very different "I"s from what one was when feeling the body only as a small as this (gesture)part of itself, and then begins to contain what one is nowbefore contained it; it is difficult achieves the cosmic consciousness and extends itself to say that it is be commensurate with the same person, you seeuniverse. If one takes only this, still there is something which has It begins to know inwardly and directly and not merely by external observation and contact the feeling of always being forces at play in the same person. So one must reflectworld, seekfeels their movement, try to understand what it is. This indeed distinguishes their functioning and can lead you far on operate immediately upon them as the path. Then if one also studies the relation between these different things—between thoughts, feelingsscientist operates upon physical forces, accept their action on the and results in our mind, life, bodyor reject them or modify, change, reshape, create immense new powers and movements in place of the reciprocal action old small functionings of the body on these things—and also what it is that says "I" permanently, what it is that can trace a curve in nature. We begin to perceive the movement working of the being, if one seeks carefully enough, it leads you quite farforces of universal Mind and to know how our thoughts are created by that working... Naturally if one seeks far enough and with enough persistence, one reaches the psychic. (The Mother, 9 March 1955) " <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0708/97-marchnovember-19551956#p23p1</ref>

== It is thus by an integralisation of our divided being that the Divine Shakti in the Yoga will proceed to its object; for liberation, perfection, mastery are dependent on this integralisation, since the little wave on the surface cannot control its own movement, much less have any true control over the vast life around it...It begins to know inwardly and directly and not merely by external observation and contact the forces at play in the world, feels their movement, distinguishes their functioning and can operate immediately upon them as Observer ==the scientist operates upon physical forces, accept their action and results in our mind, life, body or reject them or modify, change, reshape, create immense new powers and movements in place of the old small functionings of the nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-ascent-of-the-sacrifice-ii#p29</ref>

A hidden Power is the true Lord and overruling Observer of our acts and only he knows through all the ignorance and perversion and deformation brought ==How to be in by the ego their entire sense and ultimate purpose. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/self-surrender-in-works-the-way-of-the-gita#p6</ref>a Witness State?==

== Purusha It is difficult to say generally what is conscious; but naturally, if something observes, it is always the "witness" element in this part—in each part of the being there is something which is a "witness", which looks on. There is even a physical witness which can get very much in the way; for instance, if it watches you playing, this can paralyse you considerably. There is also a vital witness which looks at you, sees your desires and Selfenjoys highly all that happens; it acts also as a brake. There is the mental witness which judges ideas, which says, "This idea contradicts this other", and which arranges everything. Then there is the great psychic Witness, who is the inner divinity. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/22-march-Observation ==1951#p6</ref>

It is ordinarily considered that the Yogin should draw away from action as much as possible and especially that too much action is a hindrance because it draws off the energies outward. To a certain extent this is true; and we must note farther that when the mental Purusha takes up the attitude of mere witness and observer, a tendency to silence, solitude, physical calm and bodily inaction grows upon the being. So long as this is not associated with inertia, incapacity or unwillingness to act, in a word, with the growth of the tamasic quality, all this is to the good. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-release-from-subjection-to-the-body#p7~</refcenter>

It Sometimes there is possible for the Purusha no relation among these different witnesses—there ought to use be, but it on is not always there. But if there is in the mental plane itself for being a constant self-observation, self-development, self-modificationwill to become perfect, the relation is established quite quickly; one can refer to sanctionanother and finally, rejectif there is a sufficient sincerity, altersufficient concentration, bring out new formulations you come to the supreme inner Witness who can judge all things. But generally it may be said that it is always a part of the nature and establish a calm and disinterested actionmind, a high and pure sattwic balance and rhythm of its energymore or less enlightened, in a personality perfected in little closer contact with the sattwic principleinner being, which observes and judges. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2404/the22-divinemarch-shakti1951#p9p7</ref>

..with regard to the movements and experiences of the body the mind will come to know the Purusha seated within it as, first, the witness or observer of the movements and, secondly, the knower or perceiver of the experiences. It will cease to consider in thought or feel in sensation these movements and experiences as its own but rather consider and feel them as not its own, as operations of Nature governed by the qualities of Nature and their interaction upon each other. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-release-from-subjection-to-the-body#p4~</refcenter>

The witness Purusha and Prakriti are on in the mental level as in mind observes that the rest inadequacy of our being closely joined and much involved his effort, all the inadequacy in each other fact of man's life and we are not able to distinguish clearly soul nature arises from the separation and nature. But in the purer substance consequent struggle, want of knowledge, want of harmony, want of mind we can more easily discern the dual strainoneness. The mental Purusha It is naturally able in its own native principle essential for him to grow out of mind separative individuality, to detach itselfuniversalise himself, as we have seen, from to make himself one with the universe. This unification can be done only through the workings of its Prakriti and there is then a division of soul by making our being between a consciousness that observes and can reserve its willpower and an energy full soul of mind one with the substance universal Mind, our soul of consciousness that takes life one with the forms universal Life-soul, our soul of knowledge, will and feeling. This detachment gives at its highest a certain freedom from body one with the compulsion universal soul of the soulby its mental naturephysical Nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/24/the-divineperfection-of-the-mental-shaktibeing#p8p15</ref>

"The Shakti, It is ordinarily considered that the power of Yogin should draw away from action as much as possible and especially that too much action is a hindrance because it draws off the Infinite energies outward. To a certain extent this is true; and we must note farther that when the Eternal descends within us, works, breaks mental Purusha takes up our present psychological formations, shatters every wall, widens, liberates... she frees the consciousness from confinement in the body; it can go out in trance or sleep or even waking and enter into worlds or other regions attitude of this world mere witness and act there or carry back its experience. It spreads outobserver, feeling the body only as a small part of itself, and begins to contain what before contained it; it achieves the cosmic consciousness and extends itself tendency to be commensurate with the universe. It begins to know inwardly and directly and not merely by external observation and contact the forces at play in the worldsilence, feels their movementsolitude, distinguishes their functioning physical calm and can operate immediately bodily inaction grows upon them the being. So long as the scientist operates upon physical forces, accept their action and results in our mind, lifethis is not associated with inertia, body incapacity or reject them or modifyunwillingness to act, changein a word, reshape, create immense new powers and movements in place of with the old small functionings growth of the nature. We begin tamasic quality, all this is to perceive the working of the forces of universal Mind and to know how our thoughts are created by that working..good.." (The Mother, 7 November 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0823/7the-release-from-subjection-novemberto-1956the-body#p1p7</ref>

It is thus by an integralisation of our divided being that the Divine Shakti in the Yoga will proceed to its object; for liberation, perfection, mastery are dependent on this integralisation, since the little wave on the surface cannot control its own movement, much less have any true control over the vast life around it...It begins to know inwardly and directly and not merely by external observation and contact the forces at play in the world, feels their movement, distinguishes their functioning and can operate immediately upon them as the scientist operates upon physical forces, accept their action and results in our mind, life, body or reject them or modify, change, reshape, create immense new powers and movements in place of the old small functionings of the nature. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-ascent-of-the-sacrifice-ii#p29~</refcenter>

== Evolution It is possible for the Purusha to use it on the mental plane itself for a constant self-observation, self-development, self-modification, to sanction, reject, alter, bring out new formulations of the nature and Selfestablish a calm and disinterested action, a high and pure sattwic balance and rhythm of its energy, a personality perfected in the sattwic principle. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/24/the-divine-Observation ==shakti#p9</ref>

Man is a type among many types so constructed, one pattern among the multitude of patterns in the manifestation in Matter. He is the most complex that has been created, the richest in content of consciousness and the curious ingeniousness of his building; he is the head of the earthly creation, but he does not exceed it…. If there is a perfection to which he has to arrive, it must be a perfection in his own kind, within his own law of being,—the full play of it, but by observation of its mode and measure, not by transcendence. To exceed himself, to grow into the superman, to put on the nature and capacities of a god would be a contradiction of his self-law, impracticable and impossible. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/22/man-and-the-evolution#p8~</refcenter>

In ...with regard to the movements and experiences of the body the animal mind is not quite distinct from its own life-matrix and life-matter; its movements are so involved in will come to know the life movements that Purusha seated within it cannot detach itself from themas, cannot stand separate and observe them; but in man mind has become separatefirst, he can become aware the witness or observer of his mental operations as distinct from his life operations, his thought and will can disengage them selves from his sensations the movements and impulses, desires and emotional reactionssecondly, can become detached from them, observe and control them, sanction the knower or cancel their functioning: he does not as yet know perceiver of the secrets of his being well enough experiences. It will cease to be aware of himself decisively consider in thought or feel in sensation these movements and with certitude experiences as a mental being in a life its own but rather consider and bodyfeel them as not its own, but he has that impression as operations of Nature governed by the qualities of Nature and can take inwardly that positiontheir interaction upon each other. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2223/the-evolutionrelease-offrom-subjection-to-the-spiritual-manbody#p6p4</ref>

Chitta, The Purusha and Prakriti are on the mental level as in the basic consciousness, is largely subconscient; it has, open rest of our being closely joined and hidden, two kinds of action, one passive or receptive, the much involved in each other active or reactive and formative. As a passive power it receives all impacts, even those of which the mind is unaware or we are not able to which it is inattentive, distinguish clearly soul and it stores them nature. But in an immense reserve the purer substance of passive subconscient memory on which the mind as an active memory we can drawmore easily discern the dual strain.But ordinarily the The mental Purusha is naturally able in its own native principle of mind draws only what it had observed and understood at the timeto detach itself,—more easily what it had observed well and understood carefullyas we have seen, less easily what it had observed carelessly or ill understood; at from the same time workings of its Prakriti and there is then a division of our being between a power in consciousness to send up to the active mind for use what that mind had not at all observed or attended to or even consciously experienced. This power only acts observably in abnormal conditions, when some part observes and can reserve its willpower and an energy full of the subconscious chitta comes as it were to substance of consciousness that takes the surface or when the subliminal being in us appears on the threshold forms of knowledge, will and for feeling. This detachment gives at its highest a time plays some part in certain freedom from the outer chamber compulsion of mentality where the direct intercourse and commerce with the external world takes place and our inner dealings with ourselves develop on the surfacesoulby its mental nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/24/the-instruments-of-thedivine-spiritshakti#p6p8</ref>

Take one hour The actions are of importance only as expressing what is in the nature. You have to be conscious of whatever in your lifeactions is not in harmony with the Yoga and to get rid of it. But for that what is needed is your own consciousness, the one which is most convenient for youpsychic, observing from within and during that time observe yourself closely and say only the absolutely indispensable wordsthrowing off what is seen to be undesirable. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0329/anger#p15 http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/angerwork-and-yoga#p15p45</ref>

There are four movements which are usually consecutive, but which in the end may be simultaneous: to observe one's thoughts is the first, to watch over one's thoughts is the second, to control one's thoughts is the third and to master one's thoughts is the fourth. To observe, to watch over, to control, to master. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/conjugate-verses#p7~</refcenter>

Read Summary of '''[[Self Observation Summary|Self Observation]]'''  Dear reader, if you notice any error in the paragraph numbers in the hyperlinks, please let us know by dropping an email at integral.edu.in@gmail.com