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Read Summary of '''[[Self Observation Summary|Self Observation]]'''
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= What is Self-Observation =
 
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 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>
= What is Self-Observation =<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>
==What to Observe ==<center>~</center>
'''Parts This sensational thought-mind which is based upon sense, memory, association, first ideas and resultant generalisations or secondary ideas, is common to all developed animal life and mentality….The intelligence and will of the Being '''animal are involved in the sense-mind and therefore altogether governed by it and carried on its stream of sensations, sense-perceptions, impulses; it is instinctive. Man is able to use a reason and will, a self-observing, thinking and all-observing, an intelligently willing mind which is no longer involved in the sense-mind, but acts from above and behind it in its own right, with a certain separateness and freedom. He is reflective, has a certain relative freedom of intelligent will. He has liberated in himself and has formed into a separate power the buddhi. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/24/purification-intelligence-and-will#p4</ref>
Have you ever practised distinguishing what comes from your mind, what comes from your vital, what comes from your physical?... For it is mixed up; it is mixed up in the outward appearance. If you do not take care to distinguish, it makes a kind of soup, all that together. So it is indistinct and difficult to discover. But if you 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 unconsciousness. 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) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/10-june-1953#p31~</refcenter>
….You may have a mental power The ordinary mind knows itself only as an ego with all the movements of observation, the nature in a vital power of observationjumble and, a physical power of observation. When you observe ideasidentifying itself with these movements, for instancethinks "I am doing this, the train of ideas, the logic of the ideasfeeling that, it is not altogether the same power of observation as when you look at a friend doing athletics and see whether he is making his movements correctly or not. That isthinking, the capacity of attention is there in both cases, but it works joy or in a different fieldsorrow etc. It can't be said that it is one part " The first beginning of the being observing the others; it real self-knowledge is when you feel yourself separate from the faculty of observation developing nature 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 the origin of one thing and of another, its movements and the reciprocal value of these things. But then you see that ought to be founded on a correct observation. The power there are many parts of observation comes firstyour being, discernment followsmany personalities each acting on its own behalf and in its own way. (The Mother, 27 January 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0628/27the-januarypsychic-1954being#p34p84</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 are many voices, '''Active 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/inner-voices-and-indication</ref>Passive Observation'''
'''The Three Modes Your consciousness becomes a screen or mirror; but this is when you are in a state of Nature'''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#p7</ref>
The idea of the three essential modes of Nature '''Observation 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-three-modes-of-nature#p2</ref>Not Discernment'''
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 the origin of one thing and of another, and the reciprocal value of these things. But that ought to be founded on a correct observation. The power of observation comes first, discernment follows.
<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/30-june-1929#p7</ref>
==What to Observe ==
[[One can prepare the body through a series of observations, studies, understandings,by showing it examples, making it understand things as one makes a child understand them, either by observing its own movements―but generally, in this, one is comparatively blind!―or by observing those of others. And in a more general way, this preparation will be based on recognised studies, on clear facts. Like this, for instance: that a certain number of persons, placed in exactly similar circumstances, experience, each one of them, very different effects. One may go even further: in a given set of definite circumstances, there is a certain number of particular, definite individuals, in apparently quite identical conditions, and for some the effects are catastrophic, while others escape without any harm. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/4-july-1956#top|Back to Contents]]p15</ref>
= Reasons for Self-Observation ='''Parts of the Being '''
To work for Have you ever practised distinguishing what comes from your mind, what comes from your perfectionvital, the first step what comes from your physical?... For it is mixed up; it is to become conscious of yourself, of mixed up in the different parts of your being and their respective activitiesoutward appearance. You must learn If you do not take care to distinguish these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin it makes a kind of the movements that occur in yousoup, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills all that drive you to actiontogether. It So it is an assiduous study which demands much perseverance indistinct and sinceritydifficult to discover. For man's natureBut if you observe yourself, especially his mental natureafter some time you see certain things, has a spontaneous tendency you feel them to give a favourable explanation for everything he thinksbe there, feels, says and does. It is only by observing these movements with great care, by bringing themlike that, as it though they werein 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, before the tribunal of our highest ideal, with a sincere will to submit you have to its judgmentgo still further inside, that we can hope or otherwise you have to form in ourselves rise up a discernment that never errslittle: it comes from unconsciousness. For if we truly want to progress and acquire the capacity of knowing the truth of our being, that is to say, what we And there are truly created for, what we can call our mission upon earth, others; then we you mustgo very deep, in a very regular and constant manner, reject deep to find out 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 centrewhere they come. 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 is just a determination to prolong our life as long as necessary for the success of our endeavourbeginning. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1205/the10-science-ofjune-living1953#p5p31</ref>
The true and ultimate, as distinguished from '''Observing 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>Inner Being'''
= How 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 Observe Oneself =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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledge#p12</ref>
'''The Three Modes of Nature'''
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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-three-modes-of-nature#p2</ref>
But you must begin when very small, and consciously, very consciously; you must begin with a sense of observation of all the movements in yourself, of their relation with others, of—precisely, of your degree of independence, real individuality, of knowing where impulses come from, where other movements come from: whether it is contagion from outside or something that arises from within yourself. A very profound study of all the movements in oneself is necessary in order to succeed simply in crystallising a being who is a little conscious, a little conscious. (The Mother, 22 September 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/22-september-1954#p43</ref>'''Dreams'''
You project yourself on Now the screen procedure to deal with dreams and then observe and see all that is moving there and how it moves and what happensthe dreamland. You make a little diagram, it becomes so interesting thenFirst become conscious—conscious of your dreams. And then, after a while, when you are quite accustomed to seeing, you can go one step further Observe the relation between them and take a decisionthe happenings of your waking hours. Or even a still greater step: If you organise—arrange, take up all that, put each thing in its placeremember your night, organise in such a way that you begin will be able to have a straight movement with an inner meaning. And then you become conscious trace back very often the condition of your direction and are able day to say: "Very well, it will be thus; my life will develop in that way, because that is the logic condition of my beingyour night. Now, I have arranged all that within me, each thing has been put In sleep some action or other is always going on in its place, your mental or vital or other plane; things happen there 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 itthey govern your waking consciousness....". (The Mother, 29 July 1953) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0503/2921-julyapril-19531929#p47p6</ref>
It is not a physical retirement that is needed, but an inner detachment from the mental formations and vital desires. To find the real self above and within and live in that, not in the mind's conceptions or the vital's reactions. These must be observed and looked at not as one's own but as movements of a surface ignorant nature. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/interactions-with-others-and-the-practice-of-yoga#p111~</refcenter>
== By Developing It is a Quiet Mind ==tremendous field of observation—there is no end to the discoveries you can make in your dreams. But there is one important point: you must not go to sleep when you are very tired, for if you do, you fall into a sort of unconsciousness in which dreams do whatever they like with you, and you have no reaction. Just as I said that you should not eat without having taken rest, I would advise everyone to rest before going to sleep. And for that, you must know how to rest. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/15/1-february-1951#p14</ref>
It is only when we follow the yogic process of quieting the mind itself that a profounder result of our self-observation becomes possible. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/indeterminates-cosmic-determinations-and-the-indeterminable#p12~</refcenter>
A quiet mind does not mean that there will be no thoughts or mental movements at allAs the inner consciousness grows by sadhana, but that these will be on the surface dream experiences increase in number, clearness, coherence, accuracy and after some growth of experience and you will feel your true being within separate from themconsciousness, we can, observing but not carried awayif we observe, able come to watch and judge understand them and reject all that has their significance to our inner life. Even we can by training become so conscious as to follow our own passage, usually veiled to be rejected our awareness and to accept memory, through many realms and keep the process of the return to all that is true consciousness and true experiencethe waking state. At a certain pitch of this inner wakefulness this kind of sleep, a sleep of experiences, can replace the ordinary subconscient slumber. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2930/peacethree-experiences-of-the-inner-being#p10p6</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 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>
== By Silence ==[[#top|Back to Contents]]
It = Why is really an inner silence that is needed—a something silent within that looks at outer talk and action but feels it as something superficial, not as itself and is quite indifferent and untouched by it. It can bring forces to support speech and action or it can stop them by withdrawal or it can let them go on and observe without being involved or moved. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/speech-andSelf-yoga#p76</ref>Observation Important? =
...You if he [man] is 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 in his phenomenal nature. He must be able know himself and discover and utilise all his potentialities: but to silence your head absolutely know himself and be the world completely detachedhe must go behind his own and its exterior, not to have (for examplehe 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, when you are looking for physical and psychic being and its powers and movements and the solution universal laws and processes of a problem), not to have already in your head the solution that seems to you right or occult Mind and Life which stand behind the material front of the best or most profitableuniverse. ... That But this knowledge must not be there. You something more than a creed or a mystic revelation; his thinking mind must become absolutely like a blank paperbe able to accept it, with nothing on to correlate it. And you proceed in that way, with a very sincere aspiration to know the principle of things and the observed truthof the universe: this is the work of philosophy, without assuming beforehand that and in the field of the truth of the spirit it will can only be like this done by a spiritual philosophy, whether intellectual in its method 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 observingintuitive. (The Mother, 30 September 1953) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0509/3018-septemberjune-19531958#p13p3</ref>
To silence the mind it is not enough to throw back each thought as it comes, that can only be a subordinate movement. One must get back from all thought and be separate from it, a silent consciousness observing the thoughts if they come, but not oneself thinking or identified with the thoughts. Thoughts must be felt as outside things altogether. It is then easier to reject thoughts or let them pass without their disturbing the quietude of the mind. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/interactions-with-others-and-the-practice-of-yoga#p99~</refcenter>
== By Developing To work for your perfection, the Witness Attitude ==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 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>
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 … if each element which comes with its ignorance, its unconsciousness, its egoism, is put before the mind will to change and one remains awake, compares, observes , studies and slowly acts, that the inadequacy becomes infinitely interesting, one makes marvellous and quite unexpected discoveries. One finds in oneself lots of his effortsmall hidden folds, all little things one had not seen at the inadequacy in fact beginning; one undertakes a sort of man's life inner chase, goes hunting into small dark corners and nature arises from the separation and the consequent struggletells oneself: "What, I was like that! This was there in me, want of knowledgeI am harbouring this little thing"—sometimes so sordid, want of harmonyso mean, want of onenessso nasty. It is essential for him to grow out of separative individualityAnd once it has been discovered, to universalise himselfhow wonderful! One puts the light upon it and it disappears and you no longer have those reactions which made you so sad before, when you used to make himself one with the universe. This unification can be done only through the soul by making our soul of mind one with the universal Mindsay, our soul of life one with the universal Life-soul, our soul of body one with the universal soul of physical Nature"Oh! I shall never get there. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2404/the-perfection-of-the19-mentalapril-being1951#p15p14</ref>
== Becoming Conscious ==<center>~</center>
But a time comes when instead of doing things automaticallyIf you had that observation (from the inner spiritual, impelled by a consciousness not the outer intellectual and force ethical viewpoint), then it would be comparatively easy for you to get out of which one is quite unaware—a time comes when one can observe what goes on in oneself, study one's movements, your difficulties; for instance you would find their causes, and at the same time begin once where this irrational impulse to exercise a control first over what goes on within usflee away came from and it would not have any hold upon you. Of course, then on all that can only be done to the influence cast on us best effect when you stand back from outside which makes us act, in the beginning altogether unconsciously and almost involuntarily, but gradually more and more consciously; play of your nature and become the will can wake up and react. Then at that moment, Witness-Control or the moment there is a conscious will capable of reacting, one may say, "I have become consciousSpectator-Actor Manager." This does not mean that it is a total and perfect consciousness, it means But that it is a beginning: for example, what happens when one is able to observe all the reactions in one's being and to have a certain control over them, to let those one approves of have play, and to control, stop, annul those one doesn't approve you take this kind ofself-seeing posture. (The Mother, 28 November 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0831/28mental-novemberdifficulties-and-the-need-of-1956quietude#p19p23</ref>
== Being Vigilant ==<center>~</center>
One can be quietThe true and ultimate, as distinguished from the immediate or intermediate importance of our observing, reasoning, happyinquiring, cheerful without judging intelligence is that it prepares the human being all that for the right reception and right action of a Light from above which must progressively replace in a him the obscure light or shallow way—and from below that guides the happiness need not animal. ...Man can bring any vital reaction. All that you need an enlightened will, an enlightened thought and enlightened emotions to do is the difficult work of his self-development; he can more and more subject to be observant these more conscious and vigilant,—watchful so that you may not give assent to wrong movements or reflecting guides the return inferior function of the old feelings, darkness, confusion etcdesire. Not fearIn proportion as he can thus master and enlighten his lower self, but vigilancehe is man and no longer an animal. If you remain vigilant, then When he can begin to replace desire altogether by a still greater enlightened thought and sight and will in touch with the increase of the Force upholding youInfinite, consciously subject to a power of self-control diviner will comethan his own, linked to a power to see more universal and reject transcendent knowledge, he has commenced the wrong turn or ascent towards the superman; he is on his upward march towards the wrong reaction when it comesDivine. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3123/fearself-consecration#p12p17</ref>
But you have only = How 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) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/21-july-1954#p40</ref>Observe Oneself? =
== Being Sincere But you must begin when very small, and Impartial ==consciously, very consciously; you must begin with a sense of observation of all the movements in yourself, of their relation with others, of—precisely, of your degree of independence, real individuality, of knowing where impulses come from, where other movements come from: whether it is contagion from outside or something that arises from within yourself. A very profound study of all the movements in oneself is necessary in order to succeed simply in crystallising a being who is a little conscious, a little conscious. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/22-september-1954#p43</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 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) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/15/12-november-1952#p6~</refcenter>
== Becoming Aware You project yourself on 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 Desire ==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....". <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/29-july-1953#p47</ref>
For that you must observe yourself very, very attentively, and if there is anything in you which produces something like a 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 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, "Oh, it will be very bad", you may be sure that it is a matter of desire. It is the same for everything. For every problem you draw back, look at yourself and ask, "Let us see, am I going to have the thing?" If at that moment something in you jumps up with joy, you may be certain there is a desire. On the other hand, if something tells you, "Oh, I am not going to get it", and you feel very depressed, then again it is a desire. (The Mother, 25 January 1951) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/25-january-1951#p3~</refcenter>
==Limitations 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. One must at the same time observe how his feelings and thoughts have an action on the body, what the reciprocity is. And then, there is another exercise which consists in looking into oneself for what is persistent, what is lasting, something which makes one say "I", and which is not the body. For obviously, when one was very small, and then when each year one grows up, if one takes fairly long distances, for example a distance of Selfabout ten years, they are very different "I"s from what one was when as small as this (gesture), and then what one is now; it is difficult to say that it is the same person, you see. If one takes only this, still there is something which has the feeling of always being the same person. So one must reflect, seek, try to understand what it is. This indeed can lead you far on the path. Then if one also studies the relation between these different things—between thoughts, feelings, their action on the body, the reciprocal action of the body on these things—and also what it is that says "I" permanently, what it is that can trace a curve in the movement of the being, if one seeks carefully enough, it leads you quite far. Naturally if one seeks far enough and with enough persistence, one reaches the psychic. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/9-march-Observation==1955#p23</ref>
'''Surface Level Observation'''<center>~</center>
As a general rule, with It is not a few very rare exceptions, men are content to observe more or less accurately everything physical retirement that happens around themis needed, but an inner detachment from the mental formations and vital desires. To find the real self above 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 themlive in that, they have not even begun to perceive that all in the mind's conceptions or the things they see, touch, feel, experience, are false appearances vital's reactions. These must be observed and looked at not reality itselfas one's own but as movements of a surface ignorant nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/1031/aphorisminteractions-with-others-and-the-practice-of-7yoga#p3p111</ref>
It is evident that our state on the surface is indeed a state of knowledge, so far as it goes, but a limited knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance and, to a very large extent, by reason of its limitation, itself a kind of ignorance, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorance. It could not be otherwise since our awareness of the world is born of a separative and surface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; our knowledge of ourselves, though more direct, is stultified by its restriction to the surface of our being, by an ignorance of our true self, the true sources of our nature, the true motive-forces of our action. 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 a mystery; our cause of being and our end of being, 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-knowledge. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledge#p7~</refcenter>
One throws oneself out When we are in contact with the Divine or in contact with an inner knowledge and vision, we begin to see all the time; circumstances of our life in a new light and can observe how they all tended without our knowing it towards the time one livesgrowth of our being and consciousness, as it weretowards the work we had to do, outside oneself, in such a superficial sensation towards some development that it is almost as though one were outside oneself. As soon as one wants even had to observe oneself a little, control oneself a littlebe made, simply know —not only what is happeningseemed good, one is always obliged to draw back fortunate or pull towards oneselfsuccessful but the struggles, to pull inwards something which is constantly like thatfailures, on the surface. And it is this surface thing which meets all external contactsdifficulties, puts you in touch with similar vibrations coming from others. That happens almost outside youupheavals. (The Mother, 20 June 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0829/20the-divine-grace-juneand-1956guidance#p49p33</ref>
'''Ignorance'''== By Vigilance ==
As One can be quiet, happy, cheerful without being all that in a light or shallow way—and the surface mental entity moving from moment happiness need not bring any vital reaction. All that you need to momentdo is to be observant and vigilant, —watchful so that you may not observing his essential self but only his relation give assent to his experiences wrong movements or the return of the Time-movementold feelings, darkness, confusion etc. Not fear, in that movement keeping the future from himself in what appears to be a blank of Ignorance and non-existence but is an unrealised fullnessvigilance. If you remain vigilant, grasping knowledge and experience then with the increase of being in the presentForce upholding you, putting it away in the past which again appears to be a blank power of Ignorance and nonself-existence partly lightedcontrol will come, partly saved a power to see and stored up by memory, he puts on reject the aspect of a thing fleeting and uncertain seizing without stability upon things fleeting and uncertain. But in reality, we shall find, he is always wrong turn or the same Eternal who is for ever stable and self-possessed in His supramental knowledge and what he seizes on is also for ever stable and eternal; for wrong reaction when it is himself that he is mentally experiencing in the succession of Timecomes. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2131/memory-self-consciousness-and-the-ignorancefear#p15p12</ref>
'''Observing Invisible Forces'''<center>~</center>
If we But you have only to observe yourselves... you can observe yourself, catch yourself at least a hundred times a happeningday, we judge and explain it from the result and from with a glimpse of its most external constituentsmind which decides everything, knows everything, judges everything, knows very well what is good, what bad, what is true, what false, circumstances or causes; but each happening what is the outcome of a complex nexus of forces which we do not and cannot observeright... And also how one should act, what this person should have done, because all forces are how to us invisibleresolve that problem.... All men know,—but you see... If they are not invisible to were at the spiritual vision head of the Infinite: some of them are actualities working governments, for instance, they would know very well how to produce or occasion a new actuality, some are possibles that are near manage everything! But people don't listen to the pre-existent actuals and in a way included in their aggregate; but there can intervene always new possibilities them... that suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves to the nexus, and behind 's all are imperatives or an imperative which these possibilities are labouring to actualise. ! <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/06/21/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakritijuly-shakti1954#p7p40</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 But a time comes when instead of doing things automatically, impelled by a consciousness and Planes 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 Being === same time begin to exercise a control first over what goes on within us, then on the influence cast on us from outside which makes us act, in the beginning altogether unconsciously and almost involuntarily, but gradually more and more consciously; and the will can wake up and react. Then at that moment, the moment there is a conscious will capable of reacting, one may say, "I have become conscious." This does not mean that it is a total and perfect consciousness, it means that it is a beginning: for example, when one is able to observe all the reactions in one's being and to have a certain control over them, to let those one approves of have play, and to control, stop, annul those one doesn't approve of. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/28-november-1956#p19</ref>
<center>~</center>
Take one hour of your life, the one which is most convenient for you, and during that time observe yourself closely and say only the absolutely indispensable words. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/anger#p15</ref>
== By Developing a Quiet Mind ==
It is only when we follow the yogic process of quieting the mind itself that a profounder result of our self-observation becomes possible. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/indeterminates-cosmic-determinations-and-the-indeterminable#p12</ref>
<center>~</center>
A quiet mind does not mean that there will be no thoughts or mental movements at all, but that these will be on the surface and you will feel your true being within separate from them, observing but not carried away, able to watch and judge them and reject all that has to be rejected and to accept and keep to all that is true consciousness and true experience. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/peace#p10</ref>
There is a state of being experienced in Yoga in which we become a double consciousness, one 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 quiet, enlarge, transform it. So too we can rise to a consciousness above and observe the various parts of our being, inner and outer, mental, vital and physical and the subconscient below all, and act upon one or other or the whole from that higher status. 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 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 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 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. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakriti-shakti#p23~</refcenter>
=== Witness 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 Parts of Being ===to master one's thoughts is the fourth. To observe, to watch over, to control, to master. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/conjugate-verses#p7</ref>
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 enjoys 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. (The Mother, 22 March 1951) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/22-march-1951#p6~</refcenter>
Sometimes there What happens usually is no relation among these different witnesses—there ought to bethat something touches the vital, but often without one's knowing it is not always there, and brings up the old ordinary or external consciousness in such a way that the inner mind gets covered up and all the old thoughts and feelings return for a time. But if there It is in the being a will to become perfect, physical mind that becomes active and gives its assent. If the relation is established quite quickly; one can refer to another whole mind remains quiet and finallydetached observing the vital movement, if there is a sufficient sincerity, sufficient concentrationbut not giving its assent, you come then to the supreme inner Witness who can judge all thingsreject it becomes more easy. But generally it may be said that it is always a part This established quietude and detachment of the mind, more or less enlightened, marks always a great step forward made in a little closer contact with the inner being, which observes and judgessadhana. (The Mother, 22 March 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0431/22the-marchvital-1951and-other-levels-of-being#p7p45</ref>
A man with a very developed introspective mind often identifies himself with the witness part of his mind and observes his own thoughts and studies their nature. That is a beginning which makes it easy for the full detachment to come. For others it is less easy, but it can be done by all. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/inner-detachment-and-the-witness-attitude#p~</refcenter>
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 have will be able to become conscious—that know what one thing is to sayand what another etc., there must be something in whether it comes from you which or from outside, whether it is on a material plane or on another plane. All this is not carried away by thoughts and feelingslearnt through a very quiet observation, quiet but looks at them very sharp, you understand; because there are very tiny shades, very tiny, between different things, and observes how they work and how they affect when you get used to distinguishing these nuances, you. The part that observes and knows is called the Witness sākṣī in man. It can discern exactly what it is always possible to develop this in oneself. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3006/inner-detachment-and-the20-witnessoctober-attitude1954#p25p46</ref>
=== Psychic Being ===<center>~</center>
...behind there It is the psychic which supports the development, the growth of the being and gives this continuity of consciousness, makes one feel really an inner silence that he is the same being even while being absolutely different, absolutely different. If later one observes himself sufficiently, he can see needed—a something silent within that the things he understood looks at outer talk and could do at that time are things which seem to him absolutely inconceivable nowaction but feels it as something superficial, not as itself and that he could never do a similar thing because he is no longer that person at allquite indifferent and untouched by it. 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 It can bring forces to be there support speech and will continue to be there with more action or it can stop them by withdrawal or less progressive it can let them go on and more observe without being involved or less conscious changesmoved. (The Mother, 29 June 1955) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0731/29speech-juneand-1955yoga#p28p76</ref>
The 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. 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 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 can stand detached from the play of the nature, observing it and able to choose. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/28/the-psychic-being#p84~</refcenter>
The actions are of importance only as expressing what is in the nature. You have must be able to silence your head absolutely and be conscious completely detached, not to have (for example, when you are looking for the solution of whatever a problem), not to have already in your actions is 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 harmony that way, with a very sincere aspiration to know the Yoga and to get rid of truth, without assuming beforehand that it. But for will be like this or like that what is needed is ; because otherwise you will see only your own consciousness, formation. The very first condition is that the head must keep completely silent during the psychic, time one is observing from within and throwing off what is seen to be undesirable. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2905/work30-andseptember-yoga1953#p45p13</ref>
The mental being within watches, observes and passes judgment on all that happens in you. The psychic does not watch and observe in this way like a witness, but it feels and knows spontaneously in a much more direct and luminous way by the very purity of its own nature and the divine instinct within it, and so, whenever it comes to the front it reveals at once what are the right and what the wrong movements in your nature. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/28/the-jivatman-in-the-integral-yoga#p40~</refcenter>
=== Mind To silence the mind it is not enough to throw back each thought as it comes, that can only be a subordinate movement. One must get back from all thought and Selfbe separate from it, a silent consciousness observing the thoughts if they come, but not oneself thinking or identified with the thoughts. Thoughts must be felt as outside things altogether. It is then easier to reject thoughts or let them pass without their disturbing the quietude of the mind. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/interactions-Observation ===with-others-and-the-practice-of-yoga#p99</ref>
Gradually, as == By Developing the action is prolonged and the outer being begins to assimilate this action, there awakens a capacity of observation, first in the mental consciousness, and a kind of objectivisation occurs: something in the mind looks on, observes and translates in its own way. This is what you call understanding, and this is what gives you the impression (smiling) that you are having an experience. But that is already considerably diminished in comparison with the experience itself, it is a transcription adapted to your mental, vital and physical dimension, that is, something that is shrunken, hardened—and it gives you at the same time the impression that it is growing clearer; that is to say, it has become as limited as your understanding. (The Mother, 31 October 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/31-october-1956#p19</ref>Witness Attitude ==
...We have in all functionings of the mentality four elementsHave you never felt this? As though you were a little behind or above things, the object of mental consciousnessand were looking at them taking place but were not doing anything yourself? Witness means an observer, the someone who looks on and does not act of mental consciousness, the occasion and the subjecthimself. In the self-experience of the self-observing inner beingSo, when the object mind is always some state or movement or wave of the conscious beingvery quiet, angerone can withdraw a little in this way from circumstances and look at things as though he were a witness, grief or other emotiona spectator, hunger or other vital cravingand not participating in the action himself. This gives you a great detachment, impulse or inner life reaction or some form of sensationa great quietude, perception or thought activity. The act is some kind of mental observation and conceptual valuation also a very precise sense of this movement or wave or else a mental sensation the value of things, because it in which observation cuts the attachment to action. When you know how to do this with yourself, when you can withdraw and valuation may be involved watch yourself acting, you learn many things about yourself. When you are all mixed up and even lost,—so that take part in this act the mental person may either separate the act action, you do not observe yourself acting, you don't know what you are like. But when you draw back and the object by a distinguishing perception or confuse them together indistinguishablylook at yourself, you can perceive many imperfections which you wouldn't have seen otherwise. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2106/memory-ego-and13-selfoctober-experience1954#p5p2</ref>
So the man of real merit 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 someone who does not conform at least to the smallest part of this construction would be considered a savage and would be thrown out of the society immediately. In fact, people who are criminals or half-mad are those who obey their impulses without any mental control. There isn't a single person among you who gives way without control to all the impulses that get hold of him. You have only to observe yourselves living, you spend your time saying, "No, this I can't do", or "This I can", or in restraining one movement or encouraging another. This is mental control. (The Mother, 15 September 1954) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/15-september-1954#p9~</refcenter>
=== Vital A man with a very developed introspective mind often identifies himself with the witness part of his mind and Selfobserves his own thoughts and studies their nature. That is a beginning which makes it easy for the full detachment to come. For others it is less easy, but it can be done by all. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/inner-detachment-and-the-witness-Observation ===attitude#p</ref>
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 way that the inner mind gets covered up and all the old thoughts and feelings return for a time. It is the physical mind that becomes active and gives its assent. If the whole mind remains quiet and detached observing the vital movement, 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 sadhana. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/the-vital-and-other-levels-of-being#p45~</refcenter>
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==
The error comes from thinking that your thoughts are your own and that you are their maker and if you don't create thoughts (i.e. think), there will be none. A little observation ought to show that you are not manufacturing your own thoughts, but rather thoughts occur in you. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/thought-and-knowledge#p3</ref>
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 the Light and but it is an emptiness of 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> <center>~</center>
== Sense It is only gradually, very slowly, through the movements of life and Self Observation ==a more or less careful and thorough education that you begin to have sensations which are personal to you, feelings and ideas which are personal to you. An individualised mind is something extremely rare, which comes only after a long education; otherwise it is a kind of thought-current passing through your brain and then through another's and then through a multitude of other brains, and all this is in perpetual movement and has no individuality. One thinks what others are thinking, others think what still others are thinking, and everybody thinks like that in a great mixture, because these are currents, vibrations 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 them from?—From what you have heard, from what you have read, what you have been taught, and how many of these thoughts you have are the result of your own experience, your own reflection, your purely personal observation?—Not many. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/20-february-1957#p6</ref>
This sensational thought-mind which is based upon sense, memory, association, first ideas and resultant generalisations or secondary ideas, is common to all developed animal life and mentality….The intelligence and will of the animal are involved in the sense-mind and therefore altogether governed by it and carried on its stream of sensations, sense-perceptions, impulses; it is instinctive. Man is able to use a reason and will, a self-observing, thinking and all-observing, an intelligently willing mind which is no longer involved in the sense-mind, but acts from above and behind it in its own right, with a certain separateness and freedom. He is reflective, has a certain relative freedom of intelligent will. He has liberated in himself and has formed into a separate power the buddhi. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/24/purification-intelligence-and-will#p4~</refcenter>
….But it is through sensations When one practises Yoga and observes the thoughts, one sees that you learn: by seeingthey come from outside, observingfrom universal Nature, hearing. Classes develop your sensationsfrom the mental, studies develop your sensations, the mind receives things through sensationsvital or subtle physical worlds etc. By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education The proper thing is aided; if you learn then to see wellstand back from these thoughts, exactlyvoices or suggestions, precisely; if you learn to hear well; if you learn through touch reject them or else control them, to know make the nature of things; if you learn through mind free and quiet and open only to the see of smell to distinguish between different odours—all these are a powerful means of education. In factdivine light, they should be used for thisforce, as instruments knowledge and the presence of observation, control and knowledgethe Divine. ... If one is sufficiently developedAspire, one can know get into contact with the nature of things through sight; through the see of smell one may also know Light and the valuetrue Force, the different nature of things; by touch one can recognise thingsreassert your will to reject these suggestions and voices. It is a question of education; that isDo not take interest in these voices, one must work for itkeep the mind quiet. (The Mother, 31 March 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0631/31thought-marchand-1954knowledge#p13p5</ref>
== Education and Difficulties in Self-Observation ==
The indispensable starting-point is a detailed and discerning observation ==Danger 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.in/cwm/12/vital-education#p6</ref>Ego==
..The child must 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 doing 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 taught able to observesincerely 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 note his reactions and impulses meditate and all their causesenergy 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 become move, one dreams. ...Under a discerning witness 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 his desiresthe Divine, his movements it is at the service of violence and passionthe ego, his instincts of possession and appropriation and domination and when the background of vanity which supports themego is taken away, it does nothing any longer. Therefore, together with their counterparts of weaknessso 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, discouragementin any case, depression and despairtill the true consciousness is established. (The Mother, 5 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1204/vital5-april-education1951#p14</ref>
= Results of Self-Observation =<center>~</center>
If ...if you observe do your tapasya, all the time observing yourself doing it and telling yourself attentively, you will see that before acting you need an inner impetus"Am I making any progress, something which pushes you. In the ordinary man is this impetus is generally desire. This desire ought going to be replaced by a clearbetter, am I going to succeed?", then it is your ego, preciseyou know, constant vision of which becomes more and more enormous and occupies the Truthwhole place, and there is no room for anything else. (The Mother, 21 December 1950) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/2126-decemberapril-19501951#p7p35</ref>
If you observe yourself, you will see that as soon as you do something which disturbs you a little, the mind immediately gives you a favourable reason to justify yourself—this mind is capable of gilding everything. In these conditions it is difficult to know oneself. One must be absolutely sincere to be able to do it and to see clearly into all the little falsehoods of the mental being. (The Mother, 15 January 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/15-january-1951#p3</ref>== Escape attitude ==
… if each element which comes with its ignorance, its unconsciousness, its egoism, Constantly man rushes into external action in order not to have time to observe himself and how he lives. For him this is put before expressed by the will desire to change and one remains awakeescape from boredom. Indeed, comparesfor some people it is much more tiresome to remain quiet—seated, observesor to be still. So for them it represents an escape from boredom: to make a lot of noise, studies and slowly actsto commit many stupidities, that becomes infinitely interesting, one makes marvellous and quite unexpected discoveries. One finds in oneself lots of small hidden folds, little things one had not seen at the beginningbecome terribly restless; one undertakes a sort it is their way of inner chase, goes hunting into small dark corners and tells oneself: "What, I was like that! This was there in me, I am harbouring this little thing"—sometimes so sordid, so mean, so nastyescaping boredom. And once it has been discovered, how wonderful! One puts the light upon it when they sit quietly and it disappears and you no longer have those reactions which made you so sad beforelook at themselves, when you used to say, "Oh! I shall never get therethey are bored. Perhaps because they are boring. That's very likely. (The Mothermore boring one is, 19 April 1951) the more one is bored. Very interesting people usually are not bored. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0407/1926-apriljanuary-19511955#p14</ref>
= Difficulties during Self-Observation =Focusing on the Negative==
== Danger of To be always observing faults and wrong movements brings depression and discourages the Ego ==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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/steps-towards-overcoming-difficulties#p28</ref>
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 doing 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) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/5-april-1951#p14~</refcenter>
...if What you do your tapasyahave 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 time observing yourself doing it and telling yourselfvital, calm equanimity, "Am I making any progressenduring patience, is this going to be betterabsence of pride and the sense of greatness—and more especially, am I going to succeed?"the development of the psychic being in you—surrender, then it is your egoself-giving, you knowpsychic humility, which becomes more devotion... a sufficient foundation and more enormous and occupies the whole placea consciousness always self-observant, vigilant and there growing in these things is no room for anything elseindispensable—for perfect purification is the basis of the perfect siddhi. (The Mother, 26 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0430/26the-danger-of-the-ego-and-the-need-aprilof-1951purification#p35p14</ref>
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. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/the-danger-of-the-ego-and-the-need-of-purification#p14~</refcenter>
== Escape attitude ==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>
It is a subtle law of the action of consciousness that if you stress difficulties—you have to observe them, of course, but not stress them, they will quite sufficiently do that for themselves—the difficulties tend to stick or even increase; on the contrary, if you put your whole stress on faith and aspiration and concentrate steadily on what you aspire to, that will sooner or later tend towards realisation. It is this change of stress, a change in the poise and attitude of the mind, that will be the more helpful process. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-despondency#p22</ref>
It is difficult to observe the difference between the action of the hostile Force and the pressure of the lower Nature because it is the latter that the Force takes hold of for its purpose. But there is in the Force a suggestive character, a conscious arrangement of the attack so as to upset or destroy the sadhana which there is not in the ordinary movement of the lower Nature—for that only comes to satisfy itself and then ceases. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/the-hostile-forces-and-the-difficulties-of-yoga#p35</ref>==Surface Level Observation==
== Overcoming  difficulty ==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.
If you had that observation (from [Based on Aphorism 7—What men call knowledge is the inner spiritual, not reasoned acceptance of false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the outer intellectual veil and ethical viewpoint)sees. Reason divides, then it would be comparatively easy for you to get out of your difficultiesfixes details and contrasts them; for instance you would find at once where this irrational impulse to flee away came from and it would not have any hold upon you. Of courseWisdom unifies, all that can only be done to the best effect when you stand back from the play of your nature and become the Witness-Control or the Spectator-Actor Manager. But that is what happens when you take this kind of self-seeing posturemarries contrasts in a single harmony]. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3110/mentalaphorism-difficulties-and-the-need-of-quietude7#p23p3</ref> <center>~</center>
= Other fields It is evident that our state on the surface is indeed a state of Selfknowledge, so far as it goes, but a limited knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance and, to a very large extent, by reason of its limitation, itself a kind of ignorance, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorance. It could not be otherwise since our awareness of the world is born of a separative and surface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; our knowledge of ourselves, though more direct, is stultified by its restriction to the surface of our being, by an ignorance of our true self, the true sources of our nature, the true motive-forces of our action. 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 a mystery; our cause of being and our end of being, 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-knowledge. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-Observation =knowledge#p7</ref>
<center>~</center>
One 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-june-1956#p49</ref>
== Meditation Observing Invisible Forces==
... when one comes out If we observe a happening, we judge and explain it from the result and from a glimpse of its most external constituents, circumstances or causes; but each happening is the outcome of a complex nexus of meditationforces which we do not and cannot observe, because all forces are to us invisible, some time later—usually —but they are not immediately—from within invisible to the being something new emerges in spiritual vision of the consciousnessInfinite: some of them are actualities working to produce or occasion a new understandingactuality, a new appreciation of things, a new attitude some are possibles that are near to the pre-existent actuals and in life—in short, a new way of being. This may be fugitive, included in their aggregate; but at there can intervene always new possibilities that moment, if one observes it, one finds that something has taken one step forward on the path of understanding or transformation. It may be an illumination, an understanding truer or closer suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves to the truthnexus, and behind all are imperatives or a power of transformation an imperative which helps you these possibilities are labouring to achieve a psychological progress or a widening of the consciousness or a greater control over your movements, over the activities of the beingactualise. (The Mother , 5 June 1957) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0921/5brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-juneprakriti-1957shakti#p20p7</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 = Self Observation - Exploring Realms 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/concentration-and-meditation#p30</ref>Consciousness=
== Dreams ==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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/22/man-and-the-evolution#p8</ref>
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 ...behind there is a tremendous field the psychic which supports the development, the growth of the being and gives this continuity of observation—there consciousness, makes one feel that he is no end to the discoveries you can make in your dreamssame being even while being absolutely different, absolutely different. But there is If later one important point: you must not go to sleep when you are very tiredobserves himself sufficiently, for if you he can see that the things he understood and could do, you fall into a sort of unconsciousness in at that time are things which dreams do whatever they like with youseem to him absolutely inconceivable now, and you have that he could never do a similar thing because he is no reaction. Just as I said longer that you should not eat without having taken rest, I would advise everyone to rest before going to sleepperson at all. And for yet, because within there was the psychic consciousness which is immortal, one has the feeling that, you must know how it is always the same being which was there and continues to be there and will continue to restbe there with more or less progressive and more or less conscious changes. (The Mother, 1 February 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1507/129-februaryjune-19511955#p14p28</ref>
As <center>~</center> There is a state of being experienced in Yoga in which we become a double consciousness, one on the inner consciousness grows surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by sadhanathoughts and feelings, these dream experiences increase in numbergrief and joy and all kinds of reactions, the other within calm, vast, equal, observing the surface being with an immovable detachment or indulgence or, clearnessit may be, coherenceacting upon its agitation to quiet, accuracy enlarge, transform it. So too we can rise to a consciousness above and after some growth observe the various parts of experience our being, inner and outer, mental, vital and consciousnessphysical and the subconscient below all, and act upon one or other or the whole from that higher status. 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 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 canget support, if sanction or light and influence or as a status into which we can ascend or recede and from it observethe inferior movements. Or we can plunge into trance, come to understand them get within ourselves and their significance to our be conscious there while all outward things are excluded; or we can go beyond even this inner lifeawareness and lose ourselves in some deeper other consciousness or some high superconscience. Even There is also a pervading equal consciousness into which we can by training become so conscious as enter and see all ourselves with one enveloping glance or omnipresent awareness one and indivisible. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakriti-shakti#p23</ref> <center>~</center> In this progression the first step is a certain detached superiority to follow our own passagethe three modes of Nature. The soul is inwardly separated and free from the lower Prakriti, not involved in its coils, usually veiled indifferent and glad above it. Nature continues to our awareness 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 memorytheir strainings, through many realms regarding and unoverpowered by the process failing and the darknesses of the thought and the 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>
= Things to Remember =<center>~</center>
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>
= Yogic Experience =<center>~</center>
== 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>
== Shakti and Self-Observation ==<center>~</center>
"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 and Self-Observation ==<center>~</center>
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>
= Practice of Self-Observation =<center>~</center>
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>
== Going Within ==The mental being within watches, observes and passes judgment on all that happens in you. The psychic does not watch and observe in this way like a witness, but it feels and knows spontaneously in a much more direct and luminous way by the very purity of its own nature and the divine instinct within it, and so, whenever it comes to the front it reveals at once what are the right and what the wrong movements in your nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/28/the-jivatman-in-the-integral-yoga#p40</ref>
When we are in contact with the Divine or in contact with an inner knowledge and vision, we begin to see all the circumstances of our life in a new light and can observe how they all tended without our knowing it towards the growth of our being and consciousness, towards the work we had to do, towards some development that had to be made,—not only what seemed good, fortunate or successful but the struggles, failures, difficulties, upheavals. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/the-divine-grace-and-guidance#p33</ref>
== Positive Attitude =='''Content curated by Aditi Kaul'''
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>
Despair and despondency are always wrong. If you make a mistake, quietly observe it and correct the 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>
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= References =
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