Changes

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

= What You may have a mental power of observation, a vital power of observation, a physical power of observation. When you observe ideas, for instance, the train of ideas, the logic of the ideas, it is Selfnot 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 is, the capacity of attention is there in both cases, but it works in a different field. It can't be said that it is one part of the being observing the others; it is the faculty of observation developing in each part of the being—that is, the faculty of concentration and attention. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/27-january-Observation =1954#p34</ref> <center>~</center>

...if he [man] is not to remain this being <center>~</center> The ordinary mind knows itself only as an ego with all the movements of the surface ignorance seeking obscurely after the truth of things nature in a jumble and collecting and systematising fragments and sections , 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 small limited and half-competent creature of the cosmic Force which he now is nature in his phenomenal nature. He must know himself you and discover its movements and utilise all his potentialities: but to know himself and the world completely he must go behind his then you see that there are many parts of your being, many personalities each acting on its own behalf and in its exterior, he must dive deep below his own mental surface and way. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/28/the physical surface of Nature. This he can only do by knowing his inner mental, vital, physical and -psychic -being #p84</ref> <center>~</center> '''Active and its powers and movements and the universal laws and processes of the occult Mind and Life which stand behind the material front of the universe….But Passive Observation'''  Your consciousness becomes a screen or mirror; but this knowledge must be something more than is when you are in a creed or state of contemplation, a mystic revelationmere observer; his thinking mind must be able when you are active, it is like a searchlight. You have only to accept turn iton, if you want to correlate it with see luminously and examine penetratingly anything in any place. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/30-june-1929#p7</ref> '''Observation is Not Discernment'''  For the principle capacity of things and observation must not be confused with the observed truth capacity of the universediscernment. Discernment is an intellectual capacity. Something like a judgment already enters into it, what we call "discrimination": this is you can distinguish between the work origin of philosophyone thing and of another, and in the field reciprocal value of the truth of the spirit it can only these things. But that ought to be done by founded on a spiritual philosophy, whether intellectual in its method or intuitivecorrect observation. (The Motherpower of observation comes first, 18 June 1958) discernment follows. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0903/1830-june-19581929#p3p7</ref>

Your consciousness becomes One can prepare the body through a screen or mirror; but 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 when you are comparatively blind!―or by observing those of others. And in a state 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 contemplationthem, very different effects. One may go even further: in a mere observer; when you are activegiven set of definite circumstances, it there is like a searchlight. You have only to turn it oncertain number of particular, definite individuals, in apparently quite identical conditions, if you want to see luminously and examine penetratingly anything in for some the effects are catastrophic, while others escape without any placeharm. (The Mother, 30 June 1929) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0308/304-junejuly-19291956#p7p15</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) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/10-june-1953#p31</ref>

….You may have a mental power of observation, a vital power of observation, a physical power of observation. When you observe ideas, for instance, '''Observing the train of ideas, the logic of the ideas, 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 is, the capacity of attention is there in both cases, but it works in a different field. It canInner Being'''t be said that it is one part of the being observing the others; it is the faculty of observation developing in each part of the being—that is, the faculty of concentration and attention. For the capacity of observation must not be confused with the capacity of discernment. Discernment is an intellectual capacity. Something like a judgment already enters into it, what we call "discrimination": you can distinguish between 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. (The Mother, 27 January 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/27-january-1954#p34</ref>

...We have in all functionings of the mentality four elementsFor a larger mental being is there within us, a larger inner vital being, the object of mental 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 act springs of mental consciousnessour thoughts and feelings, the occasion sources and motives of our action, the subjectoperative energies that build up our surface personality. In For we discover and can know the self-experience of the self-observing inner beingthat secretly thinks and perceives in us, the object is always some state or movement or wave of vital being that secretly feels and acts upon life through us, the conscious subtle-physical beingthat secretly receives and responds to the contacts of things through our body and its organs. Our surface thought, angerfeeling, 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 a complexity and confusion of mental observation impulsions from within and conceptual valuation 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 this movement or wave or else a our mental sensation of it in which observation , our vital and valuation may be involved our physical energisms and even lostcan see clearly the pure operations,—so that in this act the mental person may either separate distinct powers, the act composing elements of each and the object by their interplay in a distinguishing perception or confuse them together indistinguishablyclear light of self-vision. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/memoryknowledge-egoby-identity-and-selfseparative-experienceknowledge#p5p12</ref>

For '''The Three Modes of Nature''' The idea of the three essential modes of Nature is a larger mental being creation of the ancient Indian thinkers and its truth is there within usnot at once obvious, because it was the result of long psychological experiment and profound internal experience. Therefore without a larger long inner vital beingexperience, even a larger inner subtlewithout intimate self-physical being other than our surface bodyobservation and intuitive perception of the Nature-consciousnessforces 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 entering into this his assent or becoming itrefusal the combinations of his own nature. These modes are termed in the Indian books qualities, identifying ourselves with itguṇas, we can observe and are given the springs of our thoughts and feelingsnames sattva, the sources and motives of our actionrajas, the operative energies that build up our surface personalitytamas. For we discover and can know Sattwa is the inner being that secretly thinks force of equilibrium and perceives translates in us, the vital being that secretly feels quality as good and harmony and acts upon life through us, the subtle-physical being that secretly receives happiness and responds to light; rajas is the contacts force of things through our body kinesis and translates in quality as struggle and its organs. Our surface thoughteffort, feeling, emotion is a complexity passion and confusion of impulsions from within and impacts from outside usaction; our reason, our organising intelligence can impose on it only an imperfect order: but here within we find tamas is the separate sources force of our mentalinconscience and inertia and translates in quality as obscurity and incapacity and inaction. Ordinarily used for psychological self-analysis, our vital and our these distinctions are valid also in physical energisms Nature. Each thing and can see clearly every existence in the pure operations, lower Prakriti contains them and its process and dynamic form are the distinct powers, result of the composing elements interaction of each and their interplay in a clear light of self-visionthese qualitative powers. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2123/knowledge-bythe-identitythree-andmodes-separativeof-knowledgenature#p12p2</ref>

One can prepare Now the body through a series procedure to deal with dreams and the dreamland. First become conscious—conscious of observations, studies, understandings,by showing it examples, making it understand things as one makes a child understand your dreams. Observe the relation between them, either by observing its own movements―but generally, in this, one is comparatively blind!―or by observing those and the happenings of othersyour waking hours. And in a more general wayIf you remember your night, this preparation you will be based on recognised studies, on clear facts. Like this, for instance: that a certain number able to trace back very often the condition of persons, placed in exactly similar circumstances, experience, each one your day to the condition of them, very different effectsyour night. One may go even further: In sleep some action or other is always going on in a given set of definite circumstances, your mental or vital or other plane; things happen 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 harmthey govern your waking consciousness. (The Mother, 4 July 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0803/421-julyapril-19561929#p15p6</ref>

'''The Three Modes It is a tremendous field of Nature'''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>

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

= Why - is Self-Observation Important? = ...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 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 exterior, he must dive deep below his own mental surface and the physical surface of Nature. This he can only do by knowing his inner mental, vital, physical and psychic being and its powers and movements and the universal laws and processes of the occult Mind and Life which stand behind the material front of the universe. ...But this knowledge must be something more than a creed or a mystic revelation; his thinking mind must be able to accept it, to correlate it with the principle of things and the observed truth of the universe: this is the work of philosophy, and in the field of the truth of the spirit it can only be done by a spiritual philosophy, whether intellectual in its method or intuitive. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/18-june-1958#p3</ref>  <center>~</center> To work for your perfection, the first step is to become conscious of yourself, of the different parts of your being and their respective activities. You must learn to distinguish these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin of the movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you to action. It is an assiduous study which demands much perseverance and sincerity. For man's nature, especially his mental nature, has 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> <center>~</center>

… if each element which comes with its ignorance, its unconsciousness, its egoism, is put before the will to change and one remains awake, compares, observes, studies and slowly acts, 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 beginning; one undertakes a sort 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 nasty. And once it has been discovered, how 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 say, "Oh! I shall never get there. (The Mother, 19 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/19-april-1951#p14</ref> <center>~</center>

To work for your perfection<center>~</center> The true and ultimate, as distinguished from the first step is to become conscious immediate or intermediate importance of yourselfour observing, reasoning, inquiring, of judging intelligence is that it prepares the different parts of your human being for the right reception and their respective activities. You right action of a Light from above which must learn to distinguish these different parts one progressively replace in him the obscure light from another, so below that you may become clearly aware of guides the origin of the movements that occur in youanimal. ...Man can bring an enlightened will, an enlightened thought and enlightened emotions to the many impulses, reactions difficult work of his self-development; he can more and conflicting wills that drive you more subject to actionthese more conscious and reflecting guides the inferior function of desire. It is an assiduous study which demands much perseverance In proportion as he can thus master and sincerity. For man's nature, especially enlighten his mental naturelower self, has a spontaneous tendency to give a favourable explanation for everything he thinks, feels, says is man and doesno longer an animal. It is only When he can begin to replace desire altogether by observing these movements a still greater enlightened thought and sight and will in touch with great care, by bringing them, as it were, before the tribunal of our highest idealInfinite, with consciously subject to a sincere diviner will to submit to its judgmentthan his own, that we can hope linked to form in ourselves a discernment that never errs. For if we truly want to progress more universal and acquire transcendent knowledge, he has commenced the capacity of knowing ascent towards the truth of our being, that superman; he is on his upward march towards the Divine.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/self-consecration#p17</ref> = How to sayObserve Oneself? = But you must begin when very small, what we are truly created forand consciously, what we can call our mission upon earth, then we very consciously; you must, begin with a sense of observation of all the movements in a very regular and constant manneryourself, reject from us or eliminate in us whatever contradicts the truth of our existencetheir relation with others, whatever is opposed to it. In this wayof—precisely, little by littleof your degree of independence, all the partsreal individuality, all the elements of our being can be organised into a homogeneous whole around our psychic centreknowing where impulses come from, where other movements come from: whether it is contagion from outside or something that arises from within yourself. This work A very profound study of unification requires much time to be brought to some degree of perfection. Therefore, all the movements in oneself is necessary in order to accomplish itsucceed simply in crystallising a being who is a little conscious, we must arm ourselves with patience and endurance, with a determination to prolong our life as long as necessary for the success of our endeavourlittle conscious. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1206/the-science22-ofseptember-living1954#p5p43</ref> <center>~</center>

The true You project yourself on the screen and then observe and ultimate, as distinguished from the immediate or intermediate importance of our observing, reasoning, inquiring, judging intelligence see all that is that moving there and how it prepares the human being for the right reception moves and right action of what happens. You make a Light from above which must progressively replace in him the obscure light from below that guides the animallittle diagram, it becomes so interesting then..Man can bring an enlightened willAnd then, after a while, an enlightened thought and enlightened emotions when you are quite accustomed to the difficult work of his self-development; he seeing, you can more go one step further and more subject to these more conscious and reflecting guides the inferior function of desiretake a decision. In proportion as he can thus master and enlighten his lower selfOr even a still greater step: you organise—arrange, take up all that, put each thing in its place, he is man and no longer an animal. When he can organise in such a way that you begin to replace desire altogether by have a still greater enlightened thought and sight straight movement with an inner meaning. And then you become conscious of your direction and are able to say: "Very well, it will be thus; my life will develop in touch with that way, because that is the Infinitelogic of my being. Now, I have arranged all that within me, consciously subject to a diviner will than his owneach thing has been put in its place, linked to and so naturally a central orientation is forming. I am following this orientation. One step more universal and transcendent knowledge, he has commenced the ascent towards the superman; he is on his upward march towards the DivineI know what will happen to me for I myself am deciding it....".<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2305/self29-july-consecration1953#p17p47</ref>

But you 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 begin 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 consciouslythen when each year one grows up, if one takes fairly long distances, for example a distance of about ten years, they are very consciouslydifferent "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 must begin with a sense see. If one takes only this, still there is something which has the feeling of observation of all always being the movements in yourselfsame person. So one must reflect, seek, of their try to understand what it is. This indeed can lead you far on the path. Then if one also studies the relation with othersbetween these different things—between thoughts, of—preciselyfeelings, of your degree of independence, real individualitytheir action on the body, the reciprocal action of knowing where impulses come fromthe body on these things—and also what it is that says "I" permanently, where other movements come from: whether what it is contagion from outside or something that arises from within yourself. A very profound study can trace a curve in the movement of all the movements in oneself is necessary in order to succeed simply in crystallising a being who is a little conscious, a little consciousif one seeks carefully enough, it leads you quite far. (The MotherNaturally if one seeks far enough and with enough persistence, 22 September 1954) one reaches the psychic. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0607/229-septembermarch-19541955#p43p23</ref>

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 your direction and are able to say: "Very well, it will be thus; my life will develop in that way, because that is the logic of my being. Now, I have arranged all that within me, each thing has been put in its place, and so naturally a central orientation is forming. I am following this orientation. One step more and I know what will happen to me for I myself am deciding it....". (The Mother, 29 July 1953) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/29-july-1953#p47~</refcenter>

<center>~</center> But you have only to observe yourselves... you can observe yourself, catch yourself at least a hundred times a day, with a mind which decides everything, knows everything, judges everything, knows very well what is good, what bad, what is true, what false, what is right... And also how one should act, what this person should have done, how to resolve that problem.... All men know, you see... If they were at the head of governments, for instance, they would know very well how to manage everything! But people don't listen to them... that's all! (The Mother, 21 July 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/21-july-1954#p40</ref> <center>~</center> But a time comes when instead of doing things automatically, impelled by a consciousness and force of which one is quite unaware—a time comes when one can observe what goes on in oneself, study one's movements, find their causes, and at the same time begin to exercise a 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>

But a time comes when instead of doing things automatically, impelled by a consciousness and force of which one is quite unaware—a time comes when one can observe what goes on in oneself, study one's movements, find their causes, and at the same time begin to exercise a 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. (The Mother, 28 November 1956) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/28-november-1956#p19~</refcenter>

<center>~</center> 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> <center>~</center>

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

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) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/13-october-1954#p2</ref> <center>~</center>

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) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/15/12-november-1952#p6</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>

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) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/25-january-1951#p3</ref>

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

….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 Education of education. In fact, they should be used for this, as instruments of observation, control and knowledge. If one is sufficiently developed, one can know the nature of things through sight; through the see of smell one may also know the value, the different nature of things; by touch one can recognise things. It is a question of education; that is, one must work for it. (The Mother, 31 March 1954) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-march-1954#p13</ref>Senses==

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.The child must be taught By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided; if you learn to observesee well, exactly, precisely; if you learn to note his reactions and impulses and their causes, hear well; if you learn through touch to know the nature of things; if you learn through the see of smell to become distinguish between different odours—all these are a discerning witness powerful means of his desireseducation. In fact, they should be used for this, his movements as instruments of violence observation, control and passionknowledge. If one is sufficiently developed, his instincts one can know the nature of possession and appropriation and domination and things through sight; through the background see of vanity which supports themsmell one may also know the value, together with their counterparts the different nature of things; by touch one can recognise things. It is a question of weaknesseducation; that is, discouragement, depression and despairone must work for it. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1206/vital31-educationmarch-1954#p14p13</ref>

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

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

But The indispensable starting-point is a detailed and discerning observation of the character to begin withbe transformed. In most cases, how many times, if that itself is a difficult and often a very baffling task. But there is one thinks, if one quite simply observes oneself, does one catch oneself saying, "fact which the old traditions knew and which can serve as the clue in the labyrinth of inner discovery. It is I!" Andthat everyone possesses in a large measure, thenand the exceptional individual in an increasing degree of precision, one congratulates oneself sometimestwo opposite tendencies of character, one saysin almost equal proportions, "After all I can do something, I am capable!" I am going further: how many people would be capable which are like the light and the shadow of doing anything at all if simply deprived 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 pleasure courageous man will be a coward in some part of his being able to tell themselves, "I and the good man will suddenly have done wicked impulses. In thisway life seems to endow everyone not only with the possibility of expressing an ideal, I have realised that, I have made but also with contrary elements representing in a progress, how well I played this game"? How many people would be able concrete manner the battle he has to sincerely do something if this pleasure were taken away? I have known individuals whose mind was much more developed than wage and the rest of victory he has to win for the being, they had understood very well (almost too well); they sat down realisation to meditate and all their energy was gonebecome possible. Consequently, all vitality evaporated into a kind of peace, not unpleasant, but very still. There life is no an education pursued more need to do anythingor less consciously, no longer any need to move, one dreamsmore or less willingly.... Under a treeIn certain cases this education will encourage the movements that express the light, arms crossedin others, one leaves on the Divine to do everything for oneself, including feeding you if you need it. This is perhaps very wellcontrary, but this shows those that express the instrument is not ready; it is not really at shadow. If the service of circumstances and the Divineenvironment are favourable, it is the light will grow at the service expense of the ego, and when shadow; otherwise the ego is taken away, it does nothing any longeropposite will happen. Therefore, so long as one lives And in this way the ego this illusion is necessary individual's character will crystallise according to make you act; it is necessary to keep up action until one is completely transformed orthe whims of Nature and the determinisms of material and vital life, unless a higher element comes in any casein time, a conscious will which, refusing to allow Nature to follow her whimsical ways, till the true consciousness will replace them by a logical and clear-sighted discipline. This conscious will is establishedwhat we mean by a rational method of education. (The Mother, 5 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0412/5-aprilvital-1951education#p14p6</ref>

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

The error comes from thinking that your thoughts are your own and that you are their maker and if you don''' Escape attitude '''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>

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 Thoughts are not the Negative''' 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/three-experiences-of-the-inner-being#p3</ref>

To be always observing faults and wrong <center>~</center> It is only gradually, very slowly, through the movements brings depression of life and discourages the faith. Turn your eyes a more or less careful and thorough education that you begin to the coming Light have sensations which are personal to you, feelings and less ideas which are personal to any immediate darknessyou. FaithAn individualised mind is something extremely rare, cheerfulnesswhich 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, confidence and all this is in the ultimate victory perpetual movement and has no individuality. One thinks what others are thinking, others think what still others are the things thinking, and everybody thinks like that helpin a great mixture,—they make the progress easier and swifterbecause these are currents, vibrations of thought passing from one to another. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/steps-towards-overcoming-difficulties#p28</ref> What If you have to aspire for most is the improved quality of the recipient consciousness in you—discrimination in the mindlook at yourself attentively, the unattached impersonal Witness look on all you will very quickly become aware that goes on very few thoughts in you and around are personal. Where do you draw them from?—From what youhave heard, purity in the vitalfrom what you have read, calm equanimitywhat you have been taught, enduring patience, absence of pride and the sense how many of greatness—and more especially, these thoughts you have are the development result of the psychic being in you—surrenderyour own experience, self-givingyour own reflection, 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 siddhiyour purely personal observation?—Not many. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3009/the20-danger-of-the-ego-and-the-need-offebruary-purification1957#p14p6</ref>

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. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-despondency#p22~</refcenter>

'''Surface Level =Difficulties in Self-Observation'''=

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 ==Danger 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/10/aphorism-7#p3</ref>Ego==

But to begin with, how many times, if one thinks, if one quite simply observes oneself, does one catch oneself saying, "It is evident that our state on 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 surface is indeed a state pleasure of knowledgebeing able to tell themselves, so far as it goes"I have done this, I have realised that, but I have made a limited knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance andprogress, how well I played this game"? How many people would be able to a 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 large extentwell (almost too well); they sat down to meditate and all their energy was gone, by reason of its limitation, itself all vitality evaporated into a kind of ignorancepeace, not unpleasant, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorancebut very still. It could not be otherwise since our awareness of the world There is born of no more need to do anything, no longer any need to move, one dreams. ...Under a separative and surface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; our knowledge of ourselvestree, though more directarms crossed, is stultified by its restriction one leaves the Divine to the surface of our beingdo everything for oneself, by an ignorance of our true selfincluding feeding you if you need it. This is perhaps very well, but this shows that the true sources instrument is not ready; it is not really at the service of our naturethe Divine, it is at the true motive-forces service of our action. It is quite evident that we know ourselves with only a superficial knowledgethe ego,—the sources of our consciousness and thought are a mystery; when the true nature of our mindego is taken away, emotionsit does nothing any longer. Therefore, sensations so long as one lives in the ego this illusion is a mysterynecessary to make you act; our cause of being and our end of beingit is necessary to keep up action until one is completely transformed or, in any case, till 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-knowledgetrue consciousness is established. (The Mother, 5 April 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2104/knowledge-by-identity-and5-separativeapril-knowledge1951#p7p14</ref>

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. (The Mother, 20 June 1956) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/20-june-1956#p49~</refcenter>

= Self Observation Constantly man rushes into external action in context of === Personality order not to have time to observe himself and Self-Observation == === Three Gunas and Self-Observation === In how he lives. For him this progression is expressed by the first step is a certain detached superiority desire to the three modes of Natureescape from boredom. The soul Indeed, for some people it is inwardly separated and free from the lower Prakritimuch more tiresome to remain quiet—seated, not involved in its coils, indifferent and glad above or to be still. So for them it. Nature continues represents an escape from boredom: to act in the triple round make a lot of her ancient habitsnoise,—desire, grief and joy attack the heart, the instruments fall into inaction and obscurity and wearinessto commit many stupidities, light and peace come back into the heart and mind and bodybecome terribly restless; but the soul stands unchanged and untouched by these changesit is their way of escaping boredom. Observing And when they sit quietly and unmoved by the grief and desire of the lower members, smiling look at their joys and their strainingsthemselves, 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 mindthey are bored. Perhaps because they are boring. That's illuminations and its relief and sense of ease or of power in the return of light and gladnessvery likely. The more boring one is, 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 knowledgemore one is bored. Very interesting people usually are not bored. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2307/the26-three-modes-ofjanuary-nature1955#p13p14</ref>

=== Parts and Planes of Focusing on the Being =Negative==

There is Despair and despondency are always wrong. If you make a state of being experienced in Yoga in which we become a double consciousnessmistake, one on the surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by thoughts and feelings, grief and joy quietly observe it and all kinds of reactions, correct 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 ittendency next time. 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 Even if the subconscient below allmistake recurs often, and act upon one or other or the whole from that higher status. It is possible also you have only 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 persevere quietly—remembering 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 nature cannot be conscious there while all outward things are excluded; or we can go beyond even this inner awareness and lose ourselves changed 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 indivisibleday. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2131/brahmandepression-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakritiand-shaktidespondency#p23p67</ref>

It is difficult a subtle law of the action of consciousness that if you stress difficulties—you have to say generally what is conscious; but naturallyobserve them, if something observesof course, it is always the "witness" element in this part—in each part of the being there is something which is a "witness"but not stress them, which looks they will quite sufficiently do that for themselves—the difficulties tend to stick or even increase; on. There is even a physical witness which can get very much in the way; for instancecontrary, if it watches you playing, this can paralyse you considerably. There is also a vital witness which looks at put your whole stress on faith and aspiration and concentrate steadily on what youaspire to, sees your desires and enjoys highly all that happens; it acts also as a brakewill sooner or later tend towards realisation. There It is the mental witness which judges ideas, which says, "This idea contradicts this other"change of stress, a change in the poise and which arranges everything. Then there is attitude of the great psychic Witnessmind, who is that will be the inner divinitymore helpful process. (The Mother, 22 March 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0431/22dealing-with-depression-marchand-1951despondency#p6p22</ref>

The witness Purusha in the mind observes that [Based on Aphorism 7—What men call knowledge is the inadequacy reasoned acceptance of his effort, all false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the inadequacy in fact of man's life veil and nature arises from the separation sees. Reason divides, fixes details and the consequent strugglecontrasts them; Wisdom unifies, want of knowledge, want of marries contrasts in a single harmony, want of oneness. It is essential for him to grow out of separative individuality, to universalise himself, 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 Mind, our soul of life one with the universal Life-soul, our soul of body one with the universal soul of physical Nature]. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2410/the-perfection-of-the-mentalaphorism-being7#p15p3</ref>

...behind there It is evident that our state on the psychic which supports the developmentsurface 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 growth world is born of the being a separative and gives this continuity surface observation with only an indirect means of cognition at its disposal; our knowledge of consciousnessourselves, though more direct, makes one feel that he is stultified by its restriction to the same surface of our being even while being absolutely different, absolutely different. If later one observes himself sufficientlyby an ignorance of our true self, the true sources of our nature, he can see that the things he understood and could do at true motive-forces of our action. It is quite evident that time are things which seem to him absolutely inconceivable nowwe know ourselves with only a superficial knowledge, —the sources of our consciousness and that he could never do thought are a similar thing because he is no longer that person at all. And yetmystery; the true nature of our mind, because within there was the psychic consciousness which is immortalemotions, one has the feeling that it sensations is always the same a mystery; our cause of being which was there and continues to be there our end of being, the significance of our life and will continue to its activities are a mystery: this could not be there with more or less progressive if we had a real self-knowledge and more or less conscious changesa real world-knowledge. (The Mother, 29 June 1955) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0721/29knowledge-by-identity-and-juneseparative-1955knowledge#p28p7</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 One throws oneself out all the time; all the time one lives, as expressing what it were, outside oneself, in such a superficial sensation that it is in the naturealmost as though one were outside oneself. You have As soon as one wants even to be conscious of whatever in your actions observe oneself a little, control oneself a little, simply know what is happening, one is not in harmony with the Yoga and always obliged to draw back or pull towards oneself, to get rid of it. But for pull inwards something which is constantly like that what is needed is your own consciousness, on the psychicsurface. And it is this surface thing which meets all external contacts, observing puts you in touch with similar vibrations coming from within and throwing off what is seen to be undesirableothers. That happens almost outside you. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2908/work20-andjune-yoga1956#p45p49</ref>

== Consciousness If we observe a happening, we judge and Selfexplain 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 forces which we do not and cannot observe, because all forces are to us invisible,—but they are not invisible to the spiritual vision of the Infinite: some of them are actualities working to produce or occasion a new actuality, some are possibles that are near to the pre-existent actuals and in a way included in their aggregate; but there can intervene always new possibilities that suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves to the nexus, and behind all are imperatives or an imperative which these possibilities are labouring to actualise. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/brahman-purusha-ishwara-maya-prakriti-Observation ==shakti#p7</ref>

However, if one observes things Man is a little deeplytype among many types so constructed, one perceives pattern among the multitude of patterns in the manifestation in Matter. He is the most complex that there is progresshas been created, that things become better the richest in content of consciousness and betterthe curious ingeniousness of his building; he is the head of the earthly creation, though apparently they do but he does not improveexceed it…. And for If there is a consciousness seated perfection to which he has to arrive, it must be a little higherperfection in his own kind, within his own law of being, —the full play of it is quite evident that all evil—at least what we call evil—all falsehood, all that is contrary but by observation of its mode and measure, not by transcendence. To exceed himself, to grow into the Truthsuperman, all suffering, all opposition is to put on the result nature and capacities of a disequilibrium. I believe that one who is habituated to seeing things from this higher plane sees immediately that it is like thatgod would be a contradiction of his self-law, impracticable and impossible. (The Mother, 8 January 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0422/8man-and-januarythe-1951evolution#p13p8</ref>

At a certain stage of ...behind there is the psychic which supports the sadhanadevelopment, in the beginning (or near it) growth of the more intense experiencesbeing and gives this continuity of consciousness, it sometimes happens makes one feel that there he is the intense realisation of some aspect of the Divinesame being even while being absolutely different, a sort of communion with itabsolutely different. If later one observes himself sufficiently, he can see that the things he understood and could do at that is seen everywhere time are things which seem to him absolutely inconceivable now, and all as that. It he could never do a similar thing because he is a transitory phase and afterwards one gets the larger experience of the Divine in no longer that person at all its aspects and beyond all aspects. Throughout And yet, because within there was the experience there should be psychic consciousness which is immortal, one part of has the feeling that it is always the same being that observes which was there and understands—for sometimes ignorant sadhaks are carried away by their experience continues to be there and stop short will continue to be there with more or fall into extravagance. It must be taken as an experience through which you are passingless progressive and more or less conscious changes. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3007/suggestions29-for-dealing-withjune-experiences1955#p10p28</ref>

Thoughts are not There is a state of being experienced in Yoga in which we become a double consciousness, one on the essence surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by thoughts and feelings, grief and joy and all kinds of mind-reactions, the other within calm, vast, equal, observing the surface beingwith an immovable detachment or indulgence or, they are only an activity of mental nature; if that activity ceasesit may be, what appears then as a thought-free existence that manifests in acting upon its place is not agitation to quiet, enlarge, transform it. So too we can rise to a blank or void but something very realconsciousness above and observe the various parts of our being, substantialinner and outer, concrete we may say—a mental being , 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 extends itself widely height or from any height into any of these lower states and can be take its own field of existence silent limited light or active as well its obscurity as our place of working while the Witness, Knower, Master of 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 its action. Some feel it first influence or as a voidstatus into which we can ascend or recede and from it observe the inferior movements. Or we can plunge into trance, but that is because their observation is untrained get within ourselves and insufficient be conscious there while all outward things are excluded; or we can go beyond even this inner awareness and loss of activity gives them the sense of blank; an emptiness there lose ourselves in some deeper other consciousness or some high superconscience. There is, but it is an emptiness of the ordinary activities, not also a blank of existencepervading equal consciousness into which we can enter and see all ourselves with one enveloping glance or omnipresent awareness one and indivisible. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3021/threebrahman-experiencespurusha-ofishwara-themaya-innerprakriti-beingshakti#p3p23</ref>

It <center>~</center> In this progression the first step is only graduallya certain detached superiority to the three modes of Nature. The soul is inwardly separated and free from the lower Prakriti, very slowlynot involved in its coils, through indifferent and glad above it. Nature continues to act in the movements triple round of life her ancient habits,—desire, grief and a more or less careful joy attack the heart, the instruments fall into inaction and obscurity and thorough education that you begin to have sensations which are personal to youweariness, feelings light and peace come back into the heart and mind and ideas which are personal to youbody; but the soul stands unchanged and untouched by these changes. An individualised mind is something extremely rareObserving and unmoved by the grief and desire of the lower members, smiling at their joys and their strainings, which comes only after a long education; otherwise it is a kind regarding and unoverpowered by the failing and the darknesses of the thought-current passing through your brain and then through anotherthe wildness or the weaknesses of the heart and nerves, uncompelled and unattached to the mind's illuminations and its relief and then through a multitude sense of ease or of other brains, and all this is power in perpetual movement the return of light and has no individuality. One thinks what others are thinkinggladness, others think what still others are thinking, and everybody thinks like that in a great mixture, because it throws itself into none of these are currentsthings, vibrations but waits unmoved for the intimations 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, a higher Will and how many of these thoughts you have are the result intuitions of your own experience, your own reflection, your purely personal observation?—Not manya greater luminous knowledge. (The Mother, 20 February 1957) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0923/20the-februarythree-modes-of-1957nature#p6p13</ref>

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. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/thought-and-knowledge#p3~</refcenter>

When one practises It is thus by an integralisation of our divided being that the Divine Shakti in the Yoga and observes the thoughtswill proceed to its object; for liberation, one sees that they come from outsideperfection, from universal Naturemastery are dependent on this integralisation, from since the mentallittle wave on the surface cannot control its own movement, vital or subtle physical worlds etcmuch less have any true control over the vast life around it... The proper thing is then It begins to stand back from these thoughts, voices or suggestions, to reject them or else control them, to make the mind free know inwardly and directly and quiet not merely by external observation and open only to contact the forces at play in the divine lightworld, forcefeels their movement, knowledge distinguishes their functioning and can operate immediately upon them as the presence of the Divine….Aspirescientist operates upon physical forces, get into contact with the Light accept their action and the true Forceresults in our mind, life, reassert your will to body or reject these suggestions them or modify, change, reshape, create immense new powers and voices. Do not take interest movements in these voices, keep place of the old small functionings of the mind quietnature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3123/thoughtthe-andascent-of-the-sacrifice-knowledgeii#p5p29</ref>

= Things It is difficult to Remember =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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/22-march-1951#p6</ref>

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 about 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. (The Mother, 9 March 1955) <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/9-march-1955#p23~</refcenter>

A hidden Power is The witness Purusha in the mind observes that the inadequacy of his effort, all the inadequacy in fact of man's life and nature arises from the true Lord separation and overruling Observer the consequent struggle, want of our acts and knowledge, want of harmony, want of oneness. It is essential for him to grow out of separative individuality, to universalise himself, to make himself one with the universe. This unification can be done only he knows through all the ignorance and perversion and deformation brought in soul by making our soul of mind one with the universal Mind, our soul of life one with the universal Life-soul, our soul of body one with the ego their entire sense and ultimate purposeuniversal soul of physical Nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2324/self-surrender-in-works-the-wayperfection-of-the-gitamental-being#p6p15</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 Purusha ...with regard to the movements and Prakriti are on experiences of the mental level body the mind will come to know the Purusha seated within it as in , first, the rest witness or observer of our being closely joined the movements and much involved in each other and we are not able to distinguish clearly soul and nature. But in , secondly, the purer substance knower or perceiver of mind we can more easily discern the dual strainexperiences. The mental Purusha is naturally able 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 native principle of mind to detach itself, as we have seen, from the workings of its Prakriti and there is then a division of our being between a consciousness that observes and can reserve its willpower and an energy full of the substance operations of consciousness that takes Nature governed by the forms qualities of knowledge, will Nature and feeling. This detachment gives at its highest a certain freedom from the compulsion of the soulby its mental naturetheir interaction upon each other. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2423/the-divinerelease-from-subjection-to-the-shaktibody#p8p4</ref>

"The Shakti, the power of the Infinite Purusha and Prakriti are on the Eternal descends within us, works, breaks up our present psychological formations, shatters every wall, widens, liberates... she frees the consciousness from confinement mental level as in the body; it can go out rest of our being closely joined and much involved in trance or sleep or even waking each other and enter into worlds or other regions of this world we are not able to distinguish clearly soul and act there or carry back its experiencenature. It spreads out, feeling But in the body only as a small part purer substance of itself, and begins to contain what before contained it; it achieves mind we can more easily discern the cosmic consciousness and extends itself to be commensurate with the universedual strain. It begins The mental Purusha is naturally able in its own native principle of mind to know inwardly and directly and not merely by external observation and contact the forces at play in the worlddetach itself, feels their movementas we have seen, distinguishes their functioning and can operate immediately upon them as from the scientist operates upon physical forces, accept their action workings of its Prakriti and results in there is then a division of our mind, life, body or reject them or modify, change, reshape, create immense new powers being between a consciousness that observes and can reserve its willpower and movements in place an energy full of the old small functionings substance of consciousness that takes the natureforms of knowledge, will and feeling. We begin to perceive This detachment gives at its highest a certain freedom from the working compulsion of the forces of universal Mind and to know how our thoughts are created by that working..soulby its mental nature.." (The Mother, 7 November 1956) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0824/7the-novemberdivine-1956shakti#p1p8</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 and Self-Observation == Man The actions are of importance only as expressing what is a type among many types so constructed, one pattern among in the multitude nature. You have to be conscious of patterns whatever in the manifestation your actions is not in Matter. He is the most complex that has been created, harmony with the richest in content of consciousness Yoga and the curious ingeniousness to get rid of his building; he it. But for that what is the head of the earthly creation, but he does not exceed it…. If there needed is a perfection to which he has to arriveyour own consciousness, it must be a perfection in his own kindthe psychic, observing from 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, throwing off what is seen to put on the nature and capacities of a god would be a contradiction of his self-law, impracticable and impossibleundesirable. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2229/manwork-and-the-evolutionyoga#p8p45</ref>

In the animal mind is not quite distinct from its own life-matrix and life-matter; its movements are so involved in the life movements that it cannot detach itself from them, cannot stand separate and observe them; but in man mind has become separate, he can become aware of his mental operations as distinct from his life operations, his thought and will can disengage them selves from his sensations and impulses, desires and emotional reactions, can become detached from them, observe and control them, sanction or cancel their functioning: he does not as yet know the secrets of his being well enough to be aware of himself decisively and with certitude as a mental being in a life and body, but he has that impression and can take inwardly that position. <refcenter>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/22/the-evolution-of-the-spiritual-man#p6~</refcenter>

== Chitta and Self-Observation == Chitta, the basic consciousness, is largely subconscient; it hasThe mental being within watches, open observes and hidden, two kinds of action, one passive or receptive, the other active or reactive passes judgment on all that happens in you. The psychic does not watch and formative. As observe in this way like a passive power it receives all impactswitness, even those of which the mind is unaware or to which but it is inattentive, feels and it stores them knows spontaneously in an immense reserve a much more direct and luminous way by the very purity of passive subconscient memory on which the mind as an active memory can draw.But ordinarily its own nature and the mind draws only what divine instinct within it had observed and understood at the time,—more easily what it had observed well and understood carefullyso, less easily what whenever it had observed carelessly or ill understood; at the same time there is a power in consciousness to send up comes to the active mind for use front it reveals at once 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 of are the subconscious chitta comes as it were to right and what the surface or when the subliminal being wrong movements in us appears on the threshold and for a time plays some part in the outer chamber of mentality where the direct intercourse and commerce with the external world takes place and our inner dealings with ourselves develop on the surfaceyour nature. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2428/the-instrumentsjivatman-ofin-the-spirit#p6</ref> = Practice of Self-Observation = 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 http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/anger#p15</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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/conjugateintegral-versesyoga#p7p40</ref>

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