<div {|class="wikitable" style="background-color:#000000efefff; width: 100%;">|Read more about '''[[Self Observation Compilation|Self Observation]]''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. |}__NOTOC__=What is Self-Observation</div>?=
= Why =Self observation is to know what stands behind one’s surface nature and personality. To observe oneself is to become conscious of oneself, of the different parts of one’s being and their respective activities. It is to know one’s inner mental, vital, physical and psychic being and its powers and movements... In its advanced stages where one takes an impersonal poise, Self-observation also consists of knowing the universal laws and processes of the occult Mind and Life which stand behind the material-front of the universe. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/memory-ego-and-self-experience#p5</ref><ref> http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/18-june-1958#p3</ref>
= <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">In our everyday life, we always look outwards into the appearance of things and get trapped into the surface ignorance and rarely turn inwards to seek self and discover and utilize our potentials. In order to know ourselves and the world completely, we must go behind our exterior and dive deep below our own mental surface and the physical surface of Nature. And </span><span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">for this self expansion and exploration , psychological selfWhy is Self-observation and analysis is a great and effective tool which supports the turning of the eye inward and help us in connecting with our inner being and universal laws and processes which stand behind the material front of the universe.</span> Observation Important?=
==To Overcome Ignorance==
In our everyday life, we always look outwards into the appearance of things and get trapped into the surface ignorance and rarely turn inwards. Amongst other things, this comes with ignorance, unconsciousness, egoism. If we wish to overcome these limitations and discover & utilise our potentialities beyond the surface appearances, we need to observe ourselves. <ref> http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/18-june-1958#p3</ref>
= What =Self-awareness==
<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">SelfThrough self-observation is the process of </span><span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">becoming conscious of oneself and the different parts of one’s being and developing a power , one learns to distinguish between the different partsone from another, so that one may become clearly aware of the origin of their the movements within and that occur in oneself, the many impulses , reactions and conflicting will wills that drives drive one to action. Observation helps develop a discernment that never errs<ref>h http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-science-of-living#p5</spanref>
==To Utilise One’s Full Potential==
<span style="background-colorMan must know himself and discover and utilise all his potentialities:transparent;color:#000000;">As we but to know himself and the world completely he must go beyond behind his own and its exterior, he must dive deep below his own mental surface and the ordinary physical surface body consciousness, we discover an inner level of mental, vital, physical being along with a inner subtle - physical beingNature. This he can only do by observing oneself. </spanref><span style="background-colorhttp:#ffff00;color:#000000;">By identifying ourselves with our inner being, we are able to observe our thoughts and feelings and can trace the source and motives of our actions and operative energies that build up our surface personality//incarnateword. This helps us in improving our self/cwm/09/18-june-vision.1958#p3</spanref>
=How to Observe Oneself?=
== Mind Under By Cultivating the Influence Inner Attitude of Psychic Being Witness==
<div style="color:#000000;">Real Self-Knowledge begins when one dis-identifies from the nature in To observe oneself and its movements - realising , first & foremost is cultivating an inner attitude of witnessing. Witness attitude is not the two same as separate beings in oneselfintrospection. One movement guiding In introspection, one towards one’s inner truth (psychic being) and other (mostly vital) towards looks with one part of the external being engaged surface mind at what happens in another part of the same surface mind. Whereas when we have the play witness attitude, our consciousness frees itself from habitual entanglements in thoughts, feelings and sense-perceptions and becomes peaceful, silent, and capable of lower watching whatever happens in natureas a pure witness, sakshi, without bias, reaction or involvement. </div>
However, in the beginning, it helps to use the introspective mind, especially if a human has a well-development introspective mind. It helps in not getting carried away by thoughts and feelings. A man with a very developed with very identifies with this 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.
<div style="color:#000000;">As one progresses in one’s inner journeyFurther, to develop the witness attitude it helps to Project oneself on a state comes where one experiences a double consciousness, one on the surface, small, active, ignorant, swayed by thoughts screen and then observe and feelings, grief see all that is moving there and joy how it moves and all kinds of reactions, the other within calm, vast, equal, observing the surface being with an immovable detachmentwhat happens.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/13-october-1954#p2</divref>
Look at oneself objectively as a third person engaging in the surface level activities. One need not like or dislike the activity but sincerely observe the movements of nature.
<span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">The surface/outer mental being observes and passes judgement whereas =By Developing the inner being (psychic) spontaneously knows and feels in a more direct way by its purity and Contact with the divine instinct within it. Mind under the influence of the psychic reveals the movements coming from the higher and the lower nature in oneself. </span><span stylePsychic Being=="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">The pure mind in a witness position that stands detached from the play of the nature, observing it and able to choose.</span>
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 one’s nature.
<ref>h http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/work-and-yoga#p45</ref>
= How to Observe Oneself? =By Being Vigilant==
== ConditionSecondly, vigilance helps in self-observation. If one remains vigilant, not fearful, then with the increase of the Force upholding oneself, a power of seeing and self-observation comes. The power of seeing is accompanied by the power of self-control and the power to reject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when it comes. <ref>http: ==//incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/fear#p12</ref>
<div style="color:#000000;">A quiet mind is required for true self-observation and =By Developing a great amount of inner silence helps in observing the outer action without being involved or moved.</div>Quiet Mind==
== Process ==Thirdly, quietude and detachment of the mind helps in self-observation. If the whole mind remains quiet and detached, then to observe the vital movement without giving assent and rejecting it becomes more easy. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/the-vital-and-other-levels-of-being#p45</ref>
=== Witness =By Exercising the Will to Change==
<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">In order By putting each element that enters our consciousness before the will to become consciouschange while remaining awake, </span><span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">one needs to develop within a part with a witness attitude that observes comparing, observing, studying and is not carried away by thoughts and feelings</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">. People with very developed introspective mind identifies with this part and it becomes easy for them slowly acting, we are able to begin the process of hone our ability at self-observationand make interesting discoveries within oneself.</span>
=== Impartial and Sincere =By Educating the Senses==
<div style="color:#000000;">By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided. The process senses can, in particular, be used as instruments of self-observation should be objective , control and knowledge. For instance, the way one should look at oneself as keeps one’s room is often a third person engaging reflection of where one is in one’s consciousness. Taking this feedback, and consciously trying to use the sense of colour and form, order and organisation helps develop the surface level activitiesability to use one’s senses a logical, rational, useful way. One need not like or dislike Going further, it also helps discover who one is in the activity but sincerely observe the movements conscious way of naturedesigning one’s room.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-march-1954#p13</divref>
== Thoughts and Difficulties in Self-observation =Observation=
=== You are separate from your thoughts =Escape Attitude==
<span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">In the ordinary state, one thinks by habit Man always rushes into external action and is unable looks for reasons to distinguish himself from his thoughts</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">.There is a complete identification between the movement of thought and the consciousness of the being. </span><span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">But when one acquires the witness attitude and is able not have time to separate observe himself from the thoughts, one sees that the thoughts come from outside, from universal Nature, from the mental, </span><span style="background-color:#ffff00;color:#000000;">vital or subtle physical worlds etc.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Thoughts are not the essence of mental-being, they are only an activity of mental nature. Being a little aware and observant shows that one is not manufacturing one’s own thoughts, but rather thoughts occur in one’s consciousness. Generallyturn inward, thus it is like a thought current passing through the brain and then through the brains of other people. It is a perpetual movement that lacks individuality. Through movements of life and gradually becoming aware of one’s individual sensations, thoughts and ideas, one is able important to see that very few thoughts in us are personal. Thoughts lack individuality and 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 be wary of thought passing from one to anotherthe “escape attitude” within oneself. </span>
= Three things to be aware of: =Ego==
* <div style="color:#000000;"><span style="background-color:#ffff00;">Be aware The second is the “danger of “many voices” within. All are not divine ego” in observing the movements and many may only be a voice attaching the sense of desire</span><span style="background-color:transparent;">. You should be vigilant and be faithful ‘I’’ to the Truth and insist on peace, purity, devotion, sincerity. Aspire for a spiritual change of nature and keep the fire process of aspiration burning. </span></div>* <div style="color:#000000;">Be aware of the “escape attitude’’ as man always rushes into external action self-observing and looks for reasons to not have time to observe himself and turn inwardgoing behind the surface level I.</div>
* <div style="color:#000000;">There is “danger of ego” in observing =Focussing on the movements and attaching the sense of ‘I’’to the process of self-observing and not going behind the surface level I.</div>Negative==
To be always observing faults and wrong movements brings depression and discourages the faith. <ref> http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/steps-towards-overcoming-difficulties#p28</ref> One has to observe them, of course, but not stress them.
<ref> http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-despondency#p22</ref>
Instead it is important to focus on the good part and give it strength, whilst not denying the limitations and the wrong movements. .
= Results of Self-observation =
<div style="color:#000000;">If one sincerely observes oneself and put all one’s ignorance, unconsciousness and egoism before a will to change then life becomes infinitely interesting and one can make marvellous and unexpected discoveries about oneself. The process becomes interesting and one begins to find out a lot of small hidden folds one never knew existed within. Once they discovered and light is put upon them, they disappear and one no longer has those reactions and that is how you make progress on the path of self discovery.</div>'''Content curated by Aditi Kaul'''
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== Continuous Process of Self-observation References== <div style="color:#000000;">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. One must at the same time observe how his feelings and thoughts have an action on the body, what the reciprocity is. </div> <div style="color:#000000;">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. </div> == Divine as Observer == <div style="color:#000000;">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 in by the ego their entire sense and ultimate purpose.</div>