Read more about '''[[Self Observation Compilation|Self Observation]]''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
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=What is Self-Observation?=
__NOTOC__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>
<h1>=Why is Self -Observation Summary</h1>Important?=
{|class="wikitable" style= "background-color: #efefff; width: 100%;"|To Overcome Ignorance==
=What is SelfIn 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-Observation?=june-1958#p3</ref>
Man 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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/18==Self-june-1958#p3</ref> awareness==
As Through self-observation, one goes beyond the ordinary surface body consciousnesslearns to distinguish different parts one from another, we discover an inner level so that one may become clearly aware of mental, vital, physical being along with a inner subtle - physical being. By identifying ourselves with our inner being, we are able to observe our thoughts and feelings and can trace the source and motives origin of our actions and operative energies the movements that build up our surface personality. This helps us occur in improving our self-vision. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledge#p12</ref>It is only through self-observation one gets an intuitive perception of oneself, the Nature forces - sattva, rajas, tamas. By Observing one’s dreamsmany impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive one can come to understand them and their significance to our inner lifeaction.<ref>h http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3012/threethe-experiencesscience-of-the-inner-beingliving#p6p5</ref>
=Why is Self-Observation Important ?=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. ...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.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/19-april-1951#p14</ref>To Utilise One’s Full Potential==
To work for your perfection, the first step is Man must know himself and discover and utilise all his potentialities: but to become conscious of yourself, of know himself and the different parts of your being world completely he must go behind his own and their respective activities. You its exterior, he must learn to distinguish these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of dive deep below his own mental surface and the origin physical surface of the movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you to actionNature. This he can only do by observing oneself.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1209/the18-science-ofjune-living1958#p5p3</ref>
=How to Observe Oneself?=
By projecting oneself on a screen and then observe and see all that is moving there and how it moves and what happens.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/29-july-1953#p47</ref>
'''==By Vigilance'''Cultivating the Inner Attitude of Witness== To observe oneself, first & foremost is cultivating an inner attitude of witnessing. Witness attitude is not the same as introspection. In introspection, one looks with one part of the surface mind at what happens in another part of the same surface mind. Whereas when we have the witness attitude, our consciousness frees itself from habitual entanglements in thoughts, feelings and sense-perceptions and becomes peaceful, silent, and capable of watching whatever happens in nature as a pure witness, sakshi, without bias, reaction or involvement. 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.
Not fearFurther, but vigilance. If you remain vigilant, then with to develop the increase of the Force upholding you, witness attitude it helps to Project oneself on a power of self-control will come, a power to screen and then observe and see all that is moving there and reject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when how it comesmoves and what happens. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3106/fear13-october-1954#p12p2</ref>
'''By Developing Look at oneself objectively as a Quiet Mind'''third person engaging in the surface level activities. One need not like or dislike the activity but sincerely observe the movements of nature.
If ==By Developing the whole mind remains quiet and detached observing Contact with the vital movement, but not giving its assent, then to reject it becomes more easy. This established quietude and detachment of the mind marks always a great step forward made in the sadhana. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/the-vital-and-other-levels-of-being#p45</ref>Psychic Being==
'''By Developing 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 Witness Attitude'''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>
In order to become conscious, one needs to develop within a part with a witness attitude that observes and is not carried away by thoughts and feelings. People with very developed introspective mind identifies with this part and it becomes easy for them to begin the process of self-observation.==By Being Vigilant==
The process of Secondly, vigilance helps in self-observation should be objective and . If one should look at remains vigilant, not fearful, then with the increase of the Force upholding oneself as , a third person engaging in 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 surface level activities. One need not like wrong turn or dislike the activity but sincerely observe the movements of naturewrong reaction when it comes. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/fear#p12</ref>
'''==By Education of the senses'''By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided.In fact, they should be used for this, as instruments of observation, control and knowledge. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-march-1954#p13</ref>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. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/vital-education#p6</ref>Developing a Quiet Mind==
==Difficulties Thirdly, quietude and detachment of the mind helps in Selfself-Observation==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>
Be aware of ==By Exercising the “escape attitude’’ as man always rushes into external action and looks for reasons Will to not have time to observe himself and turn inward.Change==
There is “danger of ego” in By putting each element that enters our consciousness before the will to change while remaining awake, comparing, observing the movements , studying and attaching the sense of ‘I’’to the process of slowly acting, we are able to hone our ability at self-observing observation and not going behind the surface level Imake interesting discoveries within oneself.
Focussing on ==By Educating the 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> You have to observe them, of course, but not stress them.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-despondency#p22</ref>Senses==
Surface -level By the education of the senses the growth of one's general education is aided. The senses can, in particular, be used as instruments of observation It is evident that our state on , control and knowledge. For instance, the surface way one keeps one’s room is indeed often a state reflection of knowledge, so far as it goeswhere one is in one’s consciousness. Taking this feedback, but a limited knowledge enveloped and invaded by ignorance consciously trying to use the sense of colour andform, order and organisation helps develop the ability to use one’s senses a very large extentlogical, by reason of its limitationrational, useful way. Going further, itself a kind it also helps discover who one is in the conscious way of ignorance, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorancedesigning one’s room.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2106/knowledge-by-identity-and31-separativemarch-knowledge1954#p7p13</ref>
=Difficulties in Self-Observation=
==Escape Attitude==
Man always rushes into external action and looks for reasons to not have time to observe himself and turn inward, thus it is important to be wary of the “escape attitude” within oneself.
==Ego==
The second is the “danger of ego” in observing the movements and attaching the sense of ‘I’’ to the process of self-observing and not going behind the surface level I.
==Focussing on the 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. .
'''Content curated by Aditi Kaul'''
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Read more about '''[[Self Observation Compilation|Self Observation]]''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
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==References==