Read more about '''[[Self Observation Compilation|Self Observation]]''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
|}
[[File:SelfObservationSlide1.png|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide2.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide3.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide4.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide5.png|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide6.png|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide7.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide8.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide9.PNG|center|1000px]]
[[File:SOSlide10.PNG|center|1000px]]
__NOTOC__
<h1>Self Observation Summary</h1>
{|class="wikitable" style= "background-color: #efefff; width: 100%;"
|
=What is Self-Observation?=
Man must Self observation is to know himself what stands behind one’s surface nature and discover personality. To observe oneself is to become conscious of oneself, of the different parts of one’s being and utilise all his potentialities: but their respective activities. It is to know himself one’s inner mental, vital, physical and psychic being and the world completely he must go behind his own its powers and movements... In its exterioradvanced stages where one takes an impersonal poise, he must dive deep below his own mental surface Self-observation also consists of knowing the universal laws and processes of the occult Mind and Life which stand behind the physical surface material-front of Naturethe 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>
As one goes beyond the ordinary surface body consciousness, we discover an inner level 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 of our actions and operative energies that build up our surface personality. This helps us in improving our self-vision. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/21/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledge#p12</ref>It =Why is only through self-observation one gets an intuitive perception of the Nature forces - sattva, rajas, tamas. By Observing one’s dreams, one can come to understand them and their significance to our inner life.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/30/three-experiences-of-the-innerSelf-being#p6</ref>Observation Important?=
=Why - Self-Observation?=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 Overcome Ignorance==
To work for your perfectionIn our everyday life, we always look outwards into the first step is to become conscious of yourself, appearance of things and get trapped into the different parts of your being surface ignorance and their respective activitiesrarely turn inwards. You must learn Amongst other things, this comes with ignorance, unconsciousness, egoism. If we wish to distinguish overcome these different parts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin of the movements that occur in you, limitations and discover & utilise our potentialities beyond the many impulsessurface appearances, reactions and conflicting wills that drive you we need to actionobserve ourselves.<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/05/29Self-july-1953#p47</ref>awareness==
'''By Vigilance'''Through self-observation, one learns to distinguish different parts one from another, so that one may become clearly aware of the origin of the movements that occur in oneself, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting wills that drive one to action. <ref>h http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-science-of-living#p5</ref>
Not fear, but vigilance. If you remain vigilant, then with the increase of the Force upholding you, a power of self-control will come, a power to see and reject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when it comes. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/fear#p12</ref>==To Utilise One’s Full Potential==
'''By Developing a Quiet Mind'''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. This he can only do by observing oneself. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/09/18-june-1958#p3</ref>
If the whole mind remains quiet and detached observing the vital movement, but not giving its assent, then =How 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>Observe Oneself?=
'''==By Developing Cultivating the Inner Attitude of Witness Attitude'''==
To observe oneself, first & foremost is cultivating an inner attitude of witnessing. Witness attitude is not the same as introspection. In order to become consciousintrospection, one needs to develop within a looks with one part of the surface mind at what happens in another part with a of the same surface mind. Whereas when we have the witness attitude that observes and is not carried away by , our consciousness frees itself from habitual entanglements in thoughts , feelings and feelings. People with very developed introspective mind identifies with this part sense-perceptions and it becomes easy for them to begin the process peaceful, silent, and capable of self-observationwatching whatever happens in nature as a pure witness, sakshi, without bias, reaction or involvement.
The process of self-observation should be objective and one should look at oneself as a third person engaging However, in the surface level activitiesbeginning, it helps to use the introspective mind, especially if a human has a well-development introspective mind. One need It helps in not like or dislike the activity but sincerely observe the movements 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.By EducationThat is a beginning which makes it easy for the full detachment to come.
ConsequentlyFurther, all life is an education pursued more or less consciously, more or less willingly. In certain cases this education will encourage to develop the movements that express the light, in others, witness attitude it helps to Project oneself on the contrary, those a screen and then observe and see all that express the shadowis moving there and how it moves and what happens. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1206/vital13-october-education1954#p6p2</ref>
==Difficulties during Self-Observation==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.
Be aware of ==By Developing the “escape attitude’’ as man always rushes into external action and looks for reasons to not have time to observe himself and turn inward.Contact with the Psychic Being==
There is “danger 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 ego” in observing its own nature and the movements divine instinct within it, and attaching so, whenever it comes to the sense of ‘I’’to front it reveals at once what are the process of self-observing right and not going behind what the surface level Iwrong movements in one’s nature.<ref>h http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/work-and-yoga#p45</ref>
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> You have to observe them, of course, but not stress them.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-despondency#p22</ref>==By Being Vigilant==
Surface Secondly, vigilance helps in self-level observation It is evident that our state on . If one remains vigilant, not fearful, then with the surface is indeed a state increase of knowledgethe Force upholding oneself, so far as it goes, but a limited knowledge enveloped power of seeing and invaded self-observation comes. The power of seeing is accompanied by ignorance the power of self-control and, the power to a very large extent, by reason of its limitation, itself a kind of ignorance, at best a mixed knowledge-ignorancereject the wrong turn or the wrong reaction when it comes.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2131/knowledge-by-identity-and-separative-knowledgefear#p7p12</ref>
= How to Observe Oneself? =By Developing a Quiet Mind==
'''Condition'''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>
A quiet mind is required for true self-observation and a great amount of inner silence helps in observing ==By Exercising the outer action without being involved or moved.Will to Change==
'''Process'''By putting each element that enters our consciousness before the will to change while remaining awake, comparing, observing, studying and slowly acting, we are able to hone our ability at self-observation and make interesting discoveries within oneself.
''Witness''==By Educating the Senses==
In order to become consciousBy 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, control and knowledge. For instance, the way one needs to develop within keeps one’s room is often a part with a witness attitude that observes and reflection of where one is not carried away by thoughts and feelingsin one’s consciousness. People with very developed introspective mind identifies with Taking this part feedback, and consciously trying to use the sense of colour and form, order and organisation helps develop the ability to use one’s senses a logical, rational, useful way. Going further, it becomes easy for them to begin also helps discover who one is in the process conscious way of selfdesigning one’s room.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/31-march-observation.1954#p13</ref>
''Impartial and Sincere''=Difficulties in Self-Observation=
The process of self-observation should be objective and one should look at oneself 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.==Escape Attitude==
'''Thoughts Man always rushes into external action and Self-observation'''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.
You are separate from your thoughts.In the ordinary state, one thinks by habit and is unable to distinguish himself from his thoughts.There is a complete identification between the movement of thought and the consciousness of the being. But when one acquires the witness attitude and is able to separate himself from the thoughts, one sees that the thoughts come from outside, from universal Nature, from the mental, vital or subtle physical worlds etc. 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. Generally, 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 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 of thought passing from one to another.==Ego==
= Three things The second is the “danger of ego” in observing the movements and attaching the sense of ‘I’’ to be aware the process of =self-observing and not going behind the surface level I.
Be aware of “many voices” within. All are not divine and many may only be a voice of desire. You should be vigilant and be faithful to the Truth and insist ==Focussing on peace, purity, devotion, sincerity. Aspire for a spiritual change of nature and keep the fire of aspiration burning. Be aware of the “escape attitude’’ as man always rushes into external action and looks for reasons to not have time to observe himself and turn inward.There is “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.Negative==
= Results 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 Selfcourse, but not stress them.<ref> http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/dealing-with-depression-and-observation =despondency#p22</ref>
If one sincerely observes oneself and put all one’s ignorance, unconsciousness and egoism before a will Instead it is important to change then life becomes infinitely interesting and one can make marvellous and unexpected discoveries about oneself. The process becomes interesting focus on the good part 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 themgive it strength, they disappear whilst not denying the limitations and one no longer has those reactions and that is how you make progress on the path of self discoverywrong movements. .
= Things to Remember =
'''Continuous Process of Self-observationContent curated by Aditi Kaul''' 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.
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.
'''Divine as Observer'''
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.
'''Content curated by Aditi Kaul'''
|}
{|class="wikitable" style= "background-color: #efefff; width: 100%;"
Read more about '''[[Self Observation Compilation|Self Observation]]''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
|}
==References==