New Thinking Allowed on Sri Aurobindo

Debashish Banerji, PhD, is Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophies and Cultures and Chairman of the East West Psychology Department at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is author of Seven Quartets of Becoming: A Transformative Yoga Psychology Based on the Diaries of Sri Aurobindo and also The Alternatate Nation of Abanindranath Tagore, a book about his great grandfather. He edited an anthology about his great uncle, Rabindranath Tagore in the Twenty-First Century. His newest anthology is titled Critical Posthumanism and Planetary Futures.

Here he discusses the different approaches toward the siddhis in Tantra and Vedanta. He argues for a balance between these; and notes that, in the yoga system of Aurobindo, balance itself is considered one of the siddhis. He describes the cultural impact of colonization and eventual liberation of India as it influenced and, conversely, was influenced by the long tradition of yoga. He points out the enormous, potential social utility of the siddhis -- such as the ability to convert pain into pleasure.

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In this video, originally released in 2016, he describes Aurobindo’s unique role as a spiritual figure during the chaotic years of the early twentieth century. Born to an upper-class Indian family, he studied in England and achieved high marks as a scholar. When he returned to India, he became a leader in the anti-colonial movement. At this time he also began practicing yoga and quickly discovered many extraordinary states of consciousness. Eventually he was imprisoned for his political activities and, while in prison, his yoga and meditative practices accelerated. He began to experience himself as having a personal relationship with god (Brahman), mediated by the avatar Krishna. He came to experience everything and everyone as an embodiment of Krishna. As a result, he came to realize that a political revolution would be incomplete without an accompanying spiritual revolution.

As a result, he came to realize that a political revolution would be incomplete without an accompanying spiritual revolution.

Sadly, this is an often deadly combination, potentially leading to totalitarianism. Caution is required.

Sadly, this is an often deadly combination, potentially leading to totalitarianism. Caution is required.

Yeah I'm not sure I would want to live in Sri Aurobindo's ideal world...if only to avoid having to read his insanely lengthy sentences. ;-)