ORGANIZATION
OF LIFE
(under development)
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Life
as Expression of Consciousness
Everything we experience in life is an expression of consciousness.
All that occurs, from the very grand to the totally insignificant, is a
reflection and result of consciousness. All that occurs around us and to
us is an expression of our own consciousness, individual and collective.
This knowledge enables one to not only understand that life is a manifestation
of consciousness but compels us to want to discover the consciousness/spirit
in life. The more conscious we are, the more we are able to be in tune with
and master life.
Furthermore consciousness is really an energy and force. Life itself is
a universal field of this energy/force that expresses the intentions of
the consciousness from which the energy/force originates.
Furthermore the consciousness (i.e. energy/force) is the same as
the
Consciousness of the Spiritual Reality, the Absolute, Divine from which
the universe emanated from. That Divine Consciousness is the optimal consciousness
that we in life can rise to and have. The more conscious we are, the more
we are one with the Divine and its infinite powers. The greater the consciousness,
the greater the Divine attributes we experience in our lives -- including
its the power, truth, unity, harmony, perfection, peace, beauty, and love.
All
Problems in Life are Problems of Harmony
If we look across the spectrum of life and existence we can see that
all problems can be solved by creating higher degrees of harmony. That is
true for the individual, the society, the world, and the universe.
We can view any situation where there is a problem and see how creating a greater degree of harmony between the parties involved can solve the problem. For example, when there is a vast reservoir of food in one part of the world and not in the other, then the problem is not of abundance, but of working out greater balance and harmonies between nations.
If you examine any work, any field of endeavor, one can see that problems can be resolved by bringing about greater coordination, cooperation, and collaboration; by bringing differing values and attitudes into the same line among the participants. This is true of social entities, between people, even within the individual person.
By bringing greater harmony between the different aspects of his or her being a problem can be solved. Such aspects include between the physical, vita/emotional, and mental part; or we can look at it as a harmony among one's attitudes, habits, and opinions, values, level of organization, energy, and so forth. The ultimate harmonies are spiritual in nature. We call that Oneness.
-Harmony does not mean to compromise. It means to use a higher understanding to find a true reconciliation between the opposites we encounter, for all opposites are portions of a Oneness that seeks expression through the diverse play of their opposition. Constantly strive to find the widest and most encompassing harmony in all that you do.
Contradictions are Complements
This is a fundamental observation of the Indian visionary
Sri
Aurobindo. That is, that all things that seem to be in conflict, opposition,
depend on one another for the other's progress and evolution.
In fact, the progress of each side is buried in the makeup, aspect, needs, destiny, and evolution of the other side. The things that seem to conflict or contradict are really complements to each other's progress. Thus contradictions are complements.
This principle applies between individuals, to an individual in a social context, between social entities like businesses, between nations, and so forth upwards to the earth and the cosmos itself.
For example, in the novel Pride and Prejudice we see this phenomenon in the relationship between the two principals, Darcy and Eliza. He is proud and arrogant; she is prejudiced against him, not believing someone of his position could ever take a liking to her. These facts are brought out slowly through their courtship and the surrounding events of the story.
It is only through their seemingly conflicting interactions that each of their limiting negative character rises and is brought out. Through their interaction, and the ensuing pain and difficulty, where they overcome difficult circumstances, do their individual weaknesses of character reveal themselves. Through their individual pain and suffering they each become aware of their own limitations and weakness, enabling them to see where they have to shed a weakness, which ultimately enables them to change, grow, and develop as individuals, which culminates in positive results in the form of their marriage which propels Eliza and her family into vastly higher state of financial and social well being. It even enables a degree of social development as the marriages enable one class to move up and create a new economic and social bond with the higher class.
Each party then is only able to change as a result of their conflicting or contradicting interaction with the other. The knowledge of what needed to be changed in each person could only be found in the interaction with the other person, in the knowledge of the other person, or in the truth of life that the other person has. So what on the surface we perceive as a negative contradiction and conflict between the two parties, is actually a complement unfolding and necessity to bring out their each of their own growth and development.
Some have argued that the recent crisis of terrorism in the US brings out this same phenomenon. That through the conflict of these two force, the fanatic terrorists and the US, the fanatics are forced to overcome their limited view of the world, while on the other side, the US and allies learns how its past actions or its neglect in the world in not dealing adequately with global issues of poverty sand despair, of their support of dictatorships and undemocratic principles, enables such fanaticism to come about. The growth and development for each then could not have taken place without their conflicting interactions. Contradictions and conflict on the surface are really complements, needed relationships when looked at from a deeper perspective.
So we can obviously look at everything in our lives that way. If we consider all of our conflicts in life with others, or even within our own selves, we will see that there is something working its way out, growing, developing, evolving -- for both interrelated sides. And the working out of the limitations of each side is dependent on the relationship with the other. There is a necessity of connection between the two parties to work out their own individual personal growth and development. In fact it is only through their interaction that each side can discover their own limitations and grow and evolve beyond their current condition. This truth of life is there for the individual, as well as for any social entities or collectives such as communities and nations.
Of course it would be better to see this not only from hindsight of one's past difficulties but in our current conflicts and difficulties as well. From your side, in any conflict in life, you can become aware of a limitation that is trying to express itself through the conflict. By seeing it in the right light you can avoid a great deal of friction, conflict, and pain in life.
Can we not identify with what is trying to emerge through the contradiction and conflict, so that we don't have to go through a long process of nature, which requires time, pain, and suffering to work out the difficulties? Can we not instead be conscious now of what is occurring? Shouldn't we ponder the situation deeply, and understand it's purpose and meaning. We should be able to relate it to something lacking or limiting or negative in our being. Then once we have made that effort, we can go about improving ourselves in that area, and if necessary, taking the appropriate actions for improvement.
Once we make the decisive change, surely life will respond in kind. Solutions will rise to the surface, opportunities for improvement will appear from out of nowhere; life will respond rapidly and abundantly in kind.
If we become more conscious as individuals, as a species, then the contradictions become less polar, and thus less conflicting. If we connect more deeply within and to the spirit within ourselves, we feel a greater sense of oneness, a greater harmony with our environment and with those around us. What we perceive on the surface as conflict, is from a deeper perspective just a fact, pointing to an emerging necessity for change, for our change. Once we discover the missing element on ourselves, and make the effort to reverse it, the conflict ends, the solutions and positive results pour in.
Actually from the perspective of the highest spiritual planes, the conflicts don't even exist! From such a perspective everything serves a vast positive purpose in the unfolding of life. At such higher spiritual levels all conflicts and contradictions bend towards harmony, unity, and oneness; are seen this way, even as we still see it as conflict.
Science
of Principles, Processes, and Forces of Life
Sri Aurobindo
presents a science of life which includes the principles, processes, and
forces that govern not only the biology of living beings but also their
relationship with the forces of life and nature around them, for to Sri
Aurobindo all force, all energy (even material energy) is various expression
of the Force of Existence. The science of life leads ultimately to the power
to accomplish in any field on any scale and to control the forces that prevent
or destroy accomplishment.
Inner
Oneness
Surface relations are an expression of inner oneness. The connection
between external events exists because division is only on the surface of
life, consciousness and existence. Beneath the surface, there is oneness
of consciousness and being. We see separate and apparently individual actions
and people on the surface, but underneath there are movements of a common
force and one consciousness expressing through multiple forces and forms.
That which moves from one person to another or one event to another is a
force or vibration of a single underlying being and intention, social or
spiritual, just as the different words and actions of an individual emanate
from the same being.
Unity in Diversity
"All things are one in their being and origin, one in their general
law of existence, one in their interdependence and universal pattern of
their relations; but each realises this unity of purpose and being on its
own lines and has its own law of variation by which it enriches the universal
existence." The Human Cycle p.56 This idea also
referred to as "Unity in Diversity."
Life
Response, Inner-Outer
Correspondence
This
oneness reveals extraordinary phenomenon such as the ability for one to
"make life respond"
-- i.e. to make apparently disconnected external events respond to one's
own inner consciousness. For example, you change one aspect of yourself
and life immediately responds from half way around the world to you in a
positive fashion. This demonstrates the spiritual oneness that underlies
everything. (Note: The idea of "Life Response" is not an ideas
particular to Sri Aurobindo, but is an extension of his understanding of
the Oneness behind all Existence. We would like to thank Mother's Service
Society for developing the concept of Life Response as an extension of Sri
Aurobindo's understanding.) A corollary to this is that life on the outside
reflects what is inside ourselves, and that if we change a negative to a
positive, the thing outside ourselves also changes. This similar phenomenon
of oneness we can think of as Inner-Outer
Correspondence.
Law
of Karma
The energy we give out comes back to us. Life never fails to return
good for good, bad for bad, truth for truth, and falsehood for falsehood—in
its own time and manner. This principle is otherwise known and often misunderstood
as karma. Karma in Sanskrit means
‘work’. Every act represents an energy directed toward some purpose or goal.
The nature of the energy expressed in an act is defined not only by the
physical action, but more essentially, by the motive, attitude, idea and
intention expressed in the action.
Nature's Way
Nature's profound method of
progress is via the duality of that which is now and that which can be better
in the future. In particular Nature progresses toward a higher order through
the resolution of disharmonies between opposites. The greater the disharmonies
of opposites, the greater the spur toward a higher order. This is the method
of Nature.
[This is in essence Contradictions are Complements; as in the workings of
a married couple who are greatly opposite of one another, or the situation
in Palestine or Kashmir.]
There is also an upward movement toward higher opposites; meaning the contradictions
are of a less base quality, but of a higher quality; yet still there is
contradiction.
The evolved human can find the Divine, and thus aid Nature in finding Her true God nature. Thus the evolved human can impact positively and greatly the movement of Nature to ever higher opposites [or perhaps no opposites at all; i.e. from truths to higher truths.]
The
Process of Evolution to Higher Powers, Planes
In evolution that
which is involved is evolving. In creative evolution that which is involved
evolves into creative new powers, planes. Since the original principle
of Existence (of the Divine) is infinitely creative, and it is that which
is involved and evolving in the evolution, it creates new powers, planes
in the evolution. It is the process of evolution at work.
The process of evolution happens through a reversal of consciousness, i.e.
where the development of a higher consciousness of the that plane enables
the contradictions to be resolved into complementaries. It has been done
in the planes of matter, life, and mind through Nature. We, however, as
mental, self-conscious evolving beings connecting to higher consciousness,
can enable this reversal. We do it by a double movement within to inner
being and soul, and above to spiritual mind and beyond.
This evolution to higher powers, planes is a result of the simultaneous
integrality of timelessness in time; i.e. Being (spirit) entering Becoming
(life); the Being in the Becoming, spirit in life.
What is being created in this process of evolution through spirit's
emergence to ever-higher planes, planes? The creative power of Existence
(of the Divine) is to creatively create Delight in life, in the Becoming,
from out of the static Delight of original Being.