Record of Yoga

Sri Aurobindo symbol
Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo's diary of his yogic practice between 1909 and 1927. This two-volume record of sadhana contains fairly regular entries between 1912 and 1920 and a few entries in 1909, 1911 and 1927. It also contains related materials Sri Aurobindo wrote about his practice of yoga during this period, including descriptions of the seven 'chatusthayas' (groups of four elements), which are the basis of the yoga of the 'Record'.

The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo (CWSA) Record of Yoga Vols. 10,11 1515 pages 2001 Edition
English
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7 January - 1 February 1927

7 January 1927

The gnosis has taken hold of the lesser movements of knowledge; not yet of the supreme supermind or the greater movements. It will do that now in spite of all difficulties.

The gnosis taking up the supermind means the TrikalsiddhiTapas.


After the 12ᵗʰ these difficulties will disappear.


It is the doubt that interferes. In spite of the doubt I will accomplish. Now.

8 January 1927

I have prepared the ground for the gnosis. The fulfilment begins today in the face of every denial.

9 January 1927

The taking up of T³ by gnosis has already begun. It will be initially completed today. All these menaces will utterly disappear in a few days.

This is the beginning. The rest will develop automatically throughout the evening and night.

10 January 1927

The movement yesterday took place, but was veiled and hampered. Today it is emerging in light. All the thought is being taken up by the derivative gnosis. T³ has begun in all the movements,—this was what was meant by initial completion; today it is spreading. The old obstructions however still remain in thought Ty [Telepathy] and other movements.

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Today thought and T³ will continue to develop

As the gnosis of thought progresses, gnosis of the heart, the will, the vital movements will begin to develop. Here also the first touch was given this morning.


It is evident that the T³ is undergoing the process, but as yet it is rather a working on old obstacles than a positive process and a positive progress.

11 January 1927

The curve that was to have ascended till the 12th seems to have abruptly ended. A confused working in obstructive mental material seems to have taken its place.


Yet it will be fulfilled. Today the T³ in the supreme supermind and gnosis. T² begins on the same level. This is contrary to all appearances, but it will happen.


In that case these are preparatory movements. What has happened is the progressive seizing of all the movements by the Ishwara and the increase of the tertiary dasya.

12 January 1927

In spite of all opposition what has been promised is effected, only initially yesterday, it is true, but more completely today.

The supreme supermind has taken up the supreme supramental supermind and all the other inferior movements and is itself being penetrated by the gnosis. Substantially done in all other thought action, this process is taking up T³ for its transformation. T² has begun on this level, but that is not yet perfectly apparent.

Today, complete T³ in supreme supermind gnosis, initial T² in gnosis, increasing T² in supreme supermind gnosis. These three things.

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T³ is already gaining amplitude, but is interfered with by movements of incertitude, because T² [in]1 s.s.gn. [supreme supermind gnosis] is quite insufficient. It is however beginning to increase.


The application to all things of T² gnosis or T³ gnosis is a matter of time. It is the foundation of the thing that is the immediate work in hand. At the same time the application too need not be gradual, it may and will be rapid. A vertiginous rapidity is possible.


Mark that the dependence on the critical verifying mind decreases. Verification is becoming automatic, criticism also automatic. Both will soon be entirely gnostic. The next curve is from the 12ᵗʰ to the 16ṭḥ, another from the 16ᵗʰ to the 21ṣṭ, another from the 21ˢᵗ to the 24ᵗʰ, yet another from the 24ᵗʰ 25ᵗʰ to the 28ᵗʰ . The last of this month is from the 28ᵗʰ to the 31ṣṭ.


The final dealings with this body begin from today. The first stage of them finishes with the end of the month.


And with her body it begins from tomorrow. At present it is the preparation of the forces.

13 January 1927

The T² in supreme supermind gnosis acted, but not on a large scale. Something of the other two indications came into practice, but not sufficiently to satisfy the demand of the intelligence.

The dealings with the body are not yet clearly final. In most matters there is a progress or a stability in the stage acquired, but there is a successful relapse in the eye and possibly in one or two other places.


There is undoubtedly a large scale progress in the thought-siddhi and all its instruments. The form of the supreme supermind is about to be universal, only the substance of gnosis in it is still insufficient.

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The preparation for T³ and T² is evident, but the obstruction is violent and partially successful.

Nothing more till that obstruction is vanquished.


The development of the gnosis above and in the supreme supermind can alone conquer the obstruction in its last lines.


That will be done. Tonight the inception of this movement.

14 January 1927

Telepathic T² has already developed. The Tapasic is preparing to develop.

All will be done in spite of all the obstruction and all the difficulties.


Today the health and Ananda will develop. Tomorrow the evidence will be undeniable.

The attack on her body yesterday flatly denies the "Thursday" prediction. In this body there is evidence of control, but not of any final progress. The obstruction to finality is still successful, still obstinate.


For this body the evidence is tomorrow; for hers it is veiled and will only appear day after tomorrow.


Today the gnosis in T² (tapas). Also the gnosis above the supermind in T² tapas.

15 January 1927

The development of health and Ananda promised yesterday is not at all clear in result. There is evidence of power to control and minimise attacks on the health, but there is not yet power to prevent them. The small fragments of the old illnesses still recur a little.

There is sahaituka Ananda in the body on a small scale and it

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tends to increase in intensity, spontaneity and recurrence, but it has no body or long continuance.


The work seems rather to be turned towards increasing a relative Samata and Faith than in bringing the gnosis. In the latter movement there is only evident a strong clouding obstruction behind which no doubt some work is being done.


The effects promised yesterday seem to be declaring themselves today. Ananda (sahaituka, touch etc) has suddenly progressed after a long obstruction and developed a remarkable spontaneous continuity and body. [Absolute]2 spontaneity, penetration and diffusion, continuity without the help of memory or attention have still to develop.


It is evident also that a kind of gnosis is taking possession of T²; but there is still an immense amount of work to be done. There is too a kind of gnosis descending from above, but it is not yet free nor rich in circumstance nor absolute to the mind in its conveyance of certitude. There is also some gnosis of T³. All these things however although they begin to come more rapidly and freely, are still initial, hampered and poor in affluence.


Surrender, dasya, consolidation of the inner movements and initially the outer movements in the hands of the directing Power and Persons (or its Personalities) is becoming or beginning to become absolute.

Today, gnosis takes possession of all thought and T³. Gnosis in T² develops in the supermind and above it.

The invincible Gnosis of the Divine will make its first appearance.


The proofs of the Power dealing with the body are rather in the development of Ananda and the control of certain functionings than in any finality of health. The fragments of old illnesses remain

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obstinately potential or obstinately actual. The hold diminishes but there is still the recurrence.

16 January 1927

The possession of all thought and T³ by the gnosis is increasing, but it is frequently interrupted. The invincible Gnosis seems to appear, but in too thick and mixed a mass of movement and itself too occasional to create a clear recognition or an assured confidence.


Doubt is acute as regards the physical siddhi.


The divine Gnosis in T², that which is above the Telepathic and above the Tapasic trikalsiddhi and above the combination of these things, is beginning to manifest but only as a kind of occasional point or star above the mass movement.


These will continue to develop. Nothing will be left soon of the physical opposition to health and Ananda.

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17 January 1927

Thought telepathy, prâkâmya, vyapti are trying to manifest, but the obstruction is heavy. The general mental and vital condition can be perceived by sanyama, habitual movements also, but precise movements only with difficulty and some incertitude.


Sahaituka ananda also continues to develop. There is a tendency to generalise its gains; but the physical non-response is still heavy. Spontaneous Sahaituka (without aid of memory [or]3 attention[)] occasionally manifests and is nearer to the surface.


Gnosis continues to develop in the thought-siddhi and its instruments. Today the T².

Page 1234

It had been predicted that something would be done in six days for the healing in her body, that is by the 17ṭḥ, and in fact a great relief and amelioration is evident; but not the decisive cure that had been taken to be the sense of the promise.


The physical proof has been given that the thrill of Sahaituka Ananda can be eternised in the body, but the time is not yet. The nature of it is still subtle vital material with a strong beginning of density, not yet the dense entirely material Ananda.

Page 1235

18 January 1927

Yesterday the representative + inspirational imperative movement hitherto normal (the rest coming in concentrated movements) began to be definitely replaced in the universality by the interpretative + inspirational-interpretative imperative. This is a radical progress, but the new movement is not yet entirely gnostic—


Telepathy of general mind conditions and habitual mind movements and formations continues to develop.


There has been an apparent relapse in the Arogya. Primary utthapana has begun a strong forward movement; the secondary is greatly hampered.


Ad

Development of Gnosis in thought-siddhi and its instruments. Continued growth of T².

19 January 1927

Yesterday there was a strong attempt to dismiss [finally]4 the remnants of intellect, ideality, supramentality and after giving full play to the supramental and supreme supramental to pass beyond to the supreme supramental mind in the supreme supermind so as to prepare the strongest forms for the T² and gnosis.

Page 1255

Afterwards a crisis of questioning and a renunciation of personal action (in the suggestive mental Devasura) and an entire passivity in which some kind of action professedly gnostic or semi-gnostic is going on in a narrow and rigid form of inspirational imperative and a minor form of interpretative imperative thoughtforce


The development of Gnosis in the thought-siddhi and its instruments shall continue, also the growth of T³ and T².


The crisis in her body continues in all its adverse acuteness. The causes seem to be not personal, but due to circumstance favouring blind surrounding physical and vital physical influences.

20 January 1927

The adverse crisis continues in great violence.

In this body there seems to be a turn for the better, not yet final and decisive. A certain overmastering Ishwara influence already dominantly successful in certain directions, control of functionings etc, is extending its activity to the remaining fragmentary illnesses.

Development of supreme supermind, gnosis and T² continues. But the obstruction and partiality of result also continue.

21 January 1927

At last the power seems to be acting on the body. As predicted, there are the first signs of amelioration in her body, though nothing yet is complete or in appearance finally decisive. Still the black obstruction has failed to persevere.


This morning free gnosis in all the movements of the thought-siddhi and its instruments in a rapid and almost instantaneous development. This is the first free and large movement of the involved method.


At present Tapas movements and telepathy-Tapas movements

Page 1256

are being handled. A relative T² in them with a great mixture of ineffective knowledge and will movements is taking place.


T³ and T² to be made perfect like the gnostic thought in a vertiginously rapid movement. This will take place at first in a limited field of operations, then with a certain universality, then with a basic absoluteness applicable everywhere.


The physical siddhi advances, but is still too much obstructed. Ananda (sahaituka) increases in intensity, in prolongation (continuity), in spontaneous occurrence. This must be made perfect without farther retardation.


The entire removal of the fragments of old illness will not be immediate, but will yet speedily happen.


In the evening solution of difficulties and rapid progress in (1) Lipi, (2) Thought-siddhi, (3) T³ (4) Drishya (5) Samadhi (6) Sahaituka Ananda.


Attacks on health, but the progress seems still to continue.

22 January 1927

Sarvam Anantam Anandam Brahma seems to be well established in its fundamental universality (except for some duhkhabhoga of result on the vital plane and some movements of physical semi-discomfort) and is growing in intensity. Gnanam Brahma consciousness grows, but needs development of T³ & T² for full play.


Increase in Ananda (Sahaituka, chiefly sparsha, but also the others), T³, T², Samadhi etc.


All grows rapidly, but all is still imperfect.

Page 1257

23 January 1927

Rapid increase and spread through the body of mental material & vital material Sahaituka Ananda. The physical material is acute as yet only in the hands except for the immediate Sparsha which is now intense everywhere. Prolongation and diffusion have begun and will soon be well-established.


T³ grows rapidly in gnosis. T² in T³ seems definitely to have begun, but not yet in unmixed gnosis.


Attack on the Karma. Strong obstruction to equipment.


The difficulties now experienced, difficulties mainly of obstruction, will disappear today and tomorrow.


The body has still not shaken off entirely yesterday's sudden attack of fatigue and pains of fatigue. The energy is unimpaired, the fatigue and pains can be dismissed, but they return as soon as the body rests after long walking.


In spite of all appearances tomorrow will mark an immense stride in the Arogya-siddhi.

Today the obstacles to Ananda and telepathic T³ disappear, not entirely but in dominant practice.


There was some appearance of a beginning of the disappearance of difficulties, but an adverse wave arrived and this movement ended.


Only the Arogya is slightly better, but whether this movement is permanent or not cannot yet be decided. Previous experience and present perception are against the idea of permanence. A gradual progress is the sole thing visible.


In the night a violent reaction. All thrown in doubt preparing the revival of a chaotic half-intellectual movement full of the mixture of falsehood and incertitude.

Page 1258

24 January 1927

The adverse movement continues. Especially T² and T³ seem petty in their achievement and full of error and incertitude. It is doubted whether gnosis is at all manifested or anything but a mixed mind and supermind with at most a few true supramental movements.


Universal perception of the Sarvam Anantam Anandam Brahma-Purusha. Ananda complete in all vishayas, especially sight, but not the intense completeness. The intensity came afterwards, but subsided. The completeness of the quiet Vishaya Ananda and universal Saundarya is still not always absolute.


The difficulties did not altogether disappear. Some began to dwindle. Ananda of the body (sahaituka) made some progress.

T³ also made progress. The telepathic, tapasic and veiled gnostic accuracies in the telepathic T² were increased and exemplified from time to time. The mixture of error and imitative or encasing or accompanying and distorting mind action still continues.

For some time there has been a powerful attack on the Karma. The prospect of equipment seems entirely clouded and threatened.


Arogya in this body seemed to make some progress. If the progress made turns out to be permanent, it may be called a large stride in the siddhi.

25 January 1927

In the morning after a violent struggle continuing from the last few days, the conviction of falsehood began to lessen. Thought in the supramentalities and supramental began to arrange itself in the gnosis as had already been done with thought in the intuitive forms and processes. All these movements no longer exist in their initial and independent forms, but have been taken up into the supreme supramental and supreme supermind. The highest interpretative imperative acts as an intermediary force, lifting the former into the latter.

Page 1259

Organised T³ and T² in these forms is at last preparing. Hitherto it was all in the lesser powers.


A great but chaotic profusion of jagrat bahirdarshi drishya began yesterday. Today organisation and some kind of stability is being introduced into this—as yet imperfect—freedom.


Rapid progress in Ananda. Ahaituka sparshananda is spreading; great continuity with intensity both in this and sahaituka, especially in the hands. The habitual movements of inhibition are losing their iron hold.


Today, tomorrow gnostic T² in initial perfection. Ananda, Vishaya, Samadhi, Arogya.

26 January 1927

Again a strong attack and confusion in the morning. Attempt of the chaos of the mind movements to reestablish its reign under pretence of transforming finally the supramentality into gnosis.


Exceedingly intense Sahaituka Sparshananda tried to generalise itself after a first successful manifestation; the conditions were too unfavourable.


Some modification of the universal Darshana—simultaneous vision of Parameswara-Parameswari in all.


Some attempt at T². Some progress in Samadhi although in sushupta Swapna the incoherence continues.


The Arogya has once more been thrown back. Physical fatigue continues underlying and arising after an hour's physical exertion or even less. Up till the morning there was progress.


Drishya continues to develop but no distinct forward step.

Page 1260


T² is developing, but the medium and casing are so obscure and mental a material that even continued success brings no certitude.

27 January 1927

Today a great revival. A vertiginous rapidity of progress in many directions. The attack of obscurity, resistance of the universal inconscience, refusal of the universal inertia, obstruction and conservatism of the material negation are beginning to lessen and even where they persist and intervene, cannot resist the progress. The past effects may still continue for a time, the future is not theirs. The four Powers that resisted now appear more clearly,—the Dragon of the nether foundations who preserves the old Law intact till the will of the Supreme is manifested, the Sphinx of the eternal questioning, the Night of the eternal negation, the Rock (stone Purusha, inert Shiva) of the eternal inertia. Still they are there, but a first victory has been assured against them.


Thought gnostic in essence, free, automatic, voluminous, not yet perfectly organised or complete, has been finally established and, except at intervals, acts even in the obscurity and inert relaxation of the material consciousness.

Surrender is complete; horizontal movements of desire cross but are [ ]5 easily rejected.

Samata is complete except for certain external movements that touch the physical sensation.

Shakti, Virya, Daivi Prakriti are returning and moving towards perfection.

Sraddha is there again, though not yet assured in all that concerns the final effectuality of the Tapas.

T³, T² are developing much more clearly and consciously than before. T is beginning to manifest.


Stable organisation and organised stability are rapidly preparing in the Drishya, but are not yet accomplished.

Page 1261


A certain perfection and absoluteness established in seven powers, samata, surrender, virya, shakti, daivi prakriti, thought (not T³ or T² thought), faith (in the Supreme and his workings, not in the immediate realisation[)].

28 January 1927

A great progress in primary utthapana. The fatigue attack entirely disappears. Two hours exertion without any effect on the body except a pain in the loins at once dismissed. All other effects could be rejected at will. The left leg becomes almost as free as the right. The back and loins have still to be entirely liberated, but a relative freedom is effected.


A rapid increase in the control of certain bodily functionings.


Otherwise the day seems to be one of preparation rather than achievement.


Development of gnostic thought-powers.

29 January 1927

The opposition of the Four Matter Powers is being wrought into assent; but the process has necessar [ il ]y slowed down the action which tends often to flicker down into quiescence.


All the same T³ and T² often combined together are becoming more common and more definite. All doubt with regard to them is over, although owing to imitative movements in the Ignorance, much confusion and incertitude continue.


Gnostic T is emerging more clearly, but is so much cased in the obscurity of the Inconscience that seeks to be or have knowledge, it is impossible to distinguish it clearly from the counterfeit except by result and occasionally by an automatic and undoubting certitude.

Page 1262

It is at the same time evident that when it acts it is of the nature of omniscience and omnipotence.


Drishya settled in all but the spontaneous full stability which obtains only in the crude forms.


Ananda spreads but is not as yet organised and generalised in the responses of the body.


The action on health in both bodies is more evident but not yet entirely conclusive.

30 January 1927

Again a day of preparation and of apparent check rather than of progress.


Such progress as has been made is in Darshana, Drishya, confirmation of T³ and T². Thought etc are held up for the moment.


Vani has long been silent. Today it is trying to emerge.


Today, in the evening Thought-siddhi and gnostic T will overcome the obstacle.

The final victory in Arogya is evidently preparing. In a few days it will be perfect.

After Arogya Ananda.

Meanwhile utthapana and saundarya will prepare.

All the third chatusthaya will soon be liberated from its still remaining shackles.


Thought-siddhi at its best resumed in the evening. Gnostic T manifested, but extension and organisation are not yet possible.

Page 1263

31 January 1927

A day of relapse and resistance.

1 February 1927

The siddhi began to recover. A step forward in Darshana (Aditi holding Pᵃ-Pⁱ [Parameshwara-Parameshwari] in all living things, less vividly in all objects). This is not yet entirely universalised but it is increasing.


Primary utthapana oppressed during the last days once more progresses. Stiffness and muscular pains are still possible, though they can be ejected by the knowledge-will movement. They are most prominent when the exertion ceases, but do not endure. The latent memory however persists and brings them back at customary times or junctures.


Drishya progresses. There is full stability of crude forms, conditional or initial or aided longer stability of others..


T² (T² T³) progresses, but cannot get rid of incertitude.


Control of functions, violently interrupted for the last two days, is returning.

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