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Namah Notes on counselling

he will remain stuck at that level and c. A significant portion of the occurrences
will be labelled as ‘mentally challenged’. we label as ‘waste’ is also a result of the
Suppose his mental growth has not been resistance offered by the most obscure,
organically or structurally hampered, his gross, inert and inconscient aspect
IQ is normal, but he has not outgrown the of existence to the higher forces of
habit of indulging in recurrent thoughts of transformation and transmutation. In
the same kind. This then can become the individual life, this ‘conflict’ can result in
genesis of what in later life can be labelled, disharmony and disease, while in social life
as ‘obsessive’ thinking which also needs it can result in a stagnation or usurpation
to be transcended. Imagine the amount of of values. In a letter dated April 10, 1934,
‘waste’ of the quality of life that happens Sri Aurobindo explained how a clash of
to both a mentally challenged subject cosmic forces could produce perturbations
with recurrent queries whose answers are in both terrestrial and individual nature:
never assimilated as well as an otherwise “the upheavals of earth and human life are
intelligent subject with recurring and both results of a general clash or pressure
repetitive thoughts who has been labelled of forces.... (5).”
to be suffering from obsessive-compulsive
neurosis. The clash between the lower and higher
forces has been symbolised in all religions and
b. There are many elements that constitute traditions as the conflict between the Satanic
‘waste’ to our usual perception but in the and Divine forces. Sri Aurobindo gives a
cosmic design, they can serve a purpose new twist to the clash, as he is not interested
and meaning. Thus it was a colossal in a mere domination of the higher forces.
waste of ‘intelligence’ and ‘judgement’ to His interest lies in the transformation of the
crucify Jesus. But the consequences of that lower, disruptive, disharmonious forces
act humanised Europe, uplifted ‘love’ to in the image of the higher, synthetic and
glorious heights and made ‘forgiveness’ harmonious forces. His Integral Yoga is an
a virtue. attempt to activate the forces of transmutation
and transformation. It is only then what we
Sri Aurobindo explains, “We see only label as ‘waste’ can find its rightful place in
part of Nature’s purpose and all that does the cosmic scheme.
not subserve that part we call waste. Yet
even our own human action is full of an Trajectory of an evolving body-consciousness
apparent waste, so appearing from the in a transformational paradigm
individual point of view, which yet, we may
be sure, subserves well enough the large and Behind everything is the huge waste of time.
universal purpose of things. That part of Imagine how many millions of years Nature
her intention which we can detect, Nature had to waste to perfect the intricacies of
gets done surely enough in spite of, perhaps physical beauty — the design on a butterfly’s
really by virtue of her apparent waste. We wings, the delicacy of the rose petals and the
may well trust to her in the rest which we colour of the flamingo! How many millions
do not yet detect (4).” of years had to be spent to make our earth a

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