Page 35 - NAMAH-Jul-2022

Namah When Depression is a “Psychological Necessity”

to keep calling for the Mother’s help even for the Divine Will (6).”
though there was little substance and force
behind the entreaties. I seemed to be just So when the saadhanaa descends to the physical,
going through the motions. There were try not to get too disturbed if your psychology
long phases of greyness interspersed with reacts. It is all necessary for the transformative
moments of supplication. I seemed to be in process. The more disturbed one becomes,
a complete void. However, Sri Aurobindo’s the more prolonged will be the sense of
instructions were somewhere implanted in depression; but even that will surely pass:
my being, “… my advice to you remains the
same, to stick on and still stick on persistently “What has to be done is to understand that it is
until the dawn comes…. (5)” a stage and to persist in the faith that it will be
overcome. If this is done, then it will be easier for
the Force, working behind the veil at first, then
in front to bring out the Yoga consciousness into
this outer physical shell and make it luminous
and responsive. If one keeps steadily the faith
and quietude, then this can be more quickly
done — if the faith gets eclipsed or the quietude
disturbed by the long difficulty, then it takes
longer but even then it will be done; for, though
not felt, the Force is there at work (7).”

From these insights, we can now understand how
Learning from depression depression can sometimes be a “psychological
necessity (8)”. When it comes, the best course is
But the greyness did pass and when it did, I to grit one’s teeth and just endure.
had learnt something from the episode. The
experience showed how much more I needed “But when it is over, and when for some reason
to work on purifying the vital. Eventually or other one has made the necessary effort to
too, it gave a greater understanding of my come out of it, and has come out, one usually
physical consciousness and left a greater clarity realises that something in the being has
of the inner work that needed to be done, changed, because, in spite of all bad will, most
particularly in the basement of my nature! often the progress was accomplished — not
very swiftly, not very brilliantly, not for one’s
“The physical sadhana is to bring down the greater glory, surely, but still the progress was
higher light and power and peace and Ananda made. Something has changed (9).”
into the body consciousness, to get rid of the
inertia of the physical, the doubts, limitations, References
external tendency of the physical mind, the
defective energies of the vital physical (nerves) 1. Sri Aurobindo. The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo,
and bring in instead the true consciousness there Volume 31. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram
so that the physical may be a perfect instrument Trust; 2014, p. 365.

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