Page 26 - NAMAH-Jul-2025

Namah Vol. 33, Issue 2, 15th July 2025

of the sacrifice must be the Psychic Being.
The Psychic Being, the evolving soul within
us, is always oriented towards the Divine,
always capable of unconditional love and
true self-giving. It is the inner priest of the
yajna. When the Psychic Being comes forward
and takes the lead, it brings a sincerity and an
inherent connection to the Divine Will that
can harmonise and guide the other parts of
pouring down from above, operates through the being.
profound polarities. This principle of polarity
is beautifully captured in Sri Aurobindo’s However, the mind, vital, and physical
symbol of the Integral Yoga: the upward- often overshadow the Psychic Being.
pointing triangle representing the aspiration, They have their own habits of acting, their
the call from below (Psychic Being), and the own attachments, their own sense of self-
downward-pointing triangle representing the importance. The work of the yoga involves
descent of Grace, the response from above bringing light and consciousness into these
(SSakti, the Mother). The intersection of these parts, identifying their limitations and
forces in the square represents the integral resistances and consciously offering them
transformation of our whole being and the up to the divine Fire within, guided by the
instrumental nature. Integral Yoga aims at Psychic Being.
nothing less than the transformation of our
entire instrumental nature — mind, vital (life This means:
force, emotions, desires), and physical. This
requires a conscious, integral sacrifice, an • Sacrifice of the Mind Offering our thoughts,
offering of all these parts. opinions, beliefs and mental formations.
Letting go of the need to understand
We often start our spiritual journey by everything with the limited intellect,
offering a part of ourselves — perhaps surrendering mental preferences, and
intellectual interest, or emotional fervour opening the mind to receive higher
or disciplined action directed towards the Knowledge and Light.
Divine. But the parts of our being are often
fragmented, bound by habits, attachments • Sacrifice of the Vital Offering our desires,
and resistances. The mind has its own ideas emotions, impulses and energies. This is
and preferences, the vital has its desires often the most challenging as the vital
and revolts, the physical has its inertia and is the seat of powerful egoistic drives. It
limitations. Offering only a part means the requires facing vital resistances, purifying
other parts remain un-yoked, potentially lower emotions and transforming vital
resisting or distorting the descent of the energy into dynamic power for divine
higher consciousness. work and service.

For the integral sacrifice to occur, the leader • Sacrifice of the Physical Offering the body, its

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