Module 4 : Sri Aurobindo (1872 – 1950)

Section 4 : Integral Yoga

 

          Here a point of distinction is noteworthy between the traditional idea of yoga and Sri Aurobindo’s idea of integral yoga. Yoga in the traditional belief is considered as an art of achieving a union with God through any means suitable to the temperament of the yogi. Religious mystics and men of ecstatic faith speak of moksa,nirvana,Liberation, God realization, attachment of heaven etc. through the path of intense devotion or love of the Lord. But Sri Aurobindo’s entire approach to yoga is not for an individual liberation or God-realization. He has a vision of a new race of supramental being on earth. He expectsthat by integral yoga the path for actualization of a new race is possible. So his purpose is for the Divine Life for the whole of humanity. In other words the very objective of integral yoga is to bring a spiritual or divine transformation of man’s material life. His motto is to take the process of spiritual evolution to its ultimate goal. The evolutionary process starting from matter has come to the state of mental consciousness. Unless the higher states of the consciousness gets manifold in human nature social conflicts, discords – say all evils-will not be annihilated from the world. The practice of integral yoga would enhance the process of evolution and a new race of Gnostic beings would appear on earth. Integral yoga is the conscious cooperation of man with the natural process to facilitate the ideal of Divine Life on earth. The objective of integral yoga is not for any subjective achievement, but for a transformation of earth consciousness into cosmic consciousness so that a race of Gnostic being will evolve.