Aurobindonian model of Karma

The conventional view of Karma is that of a rigid, ethical, mechanical and almost revengeful law of Nature which brings rewards for good deeds and punishment for evil actions.  We are told that the individual who commits evil today will suffer in some future life while the good person is suffering right now because of some evil act done in a past life.  This definition seems unconvincing at times because it does not explain the many anomalies seen in real life.  In his works, Sri Aurobindo presented a more flexible and panoptic model of Karma.  He observed that Nature is not rigid or revengeful but subtle and liberal in her application of law, working through multi-faceted principles to achieve her aims.  This article is a distillation of his thoughts.  Read more

Epistemology of perception

How do we in the role of the subject perceive an object?   What is the state of our consciousness with respect to the object ?  This is referred to as the epistemology of perception. In this post, I will first survey perception (Pratyaksha) as outlined by Vedanta and then discuss how  Sri Aurobindo augmented this theory in the light of his own supramental experiences.   By giving new meaning to the four terms Vijnana, Prajnana, Samjnana and Ajnana listed in the Aitereya Upanishad, Sri Aurobindo presented a fresh perspective on the epistemology of perception. Read more

Explaining out-of-body and near-death experiences

This article expatiates on the phenomenon of out-of-body experience(OBE) , astral projection , etheric projection and near-death experience based on the works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, who used the term exteriorization to denote all such phenomena. Please note that this post is *not* a how-to guide on astral projection. It is dangerous to forcibly attempt any kind of exteriorization or astral projection for it may put one into contact with malevolent supernatural forces which could even lead to one’s death. It is better to let exteriorization happen naturally with the practice of Yoga and under the guidance of an able Master/Guru. Read more