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Concentration
The movement that stores up and concentrates is no less needed than the movement that spreads and diffuses. 13 April 1935 Concentration does not aim for any effect, but is simple and persistent.
Concentration on a precise goal is helpful to development.
The more we concentrate on the goal, the more it blossoms forth and becomes precise.
The Yogi knows by his capacity for a containing or dynamic identity with things and persons and forces. 11 April 1935
“Knowledge can only come by conscious identity, for that is the only true knowledge,― existence aware of itself.” ¹―Sri Aurobindo
There is always some kind of unconscious identification with the surrounding people and things; but by will and practice one can learn to concentrate on somebody or something and to get consciously identified with this person or this thing, and through this identification you know the nature of the person or the thing. 20 May 1955 ¹The Life Divine, Cent. Vol. 18, p. 213. Page ― 51 Nothing is impossible for one who is attentive.
It is said that the faculty of concentrated attention is at the source of all successful activity. Indeed the capacity and value of a man can be measured by his capacity of concentrated attention.¹ In order to obtain this concentration, it is generally recommended to reduce one's activities, to make a choice and confine oneself to this choice alone, so as not to disperse one's energy and attention. For the normal man, this method is good, sometimes even indispensable. But one can imagine something better.
At times I try to silence the mind, at times to surrender and at times to find my psychic being. Thus I cannot fix my attention on a single thing. Which one should I try first?
All should be done and each one when it comes spontaneously. 16 October 1964 ¹Mother's note : Generally it comes through interest and a special attraction for a subject. Page ― 52 |