RECORD OF YOGA

 

CONTENTS

 

Pre Content

Publisher's Note

Guide to Editorial Notation

 

 

Introduction

 

Sapta Chatusthaya

 

Sapta Chatusthaya

 

Outline of the Seven Chatusthayas (Revised Order)

 

Incomplete Notes on the First Chatusthaya

   
 

Part One

 

Diary Entries 1909 – 1912

 

17 – 25 June 1909

 

28 January – 17 February 1911

 

13 January – 8 February 1912

 

1 – 25 July 1912

 

12 October – 26 November 1912

   
 

Part Two

 

Record of Yoga 1912 – 1920

 

26 November – 31 December 1912

 

1 – 31 January 1913

 

1 – 14 February 1913

 

1 and 12 April, 19 and 21 May 1913

 

4 – 30 June 1913

 

1 – 11 July 1913

 

5 – 21 September 1913

 

22 – 30 September 1913

 

11 – 23 November 1913

 

24 November – 2 December 1913

 

1 – 12 December 1913

 

12 – 21 December 1913

 

22 December 1913 – 15 January 1914

 

12 March – 14 April 1914

 

15 April – 1 June 1914

 

10 June – 29 September 1914

 

29 – 30 September – 31 December 1914

 

1 January – 27 February 1915

 

22 April – 26 August 1915

 

19 February – 20 March 1916

 

9 January – 14 February 1917

 

15 February – 31 March 1917

 

15 August – 28 September 1917

 

14 – 28 February 1918

 

3 – 27 March 1918

 

20 April – 20 May 1918

 

21 May– 1 July 1918

 

24 June – 14 July 1919

 

15 – 26 July 1919

 

27 July – 13 August 1919

 

14 August – 24 September 1919

 

1 – 29 February 1920

 

1 March – 10 April 1920

 

7 – 26 June 1920

 

17 – 19 October 1920

   
 

Part Three

 

Record of Yoga 1926 – 1927

 

December 1926 – 6 January 1927

 

7 January – 1 February 1927

 

7 – 22 April 1927

 

24 – 31 October 1927

   
 

Part Four

 

Materials Written by Sri Aurobindo Related Directly to

Record of Yoga, c. 1910 – 1931

 

Undated Record and Record-related Notes, c. 1910 – 1914

 

Sortileges of May and June 1912

 

Undated Notes, c. November 1912

 

Draft Programme of 3 December 1912

 

Undated or Partly Dated Script, 1912 – 1913

 

Sortilege of 15 March [1913]

 

Accounts of 31 May – 15 June 1913

 

Record Notes, 13 and 15 September 1913

 

Vedic Experience, 14 and 15 December 1913

 

Undated Notes, c. 1914

 

Notes on Images Seen in March 1914

 

Undated Script, c. 1920

 

Undated Notes, c. December 1926

 

Undated Notes, c. January 1927

 

Notes on Physical Transformation, c. January 1927

 

Diagrams, c. January 1927

 

Miscellaneous Notations, c. February –April 1927

 

Record of Drishti, 30 July 1927

 

Undated Script, c. 1927

 

Undated Script, c. 1927 – 1928

 

Notes on Prophetic Vision, 1929

 

Diagrams, c. 1931

 

Undated Script Jottings

   
 

Part Five

 

Automatic Writing

 

“The Scribblings”, c. 1907

 

Yogic Sadhan

 

Automatic Writings, c. 1914 (First Set)

 

Automatic Writings, c. 1914 (Second Set)

 

Automatic Writing, c. 1920

 

Automatic Writings, c. 1920

   
 

Appendixes

 

Material from Disciples’ Notebooks

 

Miscellaneous Notes, c. 1914

 

Sapta Chatusthaya Scribal Version

   

Note on the Texts

7 JANUARY ­ 1 FEBRUARY 1927

 

Friday Jan 7th

The gnosis has taken hold of the lesser movements of knowl- edge; not yet of the supreme supermind or the greater movements. It will do that now in spite of all difficulties.

The gnosis taking up the supermind means the Trikalsiddhi- Tapas.

After the 12th these difficulties will disappear.

==

It is the doubt that interferes. In spite of the doubt I will accomplish. Now.

==

 

Saturday. Jan 8th .

I have prepared the ground for the gnosis. The fulfilment begins today in the face of every denial.

 

Sunday Jan 9th

The taking up of T3 by gnosis has already begun. It will be initially completed today. All these menaces will utterly disappear in a few days.

This is the beginning. The rest will develop automatically throughout the evening and night.

 

Monday. Jan 10th

The movement yesterday took place, but was veiled and ham- pered. Today it is emerging in light. All the thought is being taken up by the derivative gnosis. T3 has begun in all the movements,this was what was meant by initial completion; today it is spreading. The old obstructions however still remain in thought Ty [Telepathy] and other movements.  


1250

Today thought and T3 will continue to develop

As the gnosis of thought progresses, gnosis of the heart, the will, the vital movements will begin to develop. Here also the first touch was given this morning.

==

It is evident that the T3 is undergoing the process, but as yet it is rather a working on old obstacles than a positive process and a positive progress.

 

Tuesday Jan 11th

The curve that was to have ascended till the 12th seems to have abruptly ended. A confused working in obstructive mental material seems to have taken its place.

==

Yet it will be fulfilled. Today the T3 in the supreme supermind and gnosis. T2 begins on the same level. This is contrary to all appearances, but it will happen.

==

In that case these are preparatory movements. What has hap- pened is the progressive seizing of all the movements by the Ishwara and the increase of the tertiary dasya.

 

Wednesday Jan 12th

In spite of all opposition what has been promised is effected, only initially yesterday, it is true, but more completely today.

The supreme supermind has taken up the supreme supramental supermind and all the other inferior movements and is itself being penetrated by the gnosis. Substantially done in all other thought action, this process is taking up T3 for its transformation. T2 has begun on this level, but that is not yet perfectly apparent.

Today, complete T3 in supreme supermind gnosis, initial T2 in gnosis, increasing T2 in supreme supermind gnosis. These three things.  

==


1251

T3 is already gaining amplitude, but is interfered with by move- ments of incertitude, because T2 [in]1 s.s.gn. [supreme supermind gnosis] is quite insufficient. It is however beginning to increase.

The application to all things of T2 gnosis or T3 gnosis is a matter of time. It is the foundation of the thing that is the immediate work in hand. At the same time the application too need not be gradual, it may and will be rapid. A vertiginous rapidity is possible.

Mark that the dependence on the critical verifying mind de- creases. Verification is becoming automatic, criticism also auto- matic. Both will soon be entirely gnostic. The next curve is from the 12th to the 16th , another from the 16th to the 21st, another from the 21st to the 24th , yet another from the 24th 25th to the 28th . The last of this month is from the 28th to the 31st.

The final dealings with this body begin from today. The first stage of them finishes with the end of the month.

==

And with her body it begins from tomorrow. At present it is the preparation of the forces.

==

Thursday. Jan 13th

The T2 in supreme supermind gnosis acted, but not on a large  scale. Something of the other two indications came into practice, but not sufficiently to satisfy the demand of the intelligence.

The dealings with the body are not yet clearly final. In most matters there is a progress or a stability in the stage acquired, but there is a successful relapse in the eye and possibly in one or two other places.

==

There is undoubtedly a large scale progress in the thought- siddhi and all its instruments. The form of the supreme supermind is about to be universal, only the substance of gnosis in it is still insufficient.

 

1 MS is  


1252

The preparation for T3 and T2 is evident, but the obstruction is violent and partially successful.

Nothing more till that obstruction is vanquished.

The development of the gnosis above and in the supreme supermind can alone conquer the obstruction in its last lines.

≡≡

That will be done. Tonight the inception of this move- ment.

==

 

Friday Jan 14th

Telepathic T2 has already developed. The Tapasic is preparing to develop.

All will be done in spite of all the obstruction and all the difficulties.

Today the health and Ananda will develop. Tomorrow the evidence will be undeniable.

The attack on her body yesterday flatly denies the "Thursday" prediction. In this body there is evidence of control, but not of any final progress. The obstruction to finality is still successful, still obstinate.

==

For this body the evidence is tomorrow; for hers it is veiled and will only appear day after tomorrow.

Today the gnosis in T2 (tapas). Also the gnosis above the supermind in T2 tapas.

 

Saturday Jan 15th

The development of health and Ananda promised yesterday is not at all clear in result. There is evidence of power to control and minimise attacks on the health, but there is not yet power to prevent them. The small fragments of the old illnesses still recur a little.

There is sahaituka Ananda in the body on a small scale and it  


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tends to increase in intensity, spontaneity and recurrence, but it has no body or long continuance.

The work seems rather to be turned towards increasing a relative Samata and Faith than in bringing the gnosis. In the lat- ter movement there is only evident a strong clouding obstruction behind which no doubt some work is being done.

==

The effects promised yesterday seem to be declaring themselves today. Ananda (sahaituka, touch etc) has suddenly progressed after a long obstruction and developed a remarkable spontaneous conti- nuity and body. [Absolute]2 spontaneity, penetration and diffusion, continuity without the help of memory or attention have still to develop.

==

It is evident also that a kind of gnosis is taking possession of T2; but there is still an immense amount of work to be done. There is too a kind of gnosis descending from above, but it is not yet free nor rich in circumstance nor absolute to the mind in its conveyance of certitude. There is also some gnosis of T3. All these things however although they begin to come more rapidly and freely, are still initial, hampered and poor in affluence.

==

Surrender, dasya, consolidation of the inner movements and initially the outer movements in the hands of the directing Power and Persons (or its Personalities) is becoming or beginning to be- come absolute.

Today, gnosis takes possession of all thought and T3. Gnosis in T2 develops in the supermind and above it. The invincible Gnosis of the Divine will make its first appear- ance.

==

The proofs of the Power dealing with the body are rather in the development of Ananda and the control of certain functionings than in any finality of health. The fragments of old illnesses remain

 

2 MS Absolutely  


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obstinately potential or obstinately actual. The hold diminishes but there is still the recurrence.

==

Sunday Jan 16th

The possession of all thought and T3 by the gnosis is increas- ing, but it is frequently interrupted. The invincible Gnosis seems to appear, but in too thick and mixed a mass of movement and itself too occasional to create a clear recognition or an assured confidence.

Doubt is acute as regards the physical siddhi.

==

The divine Gnosis in T2, that which is above the Telepathic and above the Tapasic trikalsiddhi and above the combination of these things, is beginning to manifest but only as a kind of occasional point or star above the mass movement.

==

These will continue to develop. Nothing will be left soon of the physical opposition to health and Ananda.

==

 

Monday Jan 17th

Thought telepathy, prâkâmya, vyapti are trying to manifest, but the obstruction is heavy. The general mental and vital condition can be perceived by sanyama, habitual movements also, but precise movements only with difficulty and some incertitude.

==

Sahaituka ananda also continues to develop. There is a ten- dency to generalise its gains; but the physical non-response is still heavy. Spontaneous Sahaituka (without aid of memory [or]3 atten- tion[)] occasionally manifests and is nearer to the surface.

==

Gnosis continues to develop in the thought-siddhi and its instruments. Today the T2.

 

3 MS of  


1255

It had been predicted that something would be done in six days for the healing in her body, that is by the 17th , and in fact a great relief and amelioration is evident; but not the decisive cure that had been taken to be the sense of the promise.

The physical proof has been given that the thrill of Sahaituka Ananda can be eternised in the body, but the time is not yet. The nature of it is still subtle vital material with a strong beginning of density, not yet the dense entirely material Ananda.

==

Tuesday Jan 18th

Yesterday the representative + inspirational imperative move- ment hitherto normal (the rest coming in concentrated movements) began to be definitely replaced in the universality by the interpre- tative + inspirational-interpretative imperative. This is a radical progress, but the new movement is not yet entirely gnostic

Telepathy of general mind conditions and habitual mind move- ments and formations continues to develop.

==

There has been an apparent relapse in the Arogya. Primary utthapana has begun a strong forward movement; the secondary is greatly hampered.

Ad

Development of Gnosis in thought-siddhi and its instruments. Continued growth of T2.

==

Wednesday Jan 19th

Yesterday there was a strong attempt to dismiss [finally]4 the remnants of intellect, ideality, supramentality and after giving full play to the supramental and supreme supramental to pass beyond to the supreme supramental mind in the supreme supermind so as to prepare the strongest forms for the T2 and gnosis.

 

4 MS finality  


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Afterwards a crisis of questioning and a renunciation of per- sonal action (in the suggestive mental Devasura) and an entire passivity in which some kind of action professedly gnostic or semi- gnostic is going on in a narrow and rigid form of inspirational imperative and a minor form of interpretative imperative thought- force

The development of Gnosis in the thought-siddhi and its in- struments shall continue, also the growth of T3 and T2.

The crisis in her body continues in all its adverse acuteness. The causes seem to be not personal, but due to circumstance favouring blind surrounding physical and vital physical influences.

 

Thursday Jan 20

The adverse crisis continues in great violence.

In this body there seems to be a turn for the better, not yet final and decisive. A certain overmastering Ishwara influence already dominantly successful in certain directions, control of functionings etc, is extending its activity to the remaining fragmentary illnesses.

Development of supreme supermind, gnosis and T2 continues. But the obstruction and partiality of result also continue.

 

Friday Jan 21

At last the power seems to be acting on the body. As predicted, there are the first signs of amelioration in her body, though nothing yet is complete or in appearance finally decisive. Still the black obstruction has failed to persevere.

This morning free gnosis in all the movements of the thought- siddhi and its instruments in a rapid and almost instantaneous development. This is the first free and large movement of the involved method.

At present Tapas movements and telepathy-Tapas movements  


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are being handled. A relative T2 in them with a great mixture of ineffective knowledge and will movements is taking place.

==

T3 and T2 to be made perfect like the gnostic thought in a vertiginously rapid movement. This will take place at first in a limited field of operations, then with a certain universality, then with a basic absoluteness applicable everywhere.

The physical siddhi advances, but is still too much obstructed. Ananda (sahaituka) increases in intensity, in prolongation (continu- ity), in spontaneous occurrence. This must be made perfect without farther retardation.

The entire removal of the fragments of old illness will not be immediate, but will yet speedily happen.

==

In the evening solution of difficulties and rapid progress in (1) Lipi, (2) Thought-siddhi, (3) T3 (4) Drishya (5) Samadhi (6) Sahaituka Ananda.

==

Attacks on health, but the progress seems still to continue.

 

Saturday Jan 22d

Sarvam Anantam Anandam Brahma seems to be well estab- lished in its fundamental universality (except for some duhkha- bhoga of result on the vital plane and some movements of physical semi-discomfort) and is growing in intensity. Gnanam Brahma consciousness grows, but needs development of T3 & T2 for full play.

Increase in Ananda (Sahaituka, chiefly sparsha, but also the others), T3, T2, Samadhi etc.

All grows rapidly, but all is still imperfect.  

≡≡


1258

Sunday Jan 23d

Rapid increase and spread through the body of mental material & vital material Sahaituka Ananda. The physical material is acute as yet only in the hands except for the immediate Sparsha which is now intense everywhere. Prolongation and diffusion have begun and will soon be well-established.

==

T3 grows rapidly in gnosis. T2 in T3 seems definitely to have begun, but not yet in unmixed gnosis.

==

Attack on the Karma. Strong obstruction to equipment.

==

The difficulties now experienced, difficulties mainly of obstruc- tion, will disappear today and tomorrow.

The body has still not shaken off entirely yesterday's sudden attack of fatigue and pains of fatigue. The energy is unimpaired, the fatigue and pains can be dismissed, but they return as soon as the body rests after long walking.

==

In spite of all appearances tomorrow will mark an immense stride in the Arogya-siddhi.

Today the obstacles to Ananda and telepathic T3 disappear, not entirely but in dominant practice.

≡≡

There was some appearance of a beginning of the disappearance of difficulties, but an adverse wave arrived and this movement ended.

Only the Arogya is slightly better, but whether this movement is permanent or not cannot yet be decided. Previous experience and present perception are against the idea of permanence. A gradual progress is the sole thing visible.

In the night a violent reaction. All thrown in doubt prepar- ing the revival of a chaotic half-intellectual movement full of the mixture of falsehood and incertitude.

==  


1259

Monday Jan 24th

The adverse movement continues. Especially T2 and T3 seem petty in their achievement and full of error and incertitude. It is doubted whether gnosis is at all manifested or anything but a mixed mind and supermind with at most a few true supramental movements.

Universal perception of the Sarvam Anantam Anandam Brah- ma-Purusha. Ananda complete in all vishayas, especially sight, but not the intense completeness. The intensity came afterwards, but subsided. The completeness of the quiet Vishaya Ananda and universal Saundarya is still not always absolute.

==

The difficulties did not altogether disappear. Some began to dwindle. Ananda of the body (sahaituka) made some progress.

T3 also made progress. The telepathic, tapasic and veiled gnos- tic accuracies in the telepathic T2 were increased and exemplified from time to time. The mixture of error and imitative or encasing or accompanying and distorting mind action still continues.

For some time there has been a powerful attack on the Karma. The prospect of equipment seems entirely clouded and threatened.

≡≡

Arogya in this body seemed to make some progress. If the progress made turns out to be permanent, it may be called a large stride in the siddhi.

==

 

Tuesday. Jan 25th

In the morning after a violent struggle continuing from the last few days, the conviction of falsehood began to lessen. Thought in the supramentalities and supramental began to arrange itself in the gnosis as had already been done with thought in the intuitive forms and processes. All these movements no longer exist in their initial and independent forms, but have been taken up into the supreme supramental and supreme supermind. The highest interpretative imperative acts as an intermediary force, lifting the former into the latter.  


1260

Organised T3 and T2 in these forms is at last preparing. Hitherto it was all in the lesser powers.

==

A great but chaotic profusion of jagrat bahirdarshi drishya began yesterday. Today organisation and some kind of stability is being introduced into thisas yet imperfectfreedom.

==

Rapid progress in Ananda. Ahaituka sparshananda is spread- ing; great continuity with intensity both in this and sahaituka, especially in the hands. The habitual movements of inhibition are losing their iron hold.

Today, tomorrow gnostic T2 in initial perfection. Ananda, Vishaya, Samadhi, Arogya.

 

Wednesday Jan 26th

Again a strong attack and confusion in the morning. Attempt of the chaos of the mind movements to reestablish its reign under pretence of transforming finally the supramentality into gnosis.

==

Exceedingly intense Sahaituka Sparshananda tried to gener- alise itself after a first successful manifestation; the conditions were too unfavourable.

Some modification of the universal Darshana simultaneous vision of Parameswara-Parameswari in all.

Some attempt at T2. Some progress in Samadhi although in sushupta Swapna the incoherence continues.

The Arogya has once more been thrown back. Physical fatigue continues underlying and arising after an hour's physical exertion or even less. Up till the morning there was progress.

Drishya continues to develop but no distinct forward step.  

==


1261

T2 is developing, but the medium and casing are so obscure and mental a material that even continued success brings no certitude.

==

 

Thursday Jan 27th

Today a great revival. A vertiginous rapidity of progress in many directions. The attack of obscurity, resistance of the univer- sal inconscience, refusal of the universal inertia, obstruction and conservatism of the material negation are beginning to lessen and even where they persist and intervene, cannot resist the progress. The past effects may still continue for a time, the future is not theirs. The four Powers that resisted now appear more clearly,the Dragon of the nether foundations who preserves the old Law intact till the will of the Supreme is manifested, the Sphinx of the eternal questioning, the Night of the eternal negation, the Rock (stone Purusha, inert Shiva) of the eternal inertia. Still they are there, but a first victory has been assured against them.

Thought gnostic in essence, free, automatic, voluminous, not yet perfectly organised or complete, has been finally established and, except at intervals, acts even in the obscurity and inert relax- ation of the material consciousness.

Surrender is complete; horizontal movements of desire cross but are [ ]5 easily rejected.

Samata is complete except for certain external movements that touch the physical sensation.

Shakti, Virya, Daivi Prakriti are returning and moving towards perfection.

Sraddha is there again, though not yet assured in all that concerns the final effectuality of the Tapas.

T3, T2 are developing much more clearly and consciously than before. T is beginning to manifest.

==

Stable organisation and organised stability are rapidly prepar- ing in the Drishya, but are not yet accomplished.

==

5 MS are  


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A certain perfection and absoluteness established in seven pow- ers, samata, surrender, virya, shakti, daivi prakriti, thought (not T3 or T2 thought), faith (in the Supreme and his workings, not in the immediate realisation[)].

≡≡

 

Friday Jan 28th

A great progress in primary utthapana. The fatigue attack en- tirely disappears. Two hours exertion without any effect on the body except a pain in the loins at once dismissed. All other effects could be rejected at will. The left leg becomes almost as free as the right. The back and loins have still to be entirely liberated, but a relative freedom is effected.

==

A rapid increase in the control of certain bodily functionings.

==

Otherwise the day seems to be one of preparation rather than achievement.

Development of gnostic thought-powers.

 

Saturday. Jan. 29th

The opposition of the Four Matter Powers is being wrought into assent; but the process has necessar[il]y slowed down the action which tends often to flicker down into quiescence.

——

All the same T3 and T2 often combined together are becoming more common and more definite. All doubt with regard to them is over, although owing to imitative movements in the Ignorance, much confusion and incertitude continue.

Gnostic T is emerging more clearly, but is so much cased in the obscurity of the Inconscience that seeks to be or have knowl- edge, it is impossible to distinguish it clearly from the counterfeit except by result and occasionally by an automatic and undoubting certitude.  


1263

It is at the same time evident that when it acts it is of the nature of omniscience and omnipotence.

==

Drishya settled in all but the spontaneous full stability which obtains only in the crude forms.

==

Ananda spreads but is not as yet organised and generalised in the responses of the body.

The action on health in both bodies is more evident but not yet entirely conclusive.

 

Sunday Jan 30th

Again a day of preparation and of apparent check rather than of progress.

==

Such progress as has been made is in Darshana, Drishya, confirmation of T3 and T2. Thought etc are held up for the moment.

Vani has long been silent. Today it is trying to emerge.

≡≡

Today, in the evening Thought-siddhi and gnostic T will over- come the obstacle.

The final victory in Arogya is evidently preparing. In a few days it will be perfect.

After Arogya Ananda.

Meanwhile utthapana and saundarya will prepare.

All the third chatusthaya will soon be liberated from its still remaining shackles.

≡≡

Thought-siddhi at its best resumed in the evening. Gnostic T manifested, but extension and organisation are not yet possible.

≡≡

 

Monday Jan 31st

A day of relapse and resistance.  

≡≡


1264

Tuesday. Feb 1st

The siddhi began to recover. A step forward in Darshana (Aditi holding Pa-Pi [Parameshwara-Parameshwari] in all living things, less vividly in all objects). This is not yet entirely universalised but it is increasing.

Primary utthapana oppressed during the last days once more progresses. Stiffness and muscular pains are still possible, though they can be ejected by the knowledge-will movement. They are most prominent when the exertion ceases, but do not endure. The latent memory however persists and brings them back at customary times or junctures.

Drishya progresses. There is full stability of crude forms, con- ditional or initial or aided longer stability of others..

T2 (T2 T3) progresses, but cannot get rid of incertitude.

Control of functions, violently interrupted for the last two days, is returning.

==