Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 3. 1936-37

Fragment ID: 18278

1936-37

During work, how is the consciousness to be kept within when the energy goes out? Are consciousness and energy really the same thing?

If consciousness and energy are the same thing, there would be no use in having two different words for them. In that case instead of saying “I am conscious of my defects” one can say “I am energetic of my defects.” If a man is running fast, you can say of him “He is running with great energy.” Do you think it would mean the same if you said “He is running with great consciousness”? Consciousness is that which is aware of things – energy is a force put in action which does things. Consciousness may have energy and keep it in or put it out, but that does not mean that it has to go out when the energy goes out and that it cannot stand back and observe the energy in action. You have plenty of inertia in you but that does not mean that you and inertia are the same and when inertia rises and swamps you it is you who rise and swamp yourself.