Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga (Vedic & Christian Spirituality Readdressed Towards a Humane Society)

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This Book investigates the teachings of Sri Aurobindo on Integral Yoga and examines whether in the contemporary context of globalization as well as religious fundamentalism and violence his innovative intellect and experimental spirit presents a paradigm for contemporary quest towards direction and integrity; whether his Integralism offers a new way of being: whether his Yoga advances new vision of totality; and whether his philosophy directs towards realization of the Divine at the personal and social horizons. The quest continues to identify how is Integral Yoga different from other Yogas? What is the theoretical basis of Integral Yoga? What are the practical steps of it? Do we acquire any aid for Christian Spirituality from Sri Aurobindo or his present disciples in the very practice of it? In what ways can it counter the forces of globalization on the one hand and religious. fundamentalism and violence on the other in the contemporary context of India?

The Author has especially focused on the interconnection between Integral Yoga and Spirituality. In Christian tradition, Spirituality is of paramount importance as it emphasizes on human realization of the Divine. So, Integral Yoga proves useful to Christian Spirituality in reflecting and responding her faith to the realities of life, by liberating it from the enslaving ego and anchoring the self in the progressive deification by grace, also without losing commitment to the integration of the world. The concrete structure of the Book is based on Sri Aurobindo's. interpretation of the Vedas, Upanis?ads and Bhagavadgītā, his experience and reasoning; covering all the aspects of Integral Yoga vis-à- vis Christian Spirituality, readdressing towards a humane society. The Book is a must-read for Spiritual leaders, Historians, Mythologists, Philosophers, Social Scientists, Institutions, Libraries, Researchers and Students.

Dr. Moanungsang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religions under the Senate of Serampore College (University) and the Principal of Witter Theological College. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) from St. Joseph's College, under the Nagaland University; Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) from The United Theological College, Bangalore; Both Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology from North India Institute of Post Graduate and Theological Studies (NIIPGTS), Kolkata. He is married to Toshirenla Imchen who teaches at Witter Theological College. They are blessed with two children, Akumienla Sophia Tzudir and Taochisem Nathanael Tzudir. His previous authored works are: Religious Significance of Tree in Sruti Text: An Ecological Relevance in India Today: A Reader in Primal Religious Traditions and Their Select Movements in India; Methodological Studies into the Study of Religions in the Context of an Indian Philosophical Approach with Special Emphasis on the Writings of Sri Aurobindo; Contextual Reinterpretation of Religious Tenets by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Satya Sai Baba, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Sankaradeva and its Relevance.

I am happy indeed to introduce Dr. Moanungsang's this research presentation on Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga and its contemporary relevance. He has done a commendable work and I am proud of him as his mentor. May God bless him to bring out many more research works!

As a nationalist Sri Aurobindo was fully engaged in writing and organizing political groups to resist the foreign rule. Soon he was imprisoned in Alipore jail and the spiritual experience he had in this jail laid a milestone in his life. This spiritual illumination changed his vision from political freedom to spiritual liberation of all humanity. The whole Creation is the manifestation of sole Reality Brahman created and preserved by an infinite Consciousness, therefore the world is not an illusion but real. In every Creation the Divine is concealed and in order to unveil that Divine the solution is not withdrawal from the cosmic Existence but transcend into higher consciousness which would replace the ignorance by true knowledge. Our human mind, life and matter can ascend from inadequate knowledge to a Divine supermanhood/ womanhood through self-effort and initiation of the Divine.

Integration involves the affirmation of an eightfold series of Being, gradually manifesting the Reality of Saccidananda which Sri Aurobindo termed as the Descent or Involution of the Divine into cosmic being from Existence through Consciousness-Force and Bliss and the creative medium of Supermind. Evolution is the humans' rise towards the Divine from matter through a developing life, soul and mind and the illuminating medium of Supermind. This Integration with Reality brings radical transformation and harmonious pattern of social life. Integral Yoga is a methodized effort towards self-perfection by the expression of the potentialities latent in the being and a union of the individual with the Universal and transcendent Existence we see partially expressed in humans and in the cosmos.

Sri Aurobindo considered Yoga within the framework of life and existential experience of God. His view on Yoga is to result Integration with Divine which is similar to the Sakta Yoga or Yoga of the Bhagavadgita as they also aim at communion with God. However, his thought of Integration diverges from the ultimate objective of the Sankhya-Yoga philosophy where Yoga means the separation of the purusa from prakriti and not Integration with the Divine.

It is the conviction of the author that Integral Yoga can counter the forces of globalization on the one hand and religious fundamentalism and violence on the other in the contemporary context of India. Further, Integral spirituality offers a pluralist and intercultural framework of a unity. It recognizes God in all, serving all with love, seeking for each other's freedom and perfection. It can equally enrich Christian spirituality also.

The material world has extended to us abundant opportunities to develop our inner as well as outer formation and living. However, often human endeavor turns in a futile circle as we fail to become mature enough to discover the true self and to live on earth in love, in peace, in harmony with oneself, with fellow human beings, and with the totality of our being. What is that prison wall that prevents us from discovering and experiencing oneness with the Divine which we always lived without being aware of it? What are those that make the humans' lives limited, fragmented, broken and pulled on all sides? The contemporary issues of globalization, religious fundamentalism and violence reflect the affliction of the inner spirit because humans deny its upward urge towards the highest fulfillment. Social and political ideologies show narrow aspiration without any lasting effects. In such a setting Integral Yoga points out that the origin of humans' disappointments and problems lies not outside but inside. Human experience of the Divine is the answer given to free from self-centeredness and realize our true center in God. Life is a search for being and becoming, transforming one's way of seeing and living when there is the discovery of one's real Self, a return to the center being.

**Contents and Sample Pages**