Reasonableness in spirituality
Q: Wasn’t Dr. Becharlal’s fear of illness merely a mental notion? How can one fall ill by sitting a long time in meditation?
Not just by sitting like that; but if one keeps awake too much at night, there is the chance of a physical disturbance. The physical has its limits. The vital being can go on feeling energy or peace or any other thing, but the physical can’t be taxed beyond its capacity. The overtaxing happened to many sadhaks here. Dr. Manilal once felt such a flow of energy that he thought he could clean the whole Ashram and went on increasing his work till a reaction set in. The Force comes for the work allotted to you, so that it may be done better. It is not meant for increasing the work or for other purposes. If you go on overdoing things, then the natural reaction is bound to come. A certain amount of common sense, of reasonableness, is required even in spirituality.
– Sri Aurobindo
