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1 January 1969
About the descent of what Mother later identified as the superman consciousness (la conscience du surhomme).
In the night it came slowly and on waking up this morning, there was as though a golden dawn, and the atmosphere was so light. The body felt: “Well, it is truly, truly new.'' A golden light, transparent and... benevolent. “Benevolent'' in the sense of a certainty – a harmonious certainty. It was new. There you are. And when I say “Bonne année” to people, it is this which I pass on to them. And this morning, I have passed my time like this, spontaneously, saying: “Bonne année, Bonne année.'' So... Page – 148
On the first, something truly strange happened.... And I was not the only one to feel it, some others also have felt it. It was just after midnight, but I felt it at two o'clock and the others at four o'clock in the morning. It was... last time I spoke to you a few words about it, but what is surprising is that it had absolutely no correspondence at all to anything I was expecting (I was expecting nothing), to other things which I had felt. It was something very material, I mean it was very external – very external – and it was luminous, with a golden light. It was very strong, very powerful; but even so, its character was a smiling benevolence, a peaceful delight and a kind of opening out into delight and light. And it was like a “Bonne année'', like a greeting. It took me by surprise. It lasted, for at least three hours I felt it. Afterwards I was no longer busy with it, I do not know what happened. But I told you a word or two about it and I spoke of it also to two or three persons: they all had felt it. That is to say, it was very material. They all had felt it, like this, a kind of joy, but a joy friendly, powerful and... oh! very, very gentle, very smiling, very benevolent... I do not know what it is. I do not know what it is, but it is a kind of benevolence, therefore it was something very close to the human. And it was so concrete, so concrete ! as though it had a savour, so concrete it was. Afterwards I did not occupy myself with it any more, except that I spoke to two or three persons about it: all had felt it. Now, I do not know if it is mixed or if... It has not departed; one does not feel as though the thing came in order to go back. It was much more external than anything I feel usually, much more external.... Very little mental, that is to say, there was no feeling of a “promise'' or... No, it would be rather... my own impression was that of an immense personality – immense, that is to say, for it the earth was small, small like this Page - 149 (gesture, as though holding a small ball in her palm), like a ball – an immense personality, very, very benevolent, which came for... (Mother seems to lift this ball gently from the hollow of her hands). It gave the impression of a personal divinity (and yet it was... I do not know) who comes to help, and so strong, so strong and at the same time so gentle, so all-embracing. And it was very external: the body felt it everywhere, everywhere (Mother touches her face, her hands), everywhere. What has become of it? I do not know. It was the beginning of the year. As if someone having the dimensions of a god (that is to say, someone) came to say “Bonne année”, with all the power to make it a Bonne année. It was like this. But what was it?... So concrete... I do not know. Is it... is it the personality – because it had no form, I did not see any form, there was only what it had brought (Mother feels the atmosphere), the sensation, the feeling: these two, sensation and feeling – and I asked myself if it was not the supramental personality... who will then manifest himself later in material forms. The body, this body, feels since that moment (the thing has entered into it everywhere, deeply), it feels much more joyous, less concentrated, more lively, in a happy, smiling expansiveness. For example, it is speaking more easily. There is a note a constant note of benevolence. A smile, yes, a benevolent smile, and all that with a great force.... I do not know. You felt nothing?
I had a feeling of contentment that day.
Ah! It is that. Yes, it is that. Is it the supramental personality?... that will incarnate itself in all those who have a supramental body. ... Page - 150 It was luminous, smiling, and so benevolent through powerfulness; that is to say, generally in the human being benevolence is something a little weak, in this sense that it does not like battle, it does not like fight; but this is nothing of the kind ! A benevolence that imposes itself (Mother brings her fists down upon the arms of her chair). It has interested me because it is altogether new. And so concrete ! Concrete like this (Mother touches the arms of her chair), like what the physical consciousness usually considers as “others'', concrete like that. That is to say, it did not pass through an inner being, through the psychic being, it came directly upon the body. What is it?... Yes, perhaps it is this... Since it came, the feeling of the body is a kind of certitude, a certitude as though now it was no longer in anxiety or uncertainty to know: “What will it be? What will the Supramental be like? Physically, what will it be physically?'' The body used to ask itself. Now it does not think of it any more, it is contented.
Is it something that will suffuse the bodies that are ready?
Yes, I believe so, yes. I have the feeling that it is the formation which is going to enter, going to express itself – to enter and express itself – in the bodies... that will be the bodies of the supramental. Or perhaps... perhaps the superman, I do not know. The intermediary between the two. Perhaps the superman: it was very human, but a human in divine proportions, I must say. A human without weaknesses and without shadows: it was all light – all light and smiling and... sweetness at the same time. Yes, perhaps the superman. Page - 151 (Silence)
I do not know why, for the last few moments I have been telling myself insistently: people who will not know how things have really occurred will say, when this supramental force will have entered the earth atmosphere, will have entered into them, they will say: “Ah well, it is we who have done all that!'' (Mother laughs) Yes, probably.
It is we, it is our fine humanity that has flowered !
Yes, surely. It is always like that. That is why I say – I say that after all we are here, every one of us, and we have finally to face all the difficulties, but it is a Grace, for we, we shall know how – and we shall not cease to be, is it not so? We shall know how the thing was done. Page - 152
Did I tell you that I have identified this consciousness?
When you spoke last time, you had identified it.
Yes, but I had said “the supramental consciousness''.
Afterwards you had said “perhaps the superman''.
Yes, it is that. It is the descent of the superman consciousness. I had the assurance later on. It was the first of January after midnight. I woke up at two in the morning, surrounded by a consciousness, so concrete, and new in the sense that I had never felt it before. And it lasted, absolutely concrete, present, for two or three hours, and afterwards it spread out and went about to find people who could receive it. And I knew that it was the consciousness of the superman, that is to say, the intermediary between man and the supramental being. That has given to the body a kind of assurance and confidence. That experience has, as it were, stabilised the body and if it keeps the true attitude, every support is there to help it. Page - 153
The other day when X came, as soon as he entered (he was standing there), this atmosphere came, from here up to there (Mother makes a semi-circular gesture in front of herself), surrounded me like a wall. It was thick, it was luminous, and then, it was forceful ! To me it was visible, it was very material, as though a rampart, nearly of this thickness (gesture indicating about forty centimetres), and it remained there all the time he was there. So, it is very consciously active. It is as though a projection of power. And it has now become a habitual thing. There is within it a consciousness – a very precious thing – which gives lessons to the body, teaching it what it must do, that is to say, the attitude it must have, the reaction it must have.... I have already told you many a time that it is very difficult to find the process of transformation when there is no one to give you any indications; well, it was as though the reply; it came to tell the body: “Take this attitude, do this in this way, do that in that way'', and so the body is satisfied, it is completely reassured, it can no longer be mistaken. It is very interesting. It came as a “mentor'', it was practical, quite practical: “This thing must be rejected, that must be accepted; this must be made general, that... ''; all the inner movements. And it even becomes very material in the sense that it says with regard to some vibrations: “This you must encourage'', to others: “That must be canalised'', to others again: “This must be removed.'' Little indications like that.
(Silence) In one of the old talks I had said (when I was speaking Page - 154 there in the Playground), I had said: Surely the superman will be at first a being of power, so that he may defend himself.'' It is that, it is that experience, it came back as an experience; and it is because it came back as an experience that I remembered that I had said it.
Yes, you had said: It is Power that will come first...
Yes, first Power.
Because those beings will have to be protected.
Yes, exactly so. Well, I have first had the experience for this body: it came like a rampart, and it was mighty ! It was a mighty power ! Altogether out of proportion to the apparent action. It is very interesting. And also this is why, now that I see the experience, I see that the result is much more precise, concrete, because the mind and the vital are not there. Because that takes their place – and with all this quiet assurance of knowing, which comes at the same time. It is interesting.
(Silence) You have something to say?
¹ “...It would seem that the most conclusive and obvious aspect [of the supramental] and the one which will probably be the first to manifest – probably will be the aspect of Power, rather than the aspect of Joy or of Truth. For a new race to be founded on earth, it would necessarily have to be protected from other earthly elements in order to be able to survive; and power is protection – not an artificial power, external and false, but the true strength, the triumphant Will. It is therefore not impossible to think that the supramental action, even before being an action of harmonisation, illumination, joy and beauty, might be an action of power, to serve as a protection. Naturally, for this action of power to be truly effective, it would have to be founded on Knowledge and Truth and Love and Harmony; but these things could manifest, visibly, little by little, when the ground, so to say, has been prepared by the action of a sovereign Will and Power.'' (18 December 1957) Page - 155 I was wondering how this consciousness will act individually, outside of you, for example.
In the same way. Only, those who are not accustomed to observing themselves objectively will notice it less, that is all. It will pass as though through cotton, as it always does so. But otherwise it is the same.
I mean to say: this consciousness will not act so much on the mind as on the body?
I do hope that it will make one think correctly.
Fundamentally it is a guide.
Yes, it is a guide. Well, it is a consciousness. For me, the Consciousness limits itself to special activities, for special cases, but it is always the Consciousness; just as in the human consciousness it limits itself almost to nothing, so also in certain states of being, in certain activities, it limits itself to a certain way of being in order to fulfil Its action: and I have very much asked It: “If I could be guided at every minute'', because that gains time enormously, does it not? – instead of having to study, to observe, to... Well, now I find that it has happened like that. (Silence)
There is a very marked change in those who have been touched on the first of January: it is particularly... indeed a precision and a certitude that has entered into their way of thinking. It was there (Mother looks at the region of the heart). It is curious, as though I was given the charge of putting it into contact with all those who come near me. Page - 156
This atmosphere, this consciousness¹ is very active, and active as a mentor, I have already said. And that continues. And then, for several hours in the early morning of one of these last days, it was... Never, never had the body been so happy; there was the complete Presence, absolute freedom, and a certitude: that had no importance – these cells, other cells (Mother makes gestures to this side and that, indicating all bodies), it was life everywhere, consciousness everywhere. Absolutely wonderful. It came without effort, it went away simply because... I was too busy. And that does not come at will – what comes at will is what may be called a “copy'': it has the appearance, but it is not the Thing. The Thing... there is something which is altogether independent of our aspiration, our will, our effort... altogether. And this something seems absolutely all-powerful, in the sense that none of the difficulties of the body exist. Everything disappears at this time. But aspiration, concentration, effort... all that is to no purpose. It is the divine sense, yes, it is to have the divine sense. During these few hours (three or four), I understood absolutely what it was to have the divine consciousness in the body. And then this body here, that body there, that body there (gestures to this side and that side and all around Mother's body), it did not matter; it went about from one body to another, altogether free and independent, knowing the limitations and possibilities of each body – absolutely wonderful, I have never, never before had this experience. Absolutely wonderful. It went away because I was so busy that... And it did not go away because it came simply to show how it was – it is not that; it is because life and the organisation of life swallows you up. I know it is there (gesture behind). I know it, but... but that, I understand, is a transformation. And clearly the persons,
¹ The superman consciousness. Page - 157 not a vague thing: clearly, that could express itself in this person, express itself in that person, express itself (same gesture here and there), clearly, wholly. With a Smile !... And then the cells themselves told of their effort to be transformed, and there was a Calm there.... How to explain this? The body told of its aspiration and of its will to prepare itself; and it did not ask, but made the effort to be what it ought to be: all that always with this question (the body does not put the question, it is... the environment, the surrounding – the world, as if the world put the question): “Will it continue or will it have to get dissolved?''... Itself, it is like this (gesture of self-abandon, palms opened upward); it says, “What Thou willest, Lord.'' But then, the body knows that it has been decided and it is not to be told to it. It accepts, it is not impatient, it accepts, it says, “It is all right, it shall be what Thou willest.'' But That which knows and That which does not respond is... something that cannot be expressed. It is... yes, I believe the only word that describes the sensation one has, is: it is an Absolute – an Absolute. Absolute. It is that, the sensation: of being in the presence of the Absolute. The Absolute: absolute Knowledge, absolute Will, absolute Power.... Nothing, nothing can resist it. And then, it is an Absolute which is (one has this kind of sensation, concrete) of compassion ! But by the side of that, all that we consider as kindness, compassion... pooh! it is nothing at all. That is Compassion with power absolute, and... it is not Wisdom, it is not Knowledge, it is... It has nothing to do with our procedure. And it is That, everywhere. That is everywhere. And it is the experience of the body; and to That, the body gives itself entirely, totally, asking for nothing, nothing at all. Only one aspiration (same gesture, palms opened upward): to be able to be That, what That wants – to serve That; not even so: to be That. But that state, which lasted for several hours, nothing similar to that happiness has this body ever felt during the ninety-one years it has been here upon earth: freedom, absolute power Page - 158 and no limits (gesture here and there, everywhere), no limits, no impossibilities, nothing. It was... all other bodies were itself. There was no difference, it was only a play of consciousness (gesture as of a great Rhythm) going about. That is all. (Long silence)
Apart from that, however, the work is becoming more and more exacting. But I feel (that is to say, the body feels very well) that it is part of the training. It looks like that: it must hold on, the body, or otherwise so much the worse, it will be for another time. All the human excuses appear as childishness. It is something very strange, all the qualities and all the defects of man appear as childishness – foolishness. It is curious. And it is not a thought, it is a concrete sensation. It is like a substance without life; all ordinary things are like a substance lacking life – the true life. Artificial and false. It is strange. It is not so much in others, it is not that: it is the inner training. And this true Consciousness, this true Attitude is something so for-mi-da-bly strong, powerful, in a peace so smiling ! So smiling that it cannot be annoyed, it is absolutely impossible... so smiling, so smiling... and watching.
(Silence)
The special character of this new consciousness is: no half measures, no approximations. That is its character. The idea “Oh yes, we shall do it, and little by little we... '' – no, no, not like that; it is Yes or No, either you can or you cannot.
(Silence) Truly it is a Grace, you see, as if: not to lose time – not Page - 159 to lose time. It must be done or... But this tremendous Power, it is that above all; and it is with a compassion! a gentleness !... No, there are no words, we have no words to describe that, something... Nothing but just to be attentive and... it is blissfulness. Nothing but just to turn one's attention towards that side, immediately there is the bliss. And I understand (that has made me understand certain things), we have heard of people who in the midst of torture enjoyed bliss – it is like that. A beatitude. There you are, it is that (Mother hands out a white hibiscus, which she has named “Grace''). Page - 160
This talk begins with Mother's comments about her Darshan Message of February 21st.
“It is only immutable peace that can make possible eternity of existence.''
I remember I wrote this after having had the experience that the immobility of the Inconscient, the beginning of creation, is, one cannot say a “projection'', but a kind of inanimate or inconscient symbol of the Eternity, of the Immobility – it is not “immobility'', words are worth nothing, it is between immobility and stability. I have written here “peace'', but “peace'' is a poor word, it is not that, it is infinitely more than peace, it is the “something'' (even the word “eternal'' gives a limited sense, all words are impossible), the “Something'' which is the Origin of all things and the beginning of the evolution of the manifestation to rejoin the Origin (Mother draws a curve joining the one to the other). I have the impression that it was at the Playground, and it was as though the inconscient immobility – the immobility of the Inconscient, the inert immobility of the Inconscient – were the starting-point of the evolution and it was like the translation of this... how to say it? (this is also another kind of immobility ! but an immobility containing all movements) of this immobility of the Origin, this stability, and that the whole evolution is so that this may find back That, with the whole passage (same gesture of a great curve). It was a very clear vision. I remember having written this, and when I read it the experience came back. Well, we speak always of a “fall'' – but it is not that ! It is not at all that. If there is a fall, it is at the moment when the vital turned into a will for independence: it is not at the beginning, it occurs altogether on the way.... In the Page - 161 ancient tradition, they say it is the “Conscient'' that became the Inconscient because it was “cut off from the Origin'' – this gives me the impression of stories told to children. It is curious, in the silence and in the vision, it is very clear and very luminous, understandable; but as soon as you want to tell it, it becomes foolish. But then, in the creation even as it is now, it is true that the word “peace'' is perhaps the nearest (although it is not that, it is quite small and restricted, it is not that). As soon as something goes wrong or out of order, it is that which comes as the remedy, within.
(Silence)
Oh! Words are worth nothing, I do not know what to do, I do not know if it is because I have not enough of them or because truly... all mental expression seems artificial. It gives the feeling of a lifeless film. It is curious. And all language belongs to that domain. When I want to relate this experience... with some people I enter into a relation very, very well, very easily, in silence, and I tell them infinitely more things than I would be able to with words; it is more supple, more exact, more profound.... Well! Words, phrases, things written leave me with the impression of a two-dimensional picture, the ordinary picture; and that, that contact which I have in a way with people when I do not talk, that adds the depth and something more true (it is not, it is far from being altogether true, but it is more true) and there is a depth. (Silence)
That is why the experiences are difficult to recount. They are no longer separate experiences which come one after another; it is like a single and global movement (circular gesture) of transformation, and it has a great intensity. Page - 162 In the ordinary functioning of life, there is this feeling that “it goes well'', which is translated in people as a feeling of good health, and then there is a lack of balance, lack of order; and this opposition now seems altogether artificial: it is only a continuous movement which changes over from one kind of vibration to another kind whose origin is much more (how to say it? it is not “deeper'', it is not “higher'', and “truer'' gives only one side, it is not that), well, “superior'' in some way – words are foolish, altogether foolish. It is like this, it is all the time like this. And then one is drawn to one spot or to another; it is simply a play of our consciousness, but for the consciousness that sees the whole, it is a continuous movement, and a global one towards... yes, it is this, it is in order that this inert Inconscient becomes the absolute Conscient.... I do not know, I have a vague impression that it has been discovered (here, absolutely on the earth, upon the earth), it has been discovered that a certain intensity of movement (that is to say, what we call “rapidity'') is translated by an impression of immobility. I have a vague impression that I have been told so. But this corresponds to something. What I have called “peace'' in the message, what is felt as peace, is an acme of movement, but general – harmonious and general. As soon as one speaks, it looks like a caricature. (Long silence) I shall end by falling silent !
I hope not !
(Mother laughs) But it is so poor, all this.
Later on we may speak in colours.
Ah! That would be pretty.... Page - 163 It goes to such an extent that when I am told something, when, for example, something which I have said is repeated to me, I no longer understand it... I try my best, but it is the whole intensity of the Consciousness that seeks to express itself, so when it is repeated, this intensity is not there any more and it has no sense any longer. But precisely this message, when it was read out to me, brought back the experience; therefore I know how it was, and then the word “peace'' contained so much!... Now it is no longer there. What is the word that I used?
Peace, yes.
Immutable?
Yes: “It is only immutable peace...''
Yes, and then the experience was that this same immutable peace (which was neither “peace'' nor “immutable'' ! but it was “something''), this very Thing was there within the inconscient inertia. And it was so concrete !... And the whole curve of creation was there so that this and That might be apparently one (but it is one – it is one). One might say (but it turns into phrases, these are words): to become conscious of one's identity. But it is a phrase.
(Long silence)
The experience is so intensely concrete that as soon as I begin to speak, it comes down. Up there (gesture upward), the consciousness is clear, and then... Page - 164 |