{"id":3756,"date":"2013-07-13T01:51:01","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3756"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:51:01","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:51:01","slug":"04-integral-yoga-and-other-spiritual-paths-vol-02-second-series-1949","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/02-other-editions\/letters-of-sri-aurobindo\/02-second-series-1949\/04-integral-yoga-and-other-spiritual-paths-vol-02-second-series-1949","title":{"rendered":"-04_Integral Yoga and Other Spiritual Paths.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\nSECTION <\/b> TWO <\/font><\/p>\n

\nINTEGRAL YOGA
\nAND
\nOTHER SPIRITUAL PATHS <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nVedanta, Tantra and Integral Yoga<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nVEDA and Vedanta are one side of the One Truth; Tantra with its emphasis on Shakti is
\nanother; in this Yoga all sides of the Truth are taken
\nup, not in the systematic forms given them formerly
\nbut in their essence, and carried to the fullest and
\nhighest significance. But Vedanta deals more with
\nthe principles and essentials of the divine knowledge
\nand therefore much of its spiritual knowledge and
\nexperience has been taken bodily into the Arya*.
\n<\/i>Tantra deals more with forms and processes and
\norganised powers\u2014all these could not be taken
\nas they were, for the integral Yoga needs to develop
\nits own forms and processes, but the ascent of the
\nconsciousness through the centres and other Tantric
\nknowledge are there behind the process of transformation to which so much importance is given by
\nme\u2014also the truth that nothing can be done except
\nthrough the force of the Mother. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe process of the Kundalini awakened rising <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n* A philosophical journal conducted by Sri Aurobindo during
\nthe years 1914-21 , <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 21<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthrough the centres as also the purification of the
\ncentres is a Tantric knowledge. In our Yoga there
\nis no willed process of the purification and opening
\nof the centres, no raising up of the Kundalini by
\na set process either. Another method is used, but
\nstill there is the ascent of the consciousness from
\nand through the different levels to join the higher
\nconsciousness above; there is the opening of the centres and of the planes (mental, vital, physical)
\nwhich these centres command; there is also the
\ndescent which is the main key of the spiritual
\ntransformation. Therefore, there is, I have said,
\na Tantric knowledge behind the process of trans-
\nformation in this Yoga. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n14-3-1937 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nMovement of Force in Tantra and Integral Yoga<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE ascension and descent of the Force in this Yoga
\naccomplishes itself in its own way without any
\nnecessary reproduction of the details laid down in
\nthe Tantric books. Many become conscious of the
\ncentres, but others simply feel the ascent or descent in a general way or from level to level rather <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 22 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthan from centre to centre, that is, they feel the
\nForce descending first to the head, then to the heart,
\nthen to the navel and still below. It is not at all
\nnecessary to become aware of the deities in the
\ncentres according to the Tantric description, but
\nsome feel the Mother in the different centres. In
\nthese things our sadhana does not cleave to the
\nknowledge given in the books, but only keeps to the
\ncentral truth behind and realises it independently
\nwithout any subjection to the old forms and symbols. The centres themselves have a different
\ninterpretation here from that given in the books
\nof the Tantrics. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n26-4-1936 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nThe Divine Mother in the Gita, Tantra and
\nIntegral Yoga<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE Gita does not speak expressly of the Divine
\nMother; it speaks always of surrender to the Purushottama\u2014it mentions her only as the Para Prakriti who becomes the Jiva, that is, who manifests
\nthe Divine in the multiplicity and through whom
\nall these worlds are created by the Supreme and he
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 23<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nhimself descends as the Avatar. The Gita follows
\nthe Vedantic tradition which leans entirely on the
\nIshwara aspect of the Divine and speaks little of
\nthe Divine Mother because its object is to draw
\nback from world-nature and arrive at the supreme
\nrealisation beyond it; the Tantric tradition leans
\non the Shakti or Ishwari aspect and makes all
\ndepend on the Divine Mother because its object
\nis to possess and dominate the world-nature and
\narrive at the supreme realisation through it. This
\nYoga insists on both the aspects; the surrender
\nto the Divine Mother is essential, for without
\nit there is no fulfilment of the object of the
\nYoga. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nIn regard to the Purushottama the Divine Mother
\nis the supreme divine Consciousness and Power
\nabove the worlds, Adya Shakti; she carries the
\nSupreme in herself and manifests the Divine in
\nthe worlds through the Akshara and Kshara.
\nIn regard to the Akshara she is the same Para
\nShakti holding the Purusha immobile in herself
\nand also herself immobile in him at the back
\nof all creation. In regard to the Kshara she is
\nthe mobile cosmic Energy manifesting all beings
\nand forces. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n19-8-1932 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 24 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nOccult Powers and Divine Forces in Toga<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nYES, the object of our Yoga is to establish direct
\ncontact with the Divine above and bring down the
\ndivine Consciousness from above into all the centres.
\nOccult powers belonging to the mental, vital and
\nsubtle physical planes are not our object. One can
\nhave contact with various Divine Forces and Personalities on the way, but there is no need to establish them in the centres, though sometimes that
\nhappens automatically (as with the four Personalities of the Mother) for a time in the course of the
\nsadhana. But it is not a rule to do so. Our Yoga
\nis meant to be plastic and to allow all necessary
\nworkings of the Divine Power according to the
\nnature, but these in their details may vary with each
\nindividual. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n29-5-1936 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nOccult Experiences and Spiritual Realisation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nORDINARILY, all the more inward and all the
\nabnormal psychological experiences are called
\npsychic. I use the word psychic for the soul as <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 25 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\ndistinguished from the mind and vital. All movements
\nand experiences of the soul would in that sense be
\ncalled psychic, those which rise from or directly
\ntouch the psychic being; where mind and vital
\npredominate, the experience would be called psychological (surface or occult). "Spiritual" has not a
\nnecessary connection with the Absolute. Of course the
\nexperience of the Absolute is spiritual. All contacts
\nwith self, the higher consciousness, the Divine above
\nare spiritual. There are others that could not be so
\nsharply classified or one set off against another. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe spiritual realisation is of primary importance
\nand indispensable. I would consider it best to have
\nthe spiritual and psychic development first and have
\nit with the same fullness before entering the occult
\nregions. Those who enter the latter first may find
\ntheir spiritual realisation much delayed\u2014others fall
\ninto the mazy traps of the occult and do not come
\nout in this life. Some no doubt can carry on both
\ntogether, the occult and the spiritual, and make
\nthem help each other; but the process I suggest is
\nthe safer. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe governing factors for us must be the spirit
\nand the psychic being united with the Divine\u2014
\nthe occult laws and phenomena have to be known
\nbut only as an instrumentation, not as the governing
\nprinciples. The occult is a vast field and complicated <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 26 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nand not without its dangers. It need not be abandoned but it should not be given the first place. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nIncarnation and Supramental Realisation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nIN the Veda there is no idea or experience of a
\npersonal emanation or incarnation of any of the
\nVedic gods. When the Rishis speak of Indra or
\nAgni or Soma in men, they are speaking of the god
\nin his cosmic presence, power or function. This is.
\nevident from the very language when they speak of
\nAgni as the immortal in mortals, the immortal Light
\nin men, the inner Warrior, the Guest in human,
\nbeings. It is the same with Indra or Soma. The
\nbuilding of the gods in man means a creation of
\nthe divine Powers\u2014-Indra the Power of the Light,
\nSoma the Power of the Ananda-\u2014in the human.
\nnature. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nNo doubt, the Rishis felt the actual presence of
\nthe gods above, near, around or in them, but this
\nwas a common experience of all, not special and
\npersonal, not an emanation or incarnation. One
\nmay see or feel the presence of the Divine or a
\ndivine Power above the head or in the heart or in
\nany or all the centres, feel the presence, see the form <\/font><\/p>\n

Page – 27 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nliving there; one may be governed in all one’s actions, thoughts, and feelings by it, one may lose
\none’s separate personality in it, may identify and
\nmerge. But all that does not constitute an incarnation or emanation of the Divine or of the Power.
\nThese things are universal experiences to which any
\nYogin may arrive; to reach this condition with relation to the Divine is indeed a common object of
\nYoga. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nAn incarnation is something more, something
\nspecial and individual to the individual being. It is
\nthe substitution of the Person of a divine being for
\nthe human person and an infiltration of it into all
\nthe movements so that there is a dynamic personal
\nchange in all of them and in the whole nature; not
\nmerely a change of the character of the consciousness or general surrender into its hands, but a subtle
\nintimate personal change. Even when there is an
\nincarnation from the birth, the human elements
\nhave to be taken up, but when there is a descent,
\nthere is a total conscious substitution. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThis is a long, subtle and persistent process. The
\nincarnating Person first overshadows as an influence,
\nthen enters into the centres one after the other,
\nsometimes in the same form, sometimes in different
\nforms, then takes up all the nature and its actions.
\nWhat you describe does not correspond to this <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 28 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nprocess; it seems to be an endeavour to build the
\nsods<\/i> in yourself in the Vedic sense and the Vedic
\nmanner. That can bring, if it succeeds, their powers
\nand a sense of their presence; it cannot bring
\nabout an incarnation. An incarnation is destined,
\nis chosen for you; the human person cannot choose
\nor create an incarnation for himself by his own
\npersonal will. To attempt it is to invite a spiritual
\ndisaster. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nOne thing must be said\u2014that an incarnation is
\nnot the object of this Yoga; it is only a condition or
\nmeans towards the object. The one and the only
\naim we have before us is to bring down the supramental Consciousness and the supramental Truth
\ninto the world; the Truth and nothing but the
\nTruth is our aim, and if we cannot embody this
\nTruth, a hundred incarnations do not matter. But
\nto bring down the true Supramental, to escape from
\nall mental mixture is not an easy matter. The mere
\ndescent of the suns into the centres, even of all the
\nseven suns into all the seven centres is only the
\nseed; it is not the thing itself done and finished.
\nOne may feel the descent of the suns, one may have
\nthe attempt, the beginning of an incarnation, and
\nyet in the end one may fail, if there is a flaw in the
\nnature or a failure to pass through all the ordeals
\nand satisfy all the hard conditions of the perfect <\/font><\/p>\n

Page – 29 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nspiritual success. Not only the whole mental, vital
\n.and physical nature of the ignorant human being
\nhas to be overcome and transformed, but also the
\nthree states of mental consciousness which intervene
\nbetween the human and the supramental and like
\nall mind are capable of admitting great and capital errors. Till then there may be descents of the
\nsupramental influence, light, power, Ananda, but the
\nsupramental Truth cannot be possessed, organised,
\nput in possession of the whole nature. One must
\nnot think before that that one possesses the Supermind, for that is a delusion which would prevent
\nthe fulfilment. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nOne thing more. The more intense the experiences
\nthat come, the higher the forces that descend, the
\ngreater become the possibilities of deviation and error. For the very intensity and the very height of
\nthe force excites and aggrandises the movements of
\nthe lower nature and raises up in it all opposing
\nelements in their full force, but often in the disguise
\nof truth, wearing a mask of plausible justification.
\nThere is needed a great patience, calm, sobriety,
\nbalance, an impersonal detachment and sincerity
\nfree from all taint of ego or personal human desire.
\nThere must be no attachment to any idea of one’s
\nown, to any experience, to any kind of imagination,
\nmental building or vital demand; the light of <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 30 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\ndiscrimination must always play to detect those
\nthings, however fair or plausible they may seem.
\nOtherwise, the Truth will have no chance of
\nestablishing itself in its purity in the nature. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n4-7-1927 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nNirvana and Beyond<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nIN our Yoga the Nirvana is the beginning of the
\nhigher Truth, as it is the passage from the Ignorance
\nto the higher Truth. The Ignorance has to be extinguished in order that the Truth may manifest. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nNirvana and Integral Realisation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nI DON’T think I have written, but I said once that
\nsouls which have passed into Nirvana may (not "must") return to complete the larger upward curve.
\nI have written somewhere, I think, that for this Yoga
\n(it might also be added, in the natural complete
\norder of the manifestation) the experience of Nirvana can only be a stage or passage to the complete <\/font><\/p>\n

Page – 31 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nrealisation. I have said also that there are many
\ndoors by which one can pass into the realisation of
\nthe Absolute (Parabrahman), and Nirvana is one
\nof them, but by no means the only one. You may
\nremember Ramakrishna’s saying that the Jivakoti
\ncan ascend the stairs, but not return, while the Ishwarakoti can ascend and descend at will. If that is
\nso, the Jivakoti might be those who describe only
\nthe curve from Matter through Mind into the silent
\nBrahman and the Ishwarakoti those who get to the
\nintegral Reality and can therefore combine the
\nAscent with the Descent and contain the "two ends"
\nof existence in their single being. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n2-11-1942 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nBuddha & Vedanta:<\/i><\/font>
\nBuddha’s Attitude to Life<\/i> <\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nIF Buddha really combatted and denied all Vedantic
\nconceptions of the Self, then it can be no longer true
\nthat Buddha refrained from all metaphysical speculations or distinct pronouncements as to the nature
\nof the ultimate Reality. The view you take of his
\nconception of Nirvana seems to concur with the <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 32 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nMahayanist interpretation and its conception of the
\nPermanent, dhruvam,<\/i> which could be objected to as
\na later development like the opposite Nihilistic conception of the Shunyam. What Buddha very certainly
\ntaught was that the world is not-Self and that the
\nindividual has no true existence since what does
\nexist in the world is a stream of impermanent consciousness from moment to moment and the individual person is fictitiously constituted by a bundle of
\nsanskaras and can be dissolved by dissolving the
\nbundle. This is in conformity with the Vedantic
\nMonistic view that there is no true separate individual. As to the other Vedantic view of the one Self,
\nimpersonal and universal and transcendent, it does
\nnot seem that Buddha made any distinct and unmistakable pronouncement on abstract and meta-
\nphysical questions; but if the world or all in the world
\nis not-Self, anatman,<\/i> there can be no more room
\nfor a universal Self, only at most for a transcendent
\nReal Being. His conception of Nirvana was of something transcendent of the universe, but he did not
\ndefine what it was because he was not concerned
\nwith any abstract metaphysical speculations about
\nthe Reality; he must have thought them unnecessary
\nand irrelevant, and any indulgence in them likely
\nto divert from the true object. His explanation of
\nthings was psychological and not metaphysical and <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 33 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nhis methods were all psychological,\u2014the breaking up
\nof the false associations of consciousness which cause
\nthe continuance of desire and suffering, so getting
\nrid of the stream of birth and death in a purely
\nphenomenal (not unreal) world; the method of life
\nby which this liberation could be effected was also
\na psychological method, the eightfold path developing right understanding and right action. His
\nobject was pragmatic and severely practical and so
\nwere his methods; metaphysical speculations would
\nonly draw the mind away from the one thing needful. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nAs to Buddha’s attitude towards life, I do not quite
\nsee how "service to mankind" or any ideal of improvement of the world-existence can have been
\npart of his aim, since to pass out of life into a transcendence was his object. His eightfold path was the
\nmeans towards that end and not an aim in itself or
\nindeed in any way an aim. Obviously, if right understanding and right action become the common
\nrule of life, there would be a great improvement
\nin the world, but for Buddha’s purpose that could
\nbe an incidental result and not at all part of his
\ncentral object. You say, "Buddha himself urged
\nthe necessity to serve mankind; his ideal was to
\nachieve a consciousness of inner eternity and then
\nbe a source of radiant influence and action." But <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage -34 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nwhere and when did Buddha say these things, use
\nthese terms or express these ideas? "The service
\nof mankind" sounds like a very modern and European conception; it reminds me of some European
\ninterpretations of the Gita as merely teaching the
\ndisinterested performance of duty or the pronouncement that the whole idea of the Gita is service.
\nThe exclusive stress or overstress on mankind or
\nhumanity is also European. Mahayanist Buddhism
\nlaid stress on compassion, fellow-feeling with all,
\nvasudhaiva kutumbakam,<\/i> just as the Gita speaks of
\nthe feeling of oneness with all beings and pre-occupation with the good of all beings, sarvabhūta hite ratāh,<\/i> but this does not mean humanity
\nonly, but all beings and vasudha<\/i> means all earth life. Are there any sayings of Buddha which
\nwould justify the statement that the object or
\none object in attaining to Nirvana was to become
\na source of radiant influence and action? The
\nconsciousness of inner eternity may have that
\nresult, but can we really say that that was Buddha’s ideal, the object which he held in view or
\nfor which he came? <\/font><\/p>\n

\n5-7-1947 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 35 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nApproach to Supreme Truth through
\nSpiritual Mind and Supermind<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE passage* in the "YOGA AND ITS OBJECTS<\/font>"
\nis written from the point of view of the spiritualised Mind
\napproaching the supreme Truth directly, without
\npassing through the Supermind or disappearing into
\nit. The Mind spiritualises itself by shedding all its
\nown activities and formations and reducing every-
\nthing to a pure Existence, Sad-Atman,<\/i> from which
\nall things and activities proceed and which supports
\neverything. When it wants to go still beyond, it
\nnegates yet further and arrives at an Asat,<\/i> which is
\nthe negation of all this existence and yet something
\ninconceivable to mind, speech or defining experience. It is the silent Unknowable, the Turiya or
\nfeatureless and relationless Absolute of the monistic
\nVedantins, the Shunyam of the nihilistic Buddhists
\nthe Tao or omnipresent and transcendent Nihil
\nof the Chinese, the indefinable and ineffable Permanent of the Mahayana. Many Christian mystics
\nalso speak of the necessity of a complete ignorance
\nin order to get the supreme experience and speak <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n* "Behind the Sad-Atman is<\/i> the silence of the Asat<\/i>
\nwhich the Buddhist Nihilists realised as the Shunyarn and beyond that silence is the
\nParatpara Purusha: Puruşo varenya āditya varnastamasah parastāt."<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 36 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\ntoo of the divine Darkness\u2014they mean the shedding of all mental knowledge, making a blank of
\nthe mind and engulfing it in the Unmanifest, the
\nparam avyaktam.<\/i> All this is the mind’s way of
\napproaching the Supreme\u2014for beyond the avyakta,
\ntamasah parastat<\/i> is the Supreme, the Purushottama
\nof the Gita, the Parampurusha of the Upanishads.
\nIt is adityavarna<\/i> in contrast to the darkness of the
\nUnmanifest; it is a metaphor, but not a mere metaphor, for it is a symbol also, a symbol visually seen by
\nthe sukshma drishti,<\/i> the subtle vision, and not merely
\na symbol, but, as one might say, a fact of spiritual
\nexperience. The sun in the Yoga is the symbol of
\nthe Supermind and the Supermind is the first power
\nof the Supreme which one meets across the border
\nwhere the experience of spiritualised mind ceases
\nand the unmodified divine Consciousness begins the
\ndomain of the supreme Nature, Para Prakriti.<\/i> It is
\nthat Light of which the Vedic mystics got a glimpse
\nand it is the opposite of the intervening darkness
\nof the Christian mystics, for the Supermind is all
\nlight and no darkness. To the mind the Supreme
\nis avyaktāt param avyakta<\/i> but if we follow the line
\nleading to the Supermind, it is an increasing
\naffirmation rather than an increasing negation
\nthrough which we move. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nLight is always seen in Yoga with the inner eye, <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 37 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\neven with the outer eye, but there are many lights; all are not and all do not come from the supreme
\nLight, param jyotih.<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n19-8-1932 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nJainism and Supramental Yoga<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE Jain philosophy is concerned with individual
\nperfection. Our effort is quite different. We want
\nto bring down the Supermind as a new faculty.
\nJust as the mind is now a permanent state of consciousness in humanity, so also we want to create
\na race in which the Supermind will be a permanent
\nstate of consciousness. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nOverself and Integral Realisation<\/i> <\/font>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE methods described in the account are the well-established methods of
\nJnana Yoga-(l) one-pointed
\nconcentration followed by thought-suspension, (2)
\nthe method of distinguishing or finding out the
\ntrue self by separating it from mind, life, body and <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 38 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\ncoming to the pure ‘ I ‘ behind; this also can disappear into the impersonal Self. The usual result is
\na merging in the Atman or Brahman\u2014which is what
\none would suppose is meant by the Overself, for it
\nis that which is the real Overself. This Brahman
\nor Atman is everywhere, all is in it, it is in all, but
\nit is in all not as an individual being in each but is
\nthe same in all\u2014as the Ether is in all. When the
\nmerging in the Overself is complete, there is no ego,
\nno distinguishable I, nor any formed separative person or personality. All is an indivisible and undistinguishable Oneness either free from all formation
\nor carrying all formations in it without being affected; one can realise it in either way. There is a realisation in which all things are moving in the one
\nSelf and this Self is there stable in all beings; there
\nis another more complete and thorough-going in
\nwhich not only is it so but all are vividly realised
\nas the Self, the Brahman, the Divine. In the former,
\nit is possible to dismiss all beings as creations of
\nMaya, leaving the one Self alone as true\u2014in the
\nother it is easier to regard them as real manifestations of the Self, not as illusions. But one can also
\nregard all beings as souls, independent realities in
\nan eternal Nature dependent on the one Divine.
\nThese are the characteristic realisations of the Overself familiar to the Vedanta. But .on the other hand, <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 39. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nyou say that this Overself is realised as lodged in
\nthe heart-centre, and it is described as something
\nconcealed which when it manifests appears as the
\nreal Thinker, source of all action but now guiding
\nthought and action in the Truth. Now the first
\ndescription applies to the Purusha in the heart,
\ndescribed by the Gita as Ishwara situated in the heart
\nand by the Upanishads as the Purusha Antaratma; the second could apply also to the mental Purusha,
\nmanomayah prānaśarira netā<\/i> of the Upanishads, the
\nmental Being or Purusha who leads the life and the
\nbody. So your question is one which on the data given
\nrelates to and accepts all these experiences, but
\nthey are strung together without any sufficient
\ndistinction or gradation being made or thought necessary between the various aspects of the one Being.
\nThere are a thousand ways of approaching and
\nrealising the Divine and each way has its own experiences which have their own truth and stand
\nreally on a basis one in essence but complex in aspects, common to all but not expressed in the same
\nway by all. There is not much use in discussing
\nthese variations; the important thing is to follow
\nOne’s own way well and thoroughly. In this Yoga,
\none can realise the psychic being as a portion of
\nthe Divine seated in the heart with the Divine supporting it there\u2014this psychic being takes charge of <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage  – 40 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthe sadhana and turns the whole being to the Truth,
\nthe Divine, with results in the mind, the vital and
\nthe physical consciousness which I need not go into
\nhere\u2014that is the first transformation. We realise
\nnext the one Self, Brahman, Divine, first above
\nthe body, life, mind and not only within the heart
\nsupporting them\u2014above and free and unattached
\nas the static Self in all and dynamic too as the active
\nDivine Being and Power, Ishwara-Shakti, containing
\nthe world and pervading it as well as transcending
\nit, manifesting all cosmic aspects. But what is most
\nimportant for us is that it manifests as a transcending Light, Knowledge, Power, Purity, Peace, Ananda,
\nof which we become aware and which descends
\ninto the being and progressively replaces the
\nordinary consciousness itself by its own movements\u2014
\nthat is the second transformation. We realise also
\nthe consciousness itself as moving upward, ascending
\nthrough many planes, physical, vital, mental, overmental to the supramental and Ananda planes.
\nThis is nothing new; it is stated in the Taittiriya
\nUpanishad that there are five Purushas, the physical, the vital, the mental, the
\nTruth Purusha (supramental) and the Bliss Purusha; it says that one has
\nto draw the physical self into the vital self, the vital
\ninto the mental, the mental into the Truth self, the
\nTruth self into the Bliss Self and so attain perfection. <\/font><\/p>\n

Page – 41<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nBut in this Yoga we become aware not only of this
\ntaking up but of a pouring down of the power of
\nthe higher Self, so that there comes in the possibility
\nof a descent of the supramental Self and Nature to
\ndominate and change our present nature and
\nturn it from nature of Ignorance into nature of
\nTruth-Knowledge (and through the supramental
\ninto nature of Ananda)\u2014this is the third or supramental transformation. It does not always go
\nin this order, for with many the spiritual descent
\nbegins first in an imperfect way before the psychic
\nis in front and in charge, but the psychic development has to be attained before a perfect and
\nunhampered spiritual descent can take place, and
\nthe last or supramental change is impossible so
\nlong as the first have not become full and
\ncomplete. That’s the whole matter put as briefly as possible. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nTransformation in Supramental Yoga<\/i> <\/font>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nWHAT you demand of me would mean a volume, not
\na letter\u2014especially as these are matters of which
\npeople know a great deal less than nothing and
\nwould either understand nothing or misunderstand <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 42 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\neverything. Some day, I suppose, I shall write something but the supramental won’t bear talking of now.
\nSomething about the spiritual transformation might
\nbe possible and I may finish the letter on that point. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nI do not want to go further into the question of
\nM’s realisation. As I have said, comparisons
\nare of no use; each path has its own aim and direction and method, and the truth of each one does
\nnot invalidate the truth of the other. The Divine
\n(or if you like, the Self) has many aspects and can
\nbe realised in many ways\u2014to dwell upon these differences is irrelevant and without use. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n"Transformation" is a word that I have brought
\nin myself (like "Supermind") to express certain spiritual concepts and spiritual facts of the integral Yoga.
\nPeople are now taking them up and using them in
\nsenses which have nothing to do with the significance
\nwhich I put into them. Purification of the nature
\nby the "influence" of the Spirit is not what I mean
\nby transformation; purification is only part of a psychic change or a psycho-spiritual change\u2014the word
\nbesides has many senses and is very often given a
\nmoral or ethical meaning which is foreign to my purpose. What I mean by the spiritual transformation
\nis something dynamic (not merely liberation of the
\nSelf or realisation of the One which can very well
\nbe attained without any descent). It is a putting on <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 43 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nof the spiritual consciousness, dynamic as well as
\nstatic, in every part of the being down to the subconscient. That cannot be done by the influence of the
\nSelf leaving the consciousness fundamentally as it
\nis with only purification, enlightenment of the mind
\nand heart and quiescence of the vital. It means a
\nbringing down of the divine Consciousness static
\nand dynamic into all these parts and the entire replacement of the present consciousness by that. This
\nwe find unveiled and unmixed above mind, life and
\nbody. It is a matter of the undeniable experience of
\nmany that this can descend and it is my experience that nothing short of its full<\/i> descent can thoroughly
\nremove the veil and mixture and effect the full spiritual transformation. No metaphysical or logical
\nreasoning in the voids as to what the Atman "must"
\ndo or can do or needs or needs not to do is relevant
\nhere or of any value. I may add that transformation
\nis not the central object of other paths as it is of this
\nYoga\u2014only so much purification and change is
\ndemanded by them as will lead to liberation and the
\nbeyond-life. The influence of the Atman can no doubt
\ndo that\u2014a full descent of a new consciousness into
\nthe whole nature from top to bottom to transform
\nlife here is not needed at all for the spiritual escape
\nfrom life.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 44 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nLiberation and Transformation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTHE heart spoken of by the Upanishads corresponds
\nwith the physical cardiac centre; it is the hritpadma
\n<\/i>of the Tantriks. As a subtle centre, chakra,<\/i> it is supposed to have its apex on the spine, and to broaden
\nout in front. Exactly where in this area one or another feels it does not matter much; to feel it there
\nand be guided by it is the main thing. I cannot
\nsay what M has realised\u2014but what is described as
\nthe Self is certainly this Purusha Antaratma but
\nconcerned here rather with Mukti and a liberated
\naction than with transformation of the nature.
\nWhat the psychic realisation does bring is a psychic
\nchange of the nature purifying it and turning it
\naltogether towards the Divine. After that or along
\nwith it comes the realisation of the cosmic Self. It
\nis these two things that the old Yogas encompassed
\nand through them they passed to Moksha, Nirvana
\nor the departure into some kind of celestial transcendence. The Yoga practised here includes both
\nliberation and transcendence, but it takes liberation
\nor even a certain Nirvana, if that comes, as a first
\nstep and not as the last step of its siddhi. Whatever
\nexit to or towards the Transcendent it achieves is
\nan ascent accompanied by a descent of the power,
\nlight, consciousness that has been achieved and it <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 45 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nis by such descents that is achieved the spiritual and
\nsupramental transformation here. This does not
\nseem to be admitted in M’s thought; he considers
\nthe Descent as superfluous and logically impossible.
\n"The Divine is here, from where will He descend?"
\nis his argument. But the Divine is everywhere, he
\nis above as well as within, he has many habitats,
\nmany strings to his bow of Power, there are many
\nlevels of his dynamic Consciousness and each has
\nits own light and force. He is not confined to his
\nposition in the heart or to the single word of the
\npsycho-spiritual realisation. He has also his supramental station above the
\nheart-centre and mind-centre and can descend from there if he wills to
\ndo so. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nImmortality, Spiritual & Supramental Realisation,
\nand Triple Transformation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTo merge the consciousness in the Divine and to keep
\nthe psychic being controlling and changing all the
\nnature and keeping it turned to the Divine till the
\nwhole being can live in the Divine is the transformation we seek. There is further the supramentalisation,
\nbut this only carries the transformation to its own <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 46 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nhighest and largest possibilities\u2014it does not alter
\nits essential nature. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nImmortality is one of the possible results of supramentalisation, but it is not an obligatory result and
\nit does not mean that there will be an eternal or
\nindefinite prolongation of life as it is. That is what
\nmany think it will be, that they will remain what
\nthey are with all their human desires and the. only
\ndifference will be that they will satisfy them endlessly; but such an immortality would not be worth
\nhaving and it would not be long before people are
\ntired of it. To live in the Divine and have the divine
\nConsciousness is itself immortality and to be able
\nto divinise the body also and make it a fit instrument
\nfor divine works and divine life would be its material
\nexpression only. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nBy divine realisation is meant the spiritual realisation\u2014the realisation of Self, Bhagwan or Brahman
\non the mental-spiritual plane or else the overmental
\nplane. That is a thing (at any rate the mental-spiritual) which thousands have done. So it is obviously
\neasier to do than the supramental. Also nobody
\ncan have the supramental realisation who has not
\nhad the spiritual. It is true that neither can be got
\nin an effective way unless the whole being is turned
\ntowards it\u2014unless there is a real and very serious
\nspirit and dynamic reality of sadhana. It is true <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 47 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthat I want the supramental not for myself but
\nfor the earth and souls born on the earth, and
\ncertainly therefore I cannot object if anybody wants
\nthe supramental. But there are the conditions.
\nHe must want the divine Will first and the
\nsoul’s surrender and spiritual realisation (through
\nworks, bhakti, knowledge, self-perfection) on the
\nway…. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe central sincerity is the first thing and
\nsufficient for an aspiration to be entertained\u2014a
\ntotal sincerity is needed for the aspiration to be
\nfulfilled. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThere are different statuses of the divine consciousness.
\nThere are also different statuses of transformation. First is the psychic transformation in
\nwhich all is in contact with the Divine through the
\nindividual psychic consciousness. Next is the spiritual transformation in which all is merged in the
\nDivine in the cosmic consciousness. Third is the
\nsupramental transformation in which all becomes
\nsupramentalised in the divine gnostic consciousness.
\nIt is only with the latter that there can begin the
\ncomplete<\/i> transformation of mind, life and body\u2014in
\nmy sense of completeness. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nApril, 1935 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 48 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nRamakrishna and Transformation<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nRAMAKRISHNA himself never thought of transformation or tried for it. All he wanted was bhakti for the
\nMother and along with that he received whatever
\nknowledge she gave him and did whatever she made
\nhim do. He was intuitive and psychic from the beginning and only became more and more so as he went
\non. There was no need in him for the transformation
\nwhich we seek; for although he spoke of the divine
\nman (Ishwarkoti) coming down the stairs as well
\nas ascending, he had not the idea of a new consciousness and a new race and the divine manifestation in the earth-nature. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 49<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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