{"id":3916,"date":"2013-07-13T01:52:11","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3916"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:52:11","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:11","slug":"34-31-august-1955-vol-07-questions-and-answers-volume-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/07-questions-and-answers-volume-07\/34-31-august-1955-vol-07-questions-and-answers-volume-07","title":{"rendered":"-34_31 August 1955.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n


\n31
\nAugust 1955 <\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Mother reads from Lights on Yoga, \u201cWork\u201d.
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, here I did not understand \u201cOne must have the same consciousness
\nin inner experience and outward action and make both full of the Mother.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I haven’t understood either.\u00b9 Isn’t there
\na clause of the sentence missing? I too haven’t understood the structure of
\nthis sentence. (Mother turns to Pavitra<\/i>)
\nIt seems to me that there’s at least a word missing. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Pavitra) I shall verify it with the English on our return<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No. It may be like this in English. I can
\nimagine the English sentence, but in French it is not clear. (Mother takes up the book<\/i>) Yes, it is right
\nat the beginning. (Mother reads the
\nsentence<\/i>) Oh! Yes, yes… it is not clear. \u00b2<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Pavitra) That’s it; the word \u201cremplir\u201d is too concrete in French<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

So, now do you understand?… Is that all?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, when someone wants to do some work, is it better that you
\nchoose the work for him or that he chooses it himself? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This depends on the point of view one
\ntakes. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9 <\/font><\/span>Mother was referring, of course, to the French
\ntranslation of Sri Aurobindo’s original.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b2 The rest of this paragraph is a discussion of the
\nFrench translation. It cannot be translated<\/font><\/span>.<\/font>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/font><\/span>
\n
\nPage \u2013 284<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

If it is from the point of view of yoga
\nand of the person who wants to do the work, it is preferable to let him choose,
\nbecause he can be, for example, under the illusion that he is capable of doing
\nsomething and he is not; or he has an ambition, he wants to do something to
\nsatisfy his self-love, his vanity. And so, if he is allowed to do so, as the
\nwork that’s done here is under the influence of the Truth-Consciousness, his
\nincapacity for the work will appear immediately, and he will be able to make
\nprogress; whereas if I see that a particular person is capable of doing a
\nparticular work \u2013 another work, you understand \u2013 and I tell him, \u201cNo, that work
\ndoes not suit you, it is better that you do this one,\u201d he will never be
\nconvinced (he or she, it doesn’t matter), he will always think that it’s an
\narbitrary decision, that it’s simply because one preferred his doing this thing
\nor that. So from his personal point of view it is better to let him do what he
\nasks for, so that he may make the progress he ought to make. If it happens that
\nhe is very conscious of the work he can do and asks precisely for the work he
\nought to do, then it is good, there’s no more discussion, it is very
\ngood. <\/span><\/p>\n

But in certain cases, perhaps it is not
\nvery good to let somebody muddle up and disturb the work in order that he may
\nhave an experience of this. So if the work which is to be done is more
\nimportant than the person’s yoga, he is told, \u201cNo, I am sorry, but you are not
\ncapable of doing that. You must do this.\u201d Only, this increases the difficulty
\nfor him (or her), as I said; for he will remain convinced that his choice was
\nbetter than the one made by somebody else; whereas by experience, when he has
\nreally failed in what he has undertaken, he will understand that he has made a
\nmistake.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, I am repeating it: if he happens to
\nbe conscious of what he can truly do, one has only to let him do what he wants,
\nit is very good, this. There’s no problem. There is no difference between the
\nperception of what he ought to do and what he chooses to do; in this case there
\nis no problem. So it depends absolutely on the case, and on the nature of the
\nwork to be done.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage \u2013 285<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

It’s exactly the same thing as the problem
\nof the education of children. There are all kinds of different and even
\nopposite theories. Some people say, \u201cChildren must be left to have their own
\nexperience because it is through experience that they learn things best.\u201d Like
\nthat, as an idea, it is excellent; in practice it obviously requires some
\nreservations, because if you let a child walk on the edge of a wall and he
\nfalls and breaks a leg or his head, the experience is a little hard; or if you
\nlet him play with a match-box and he burns out his eyes, you understand, it is
\npaying very dearly for a little knowledge! I have discussed this with… I
\ndon’t remember now who it was… an educationist, a man concerned with
\neducation, who had come from England, and had his ideas about the necessity of
\nan absolute liberty. I made this remark to him; then he said, \u201cBut for the love
\nof liberty one can sacrifice the life of many people.\u201d It is one opinion. (Mother laughs<\/i>)  <\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, the opposite excess of
\nbeing there all the time and preventing a child from making his experiment, by
\ntelling him, \u201cDon’t do this, this will happen\u201d, \u201cDon’t do that, that will
\nhappen\u201d \u2013 then finally he will be all shrunk up into himself, and will have
\nneither courage nor boldness in life, and this too is very bad.  <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact it comes to this:  <\/span><\/p>\n

One must never make rules. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Every minute one must endeavour to
\napply the highest truth one can perceive. It is much more difficult, but it’s
\nthe only solution. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Whatever you may do, don’t make
\nrules beforehand, because once you have made a rule you follow it more or less
\nblindly, and then you are sure, ninety-nine and a half times out of a hundred,
\nto be mistaken. <\/span><\/p>\n

 There is only one way of acting
\ntruly, it is to try at each moment, each second, in each movement to express
\nonly the highest truth one can perceive, and at the same time know that this
\nperception has to be progressive and that what seems to <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage \u2013 286<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

you the most true now will no longer be so
\ntomorrow, and that a higher truth will have to be expressed more and more
\nthrough you. This leaves no room any longer for sleeping in a comfortable
\ntamas; one must be always awake \u2013 I am not speaking of physical sleep \u2013 one
\nmust be always awake, always conscious and always full of an enlightened
\nreceptivity and of goodwill. To want always the best, always the best, always
\nthe best and never tell oneself, \u201cOh! It is tiring! Let me rest, let me relax!
\nAh, I am going to stop making an effort\u201d; then one is sure to fall into a hole
\nimmediately and make a big stupid blunder!  <\/span><\/p>\n

The rest must not be one which goes down
\ninto the inconscience and tamas. The rest must be an ascent into the Light,
\ninto perfect Peace, total Silence, a rest which rises up out of the darkness.
\nThen it is true rest, a rest which is an ascent. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, the \u201cDortoir\u201d children told me to ask you if it is good to
\nread the illustrated \u201cclassics\u201d. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Read what? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClassics\u201d illustrated! <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever is that? (Laughter<\/i>)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(The child gives Mother a copy of these \u201cClassics\u201d) Nowadays all
\nchildren read this and they told me that they read it even during the class,
\nwhen the teacher is speaking of something else. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, what is this stuff? (Mother turns over the pages<\/i>) Ooooh! Where
\ndoes it come from, this thing? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

From America. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is American? (Mother turns some more pages<\/i>) Well, my <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage \u2013 287<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

children, it is lamentably vulgar! There,
\nthat’s all I can say about it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Nowadays there are hundreds of these things here, Sweet Mother! <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There are hundreds of copies? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, Mother. They make collections of them. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(Another child) Of different books, not the same books. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

(Pavitra) More than a hundred. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

(Second child) Different books, not this. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

(First child) All books; of the best books they make this and then the children read
\nthis stuff and don’t read the books. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

(Second child) In all languages<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, it is a sign of the times. It is the
\nvulgarisation of everything: the vulgarisation of ideas, the vulgarisation of
\nmasterpieces, the vulgarisation of history, everything; everything put as low
\nas possible, so that one doesn’t need to raise oneself, one can crawl on the
\nground and have this. It is the descent of the consciousness as low as possible
\nand then one wallows there! <\/span><\/p>\n

 Oh, no! It is repulsive! <\/span><\/p>\n

 However, that’s your business! If
\nyou like to live like animals which love to waddle in mud, do that, it’s your
\naffair. That’s all. It is deplorable! <\/span><\/p>\n

 Good, the question is closed,
\nwithout any amendment. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Now I don’t give orders; each one
\nfollows his own consciousness. If you want to go down it is a very good means.
\n(Laughter<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

 If you want to go up, well, I advise
\nyou to throw it away into the street. Oh! It doesn’t matter where. It’s not
\nworth keeping \u2013 anywhere.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage \u2013 288<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Mother, it is the older children who spread it among the little ones. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

And without asking you<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

They have asked me. Just asked me. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

They had already done this before asking you<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Well! Is it in the Library that you get these
\nthings? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No, Mother. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Ah! (Laughter<\/i>)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Medhananda is feeling nervous<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Just imagine, even when these things are
\ngiven to you on a record (we had some records) well, even that… I was just on
\nthe point of saying, \u201cWell, it is a little vulgar.\u201d Because, so that the record
\nmay sell and be heard by everybody, they bring down the artistic value of the
\nthing a little, in order to put it within the range of the public… and it was
\na bit grandiloquent, forced, it did not have all the purity of the original.
\nJulius Caesar was played to us one day, you know. Well, there already I made my
\nreservations; I told myself, \u201cIt is falsifying people’s taste.\u201d Instead of
\nhaving the pure nobility of the thing, it exaggerates just a little in order to
\nplease the greatest number.  <\/span><\/p>\n

So you understand, this was already a
\nsummit in comparison. At least, it had some aspirations to artistic
\nrealisation. It was not altogether well realised but there was an effort. <\/span><\/p>\n

 This thing is the very
\nopposite.\u00a0 <\/span>Still ! <\/span><\/p>\n

 Now, be courageous! How many of you
\nhave read these books?  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage \u2013 289<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

(Many children raise their hands). <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Good heavens! And you have the cheek to
\nask me to give meditations! Well, here’s a fine preparation for meditating!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I read a few just to see, Sweet Mother. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Good. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, this evening I won’t give you any
\nmeditation. It will be for next week, if you like, but not this evening. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There, then! Au revoir<\/i>.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>Page \u2013 290<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\t
\n\t<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

31 August 1955 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mother reads from Lights on Yoga, \u201cWork\u201d.   Sweet Mother, here I did not understand \u201cOne must have the same consciousness…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-07-questions-and-answers-volume-07","wpcat-112-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3916\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}