{"id":3929,"date":"2013-07-13T01:52:16","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3929"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:52:16","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:16","slug":"18-1916-vol-01-prayers-and-meditations-volume-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/01-prayers-and-meditations-volume-01\/18-1916-vol-01-prayers-and-meditations-volume-01","title":{"rendered":"-18_1916.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\n
\nJanuary 15, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O Thou whom I may call my God, Thou who art the personal form of the
\nTranscendent Eternal, the Cause, Source and Reality of my individual being, Thou
\nwho hast through the centuries and millenniums slowly and subtly kneaded this
\nMatter, so that one day it could become consciously identified with Thee, and
\nbe nothing but Thee; O Thou who hast appeared to me in all Thy divine splendour
\n\u2013 this individual being in all its complexity offers itself to Thee in an act
\nof supreme adoration; it aspires in its entirety to be identified with Thee, to
\nbe Thyself, eternally Thou, merged for ever in Thy Reality. But is it ready for
\nthat? Is Thy work fully accomplished? Is there in it no longer any shadow,
\nignorance, or limitation? Canst Thou at last definitively take possession of it
\nand, in the sublimest<\/span>, most integral transformation
\nfree it forever from the world of Ignorance and make it live in the world of
\nTruth? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Or rather Thou art myself divested of all error and limitation. Have I
\nbecome integrally this true self in all the atoms of my being? Wilt Thou bring
\nabout an overwhelming transformation, or will it still be a slow action in
\nwhich cell after cell must be wrested from its darkness and its limits?… <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou art the Sovereign, ready to take possession of Thy kingdom; dost
\nThou not find Thy kingdom yet ready enough for Thee to link it definitively to
\nThyself and become integrated with it?<\/span><\/p>\n

     Will the great miracle of the integral Divine Life in the individual at
\nlast be accomplished? <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>10<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nJanuary 22, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou hast taken entire possession of this miserable instrument and if it
\nis not yet perfected enough for Thee to complete its transformation, its transmutation,
\nThou art at work in each one of its cells to knead it and make it supple and
\nenlighten it, and in the whole being, to arrange, organise and harmonise it.
\nEverything is in movement, everything is changing; Thy divine action makes
\nitself felt as an ineffable spring of a purifying fire that circulates through
\nall the atoms. And this flowing spring has brought into the being an ecstasy
\nmore marvellous than any it had ever felt before: thus to Thy action there
\nanswers the aspiration of that on which Thou workest<\/span>
\nand the aspiration is all the more ardent because the instrument has seen
\nitself as it really is in all its infirmity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O Lord, I implore Thee, hasten the blessed day when the divine miracle
\nwill be accomplished, hasten the day of the realisation of the Divine upon
\nearth.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>11<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nJanuary 23, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O Thou divine inhabitant of this gross form, Thou seest<\/span>
\nthat it is a mass of limitations: wilt Thou not break all these limitations so
\nthat it may participate in Thy infinity? Thou seest<\/span>
\nthat it is full of obscurities: wilt Thou not dissolve this darkness with Thy
\nresplendent light so that it may participate in Thy brightness? Thou seest<\/span> it burdened with ignorant impurities: wilt Thou not
\nconsume all these impurities with Thy devouring fire of love, so that the being
\nin its integrality<\/span> may now become one in all
\nconsciousness with Thee? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Dost Thou not find that this sombre and sorrowful experience of egoistic
\nseparativity<\/span> has lasted long enough for the earth and
\nhumanity? Has not the hour struck in the universe for this phase of development
\nto be replaced by another, dominated by the pure and vast consciousness of Thy
\nUnity? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Unceasingly, at every moment, my invocation rises to Thee, and I call
\nThee: Lord, O Lord, take possession of Thy kingdom, illumine it with Thy
\neternal Presence, put an end to the cruel error in which it lives believing
\nitself separate from Thee, while in its reality and essence it is Thyself.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/span>
\n<\/span>Break, break down the last resistances, consume the last impurities,
\nblast this being if need be, but let it be transfigured!
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>12<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\nTokio<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span>:
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span><\/b>
\n
\nJune
\n 7, 1916<\/font><\/span><\/b>
\n<\/font> <\/b><\/span>
\n<\/a>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Long months have gone by in which nothing could be said, for it was a
\nperiod of transition, of passing from one equilibrium to another, vaster and
\nmore complete. The outer circumstances were manifold and new, as if the being
\nneeded to accumulate many perceptions and observations in order to give a more
\nextensive and complex base to its experience. But, being entirely plunged
\nwithin this experience, it did not have the necessary perspective to see it as
\na whole, to know what it was and above all where it was leading. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Suddenly, on the fifth of June the veil was rent, and there was light in
\nmy consciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>When I contemplated Thee in Thy individual form, O Lord of eternity, and
\nimplored Thee to take possession of Thy kingdom of the flesh, Thou didst set
\nagain into motion, into activity this vital form, which, for the necessity of
\ndevelopment and unification, had been living for years in a passivity that was
\nreceptive and harmonious but alien to all active manifestation of Thy will. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>This return to activity meant a completely new adaptation of the vital
\ninstrument, for its natural tendency is always to resume action with its old
\nhabits and methods. This period of adaptation was long, painful, sometimes obscure, though behind,
\nthe perception of Thy Presence and perfect surrender to Thy Law were immutable
\nand quite strongly conscious for any disturbance to shake the being. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>13<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Gradually the vital being grew accustomed to find harmony in the intensest<\/span> action as it had in passive surrender. And once
\nthis harmony was sufficiently established, there was light again in all the
\nparts of the being, and the consciousness of what had happened became complete.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Now in the heart of action the vital being has discovered the perception
\nof Infinity and Eternity. It can perceive Thy Supreme Beauty and live it in all
\nsensations and all forms. Even in its every sensation, extended, active, fully
\ndeveloped to feel contrary sensations at the same time, always it perceives
\nThee. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>It is not unaware, however, that this is only one stage, and it bows
\nbefore Thee in a profound adoration and tells Thee: \u201cLord, Thou hast taken up
\nThy instrument again and willed to use it for action. The instrument knows its
\nimperfection and impurity and implores Thy mercy to perfect and purify it, so
\nthat, day by day, through a progressive disappearance of all its preferences
\nand limitations, it may be able to manifest Thee more integrally.\u201d
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/span>1<\/span>4<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nNovember 28, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou madest<\/span> me read these childish babblings
\nonce again, for they are awkward attempts at expression of a mind still in its
\ninfancy and all this seemed to me far, very remote, clad in the charm and
\npurity of the experiences of a candid and enthusiastic childhood. And yet,
\nbefore Thee, O eternal Lord, I have not grown any older and have not made any
\nprogress; the expression of today will not be better than that of those early
\ndays. The mind is still as poor and clumsy as before. And what could it have to
\nexpress that is so remarkable? No sensational experience: all experiences now
\nseem simple and natural. No powerful or exceptional new idea, none of those
\nideas which fill one with the joy of discovery: all ideas, whatever form they
\nmay take, now seem like old acquaintances one greets amicably in passing, but
\nfrom whom one expects nothing new. No scrupulous and detailed psychological
\nanalysis, exposing some yet unexplored inner recess: internal complications no
\nlonger exist in themselves; they are faithful and impartial reflections of all
\nthe surrounding psychological movements; and to describe what is going on in
\nthe being would be at once as complicated and monotonous as to describe the
\nworld in its almost exclusively subsconscient<\/span> gropings<\/span> and wanderings.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Poverty, poverty! Thou hast placed me in an arid and bare desert and yet
\nthis desert is sweet to me as everything that comes from Thee, O Lord. In this
\ndull <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>15<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

and wan greyness, in this dim ashen light, I taste the savour of the
\ninfinite spaces: the pure breeze of the open seas, the powerful breath of the
\nfree heights constantly fill my heart and penetrate my life; all barriers have
\nfallen, within and around me, and I feel like a bird opening its wings for an
\nunrestrained flight. But the bird remains perched upon a rock, its wings
\noutspread against the grey, fleecy sky, awaiting, in order to soar upwards, the
\ncoming of something it expects without knowing what it is. As it no longer has
\nany chains to check its flight, it no longer dreams of flying away. Conscious
\nof its freedom, it does not enjoy it, and remains like the others, among the
\nothers, perched on the ground in the midst of the dark and dense fog.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>16<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 4, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Since Thou hast permitted it, O Lord, I have once again begun to come to
\nThee daily, freeing myself for a few brief moments from an activity of which I
\nknow the complete relativity, even while I am engaged in it. Thou hadst<\/span> plunged me back into action and the ordinary
\nconsciousness, and now Thou grantest<\/span> me the
\npossibility of regularly taking my flight again to Thee, to soar awhile in the
\nimmutable Silence and eternal Consciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou hast willed, O Lord, that the being should grow wider and richer.
\nIt could not do so without entering once again, at least partially and
\ntemporarily, into ignorance and obscurity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>This ignorance and obscurity it comes now to lay at Thy feet as the most
\nhumble of ordeals. I shall not ask Thee to bestow upon me continuously the
\nConsciousness Thou grantest<\/span> me in these moments of
\npeaceful and pure communion. I shall ask Thee only to make these moments still
\nmore peaceful and pure, to fortify and enlighten the consciousness more and
\nmore, so that it may return to its daily task with renewed strength and
\nknowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>    <\/span>
\n<\/span>Thou remindest<\/span> me through these brief moments
\nof ecstatic identification that Thou hast granted me the power of consciously
\nuniting with Thee. And the divine musical harmony captures the entire being. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/span>But
\nthe sounds gather in the head as behind a veil and not a word flows from the
\npen today….
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>17<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember
\n5, 1916 <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou hast granted me the grace of Thy repose in which all individual
\nlimits are dissolved, in which one is in all and, more clearly still, all is in
\noneself. But the mind, merged in this divine ecstasy, cannot yet find any power
\nof expression. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Factual notation of the experience)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cTurn towards the earth.\u201d The usual
\ninjunction was heard in the silence of the immutable identification. Then the
\nconsciousness became that of the One in all. \u201cEverywhere and in all those in
\nwhom thou canst see the One, there will awake the consciousness of this identity
\nwith the Divine. Look …\u201d It was a Japanese street brilliantly illuminated by
\ngay lanterns picturesquely adorned with vivid colours. And as gradually what
\nwas conscious moved on down the street, the Divine appeared, visible in
\neveryone and everything. One of the lightly-built houses became transparent,
\nrevealing a woman seated on a tatami<\/span> in a sumptuous
\nviolet kimono embroidered with gold and bright colours. The woman was beautiful
\nand must have been between thirty-five and forty. She was playing a golden
\nsamisen. At her feet lay a little child. And in the woman too the Divine was
\nvisible.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>18<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 7, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Lord, I could in truth say that I have neither Yoga nor any virtues, for
\nI am completely divested of that which constitutes the glory of all those who
\nwant to serve Thee. Apparently my life is as ordinary and banal as can be; and
\ninwardly what is it? Nothing but a calm tranquillity without any variation or
\nsurprises; the calm of a something which has realised and no longer seeks
\nitself, which no longer expects anything from life and things, which acts
\nwithout reckoning upon any profit, knowing perfectly that this action does not
\nbelong to it in any way, either in its impulsion or in its result; which wills,
\nbeing aware that the supreme Will alone wills in it; a calm all made of an
\nincontestable certitude, an objectless knowledge, a causeless joy, a
\nself-existent state of consciousness which no longer belongs to time. It is an
\nimmobility moving in the domain of external life, yet without belonging to it
\nor seeking to escape from it. I hope for nothing, expect nothing, desire
\nnothing, aspire for nothing and, above all, I am nothing; and yet happiness, a
\ncalm, unmixed happiness, a happiness unaware of itself, which does not need to
\nlook at its own being, has come to dwell in the house of this body. This
\nhappiness is Thou, <\/span><\/p>\n

O Lord, and this calm is Thou, Lord, for
\nthese are not human faculties and men’s senses can neither appreciate nor enjoy
\nthem. Thus it is Thou, O Lord, who dwellest<\/span> in this
\nbody, and that is why this corporeal abode seems so poor and drab for so
\nmarvellous an occupant.
\n  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>19<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 8, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>This was our conversation today morning, O Lord: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Thou didst wake up the vital being with the
\nmagic wand of Thy impulsion and say to it: \u201cAwake, bend the bow of thy will,
\nfor soon the hour of action will come.\u201d Suddenly awakened, the vital being rose
\nup, stretched itself and shook off the dust of its long torpidity; from the
\nelasticity of its members it realised that it was still vigorous and fit for
\naction. And with an ardent faith it answered the sovereign call: \u201cHere I am,
\nwhat dost Thou want of me, O Lord?\u201d But before another word could be
\npronounced, the mind intervened in its turn and, having bowed down to the
\nMaster as a mark of obedience, spoke to him thus: \u201cThou knowest<\/span>,
\nO Lord, that I am surrendered to Thee and that I try my best to be a faithful
\nand pure intermediary of Thy supreme Will. But when I turn my gaze to the
\nearth, I see that however great men may be, their field of action is always
\nterribly restricted. A man, who in his mind and even in his vital being is as
\nvast as the universe or at least as vast as the earth, as soon as he begins to
\nact, becomes enclosed in the narrow bounds of a material action, very limited
\nin its field and results. Whether he be the founder of a religion or a political
\nreformer, he who acts becomes a petty little stone in the general edifice, a
\ngrain of sand in the immense dune of human activities. So I do not see any
\nrealisable action worthy of the whole being’s concentrating on it and making it
\nits purpose of existence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>20<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 The vital
\nbeing delights in adventure; but should it be allowed to fling itself into some
\nlamentable adventure unworthy of an instrument conscious of Thy Presence?\u201d \u2013 \u201cFear
\nnothing,\u201d was the reply. \u201cThe vital being will not be allowed to set itself in
\nmotion, it will not be asked of thee to contribute all the effort of thy
\norganising faculties, except when the action proposed is vast and complete
\nenough to fully and usefully employ all the qualities of the being. What
\nexactly this action will be, thou wilt know when it comes to thee. But I am
\nwarning thee even now so that thou mayst<\/span> be prepared
\nnot to reject it. I also warn both thee and the vital being that the time for
\nthe small, quiet, uniform and peaceful life will be over. There will be effort,
\ndanger, the unforeseen, insecurity, but also intensity. Thou wert<\/span> made for this role. After having accepted for long
\nyears to forget it completely, because the time had not come and thou too wert<\/span> not ready, wake up now to the consciousness that this
\nis indeed thy true role, that it was for this thou wert<\/span>
\ncreated.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>The vital being was the first to awake to consciousness and, with the
\nenthusiasm natural to it, exclaimed: \u201cI am ready, O Lord, Thou mayst<\/span> rely upon me!\u201d The mind, weaker and more timid,
\nthough more docile too, added: \u201cWhat Thou willest<\/span>, I
\nwill. Thou knowest<\/span> well, O Lord, that I belong
\nentirely to Thee. But shall I be able to prove equal to the task, shall I have
\nthe power of organising what the vital being has the capacity to realise?\u201d \u2013 \u201cIt
\nis to prepare thee for this that I am working <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>21<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

at the moment; this is why thou
\nart undergoing a discipline of plasticity and enrichment. Do not worry about
\nanything: power comes with the need. Not because thou hast been confined, even
\nas the vital being, to very small activities at a time when this was useful, to
\nallow things which had to be prepared the time for preparation \u2013 not because of
\nthis, I say, art thou incapable of living outside these smallnesses<\/span>
\nin a field of action consonant with thy true stature. I have appointed thee
\nfrom all eternity to be my exceptional representative upon the earth, not only
\ninvisibly, in a hidden way, but also openly before the eyes of all men. And
\nwhat thou wert<\/span> created to be, thou wilt be.\u201d
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

  
\n<\/span>As always, Lord, when the voice of the depths fell silent, Thy sublime
\nand all-powerful benediction enveloped me completely. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>And for a moment the Master and the instrument were but one: the Unique,
\neternal, infinite.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>22<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 9, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It is now, a long while after having come
\nout of my contemplation, that I realise what it was. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Once again this evening I entered that state in which the consciousness
\nis scattered in a multitude of different elements, centres of consciousness
\nboth individual and collective, to carry out a certain action there or rather
\nas many actions as these elements comprise. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>By flashes one point or another suddenly appears distinctly, then fades
\naway giving place to another. Each element of consciousness that acts is clearly
\nconscious of its action; but a consciousness of the whole seems to be both
\nimpossible because of the extreme complexity it would entail and useless for
\nthe accomplishment of the work itself.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – <\/span>
\n323<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 10, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Certain apparent weaknesses are sometimes more useful to Thee for Thy
\nwork, O Lord, than too evident a perfection. A manifest perfection seems to be
\nthe possible prerogative only of one who has withdrawn both from the world and
\nfrom work in the world. But for him whom Thou hast chosen as one of Thy workers
\nupon earth, I see clearly that certain weaknesses, imperfections (provided they
\nare only apparent and not real), are in Thy eyes more useful, and hence more
\nperfect than perfection itself. And to renounce perfection in its apparent form
\nis part of an integral renunciation of the ignorance of the separate self. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Is that why, O Lord, Thou givest<\/span> me only so
\nrarely the ecstasy of complete identification and perfect consciousness? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>I was spoiled by Thee formerly: Thou madest<\/span> me
\nlive so constantly in Thy Presence…. But now it seems that Thou wouldst teach
\nme to know the unchanging bliss even in darkness, and not to have any
\npreference for either consciousness or unconsciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Beyond all desire, to be plunged in the condition of those who live by
\ndesire… strange! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>But the strangest thing is that this leaves me perfectly calm, peaceful
\nand content, and that in this darkness I see a great strength, and that in
\nthe depth of the night sublime celestial harmonies can also be heard. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Each new step in Thy kingdom, O Lord, is a new cause for wonder! <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>24<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 12, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>My mind was worried about being so constantly turned towards such petty
\nthings, moving in so narrow a circle of practical and immediate thoughts. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>It has learned to see Thee in everything, Lord, and in the least thing
\nit is aware of Thee and rejoices in Thee. But even while delighting in Thee
\nthus and recognising Thee in the most futile things and activities as well as
\nin the vastest and noblest, it wonders why these prevail over the others. Many
\na time during these last months has it tried to react against this tendency but
\nalways in vain; is it because Thou findest<\/span> it well
\nthus, or because it is incapable of being otherwise? It put the question to Thee,
\nand as always Thy smile came to comfort it; but the precise answer has not made
\nitself heard. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Now for this mind the least object becomes an unfathomable mystery, and
\neverything is a constantly renewed cause for wonder.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>25<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 14, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>I hail Thee, O Lord, and bow before Thee. But I shall not write, for
\nThou hast just told me, in reply to a question about the present meditation:
\n\u201cWe have had a private conversation which even thy own physical ears should not
\nhear.\u201d
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>26<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 20, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The days have gone by, stormy and troubled
\nto all appearance but calm and strong in their reality reflecting Thy divine
\nwill; they have gone by, deploying, disclosing, developing once more all the
\nunexpected and varied splendour of Thy untiring divine play. And how marvellous
\nit is to watch this when one perceives the infinite criss-crossing of the
\nmovements Thy eternal will creates, when one knows that all this is from all
\neternity and that it is only in our imperfect faculties that it becomes an uninterrupted
\nsuccession of facts, in which we are gratuitous and ignorant actors. We act
\nwith the apparent unconsciousness and blindness of those who do not know, and
\nyet, I do know and, even while being an actor, I am a spectator too. But I am
\nstill not pure enough for Thee to unveil before my eyes the totality of the
\neffects and results; it is only partially and imperfectly that I know them
\nbefore the act and am permitted to act with the knowledge of the \u201cwhy\u201d, with a
\nfull illumination as to what Thou expectest<\/span> from me.
\nWhen, O Lord, shall I have this purity? But for that too I am no longer
\nimpatient and no longer implore. I see how much Thy splendours are obscured and
\nveiled in this miserable and poor instrument; but Thou, Thou knowest<\/span>
\nwhy it is thus; and these its shadows and weaknesses Thou dost also use for Thy
\neternal ends. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>My soul is in prayer and bows down in love before what it can understand
\nand know of Thee. My <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>27<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 soul is in prayer and gives itself
\nunreservedly to Thee in one of those sublime fervours which culminate in
\nidentification. My soul is in prayer… and my body too; and my thought is
\nsilent in a mute ecstasy. <\/span><\/p>\n

(Communication received at 5.30 in the
\nevening after meditation.)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>\u201cAs thou art contemplating me, I shall speak to thee this evening. I see
\nin thy heart a diamond surrounded by a golden light. It is at once pure and
\nwarm, something which may manifest impersonal love; but why dost thou keep this
\ntreasure enclosed in that dark casket lined with deep purple? The outermost covering
\nis of a deep lustreless blue, a real mantle of darkness. It would seem that
\nthou art afraid of showing thy splendour. Learn to radiate and do not fear the
\nstorm: the wind carries us far from the shore but shows us over the world.
\nWouldst thou be thrifty of thy tenderness? But the source of love is infinite.
\nDost thou fear to be<\/span> <\/span>misunderstood? But where hast thou seen man
\ncapable of understanding the Divine? And if the eternal truth finds in thee a
\nmeans of manifesting itself, what dost thou care for all the rest? Thou art like
\na pilgrim coming out of the sanctuary; standing on the threshold in front of the
\ncrowd, he hesitates before revealing his precious secret, that of his supreme
\ndiscovery. Listen, I too hesitated for days, for I could foresee both my
\npreaching and its results: the imperfection of expression and the still greater
\nimperfection of understanding.<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>28<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 And yet I turned to the earth and men
\nand brought them my message. Turn to the earth and men \u2013 isn’t this the command
\nthou always hearest<\/span> in thy heart? \u2013 in thy heart, for
\nit is that which carries a blessed message for those who are athirst for
\ncompassion. Henceforth nothing can attack the diamond. It is unassailable in
\nits perfect constitution and the soft radiance that flashes from it can change
\nmany things in the hearts of men. Thou doubtest<\/span> thy
\npower and fearest<\/span> thy ignorance? It is precisely this
\nthat wraps up thy strength in that dark mantle of starless night. Thou hesitatest<\/span> and tremblest<\/span> as on
\nthe threshold of a mystery, for now the mystery of the manifestation seems to
\nthee more terrible and unfathomable than that of the Eternal Cause. But thou must take
\ncourage again and obey the injunction from the depths. It is I who am telling
\nthee this, for I know thee and love thee as thou didst know and love me once. I
\nhave appeared clearly before thy sight so that thou mayst<\/span>
\nin no way doubt my word. And also to thy eyes I have shown thy heart so that
\nthou canst thus see what the supreme Truth has willed for it, so that thou mayst<\/span> discover in it the law of thy being. The thing still
\nseems to thee quite difficult: a day will come when thou wilt wonder how for so
\nlong it could have been otherwise.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

S<\/span>ā<\/span>kyamuni<\/span><\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>29<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 21, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Lord, Thou didst speak to me through the lips of one of those who have
\nknown Thee best \u2013 most probably to make me understand Thy lesson better (was I
\nthen deaf to Thy direct suggestion?). And still I do not understand at the
\nmoment what to do. Thou knowest<\/span> what happiness would
\nbe mine if by Thy grace I could be integrally transformed into a hearth of
\ndivine love \u2013 that love which is the first and highest manifestation of Thy
\neternal Truth, that love which is at once the completest expression in this
\nworld of Thy Truth and the most direct road to lead to it the human consciousness
\nthat has gone astray. In the days when I used to aspire, desire and ask, how
\nmany times have I asked of Thee the grace of this state as the one most in
\nconformity with my present ideal of action! And at that time it seemed to me
\nthat the day I should be purified of all egoistic preference, Thou wouldst
\nchoose this individual terrestrial being as an instrument of Thy manifestation
\nof love upon earth. And now that Thou askest<\/span> it of
\nme, more than ever before do I feel my helplessness. For such a long time I
\nthought I knew what love was, and now that I no longer see anything that cannot
\nbe called love, I also no longer see anything that may specially be called
\nlove. And how can I be that which I can no longer define, that state which I can
\nno longer distinguish? And yet Thou didst show me yesterday that I was holding
\nenclosed in a dark sheath one of Thy most precious and powerful gifts…. <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>30<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 Lord, all my being aspires to obey Thy voice,
\nto conform to Thy Law; but it does not know in its outer consciousness, does
\nnot understand what Thou expectest<\/span> of it. It feels
\nindeed that at present its love is a passive state and that Thou wouldst awaken
\nit to an active state; but how to pass from one to the other is what escapes
\nit. It knows that this active state of love should be constant and impersonal,
\nthat is, absolutely independent of circumstances and persons, since it cannot
\nand must not be concentrated upon any one thing in particular; and in this it
\nwill resemble the present passive state of love which is pure, unchanging and
\nimpersonal. But what it still does not know is how, even while retaining its
\npurity, unchangeability<\/span> and impersonality, qualities
\nnow inherent in its being, it can resume its activity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>That is why this evening I implored Lord Mitra<\/span>
\nwho so perfectly symbolises Thy truth of love, asking him to come to my help
\nand enlighten my ignorance, dissolve my doubts, vanquish my
\nhesitations, break down the last obstacles and take possession of this physical
\ninstrument so that it may become what Thou expectest<\/span>
\nit to be. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>But my speech is timid and my voice faltering and I do not know if Lord Mitra<\/span> heard my prayer. <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>31<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 24, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Lord, without allowing my mind to become aware of what was going to
\nhappen and how it was going to happen, Thou gavest<\/span> me
\nthis evening a foretaste of what Thou expectest<\/span> from
\nme, only a foretaste, for it is a first, very timid step upon the marvellous
\nroad Thou hast partially opened before me. It was like a rising flood swelling,
\never swelling the river until it overflows and covers everything with its
\nbeneficent waters. And this time it was the heart which thus overflowed under
\nthe pressure of the powers of love Thou didst pour into it; and the whole being
\nbegan to love, to love ever more and more, without any definite aim, nothing
\nand everything at the same time, what it knows and does not know, what it sees
\nand has never seen; and gradually this potential love became an effective love,
\nready to pour itself out upon all and everything, in beneficent waves, in an
\nactive effulgence…. This was a beginning, a very weak beginning. But I knew,
\nO Lord, that this is what Thou willest<\/span>. As always Thy
\nWill is an infinite Grace which floods the being with Thy divine delight and
\ntransports it far above all petty contingencies to the Glory of Thy celestial
\ndwelling-places. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>To be what Thou willest<\/span> is to be divine.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>32<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 25, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

(What I heard in the silence and noted
\ndown last evening)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>…\u201cBy renouncing everything, even wisdom and consciousness, thou wert<\/span> able to prepare thy heart for the role assigned to it:
\napparently the most unrewarding role, that of the spring which always lets its
\nwaters flow abundantly for all, but towards which no waters can ever run back;
\nit draws its inexhaustible strength from the depths and expects nothing from
\noutside. But thou canst already sense the sublime felicity that accompanies
\nthis inexhaustible expansion of love; for love is sufficient unto itself and
\nneeds no reciprocity; this is true even of individual love, how much more true
\nthen of divine love which so nobly reflects the infinite. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>\u201cBe this love in all things and everywhere, ever more widely, ever more
\nintensely, and the whole world will become at the same time thy work and thy
\nwealth, thy field of action and thy conquest. Fight with persistence to break
\ndown the last limits which are only frail barriers before the expansion of the
\nbeing, to vanquish the last obscurities already being lit up by the
\nIlluminating Power. Fight in order to conquer and triumph; fight to overcome
\neverything that was till today, to make the new Light spring forth, the new <\/span>
\n <\/font><\/span>Example the world needs. Fight stubbornly
\nagainst all obstacles, inner or outer. It is the pearl of great price which is
\noffered for thy Realisation.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>33<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 26, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> *<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Always the word Thou makest<\/span> me hear in the
\nsilence is sweet and encouraging, O Lord. But I see not in what this instrument
\nis worthy of the grace Thou accordest<\/span> to it or how it
\nwill have the capacity to realise what Thou attendest<\/span>
\nfrom it. All in it appears so small, weak and ordinary, so lacking in intensity
\nand force and amplitude in comparison with what it should be to undertake this
\noverwhelming role. But I know that what the mind thinks is of little
\nimportance. The mind itself knows it and, passive, it awaits the working out of
\nThy decree. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Thou biddest<\/span> me strive without cease, and I
\ncould wish to have the indomitable ardour that prevails over every difficulty.
\nBut Thou hast put in my heart a peace so smiling that I fear I no longer know
\neven how to strive. Things develop in me, faculties and activities,
\n as flowers bloom, spontaneously and
\nwithout effort, in a joy to be and a joy to grow, a joy to manifest Thee,
\nwhatever the mode of Thy manifestation. If struggle there is, it is so gentle
\nand easy that it can hardly be given the name. But how small is this heart to
\ncontain so great a love! and how weak this vital and physical being to carry
\nthe power to distribute it! Thus Thou hast placed me on the threshold of the
\nmarvellous Way, but will my feet have the strength to advance upon it?… But
\nThou repliest<\/span> to me that my movement is to soar and it
\nwould be an error to wish to walk…. O Lord, how infinite is Thy compassion!<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – <\/font><\/span>334<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 Once more Thou hast taken me in Thy omnipotent arms and cradled me
\non Thy unfathomable heart, and Thy heart said to me, \u201cTorment not thyself at
\nall, be confident like a child: art thou not myself crystallised for my work?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>35<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 27, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> *<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O My beloved Lord, my heart is bowed before Thee, my arms are stretched
\ntowards Thee imploring Thee to set all this being on fire with Thy sublime love
\nthat it may radiate from there on the world. My heart is wide open in my
\nbreast; my heart is open and turned towards Thee, it is open and empty that
\nThou mayst<\/span> fill it with Thy divine Love; it is empty
\nof all but Thee and Thy presence fills it through and through and yet leaves it
\nempty, for it can contain also all the infinite variety of the manifested
\nworld…. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O Lord, my arms are outstretched in supplication towards Thee, my heart
\nis wide open before Thee, that Thou mayst<\/span> make of it
\na reservoir of Thy infinite love. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>\u201cLove me in all things, everywhere and in all beings\u201d was Thy reply. I
\nprostrate myself before Thee and ask of Thee to give me that power.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>36<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 29, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> *<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>O My sweet Lord, teach me to be the instrument of Thy Love.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>37<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\nDecember 30, 1916<\/font><\/a><\/span><\/b> <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>
\n <\/span>Why, O Lord, does my heart seem to me to be
\nso cold and dry? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I
\nfeel, I see my soul living deep within my being, and my soul sees Thee,
\nrecognises Thee and loves Thee in all things, in everything that is; it is
\nfully conscious of this, and as the outer being is surrendered to it, it too is
\nconscious; the mind knows and never forgets; the purified vital being no longer
\nhas any attractions and repulsions, and more and more does it taste of the joy
\nof Thy Presence in all things and always. But the heart seems to have fallen
\nasleep in a slumber of exhaustion, and the soul no longer finds sufficient
\nactivity within it to respond fully to its impulsion. Why? Was it so poor that
\nthe struggle could thus wear it out, or so deeply wounded that it has become
\nquite stiff? And yet it would like to answer the inner call; it wants this with
\na faith and ardour which have never wavered; but it is like an old man smiling benevolently
\nat the games of youth but unable to take part in them. And yet it is full of
\njoy and confidence, it overflows with gratitude for all the treasures of
\naffection which Nature has so generously lavished upon it; it would like, in
\nexchange for these precious gifts, to pour out in inexhaustible streams the
\ngolden wine of tenderness which restores and fortifies, enlivens and consoles,
\nthe true wine of life for human beings. It would like to and tries… but how
\npoor is what it does beside what it dreams of doing, how mediocre what it is
\nable to <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 3<\/font><\/span>38<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

do beside what it hopes, for it hopes
\nalways. It knows that Thy call is never heard in vain, and it has no doubt it
\ncan one day realise the splendours of which Thou hast given it a glimpse. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Who will open these closed flood-gates? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>My heart loves in its human way, and in its human way it seems to me it
\nloves with strength, constancy and purity. But Thou wouldst have it love divinely
\nin a boundless unfolding of Thy sovereign power; and this remains yet
\nunrealised for it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>Who will open these closed flood-gates?…
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 3<\/span>39<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 15, 1916     \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Thou whom I may call my God, Thou who art the personal form of the Transcendent Eternal, the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-01-prayers-and-meditations-volume-01","wpcat-113-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3929","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=3929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3929\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}