{"id":3986,"date":"2013-07-13T01:52:42","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3986"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:52:42","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:42","slug":"42-18-january-1951-vol-15-words-of-the-mother-volume-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/15-words-of-the-mother-volume-15\/42-18-january-1951-vol-15-words-of-the-mother-volume-15","title":{"rendered":"-42_18 January 1951.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n


\n18 January 1951<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/b>  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nThis talk is based upon the Mother\u2019s essay
\n\u201cThe <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

\n
\nScience of Living\u201d (On Education, Cent.
\nVol. 12, pp. 3-8).<\/span><\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The psychic being is formed by the inner
\nTruth and organised<\/span> around it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The vital
\nis the dynamism of action. It is the seat of the will, of impulses, desires,
\nrevolts, etc. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The
\nphysical is the concrete domain that crystallises<\/span> and
\ndefines the thoughts, the movements of the vital, etc. It is a solid foundation
\nfor action. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Finding
\none\u2019s psychic being implies a kind of conviction, a faith in the existence of
\nthis psychic being. One must become aware of it and then allow it to take up
\nthe direction of life and action; one must refer to it and make it one\u2019s guide.
\nOne becomes aware of the movements of one\u2019s being by referring more and more to
\nthe psychic being. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Having an
\naim is not sufficient. One must have the will to attain it by trying always to
\ntrace all one\u2019s movements back to their origin.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 313<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Self-mastery
\nmeans being conscious of oneself and one\u2019s movements, doing what one has
\ndecided to do and not what others want one to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

In
\nvarious times and places many methods have been prescribed for attaining this
\nperception [of the psychic presence in us] and ultimately achieving this
\nidentification [with it]. Some methods are psychological, some religious, some
\neven mechanical. In reality, everyone has to find the one which suits him best,
\nand if one has an ardent and steadfast aspiration, a persistent and dynamic
\nwill, one is sure to meet, in one way or another − outwardly through
\nreading and study, inwardly through concentration, meditation, revelation and
\nexperience − the help one needs to reach the goal.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What is the difference between mechanical, religious
\nand psychological methods? Religious methods are those adopted by the various
\nreligions. Not many religions speak of the inner Truth; for them, it is more a
\nmatter of coming into contact with their God. Heaven and hell: this is a
\nroundabout way of saying…\u00b9 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Psychological
\nmethods are those that deal with states of consciousness, that try to realise<\/span> the inner self by withdrawing from all activity and
\nattempting to create the conscious inner conditions of detachment, self-abstraction,
\nconcentration, higher Reality, renunciation of all the outer movements, etc. A
\npsychological method is one which acts on the thoughts, feelings and actions. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Mechanical
\nmethods are those which are based on purely mechanical means − one can benefit
\nfrom them by using them in a certain way. Take breath-control, for example: it
\nacts more or less mechanically, but it is sometimes recommended
\nto add to this a concentration of one\u2019s thought, to repeat a word, as in Vivekananda\u2019s<\/span> teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Words missing in the transcription.<\/span><\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 324<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\nThis works up to a certain point,
\nbut then it fades away. These human attempts in various times and places have
\nbeen more or less successful individually but they have never given a
\ncollective result. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The psychological
\nmethod is far more difficult but far more effective: through your actions, to
\nbe in a state of inner will to express nothing in yourself but the Truth of
\nyour being, and to make everything dependent on that Truth. Of course, if you
\ndo nothing, it is easier, but it is also easier to deceive yourself. When you
\nsit down in isolation, in complete silence and far away from everybody, and
\nexamine yourself with more or less indulgent eyes, you may imagine that you are
\nrealising<\/span> something wonderful. But when you are put
\nto the test at every minute of your life, when you have the occasion to become
\naware of your imperfections, your infirmities, your little movements of bad
\nwill a hundred times a day, you soon lose the illusion of being…\u00b9 and so your
\nefforts are more sincere. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>That is
\nwhy, instead of deciding that we would have an Ashram in a solitary forest
\nwhere everything is very beautiful, very restful, instead of being aloof from
\nthe world and attending only to our own little selves, we are trying on the
\ncontrary to take up all the activities of life and make them as conscious as we
\ncan, and, in our contacts with other people, to become more clearly aware of
\nall the inner movements. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Running
\naway from difficulties is never a way of surmounting or overcoming them. If you
\nflee from the enemy you won\u2019t be able to defeat him and he has every chance of
\ndefeating you. That is why we are here in Pondicherry<\/span>
\nand not on some Himalayan peak. Although I admit that a Himalayan peak would be
\ndelightful − but perhaps not so effective. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Next time I
\nshall speak about mental discipline, for I have quite a lot of things to say on
\nthis subject. It is a terrible stumbling-block: <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>
\nWords missing in the transcription.<\/span><\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 325<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

people think they have a superior intellect and on
\nthat basis judge things which they know nothing about. This is, if not the
\ngreatest, at least one of the greatest obstacles for mankind. For it so happens
\nthat mankind is, of all animals pardon me, but we are still animals ! −
\nthe only one who can make use of articulate language and turn out pages and
\npages of\u2026 He thinks he is so superior because he can write down and make others
\nread what he thinks and feels. And from this eminence of mental greatness, of
\nmental nobility, he dismisses as so much childishness things that are
\ninfinitely superior to him. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Does
\nthe psychic being identify itself with the inner Truth? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It organises<\/span> itself around
\nit and enters into contact with it. The psychic is moved by the Truth. The
\nTruth is something eternally self-existent and dependent on nothing in time or
\nspace, whereas the psychic being is a being that grows, takes form, progresses,
\nindividualises<\/span> itself more and more. In this way it
\nbecomes more and more capable of manifesting this Truth, the eternal Truth that
\nis one and permanent. The psychic being is a progressive being, which means
\nthat the relation between the psychic being and the Truth is a progressive one.
\nIt is not possible to become aware of one\u2019s psychic being without becoming
\naware at the same time of the inner Truth. All those who have had this
\nexperience − not a mental experience but an integral experience of
\ncontact with the psychic being, not a contact with the idea they have
\nconstructed of it, but a truly concrete contact − all say the same thing:
\nfrom the very minute this contact takes place, one is absolutely conscious of
\nthe eternal Truth within oneself and one sees that it is the purpose of life
\nand the guide of the world. One can\u2019t have one without the other; in fact, it
\nis this that makes you realise<\/span> that you are in
\ncontact with your psychic being. It may not be a conscious contact, but
\nsomething that governs your life.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 326<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

Some people say there is something outside
\ntheir own will that organises<\/span> their whole life, that puts
\nthem in the required condition, that attracts favourable<\/span>
\ncircumstances or people, that arranges everything outside them, so to say. In
\ntheir outer\u00a0 <\/span>consciousness, perhaps they
\nwanted something and worked for it, but something else came. Well, after some
\nyears, they realise<\/span> that this is what really had to
\nhappen. You may know nothing of the existence of a psychic being within you and
\nyet be guided by it. For, in order to become aware of something, you must first
\nof all admit that this thing exists. Some people don\u2019t. I have known people who
\nhad a genuine contact with their psychic being without knowing at all what it
\nwas, because there was nothing in them that corresponded to the knowledge of
\nthis contact. <\/span><\/p>\n

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

Can
\none be in contact with the eternal Truth without having any contact with one\u2019s
\npsychic being? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Some beings
\nin the universe may have this direct contact with the eternal Truth without any
\ncontact with the psychic being, because they don\u2019t have any psychic being. But
\nin man there is always a psychic being, and it is always through it that he
\ncomes into contact with the eternal Truth. And this contact with the psychic
\nbeing is usually disclosed to him in the same way, for it carries with it its
\nown grace, its own splendour<\/span> and beatitude. The
\npsychic being is characteristic of man, and if one goes to the bottom of the
\nmatter, perhaps this is what gives man his superiority. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Many of the
\nold philosophies did not have a complete knowledge of the classification of the
\nbeing − the psychic being, the inner Truth were not known to them. These
\nsystems had very simplistic notions, such as the outer and the inner
\nconsciousness, the waking and the sleep consciousness. They had no detailed
\nknowledge of human psychology, or if they had one, they did not think it advisable
\nto impart it to everybody.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 327<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 In former <\/span>
\ntimes, knowledge was not given to just anyone. A
\nperson first had to demonstrate his goodwill very clearly; he had to show
\nsufficient capacities, a sufficient degree of development before he was taught
\ncertain kinds of knowledge. But now, in modern life, this knowledge is printed
\nand anyone can buy books and read them. And of course you meet hundreds of
\npeople who have learned a lot of words without knowing anything of what they
\nmean. At one time we had people here who claimed to have realised<\/span>
\nthe Supermind<\/span>, but did not even know what it was. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>With the
\ndemocratic organisation<\/span> of things, this popularisation<\/span> of knowledge is inevitable. Perhaps there
\nare other methods of selection, more concealed, less obvious, but more
\neffective.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 328<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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


\n
\n22
\nJanuary 1951 <\/font> <\/a> <\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nThis talk is based upon the Mother\u2019s essay
\n\u201cThe <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

\n
\nScience of Living\u201d, (On Education, Cent.
\nVol. 12, pp. 3-8).<\/span><\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nmind is not an instrument of knowledge; it is incapable of finding knowledge,
\nbut it must be moved by knowledge. Knowledge belongs to a much higher domain
\nthan that of the human mind, far above the region of pure ideas. The mind has
\nto be silent and attentive to receive knowledge from above and manifest it. For
\nit is an instrument of formation, of organisation<\/span> and
\naction, and it is in these functions that it attains its full value and real
\nusefulness.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The mind is \u201can instrument of formation, of organisation<\/span> and action\u201d. Why? The mind gives a form to the
\nthoughts. This power of formation forms mental entities whose life is
\nindependent of the mind that has formed them − they act as beings that
\nare at least semi-independent. One can form a thought which then travels, goes
\nout to someone, spreads the idea it contains. There is a mental substance just
\nas there is a physical substance, and on this plane the mind can emanate
\ninnumerable forms. These forms can be objectivised<\/span>
\nand seen, and that is one of the most common explanations for dreams. For while
\nyou are active and while the physical eyes can see physically, some people can
\nsee mentally at the same time. But when you are asleep, your eyes are closed,
\nthe physical is asleep and the mind and vital become active. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>On the
\nmental plane all the formations made by the mind − the actual \u201cforms\u201d
\nthat it gives to the thoughts − return and appear to you as if they were
\ncoming from outside and give you dreams. Most dreams are like that. Some people
\nhave a very conscious mental life and are able to enter the mental plane and  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 329<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

move about in it with the same independence they have
\nin physical life; these people have mentally objective nights. But most people
\nare incapable of doing this: it is their mental activity going on during sleep
\nand assuming forms, and these forms give them what they call dreams. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There is a
\nvery common example − it is amusing because it is rather vivid. If you
\nhave quarrelled<\/span> with someone during the day, you may
\nwish to hit him, to say very unpleasant things to him. You control yourself,
\nyou don\u2019t do it, but your thought, your mind is at work and in your sleep you
\nsuddenly have a terrible dream. Someone approaches you with a stick and you hit
\neach other and have a real fight. And when you wake up, if you don\u2019t know, if
\nyou don\u2019t understand what has happened, you say to yourself, \u201cWhat an
\nunpleasant dream I had!\u201d But in fact it is your own thought which came back to
\nyou, like that. So be on your guard when you dream that someone is unkind to
\nyou ! First of all, you should ask yourself, \u201cBut didn\u2019t I have a bad thought
\nagainst him?\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thoughts
\nare real entities which usually last until they are realised<\/span>.
\nSome people are obsessed by their own thoughts. They think of something and the
\nthought returns and goes round and round in their heads as if it were something
\nfrom outside. But it is their own formations returning again and again and
\nstriking the mind that has formed them. That is one aspect of the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Did you
\never have the experience of a thought taking the form of words or a sentence in
\nyour mind and returning over and over again? But if you are clever enough to
\ntake a piece of paper and a pencil and write it down − that is the end of
\nit, it won\u2019t return any more, you have thrown it out of yourself. The thing has
\nhad its little satisfaction, it has manifested itself sufficiently and it won\u2019t
\nreturn. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And there
\nis something more interesting still: if you have a bad thought that annoys and
\ndisturbs you, write it down very attentively, very carefully, putting as much
\nconsciousness and will as you can. Then take the piece of paper and, with
\nconcentration,  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 330<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

tear it up with the will that the thought will be torn
\nup in the same way. That is how you will get rid of it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The mind is
\nan instrument of organisation<\/span>. On the outer plane,
\nsome people have an organised<\/span> mind. They have organised<\/span> their own ideas − note that this is not a
\nvery common occurrence ! − their own thoughts. But if you look inside
\nyourself, you will see that you have the most contradictory thoughts and if you
\nhave not taken care to organise<\/span> them, they dwell side
\nby side in your head, so to say, and create utter disorder. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>For
\ninstance, I used to know someone who was able to hold the most mystical ideas
\nin his mind together with the most positivist ideas, that is, the most
\nmaterialistic ideas, the negation of everything that is not purely matter. It
\nwas all unorganised<\/span> and this person was constantly
\ntossed this way and that in a perpetual confusion. Note that I don\u2019t disapprove
\nof your having all these ideas: it is good to be able to look at things from
\nall sides at once and, as we were saying the other day, there is a way to
\nreconcile the most contrary ideas. But you must take the trouble to do it, you
\nhave to organise<\/span> them in your mind, otherwise you
\nlive in a chaos. I have noticed something else: people whose minds are in
\ndisorder keep their rooms and their belongings in a similar state of disorder.
\nI have seen people who had no order in their minds and if you open their chest
\nof drawers or their cupboards, you will find an awful mess − everything
\nis in a jumble. There are people who are intelligent and have slips of paper on
\nwhich they jot things down − authors, for example − but if by
\nchance they need one of these notes, they have to spend an hour hunting it out
\nand turning everything upside down ! They either find the paper in the
\nwaste-paper basket or in the drawer where they put their handkerchiefs. Well,
\nthat\u2019s how it is, isn\u2019t it? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There are
\npeople who may not be very intelligent, but who have taken the trouble to put
\nsome order among the few ideas they have. If you open their cupboard, you will
\nfind that they have very few things, but these things are neatly and tidily  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 331<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

arranged, because they have organised<\/span>
\nmaterial things in the same way as they have organised<\/span>
\ntheir thoughts. The mind is therefore an instrument of organisation<\/span>.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>People who
\nhave some power of organisation<\/span> may start by organising<\/span> their little personal belongings, then their
\nlives and the events in their lives. They may be in charge of a certain number
\nof people − they can organise<\/span> a business, a
\nschool, anything. Or else if they have the power to govern, they are able to organise<\/span> a country. Some people have this power of organisation<\/span> and others don\u2019t. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shall
\ngive you an example of someone who had this gift of organisation<\/span>.
\nIt is an old story, but one can always tell old stories. I used to know Sir Akbar<\/span> Hydari<\/span>, who was Finance Minister
\nand then Prime Minister of Hyderabad. Before his time, the Hyderabad finances
\nwere in the state of chaos I have just mentioned and the Government was always
\nshort of money. It was a rich area which ought not to have been in that
\nposition. Then came Sir Akbar<\/span>. He became Finance
\nMinister and from the very first year, they had a few lakhs<\/span>
\nof revenue and everything was so wonderfully organised<\/span>
\nthat it was perhaps one of the only places in the world where people had no
\ntaxes to pay. They had no taxes or duties to pay and the State was never short
\nof money and this went on throughout his whole ministry. But he fell ill and
\nhad to leave; in the end, he died. He was replaced by someone who did not have
\nhis gift of organisation<\/span> and immediately, from the
\nvery first year, again they were short of 17,000 lakhs<\/span>!
\nIt was the same province, with the same revenue, the same people, but Sir Akbar\u2019s<\/span> marvellous<\/span> gift of organisation<\/span> was no longer there. That is a true story.
\nVery few people have this gift. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It is as if
\nyou had a large number of miscellaneous things in front of you: it would take a
\ncentury to make all the possible combinations of them. Some people don\u2019t need
\nto do that − they have the vision, they immediately know where to put
\nthings and establish an organised<\/span> relation between
\nthem so as to form  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 332<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

something orderly and organised<\/span>.
\nThis capacity for organisation<\/span> is indispensable in
\nlife, and if you want to learn to organise<\/span>, begin by organising<\/span> your own drawer and you will end up by organising<\/span> your own head! Some people should do both these
\nthings. You must first see <\/i>the ideas
\nin your mind before you can organise<\/span> them − at
\nleast you can see your handkerchiefs and clothes! But you will find that a
\ncertain care is needed to achieve an intelligent arrangement − don\u2019t put
\nthe things you use every day beneath the things you use once a month! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The mind is
\nalso an instrument of action. The thoughts form plans. The mind forms a plan of
\naction and with this formation of independent and active entities which I
\nmentioned earlier, it stirs the other parts of the being − the vital and
\nphysical − and impels them to action. It often happens that you think of
\nsome action or other − you don\u2019t do it immediately, but the thought that
\nwants to manifest in this action returns again and again. Perhaps you hear in
\nyour mind the words, \u201cI must do that, I must do that,\u201d until you leave
\neverything and do what you have \u201cthought\u201d. Well, that is the mind\u2019s power of
\naction. Before you get it, you must learn to organise<\/span>,
\nharmonise<\/span> and control your mind. But when you have
\nthat power, you can begin to act purposefully, whereas most people are tossed
\nabout by thoughts whose formation they were not even aware of. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There are
\nmany people whose thoughts come from outside, who have not taken the care to organise<\/span> their mind, which is a sort of public square. So
\nall the thoughts coming from outside meet there; sometimes there are clashes:
\nyou don\u2019t know what to do, you can\u2019t see anything clearly, etc. There are also
\npeople who live in a more or less neutral mental state. Suddenly, they find
\nthemselves with someone whose mind is well organised<\/span>
\nand they begin to think clearly − about things that they knew nothing of
\na minute ago. There are others, on the other hand, who normally think very
\nclearly and know exactly what is going on in their minds. But they come into
\ncontact with certain people and everything gets confused, vague and muddled.
\nThey lose the  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 333<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 thread of their thoughts and forget what they wanted
\nto say. This is an effect of contagion and this mental contagion is constant.
\nThere are very few people who do not receive thoughts from outside. I have
\nknown people − many people − who, for example, had a very strong
\nfaith, who could see very clearly into themselves, who knew very well what they
\nwanted to do, etc. But when they were with other people and tried to grasp all
\nthat, to express it, they could no longer find it; instead, there was something
\nthat moved in a sort of semi-obscure confusion and they felt incapable of formulating
\ntheir thought, which before had been quite clear. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There is
\nanother phenomenon which is considered spiritual, but which is spiritual only
\nindirectly: it is when you find yourself near someone who has controlled his
\nthought and achieved mental silence. You suddenly feel this silence coming down
\ninto yourself and something which was impossible for you half an hour earlier
\nsuddenly becomes a reality. This is a rather unusual phenomenon. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There is
\nanother practice which can be very helpul<\/span> to the
\nprogress of the consciousness. Whenever there is a disagreement on any matter,
\nsuch as a decision to be taken, or an action to be carried out, one must never
\nremain closed up in one\u2019s own conception or point of view. On the contrary, one
\nmust make an effort to understand the other\u2019s point of view, to put oneself in
\nhis place and, instead of quarrelling or even fighting, find the solution which
\ncan reasonably satisfy both ties; there always is one for men of goodwill.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I said this
\nmainly for men of action whose thinking is direct and formative, very active
\nand dynamic. They see things in a linear way which is necessary for action;
\nthey can see that a thing must be done in such and such a way. Another person
\nmay have a thought which is equally dynamic and say, \u201cNo, it ought to be  <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 334<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 done like this.\u201d So they quarrel, they are unable to
\nreach an agreement. But one can keep quiet for a minute and look at the thing
\ncalmly. The other person is not necessarily showing ill will, his point of view
\nmay be true or partially true. The question is to find out why he thinks like
\nthat. So you stop to think it over and try to identify yourself with the
\nother\u2019s point of view, to put yourself in his place and tell yourself, \u201cHe may
\nhave a reason for thinking as he does, and it may be better than mine.\u201d And in
\nthis way, you must try to find the solution which can reasonably satisfy both
\nties. This is very important when dealing with material things. Naturally, each
\none sees only his own point of view and his own point of view is always
\nselfish. It is very hard to admit another point of view, for this point of view
\nmay be \u201cdetrimental\u201d to you. This is an absolute truth where nations are
\nconcerned. If nations, instead of being in perpetual argument about
\nstraightforward things and defending their own interests and seeing only their
\npersonal viewpoint, that is, the viewpoint of their national personality, if
\ninstead of doing all that, they attempted to understand that each nation has a
\nright to live on earth and that it is not a matter of depriving them of this
\nright, but of finding a compromise that would satisfy everyone. There is always
\na solution, but on one <\/i>condition, not
\nin order to find the solution but to implement it: individuals and nations must
\nhave goodwill. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>If they have
\nno goodwill, if they know perfectly well that they are in the wrong but don\u2019t
\ncare, if they insist on their own interests even when they are absolutely
\nwrong, then there is nothing to be done − you can only leave people to
\ntheir fighting and mutual destruction. But if, on the contrary, there is mutual
\ngoodwill, there is always a good solution. <\/span><\/p>\n

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

Can
\nyou define \u201ccompromise\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is an intermediate solution. It is not always the
\ngolden mean. A kind of harmonisation<\/span> must be found.   <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 335<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I will tell
\nyou another story, the story of a merchant who set out on a journey saying to
\nhis neighbour<\/span>, \u201cI am going away, I don\u2019t know when I
\nshall be back. Keep this big jar for me, I shall take it back when I return.\u201d
\nSome time later, the neighbour<\/span> was tempted to open
\nthe jar. He did so and found, under a thick layer of dust\u2026 some gold coins!
\nThis was a great temptation for him and he began to think, \u201cPerhaps my friend
\nhas died, perhaps he won\u2019t return. What is the use of keeping all this money
\ninside here? And I am so much in need of money!\u201d So he took a few coins, a few
\nmore, many more, until all the gold in the jar had gone. The olives that
\nconcealed the gold had gone bad and so he threw them away. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>One day the
\nmerchant returned and said to his neighbour<\/span>, \u201cGive me
\nback my jar.\u201d A few days later, the neighbour<\/span>
\nreturned the jar all coated with dust, as it was before. The merchant opened
\nthe jar and found only some fresh olives. All the gold had gone. He went to the
\njudge and explained what had happened. But the judge said, \u201cHow can I be sure
\nyou are telling the truth? Perhaps your neighbour<\/span> is
\ntelling the truth.\u201d They argued and were unable to find a solution. The
\nmerchant, who had a headache, thought, \u201cI shall go for a walk in the city
\ntonight.\u201d So he strolled through the city and suddenly he saw some children
\nplaying. They had a jar, and also a merchant, a neighbour<\/span>
\nand a judge! The judge was telling the neighbour<\/span>,
\n\u201cOpen up this jar. But I see only fresh olives! How long has it been since the
\nmerchant went away?\u201d \u201cTwo and a half years.\u201d \u201cReally? So you were able to keep
\nthese olives fresh for so long? Didn\u2019t you by any chance remove what was in the
\njar and put in some fresh olives?\u201d The neighbour<\/span> ran
\naway. The merchant thought, \u201cWell, these children are far more intelligent than
\nI am, they found the solution at once.\u201d So he went back to his neighbour<\/span> and asked him the same questions; and of course
\nthe neighbour<\/span> had nothing further to say and was
\nforced to admit the truth. <\/span>
\n
\n <\/font><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\nPage – 336<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

18 January 1951     This talk is based upon the Mother\u2019s essay \u201cThe Science of Living\u201d (On Education, Cent. Vol. 12, pp. 3-8).    The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[114],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-15-words-of-the-mother-volume-15","wpcat-114-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3986","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=3986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3986\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}