{"id":4029,"date":"2013-07-13T01:52:57","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4029"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:52:57","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:52:57","slug":"68-appendix-vol-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/03-questions-and-answers-volume-03\/68-appendix-vol-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","title":{"rendered":"-68_Appendix.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\nAppendix <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

\n
\nTo <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

\n
\nQuestions and Answers 1929<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo’s explanations of certain
\nphrases and passages in Questions and
\nAnswers 1929<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\nAppendix to Questions and Answers 1929
\n<\/font> <\/i> <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMother asks: \u201cWhat do you want the Yoga for? To get power?\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span> Does
\n\u201cpower\u201d here mean the power to communicate one’s own experience to others? What
\ndoes it precisely mean? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Power is a general term \u2013 it is not confined to a power to
\ncommunicate. The most usual form of power is control over things, persons,
\nevents, forces. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMother says: \u201cWhat is required is concentration\u00a0
\n<\/span>concentration upon the Divine with a view to an integral and absolute
\nconsecration to its Will and Purpose.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00b2<\/span> Is its Will different
\nfrom its Purpose? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The two words have not the same meaning. Purpose means the
\nintention, the object in view towards which the Divine is working. Will is a
\nwider term than that. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cConcentrate
\nin the heart.\u201d <\/span>\u00b3 <\/span>What is concentration? What is meditation?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Concentration means gathering of the consciousness into one centre
\nand fixing it in one object or in one idea or in one condition. Meditation is a
\ngeneral term which can include many kinds of inner activity. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA fire is burning there…. It is the
\ndivinity in you \u2013 your true being. Hear its voice, follow its dictates.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I have never seen this fire in me. Yet I feel
\nI know <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Questions and Answers 1929\u00a0 <\/span>, page 1. The page number in this and the
\nfollowing footnotes refers to the present volume<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b2 \u00b3 4<\/sup> <\/font> <\/span>Page 1<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 301<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

the
\ndivinity in me. I feel I hear its voice and I try my utmost to follow its
\ndictates. Should I doubt my feeling? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No, what you feel is probably the intimation from the psychic
\nbeing through the mind. To be directly conscious of the psychic fire, one must
\nhave the subtle vision and subtle sense active or else the direct action of the
\npsychic acting as a manifest power in the consciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWe
\nhave all met in previous lives.\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Who precisely are \u201cwe\u201d? Do both of you remember me? Did I often
\nserve you for this work in the past? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is a general principle announced which covers all who are
\ncalled to the work. At the time the Mother was seeing the past (or part of it)
\nof those to whom she spoke and that is why she said this. At present we are too
\nmuch occupied with the crucial work in the physical consciousness to go into
\nthese things. Moreover we find that it encouraged a sort of vital romanticism
\nin the Sadhaks which made them attach more importance to these things than to
\nthe hard work of Sadhana, so we have stopped speaking of past lives and
\npersonalities. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere
\nare two paths of Yoga, one of\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>tapasy\u00e3
\n(discipline) and the other of surrender.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00b2<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Once you interpreted my vision as Agni, the fire of purification
\nand tapasy\u00e3 producing the Sun of Truth. What path do I follow? What place has
\ntapasy\u00e3 in the path of surrender? Can one do absolutely without tapasy\u00e3 in the
\npath of surrender? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There is a tapasy\u00e3 that takes place automatically as the result <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Page
\n3.\u00a0 <\/span><\/font><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00b2<\/span><\/font> Page
\n4<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 302<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

of surrender and there is a discipline that one carries out by
\none’s own unaided effort–is the latter that is meant in the \u201ctwo paths of
\nYoga\u201d. But Agni as the fire of tapasy\u00e3 can burn in either case.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMother says that the first effect of Yoga is to take away the mental control so
\nthat the ideas and desires which were so long checked become surprisingly
\nprominent and create difficulties. <\/span><\/i>\u00b9<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

They were not prominent because they were getting some
\nsatisfaction or at least the vital generally was getting indulged in one way or
\nanother. When they are no longer indulged then they become obstreperous. But
\nthey are not new forces created by the Yoga \u2013 they were there all the time. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is meant by the mental control being
\nremoved is that the mental simply kept them in check but could not remove them.
\nSo in Yoga the mental has to be replaced by the psychic or spiritual
\nself-control which could do what the vital cannot, only many Sadhaks do not
\nmake this exchange in time and withdraw the mental control merely. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe
\nstrength of such impulses as those of sex lies usually in the fact that people
\ntake too much notice of them.\u201d <\/span>\u00b2<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the other impulses referred to? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It refers to strong vital impulses. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe
\nwhole world is full of the poison. You take it in with every breath.\u201d <\/span>\u00b3<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

How long is a Sadhak subject to this fear of catching contagion? I
\nfeel I won’t catch such a contagion now. Is my feeling trustworthy?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>\u00b2 <\/span>Page
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00b3 <\/span><\/font>Page 6.<\/font>\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 303<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

I don’t know that it is. One has to go very far on the path before
\none is so secure as that. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMother says: \u201cOne who dances and jumps and screams has the feeling that he is
\nsomehow very unusual in his excitement; and his vital nature takes great
\npleasure in that.\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span><\/i> Does she mean that one
\nshould be usual instead of unusual in one’s excitement during spiritual
\nexperience? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The Mother did not mean that one must be usual in one’s excitement
\nat all \u2013 she meant that the man is not only excited but also wants to be
\nunusual (extraordinary) in his excitement. The excitement itself is bad and the
\ndesire to seem extraordinary is worse. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut
\nto those who possess the necessary basis and foundation we say, on the
\ncontrary, `aspire and draw.’\u201d <\/span>\u00b2<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Does this capacity to aspire and draw indicate a great advance
\nalready made? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No. It is a comparatively elementary stage. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How
\ncan one distinguish between a dream of deeper origin and a vision?<\/span>\u00b3 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

There is no criterion, but one can easily distinguish if one is in
\nthe inward condition, not sleep, in which most visions take place, by the
\nnature of the impression made. A vision in dream is more difficult to
\ndistinguish from a vivid dream-experience but one gets to feel the difference. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes
\none remembers the dreams, sometimes one does not.*<\/span> <\/span>Why
\nis it so?\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>\u00b2 <\/span>Page
\n11.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00b3<\/span> Pages 13-14.\u00a0\u00a0 4<\/sup><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/font>Page 14.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 304<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

It depends on the connection between the two states of
\nconsciousness at the time of waking. Usually there is a turn over of the
\nconsciousness in which the dream-state disappears more or less abruptly,
\neffacing the fugitive impression made by the dream events (or rather their
\ntranscription) on the physical sheath. If the waking is more composed (less
\nabrupt) or, if the impression is very strong, then the memory remains at least
\nof the last dream. In the last case one may remember the dream for a long time,
\nbut usually after getting up the dream memories fade away. Those who want to
\nremember their dreams sometimes make a practice of lying quiet and tracing
\nbackwards, recovering the dreams one by one. When the dream-state is very
\nlight, one can remember more dreams than when it is heavy.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpiritual
\nexperience means the contact with the Divine in oneself (or without, which
\ncomes to the same thing in that domain).\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00b9<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What is meant by the Divine \u201cwithout\u201d? Does it mean the cosmic
\nDivine or the transcendental or both? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It means the Divine seen outside in things, beings, events etc.,
\netc. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Was
\nJeanne d’Arc’s nature transformed even a little because of her relation with
\nthe two Archangels, the two beings of the Overmind?<\/span>\u00b2<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I don’t see how the question of transformation comes in. Jeanne
\nd’Arc was not practising Yoga or seeking transformation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou
\nhave no longer anything that you can call your own; you feel everything as
\ncoming from the Divine, and you have to offer it back to its source. When you <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Page 17.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/font><\/span>\u00b2 <\/span><\/font>Pages 17-18.<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 305<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

can
\nrealise that, then even the smallest thing to which\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>you do not usually pay much attention or
\ncare, ceases to be trivial and insignificant; it becomes full of meaning and it
\nopens up a vast horizon beyond.\u201d<\/span><\/i> <\/span>\u00b9<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Is this as elementary a stage as the stage of \u201caspire and draw\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Not so elementary. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What does Mother mean by the sentence:
\n\u201cWhen you eat, you must feel that it is the Divine who is eating through you\u201d? <\/span>\u00b2 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It means an offering of the food not to the ego or desire but to
\nthe Divine, who is behind all action. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut if we want the Divine to reign here
\nwe must give all we have and are and do here to the Divine.\u201d<\/span>\u00b3<\/span> If one does
\nthis completely has he anything more to do? <\/span><\/p>\n

No. But it is not easy to do it completely. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The Mother says: \u201cM<\/span>\u00eame ceux qui ont la volont<\/span>\u00e9 de s’enfuir, quand ils arrivent de
\nl’autre c<\/span>\u00f4t<\/span>\u00e9, peuvent trouver que la fuite ne sert pas
\n<\/span>\u00e0 grand\u2019chose apr<\/span>\u00e8<\/span>s tout.\u201d* What does \u201carrivent de l’autre c<\/span>\u00f4t<\/span>\u00e9\u201d mean in this sentence? Does it mean \u201cwhen they come into
\nthis\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>world\u201d or \u201cwhen they go into the
\nworld of silence which they realised\u201d?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    \u00b9<\/font><\/span>Page 23.<\/font><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\n\u00b2<\/font><\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\nPage
\n23-24.<\/font>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/font> <\/span><\/span>
\n\u00b3<\/font><\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\nPage
\n25.<\/font>\u00a0<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n\u00a04<\/sup><\/font><\/span>See
\nEntretiens 1929, the French translation of Questions and Answers 1929. The
\noriginal English (page 25 of the present volume) is: \u201cAnd as for those who have
\nthe will of running away, even they when they go over to the other side, may
\nfind the flight was not of much use after all.\u201d<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage -306<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

No \u2013 \u201c arrivent de l’autre c<\/span>\u00f4t<\/span>\u00e9\u201d simply
\nmeans \u201cwhen they die\u201d. What Mother intended was that when they actually arrive
\nat their Nirvana they find it is not the ultimate solution or largest
\nrealisation of the Supreme and they must eventually come back and have their
\nshare of the world action to reach that largest realisation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How
\ncan we recognise who gives all he has and is and does to the Divine? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

You can’t, unless you have the inner vision. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor
\nthere is nothing in the world which has not its ultimate truth and support in
\nthe Divine.\u201d<\/span><\/i> <\/span>\u00b9<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

To know this perfectly by experience is to have a very great
\nattainment, perhaps the final attainment; am I right? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cObviously,
\nwhat has happened had to happen; it would not have been, if it had not been
\nintended.\u201d<\/span>\u00b2 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Then,
\nwhat is the place of repentance in man’s life? Has it any place in the life of
\na Sadhak? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The place of repentance is in its effect for the future if it
\ninduces the nature to turn from the state of things that brought about the
\nhappening. For the Sadhak however it is not repentance but recognition of a
\nwrong movement and the necessity of its not recurring that is needed. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou
\nare tied to the chain of Karma, and there, in that chain, whatever happens is
\nrigorously the consequence of what has been done before.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span>\u00b3<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Page
\n27.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00b2<\/span><\/i>
\nPages 27-28.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00b3<\/span><\/font> Page
\n30.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>Page \u2013 307<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

Does
\n\u201cbefore\u201d mean all the past lives, beginning from the very first up to this one?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That is taking things in the mass. In a metaphysical sense
\nwhatever happens is the consequence of all that has gone before up to the
\nmoment of the action. Practically particular consequences have particular
\nantecedents in the past and it is these that are said to determine it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nMother has said: \u201cEn fait, la mort a <\/span>\u00e9t\u00e9 <\/i>attach<\/span><\/i>\u00e9<\/span><\/i>e <\/span>\u00e0 <\/i>toute
\nvie sur terre.\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span><\/i> The words \u201cEn fait\u201d and
\n\u201cattach<\/span><\/i>\u00e9<\/span>e\u201d
\ntend to give the impression that after all death is inevitable. But the
\npreceding sentence \u2013 \u201cSi cette croyance pouvait <\/span>\u00eatre
\nrejet<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>e,
\nd’abord de la mentalit<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>
\nconsciente… la mort ne serait plus in<\/span><\/i>\u00e9<\/span><\/i>vitable\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00b2 \u2013 <\/span>brings in an ambiguity
\nbecause it does not make death so inevitable; it introduces a condition \u2013 an
\n\u201cif\u201d \u2013 by which it could be avoided. But the categoricality of the sentence
\nwith \u201cEn fait\u201d rather dilutes one’s expectation of a material immortality.
\nMoreover, the \u201cif\u201d in the other sentence is too formidable to be satisfied. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There is no ambiguity that I can see. \u201cEn fait\u201d and \u201cattach<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>e\u201d do not convey any sense of
\ninevitability. \u201cEn fait\u201d means simply that in fact, actually, as things are at
\npresent all life (on earth) has death attached to it as its end; but it does
\nnot in the least convey the idea that it can never be otherwise or that this is
\nthe unalterable law of all existence. It is at present a fact for certain
\nreasons which are stated, \u2013 due to certain mental and physical circumstances \u2013
\nif these are changed, death is not inevitable any longer. Obviously the
\nalteration can only come <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span> <\/font> <\/span>See Entretiens 1929. The original English (page 36) is: \u201cDeath as
\na fact has been attached to all life upon earth.\u201d<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n \u00b2<\/font><\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\nPage
\n36: \u201cIf this belief could be cast out first from the conscious mind… death
\nwould no longer be inevitable.\u201d<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 308<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\u201cif\u201d certain conditions are satisfied, \u2013 all progress and change
\nby evolution depends upon an \u201cif\u201d which gets satisfied. If the animal mind had
\nnot been pushed to develop speech and reason, mental man would never have come
\ninto existence, \u2013 but the \u201cif\u201d, a stupendous and formidable one, was satisfied.
\nSo with the \u201cifs\u201d that condition a farther progress. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany
\npeople would tell you wonderful tales of how the world was built and how it
\nwill proceed in the future, how and where you were born in the past and what
\nyou will be hereafter, the lives you have lived and the lives you will still
\nlive. All this has nothing to do with spiritual life.\u201d <\/span>\u00b9<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Is what such people say a complete humbug? Is there a process
\nother than the spiritual by which one can know all these things? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Often it is, but even if it is correct, it has nothing spiritual
\nin it. Many mediums, clairvoyants or people with a special faculty, tell you
\nthese things. That faculty is no more spiritual than the capacity to build a bridge
\nor to cook a nice dish or to solve a mathematical problem. There are
\nintellectual capacities, there are occult capacities \u2013 that is all. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey
\n[vampires] are not human; there is only a human form or appearance… Their
\nmethod is to try first to cast their influence upon a man; then they enter
\nslowly into his atmosphere and in the end may get complete possession of him,
\ndriving out entirely the real human soul and personality.\u201d<\/span>\u00b2<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

X has married a girl who, the Mother has said, is vampire-like to
\nsome extent. Is he then under all these risks? What precautions should he take?
\nShall l warn him?\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Page
\n40.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00b2 <\/span><\/font>Page 42.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 309<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

First of all what is meant is not that the vampire or vital being
\neven in possession of a human body tries to possess yet another human being.
\nAll that is the description of how a disembodied (vampire) vital being takes
\npossession of a human body without being born into it in the ordinary way \u2013 for
\nthat is their desire, to possess a human body but not by the way of birth. Once
\nthus human, the danger they are for others is that they feed on the vitality of
\nthose who are in contact with them \u2013 that is all. <\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly in this case, Mother only said
\nvampire-like to some extent. That does not mean that she is one of these
\nbeings, but has to some extent the habit of feeding on the vitality of others.
\nThere is no need to say anything to X. It would only disturb him and not help
\nin the least.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The Mother speaks of the power of thoughts and gives the example
\nthat if \u201cyou have a keen desire for a certain person to come and that, along
\nwith this vital impulse of desire, a strong imagination accompanies the mental
\nformation you have made… And if there is a sufficient power of will in your
\nthought-form, if it is a well-built formation, it will arrive at its own
\nrealisation.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In the example given, suppose there is no
\nstrong desire in the vital but only thoughts or vague imaginations in the mind,
\nwould that go and induce the person to come? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It might; especially if that person were himself desirous of
\ncoming, it could give the decisive push. But in most cases desire or will
\nbehind the thought-force would be necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The Mother says that depression or discouragement cuts holes in
\nthe nervous envelope and makes hostile<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Pages
\n50-5<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 310<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\u00a0<\/span>attacks more easy<\/span>\u00b9<\/span> In
\none sense this means that a man with goodwill should not discourage anyone’s
\nwrong ideas, impulses or movements. But would this not be against the
\nprinciples in ordinary life as well as in Sadhana? There is the way of keeping
\nsilent when dealing with such people, but even that sometimes hurts them more
\nthan a point-blank discouragement. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Would the bad effects of depression and
\ndiscouragement indicated by the Mother happen in ordinary life also? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The knowledge about the bad effect of depressions is meant for the
\nSadhak to learn to avoid these things. He cannot expect people to flatter his
\nfailures or mistakes or indulge his foibles merely because he has the
\nself-habit of indulging in depression and hurting his nervous envelope if that
\nis done. To keep himself free from depression is his business, not that of
\nothers. For instance some people have the habit of getting into depression if
\nthe Mother does not comply with their desires does not follow that the Mother
\nmust comply with their desires in order to keep them jolly \u2013 they must learn to
\nget rid of this habit of mind. So with people’s wish of encouragement or praise
\nfor all they do. One can be silent or non-intervening, but if even that
\ndepresses them, it is their own fault and nobody else’s. <\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, it is the same in ordinary life
\n\u2013 depression is always hurtful. But in Sadhana it is more serious because it
\nbecomes a strong obstacle to the smooth and rapid progress towards the goal. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\nPage
\n89.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 311<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Appendix To Questions and Answers 1929   Sri Aurobindo’s explanations of certain phrases and passages in Questions and Answers 1929    Appendix to Questions and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","wpcat-115-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4029","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=4029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4029\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}