{"id":4220,"date":"2013-07-13T01:54:15","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4220"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:54:15","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:15","slug":"02-the-science-of-living-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/12-on-education-volume-12\/02-the-science-of-living-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","title":{"rendered":"-02_The-Science-of-Living.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n <\/font><\/span><\/i>The Science of Living <\/span><\/font> <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

To know oneself and to control oneself <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n\u00a0<\/span>A<\/font><\/span>n aimless life is always a miserable
\nlife.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Every one of you should have an aim. But
\ndo not forget that on the quality of your aim will depend the quality of your
\nlife. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Your aim should be high and wide,
\ngenerous and disinterested; this will make your life precious to yourself and
\nto others. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But whatever your ideal, it cannot be
\nperfectly realised unless you have realised perfection in yourself. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To work for your perfection, the first
\nstep is to become conscious of yourself, of the different parts of your being
\nand their respective activities. You must learn to distinguish these different
\nparts one from another, so that you may become clearly aware of the origin of
\nthe movements that occur in you, the many impulses, reactions and conflicting
\nwills that drive you to action. It is an assiduous study which demands much
\nperseverance and sincerity. For man’s nature, especially his mental nature, has
\na spontaneous tendency to give a favourable explanation for everything he
\nthinks, feels, says and does. It is only by observing these movements with
\ngreat care, by bringing them, as it were, before the tribunal of our highest
\nideal, with a sincere will to submit to its judgment, that we can hope to form
\nin ourselves a discernment that never errs. For if we truly want to progress
\nand acquire the capacity of knowing the truth of our being, that is to say,
\nwhat we are truly created for, what we can call our mission upon earth, then we
\nmust, in a very regular and constant manner, reject from us or eliminate in us
\nwhatever contradicts the truth of our existence, whatever is opposed to it. In
\nthis way, little by little, all the parts, all the elements of our being can be
\norganised into a homogeneous whole around our psychic centre. This work of
\nunification requires much time to be brought to some degree of perfection.
\nTherefore, in order to <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 3<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

accomplish it, we must arm ourselves
\nwith patience and endurance, with a determination to prolong our life as long
\nas necessary for the success of our endeavour. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As you pursue this labour of
\npurification and unification, you must at the same time take great care to
\nperfect the external and instrumental part of your being. When the higher truth
\nmanifests, it must find in you a mind that is supple and rich enough to be able
\nto give the idea that seeks to express itself a form of thought which preserves
\nits force and clarity. This thought, again, when it seeks to clothe itself in
\nwords, must find in you a sufficient power of expression so that the words
\nreveal the thought and do not deform it. And the formula in which you embody
\nthe truth should be manifested in all your feelings, all your acts of will, all
\nyour actions, in all the movements of your being. Finally, these movements
\nthemselves should, by constant effort, attain their highest perfection. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

All this can be realised by means of a
\nfourfold discipline, the general outline of which is given here. The four
\naspects of the discipline do not exclude each other, and can be followed at the
\nsame time; indeed, this is preferable. The starting-point is what can be called
\nthe psychic discipline. We give the name \u201cpsychic\u201d to the psychological centre
\nof our being, the seat within us of the highest truth of our existence, that
\nwhich can know this truth and set it in movement. It is therefore of capital
\nimportance to become conscious of its presence in us, to concentrate on this
\npresence until it becomes a living fact for us and we can identify ourselves
\nwith it. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In various times and places many methods
\nhave been prescribed for attaining this perception and ultimately achieving
\nthis identification. Some methods are psychological, some religious, some even
\nmechanical. In reality, everyone has to find the one which suits him best, and
\nif one has an ardent and steadfast aspiration, a persistent and dynamic will,
\none is sure to meet, in one way or another − outwardly through reading
\nand study, inwardly through concentration, meditation, revelation and <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 4<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

experience the help one needs to reach
\nthe goal. Only one thing is absolutely indispensable: the will to discover and
\nto realise. This discovery and realisation should be the primary preoccupation
\nof our being, the pearl of great price which we must acquire at any cost.
\nWhatever you do, whatever your occupations and activities, the will to find the
\ntruth of your being and to unite with it must be always living and present
\nbehind all that you do, all that you feel, all that you think. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To complement
\nthis movement of inner discovery, it would be good not to neglect the
\ndevelopment of the mind. For the mental instrument can equally be a great help
\nor a great hindrance. In its natural state the human mind is always limited in
\nits vision, narrow in its understanding, rigid in its conceptions, and a
\nconstant effort is therefore needed to widen it, to make it more supple and
\nprofound. So it is very necessary to consider everything from as many points of
\nview as possible. Towards this end, there is an exercise which gives great
\nsuppleness and elevation to the thought. It is as follows: a clearly formulated
\nthesis is set; against it is opposed its antithesis, formulated with the same
\nprecision. Then by careful reflection the problem must be widened or
\ntranscended until a synthesis is found which unites the two contraries in a
\nlarger, higher and more comprehensive idea.\u00a0
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Many other exercises of the same kind can
\nbe undertaken; some have a beneficial effect on the character and so possess a
\ndouble advantage: that of educating the mind and that of establishing control
\nover the feelings and their consequences. For example, you must never allow
\nyour mind to judge things and people, for the mind is not an instrument of
\nknowledge; it is incapable of finding knowledge, but it must be moved by
\nknowledge. Knowledge belongs to a much higher domain than that of the human
\nmind, far above the region of pure ideas. The mind has to be silent and
\nattentive to receive knowledge from above and manifest it. For it is an
\ninstrument of formation, of organisation and action, and it is in these
\nfunctions that it <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

attains its full value and real
\nusefulness. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is another practice which can be
\nvery helpful to the progress of the consciousness. Whenever there is a
\ndisagreement on any matter, such as a decision to be taken, or an action to be
\ncarried out, one must never remain closed up in one’s own conception or point of
\nview. On the contrary, one must make an effort to understand the other’s point
\nof view, to put oneself in his place and, instead of quarrelling or even
\nfighting, find the solution which can reasonably satisfy both parties; there
\nalways is one for men of goodwill. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Here we must mention the discipline of the
\nvital. The vital being in us is the seat of impulses and desires, of enthusiasm
\nand violence, of dynamic energy and desperate depressions, of passions and
\nrevolts. It can set everything in motion, build and realise; but it can also
\ndestroy and mar everything. Thus it may be the most difficult part to
\ndiscipline in the human being. It is a long and exacting labour requiring great
\npatience and perfect sincerity, for without sincerity you will deceive yourself
\nfrom the very outset, and all endeavour for progress will be in vain. With the
\ncollaboration of the vital no realisation seems impossible, no transformation
\nimpracticable. But the difficulty lies in securing this constant collaboration.
\nThe vital is a good worker, but most often it seeks its own satisfaction. If
\nthat is refused, totally or even partially, the vital gets vexed, sulks and
\ngoes on strike. Its energy disappears more or less completely and in its place
\nleaves disgust for people and things, discouragement or revolt, depression and
\ndissatisfaction. At such moments it is good to remain quiet and refuse to act;
\nfor these are the times when one does stupid things and in a few moments one
\ncan destroy or spoil the progress that has been made during months of regular
\neffort. These crises are shorter and less dangerous for those who have
\nestablished a contact with their psychic being which is sufficient to keep
\nalive in them the flame of aspiration and the consciousness of the ideal to be
\nrealised. They can, with the help of this consciousness, deal with their vital
\nas one deals with a rebellious<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage
\n\u2013 6<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

child, with patience and perseverance, showing
\nit the truth and light, endeavouring to convince it and awaken in it the
\ngoodwill which has been veiled for a time. By means of such patient
\nintervention each crisis can be turned into a new progress, into one more step
\ntowards the goal. Progress may be slow, relapses may be frequent, but if a
\ncourageous will is maintained, one is sure to triumph one day and see all
\ndifficulties melt and vanish before the radiance of the truth-consciousness. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, by means of a rational and
\ndiscerning physical education, we must make our body strong and supple enough
\nto become a fit instrument in the material world for the truth-force which
\nwants to manifest through us. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, the body must not rule, it must
\nobey. By its very nature it is a docile and faithful servant. Unfortunately, it
\nrarely has the capacity of discernment it ought to have with regard to its masters,
\nthe mind and the vital. It obeys them blindly, at the cost of its own
\nwell-being. The mind with its dogmas, its rigid and arbitrary principles, the
\nvital with its passions, its excesses and dissipations soon destroy the natural
\nbalance of the body and create in it fatigue, exhaustion and disease. It must
\nbe freed from this tyranny and this can be done only through a constant union
\nwith the psychic centre of the being. The body has a wonderful capacity of
\nadaptation and endurance. It is able to do so many more things than one usually
\nimagines. If, instead of the ignorant and despotic masters that now govern it,
\nit is ruled by the central truth of the being, you will be amazed at what it is
\ncapable of doing. Calm and quiet, strong and poised, at every minute it will be
\nable to put forth the effort that is demanded of it, for it will have learnt to
\nfind rest in action and to recuperate, through contact with the universal
\nforces, the energies it expends consciously and usefully. In this sound and
\nbalanced life a new harmony will manifest in the body, reflecting the harmony
\nof the higher regions, which will give it perfect proportions and ideal beauty
\nof form. And this harmony will be progressive, for the truth of the being is
\nnever static; it is a <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 7<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

perpetual unfolding of a growing
\nperfection that is more and more total and comprehensive. As soon as the body
\nhas learnt to follow this movement of progressive harmony, it will be possible
\nfor it to escape, through a continuous process of transformation, from the
\nnecessity of disintegration and destruction. Thus the irrevocable law of death
\nwill no longer have any reason to exist. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When we reach this degree of perfection
\nwhich is our goal, we shall perceive that the truth we seek is made up of four
\nmajor aspects: Love, Knowledge, Power and Beauty. These four attributes of the
\nTruth will express themselves spontaneously in our being. The psychic will be
\nthe vehicle of true and pure love, the mind will be the vehicle of infallible
\nknowledge, the vital will manifest an invincible power and strength and the
\nbody will be the expression of a perfect beauty and harmony.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/font><\/span>Bulletin<\/span>, November 1950 <\/font> <\/span>
\n
\n\u00a0 <\/font> <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 8<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n

<span<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

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

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