{"id":4282,"date":"2013-07-13T01:54:49","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4282"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:54:49","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:49","slug":"18-series-nine-vol-16-some-answers-from-the-mother-volume-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/16-some-answers-from-the-mother-volume-16\/18-series-nine-vol-16-some-answers-from-the-mother-volume-16","title":{"rendered":"-18_Series Nine.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n


\n
\nSERIES NINE<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n


\n
\n Series Nine <\/font> <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n To a young
\nteacher in the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>With what
\nattitude should I read Sri Aurobindo’s books when they are difficult and when I
\ndon’t understand? Savitri, The Life Divine, for example. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n Read a little at
\na time, read again and again until you have understood. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sri Aurobindo
\nsays: \u201cYoga is nothing but practical psychology.\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span> 
\nWhat does this sentence mean? The whole paragraph is not clear to me. <\/span>
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n Because you know
\nnothing about psychology. Study psychology and you will understand what he
\nmeans. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sri Aurobindo
\nsays: \u201cIn whatever form and with whatever spirit we approach him, in that form
\nand with that spirit he receives the sacrifice.\u201d<\/span>\u00b2<\/span>
\nWhat does this mean?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n It means that all
\nwe offer, we necessarily offer to the Supreme, because He is the sole Reality
\nbehind everything. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sri Aurobindo has
\nwritten: \u201cHe who chooses the Infinite has been chosen by the Infinite.\u201d<\/span>\u00b3<\/span>
\nAnd what about the others, Mother? What good is life if the Divine does not want
\nus? I believe that in truth the Divine has chosen us all; but what does this
\nsentence mean, then? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n   
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>The
\nSynthesis of Yoga, Cent. Vol. 20, p. 39.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n     
\n<\/font> <\/span>
\n
\n\u00b2<\/span>Ibid.,
\np. 102                        <\/span>\u00b3<\/span><\/font>Ibid.,
\np. 47.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013243<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\nIn truth the
\nDivine has chosen everyone and everything, and everyone and everything will
\nreturn to Him. But for some it will take thousands of lives, while for others it
\nwill happen in this very lifetime. This is what makes the difference.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n23 May 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>You have
\nsaid that I do not think well. How can one develop one’s thought? <\/span><\/i>\n<\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n You must read
\nwith much attention and concentration, not novels or dramas, but books that make
\nyou think. You must meditate on what you have read, reflect on a thought until
\nyou have understood it. Talk little, remain quiet and concentrated, and speak
\nonly when it is indispensable.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n1 June 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>You have
\nasked the teachers \u201cto think with ideas instead of with words\u201d.<\/span>\u00b9<\/span>
\nYou have also said that later on you will ask them to think with experiences.
\nWill you throw some light on these three ways of thinking? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n Our house has a
\nvery high tower; at the very top of this tower there is a bright and bare room,
\nthe last before we emerge into the open air, into the full light. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nSometimes, when we
\nare free to do so, we climb up to this bright room, and there, if we remain very
\nquiet, one or more visitors come to call on us; some are tall, others small,
\nsome single, others in groups; all are bright and graceful. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nUsually, in our
\njoy at their arrival and our haste to welcome them, we lose our tranquillity and
\ncome galloping down to rush <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n  <\/span>
\n
\n  <\/span>
\n<\/font>
\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>On
\nEducation, Cent. Vol. 12, p. 187.<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 244<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\ninto the great
\nhall that forms the base of the tower and is the storeroom of words. Here, more
\nor less excited, we select, reject, assemble, combine, disarrange, rearrange all
\nthe words in our reach, in an attempt to portray this or that visitor who has
\ncome to us. But most often, the picture we succeed in making of our visitor is
\nmore like a caricature than a portrait. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nAnd yet if we were
\nwiser, we would remain up above, at the summit of the tower, quite calm, in
\njoyful contemplation. Then, after a certain length of time, we would see the
\nvisitors themselves slowly, gracefully, calmly descend, without losing anything
\nof their elegance or beauty and, as they cross the storeroom of words, clothe
\nthemselves effortlessly, automatically, with the words needed to make themselves
\nperceptible even in the material house. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nThis is what I
\ncall thinking with ideas. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nWhen this process
\nis no longer mysterious to you, I shall explain what is meant by thinking with
\nexperiences.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n1 June 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n My dear child, I
\nhave just read your good letter. Fear nothing: those who are sincere in their
\naspiration will remain here and receive all the help needed to be able to change
\nin themselves what needs to be changed. You can be sure that my force will
\nalways be with you so that you can make all the progress you want to make.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nHave confidence,
\nmy child; everything will be all right.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n5 June 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Sri
\nAurobindo speaks of a \u201ccentral knot of desires\u201d which must be cut. How can one
\ndo it, where should one start? <\/span><\/i>
\n  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 245<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\nThe central knot
\nof desires is the sense of separate personality; it is the ego. With the
\ndisappearance of the ego, the desires disappear.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n13 June 1960<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>One day in
\nclass you said, with your hands wide open, that we should give you everything,
\neven our defects and vices and all the dirt in us. Is this the only way to get
\nrid of them, and how can one do it? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n One keeps one’s
\ndefects because one hangs on to them as if they were something precious; one
\nclings to one’s vices as one clings to a part of one’s body, and pulling out a
\nbad habit hurts as much as pulling out a tooth. That is why one does not
\nprogress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nWhereas if one
\ngenerously makes an offering of one’s defect, vice or bad habit, then one has
\nthe joy of making an offering and one receives in exchange the force to replace
\nwhat has been given, by a better and truer vibration.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n13 June 1960<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>It happens
\nthat when we love You deeply and are intimately in contact with You, we have the
\nimpression that the Divine belongs to us exclusively (and not that we belong to
\nHim). Why? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n The two are
\nequally true and they ought to be felt simultaneously. But human egoism always
\nhas the tendency to take rather than to give. This is where that impression
\ncomes from.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n3 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>It is much
\neasier for me to approach You than to approach Sri Aurobindo. Why? You are all
\nthat Sri Aurobindo is for us, as well as a divine and loving Mother. So is it
\nnecessary to try to establish the same relation with him? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nYou yourself have
\nanswered your own question. I am for you a mother who is very close to you, who
\nloves and understands you; that is why it is easy for you to approach me with a
\nloving confidence, without fear and without hesitation. Sri Aurobindo is always
\nthere to help you and guide you; but it is natural that you should approach Him
\nwith the reverence due to the Master of Yoga.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n3 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 246<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>   What
\nexactly is the soul or psychic being? And what is meant by the evolution of the
\npsychic being? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n        What is  its
\nrelation to the Supreme? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n The soul and the
\npsychic being are not exactly the same thing, although their essence is the
\nsame. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\n  The soul is the
\ndivine spark that dwells at the centre of each being; it is identical with its
\nDivine Origin; it is the divine in man. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n      <\/span>
\nThe psychic being
\nis formed progressively around this divine centre, the soul, in the course of
\nits innumerable lives in the terrestrial evolution, until the time comes when
\nthe psychic being, fully formed and wholly awakened, becomes the conscious
\nsheath of the soul around which it is formed. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    And thus
\nidentified with the Divine, it becomes His perfect instrument in the world.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n16 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 247<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>You have
\nsaid that once we have found our psychic being, we can never lose it. Isn’t that
\nso? But can we come into contact with it from time to time when we are
\nreceptive? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n When you have
\nestablished contact with your psychic being, it is, in effect, definitive.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nBut before this
\ncontact is established, you can, in certain circumstances, consciously receive
\nthe psychic influence which always produces an illumination in the being and has
\nmore or less lasting effects.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n16 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>The soul
\nindividualises itself and progressively transforms itself into a psychic being.
\nWhat are the best conditions for its rapid growth? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n It would be more
\ncorrect to say that the soul puts on a progressive individual form which becomes
\nthe psychic being. For since the soul is itself a portion of the Supreme, it is
\nimmutable and eternal. The psychic being is progressive and immortal. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nAll the methods of
\nself-knowledge, self-control and self-mastery are good. You have to choose the
\none that comes to you spontaneously and best corresponds to your nature. And
\nonce {247having chosen the method, you must use your intelligent will to apply
\nit with an unfailing perseverance that does not shrink from any obstacle, any
\ndifficulty. It is a long and minute work which must be undertaken with sincerity
\nand continued with an increasing sincerity ever more scrupulous and integral.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nThe easy paths
\ngenerally lead nowhere.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n28 July 1960<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 248<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Does an
\nouter life of evil deeds and a base consciousness have an effect on the psychic
\nbeing? Is there a possibility of its degradation? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n A base and evil
\nlife can only have the effect of separating the outer being more and more
\ncompletely from the psychic being, which retires into the depths of the higher
\nconsciousness and sometimes even cuts off all relation with the body, which is
\nthen usually possessed by an asuric or rakshasic being. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\n The psychic being
\nitself is above all possibility of degradation.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n28 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>How does
\nthe soul influence a being who is normally unconscious? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n The soul’s
\ninfluence is a kind of radiance that penetrates through the most opaque
\nsubstances and acts even in the unconsciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nBut then its
\naction is slow and takes a very long time to obtain a perceptible result.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n31 July 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Sri
\nAurobindo says that the voice of the ordinary conscience is not the voice of the
\nsoul. What is it then? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n The voice of the
\nordinary conscience is an ethical voice, a moral voice which distinguishes
\nbetween good and evil, encourages us to do good and forbids us to do evil. This
\nvoice is very useful in ordinary life, until one is able to become conscious of  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 249<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\none’s psychic
\nbeing and allow oneself to be entirely guided by it \u2013 in other words, to rise
\nabove ordinary humanity, free oneself from all egoism and become a conscious
\ninstrument of the Divine Will. The soul itself, being a portion of the Divine,
\nis above all moral and ethical notions; it bathes in the Divine Light and
\nmanifests it, but it can truly govern the whole being only when the ego has been
\ndissolved.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n12 August 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

You
\nhave said that to be allowed to sit in Sri Aurobindo’s room and meditate there,
\n\u201cone must have done  much for Him\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span> 
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n    What do You
\nmean by that, Mother? What can one do for the Lord which will be this \u201cmuch\u201d?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n To do something
\nfor the Lord is to give Him something of what one has or of what one does or of
\nwhat one is. In other words, to offer Him a part of our belongings or all our
\npossessions, to consecrate to Him a part of our work or all our activities, or
\nto give ourselves to Him totally and unreservedly so that He can take possession
\nof our nature in order to transform and divinise it. But there are many persons
\nwho, without giving anything, always want to take and to receive. These people
\nare selfish and they are not worthy of meditating in Sri Aurobindo’s room.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 September 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>How are the
\nmessages that You give us on Blessings days chosen? How should we read them and
\nwhat new things in particular should we look for in them? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span>   <\/span>
\n<\/font>
\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>.Words
\nof the Mother, Cent. Vol. 13, p. 29. <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 250<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\nThe messages are
\nusually chosen according to the occasion or the need of the moment, so that each
\nperson may be able to find in them either the force or the knowledge that will
\nhelp him to make progress. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nIn each one the
\nwill to progress is the needed thing that is what opens us to the divine
\ninfluence and makes us capable of receiving what it brings us.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 September 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Sri
\nAurobindo tells us: \u201cFirst be sure of the call and of thy soul’s answer\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span>
\nbefore following the path of Yoga, or else the end will be a disaster. But how
\ncan we know if the call is really there or not? And as for our soul, would it
\nnot always choose Yoga? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n Sri Aurobindo
\nmeans that one should not mistake a mental ambition or a vital caprice for the
\nspiritual call for that alone is a sure sign that one should take up Yoga. The
\nspiritual call is heard only when the time has come, and then the soul responds
\nand sets out on the path; it does not allow itself to be deceived by any
\nambition, pride or desire, and so long as it does not receive the Divine command
\nto take up the path, it waits patiently, knowing that to start out too soon is
\nuseless, to say the least, and may be harmful.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n17 October 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Sri
\nAurobindo tells us: \u201cGod’s grace is more difficult to have or to keep than
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\nthe nectar of the
\nImmortals.\u201d<\/span>\u00b2<\/span>    
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\nWhat does this
\nmean? Doesn’t the Divine Grace always pour down on us, depending only on our
\nreceptivity? <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>Cent.
\nVol. 17, p. 39.   <\/font> <\/span>
\n\u00b2<\/font><\/span>{Cent.
\nVol. 17, p. 40. <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 251<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\nThe Grace is
\nalways there, eternally present and active, but Sri Aurobindo says that it is
\nextremely difficult for us to be in a condition to receive it, keep it and make
\nuse of what it gives us. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nSri Aurobindo even
\nsays that it is more difficult than to drink from the cup of the gods who are
\nimmortal. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nTo receive the
\ndivine grace, not only must one have a great aspiration, but also a sincere
\nhumility and an absolute trust.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n17 October 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Why isn’t
\nit possible to live always on the same height of consciousness? Sometimes I fall
\ndespite every effort and aspiration. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Sri
\nAurobindo speaks of a \u201cperiod of assimilation\u201d. What is it, Mother? <\/span><\/i>\n<\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n It is because an
\nindividual is not made up all of one piece, but of many different entities which
\nare sometimes even contrary to one another: some want the spiritual life, others
\nare attached to the things of this world. To make all these parts agree and to
\nunify them is a long and difficult task. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nThe force and the
\nlight received by the more developed parts spread gradually into the rest of the
\nbeing by a process of assimilation, and during this period of assimilation the
\nprogress of the more developed parts seems to be interrupted. This is what Sri
\nAurobindo has spoken of.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n29 October 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Often it is
\npossible to live moments of supreme ecstasy because one is in contact with one’s
\nPersonal Divine. How to approach the Transcendent Divine? <\/span><\/i>
\n  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013  252<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\nIt is utterly
\ncertain that if you were truly in contact with \u201cyour personal divine\u201d, you would
\nknow perfectly well \u201chow to approach the Transcendent Divine\u201d. For the two are
\nidentical; it is only the mode of approach that differs: one is through the
\nheart, the other through the mind. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n29 October 1960<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>In the last
\nquestion, I expressed myself very poorly and Your reply made me feel very
\ninsincere. What I wanted to say is that in our best moments of receptivity, we
\nare in contact with a Presence to whom we feel an imperative need to give
\nourselves and who is the object of all our love and adoration. This Presence I
\nhave called the \u201cPersonal Divine\u201d, who is in fact none other than You. I know
\nthat it is not possible to have a complete conception of the Divine at this
\nstage. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>So now tell
\nme, Mother, if it is possible to have an idea of the \u201cTranscendent Divine\u201d.
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n My reply
\ncontained the answer to your question, for I understood very well that you were
\nnot claiming anything, but had expressed yourself poorly. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nTo discover the
\nTranscendent Divine one has to follow the intellectual discipline, the way of
\nknowledge, and by successive eliminations arrive at the one sole Truth, the
\nAbsolute beyond form and time and space. It is a long and difficult path, a very
\narduous path. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nWhereas with one’s
\nheart, one can set out to discover the Immanent Divine. And if one knows truly
\nhow to love, without desire or egoism, one finds Him very soon, for always He
\ncomes to meet you in order to help you.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n12 November 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 253<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Sri
\nAurobindo tells us: \u201cGod in his perfection embraces everything; we also must
\nbecome all-embracing.\u201d There is a lot of misunderstanding among the young people
\nabout this sentence. What does it mean exactly?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n It should be
\nunderstood clearly that there is no question here of any physical embracing, as
\npractical jokers with the tastes and habits of street-urchins might like to
\nsuggest and who seek in what Sri Aurobindo has written an excuse for their
\nexcesses. The divine embraces are embraces of soul and of consciousness, and
\nthey can be reproduced among human beings only by a widening of the
\nconsciousness, understanding and feelings a widening that enables you to
\nunderstand everything and love everything, without preference or exclusiveness.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 November 1960 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>We are told
\nthat before the children came to the Ashram, the conditions were a lot stricter
\nand the discipline more rigorous. How and why have these conditions changed now?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nBefore the
\nchildren came, only those who wanted to do sadhana were admitted to the Ashram,
\nand the only habits and activities tolerated were those that were useful for the
\npractice of sadhana. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nBut as it would be
\nunreasonable to demand that children should do sadhana, this rigidity had to
\ndisappear the moment the children were introduced into the Ashram.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 November 1960<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 254<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>Is it
\npossible to love You perfectly, absolutely, before finding the psychic being
\nwithin us? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n In terrestrial
\nman, it is only the psychic being that knows true love. As for perfect love, it
\nexists only in the Divine.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 April 1961<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>In the New
\nYear Message of 1961 You say: \u201cThis wonderful world of delight waiting at our
\ngates for our call to come down upon earth\u201d Will you please explain this? Hasn’t
\nit already come down? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n It is not the
\nworld of delight that has come down, but only the supramental Light,
\nConsciousness and Force.<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n26 April 1961 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>How can one
\nmost effectively call this wonderful world of delight? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n An absolute
\nsincerity in the aspiration.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 April 1961<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n


\n Sweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span>When this
\ndelight comes down, what will the visible results be in the world? <\/span><\/i>\n<\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n A generalised
\ngoodwill and harmony.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n26 April 1961 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 255<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

These
\ndays they print your symbol and Sri Aurobindo’s name on all sorts of things, on
\nall the thousand and     one little trifles of daily life which have to be
\nthrown away once they have served their purpose, as for example matchboxes,
\npencils, toothbrushes, combs, even the borders of a sari, which are much
\ntrampled on. Is it good to use these precious things in such a free and common
\nway? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

And
\nthen what can we do with these things, Mother, when we no longer need them? We
\ncan’t throw them away. The old calendars, for example; we have a thick pile of
\nthem. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe Lord is
\neverywhere, in everything, in what we throw away as in what we keep preciously,
\nin what we trample on as in what we adore. We must learn to live with respect
\nand never forget His constant and immutable Presence.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n2 June 1961 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n If you are
\nspeaking of calendars with photographs, it is preferable to cut out the photos,
\nand if you do not want to keep them, give them to X who makes good use of them.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nAnd if you are
\ntelling me that the photos are damaged, this will make you understand how
\nnecessary it is to take care of the things we use. That is what I mean when I
\nspeak of living with respect.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\nJune 1961 <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\nSweet Mother,
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n   
\n<\/span> Is there a
\ndynamic and rapid way to find one’s psychic being and to raise one’s
\nconsciousness? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n The only way that
\ncan be rapid is to think only of that and to want only that. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n    <\/span>
\nIt is effective,
\nbut not very practical for the work!  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n27 May 1963<\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 256<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SERIES NINE  Series Nine      To a young teacher in the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education.   Sweet Mother,     With what attitude…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-16-some-answers-from-the-mother-volume-16","wpcat-121-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4282","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=4282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4282\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}