{"id":4461,"date":"2013-07-13T01:56:10","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4461"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:56:10","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:10","slug":"25-14-july-vol-06-questions-and-answers-volume-06","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/06-questions-and-answers-volume-06\/25-14-july-vol-06-questions-and-answers-volume-06","title":{"rendered":"-25_14 July.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n


\n14 July 1954<\/font><\/span><\/b>
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This talk could not be recorded very clearly because
\nof the noise of the fireworks celebrating the French Republic Day. <\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

The talk is based upon Chapter 2 of The Mother by Sri Aurobindo.
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, does Sri Aurobindo make a difference between the Divine
\nand the Shakti? Here he speaks of \u201csurrender of oneself and all one is and has
\nand every plane of the consciousness and every movement to the Divine and the
\nShakti\u201d. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

He has said that the Divine is the
\nSupreme. That’s the origin. He has said, hasn’t he? at the very beginning of
\nthis chapter, I think, he has said, \u201cThe Divine…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(The child reads the text) \u201c…through his Shakti is behind all
\naction…\u201d1<\/sup> <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

He takes the Shakti as the executive
\npower, the creative Consciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What is the meaning of \u201csurrender\u201d and of \u201cevery plane of the
\nconsciousness\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It means surrender of the physical,
\nsurrender of the vital, surrender of the mind and surrender of the psychic. And
\nif you are conscious of other parts of your being… You must first begin by
\ndistinguishing between the different parts of your being, and then, <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>The complete sentence is: \u201cIn all that is
\ndone in the universe, the Divine through his Shakti is behind all action but he
\nis veiled by his Yoga Maya and works through the ego of the Jiva in the lower
\nnature.\u201d<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 219<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

when you can distinguish them clearly, you
\noffer them one by one. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What does \u201cYoga Maya\u201d mean? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yoga Maya? Maya, I don’t know in what see
\nhe takes it, whether it is as the most external manifestation…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Does he speak of Yoga Maya? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(A child reads the last part of the
\nphrase) \u201c…he is veiled by his Yoga
\nMay.. \u201c <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, veiled by his external manifestation.
\nTruly, that’s what it means, the outer form of the world; and also the egoism
\nof the Jiva, that is, the individual being. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

He \u201cworks through the ego of the Jiva\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, it’s the same thing. Yes, \u201cthrough\u201d \u2013
\nthat means the ego is there. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, here it is written: \u201cBut so long as the lower nature is
\nactive the personal effort of the sadhaka remains necessary.\u201d I didn’t
\nunderstand here \u201cso long as the lower nature is active\u201d. How? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Generally, the lower nature is always
\nactive. It is only when one has surrendered completely that it stops being
\nactive. When one is no longer in his lower consciousness, when one has made a
\ntotal surrender, then the lower nature is no longer active. But so long as it
\nis active, personal effort is necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, so long as one is conscious of
\none’s own self as a separate person, personal effort has to be made. It is only
\nwhen the see of separation is lost, when one is not only completely
\nsurrendered, but completely fused in the Divine that there is no longer any
\nneed of personal effort. But so long as one feels that one is a separate being,
\none must make a personal effort. This
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 220<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

is what he calls the activity of the lower
\nconsciousness.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

(Silence<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

Why are we so afraid of telling the truth? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, why? I, too, ask: Why? I would like
\nto know very much! But it is like that. Things are like that. I think the chief
\nreason is that the nature, in its outer and personal form, doesn’t wish to
\nchange. It doesn’t want to change; so one is hostile to the force that would
\nlike you to change, to the truth. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Suddenly the noise of the fireworks bursts out, drowning all voices.
\nMother laughingly remarks:)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Ah, that’s good! Now all our speeches will
\nbe punctuated by this noise! (Turning to
\nVishwanath<\/i>) You can stop it, we do not want to record the fireworks!
\n(Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA tamasic surrender refusing to fulfil the conditions\u201d \u2013 if it refuses
\nto fulfil the conditions, it is no longer surrender, is it? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Exactly. But there are many who think that
\nthey have surrendered and tell you, \u201cI no longer do anything myself, I have
\ngiven myself to the Divine, the Divine ought to do everything for me.\u201d This
\nthey call surrender… That is to say, it is a movement of laziness and tamas
\nwhich doesn’t want to make any effort and would very much like the Divine to do
\neverything for you, because that is much more comfortable! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What is \u201cthe heart’s seeking\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The heart’s seeking \u2013 it is the emotional
\nbeing trying…\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(The class is again interrupted by loud exclamations <\/span><\/i>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 221<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

from the children of the Boarding House who can see the fireworks from
\ntheir terrace.) <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

We can’t see anything… It is from that
\nside… Eh? We can only hear the noise! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeeking\u201d means that the affective centre
\nis trying to find an emotional contact with the Divine. It is truly this. <\/span><\/p>\n

(The
\nnoise continues and Mother tells Vishwanath once again<\/i>): I think you had
\nbetter stop. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(A child) No, Mother! No, Mother! <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I can hardly even speak! (To another
\nchild) And now? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Why does one always go in for useless talking? Why do we speak
\nuselessly? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Why do people speak uselessly? Yes, that’s
\nprobably because man is instinctively very proud of being able to wield the
\nword. He is the first being on earth who can speak, who emits articulate
\nsounds. So it is a kind of… it is like a child who has a new toy it likes to
\nplay with very much. Man is the only animal on earth who has articulate sounds
\nat his disposal, so he plays with them, you see… I think it’s that…\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And then there’s all the stupidity… You
\nknow, I also said that some people could begin to think only when they
\ntalked…\u00a0 <\/span>When they do not speak, they
\ndo not even think! They are not able to think in silence, so they get into the
\nhabit of speaking. But the more developed one is, the more intelligent one is
\nand the less need one has to express oneself. It is always at a lower level
\nthat one needs to talk. And truly, a being who is very conscious, who is
\nmentally, intellectually, very developed, talks only when it is necessary. He
\ndoes not utter useless words. In the social scale it is like this…\u00a0 <\/span>Take people right at the bottom of the scale:
\nthey talk the most, they spend their time in talking.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 222<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

They can’t stop! Whatever happen to them
\nthey express immediately in words. And to the extent that one is developed and
\non a higher level of evolution, one feels much less need to speak. <\/span><\/p>\n

It comes from two causes: one, because it
\nis a new faculty which naturally and instinctively has the attraction of new
\nfaculties; the other, because it helps you to become aware of your own thought.
\nOtherwise one doesn’t think, one is not able to formulate his thought unless he
\nexpresses it in words, aloud…\u00a0 <\/span>Except
\nthose who are talkers by profession \u2013 that is, those who are in the habit of
\ngiving lectures or political speeches, or taking classes, giving lessons \u2013
\nexcept these people who, obviously, can be both intellectual and talkative at
\nthe same time, as a general rule, the more talkative people are, the less are
\nthey intellectually developed! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What should be done to refrain from talking? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Think! You have only to reflect a little
\nmore. If only you make it a habit to think before speaking, that saves you at
\nleast half of what you say. To think before speaking and to say only what seems
\nabsolutely indispensable to you \u2013 then you very quickly become aware that very
\nfew words are indispensable, except from the practical point of view, in work,
\nwhen one is working with somebody and is obliged to use words: \u201cDo this\u201d, \u201cGive
\nme that\u201d, or \u201cLike this\u201d, or \u201cLike that\u201d. And even so, this can be reduced to a
\nminimum. Otherwise, you see… (Once
\nagain a loud noise of fireworks<\/i>) These are flying saucers! They go far! How
\nlong will all this go on?
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Half an hour. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Another child) It goes on till <\/i><\/span>ten o’clock<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Ten o’clock!…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, I continue! <\/span><\/p>\n

Who has a question to ask? Whose turn is
\nit?
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 223<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

Sweet Mother, sometimes one knows that it is the truth but still doubts
\nthis truth. Why does one doubt?<\/span><\/i> (Loud noise. Nothing else is heard.) <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What did you say? Speak very clearly, it
\nwill be a good exercise. (Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

One knows that something is true but still doubts. Why does one doubt
\nthe truth? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The usual answer, it is because one is
\nfoolish! (Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But the truth is that the physical mind is
\ntruly completely stupid! You can prove it very easily. It is constructed
\nprobably as a kind of control, and in order to make sure that things are done
\nas they ought to be. I think that this is its normal work…\u00a0 <\/span>But it has made it a habit to doubt everything.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I think I have already told you about the
\nsmall experiment I made one day. I removed my control and left the control to
\nthe physical mind \u2013 it is the physical mind which doubts. So I made the
\nfollowing experiment: I went into a room, then came out of the room and closed
\nthe door. I had decided to close the door; and when I came to another room,
\nthis mind, the material mind, the physical mind, you see, said, \u201cAre you sure
\nyou have locked the door?\u201d Now, I did not control, you know… I said, \u201cVery
\nwell, I obey it!\u201d I went back to see. I observed that the door was closed. I
\ncame back. As soon as I couldn’t see the door any longer, it told me, \u201cHave you
\nverified properly?\u201d So I went back again…\u00a0
\n<\/span>And this went on till I decided: \u201cCome now, that’s enough, isn’t it?
\nClosed or not, I am not going back any more to see!\u201d This could have gone on
\nthe whole day. It is made like that. It stops being like that only when a
\nhigher mind, the rational mind tells it, \u201cKeep quiet!\u201d Otherwise it goes on
\nindefinitely…\u00a0 <\/span>So, if by ill-luck you
\nare centred there, in this mind, even the things you know higher up as quite
\ntrue, even things of which you have a physical proof \u2013 like that of the closed
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 224<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

door, it doubts, it will doubt, because it
\nis built of doubt. It will always say, \u201cAre you quite sure this is
\ntrue?…\u00a0 <\/span>Isn’t it an idea of yours?…
\nYou don’t suppose it is like that?\u201d And it will go on until one teaches it to
\nkeep quiet and be silent. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNote that a tamasic surrender refusing to fulfil the conditions and
\ncalling on God to do everything\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, but we have just been speaking about
\nthis! I have already answered this question. Someone asked me…I have already
\nanswered…\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How is the Divine the Sadhana?\u00b9<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Because it is the Divine who does the
\nsadhana in the being. Without the Divine there would be no sadhana Only, you
\nknow nothing about it…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>you think \u2013
\nyou are under the illusion \u2013 that it is you. And precisely, so long as you are
\nunder this illusion, you must make an effort; but the truth is that it is the
\nDivine who does the sadhana in you, and that without the Divine there would be
\nno sadhana <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Here it is written: \u201c…the Divine…is the Sadhaka and the Sadhana\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, He is everything, isn’t He? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

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

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Another child) Then, Mother, why the personal effort? If it is the Divine who does the
\nsadhana, let the Divine do it; and where is the personal effort? <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, this is precisely what people say in
\ntheir laziness! But if <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>\u201cIn Yoga also it is the Divine who is the Sadhaka and
\nthe Sadhana\u201d<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 225<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

you were not lazy, you wouldn’t say it!
\n(Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What does personal effort mean? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Effort which thinks it is personal. You
\nhave the see of your separate person. Do you feel that you are the Divine, and
\nonly the Divine? No! (Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Well, the
\nDivine is this…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Precisely, so long as
\nyou feel that you are Manoj, well, Manoj must make an effort. If you can
\ncompletely get rid of the notion of Manoj, there is no longer anything but the
\nDivine, and it is the Divine who will make the effort, naturally!…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>But so long as there is a Manoj, it is Manoj
\nwho has to make the effort. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

But when Manoj makes the effort, it is the Divine in Manoj who is making
\nthe effort! <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps, but Manoj knows nothing about it!
\n(Laughter) I say simply that if there were no Divine, Manoj could not make the
\neffort. But Manoj is not yet in a state to know that, so he knows that he is
\nmaking an effort. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

But now you have told me! Today I know, so…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Instantaneously) Ah, ha, ha, ha,
\nha!…\u00a0 <\/span>(Laughter) Mental knowledge is
\nnot enough, you must have the practical experience. Otherwise, my children, we
\nwould all have been transformed long ago, because for a long time we have had
\nthe knowledge that the transformations must come about. (Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Is that all? Go on! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, what is the difference between self-giving, consecration
\nand surrender? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Self-giving, consecration and surrender? I
\nbelieve we have read this somewhere, haven’t we? There was already some
\nexplana- <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 226<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

tion like that, wasn’t there? We have
\nalready spoken about it. It was in Elements
\nof Yoga<\/i> also. Someone had asked about it and the reply was in this book.
\nSri Aurobindo has given the answer, the difference between…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, my children, if you…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That was about belief. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Eh? In Elements of Yoga; wasn’t it? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

In Elements of Yoga it was the difference between trust, faith and
\nbelief. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, it was between these three! It was not
\nbetween surrender, self-giving and consecration? But I have read this somewhere.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, Parul says she had asked this question. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Another child) It was in Prayers and Meditations. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, it was in Prayers and Meditations? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

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

 <\/span><\/p>\n

And so, what did I tell you? Ah, it’s
\ngoing to be interesting! (Laughter)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>What
\ndid I tell you? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Long silence)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Pavitra: We could add \u201coffering\u201d also! <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I think they are closely synonymous, that
\nthey are rather shades than differences. Because one can very well replace one
\nby another in a sentence. It depends on how the sentence sounds and on the word
\nthat fits best into it. It is a literary point. If one wants, one can find a
\ndifference, but all this depends entirely
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 227<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

on what one wants to put into the words. <\/span><\/p>\n

I said, didn’t I, that \u201csoumission\u201d
\n(submission) is not a good word? We use in French \u201csoumission\u201d to translate
\n\u201csurrender\u201d, because there is no word which translates \u201csurrender\u201d.
\n\u201cSoumission\u201d always gives the impression of something which accepts
\nreluctantly, which does not give complete adherence, does not collaborate
\nfully. And so, that is what makes the difference with the word in the see of
\n\u201csurrender\u201d in which there is the meaning of a perfect adherence. Which means
\nthat though one uses this word \u201cSoumission\u201d, it is not a good one…\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Silence)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

One can \u2013 if one wants to split hairs, as
\nit is said one can make a distinction between self-giving, consecration and
\noffering. These are three…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>they may
\nbe three different phases. But that is if truly one wants to create
\ncomplications; because in writing, as I said, one can very well use one word in
\nplace of another, according to the rhythm of the sentence, and this keeps the
\nmeaning intact. For if you want to make a distinction, you are immediately
\nobliged to put adjectives, aren’t you?… Take the word in itself,
\n\u201cself-giving, offering, consecration\u201d… Now, if you want to make a
\ndistinction, you say \u201ca total consecration\u201d, \u201ca partial self-giving\u201d… You
\nsee, you are obliged to use adjectives: they are synonyms. <\/span><\/p>\n

Who asked the questions? It was you? Now,
\nit depends on the sentence you are going to write \u2013 you will use one word or
\nanother. But you must know: the word \u201cSoumission\u201d does not have the precise
\nmeaning that’s necessary. \u201cSoumission\u201d (\u201csubmission\u201d) compared with \u201csurrender\u201d
\ngives the same difference that there is \u2013 perhaps less strongly \u2013 but a
\ndifference analogous to that between obedience and collaboration. In one case
\nthere is a perfect adherence, and in the other there is an acceptance which
\nperhaps reserves itself; it accepts because it realises that it can’t do
\notherwise, but it does not collaborate entirely…
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 228<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

One does not give total adherence. <\/span><\/p>\n

Any other questions? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, last time you said that stones have a kind of receptivity. <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes.  <\/span><\/p>\n

What kind of receptivity? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps they have even something
\nresembling sensitivity. For instance, if you have a precious stone \u2013 precious
\nstones of course have a much more perfect structure than ordinary ones, and
\nwith perfection consciousness increases \u2013 but if you take a precious stone, you
\ncan charge it with consciousness and force; you can put, accumulate force
\nwithin it. So it is receptive, otherwise it will not receive it, it could not
\nkeep it. You can charge it. As one charges an electric battery, you can charge
\na stone with force, put conscious force into a stone; it keeps it and can
\ntransmit it to someone. Therefore this stone has a receptivity. Otherwise it
\ncould not do this. <\/span><\/p>\n

Flowers are extremely receptive. All the
\nflowers to which I have given a significance receive exactly the force I put
\ninto them and transmit it. People don’t always receive it because most of the
\ntime they are less receptive than the flower, and they waste the force that has
\nbeen put in it through their unconsciousness and lack of receptivity. But the force
\nis there, and the flower receives it wonderfully. <\/span><\/p>\n

I knew this a very long time ago. Fifty
\nyears ago…\u00a0 <\/span>There was that occultist
\nwho later gave me lessons in occultism for two years. His wife was a wonderful
\nclairvoyant and had an absolutely remarkable capacity \u2013 precisely \u2013 of
\ntransmitting forces. They lived in Tlemcen. I was in <\/span>Paris<\/span>. I used to correspond with them. I had
\nnot yet met them at all. And then, one day, she sent me in a letter petals of
\nthe pomegranate flower, \u201cDivine’s Love\u201d.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 229<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

At that time I had not given the meaning
\nto the flower. She sent me petals of pomegranate flowers telling me that these
\npetals were bringing me her protection and force. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, at that time I used to wear my watch
\non a chain. Wrist-watches were not known then or there were very few. And there
\nwas also a small eighteenth century magnifying-glass… it was quite small, as
\nlarge as this (gesture)…\u00a0 <\/span>And it had
\ntwo lees, you see, like all reading-glasses; there were two lees mounted on a
\nsmall golden frame, and it was hanging from my chain. Now, between the two
\nglasses I put these petals and I used to carry this about with me always
\nbecause I wanted to keep it with me; you see, I trusted this lady and knew she
\nhad power. I wanted to keep this with me, and I always felt a kind of energy,
\nwarmth, confidence, force which came from that thing…\u00a0 <\/span>I did not think about it, you see, but I felt
\nit like that. <\/span><\/p>\n

And then, one day, suddenly I felt quite
\ndepleted, as though a support that was there had gone. Something very
\nunpleasant. I said, \u201cIt is strange; what has happened? Nothing really
\nunpleasant has happened to me. Why do I feel like this, so empty, emptied of
\nenergy?\u201d And in the evening, when I took off my watch and chain, I noticed that
\none of the small glasses had come off and all the petals were gone. There was
\nnot one petal left. Then I really knew that they carried a considerable charge
\nof power, for I had felt the difference without even knowing the reason. I
\ndidn’t know the reason and yet it had made a considerable difference. So it was
\nafter this that I saw how one could use flowers by charging them with forces.
\nThey are extremely receptive. <\/span><\/p>\n

(The
\nnoise continues.<\/i>) Now that’s enough, I suppose? Enough of that noise! <\/span><\/p>\n

Another question? (A loud noise<\/i>)\u00a0 <\/span>Boom! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Do flowers retain the force always, even when they decay? <\/span><\/i>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 230<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

Decay? No, my child; when they dry up,
\nyes. Decayed flowers are just nothing. A decomposition takes place, so the thing
\ndisappears. Perhaps it brings energy to the soil, that’s quite possible; but
\nstill, when it decays it is good only to make manure to grow other flowers. But
\nif it dries up, it is preserved, it can remain for quite a long time. <\/span><\/p>\n

Those small packets which I give on Kali
\nPuja day are made to be preserved for one year. For a year they keep their
\nforce intact and I renew them every year to make sure that…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I know that there isn’t one in ten among you
\nwho makes a proper use of it…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>but
\nstill, I give it on the off-chance for those who know how to use it. It is
\nprepared to keep the force for one year. And when I give the new one, you can
\ndispose of the other. Usually it has fallen to dust. Not always…\u00a0 <\/span>But these little packets keep their charge of
\nforce exactly for one year. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, what should we do with the flowers which you give us every
\nday? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Flowers? You ought to keep them as long as
\nthey are fresh, and when they are no longer so, you must collect them and give
\nthem to the gardener (any gardener you know), so that he can put them in the
\nearth to produce other flowers. Yes, one must give back to the earth what it
\nhas given us, for otherwise it will become poor. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, certain flowers come in a particular season; does this mean that
\nduring that season a greater force is at work? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This is a question which is difficult to
\nanswer. But I have made a rather interesting experiment in this way. <\/span><\/p>\n

I don’t know if you remember \u2013 if you were
\nthere \u2013 if you remember the time when flowers used to be counted; you see, it
\nwas a kind of agreement between me and Nature. To each of
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 231<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

these flowers I had given a particular
\nvalue, not only its significance but its value. For example \u2013 it was understood
\n\u2013 I had made an agreement with Nature. Take, for instance, the
\n\u201ctransformations\u201d flowers; note that if one is quite attentive, one will see
\nthat in different seasons one flower is replaced by another with a similar or
\nclose significance, and you can go all round the year in this way \u2013 if you know
\nhow to make use of things! There are also permanent things which are always
\nthere…\u00a0 <\/span>But flowers, for example, like
\nthe \u201ctransformations\u201d flowers, have a season, quite a long one, but still a
\nseason. The \u201crealisation\u201d flower has a fairly long season, but it doesn’t come
\nat the same time as the \u201ctransformations\u201d flower… They…how shall I put
\nit?…overlap. One begins before the other finishes. But the seasons when they
\ncome abundantly are not the same, and all flowers are like that. Yes, it is
\narranged. This answers your questions, doesn’t it? These are shades in the
\nmeaning and it is possible that some seasons are more favourable; one may lay
\ngreater stress on one movement than on another.<\/span><\/p>\n

But each of these flowers had a numerical
\nvalue, and I used to write it down; I had them counted, because I was noting
\nthe numerical value. I stopped when my pages…\u00a0
\n<\/span>I had long pages like this, you see (Mother
\nstretches out her arms to indicate the length of the pages<\/i>), because I was
\ntotalling up the numerical values. I had my reasons for it, it was not just
\nlike that… I did a great deal of work with it… I had to stop because it was
\ntaking too much time. You see, when I had to write figures on a paper at least
\nas long as this, and then later, suddenly it had to be still bigger, it was
\nimpossible! (Mother stretches out her
\narms again.<\/i>) So I had to stop. I stopped because of this. But not only did
\nI have a numerical value and did some work upon it, there was also the meaning
\nof the flower. <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, it was an agreement like this: the
\nnumerical value corresponded to something that it was understood Nature would
\ngive me for my work, but the significance of the flower also was something
\nagreed upon between me and Nature. For example,
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 232<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

take \u201ctransformations\u201d. When there was a
\ncomputation \u2013 it was sometimes by thousands during the season, you know \u2013 well,
\nit represented (it was an understanding with Nature) that the same number of
\nmen would be transformed…\u00a0 <\/span>And it was
\neven much better than this. It was that when I gave somebody one, two, three,
\nfour, five flowers I gave him at the same time the power to transform as many
\nelements within him. But naturally, for this to work in all sincerity, it had
\nnot to pass through the head; because when their head starts working \u2013 not
\nalways in the right way \u2013 men spoil everything. That is why I never used to say
\nanything about this. <\/span><\/p>\n

It was the same thing for all flowers,
\n\u201caspiration\u201d, for example: the \u201caspiration\u201d flowers which used to come in large
\nbasketfuls, you know; there were thousands and thousands of them, all
\ncounted…\u00a0 <\/span>Well, each one represented an
\naspiration; and even now, sometimes, when I have flowers like \u201cprayer\u201d…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I have at times told you when I distribute
\n\u201cprayer\u201d flowers, \u201cIt is a prayer. Be careful, this prayer is granted.\u201d I did
\nthat, you remember, don’t you? And I told you, \u201cTake care of your `prayer’.
\nPray only for what you want should be! Take great care! Because this prayer is
\ngranted. I give the flower, but at the same time the possibility of […]\u00b9 the
\nprayer you will make. Well, it will be granted.\u201d It was very interesting, in
\nthe see that I always used to tell Nature, \u201cYou know, if you don’t want me to
\nhave these things, you need not give them to me.\u201d There were fluctuations,
\nthere were times when things came in abundance, when I insisted; there were
\ntimes when they stopped abruptly, why one couldn’t tell, one did not
\nunderstand…\u00a0 <\/span>She did not agree to give
\nus… Other things, on the contrary, she gave in great abundance. <\/span><\/p>\n

But all this is what goes on behind the
\nscene, behind the stage…\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

When we have a ring or some ornament with your image, does it give us
\nprotection? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>Word missing in transcript.<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 233<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

My child, all I can hear is the fireworks!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(The child repeats the questions.)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It depends above all on what you think
\nabout it! Something I give you with my own hands \u2013 there I put in something;
\nbut if it is of your own choice that you have taken a ring or a portrait,
\nsomething, and you wear it… if you have the trust, the faith that it protects
\nyou, it protects you. When I give it, I give it with something completely
\ndifferent from the thing itself. It can contain this thing if I put it in, but
\nif I don’t, it does not contain it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo used to say, you know, that
\nto wear a ring with his portrait and think that it protects you, is a
\nsuperstition! He would tell you it is a superstition! That is, it depends on
\nwhat you think about it…\u00a0 <\/span>It depends
\nsolely on what you think about it. If he had given you a ring, saying, \u201cWear
\nthis, my force will be with you\u201d, then it would have been altogether different;
\nthere’s a world of difference. <\/span><\/p>\n

I shall tell you another little story.
\nLong ago some people used to believe that a perforated coin… It was in the
\ndays when coins were not perforated… now we have perforated coins, don’t we,
\nsome countries have perforated coins, but in those days they were not
\nperforated, and yet sometimes there were holes in a coin. And there was indeed
\na superstition like this, that when one found a perforated coin, it brought
\ngood luck. It brought you good luck and success in what you wanted to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

There was a man working in an office whose
\nlife was rather poor and who was not very successful, and one day he found a
\nperforated coin. He put it in his pocket and said to himself, \u201cNow I am going
\nto prosper!\u201d And he was full of hope, courage, energy, because he knew: \u201cNow
\nthat I have the coin, I am sure to succeed!\u201d And, in fact, he went on
\nprospering, prospering more and more. He earned more and more money, he had a
\nbetter and better position, and people said, \u201cWhat a wonderful
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 234<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

man! How well he works! How he finds all
\nthe solutions to all problems!\u201d Indeed, he became a remarkable man, and every
\nmorning when he put on his coat, he felt it \u2013 like this \u2013 to be sure that his
\ncoin was in his pocket…\u00a0 <\/span>He touched it,
\nhe felt that the coin was there, and he had confidence. And then, one day, he
\nwas a little curious, and said, \u201cI am going to see my coin!\u201d \u2013 years later. He
\nwas having his breakfast with his wife and said, \u201cI am going to see my coin!\u201d
\nHis wife told him, \u201cWhy do you want to see it? It’s not necessary.\u201d \u201cYes, yes,
\nlet me see my coin.\u201d He took out the little bag in which he kept the coin, and
\nfound inside a coin which was not perforated! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh,\u201d he said, \u201cthis is not my coin! What
\nis this? Who has changed my coin?\u201d Then his wife told him, \u201cLook, one day there
\nwas some dust on your coat…\u00a0 <\/span>I shook it
\noff through the window and the coin fell out. I had forgotten that the coin was
\nthere. I ran to look for it but didn’t find it. Someone had picked it up. So I
\nthought you would be very unhappy and I put another coin there.\u201d (Laughter)
\nOnly, he, of course, was confident that his coin was there and that was enough.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

It is the faith, the trust that does it,
\nyou see…\u00a0 <\/span>The perforated coin gives you
\nnothing at all. You can always try. If you have the confidence, it gives
\nyou…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>When one has confidence…\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There! now…and that’s enough.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 235<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


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

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