{"id":4488,"date":"2013-07-13T01:56:21","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4488"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:56:21","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:21","slug":"27-9-september-1953-vol-05-questions-and-answers-volume-05","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/05-questions-and-answers-volume-05\/27-9-september-1953-vol-05-questions-and-answers-volume-05","title":{"rendered":"-27_9 September 1953.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n9 September 1953 <\/font> <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEach time that something of the Divine
\nTruth and the Divine Force comes down to manifest upon earth, some change is
\neffected in the earth\u2019s atmosphere. In the descent, those who are receptive are
\nawakened to some inspiration from it, some touch, some beginning of sight. If
\nthey were capable of holding and expressing rightly what they receive, they
\nwould say, \u2018A great force has come down; I am in contact with it and what I
\nunderstand of it, I will tell you.\u2019 But most of them are not capable of that,
\nbecause they have small minds. They get illumined, possessed, as it were, and
\ncry, \u2018I have the Divine Truth, I possess it whole and entire….\u00a0 <\/span>\u2018 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cOne Divine Consciousness is here working
\nthrough all these beings, preparing its way through all these manifestations.
\nAt this day it is here at work upon earth more powerfully than it has ever been
\nbefore. There are some who receive its touch in some way, or to some degree;
\nbut what they receive they distort, they make their own thing out of it. Others
\nfeel the touch but cannot bear the force and go mad under the pressure. But some
\nhave the capacity to receive and the strength to bear, and it is they who will
\nbecome the vessels of the full knowledge, the chosen instruments and agents.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Questions and Answers 1929 (9 June)
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 How does the divine Force choose the instrument
\nin which it wants to manifest itself? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Through
\naffinity. For the quality, the nature of the consciousness is visible in the
\ndivine domain. It has a special vibration, a special light and this can be
\nperceived. And so, when there is an
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 252<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

affinity
\n(sometimes merely an affinity, sometimes an identity, depending on the being\u2019s
\ndegree of perfection), the Force goes there. Those who are still in the course
\nof formation but whose psychic being is sufficiently developed are seen, their
\nvibrations are seen, the being that is there is seen and accordingly the degree
\nof manifestation is determined, the exact line of manifestation, the importance
\nand conditions of the manifestation. All that is included in the inner vision. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

But it may happen that the instrument does
\nnot understand, for the man in whom the Force is manifested sometimes loses his
\nhead and is unable to contain the Force? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That may
\nhappen, everything is possible. But generally.. I told you this the other day,
\nwhen I spoke of the rebirth of psychic beings, I told you that from their
\ndomain they see a certain vibration, a certain light and they know that it is
\nthere that they must go. But when they drop down, most of the time they drop
\ninto unconsciousness and lose their faculties, at least for the moment. In the
\nend they will come to themselves. But it takes time to recover, it comes as one
\nprogresses, through successive illuminations. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Between the vital being and the mental,
\nwhich progresses faster generally? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That
\ndepends on people. It is the vital in those who have a stronger vital and the
\nmental in those who have a stronger mental being. You mean in the same person?
\nThat depends absolutely on which one is more active and more strong. In what
\nway? In each person the combination is different, so one cannot make a general
\nrule and say how it must be. One can say that in certain types of cases, it is
\nlike this, and in certain others it is like that. <\/span><\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n
\n

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

But
\nto tell the truth, I do not believe that much progress can be made if the two
\ndo not agree, if one pulls one way and the other another. It will always be
\ndifficult. And generally it is better if the mind is converted first, for it is
\nthe mind that must have the power to organise the other parts of the being. <\/span><\/p>\n

(Mother stops and suddenly looks at the
\ndisciples<\/i>.) Someone here has just sent a mental formation that.. has taken,
\nif you like, the shape of a blue paper on which something was written. It
\ndropped down whirling, and dropped upon one of you. So I would like to know if
\nanyone has all of a sudden received some sensational answer?.. Nobody?.. I
\ncould not spot who it was among you, for it fell twirling Too bad. But it
\ndropped upon one of you. It was some blue paper, it took the form of a blue
\npaper and there was a very interesting answer upon it. Nobody received
\nanything? Didn\u2019t some idea all of a sudden enter your head? No?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Nobody answers<\/i>)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

If the vital is not converted and if the
\nmind is convinced? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, you
\npass your life in disputing with yourself! One draws you to one side and the
\nother tries to be your good mentor but you don\u2019t listen to it. So you feel as
\nthough pulled from all sides. You know what you ought to do and you do not do
\nit. You know what ought not to be done and you do it. And because you do stupid
\nthings, you feel sorry. So there are two things, you are unhappy for two
\nreasons: first of all, because of the stupid things you have done, and then due
\nto the regret they bring. It is a somewhat painful situation <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Can\u2019t the vital be converted? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Convert the
\nvital? Surely one can. It is a difficult task, but it
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n
\n

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

can be
\ndone. If it could not be done, then there would be no hope. But generally the
\nmind is not sufficient. For, I have known very many people who could see very
\nclearly, understand very well, were mentally thoroughly convinced, could even
\ndescribe to you and tell you extraordinary things, could easily give excellent
\nlessons to others, but their vital was up to all sorts of tricks and would not
\nlisten at all to all that. It said, \u201cIt is all the same to me, say what you
\nmay; as for myself, I go my own way!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

It
\nis only when contact with the psychic has been established that this can
\nconvert anything at all \u2013 even the worst criminal in \u2013 a moment. These are
\nthose \u201cilluminations\u201d which seize you and turn you inside out completely. After
\nthat, all goes well. There may be slight difficulties of adjustment, but still
\nthings go well. <\/span><\/p>\n

But
\nthe mind is a big preacher, that is its nature: it gives speeches, sermons, as
\nit is done in the churches. So the vital usually gets impatient and answers the
\nmind, not very politely: \u201cYou are a nuisance! what you say is very good for
\nyou, but for me it won\u2019t do.\u201d Or, at the best, when the mind is gifted with
\nespecially remarkable capacities and the vital is of a little higher kind, it
\nmay say: \u201cOh! how beautiful it is, what you tell me (sometimes this happens),
\nbut you see, I, I am unable to do it; it is very beautiful, but it is beyond my
\ncapacity.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

But
\nthis vital is a strange creature. It is a being of passion, enthusiasm and
\nnaturally of desire; but, for example, it is quite capable of getting
\nenthusiastic over something beautiful, of admiring, sensing anything greater
\nand nobler than itself. And if really anything very beautiful occurs in the
\nbeing, if there is a movement having an exceptional value, well, it may get
\nenthusiastic and it is capable of giving itself with complete devotion \u2013 with a
\ngenerosity that is not found, for example, in the mental domain nor in the
\nphysical. It has that fullness in action that comes precisely from its capacity
\nto get enthused and throw itself wholly without reserve into what it does.
\nHeroes are always
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n
\n

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

people who
\nhave a strong vital, and when the vital becomes passionate about something, it
\nis no longer a reasonable being but a warrior; it is wholly involved in its
\naction and can perform exceptional things because it does not calculate, does
\nnot reason, does not say \u201cOne must take precautions, one must not do this, must
\nnot do that.\u201d It becomes reckless, it gets carried away, as people say, it
\ngives itself totally. Therefore, it can do magnificent things if it is guided
\nin the right way. <\/span><\/p>\n

A
\nconverted vital is an all-powerful instrument. And sometimes it gets converted
\nby something exceptionally beautiful, morally or materially. When it witnesses,
\nfor example, a scene of total self-abnegation, of uncalculating self-giving one
\n\u2013 of those things so exceedingly rare but splendidly beautiful – it can be
\ncarried away by it, it can be seized by an ambition to do the same thing. It
\nbegins by an ambition, it ends with a consecration. <\/span><\/p>\n

There
\nis only one thing the vital abhors; it is a dull life, monotonous, grey,
\ntasteless, worthless. Faced with that, it goes to sleep, falls into inertia. It
\nlikes extremely violent things, it is true; it can be extremely wicked,
\nextremely cruel, extremely generous, extremely good and extremely heroic. It
\nalways goes to extremes and can be on one side or the other, yes, as the
\ncurrent flows. <\/span><\/p>\n

And
\nthis vital, if you place it in a bad environment, it will imitate the bad
\nenvironment and do bad things with violence and to an extreme degree. If you
\nplace it in the presence of something wonderfully beautiful, generous, great, noble,
\ndivine, it can be carried away with that also, forget everything else and give
\nitself wholly. It will give itself more completely than any other part of the
\nbeing, for it does not calculate. It follows its passion and enthusiasm. When
\nit has desires, its desires are violent, arbitrary, and it does not at all take
\ninto account the good or bad of others; it doesn\u2019t care the least bit. But when
\nit gives itself to something beautiful, it does not calculate either, it will
\ngive itself entirely without knowing whether it will do good or
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 256<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

harm to it.
\nIt is a very precious instrument.<\/span><\/p>\n

It
\nis like a horse of pure breed: if it lets itself be directed, then it will win
\nall the races, everywhere it will come first. If it is untamed, it will trample
\npeople and cause havoc and break its own legs or back! It is like that. The one
\nthing to know is to which side it will turn. It loves exceptional things –
\nexceptionally bad or exceptionally good, it loves the exceptional. It does not
\nlike ordinary life. It becomes dull, it becomes half inert. And if it is shut
\nup in a corner and told: \u201cKeep quiet there\u201d, it will remain there and become
\nmore and more like something crumbling away, and finally just like a mummy:
\nthere is no more life in it, it is dried up. And one will no longer have the
\nstrength to do what one wants to do. One will have fine ideas, excellent
\nintentions, but one won\u2019t have the energy to execute them. <\/span><\/p>\n

So
\ndo not wail if you have a powerful vital, but you must have strong reins and
\nhold them quite firmly. Then things go well. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Does depression come from the vital? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, yes.
\nAll your troubles, depression, discouragement, disgust, fury, all, all come
\nfrom the vital. It is that which turns love into hate, it is that which induces
\nthe spirit of vengeance, rancour, bad will, the urge to destroy and to harm. It
\nis that which discourages you when things are difficult and not to its liking.
\nAnd it has an extraordinary capacity for going on strike! When it is not
\nsatisfied, it hides in a corner and does not budge. And then you have no more
\nenergy, no more strength, you have no courage left. Your will is like.. like a
\nwithering plant. All resentment, disgust, fury, all despair, grief, anger \u2013 all
\nthat comes from this gentleman. For it is energy in action. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore,
\nit depends on which side it turns. And I tell you, it has a very strong habit
\nof going on strike. That is its most powerful weapon: \u201cAh! you are not doing
\nwhat I want, well,
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage -257<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

I am not
\ngoing to move, I shall sham dead.\u201d And it does that for the least reason. It
\nhas a very bad character; it is very touchy and it is very spiteful – yes, it
\nis very ill-natured. For I believe it is very conscious of its power and it
\nfeels clearly that if it gives itself wholly, there is nothing that will resist
\nthe momentum of its force. And like all people who have a weight in the
\nbalance, the vital also bargains: \u201cI shall give you my energy, but you must do
\nwhat I want. If you do not give me what I ask for, well, I withdraw my energy.\u201d
\nAnd you will be flat as a pancake. And it is true, it happens like that. <\/span><\/p>\n

It
\nis difficult to regulate it. Yet naturally, when you have succeeded in taming
\nit, you have something powerful in hand for realisation. It is that which can
\ncarry by storm the biggest obstacles. It is that which is capable of turning an
\nidiot into an intelligent person \u2013 it alone can do so; for if one yearns
\npassionately for progress, if the vital takes it into its head that one must
\nprogress, even the greatest idiot can become intelligent! I have seen this, I
\nam not speaking from hearsay; I have seen it, I have seen people who were dull,
\nstupid, incapable of understanding, who understood nothing \u2013 you could go on
\nexplaining something to them for months, it would not enter, as though one were
\nspeaking to a block of wood \u2013 and then all of a sudden their vital was caught
\nin a passion; they wanted simply to please someone or get something, and for
\nthat one had to understand, one had to know, it was necessary. Well, they set
\neverything moving, they shook up the sleeping mind, they poured energy into all
\nthe corners where there was none; and they understood, they became intelligent.
\nI knew someone who knew nothing practically, understood nothing, and who, when
\nthe mind started moving and the passion for progress took possession of him,
\nbegan to write wonderful things. I have them with me. And when the movement
\nwithdrew, when the vital went on strike (for sometimes it went on strike, and
\nwithdrew), the person became once again absolutely dull. <\/span><\/p>\n

Naturally
\nit is very difficult to establish a constant contact <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 258<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

between the
\nmost external physical consciousness and the psychic consciousness, and oh! the
\nphysical consciousness has plenty of goodwill; it is very regular, it tries a great
\ndeal, but it is slow and heavy, it takes long, it is difficult to move it. It
\ndoes not get tired, but it makes no effort; it goes its way, quietly. It can
\ntake centuries to put the external consciousness in contact with the psychic.
\nBut for some reason or other the vital takes a hand in it. A passion seizes it.
\nIt wants this contact (for some reason or other, which is not always a
\nspiritual reason), but it wants this contact. It wants it with all its energy,
\nall its strength, all its passion, all its fervour: in three months the thing
\nis done. <\/span><\/p>\n

So
\nthen, take great care of it. Treat it with great consideration but never submit
\nto it. For it will drag you into all kinds of troublesome and untoward
\nexperiments; and if you succeed in convincing it in some way or other, then you
\nwill advance with giant strides on the path. <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 259<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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