{"id":4570,"date":"2013-07-13T01:57:02","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4570"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:57:02","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:57:02","slug":"19-glossary-of-philosophical-vol-08-flowers-and-their-messages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/02other-editions\/08-flowers-and-their-messages\/19-glossary-of-philosophical-vol-08-flowers-and-their-messages","title":{"rendered":"-19_Glossary of Philosophical.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\n\t\t\tGlossary of Philosophical and Psychological Terms<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nThe definitions given below are based upon the writings of Sri Aurobindo.<\/i>\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

\nAditi <\/b>\u2014 the Divine Mother; the Divine Consciousness; the indivisible
\nconsciousness, force and Ananda of the Supreme.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Agni <\/b>\u2014 fire; the God of Fire; the flame of aspiration, will, tapasya,
\npurification, transformation.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Ananda-<\/b>\u2014 delight, beatitude, bliss.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Anandamaya<\/b>\u2014 full of Ananda.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Avatar <\/b>\u2014 divine incarnation; the Divine manifest in a human appearance.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

aspiration<\/b>\u2014 the call of the being for higher things, for the Divine, for
\nall that belongs to the higher or divine consciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Bhakti <\/b>\u2014 love and devotion for the Divine.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

calm <\/b>\u2014 a still, unmoved condition which no disturbance can affect.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

centres <\/b>\u2014 centres of consciousness (Chak-ras) which connect the inner
\nbeing with the outer personality. By their opening through yoga, the yogic or
\ninner consciousness develops and one escapes from the limitations of the surface
\nconsciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

concentration<\/b>\u2014 a gathering together of the consciousness and either
\ncentralising at one point or turning on a single object, such as the Divine.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

consecration <\/b>\u2014 the devoting of all that comes to one, all one’s
\nexperience and progress the Divine.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

conversion <\/b>\u2014 a turning of the being away from lower things towards the
\nDivine.
\n  \n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

cosmic consciousness <\/b>\u2014 the consciousness of the universe, of the cosmic
\nspirit and
\ncosmic Nature, with all
\nthe beings and forces within it.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Cosmic <\/b>Spirit \u2014 the universal aspect of the Divine, the one Self
\ninhabiting the universe and containing everything in it.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

consciousness <\/b>\u2014 the self-aware force of existence. The essence of
\nconsciousness is the power to be aware of itself and its objects; but it is not
\nonly power of awareness of self and things, it is or has also a dynamic
\nand creative energy.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Divine<\/b>, the <\/b>\u2014 the Supreme Being from which all comes and in which all
\nlives. In its supreme Truth the Divine is absolute and infinite peace,
\nconsciousness, existence, power and delight.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Divine<\/b> Consciousness <\/b>\u2014 the spiritual consciousness to which the Divine
\nalone exists, because all is the Divine. Force, Light, Knowledge and Ananda
\ntogether make up the Divine Consciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Ego <\/b>\u2014 the separative sense of individuality which makes each being
\nconceive of itself as an independent personality. Ego implies the identification
\nof one’s existence with the outer mental, vital and physical self.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

emotional being <\/b>\u2014 the emotional vital.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

emotional centre <\/b>\u2014 the heart-centre of consciousness governing the
\nemotional being.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

emotional vital <\/b>\u2014 that part of the higher vital being which is the seat
\nof various feelings, such as love, joy, sorrow, hatred, and the rest.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Page-301<\/p>\n

\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

emotive<\/b> vital<\/b> \u2014
\nemotional vital,\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

equanimity<\/b>\u2014 equality of soul and mind to
\nall things and happenings,\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

evolution<\/b> \u2014 the progressive unfolding of 
\nSpirit out of the density of material
\nconsciousness,\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

faith<\/b>\u2014 the soul’s witness to something not
\nyet manifested, achieved or realised, but 
\nwhich yet the Knower within us feels to
\nbe true or supremely worth following or
\nachieving.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Force<\/b>, the<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Force, the one Energy that alone exists and alone makes
\nuniversal or individual action possible, for this Force is the Divine itself in
\nthe body of its power. In the individual it is a Force for illumination,
\ntransformation, purification, for all that has to be done in the yoga.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Gnosis<\/b> \u2014 a supreme totally self-aware and all-aware Intelligence; Supermind.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Godhead<\/b> \u2014 the one supreme divine Being.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Gods<\/b>, \u2014 in origin and essence the Gods are permament Emanations of the Divine
\nput forth from the Supreme by the Transcendent Mother; in their cosmic action
\nthey are Powers and Personalities of the Divine each with his independent cosmic
\nstanding, function and work in the universe.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Grace<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Grace, the help of a higher Divine Force other than the force
\nof Karma, which can lift the sadhak beyond the present possibilities of his
\nnature.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

gratitude<\/b> \u2014 a
\nloving recognition of the Grace received<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

 from the Divine, a
\nhumble recognition of all that the Divine has done and is doing for you.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Higher<\/b> Mind<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

higher<\/b> vital<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

hostile<\/b> forces<\/b> \u2014 anti-divine, not merely undivine forces that are in revolt
\nagainst the Divine, against the Truth and Light, and opposed to the yoga.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Illumined<\/b> Mind<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>\n<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

Inconscient<\/b>, the \u2014 the Supreme’-s state of self-involved, self-oblivious
\nconsciousness and force which is at the basis of the material world; this state
\nis the apparent opposite of the Supreme and in it there can be darkness,
\ninertia, insensibility, disharmony and disintegration.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

inner<\/b> being<\/b> \u2014 the inner mind, inner vital, inner physical, with the psychic
\nbehind as the inmost.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

integral<\/b> \u2014 of or relating to all the parts of the being, mental, vital,
\nphysical, psychic, spiritual.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Integral<\/b> Yoga<\/b> \u2014 a union (yoga) <\/i>\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Intuition<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>might and strength and the destruction
\nof ignorance and evil.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kali<\/b> Puja<\/b> \u2014 a religious festival in which
\nthe goddess Kali is worshipped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Krishna<\/b>\u2014 the Lord of Ananda, Love and bhakti; as an incarnation he manifests
\nthe union of wisdom and works and leads\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

  <\/p>\n

Page-302<\/p>\n

\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

the world evolution
\nthrough this towards union with the Divine by Ananda, Love and bhakti.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Krishna’s<\/b> Light<\/b> \u2014 a spiritual light of purification and illumination. Its colour
\ndepends on the plane in which it manifests.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

life<\/b>–force<\/b> (Prana<\/b>) \u2014 the life-energy itself, not material energy, but rather a
\ndifferent principle supporting Matter and involved in it.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Light<\/b> \u2014 primarily a spiritual manifestation of the Divine Reality illuminative
\nand creative; spiritual Light is not knowledge, but the illumination that comes
\nfrom above and liberates the being from obscurity and darkness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Lila<\/b> \u2014 the cosmic play, the divine play.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

lower<\/b> vital<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Mahakali<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Mother’s Power of Force and Strength.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Mahalakshmi<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Mother’s Power of Harmony.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Mahasaraswati<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Mother’s Power of Work and her spirit of perfection
\nand order.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

material<\/b> vital<\/b> \u2014 that part of the lower vital turned entirely to physical
\nthings, full of desires and greeds and seekings for pleasure on the physical
\nplane.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

mind<\/b> \u2014 the words
\n"mind" and "mental" are used to connote specially the part of the nature which
\nhas to do with cognition and intelligence, with ideas, with mental or thought
\nperceptions, the reactions of thought to things, with the truly mental movements
\nand formations,\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

mental vision and will
\netc. that are part of man’s intelligence. The ordinary mind has three main
\nparts: mind proper, vital  mind, and physical mind.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nThe mind proper is divided into three parts: the thinking mind or intellect,
\nconcerned with ideas and knowledge in their own right; the dynamic mind,
\nconcerned with the putting out of mental forces for the realisation of the
\nideas; and the externalising mind, concerned with the expression of ideas in
\nlife.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nThe vital mind or desire mind is a mind of dynamic will, action, desire; it is
\noccupied with force and achievement and satisfaction and possession, with
\nenjoyment and suffering, giving and taking, growth and expansion, etc.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nThe physical mind is that part of the mind which is concerned with physical
\nthings only; limited by the physical view and experience of things, it
\nmentalises the experience brought by the contact of outward life and things, but
\ndoes not go beyond that. The mechanical mind, closely connected with the
\nphysical mind, goes on repeating without use whatever has happened.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nOvertopping the ordinary mind, hidden in our own superconscient parts, there are
\nhigher ranges of Mind, gradations of spiritualised mind leading to the
\nSupermind.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Mind<\/b> of<\/b> Light<\/b> \u2014 a mind capable of living in the truth, capable of being
\ntruth-conscious and manifesting in its life a direct in place of an indirect
\nknowledge.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Mother<\/b>, the<\/b> \u2014 the consciousness and force of the Divine; the Divine in its
\nconsciousness-force. The Mother is the divine Conscious Force that dominates all
\nexistence, upholding us and the universe.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Page-303<\/p>\n

\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

Nature<\/b> \u2014 the outer or
\nexecutive side of the Conscious Force which forms and moves the worlds; a
\nmechanism of active Force put forth for the working of the evolutionary
\nIgnorance. The lower nature of an individual is his mind, life and body.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

New<\/b> Creation<\/b> \u2014 the manifestation of a divine life upon earth as the result of
\nthe working of the supramental consciousness and force and love.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

occultism<\/b> \u2014 the knowledge and right use of the hidden forces of nature; true
\noccultism means a search into supra-physical realities and an unveiling of the
\nhidden laws of being and Nature, of all that is not obvious on the surface.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

opening<\/b>\u2014 the release of the consciousness by which it begins to admit into
\nitself the working of the Divine Life and Power; the ability of the
\nconsciousness on the various levels to receive the descent of the Higher
\nConsciousness above.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

outer<\/b> being<\/b> \u2014 the surface being, our ordinary exterior mind, life, body
\nconsciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Overmind<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>spiritualised mind\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

physical, the \u2014 that part of the individual nature which includes the physical
\nbody and the physical consciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

physical<\/b> mind<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>mind\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 plane<\/b> \u2014 a level of
\nworld-existence; a world or level in the scale of being with its own system and
\nordering of principles.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Presence<\/b>, the<\/b>
\n\u2014 the Divine Presence, the sense and perception of the Divine as a Being felt as<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

 present in one’s
\nexistence and consciousness or in relation with it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

psychic<\/b> \u2014 of or relating to the soul. Used in the sense of the Greek word
\n"psyche",  the term refers to all the movements and experiences of the soul; it does not
\nrefer to all the more inward and all the abnormal experiences in which the mind
\nand vital predominate.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

psychic<\/b> being<\/b> \u2014 the evolving soul of the individual, the divine portion in him
\nwhich evolves from life to life, growing by its experiences until it becomes a
\nfully conscious being. From its place behind the heart-centre, the psychic being
\nsupports the mind, life and body, aiding their growth and development.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

psychicisation<\/b> \u2014 the psychic change in which the psychic being comes forward to
\ndominate the mind, vital and physical and change the lower nature.\n<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

purity<\/b> \u2014 freedom from soil or mixture. The divine Purity is that in which there
\nis no mixture of the turbid ignorant movements of the lower nature.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

quiet<\/b> \u2014 the absence of restlessness or disturbance.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Radha<\/b> \u2014 the maiden of Brindavan in the Bhagavat Purana entirely self-given in
\nher love for Krishna; she is the personification of absolute love for the
\nDivine, complete self-giving and total consecration.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

realisation<\/b> \u2014 the reception in the consciousness and the establishment there of
\nthe fundamental truths of the Divine; the making real to ourselves and in
\nourselves of the Self, the transcendent and universal Divine.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

receptivity<\/b> \u2014 the power to receive the Divine Force and to feel its presence and
\nallow it to work, guiding one’s sight and will and action; the capacity of
\nadmitting\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

     \n<\/p>\n

\nPage-304<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n\n\n
\n

and retaining the divine
\nworkings.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sachchidananda<\/b> (Sat-Chit-Ananda) \u2014 the
\nOne Divine Being with a triple aspect of  
\nExistence (Sat), Consciousness (Chit)
\nand Delight (Ananda).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

sadhak<\/b> \u2014 one who practises a spiritual
\ndiscipline.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

sadhana<\/b> \u2014 spiritual practice or discipline; the practice of yoga.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Samadhi<\/b> \u2014 sanctuary or tomb of a saint. The samadhi in the courtyard of the
\nAshram contains the bodies of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Self<\/b>\u2014 the Atman, the universal Spirit, the self-existent Being, the conscious
\nessential Existence, one in all.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Self-knowledge \u2014 the knowledge of the Self.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Shakti<\/b> \u2014 the Divine Power; the Power of the Mother.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

silence<\/b>–freedom from thoughts and vital movements \u2014 when the whole consciousness is quite still.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

sincerity<\/b> \u2014 to mean what one says, feel what one professes, be earnest in one’s
\nwill; sincerity in the sadhak means that he is really in earnest in his
\naspiration for the Divine and refuses all other will or impulse except the
\nDivine’s.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

soul<\/b> \u2014 the psychic essence, the divine essence in the individual. The term
\n"soul" is often used as a synonym for "psychic being".\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Spirit<\/b> \u2014 the Atman or universal Self which is always in oneness with the Divine.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

spiritual<\/b> \u2014 of the spirit. All contacts with the Self, the Higher Consciousness,
\nthe Divine above are spiritual.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

spiritualisation<\/b> \u2014 the spiritual change in which there is the
\nestablished descent of the divine peace, light, knowledge, power, bliss from
\nabove, the awareness of the Self and the Divine and of a higher cosmic
\nconsciousness and the change of the whole nature to that, spiritualised mind,
\ngradations of \u2014 higher ranges of Mind overtopping our normal Mind and leading to
\nSupermind. In ascending order the gradations of spiritualised mind are:\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Higher<\/b> Mind<\/b> \u2014 a luminous thought-mind whose instrumentation is through an
\nelevated thought-power and comprehensive mental sight.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Illumined<\/b> Mind<\/b> \u2014 a mind no longer of higher thought, but of spiritual light;
\nhere the clarity of the intelligence, its tranquil daylight, gives place or
\nsubordinates itself to an intense lustre, a splendour and illumination of the
\nSpirit.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Intuitive<\/b> Mind<\/b> \u2014 a mind of intuitive reason characterised by its intuitions, its
\ninspirations, its swift revelatory vision, its luminous insight and
\ndiscrimination.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Intuition<\/b> \u2014 a power of consciousness nearer and more intimate than the lower
\nranges of spiritual mind to the original knowledge by identity; it gets the
\nTruth in flashes and turns these flashes of Truth-perception into intuitions \u2014
\nintuitive ideas. What is thought-knowledge in the Higher Mind becomes
\nillumination in the Illumined Mind and direct intimate vision in the Intuition.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Overmind<\/b> \u2014full of lights and powers; the Overmind sees calmly, steadily, in
\ngreat masses and large extensions of space and time and relation, globally; it<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Page-305<\/p>\n

\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

creates and acts in the
\nsame way. The Overmind is a delegate of the Supramental Consciousness, its
\ndelegate to the cosmic Ignorance.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

subconscient<\/b>, the \u2014 a nether diminished consciousness which lies between the
\nInconscient and the conscious mind, life and body. The individual subconscient
\nis that submerged part of one’s being in which there is no waking conscious and
\ncoherent thought, will, feeling or organised reaction, but which yet obscurely
\nreceives the impressions of all things and stores them up in itself, and from it
\ntoo all sorts of stimuli, of persistent habitual movements can surge up into
\ndream or into the waking nature.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

subtle<\/b> physical<\/b> \u2014 the plane of existence closest to the physical; it may also be
\nconsidered as a sub-plane of the physical with a vital and mental character.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

subtle body<\/b> \u2014 a subtler material existence behind our outer body which provides
\nthe substance not only of our physical but of our vital and mental sheaths.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Superconscient<\/b>, the \u2014 something above our present consciousness from which the
\nhigher consciousness comes down into the body.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

superman<\/b> \u2014 he who will consciously evolve out of man, rise above ego and mind
\nand possess himself universalised and divinised in a divine force, a divine love
\nand joy and a divine knowledge.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Supermind<\/b> \u2014 the Supramental, the Truth-Consciousness, the Divine Gnosis, the
\nhighest divine consciousness and force operative in the universe. Its
\nfundamental character is knowledge by identity, by which the Self is known,
\nthe Divine Sachchidananda is\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

 known, but also
\nthetruth of manifestation is known
\nbecause this too is that.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Supramental<\/b> \u2014 see <\/i>Supermind\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

surrender \u2014 to consecrate everything in oneself to the Divine, to offer all one
\nis and has, not to insist on one’s ideas, desires, habits, etc. but to allow the
\ndivine Truth to replace them by its knowledge, will and action everywhere.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

tapasya<\/b> \u2014 effort, energy, austerity of the personal will; concentration of the
\nwill and energy to control the mind, vital and physical and to change them or to
\nbring down the higher consciousness or for any other yogic or high purpose.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

transformation<\/b> \u2014 not just a change of consciousness, but the bringing down of
\nthe higher, divine consciousness and nature into the lower nature of mind, life
\nand body, and the replacement of the lower by the higher.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Truth-Consciousness<\/b> \u2014 the Supramental Consciousness; the Supermind.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

vital, the \u2014 the life-nature made up of desires, sensations, feelings, passions,
\nenergies of action, will of desire, reactions of the desire-soul of man and of
\nall that play of possessive and other related instincts, anger, greed, lust,
\netc., that belong to this field of the nature. The vital has three main parts:\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

higher vital<\/b> \u2014 the mental vital and emotive vital taken together. The mental
\nvital gives a mental expression by thought, speech or otherwise to the emotions,
\ndesires, passions, sensations or other movements of the vital being; the\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

      
\n\n<\/p>\n

Page-305<\/p>\n

\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\n

emotional or emotive
\nvital is the seat of various feelings, such as love, joy, sorrow, hatred and the
\nrest.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

central vital<\/b> or vital proper \u2014 dynamic, sensational and passionate, it is the
\nseat of the stronger vital longings and reactions, such as ambition, pride,
\nfear, love of fame, attractions and repulsions, desires and passions of various
\nkinds and the field of many vital energies.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

lower vital<\/b> \u2014 made up of the smaller movements of human life-desire and
\nlife-reactions it is occupied with small desires and feelings, such as food
\ndesire, sexual desire, small likings, dislikings, vanity, quarrels, love of
\npraise, anger at blame, little wishes of all kinds, etc. The material vital is
\nthat part of the lower vital turned entirely upon physical things, full of
\ndesires and greeds and seekings for pleasure on the physical plane,\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

wideness<\/b>\u2014
\nthe expansion of consciousness that comes when one exceeds or begins to exceed
\nthe individual consciousness and spread out toward the universal; it is felt as
\na great substantial vastness giving the sense of oneness free and infinite.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

 <\/td>\n\n

will<\/b> \u2014 a force put upon
\na thing to be
\nchanged.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Will<\/b>, Divine<\/b> \u2014 something that has descended here into an evolutionary world of
\nIgnorance, standing at the back of things, pressing on the Darkness with its
\nLight, leading things presently towards the best possible in the conditions of a
\nworld of Ignorance and leading it eventually towards a descent of a greater
\npower of the Divine, which will not be an omnipotence held back and conditioned
\nby the law of the world as it is, but in full action and therefore bringing the
\nreign of light, peace, harmony, joy, love, beauty and Ananda.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Yoga<\/b> \u2014 union with the Divine and the conscious seeking for this union. Yoga is a
\ngeneric name for any discipline by which one attempts to pass out of the limits
\nof his ordinary mental consciousness into a greater spiritual consciousness.\n<\/p>\n

     \n<\/p>\n

Yogi (Yogin)<\/b> \u2014 one who practises yoga; but especially one who has attained the
\ngoal of yoga and is already established in spiritual realisation<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

  .
\n\n<\/p>\n

Page-306<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n
\nThe Mother: A Life Sketch<\/font><\/b> <\/font>
\n<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nThe Mother was born in Paris on 21 February 1978. Mirra, as the child was named, was the daughter of Maurice Alfassa, a banker, and his wife Mathilde. Her early education was given at home and at a private school. Later she attended an art studio in Paris belonging to the Academie Julian. She became an accomplished artist and some of her works were exhibited at the Paris Salon. She was also a talented pianist and writer.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nConcerning her early spiritual life the Mother has written: "Between eleven and thirteen a series of psychic and spiritual experiences revealed to me not only the existence of God but man’s possibility of uniting with him, of realising Him integrally in a life divine." In 1906 and 1907, while in her mid-twenties, the Mother voyaged to Tlemcen, Algeria, to study occultism with a Polish adept, Max Theon, and his wife Alma. Returning to Paris, she founded a group of spiritual seekers. Between 1911 and 1913 she gave many talks to various groups.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nIn 1914 the Mother sailed to Pondicherry, India, to meet Sri Aurobindo, Indian patriot, poet, philosopher and mystic. After a stay of eleven months, she returned to France for a year and then went to Japan for a period of nearly four years. Returning to Pondicherry in April 1920, the Mother became Sri Aurobindo’s collaborator in his spiritual work. During the next few years the number of disciples around them gradually increased. This informal grouping eventually took shape as the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. From its inception in November 1926 Sri Aurobindo fully entrusted the full material and spiritual charge of the Ashram to the Mother. Under her guidance, which covered a span of nearly fifty years, the Ashram grew into a large, many-faceted community. A number of other groups have sprung all over the world inspired by the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nAmong the Mother’s visible achievements were the creation of the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education in 1952 and the founding of Auroville, the "City of Dawn", in 1968. This growing township, located six kilometres from Pondicherry, is a bold experiment in international living with a high spiritual ideal.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

     
\nThe Mother personally supervised the daily activities of the Ashram until the age of eighty-four. In March 1962 she retired to her room, but continued during the next decade to guide the Ashram and receive people regularly. On 17 November 1973, at the age of ninety-five, the Mother left her body.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Page-309<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n<\/p>\n

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

Glossary of Philosophical and Psychological Terms   The definitions given below are based upon the writings of Sri Aurobindo.     Aditi \u2014 the Divine…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-08-flowers-and-their-messages","wpcat-129-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4570","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=4570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}