Letters of Sri Aurobindo

 

Fourth Series

 

CONTENTS

 

 

Pre-content

 

Foreword

 

SECTION ONE

 

Integral Yoga and Partial Spiritual Paths

 

 

THE AIM OF INTEGRAL YOGA AND THE IDEAL OF SUPERMANHOOD

 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTEGRAL YOGA AND OLD YOGAS

 

WRONG ATTITUDE TOWARDS OLD YOGAS

 

DIFFICULTY OF SELF-REALISATION

 

ABSURDITY OF DEPRECIATING OLD YOGAS

 

SPIRITUALISATION AND SUPRAMENTAL CHANGE

 

REALISATION OF THE IMPERSONAL SELF AND THE INTEGRAL KNOWLEDGE

 

THE IMPERSONAL AND THE INTEGRAL DIVINE

 

LIVING IN THE TRUE CONSCIOUSNESS AND HAVING THE COMPLETE TRUTH

 

SUPRAMENTAL ALL-KNOWLEDGE AND LOWER IGNORANCE

 

VEDANTIC LAYA AND THE HIGHEST TRUTH

 

LAYA AND SUPRAMENTALISATION

 

BEGINNING AND END OF CREATION - MERGING IN THE INACTIVE BRAHMAN AND THE DIVINE OBJECT IN THE WORLD

 

TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL LILA

 

PURANIC AND VAISHNAVITE IDEA OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON EARTH

 

LIMITATION OF RELIGIONS

 

SHANKARA AND MAYAVADA

 

MAYAVADA, NIRVANA AND THE INTEGRAL YOGA

 

THE SNAKE-ROPE IMAGE AND ILLUSIONISM

 

THE REAL DIFFICULTY

 

THIS-WORLDLINESS, OTHER-WORLDLINESS AND THE INTEGRAL YOGA

 

COMMENTS ON HENRI MASSIS'S VIEWS ON TRANSFORMATION

 

OPENING OF CHAKRAS IN THE INTEGRAL YOGA AND THE TANTRIC SADHANA

 

OCCULTISM AND OCCULT FORCES

 

OCCULTISM AND INTEGRAL YOGA

 

SEEKING FOR POWERS AND REALISATION OF TRUTH

 

CAPACITY FOR YOGA OF ORIENTALS AND EUROPEANS

 

CAPACITY FOR THE INTEGRAL YOGA

 

CALL TO THE PATH AND FAMILY DUTIES

 

SPIRITUAL LIFE AND SOCIAL DUTIES

 

VAIRAGYA FOR WORLDLY LIFE AND CALL FOR THE INTEGRAL YOGA

 

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONTROVERSIES AND OUR AIM

 

THE SUPRAMENTAL DESCENT AND CHANGE OF THE EARTH-CONCIOUSNESS

 

THE INTERMEDIATE GLIMMER AND THE FULL LIGHT

 

 

 

SECTION THREE

 

Intellectual Knowledge and Spiritual-Truth

 

 

INTELLECT, MIND AND TRUTH

 

INTELLECT AND THE TRUTH

 

NEED OF CONTROLLING THE INTELLECT

 

SPIRIT, LIFE AND INTELLECT

 

THE SUPREME KNOWLEDGE AND THE LOWER IGNORANCE

 

UTILITY OF MENTAL KNOWLEDGE

 

GREATER PERFECTION IN KNOWLEDGE

 

SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE AND WORLDLY IGNORANCE

 

MENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND PSYCHIC PERCEPTION

 

MENTAL PERCEPTION, MENTAL REALISATION AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

 

UTILITY OF MENTAL REALISATION

 

TOUCH OF REALISATION AND HIGHER KNOWLEDGE

 

HALF-LIGHT OF IDEA AND COMPLETE TRUTH

 

IDEA - FORCE - CONSCIOUSNESS

 

KNOWLEDGE AND DIVINE CONSCIOUSNESS

 

MIND, VITAL AND THE ONE CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE INTELLECTUAL AND THE EMOTIONAL MAN

 

DOUBTS AND ARGUMENTS IN YOGA

 

VALUE OF MENTAL QUESTIONS IN YOGA

 

MENTAL UNDERSTANDING AND INNER HELP

 

RIGHT WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE WORKINGS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

 

MENTAL CONSTRUCTIONS AND THE TRUTH

 

ACTION BY HIGHER FORCE IN THE STILL MIND

 

ACTION IN EMPTINESS

 

ACTION IN SILENT MIND

 

OBSERVATIONS ON PROF. SORLEY'S COMMENTS ON SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AND INTELLECTUAL JUDGMENT

 

 

SECTION FIVE

 

Basic Requisites of Yoga

 

I. SINCERITY

 

 

THE ONE INDISPENSABLE CONDITION

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION SIX

 

The Secure. Foundation of Sadhana

 

 

THE FIRST FOUNDATION OF THE YOGIC STATUS

 

THE TRUE BASIS

 

THE ABIDING STUFF

 

THE INNER FOUNDATION

 

THE SETTLED CALM WITHIN

 

THE INNER STABILITY OF PEACE

 

PEACE AND EQUALITY

 

CALM IN THE OUTWARD CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE FIRST NEED

 

THE MOST NEEDED THING

 

THE TRUE QUIET

 

QUIET - CALM - PEACE - SILENCE

 

TRANQUILLITY AND SILENCE

 

SILENCE IN THE HEAD

 

VOID

 

USE OF EMPTINESS

 

USUAL RESULT OF VOIDNESS

 

PROPER SEQUEL OF EMPTINESS

 

VITAL MIND'S DISTASTE FOR SILENCE AND EMPTINESS

 

VOID AND HAPPINESS

 

PASSIVE PEACE

 

PASSIVE PEACE AND ACTION

 

PASSIVE PEACE AND ACTION

 

QUIET AND AGGRESSIVE ACTION

 

RESTLESSNESS OF MIND AND VITAL

 

UNIVERSALITY AND VITAL DISTURBANCE

 

THE FUNDAMENTAL CALM: INDIVIDUAL AND COSMIC

 

QUIET AND AGGRESSIVE ACTION

 

RESTLESSNESS OF MIND AND VITAL

 

UNIVERSALITY AND VITAL DISTURBANCE

 

THE FUNDAMENTAL CALM: INDIVIDUAL AND COSMIC

 

NEED OF CALLING DOWN HIGHER POWER AND WILL FOR REMOVING VITAL DISTURBANCES

 

THE RIGHT FUNDAMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS - TRANSFORMATION BY DESCENT

 

BASIS OF INNER CALM

 

FIRST STEP IN SELF-MASTERY 

 

FIRMNESS OF CENTRAL CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE PRICE OF SIDDHI IN YOGA

 

LIVING IN THE INNER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

LIVING IN THE TRUE INNER BEING

 

INNER POISE AND OUTER METHODS

 

 

SECTION SEVEN

 

The Process of Integral Transformation

 

I. THE PSYCHIC CONVERSION

 

 

MEANING OF "PSYCHIC"

 

PURUSHA, PRAKRITI AND EGO-SENSE - THE PSYCHIC BEING IN EVOLUTION

 

PSYCHIC BEING AND JIVATMA

 

JIVATMA

 

ATMAN, JIVATMAN AND THE PSYCHIC

 

THE TRUE INNER BEING - PSYCHIC AND JIVATMAN

 

THE INNER BEING AND THE PSYCHIC

 

JIVA AND JIVATMA - PARA AND APARA PRAKRITI

 

CHIT-SHAKTI, JIVATMA, SOUL AND EGO

 

THE SOUL AND THE DIVINE MOTHER

 

THE FUNCTION OF THE PSYCHIC

 

PSYCHIC ACTION IN SADHANA

 

OPENING OF THE PSYCHIC

 

TWO WAYS OF OPENING THE PSYCHIC

 

CONDITIONS FOR DIRECT PSYCHIC OPENING

 

PSYCHIC AND HIGHER MIND ACTION

 

PRELIMINARY CHANGE

 

A PSYCHIC EXPERIENCE

 

LIVING IN THE PSYCHIC CENTRE

 

PSYCHIC FEELING OF THE MOTHER'S PRESENCE

 

THE CONSTANT PRESENCE

 

NATURE OF PSYCHIC'S UNION WITH THE DIVINE

 

UNION WITH THE MOTHER AND SADHANA

 

PSYCHIC BEING AND PSYCHIC ACTION

 

PSYCHIC CONTROL OF VITAL MOVEMENTS

 

WEEPING AND INNER CONTROL - PSYCHIC WEEPING

 

PSYCHIC FOUNDATION IN THE VITAL

 

THE PSYCHIC KNOWLEDGE

 

 

II. ASCENT TO HIGHER PLANES

 

 

THE DOUBLE PRACTICE OF INTEGRAL YOGA

 

ASCENT, DESCENT AND TRANSFORMATION

 

AWAKENING OF THE VEILED DIVINE FORCE BY DESCENT

 

SPIRITUALISATION OF CENTRES BY ASCENT AND DESCENT

 

THE UPWARD MOVEMENT

 

ASCENT AND JOINING WITH THE SOURCE

 

ASCENT TO HIGHER PLANES

 

NEED OF MAKING THE INNER BEING CONSCIOUS FOR CONCRETE REALISATIONS IN THE HIGHER BEING

 

LOCATION OF THE INNER BEING

 

CONSTANT STAYING IN THE HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

REACHING THE HIGHER PLANES IN TRANCE

 

GOING ABOVE IN TRANCE AND IN THE WAKING STATE

 

ASCENT IN TRANCE AND THE BODY

 

LOCATION OF OVERHEAD PLANES

 

KNOWLEDGE ON OVERHEAD PLANES

 

THE INTUITIVE MIND

 

STRATA AND POWERS OF THE INTUITIVE MIND

 

REVELATION

 

CONFUSION OF OVERMIND WITH HIGHER MENTAL PLANES

 

FOUR PLANES OF OVERMIND

 

SUPRAMENTAL OVERMIND

 

TRANSITIONAL STAGES BETWEEN MENTAL OVERMIND AND SUPRAMENTALISED OVERMIND

 

OVERMIND, SUPERMIND AND INFERIOR MOVEMENTS

 

SUPRAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE-WILL AND OVERMIND TRUTH PLANE

 

PERFECT ACTION OF KNOWLEDGE AND WILL

 

REFLECTION OF TRANSCENDENT PLANES ON HIGHER PLANES

 

EXPERIENCES OF OVERMIND KNOWLEDGE

 

CONCRETENESS OF OVERMIND EXPERIENCES

 

ARRANGEMENT OF TRUTHS IN THE OVERMIND

 

MISINTERPRETATION OF OVERMIND TRUTH IN TERRESTRIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE HUMAN CREATION AND THE HIGHER PLANES

 

OVERMIND DANGERS AND FALSEHOODS

 

LIMITATION OF OVERMIND EXPERIENCE

 

 

III. DESCENT OF HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

 

NATURE OF DESCENT

 

FIVE THINGS THAT DESCEND

 

DESCENT OF WIDENESS

 

DESCENT OF HIGHER POWERS AND THE MOTHER'S DESCENT

 

RESULT OF DESCENT

 

THE ACTION OF DESCENT

 

DESCENT OF PEACE AND FORCE

 

EFFECTS OF ENFORCING PEACE IN LOWER PARTS

 

DESCENT OF CALM

 

PEACE AND DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT

 

SILENCE AND DESCENT OF KNOWLEDGE

 

CHANGE OF IGNORANT COSMIC FORCES BY DESCENT OF HIGHER TRUTH-FORCE

 

FORCE - ENERGY - POWER - STRENGTH

 

PASSIVE FORCE

 

FORMS OF FORCE

 

RECEIVING THE HIGHER FORCE THROUGH MIND AND VITAL

 

ACTION OF FORCE THROUGH MIND-CENTRE

 

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES FOR PREPARING THE CENTRES

 

EXPERIENCES OF DYNAMIC DESCENT MARKING GREAT PROGRESS

 

EXPERIENCES OF OVERHEAD DESCENT

 

WORKING OF THE MOTHER'S POWER ON MIND AND VITAL CENTRES

 

DESCENT OF SADHANA INTO THE VITAL

 

NEED OF CARE IN RECEIVING A TRUE FORCE

 

ACTION OF HIGHER LIGHT AND FORCE IN THE BODY

 

DIRECT CONNECTION OF THE BODY WITH THE HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

DIRECT DESCENT OF FORCE IN THE PHYSICAL

 

ASSIMILATION OF FORCE

 

MISTAKE OF PULLING DOWN EXCESSIVE FORCE

 

RESISTANCE TO DESCENT

 

HEADACHES DUE TO RESISTANCE

 

PRESSURE AND RESISTANCE

 

EXPERIENCES OF PRESSURE UPON RESISTANCES

 

PRESSURE ON RESISTANCE FOR EXPULSION

 

RESISTANCE FROM THE PHYSICAL LAYERS—THE FOUNDATION OF STILLNESS

 

PAUSES OF PREPARATION AND ASSIMILATION

 

PERIODS OF ASSIMILATION

 

PERIODS OF LULL

 

INTERVALS OF NON-SADHANA

 

 

IV. SUPRAMENTAL DESCENT

 

 

NECESSITY OF OVERMIND DESCENT FOR SUPRAMENTAL CHANGE

 

ACTION OF THE SUPRAMENTALISED OVERMIND DESCRIBED IN THE LAST CHAPTERS OF Arya

 

MANIFESTATION OF HIGHER TRUTHS IN THE MATERIAL PLANE

 

DESCENT OF OVERHEAD PLANES AND SUPRAMENTAL DESCENT

 

SUPRAMENTAL INFLUENCE AND SUPRAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION

 

MIRACLE AND CHANGE ACCORDING TO DIVINE LAW

 

EFFECT OF THE SUPRAMENTAL DESCENT

 

DESCENT OF TRANSCENDENT ANANDA

 

SUPERMIND AND BEYOND

 

SECTION EIGHT

 

Centres and Parts of Consciousness

 

MANAS IN THE ORDINARY PSYCHOLOGY AND THE INTEGRAL YOGA - RIGHT ORDERING OF DIFFERENT PARTS IN YOGA

 

HARMONISATION OF PARTS BY DESCENT OF TRUTH

 

THE SAHASRADALA PADMA

 

THE AJNA-CHAKRA AND THE THIRD EYE

 

THE THROAT CENTRE OF THE PHYSICAL MIND

 

THE BRAIN CENTRE

 

THE PHYSICAL MIND

 

THE ORGAN OF SPEECH

 

THE THROAT AND THE HEART CENTRES

 

THE EAR PASSAGE

 

THE ESSENTIAL MENTAL BEING AND THE PERSONAL MIND - CONTROL OF THE INQUIRING TENDENCY

 

SPIRITUAL CAPACITY - PSYCHIC MIND AND MENTAL PSYCHIC

 

CHITTA AND HEART

 

THE HEART CENTRE

 

THE TWO VITAL CENTRES

 

SENSATION, EMOTION AND DESIRE

 

THE PHYSICAL-VITAL AND THE VITAL-PHYSICAL

 

THE NERVES

 

THE NERVES IN THE MATERIAL AND SUBTLE BODY

 

THE NERVOUS ENVELOPE

 

THE SHEATHS

 

DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF DIFFERENT SHEATHS

 

SUBTLE AND GROSS PHYSICAL

 

THE OUTER AND THE INNER INSTRUMENT

 

THE OUTER AND THE INNER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE PLAY OF FORCES IN THE INNER PARTS

 

THE INNER SPEAKING

 

 

 

 

 

 

III. EXPERIENCES OF COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS AND SELF

 

WIDENING AND UNION WITH THE UNIVERSAL INFINITE

 

"UNIVERSAL" AND "COSMIC"

 

EXPERIENCE OF THE TRUE COSMIC SELF

 

INFLUENCE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE COSMIC SELF ON VITAL AND PHYSICAL

 

INITIAL OPENING TO COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

 

LIBERATION FROM THE BODY SENSE

 

OPENNESS OF THE SENSES TO THE DIVINE

 

THE COSMIC MOVEMENT

 

THE COSMIC HARMONY

 

HARMONY OF DISCORDS

 

MACROCOSM AND MICROCOSM

 

THE SELF

 

ORIGINAL SUBSTANCE OF THE SPIRIT

 

SUBSTANCE AND BEING

 

THE SELF AND THE PLANES

 

ATMAN AND THE INDIVIDUALISED SELF

 

THE PERSONAL 'I' AND THE COSMIC SELF

 

TRUE CENTRAL BEING AND EGO

 

AHANKAR AND INDIVIDUAL SELF

 

THE ONE AND THE MANY

 

DIFFERENCE IN UNITY

 

THE DIVINE ONENESS

 

TWO STATES OF COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

 

THE PURE IMPERSONAL AND THE MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE TRUTH

 

RECONCILIATION OF OPPOSITES

 

THE INTEGRAL KNOWLEDGE

 

SAGUNA AND NIRGUNA ISHWARA AND THE MOTHER

 

THE STATIC AND THE DYNAMIC

 

PURUSHA AND PRAKRITI - PAST AND FUTURE DARKNESS - THE THREE GUNAS

 

THE ONE PURUSHA

 

PRAKRITI AND SHAKTI

 

CHIT-SHAKTI AND ENERGIES

 

THE ONE FORCE - THE ALL-PERVADING ANANDA

 

CREATING AND STOPPING OF FORCE.

 

 

 

 

II. SYMBOLS AND IMAGES OF VISION

 

SOME USUAL SYMBOLS

 

THE SUN

 

THE MOON

 

THE STAR

 

THE DAWN

 

THE SKY AND THE ETHER

 

THE BLUE. SKY AND THE MOON

 

THE SEVEN PLANES—SKIES AND SEAS

 

EXPLANATION OF SOME VISION-SYMBOLS

 

PATALA

 

THE MOUNTAIN

 

THE RIVER

 

THE TREE

 

THE COW AND THE MILK

 

THE HORSE

 

THE HORSE AND THE WHITE CALF

 

THE ELEPHANT

 

THE LION

 

THE LION OF DURGA—THE DEATH'S HEAD

 

THE BULL

 

THE GOAT

 

THE SNAKE

 

THE SERPENT

 

THE HOODED SERPENT

 

THE LOTUS - THE SWAN - THE INTERLACED SERPENTS AND THE SIX-HOODED SERPENT

 

THE OPENING LOTUSES AND THE SWAN

 

THE SWAN AND THE LOTUS

 

THE HANSA

 

THE BIRD

 

RED FLOWERS

 

THE RED PURUSHA

 

THE CHILD

 

THE SUDARSHAN CHAKRA

 

THE PIECE OF FLESH

 

THE IMAGE OF JOURNEYING

 

AEROPLANE, STEAMER AND TRAIN

 

 

 

 

II. THE HOSTILE FORCES

 

TWO KINDS OF ASURAS

 

TRANSFORMATION OF EVIL FORCES

 

DIFFICULTY OF TRANSFORMING ASURAS

 

ORDINARY NATURE-FORCES AND HOSTILE FORCES

 

OBJECT OF HOSTILE FORCES

 

ATTACKS OF EVIL FORCES

 

CAUSE FOR HOSTILE ATTACKS

 

THROWING OFF THE ATTACKS

 

THE INTENTION OF HOSTILE FORCES

 

PROGRESS AND ADVERSE FORCES

 

TESTS IN SADHANA

 

TWO WAYS OF REMOVING IMPERFECTIONS--STOPPING OF EXPERIENCE BY HOSTILE FORCES

 

HOSTILE FORCES IN SADHANA

 

LOWERING OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND HOSTILE ATTACKS

 

REJECTION OF HOSTILE SUGGESTIONS

 

HABITUAL RESPONSE TO ADVERSE FORCES

 

FORMATIONS OF VITAL FORCES

 

THE WAY TO MEET HOSTILE FORCES

 

INADVISABILITY OF CONCERN ABOUT HOSTILE FORCES

 

POSSESSION BY HOSTILE POWER—ACTION OF DIVINE FORCE

 

HOSTILE ATTACK IN SLEEP——NEED OF FEARLESSNESS IN SADHANA

 

 

SECTION FOURTEEN

 

Difficulties of the Path and their Removal

 

I. THE RIGHT WAY OF OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES

 

 

DIFFICULTY OF YOGA

 

DIFFICULTIES AND GURU'S GRACE

 

DIFFICULTIES AND VICTORY

 

STRENGTH FROM VICTORY

 

THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE

 

NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE WAY OF REMOVING DIFFICULTIES

 

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE WAY OF CLEANING THE-VITAL

 

TWO METHODS OF OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES

 

FOUR WAYS OF CHANGING THE NATURE

 

REMOVAL OF VITAL AND PHYSICAL DIFFICULTIES

 

OVERCOMING IMPERFECTIONS

 

IMMUNITY TO SUGGESTIONS

 

RIGHT WAY TO MEET WEAKNESSES

 

RIGHT ATTITUDE TO MISTAKES

 

DANGER OF RAISING UP DIFFICULTIES FOR EXHAUSTION

 

THE BEST WAY TO PROGRESS

 

QUIET FACING OF DEFECTS

 

SETTLED PEACE AND AUTOMATIC REJECTION

 

INNER QUIETUDE AND REJECTION

 

QUIET AND STEADY REJECTION AND CALL

 

REPELLING THE VITAL ATTACK BY CALM INNER FORCE

 

GROWTH OF TRUE CONSCIOUSNESS AND POWER OF REJECTION

 

RIGHT ATTITUDE IN DIFFICULTIES

 

RIGHT ATTITUDE IN PERIODS OF ARREST IN SADHANA

 

STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE OUTER SELF AND THE GROWING SOUL

 

THE OLD VITAL NATURE AND THE DEVELOPING PSYCHIC BEING

 

THE DIVINE POSSIBILITY OF THE INNER BEING AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE EXTERIOR VITAL SELF

 

THE "EVIL PERSONA"

 

UNWILLINGNESS OF THE OUTER PHYSICAL CONSCIOUSNESS TO CHANGE

 

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION IN SLEEP - DRAWING OF HELPFUL FORCES - RELIANCE ON THE ALL-STRENGTH FOR SUCCESS

 

INWARD STRENGTH AND OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES

 

THE WEAK SENTIMENTAL ATTITUDE OF FACING DIFFICULTIES

 

REJECTION OF SENTIMENTAL WEAKNESS

 

WRONG IDEA OF HELPLESSNESS IN CHANGING THE VITAL

 

FALSE SUGGESTION OF INABILITY

 

FEELING OF INCAPACITY DUE TO RESISTANCE OF EXTERNAL NATURE

 

LACK OF WILL IN THE PHYSICAL AND VITAL CONSCIOUSNESS FOR SADHANA

 

PHYSICAL BEING'S SHRINKING FROM THE LIGHT

 

REJECTION OF DISABLING NOTIONS OF INCAPACITY

 

REJECTION OF FALSE SUGGESTIONS OF UNFITNESS FOR SADHANA

 

WITHDRAWAL FROM GRACE

 

 

 

II. THE MOTHER'S HELP IN REMOVING DIFFICULTIES

 

CALLING THE MOTHER'S FORCE IN DIFFICULTY

 

THE MOTHER'S FORCE

 

OPENNESS TO THE MOTHER IN ATTACKS

 

THE MENTAL CALL FOR FORCE——IMPORTANCE OF REMAINING IN THE INNER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

WORKING OF THE MOTHER'S FORCE—PSYCHIC AWAKENING

 

RECEPTIVITY TO FORCE

 

CONDITIONS FOR THE COMING AND ACTION OF FORCE

 

PRESSURE AND HELP OF THE MOTHER'S FORCE

 

WAYS OF GIVING HELP

 

HELP AND AUTOMATIC ACTION OF FORCE

 

THE FORCE AND THE SADHAK'S WILL

 

NEED OF ACTIVE ASSENT

 

NECESSITY OF BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS

 

THE CONSTANT HELP

 

THE MOTHER'S WORK IN THE PREPARATORY CONSCIOUSNESS

 

ACTION OF DIVINE PROTECTION WITHIN LIMITS

 

RIGHT WAY OF RECEIVING HELP THROUGH WRITING LETTERS

 

THE INNER CONTACT

 

THREE RULES FOR REMAINING OPEN TO THE MOTHER

 

SECTION FIFTEEN
 

Transformation of the Vital Nature

 

I. LIBERATION FROM EGO

 

 

NEED OF TRANSFORMING THE EGO

 

EGO AND TRUE BEING

 

REMOVAL OF EGO

 

MOST EFFECTIVE FORCE FOR LIBERATION FROM EGO

 

NECESSITY OF PSYCHIC LIBERATION AND SELF-REALISATION FOR REMOVAL OF EGO

 

NECESSITY OF WIDENING THE CONSCIOUSNESS FOR LIBERATION FROM EGO

 

GOING WITHIN AND CONQUEST OF EGO

 

UNIVERSALITY AND VITAL EGOISM

 

LIBERATION FROM EGO AND TRANSFORMATION

 

DIFFICULTY OF REMOVING EGO

 

EGO-CENTRICITY IN SADHANA

 

THE EGO-CENTRIC AND THE UNEGOISTIC ATTITUDE

 

EGO AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

 

EXALTATION AND EGOISTIC FEELING IN SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

 

OPENING TO HIGHER FORCE AND THE DANGER OF MAGNIFIED EGO

 

VEHEMENCE OF UNREGENERATE VITAL EGO

 

EGO AND THE PSYCHIC FIRE

 

EGOISTIC SELF-JUSTIFICATION

 

THE OBSTACLE OF SELF-ESTEEM

 

YOU AND OTHERS

 

FALSE AND TRUE JUDGMENT OF OTHERS

 

WRONG HUMAN JUDGMENTS

 

DEFECTS OF OTHERS

 

TWO TYPES OF EGOISTS

 

 

 

III. REMOVAL OP WRONG VITAL MOVEMENTS

 

NEED OF DISCIPLINING THE RESTLESS VITAL

 

OVERCOMING RESTLESSNESS AND ATTACHMENT

 

INEXHAUSTIBLE ENERGY AND DISCIPLINE

 

NEED OF VIGILANCE

 

NEED OF PATIENCE IN CHANGING THE VITAL

 

REPEATED STRUGGLE WITH LOWER FORCES

 

RETURNS OF OLD NATURE

 

SURGING UP OF OLD MOVEMENTS

 

UPRISING OF DISSATISFIED DESIRES

 

RETURN OF SUPPRESSED HABITUAL MOVEMENTS

 

TEMPORARY LAPSE DUE TO RISING UP OF OLD MOVEMENTS

 

MECHANICAL RECURRENCE OF VITAL DIFFICULTIES

 

RECURRENCE OF PAST REMEMBRANCES

 

RESPONSE TO SUGGESTIONS OF REJECTED MOVEMENTS

 

REJECTION OF THE LOWER-VITAL DESIRE

 

REJECTION OF DESIRES BY THE VITAL

 

NECESSITY OF VITAL'S CALL FOR TRANSFORMATION

 

DEPRESSION DUE TO REVOLT OF UNSATISFIED DESIRE

 

EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION

 

REJECTION OF DEPRESSION

 

RIGHT WAY OF DEALING WITH THE EXTERNAL BEING

 

THE BEST WAY TO SET RIGHT THE WRONG MOVEMENTS

 

OSCILLATION DUE TO VITAL'S NON-CO-OPERATION

 

THE FEELING OF THE DESERT

 

MASTERING THE "IRRATIONAL KNOT" OF DESPONDENCY

 

SADNESS

 

BITTERNESS OF DISSATISFIED VITAL

 

REJECTION OF GRIEF AND TURNING TO THE CENTRAL AIM

 

SERIOUSNESS AND GLOOM IN YOGA

 

THE PERVERSE TWIST OF THE VITAL

 

TRICK OF THE VITAL MIND

 

DETECTION OF VITAL SUBTERFUGE

 

REJECTION OF VITAL FALSEHOOD

 

ESTABLISHING PSYCHIC INFLUENCE OVER LOWER VITAL NATURE

 

CLOUDING OF REASON BY THE VITAL MIND

 

REJECTION OF IGNORANT FORCES FROM THE VITAL

 

 

SECTION SIXTEEN
 

Transformation of the Physical Being

 

I. OPENING THE PHYSICAL TO THE HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

PHYSICAL BEING AND MANIFESTATION

 

IMPURITY OF THE HUMAN PHYSICAL

 

NECESSITY OF PHYSICAL PURIFICATION

 

THE PHYSICAL CHANGE

 

OPENING THE PHYSICAL TO THE HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

 

DIFFICULTY OF OPENING THE PHYSICAL

 

REMEDY FOR DIFFICULTIES OF THE PHYSICAL CHANGE

 

DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE PHYSICAL

 

CONSEQUENCES OF SUPRAMENTAL DESCENT IN THE MATERIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

 

SUPRAMENTAL CHANGE AND HOLD OF LOWER NATURE

 

SUBCONSCIOUSNESS OF THE MATERIAL

 

NECESSITY OF WORKING IN THE SUBCONSCIENT FOR CHANGE OF THE PHYSICAL

 

THE SUBCONSCIENT AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

 

CLEARING THE SUBCONSCIENT

 

RISING OF OBSCURITY DURING PHYSICAL CHANGE

 

OBSTACLE OF INERTIA

 

INERTIA

 

INCREASE OF THE HOLD OF INERTIA

 

RISING OF INERTIA FROM THE SUBCONSCIENT

 

CALLING DOWN FORCE TO REMOVE INERTIA

 

REPLACING INERTIA BY HIGHER LIGHT AND FORCE

 

NEED OF EXERCISE FOR PREVENTING INERTIA

 

TRANSFORMATION OF TAMAS INTO SHAMA

 

CHANGE OF INERTIA BY DESCENT

 

INERTIA AND DYNAMISM

 

DYNAMIC DESCENT AND DESCENT OF PEACE

 

CONDITION OF THE BODY IN RECEIVING HIGHER DYNAMISM

 

SEPARATENESS OF THE INNER BEING AND IMMUNITY FROM INERTIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION EIGHTEEN

 

Sadhana through Work

 

 

MOTIVES OF WORK IN ORDINARY LIFE AND YOGA - SIGNS OF VITAL'S CONSECRATION IN ACTION

 

PRACTICE OF THE GITA'S YOGA OF WORKS

 

OBJECT OF YOGA AND WORK FOR THE DIVINE

 

MEDITATION AND WORK IN YOGA

 

ACTION AND INTROSPECTIVE MEDITATION

 

CONCENTRATION IN WORK AND MEDITATION

 

OPENING AND SURRENDER TO THE MOTHER THROUGH WORK

 

CONDITIONS OF PERFECT SERVICE

 

CONDITIONS FOR BEING A FLAWLESS SERVANT

 

RIGHT SPIRIT IN WORK

 

INTUITION OF THE DIVINE WILL

 

RIGHT WAY OF ACTION

 

INNER GUIDANCE

 

IMPORTANCE OF THE INNER CHANGE

 

TAKING NOTHING FROM OTHERS - THE RIGHT INNER ATTITUDE

 

REPLACEMENT OF THE INSTINCT OF DOMINATION AND PRIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT

 

SHOWING OF CAPACITY IN WORK

 

TWO STAGES OF WORK IN YOGA

 

EXTERNALISATION OF INNER POWER

 

INTEREST AND JOY IN ASHRAM WORK

 

CAUSES OF MISTAKES IN ASHRAM WORK—EXTERNAL ORGANISATION AND INNER HARMONY

 

IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISATION IN PHYSICAL THINGS

 

THE HINDRANCE OF WASTE AND MISUSE OF PHYSICAL THINGS

 

MAINTENANCE OF EFFICIENCY AND DISCIPLINE BY OUTER AND INNER MEANS

 

RIGHT WAY OF DEALING WITH SUBORDINATES

 

POWER OF ADAPTATION AND HARMONISATION

 

QUIETING THE VITAL MIND—INADVISABILITY OF COMPELLING MIND AND VITAL IN WORK

 

INADVISABILITY OF VIOLENT COMPULSION OF BODY

 

OVERWORK

 

NEED OF MASTERY IN WORK

 

MISTAKE OF TOTAL ABSORPTION IN WORK

 

RESISTANCE TO CONTINUOUS COMMUNION IN WORK—ASPIRATION FROM BELOW

 

HINDRANCE OF INERTIA TO REMEMBRANCE

 

IDLENESS AND ABILITY TO DO WITHOUT WORK

 

FREEDOM FROM NECESSITY OF ACTION

 

STATE OF ALOOFNESS AND ACTION IN THE WORLD

 

ACTION OF GUNAS WITHOUT ATTACHMENT

 

DETACHMENT AND ACTION OF PRAKRITI

 

ACTION AND PRAKRITI

 

ACTION OF PRAKRITI AND GUNAS

 

ACTION OF GUNAS IN THE LIBERATED STATE

 

SEPARATION OF PRAKRITI AND PURUSHA FROM SURFACE BEING

 

CONSCIOUSNESS AND ENERGY—POWER OF DETACHMENT

 

SECTION TWELVE

 

LIGHTS AND COLOURS—SYMBOLS AND IMAGES

 

                                                                          I.  FORMS AND ACTION OF LIGHTS AND COLOURS

                                                                          II. SYMBOLS AND IMAGES OF VISION

 

I. FORMS AND ACTION OF LIGHTS AND COLOURS

 

Action of Light

(1)

 

IT depends upon the colour of the Light. In  any case it is the Light of Force from above. All lights are indications of a Force or Power. It is the work of the Lights and the Forces they represent to act in their descent on the lower nature and change it.

30-7-1934

(2)

 

IT is not necessary or possible to define. Light is light just like the light you see, only subtle—it clarifies the consciousness and works as a force and makes knowledge possible.

 

11-11-1933

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Action and Forms of Light

 

LIGHT is a general term. Light is not knowledge but the illumination that comes from above and liberates the being from obscurity and darkness.

But this Light also assumes different forms such as the white light of the Mother, the golden light of the Truth, the psychic light (pink and rose), etc.

 

13-10-1934

The Mother and the Lights

 

ALL the lights are put out by the Mother from herself.

The Mother's White Light

 

THE lights are the Mother's Powers—many in number. The white light is her own characteristic power, that of the Divine Consciousness in its essence.

 

15-7-1934

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Action of Mother's Light

 

THE White Light is the Mother's light. Wherever it descends or enters, it brings peace, purity, silence and the openness to the higher forces. If it comes below the navel, that means that it is working in the lower vital.

 

31-7-1934

White and Blue Colours

 

WHITE is the colour of the light of the Mother's Consciousness—Chit. Blue is the fundamental colour of the Ananda.

 

Deep, Pale and Whitish Blue

 

THERE are many blues and it is difficult to say which these are. Usually the deeper blue is higher Mind, a paler blue is Illumined Mind—whitish blue Sri Krishna's light.

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Pale Blue and Whitish Blue

 

IT (the significance) depends on the shade of the blue. Ordinary pale blue is usually the light of the Illumined Mind or something of the Intuition. Whitish blue is Krishna's light.

Sunlight

(1)

 

THE Sunlight is the light of the Truth itself—whatever power of Truth it may be—while the other lights derive from the Truth.

 

25-7-1933

(2)

 

The Sunlight is the direct light of the Truth; when it gets fused into the vital, it takes the mixed colour —here gold and green—just as in the physical it becomes golden red or in the mental golden yellow.

 

November 1933

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Golden Light and Sun

 

GOLDEN Light always means the light of Truth—but the nature of the Truth varies according to the plane to which it belongs. Light is the light of Consciousness, Truth, Knowledge—the Sun is the concentration or source of the Light.

 

23-8-1933

Golden Light

(1)

 

THE golden light is a light from the Supermind, but naturally it is modified in the plane in which it works. It becomes light of Truth in the Overmind, light of Truth in the intuition.

 

21-7-1933

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(2)

 

The golden light is that of the modified (over-mentalised) Supramental, i.e., the Supramental  Light passing through the Overmind, Intuition, etc., and becoming the Light of Truth in each of these things. When it is golden red it means the same modified Supramental-physical Light,—the Light of Divine Truth in the physical.

 

9-9-1933

Golden and White Light

 

THEY have always the same meaning. The white light is that of the pure conscious force from which all the rest come. The golden light is that of the Divine Truth on the higher planes.

 

October 1933

Yellow and Golden Light

 

IT is again the ascent into one of the higher planes of mind illumined with the light of the Divine Truth. Yellow is the light of mind growing brighter as one goes higher till it meets the golden light  of the Divine Truth.

 

5-11-1933

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Golden Colour and Mahakali Force

 

THE spiritual Power is naturally more free on its own level than in the body. The golden colour indicates here Mahakali force which is the strongest for the working in the body.

Golden Red Light

(1)

 

IT is not clear yet. Golden red is the colour of the Supramental physical light—so this yellow red may indicate some plane of the overmind in which there is a nearer special connection with that. The golden red light has a strong transforming power.

 

19-7-1933

(2)

 

Red is the colour of the physical—touched by the higher Light it becomes golden red.

 

10-9-1933

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Deep Red Light

(1)

 

IT is the material consciousness that the deep red  light comes to transform.

 

1933

(2)

 

The deep red light is a light that comes down into the physical for its change. It is associated with the sunlight and the golden light.

 

November 1933

The Colour of Psychic Light

 

THE colour of the psychic light is according to what it manifests—e.g., psychic love is pink or rose, the psychic purity is white, etc.

 

February 1934

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The Rosy Light—Worlds of Neutral Peace

 

THE rosy light is that of love—so probably you entered the psychic worlds—or at least one of them.

As for the experiences described in the other letter, it seems to have been a passage through worlds of neutral peace which to the mind are a darkness and stand in the way to the full light.

 

September 1933

II. SYMBOLS AND IMAGES OF VISION

 

Some Usual Symbols

 

FIRE, lights, sun, moon are usual symbols and seen by most in Sadhana. They indicate movement or action of inner forces. The Sun means the inner truth.

 

17-8-1936

Page-323


The Sun

(1)

THE Sun is the divine Truth-Light on whatever  plane of consciousness. It is, I suppose, the original Cosmic Truth that is here indicated.

(2)

 

The sun is the symbol of the concentrated light of Truth....

 

The Moon

THE moon indicates spirituality, sometimes also spiritual Ananda.

 

22-9-1934

The Star

 

THE star signifies a creation or formation or the promise or power of a creation or formation.

 

2-2-1934

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The Dawn

 

DAWN always means an opening of some kind—the coming of something that is not yet fully there.

 

December 1933

The Sky and the Ether

 

THE sky is a symbol of the mental consciousness (or the psychic) or other consciousnesses above the mind—e.g., the higher mind, intuition, overmind, etc. Sky as the ether indicates also the infinite.

 

January 1934

The Blue Sky and the Moon

 

THE blue sky is that of the Higher Mind—the nearest of the planes between human mentality and the Supermind. The moon here is the symbol of spirituality in the mental planes. The world of the Higher Mind is above those directly connected with the body-consciousness.

 

October 1933

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The Seven Planes—Skies and Seas

 

SAT, Chit, Ananda, Supermind, Mind, Life, Matter are the seven planes described in the Veda—but in this Yoga one sees many levels of consciousness. which appear as skies or else as seas.

15-1-1934

Explanation of some Vision Symbols

(1)

 

THE first sea is the ordinary consciousness, the second sea is the higher consciousness over which is the Sun of Truth. The mountain represents the ascending planes of the higher consciousness. The journey in the train is the passage from one consciousness to another.

 

11-6-1934

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(2)

 

The sea with the sun over it is a plane of consciousness lit by the Truth. To enter into the rays  is to be no longer merely lit by it, but in one's own conscious being to begin to become a part of the Truth.

 

4-6-1934

Patala

 

PATALA simply means the subconscient below the Earth—the Earth being the conscious physical plane.

 

11-3-1933

The Mountain

(1)

 

THE mountain is the symbol of the embodied consciousness based upon earth but rising up towards the Divine.

 

10-11-1934

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(2)

 

The mountain always represents the ascending hill of existence with the Divine to be reached on the summits.

 

19-7-1934

The River

 

THE river represents some movement of the consciousness. All these are images of the vital plane.

 

6-2-1934

The Tree

 

THE tree is the symbol of subconscient vital.

18-9-1933

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The Cow and the Milk

 

IT is quite clear; it is the Vedic image. In the Veda the Cow is the Divine Light—the white cow is the pure consciousness in which there is the Light. The milk is the Knowledge and Power descending from the Divine Consciousness.

 

12-3-1933

The Horse

 

THE Horse is Power, usually Life-Power, but also it may mean Mind-Power or Tapas if it is dynamic and mobile.

 

November 1933

The Horse and the White Calf

As for the two dreams you wrote about in your shorter letter of the 1st May, the one about the horses is not so clear as the other about the white calf. But the horse is always the symbol of Power;  it must be then a Power which you were trying to catch, and make your own while sometimes it was

Page-329


trying to come up with you, perhaps to use you. This is what happens in the vital where there are these uncertain and elusive movements. The high platform was evidently the level of a higher Consciousness which stilled this fluctuating movement and made control of the Power more possible, as it  became still and clear.

The white calf is the sign of a pure and clear  consciousness,—the cow or calf being the symbol of Light in the consciousness, something psychic or spiritual that you felt natural and intimate to you and inseparable.

24-5-1937

The Elephant

 

THE elephant is Strength—sometimes illumined with Wisdom.

 

The Lion

 

THE lion indicates force and courage, and strength. and power. The lower vital is not lion-like.

21-7-1933

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The Lion of Durga—The Death's Head

THE lion is the attribute of the Goddess Durga, the conquering and protecting aspect of the Universal Mother.

The Death's Head is the symbol of the Asura (the adversary of the gods) vanquished and killed by the Divine Power.

 

12-7-1929

The Bull

 

THE bull is an emblem of strength and force. It is also in the Veda an image of the Gods, the male power in Nature. Again, the bull is vāhanā of Shiva. It may be a dream or an experience of any of these symbols, but is probably the first here.

 

12-9-1933

The Goat

 

THE goat in vision is often symbolic of lust.

September 1933

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The Snake

(1)

 

THE snake indicates some kind of energy always— oftener bad, but it also can indicate some luminous or divine energy. In this experience it is an ascent of some force from the physical upwards. The other details are not clear.

(2)

 

The snake in your dream is a hostile force—a force of evil. When one is an instrument of the divine forces, they can be met and destroyed and their attack becomes harmless or has insignificant results.

 

May 1933

The Serpent

 

THE serpent is a symbol of Energy as in the symbol of the Kundalini Shakti—here it is the Energy of the Divine Light and Force.

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The Hooded Serpent

THE serpent with the hood over the head generally indicates future siddhi.

 

18-7-1933

The Lotus—The Swan—The Interlaced Serpents

and the Six-hooded Serpent

(1)

 

THE Lotus is the symbol of the opening of the centres to the Light. The Swan is the Indian symbol of the individual soul, the central being, the divine part which is turned towards the Divine, descending from there and ascending to it.

The two serpents interlaced are the two channels in the spine, through which the Shakti moves upward and downward.

The serpent with the six hoods is the Kundalini Shakti, the divine power asleep in the lowest physical centre which, awakened in the Yoga, ascends in light through the opening centres to meet the Divine in the highest centre and so connect the manifest and the unmanifested, joining spirit and Matter.

 

18-6-1929

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(2)

 THE Energy in the Kundalini is the Mother's.

 

27-8-1933

The Opening Lotuses and the Swan

 

THE opening of the lotuses in your experience means, I suppose, the opening of the true vital and physical  consciousness in which the spiritual being (the Swan) can manifest with all the consequences of that opening.

 

4-7-1933

The Swan and the Lotus

(1)

 

THE swan is the liberated soul, the lotus is either the consciousness reddening to the colour of Divine Love or else the symbol of the Divine Presence on earth.

(2)

 

THE Swan is a symbol of the soul on the higher plane.

November 1933

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(3)

 

LOTUS flower indicates open consciousness.

17-8-1936

The Hansa

(1)

 

THE Hansa is the symbol of the being—it regains its original purity as it rises until it becomes luminous in the Highest Truth.

 

22-6-1933

(2)

 

Hansa is the Soul or being. All the parts become reflections of the original Being, the Divine.

 

The Bird

 

THE bird is a symbol of the individual soul.

27-8-1933

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Red Flowers

 

RED flowers would ordinarily indicate an opening of the consciousness either in the physical or some part of the vital according to the shade.

 

The Red Purusha

 

IT seems to be an opening of various powers and the peace, light and wideness of the spiritual consciousness. The red Purusha may be the Power of the true physical—red being the colour of the physical.

September 1933

The Child

(1)

 

A DREAM like this of a child—especially a new-born child—usually signifies the birth (or the awakening) of the soul or psychic being in the outward nature.

 

23-8-1933

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(2)

 

The child usually signifies the psychic being— new-born in the sense that it at last comes to the surface. The colour of the cloth would mean that it comes with health (internal and external or both) and the spiritual riches.

(3)

 

The child (when it does not mean the psychic being) is usually the symbol of something new-born in some part of the consciousness. Red indicates many different things according to the shade.

 

27-1-1934

The Sudarshan Chakra

 

THE (Sudarshan) Chakra symbolises the action of Sri Krishna's force.

13-8-1934

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The Piece of Flesh

 

THE piece of flesh indicates something restless in the physical being which stands by its restlessness and excessive irritability in the way of the full flow of the Ananda. In the dreams this became active and was eliminated by the pressure of the psychic.

 

24-8-1933

The Image of Journeying

THE image of journeying always signifies a movement in life or a progress in sadhana.

 

25-4-1935

Aeroplane, Steamer and Train

 

AEROPLANE, steamer and train are always symbols of a rapid progress or forward movement.

26-9-1933

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