Life in Baroda, 1893 - 1906   The Swaying Sensation     I was standing on a scaffolding which was swinging to and fro. At one point I saw the walls nearby swinging like a pendulum. I understood the reason, but the sight of swinging walls was so vivid that I put my hand on the wall nearby to convince myself that it was not moving yet the "eye-mind" refused to accept the evidence of the "touch-mind"!   But what was it due to? The sense of swinging of the scaffolding communicating itself to the walls as it were in the impression upon some brain centre? After travelling long in a boat I had once or twice the swaying sense of it

On His Published Prose Writings   Publication Plans, 1927   There is no intention of withdrawing support. The small book The Mother was given to Rameshwar because it was necessary to bring it out without delay and the A.P.H. [Arya Publishing House] was already occupied with the Essays on the Gita which it had not been able to bring to completion. It was hoped that Rameshwar's joining the A.P.H. would unite all interests, but since you have not been able to agree together, it will be necessary to give him something from time to time as the long-standing connection with him cannot be broken —  there being no reason for giving him up any more t

Writing for Publication   Unwillingness to Write for Newspapers and Magazines   If I allow the Orient to publish something yet unpublished by me, I lose my defence against demands from outside which is that I have ceased to contribute to magazines, newspapers et hoc genus omne and have made it indeed a rule not to do so. Therefore —   *   I am afraid X is asking from me a thing psychologically impossible. You know that I have forbidden myself to write anything for publication for some time past and some time to come —  I am self-debarred from press, platform and public. Even if it were otherwise, it would be impossible under present

The Ashram and Its Atmosphere   The Ashram Precincts   X told me that Y has said that there is a very strong circle of Mother's protection around the main Ashram house, and a less strong one in the other houses.   It is not the house, it is the inner nearness that matters. What is true is that there is a strong force going out from here and it is naturally strongest at the centre. But how it affects there, depends on how one receives it. If it is received with simple trust, faith, openness, confidence, then it works as a complete protection. But it can so work too at a distance. 16 January 1933

The Question of Avatarhood   The Guru and the Avatar   About the question of the Avatar, I do not think it is useful to press in the matter. It has become very much the tendency, especially in Bengal, to regard the Guru as the Avatar. To every disciple the Guru is the Divine, but in a special sense —  for the Guru is supposed to live in the divine consciousness, to have attained union and when he gives to the disciple, it is the Divine that gives and what he gives is the consciousness of the Divine who is within the Guru. But that and Avatarhood are two different things. It is mostly in East Bengal recently that those have come who were

Admission, Staying, Departure   "Acceptance" and "Admission"   Reply that residence in the Asrama is only allowed to sadhakas who have been accepted into Sri Aurobindo's path of Yoga, and not to all of them. This path is a special way of Yoga, difficult and different from others; only those are accepted who have a special call to it. 8 February 1930   *   Many thanks for [a transcript of the preceding letter]. Permit me to ask as to the qualifications of persons who can be accepted and admitted into the holy ashram as sadhaks.   There are no specific qualifications except the call to lead a

The Sadhana of 1927 ­ 1929 The Sadhana of 1927 - 1929   Sadhana on the Physical Level   Last night during my meditation I saw a cat —  probably one of the Mother's cats, the one which sleeps on the staircase — come and enter the room where I was meditating. But I at once opened my eyes. Would you very kindly let me know the meaning of this cat and why I opened my eyes.   If it is the cat Bushy, she has some strange connection with the siddhi in the physical consciousness. It was she who ushered us into our present house running before us into each room. The change to this house marked the change from the sadhana on the vital t

His Name   "Aurobindo"     But look at the irony of human decisions and human hopes. My father who wanted all his sons to be great men and succeeded in a small way with three of them in a sudden inspiration gave me the name Aurobindo, till then not borne by anyone in India or the wide world, that I might stand out unique among the great by the unique glory of my name. And now look at the swarm of Aurobindos with their mighty deeds in England, Germany and elsewhere! Don't tell me it is my fault because of my indiscretion in becoming famous. When I went to the National College in the Swadeshi days which was my first public step towards the ignominies

Experiences in Alipur Jail 1908 - 1909   Pain and Ananda   As for divine rapture, a knock on head or foot or elsewhere can be received with the physical Ananda of pain or pain + Ananda or pure physical Ananda —  for I have often, quite involuntarily, made the experiment myself and passed with honours. It began, by the way, as far back as in Alipur jail when I got bitten in my cell by some very red and ferocious looking warrior ants and found to my surprise that pain and pleasure are conventions of our senses. But I do not expect that unusual reaction from others. And I suppose there are limits, e.g. the case of a picketer in Madras or D

Remarks on Indian Affairs 1930 - 1946   The Civil Disobedience Movement   I have received a letter from my father. He says he read Pandit Sunderlal's speech published in a newspaper, in which he has reportedly stated that you have asked your disciples to join the Civil Disobedience Movement.   You can write to your father that Sri Aurobindo has given no such orders to his disciples. The statement of Sunderlal has no foundation. 4 May 1930   Indian Independence and the Muslims   The Hindu mentality in politics is such that they would a thousand times prefer British rule to any M