Glossary of Philosophical and Psychological Terms   The definitions given below are based upon the writings of Sri Aurobindo.       Aditi — the Divine Mother; the Divine Consciousness; the indivisible consciousness, force and Ananda of the Supreme.   Agni — fire; the God of Fire; the flame of aspiration, will, tapasya, purification, transformation.   Ananda — delight, beatitude, bliss.   Anandamaya — full of Ananda.   Avatar — divine incarnation; the Divine manifest in a human appearance.   aspiration — the call of the being for higher things, for the Divine, for all that be-longs to the higher or di

INTRODUCTION   WORDS OF SRI AUROBINDO AND THE MOTHER   Love and Aspiration in Plants   The movement of love is not limited to human beings and it is perhaps less distorted in other worlds than in the human. Look at the flowers and trees. When the sun sets and all becomes silent, sit down for a moment and put yourself into communion with Nature: you will feel rising from the earth, from below the roots of the trees and mounting upward and coursing through their fibres up to the highest outstretching branches, the aspiration of an intense love and longing,—a longing for something that brings light and gives happiness, for the light that

The Mother: A Life Sketch   The Mother was born in Paris on 21 February 1878. 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.   Concerning 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

The Symbolism of Colour   What is it in a flower which makes it take and reflect a certain colour?   The scientists say that it is the composition of its atoms but I say that it is the nature of its aspiration. The Mother * When we study the messages given by the Mother to flowers we find that certain colours correspond to certain planes of consciousness, certain levels of the being. This becomes still clearer when we read the explanation Sri Aurobindo gives to colours seen in visions. Colour alone does not always determine the message of a flower. The shape and size of the flower, its intensity of fragrance can often be as important. Even the time and

EDITOR'S NOTE   This edition of Flowers and Their Messages, containing more than eight hundred flowers arranged alphabetically by botanical name, has the same format as the first two editions. Revised and enlarged, it gives a more detailed and accurate description of the flowers, as well as additional flower illustrations and passages from the writings of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.   Flowers and Their Messages is primarily a book of the Mother, where Sri Aurobindo's touch is undoubtedly felt since the spiritual significances of the flowers correspond to His incisive psychological analysis of the different planes of consciousness and parts of our being. It may also be called a book of

    THE MOTHER     Flowers and Their Messages     SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM PONDICHERRY   First Published: 1973 Second Edition: 1979 Third Revised Edition: 1984 Fourth Newly Revised Edition: 1992 Reprinted: 1995, 1999, 2003, 2004     All Rights Reserved No matter appearing in this book or part thereof may be reproduced in any form, except small extracts for purposes of review, without the written permission of the publishers.     Price Rs. 175.00  ISBN 81-7058-297-0   © Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust 1973, 1992 Published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department, Pondicherry - 605 002

Classified List of Significances   ABOLITION ALCHEMY 134 Aspiration for Supramental Guidance in the Subconscient 184 Abolition of the Ego 97 ANANDA 115 Aspiration for the Divine Consciousness 248 ABSENCE Ananda in the Centres 45 Absence of Desire 24 Ananda in the Physical 115 Aspiration for the Right Attitude 66 Absence of Grief 220 Ananda in the Physical Body 45 Aspiration for Trust in the Divine 23 Ananda of Endurance 255 ABUND

REFERENCES:   Unless otherwise stated, the references are taken from the Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library (SABCL) and The Mother's Collected Works (MCW).References are not given for texts or sentences given specially for this book.   MCW, 1:362 (Frontispiece) 15 MCW, 1:354 (Renunciation of Vital Desires) I MCW, 3:72 16 SABCL, 24:1538 (Mastery of Sex) I MCW, 3:132 19 SABCL, 28:38 (Inspiration) I MCW, 9:210-11 21 MCW, 12:60 (Spiritual Speech) II The Mother, Talk of 18.1.56 22 MCW, 14:67 (Simple Sincerity) II

-003_The Mother^s Flower Significancescopy Abelmoschus esculentus Okra, Gumbo, Lady's-finger light yellow rotate flower with dark maroon centre; seasonal vegetable   Mentalised Power Power becomes utilisable.   Abutilon hybridum Chinese lantern, Flowering Maple several colours of pendulous bell-shaped flowers; shrub   Promise The future is full of promise.   Abutilon hybridum bright yellow flowers   Mental Promise The assurance that the Supramental goal will be realised. Abutilon hybridum deep red-purple flowers with darker veins   Vital Promise The vital is full of possibilities ready to develop.

Flower Language   You can easily make a speech using flowers and I have noticed that this can effectively replace the old Vedic images, for instance, which no longer hold meaning for us, or the ambiguous phraseology of the ancient initiations. Flower language is much better because it contains the Force and is extremely plastic—since it is not formulated in words, each one is free to arrange and receive it according to his own capacity. You can make long speeches using flowers.   *   From the end of 1929 to the middle of 1930 the Mother played a flower game with a small group of disciples. Arranging a few flowers in her hand, she made up a sentence in English based o