Ending with a Beginning

Richard

And I would like to end with an experience I had,—all had— when the Mother read a passage from 'Savitri' Book Eleven beginning with the words: "Choose, spirit, thy supreme choice not given again" for the 1st December programme: She would read this sitting in a chair facing the Darshan room,—which is opposite to the one now and it was put after Sri Aurobindo passed away—slowly, because of the recording. The shutters leading to the ashram courtyard were closed. It was fairly dark; Mother had a little light to read by and then she said something which took me completely by surprise. She said, "Let us read to Sri Aurobindo,"—so sweetly, so simply, so modestly. I was very, very touched; this was in the 60's and I noticed that when the Mother spoke the word Lord, you feel that vibration which is so special—it is not anybody saying Lord, it is the Mother saying "0 Lord". That sweetness has always filled me with something very special as it reveals something of what the Mother must have felt towards Sri Aurobindo.

"Choose, spirit, thy supreme choice not given again;

For now from my highest being looks at thee

The nameless formless-peace where all things rest.

In a happy vast sublime cessation know,—

An immense extinction in eternity,

A point that disappears in the infinite,—

Felicity of the extinguished flame,

Last sinking of a wave in a boundless sea,

End of the trouble of thy wandering thoughts,

Close of the journeying of thy pilgrim soul.

Accept, O music, weariness of thy notes,

O stream, wide breaking of thy channel banks."

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The moments fell into eternity.

But someone yearned within a bosom unknown

And silently the woman's heart replied:

"Thy peace, O Lord, a boon within to keep

Amid the roar and ruin of wild Time

For the magnificent soul of man on earth.

Thy calm, O Lord, that bears thy hands of joy."

Limitless like ocean round a lonely isle

A second time the eternal cry arose:

"Wide open arc the ineffable gates in front.

My spirit leans down to break the knot of earth,

Amorous of oneness without thought or sign

To cast down wall and fence, to strip heaven bare,

See with the large eye of infinity,

Unweave the stars and into silence pass."

In an immense and world-destroying pause

She heard a million creatures cry to her.

Through the tremendous stillness of her thoughts

Immeasurably the woman's nature spoke:

"Thy oneness, Lord, in many approaching hearts,

My sweet infinity of thy numberless souls."

Mightily retreating like a sea in ebb

A third time swelled the great admonishing call:

"I spread abroad the refuge of my wings.

Out of its incommunicable deeps

My power looks forth of mightiest splendour, stilled

Into its majesty of sleep, withdrawn

Above the dreadful whirlings of the world."

A sob of things was answer to the voice,

And passionately the woman's heart replied:

"Thy energy, Lord, to seize on woman and man,

To take all things and creatures in their grief

And gather them into a mother's arms."

Solemn and distant like a seraph's lyre

A last great time the warning sound was heard:

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"I open the wide eye of solitude

To uncover the voiceless rapture of my bliss,

Where in a pure and exquisite hush it lies

Motionless in its slumber of ecstasy,

Resting from the sweet madness of the dance

Out of whose beat the throb of hearts was born."

Breaking the Silence with appeal and cry

A hymn of adoration tireless climbed,

A music beat of winged uniting souls,

Then all the woman yearningly replied:

"Thy embrace which rends the living knot of pain,

Thy joy, O Lord, in which all creatures breathe,

Thy magic flowing waters of deep love,

Thy sweetness give to me for earth and men."

* * *

All thou hast asked I give to earth and men.

Book XI

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Remembrance

Constant remembrance of the Divine is indispensable for

transformation.

Lycianthes rantonnei. Mauve

Constant remembrance of the Divine

Spontaneous and joyful. The ideal condition.

Lanicera japonica. Ivory white

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Lasting remembrance -

The remembrance of that which has helped the being to progress. Myosotis sylvatica. Sky blue

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"If this is she of whom the world has heard,

Wonder no more at any happy change.

Each easy miracle of felicity

Of her transmuting heart the alchemy is."

Sri Aurobindo

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Sri Aurobindo

Give us a faith active and ardent, absolute and unshakable in Thy Victory.

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