INNER AND OUTER BEING       You always speak about turning to the inner being, so I would like to know if there is nothing good in the outer being?       Obviously the outer being cannot be all bad, but it is mixed and ignorant and full of ignorant movements.         What has the inner being to do with Yoga or spiritual life?       It is the outer being that has nothing to do with Yoga or spiritual life unless the inner awakens it.         When my outer being is busy with physical things or mechanical movements, what does my inner being do during that period?       It may be silent or it may be occupied with its own activities which are not felt

TAMASIC SURRENDER       The weakness of not being able to detach myself at once from the ordinary nature and its actions is obvious. It is lessening, though, after reading your answer, "Detachment is absolutely necessary." But even during the engrossed state, my inner consciousness was rarely allowed to lose itself and suffer. Perhaps there was always one part of my being that kept itself separate. I pray to the Mother to see the plight of her child, and know how much he is depressed by being dragged away from her, to feel his heart and know how the vital has filled it with agony and pain. How long shall he have to remain in such a burning separation? Will she not take him aga

THE PSYCHIC BEING         Can there be a conscious contact with the Mother through the psychic before the latter comes fully forward? Yes, the psychic is always there.         How is the psychic to be brought forward?       It comes forward of itself either through constant love and aspiration or when the mind and vital have been made ready by the descent from above and the working of the Force.         To bring the psychic forward, selfishness and demand (which is the base of the vital feelings) must be got rid of — or at least never accepted.         Get rid of the dissatisfactions, they prevent the permanent psychic opening.        

WORK AS SELF-DEDICATION         I fail to make out why my feet remain constantly fatigued even after sleep. Is not sleep a means to relax everything?       I think you had forced yourself too much physically by mental will and vital insistence on the body — the present fatigue is partly at least the result.         Forcing means not giving yourself sufficient sleep. I had already written that enough sleep was important.         Why does not the Force come down to help me in the work? I am getting restless.       So long as you are in this restless condition, there is no use in the Force pressing to come down. You must get rid of these things (fatig

SEX AND ITS CONQUEST       Sometimes it is noticed that the mere presence of a woman is enough to raise the sexual sensations in us. How does it happen like that?       It is quite usual—just as the smell of very nice food may awake the desire of the food.         I notice that there are many sadhaks who mix with ladies quite freely, while I can't. Does it mean that they do not feel the sex-difficulty?       Some may not feel, others may not care whether they feel or not.         Today I had neither sexual sensations nor thoughts while in the presence of ladies; and yet there was something in the mind which I failed to understand.       Probab

WILL TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES       What makes good conditions for sadhana? Aspiration, untiring will, steady calm and detachment, make the best conditions.         Today I could control for a while the lower forces that were bothering me, but later on they prevailed over me.       It is the nature of the sadhana. The forces of the Ignorance are a perversion of the earth-nature and the adverse Powers make use of them. They do not give up their control of men without a struggle.       The one thing wrong would be to allow yourself to be overcome by them. If you remain steady in yourself, you can repel the attack or else it will exhaust itself an

OPENING OF THE INNER SENSES         At pranam while putting my head in the Mothers lap I heard a voice. It was felt to be the Mothers. Did she really say something to me inwardly or was it a mere illusion?       It may have been that the Mother conveyed something to yon. At this moment she does not remember.         Can one rely solely on the voice from within and be thus guided by the Mother?       If it is the Mother's voice; but you have to be sure of that.         During yesterday's meditation, I perceived first only the pistils of the flower whose significance is given by the Mother as 'Psychic Prayer' (Habranthus robustus Zephy-ranthes)

CENTRES AND PLANES OF CONSCIOUSNESS       The year 1933         The Mother sent a picture of flowers named by her: "Opening of the centres." What does the phrase signify? What is meant by "centres"?       The centres of consciousness, the chakras. It is by their opening that the Yogic or inner consciousness develops — otherwise you are bound to the ordinary outer consciousness.       The more they open, the more the consciousness increases.       They are reckoned as six usually — or with the one above the head, seven.       May I know what the "Adhara" is?       The Adhara is that in which the consciousness is now contained — mind

EXPERIENCES         Quietness, calm and receptivity, creating a happy state, are increasing.       If you have that experience it is very good — for it is the first step.         How can one be sure that what one takes to be an experience of calm and of inner contact with the Divine is really so?       An experience is an unmistakable thing and must be given its proper value. The mind may exaggerate in thinking about it but that does not deprive it of its value.         How is it that the consciousness loses its activity of experience after a short while every day?       It is often like that — the period of intense activity is limited to a particular p

      THE DIVINE AND THE AVATAR           We believe that both you and the Mother are Avatars. But is it only in this life that both of you have shown your divinity? It is said that you and she have been on the earth constantly since its creation. What were you doing during your previous lives?       Carrying on the evolution.         I find it difficult to understand so concise a statement. Can't you elaborate it?       That would mean writing the whole of human history. I can only say that as there are special descents to carry on the evolution to a farther stage, so also something of the Divine is always there to help through each stage itself in