Conditions for Admission Do not judge on appearances and do not listen to what people say, because these two things are misleading. But if you find it necessary to go, of course you can go and from an external point of view it may be indeed wiser. Moreover it is not easy to remain here. There is in the Ashram no exterior discipline and no visible test. But the inner test is severe and constant, one must be very sincere in the aspiration to surmount all egoism and to conquer all vanity in order to be able to stay. A complete surrender is not outwardly exacted but it is indispensable for those who wish to stick on, and many things come to test the sincerity of th

Relations with Persons Outside the Ashram I appreciate your feelings about what a sadhak ought to be and from that point of view, what you say is quite true. But it is well understood that the Ashram is not exclusively composed of sadhaks. The Ashram is a reduced image of life where those who practice yoga are a minority, and if I were to keep here only those who are quite sincere in their sadhana, very few indeed would remain. Sri Aurobindo always reminds us of the fact that the Divine is everywhere and in everything, and asks us to practise a true compassion, as is so beautifully expressed in this aphorism which I am just commenting upon, “Examine thyself wit

Sadhana of the Body This body has neither the uncontested authority of a god nor the imperturbable calm of the sage. It is yet only an apprentice in supermanhood. O my sweet Lord, supreme Truth, I aspire that the food I take may infuse into all the cells of my body Thy all-knowledge, Thy all-power, Thy all-goodness. 21 September 1951 * Only when it is no longer necessary for men's progress that my body should be like theirs will it be free to become supramentalised. 2 August 1952 * It is a fact that the Godhead has always taken a physical body with the intention of transforming that body and making of it a fit instrument for His manifestation upo

Coming to the Ashram You say that you feel you have returned to your old life and that you have fallen from that state of spiritual consciousness in which you remained for some time. And you ask whether it comes from the fact that Sri Aurobindo and myself have withdrawn our protection and our help because you had been unable to fulfil your promise. It is a mistake to think that anything at all has been withdrawn by us. Our help and our protection are with you as always, but it would be more correct to say that both your inability to feel our help and your inability to keep your promise are the simultaneous effects of the same cause. Remember what I wrote to you whe

Outer Life A DECLARATION I want to mark this day by the expression of a long cherished wish; that of becoming an Indian citizen. From the first time I came to India – in 1914 – I felt that India is my true country, the country of my soul and spirit. I had decided to realise this wish as soon as India would be free. But I had to wait still longer because of my heavy responsibilities for the Ashram here in Pondicherry. Now the time has come when I can declare myself. But, in accordance with Sri Aurobindo's ideal, my purpose is to show that truth lies in union rather than in division. To reject one nationality in order to obtain another is not an ideal solution. So I hope I

Aspiration Talks¹ 10 March 1970 A: We would like to speak to you about work in Aspiration. What we would like to know, what we are looking for, is the right attitude... What is the trouble? A: The trouble is... Each one pulls in his own direction. A: Each one pulls in his own direction. No one is really in contact with what is true. We have to bear in mind that we are starting from the present state of humanity. So you must face all the difficulties; you must find the solution. Pointing to the tape-recorder) What is that? B: I am recording for the people of Auromodèle, Sweet Mother.                       

Leaving the Ashram I do not advise you to go. As for X, under the circumstances you describe, it might be better for her, instead of her going, that someone comes here to help her. Can you arrange for that? Blessings. 25 February 1939 * I did not approve much of X's departure, but as for yours I disapprove of it completely, and cannot understand why you should abandon your work and interrupt and imperil your sadhana because she chooses to go back to her village. I do not find this decision either good or fair to yourself and your spiritual aspiration, so I hope you will look at it in this light and reconsider your decision. 3 May 1939 * Certai

Work and Teaching If it is the Will of the Supreme that those who depend on me should have no faith in me, I have nothing to say. I am responsible only for the absoluteness of my own sincerity. 14 December 1932 * Is there no means of uniting my will with Yours? Perhaps You have no special will, for You want no- thing. I know perfectly well what I want or rather what the divine Will is, and it is that which will triumph in time. 11 May 1934 * I hope and believe Your work does not depend upon human beings. No, it does not depend at all upon human beings. What has to be done will be done despite all possible resistances. There is only o

SERIES TWELVE Series Twelve  To a student in the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education who began writing to the Mother at the age of sixteen. Sweet Mother, I used to have the habit of reading Savitri or one of Your books before going to bed at night. But now I have lost the habit and I do not even go to the Samadhi very regularly. I do not understand the true value of these things. Should one do them regularly or only when one feels like doing them? Why should one do these things and how should one do them? One reads Savitri to develop one's intelligence and to understand deeper things. One concentrates at th

SERIES THREE Series Three Letters to “My little smile” To “My little smile”, one of the first children admitted to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram; she came at the age of fourteen. Little smile worked for many years embroi- dering clothes for the Mother and later became one of her personal attendants. She began writing to the Mother at the age of seventeen. My dear little smile, You must not lose patience or courage; everything will turn out all right. The condition you were in while embroidering the “Silence” flower,¹ cannot return as it was before, for in this world things never repeat themselves in exactly the same