Chapter IX THE EVOLUTIONARY CLUES Conceivably, one might rediscover and re-establish at the summit of evolution of life the phenomenon we see at its base, the power to draw from all around it the means of sustenance and self-renewal. (Sri Aurobindo, The Supramental Manifestation upon Earth, p. 52) It is evident that spontaneous motion or locomotion, breathing, eating are only processes of life and not life itself; they are means for the generation or release of that constantly stimulating energy which is our vitality and for that process of disintegration and renewal by which it supports our substantial existence; but these processes o

Chapter X THE DESCENT OF THE SUPERMIND I know that I can lift man's soul to God, I know that he can bring the Immortal down. (Sri Aurobindo, Savitri, Book XI, Canto I, p. 687) The integral perfection can come only by a mounting ascent of the lowest into the highest and an incessant descent of the highest into the lowest till all becomes one at once solid block and plastic sea-stuff of the Truth infinite and eternal. (Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga, p. 478) There are different statuses of the divine consciousness. There are also different statuses of transformation. First is the psychic transforma

INTRODUCTION This book with an unusual title is offered to the readers with a sense of genuine humility. The author has no pretensions to act the role of an oracle for the future, nor does he seek to put forward his views and reflections in a superstitiously dogmatic way. What he sincerely wishes is to share with kindred spirits the very interesting findings that he has come across in course of his long researches in an area of knowledge rarely touched in the past. The author will feel his labour amply rewarded if he succeeds in communicating to at least a few among his readers the sense of thrill and sustained interest that he himself felt while exploring this un

Chapter VII THE MASTERY OF THE NIGHTS Sadhana can go on in the dream or sleep state as well as in the waking. (Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga, p. 1481) To make use of the nights is an excellent thing, it has a double effect: a negative effect, it prevents you from falling backward, losing whatever you have gained — that indeed is painful — and a positive effect, you make some progress, you continue your progress. (The Mother, Bulletin, Vol. XII, No. 4, p. 91) The Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo has for its goal the total transformation of our nature as well as the complete liberation of our being. But in our normal waking

Chapter VI THEORIES OF EXISTENCE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE BODY A mind looks out from a small casual globe And wonders what itself and all things are. (Savitri, Book II, Canto V, p. 167) The Philosophy of Integralism arising out of Sri Aurobindo's Integral Vision of the Reality and world-process envisages "a divine life upon earth and liberation of earth-nature itself as part of a total purpose of the embodiment of the spirit here",1 and the Yoga of supramental Transformation as brought into action by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo seeks to realise in the not too distant future this sublime idea

Chapter V THE DOUBLE DENIAL God shall grow up while the wise men talk and sleep; For man shall not know the coming till its hour And belief shall be not till the work is done. (Savitri, Book I, Canto IV, p. 55) (A) The Materialist Negation Matter on the firm earth sits strong and sure. It is the first-born of created things, It stands the last when mind and life are slain, And if it ended all would cease to be. All else is only its outcome or its phase... If Matter fails, all crumbling cracks and falls. All upon Matter stands as on a rock. (Savitri, Book X, Canto II, p. 615)

Chapter IX THE MYSTERY OF LIFE AND DEATH Birth is the first spiritual mystery of the physical universe, death is the second which gives its double point of perplexity to the mystery of birth; for life, which would otherwise be a self-evident fact of existence, becomes itself a mystery by virtue of these two which seem to be its beginning and its end and yet in a thousand ways betray themselves as neither of these things, but rather intermediate stages in an occult processus of life. (Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine, p. 742) Our mortality is only justified in the light of our immortality... (Ibid., p

Chapter X DEATH AT THE SERVICE OF LIFE I have given thee thy awful shape of dread And thy sharp sword of terror and grief and pain To force the soul of man to struggle for light On the brevity of his half-conscious days. Thou art his spur to greatness in his works, The whip to his yearning for eternal bliss, His poignant need of immortality. Live, Death, awhile, be still my instrument. (Sri Aurobindo, Savitri, Book X, Canto IV, p. 666) This world was built by Death that he might live. Wilt thou abolish death ? Then life too will perish. Thou canst not abolish death, but thou mayst t

-039_Life^s Ingenuity and Supermind.htm Chapter X LIFE'S INGENUITY AND SUPERMIND By Wisdom all these are guided and have their firm abiding in Wisdom. For Wisdom is the eye of the world, Wisdom is the sure foundation. (Aitareya Upanishad, III. 3) This evolution of our consciousness to a superconscience or supreme of itself is possible only if the Inconscience which is our basis here is really itself an involved Superconscience; for what is to be in the becoming of the Reality in us must be already there involved or secret in its beginning. Such an involved Being or Power we can well conceive the Inconscient to be when we closely regard this material creation of an unco

Chapter VII DREAMS AND THE DREAMLAND None knows himself well who does not know his free activities of the night and no man can call himself his own master if he is not perfectly conscious and master of the multifarious actions which he performs during his physical sleep.... Uncultivated fields produce weeds. We do not want weeds to grow in us, let us then cultivate the vast fields of our nights. (The Mother, Words of Long Ago, pp. 37, 41) We pass in waking into nescience of our sleeping condition, in sleep into nescience of our waking being. But this happens because only part of our being performs this alternative movement and we false