Open Letters Published in Newspapers 1909 ­ 1925   To the Editor of the Bengalee   BABU AUROBINDO GHOSE'S LETTER     TO THE EDITOR OF THE "BENGALEE", SIR, — Will you kindly allow me to express through your columns my deep sense of gratitude to all who have helped me in my hour of trial? Of the innumerable friends known and unknown, who have contributed each his mite to swell my defence fund, it is impossible for me now even to learn the names, and I must ask them to accept this public expression of my feeling in place of a private gratitude. Since my acquittal many telegrams and letters have reached me and they

To People in India, 1914 ­ 1926   To N. K. Gogte   [1] Dear Sir, I regret that I have not been able to reply as yet to your postcard. I am entirely occupied with the work for the Review which has to be given to the Press shortly. After the 17th I shall .. be more free and hope then to be able to reply to the questions you have put to us. Yours sincerely Aurobindo Ghose Pondicherry 9 Sept. 1914 [2] Pondicherry 21 Sept 1914 Dear Sir, I hope you received duly my card explaining the delay in my answer. Your questions cover the whole of a very wide field. It is the

Draft Letters, 1926 ­ 1928   To an Unknown Person   Now you have seen practically all that needed to be seen with an entire sincerity and a true unsparing vision. The root was there in the lower vital; it was that one among your formations of personality on the vital level which brought in a persistent element of insincerity and vitiated precisely in the way you have described your nature and, consequently, your aspiration and sadhana. This part of the work has been well done. Now it only remains for you to cast out this thing finally with all its effects from your mind and life and physical being so that there may be clear room for

APPENDIX   Notes of Uncertain Origin   During a whole year a slice or two of sandwich, bread and butter and a cup of tea in the morning and in the evening a penny saveloy formed the only food.   *   These invitations [by the Maharaja] were usually for some work to be done and could not be refused.   *   Sri Aurobindo's policy in India was not based on Parnellism. It had more resemblance to Sinn Fein but was conceived before the Sinn Fein movement and was therefore not inspired by it.   *   Sri Aurobindo began practising Yoga on his own account, starting with pranayama as explained to him by a friend, a disci

Letters Written While Employed in the Princely State of Baroda 1895 ­ 1906   To the Sar Suba, Baroda State   Ootacamund. June 1. 1895 Sir I have the honour to report that I arrived at Ootacamund on Thursday the 30th instant & that I saw H.H. the .. Maharaja Saheb yesterday (Friday). It appears that His Highness wishes to keep me with him for some time farther, I have also the honour to state that as I desired a peon rather at Ootie than on the journey & even so it was not absolutely necessary, I did not think myself justified in taking advantage of your kind permission to en

To Barindra Kumar Ghose and Others, 1922 ­ 1928 1   To Barindra Kumar Ghose   [1]   Arya Office Pondicherry November 18. 1922. Dear Barin, I understand from your letter that you need a written authority from me for the work I have entrusted to you and a statement making your position clear to those whom you may have to approach in connection with it. You may show to anyone you wish this letter as your authority and I hope it will be sufficient to straighten things for you.  I have been till now and shall be for some time longer withdrawn in the practice of a yoga destined to be a basis not

Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching1   The teaching of Sri Aurobindo starts from that of the ancient sages of India that behind the appearances of the universe there is the Reality of a Being and Consciousness, a Self of all things one and eternal. All beings are united in that One Self and Spirit but divided by a certain separativity of consciousness, an ignorance of their true Self and Reality in the mind, life and body. It is possible by a certain psychological discipline to remove this veil of separative consciousness and become aware of the true Self, the Divinity within us and all. Sri Aurobindo’s teaching states that thisOne Being and Consci

Notices for Members of the Ashram 1928 ­ 1937 Notices of May 1928   [1]   It has been found necessary to change some of the forms and methods hitherto used to help by external means the individual and collective sadhana. This has to be done especially in regard to the consecration of food, the collective meditation and the individual contact of the sadhaka with the Mother. The existing forms were originally arranged in order to make possible a spiritual and psychic communion on the most physical and external planes by which there would be an interchange of forces, a continuous increase of the higher consciousness o

To and about Public Figures 1930 ­ 1937   Draft of a Letter to Maharani Chimnabai II   To H.H the Maharani of Baroda It is true that I have by the practice of Yoga attained to the higher spiritual consciousness which comes by Yoga, and this carries with it a certain power. Especially there is the power to communicate to those who are ready or to help them towards that spiritual state which, in its perfection is a condition of unalterable inner calm, strength and felicity. But this spiritual peace and joy is something quite different from mental peace and happiness. And it cannot be reached w

Part One Autobiographical Notes Section One Life Sketches and Other Autobiographical Notes