The Mother

Agenda

(Meeting with Auroville's architect, N. and U. – N. is the Secretary of the Sri Aurobindo Society and U., his rival, the Secretary of Sri Aurobindo's Action. The architect gives Mother a flower.)

What is it?

I think it's “Supramental Clarity” or Vibration.

(Mother speaks in English)

I will tell you that we are preaching unity – unity of humanity – and we are all quarreling – horrible quarrels, resentments and all sorts of urgings that we condemn in the others. We are giving a nice example, and people laugh! Voila.

It has come to me from many quarters.

Begin with yourself, they say, and they are right.

Each one, all of you have good reasons, everybody seems to lie. Everybody has “good reasons.” You know, the ego is the most clever rogue I have ever met. He takes such nice, nice appearances, and each one says: “I would, but I can't.” Voila. And I tell you, from some places far away and from near, from far and from near, from India and from other countries: Begin with yourself. That is, we are ridiculous – ridiculous. And such good reasons we have! – all the people have good reasons. It is above reason, it has nothing to do with reason, nothing to do with that, we want... a new creation.

If the Divine had only for one hour the same feelings as men have, there would be no more world. That I can tell you. I have seen clearly – you believe me if you want – I have seen the world with the eye of the Divine. It is something so terrible, you know, so contrary to what it must be, that if the Divine said “only He,” brrt! everything would go, there would be no world, there would be no men, there would be only That. Des ego pulverises [smashed egos].

It is difficult, it is the most difficult thing – we are here to do difficult things. We are in the period of transition. I can't tell you: be like this or be like that, because there is no example as yet. It is being done, and we are just at the time of the transition. It is very, very difficult – but very interesting.

For centuries and centuries, humanity has waited for this time. It has come. But it is difficult.

I don't simply tell you we are here upon earth to rest and enjoy ourselves, now it is not the time for that. We are here... to prepare the way for the new creation.

The body has some difficulty, so I can't be active, alas. It is not because I am old – I am not old. I am not old, I am younger than most of you. If I am here inactive, it is because the body has given itself definitely to prepare the transformation. But the consciousness is clear and we are here to work – rest and enjoyment will come afterwards. Let us do our work here.

So I have called you to tell you that. Take what you can, do what you can, my help will be with you. All sincere efforts will be helped to the maximum.

(Here Mother starts talking in French again)

Now is the time to be heroic.

Heroism is not what people say, it is to be completely united – and the divine help will always be with those who have, in all sincerity, resolved to be heroic. Voila.

You are here now, I mean on earth, because you once chose to be – you don't remember it, but I know; that's why you are here. Well, you must stand up to the task. You must make an effort, you must conquer pettiness and limitations, and above all tell the ego: your time is over. We want a race without ego, with the divine consciousness in place of the ego. That's what we want: the divine consciousness, which will enable the race to develop and the superman¹ to be born.

If you think I am here because I am bound, you are wrong. I am not bound. I am here because my body has given itself for the first attempt at transformation. Sri Aurobindo told me so, he told me, “I know of no one who can do it, except you.” I said, “All right, I will do it.” It's not... I don't wish anyone to do it in my place, because... because it's not very pleasant, but I am doing it gladly, because everybody will benefit from the results. I ask only one thing: don't listen to the ego. That's all. The time of the ego is over. We want to go beyond humanity and its ego, to leave it behind, we want a race without ego, with a divine consciousness in place of the ego. There, that's all.

Anything to say?

(silence)

If there is a sincere “yes” in your hearts, you will have satisfied me fully. I don't need words: I need your hearts' sincere adherence. That's all.

(silence)

(To the architect:) Did you follow?

Yes, Mother.

Are you in agreement?

Fully in agreement.

(the other two are silent
Mother turns to them and speaks in English)

(To N. and U.:) You and you, you must agree. You are here for that. You have come to this place at this time for that. We must give to the world the example of what must be, not petty egoistic movements, but an aspiration towards the manifestation of Truth. Voila.

(silence)

I can assure you that all sincere effort will be pleinement, fully helped by the Divine. Of that I am sure. And I can assure you of that.

(silence)

That is all I had to say.

 

¹ Mother later corrected “superman” to “supramental being.”

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The Mother

Agenda

(Mother shows Satprem a card with her photo and the following text in English printed on it.)

No human will can finally prevail against the Divine's will.

Let us put ourselves deliberately and exclusively on the side of the Divine and the victory is ultimately certain.

The Mother

Strange how human nature resists that. Ordinary human nature is such that it prefers defeat on its own terms to victory in another way. I am making amazing discoveries these days – just amazing.

Human stupidity is abysmal. Abysmal.

It's as if the Force I mentioned before¹ wanted to go like this (gesture like a power drill), deeper and deeper into the subconscient.

There are incredible things in the subconscient – incredible. I spend entire nights watching them. And it goes down and down and down... IMPERATIVELY.

So the human subconscient cries out, “Oh, not yet, please, not yet – not so fast!” And that's what you are up against. A general subconscient.

Naturally, the resistance brings about catastrophes, and then people say, “See! See your beneficient action, it is only causing catastrophes.” Unbelievable, they are unbelievably stupid.

I see it in myself; never have I felt the resistance of the lower nature in such a....

Yes, oh yes! It has increased tremendously.

Yes, tremendously. One wonders how it will end, and at times one gets really worried.

No, you shouldn't. You simply... keep clinging to the Divine. For, of course, the resistance has such wonderful reasoning! “You see,” it says, “You see where all this is leading you, you see....” Oh, it's... it's more than a resistance; it is PERVERSE.

Yes.

A perversity.

Yes, Mother, quite so. I can see that. I clearly see that it really is a perversity.

Yes, a perversity.

But I don't know what to do. Nothing seems able to subdue it. I don't know what to do.

Well, the only way is.... If you can avoid listening, it's better, but if you do listen, the only reply is: “I don't care what you say, I don't care” – constantly. “You'll become stupid” – I don't care. “You'll spoil all your work” – I don't care.... To all those perverse arguments the same reply: I don't care.

If you can experience that it's the Divine that does everything, then with an unshakable faith, you say, “All your arguments are worthless; the joy of being with the Divine, conscious of the Divine, surpasses everything” – it surpasses the creation, surpasses life, surpasses happiness and success, it surpasses everything (Mother raises one finger): THAT.

That's all. Then all is well. And it's over.

It's as if That drove all the worst things in nature out into bright daylight, out into the open, into contact with that Force...

Yes!

...so as to have done with them.

Besides, it seems to attack what was good-willed in us.

After some time it becomes absolutely wonderful, but one goes through some difficult moments.

Yes. Yes, there are times when you wonder if everything isn't going to be swept away.

(Mother laughs) That's absurd! Absurd. What's going to be swept away is the resistance.

But....

(Mother plunges in, smiles)

More and more I feel there's but one way.... (Laughing) It makes an amusing picture: to sit on the mind – just sit on the mind: shut up. That's the only way.

You sit on the mind (Mother gives a little slap): shut up.

(silence)

The subconscient contains the memory of all the previous “pralayas,”² and this memory is what always gives us the impression that everything is going to dissolve, to collapse.

But if you look at things in the true light, there can only be a more beautiful manifestation! Théon had told me this was the seventh and last one. Sri Aurobindo (I had told him what Théon said), Sri Aurobindo concurred, for he said, “This one will see the transformation towards the Supermind.” But to reach the Supermind, the mind must SHUT up! And I always get the impression (laughing) of a child sitting on the mind's head (gesture like a child kicking its feet), playing on the mind's head! If I could still draw, it would make something really funny. The mind – that huge terrestrial mind (Mother puffs out her cheeks) – which thinks itself so important and indispensable, and then a child sitting on its head and playing! It's so funny.

Ah, mon petit, we don't have faith! The moment one has faith....

We say, “We want a divine life” – but we're afraid of it! The second the fear disappears and we are sincere... really, everything changes.

We say, “We want nothing more of this life,” but... (laughing) something in us clings to it!

Yes!

It's so ridiculous.

We cling to our old ideas, our old... to this old world bound for extinction – we're afraid!

While the divine child sitting on the mind's head plays!... I wish I could draw that picture, it's so wonderful.

We are so silly we even say (Mother puts on an air of offended dignity): the Divine is wrong, “You shouldn't handle things that way!” It's comical, mon petit.

(silence)

The best remedy (I mean the easiest) for me, is: what You will – what You will, in all sincerity. In all sincerity. And then – then understanding comes. Then you understand. But you don't understand mentally, not here (Mother touches her head).

What You will.

(silence)

So I can see the resistance in people, I see (they don't say anything, but they think it; I see it in the mental atmosphere like this – gesture all around): the twaddle of an old woman!

That's the situation.

Oh!...

 

¹ The descent of February 21 (the “frightening pressure to compel the necessary progress”). See conversation of March 8.

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² Pralaya: the end of a world, apocalypse.

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The Mother

Agenda

(Mother sits “looking”)

What do you see?

(silence)

I think I already told you, there's a kind of golden Force pressing down (gesture); it has no material substantiality, and yet it feels terribly heavy....

Yes, yes.

...it presses down on Matter, to force it, to compel it to turn INWARDLY to the Divine – not an external flight (pointing above) but inwardly turning to the Divine. And the apparent outcome seems to be inevitable catastrophes. But along with this sense of inevitable catastrophe, there come solutions to situations or events that look simply miraculous.

As if both extremes were becoming more extreme: the good getting better and the bad worse. Like that. And a stupendous Power PRESSING down on the world. Such is my impression.

Yes, it's very perceptible.

Yes, it's as tangible as this (Mother feels the air between her fingers). And even in life circumstances, many things otherwise indifferent are becoming suddenly acute – acute situations, acute differences, acute ill wills – and at the same time, singular miracles. Singular. People on the verge of death are saved, inextricable situations are suddenly untangled.

And the same for individuals too.

Those who know how to turn to... (how shall I put it?) who SINCERELY call upon the Divine, who feel it's the only salvation, the only way out, and who sincerely offer themselves, then... (gesture of bursting open) within a few minutes, it becomes a wonder – for the least little thing: there's no big or small, important or unimportant, it's all the same.

The whole scale of values changes.

The vision of the world is as though changed.

(silence)

This gives an idea of the change brought about in the world by the supramental Descent. Things that were insignificant are becoming quite categorical: a small mistake becomes categorical in its consequences while a little sincerity, a true little aspiration becomes miraculous in its results. The values are intensified in people. Even materially, the least little error has huge consequences, while the slightest sincerity of aspiration has extraordinary results.

The values are intensified, they stand out more.

Mother, you speak of mistake, of error – I don't know, maybe it's a fallacy, but I have a stronger and stronger notion that mistakes, errors are unreal. It doesn't work that way. They're only a means, as it were. Yes, a means of broadening the scope of our aspiration.

Yes, that's perfectly correct.

They cause pain – mistakes, errors are basically pain, which is the means of awakening some aspiration in the deeper recesses of our being.

Yes, quite true. The overall perception is that everything is... everything is meant to lead to the conscious ascent of the world. It is consciousness evolving towards divinity. And perfectly true at that: what we perceive as mistakes stems entirely from an ordinary human conception – wholly and entirely.

The only mistake – if it exists at all – is in not wanting something else. But when you start wanting something else....

Well, that's not a mistake, it's plain stupid!

Yes, exactly, stupid. But it seems to me, the moment you want something else, each error or mistake – everything – serves a purpose.

Yes, yes. Perfectly so. Really, it's very simple: the whole creation must want nothing but the Divine, want nothing but to manifest the Divine; all its actions (including its so-called mistakes) are a means to make it inevitable for the whole creation to manifest the Divine – but not a “Divine” as man usually conceives of, with all kinds of limitations and restrictions: a TOTALITY of tremendous power and light.

Truly the Power is IN the world, a new and stupendous Power which has come into the world to manifest the divine Almightiness and make it “manifestable,” so to say.

Through careful observation and attention, I have come to this conclusion: I have seen that what we call the “Supramental,” for lack of a better word, is actually making the creation more susceptible to the higher Power, which we call “divine” because we... (it is divine compared to what we are, but...). It's something (gesture of descent and pressure) that will make Matter more susceptible and responsive to the Force. How can I explain it?... At present, whatever is invisible or imperceptible is unreal to us (I mean to human beings in general); we say that some things are “concrete” and others are not. But this Power, this Might, which is NOT MATERIAL, is becoming more concretely effective on earth than earthly material things. That's it.

And that is how the supramental beings will protect and defend themselves. In its appearance it won't be material but OVER MATTER its power will be greater than material things. Day by day, hour by hour this is getting truer and truer. The feeling that when this Force is guided by what we call the “Divine,” it has POWER, a real power – the power to move Matter, you understand; it can cause a MATERIAL accident, or save you from a wholly material accident, it can cancel the consequences of an absolutely material event – it is stronger than Matter. This is the totally new and incomprehensible fact. But it... (fluttering gesture in the atmosphere), it creates a sort of panic in the ordinary human consciousness.

That's it. It seems that... things are no longer what they were. There's really something new – things are NO LONGER what they were.

All our common sense, our human logic, our practical sense – collapsed, finished! No longer effective. No longer realistic. They are no longer relevant.

A new world, really.

(silence)

And in the body, whatever has trouble adjusting to this new Power creates difficulties, disorders and illnesses. Yet in a flash you sense that if you were totally receptive, you would become formidable. That's the sensation. That's more and more my sensation: that if the entire consciousness, the entire most material consciousness – the most material – were receptive to this new Power... one would become for-mi-dable.

(Mother closes her eyes)

But there is one essential condition: the ego's reign must come to an end. The ego is now the obstacle. The ego must be replaced by the divine consciousness – what personally I call divine consciousness. Sri Aurobindo called it “supramental,” so we can call it supramental to avoid confusion, because as soon as you say “Divine,” people start thinking of a “God,” and that spoils everything. It isn't like that. Not like that, it is the descent of the supramental world (Mother slowly lowers her fists), which is not mere imagination (pointing above): it is an ABSOLUTELY material Power. But (smilingly) with no need for any material means.

A world is trying to be born into this world.

(silence)

On several occasions, my body felt a sort of new discomfort, an anxiety; and something, not exactly a voice but it became words in my consciousness, said, “Why are you afraid? This is the new consciousness.” It happened several times. Then I understood.

(silence)

You see, what in terms of human common sense says, “This is impossible, it's never been before,” that's what is finished. This idiocy is over. It's become a stupidity. Now we could say: it's possible BECAUSE it has never been before. This is the new world and this is the new consciousness and this is the new Power; it is possible, and it is, and will be more and more manifest BECAUSE it is the new world, because it has never been before.

It will be because it has never been before.

(silence)

It's lovely: it will be because it has never been before – BECAUSE it has never been.

(Mother looks up as if about to say something,
then goes into meditation)

It is active – in you too.

Not material and yet more concrete than Matter!

Yes, almost crushing.

Crushing, yes, just so.... Oh, it's....

Whatever isn't receptive feels crushed, but all that is receptive on the contrary feels a sort of... extraordinary expansion.

Yes. But that's what's so odd, there's both!

Yes, both together.

You feel so expanded, as if everything in you would blow up, but at the same time there's a sensation of being crushed ...

Yes, but what feels crushed is what resists, what is unreceptive. One has only to open oneself. Then it becomes like a... a for-mi-dable thing. Fabulous! It's our centuries-old habits that resist and give us that feeling, you know, but whatever can open up.... You feel as if you were becoming larger and larger and larger.... Magnificent. Oh, that's it!...

The Mother

Agenda

How are you?

Not so well.

Why?

I don't know.

What's wrong?... The head or the body?

No, it's rather within.

Ohh! That HAS to be all right. Within, we're the masters – we want to be well, we are well. It's only this (Mother points to her body) that doesn't quite obey.

(long silence
Mother holds Satprem's hand)

The subconscient is a mass of defeatism. That's what keeps rising to the surface. As we ABSOLUTELY need to change that, the subconscient must be clarified so that the new race can come. We must clarify the subconscient. It's a mire. It's full of defeatism – defeatism, the first reaction is always defeatist. It's absolutely disgusting, mon petit, I've seen it, I am working there... a disgusting place. We absolutely must... we must be categorical and vigorous – fearless, you know. Change it MUST.

It's nasty.

And it keeps rising to the surface... (gesture from below).

(silence)

A fantastic energy is checked by that, by that foul thing.

(Mother gives flowers to Sujata)

Here. Do you want a garland?

We must.... (To Satprem) You have the capacity to... (Mother drives her fist down into Matter). Defeatism belongs to the subconscient – it MUST change, it must. Defeatism is anti-divine.

(silence)

There's but one way: to want what the Supreme Consciousness wants – whatever the consequences in terms of our silly little conception.

Like this (Mother opens her hands): to want what You want.

Do I have a relationship with that Supreme Consciousness?

Oh, mon petit! That goes without saying!

You do have a relationship – and even a conscious one; not only do you have a relationship, but you have a conscious relationship.

(silence)

I have gone through all sorts of terrible things in my life....

Yes, so does everyone.

Yes, but I think I've had a... special share.

Don't you think I've had my share too?

Oh, certainly, I think so.

So?

But I had (even when I didn't know you, when I didn't know the Ashram, I mean), I had the feeling there was something behind me....

Yes.

Something that was helping me.

Of course! But of course there was! Of course there was: THAT.

Personally, I call it “Supreme Consciousness” because I don't want to say “God”....

Ah, no!

It's full of... the very word is full of deception. It's not that way, it's.... We are – WE are the Divine who has forgotten Himself. And our task, the task is to reestablish the connection – call it by any name you like, it doesn't matter. It's the Perfection we must become, that's all.

The Perfection, the Power, the Knowledge we must become, that's all. Call it what you like, it doesn't matter to me. That's the aspiration we must have. We must get out of this mire, this stupidity, this unconsciousness, this disgusting defeatism that crushes us because we allow ourselves to be crushed.

And we fear. We fear for its life (Mother touches the skin of her hands), for this thing, as if it were precious, because we want to stay conscious. But let's unite with the Supreme Consciousness, and we'll stay conscious forever! That's IT, that's exactly it.

I could put it this way: we unite our consciousness with what is perishable and we're afraid to perish!¹ I Well, I say: let's unite our consciousness with the eternal Consciousness and we will enjoy eternal consciousness.

How stupid can one be!

(silence)

But, you see, when you are here, I can express these things because your atmosphere is conducive to expressing them.

We must... we must put this at the service of the Divine – always. Always. With faith, an absolute faith: whatever happens is what the Divine wants to see happen. The Divine – I say “Divine” because I know what I mean by that word, I mean supreme Knowledge, supreme Beauty, supreme Goodness, supreme Will – all... all that must be manifested in order to express... what must be expressed.

(long silence)

We are disgusted with the world as it is – and we have the POWER to change it. But we are such fools that we can't bring ourselves to abdicate our silly little personality to... to let the Marvel unfold.

And that's all accumulated in the subconscient: everything we have rejected is there, and now it must be brought in contact with the transforming Force... so that this unconsciousness may come to an end.

(Mother plunges in for half an hour)

Mon petit....

*
*   *

(The following has already been the subject of several conversations the past year and will unfortunately come up again. It concerns the sales of my books abroad and a subsequent traffic in foreign currencies to which I was impudent or imprudent enough to call attention. But the real problem was that certain people were outrightly and openly robbing Mother. My books were in fact only a small part of a vaster racket that involved all of Sri Aurobindo's works. Much like Don Quixote, then, I was pitching headlong into a battle whose outcome was foreseeable. It may be recalled that the head of SABDA, the book business, is the brother of the man who tried to appropriate Auroville. In reality I was taking on a well-organized mafia. But I was still unaware of it. This anecdote is reported here only insofar as it is symbolic of a larger whole.)

You have nothing to ask?

I had a practical problem, Mother, but it's perhaps too late?

What time is it?

Ten past eleven.

No; what is it?

Oh, that problem really bothers me. It's about my books with All India Press.

Then, mon petit, you should discuss it with Andre.²

Yes, I did speak to Andre. I don't know what they're doing with my books. You see, they don't give me any statements and don't tell me anything about what they're doing. I don't know what they're doing with my books in Europe – in Switzerland in particular – they don't inform me of anything nor have I any control over what's happening. I wrote a letter to M. [the director of All India Press], a nice, polite letter in which I asked him to keep me posted up with what they're doing with my books – he never replied. So I thought something should be written to M. and that none but you could do it.

It isn't M., it's... (Mother tries to remember a name).

SABDA?

Yes.

I thought of drafting a short note, and Andre approves of the note. Could I read it to you?

What is it?

I put: “To All India Press.”

No, you must put SABDA.

Good. [Satprem reads:]

“Satprem's books will not be translated, reprinted or subject to any commitment without his formal consent....

That's obvious. Self-evident!

Well, yes, “self-evident,” but.... To continue:

“A yearly statement of the sales must be sent to him at the end of each year, and meanwhile a statement from the beginning up to date.”

In other words: in such and such a year we sold so many copies, in such and such a year so many – so I know how many copies they sell.

Very good.

I had already asked – they never replied So the only solution is for you yourself to send them the....

Yes, you're right. But I'll send it through Andre.

Good. If you sign it, I'll give it to Andre. So should I put SABDA instead of All India Press?

Just add “SABDA” after, below the other.

I simply want to be kept informed, you know! They do all sorts of things without telling me.

(Mother remains absorbed)

 

¹ Mother was in fact fighting not only with the subconscient's defeatism, but also with that “formation of death” in the atmosphere.

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² Andre = Mother's son. Only after Pavitra's passing away, in 1969, did Mother try to involve him. A weak man, constantly swayed by everybody. He was Mother's son but also, one forgets too often, his father's son.

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The Mother

Agenda

How are you?

I think I'm well.

Well, so am I! (laughter)

(silence)

I can clearly see that instead of thought governing life, it's consciousness. And when the consciousness remains quietly open to the Divine, all goes well. A lot of things constantly come into the consciousness, from the whole world, it would seem (gesture of being assailed from all sides): all the things that negate or oppose the divine Action. They keep coming all the time like this (same gesture). But if I can remain quiet (gesture of offering, hands open), in an attitude of... (smiling) nonexistence, a sort of... I don't know if it's transparency – I don't know if one should say “transparency” or “immobility” – but it's something in the consciousness that's like this (same gesture of offering, hands open). When it stays that way, all is well; but as soon as it starts stirring, that is, as soon as the individuality comes to the forefront in any way, everything becomes detestable. Devastating, really.

You see, the physical body has a millennium of past experiences that says, “Why, that blissful state is impossible!” – this stupidity is what delays everything. It's as if the cells themselves, the cells of the body which are used to struggling and suffering, couldn't accept that things can be like this (same gesture of surrender, hands open). But when it is... then it's wonderful.

Only it doesn't last. It's not daylong. Constantly, constantly things keep coming (same gesture of being assailed from all sides).

But now I see quite well, quite clearly – it's very clear: consciousness replaces thought.

Yes, yes.

And... (how can I put it?) the difference between the two: thought is something that goes like this (whirling, restless gesture), ever in motion... whereas consciousness is like this (gesture hands open, offered upward). I can't explain it.

(Mother closes her eyes, her hands remain open)

Do you have something to say or ask?

I was wondering what I could do to accelerate the process. Everyday life is beset by so many harassing things.... What can one do to accelerate the process?

If one could remain untroubled, it would make a big difference.

Yes.

A big difference.

You see, my body is beginning – just beginning – to know that the divine side means a life that's... (Mother stretches out both arms in the vastness) progressive and luminous; but there's an accumulation of past experiences which says, “Oh, that's impossible!” – just like that. Well, that stupid “impossible” is what delays and spoils everything.

The basis of the fact is that as soon as the body steps out of the right attitude things get painful: everything aches and is laborious -you feel death and dissolution everywhere. And that's what reinforces... Matter's stupidity.

So, really speaking, I'd rather not talk, unless it's to answer a specific question.

In my case, I wonder to what exact point I should apply myself?

(after a silence)

Do you feel you have gone beyond thought?

Oh yes, completely. The only thing left is mechanical thought, but otherwise.... I can say I never use the thinking process: I always feel I draw things from above. The speculative mind, for example, is just impossible for me.

Well, it's good then, you're on the right track.

Well, maybe! But practically speaking, one is struggling with everything and feels a bit... submerged at times.

As for me, you know, all the things I used to rely on for action seem to be PURPOSELY collapsing (everything, even the smallest things) so I can say: what You will. It's become... it's become my sole refuge.

I don't remember anything, you know! For instance, somebody says to me, “You'll say this to that person,” I sincerely answer yes, but the next minute or so I no longer remember what it was!...¹ I remember nothing – zero.

Sometimes I can stay for hours in a sort of peaceful and luminous contemplation, and think it's been only a few minutes.

To the ordinary and undiscerning eye, you must accept to look like a .... I am sure that ninety-nine people out of a hundred think I am... (smiling) cracked.

No – no, Mother! No, that's....

It's UTTERLY unimportant.

I can see it in their consciousness, but it makes me smile. You have to accept that.

But there are also a good number who see the Light too, you know.

Possibly. (Laughing) Good for them!

(silence)

Often, very often I ask the Lord: how can I help now that I can't see so well, can't hear so well, can't speak clearly and need help to get around? This state is.... Yet the body doesn't sense any decline! It is convinced that if tomorrow the Lord wanted it to resume its regular activity, it could do so. The Force is there (Mother touches her arms, her muscles), a terrible force sometimes!... So why?...

This state is intentional so that... (smiling) so that people will leave me alone!

Yes, Mother, it's true, I really think it's true.

There you are. Otherwise people would never leave me alone.

You would be flooded in no time with truckloads of futile problems.

Yes, futile! Their problems are all futile! (Mother laughs) And how impudent: infidelity in marriage, lack of honesty at work! Things of that sort. Unbelievable – it's unbelievable. People ask me such questions... (laughing) such improbable questions!

All the rules, you know – oh, all the moral rules seem to have been thrown to the winds. So the appearances are.... I'll give you an example: somebody [from the Ashram] opens a “Travel Agency,” and when people give him money to buy tickets, he pockets the money and doesn't buy the tickets – what do you think of that? (laughter) What next!

(silence)

But, you know, I'm sure your condition is intentional, because as I can perceive it in my small measure, I feel you are a kind of colossal power transmitter in your immobility.

Yes, I know. I know, it's colossal! Yes, a Force that's.... And even in my hands: an incredible power.

(silence)

(Smiling) Often, you know, I look... (how can I put it?).... You are in the consciousness – you see, you are IN the consciousness – and so I look to see what place you occupy in the consciousness. Well... (Mother keeps her eyes closed, smiling).

Mon petit, I don't want you to feel... (Mother makes a gesture of strutting), I don't mean to compliment you, that's not my intention. But you're always... you're like a luminous garden... with a distinct form (Mother draws a kind of rectangle in the air), it's luminous and ranges from vivid pink to golden light. Exactly. And that's you – that's how I see you. Always.

There is a vast atmosphere – a vast atmosphere.... A vast atmosphere enveloped in Sri Aurobindo's aura: the blue, the luminous light blue which is his color. I see you in that... you're like a distinct garden (same gesture) with colors... it goes from vivid pink to... a luminous, golden atmosphere. A lovely garden. That's what I see – I see it eyes open (Mother touches her open eyes). And that's very good.

There remain a few spots of rigidity, I mean (what can I say?) fixities of a personal nature, but... gradually, gradually, they are disappearing, they are being transformed. There. That's what I see.

(Mother plunges in till the end, then Sujata comes to her)

(Sujata:) Mother, my uncle,² who came to see you yesterday with me, told me afterwards, “I don't know if you could see it, but I saw a Light coming out of Mother's face...”

(Mother laughs)

So I asked him, “But what effect did it have on you?” He said, “You know, I don't have any personal desire, nothing, I simply wanted to... bow before that.”

(Mother smiles)

 

¹ But if the slightest trace of deeper truth exists in what Mother is asked to say, she remembers it perfectly!

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² Later this person was greatly instrumental in pleading Auroville's case with the government of India when the impostors tried to jail the Aurovilians and deport them from the country.

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The Mother

Agenda

(Satprem gives Mother a flower, and Mother gives it to Satprem.)

It's “Power of Truth in the Subconscient”.

How are you?

Physically I'm well, I think.

The governor [of Pondicherry] is coming here to say good-bye, but he hasn't arrived yet. I've asked to be informed of his arrival; you'll just sit over there while I see him, and then you'll come back.

(after a silence)

All possible contradictions are accumulated in the subconscient.

Yes.

And it keeps coming up like this (gesture gushing out), all the time, all the time. And... you feel you are completely stupid, unconscious, obdurate.

All that is... (same gesture rising from below).

But the consciousness here (gesture around the head) is peaceful, extraordinarily peaceful... (Mother opens her hands): let Your Will be done, Lord. So “that” exerts a pressure on what rises from below.

As though the battle of the world were being fought in my consciousness.

It has come to a point that forgetting, forgetting the Divine for just a single minute is catastrophic.

How about you, how are things for you?

Well, the cleansing of the subconscient seems just endless, Mother.

Yes, because it isn't one person's subconscient: it is THE EARTH'S subconscient. It's endless. Yet we must....

Stopping that would mean stopping the work. Going on with it means it will take ages.... I don't know... it's endless.

Although clearly, quite clearly, stopping it would mean stopping the work. As if this consciousness (gesture around Mother) were the meeting point and the center of action.

So my sole means is to remain quiet – very, very quiet... (Mother opens her hands upwards). To feel that the individuality is nothing, absolutely nothing – so the divine rays can pass, pass through it. It's the only solution. It must be the Divine who... who fights the battle.

(silence)

Last time you said, “It will take centuries, perhaps millenniums, before humans consciously turn to the Divine.” But....

Maybe not.

One's impression is that this time, something decisive should occur.

Yes.... You know, my impression is that the individuality is like an image to focus the attention (humans need something -they have always needed something on their scale to focus their attention), so the body tries its best not to obstruct the divine Force from passing through, it tries to suppress all its own interferences, but at the same time it sees itself... as an image humans need to focus their attention.

(At this point, Governor J. enters the room, sits silently before Mother, remains a few minutes in meditation, then does his pranam and leaves the room.)

(Mother plunges in till the end
Sujata comes up to Mother)

(Sujata:) Mother, you know, I saw you yesterday morning between 4:00 and 4:30, and you were giving your blessings to everybody. You were sitting on a very high seat, dressed in a white sari (if I recall correctly), and I was among the first to approach you for pranam. I knelt before you, brought my hands together, and bowed my head. Then you held my head, and suddenly I noticed I couldn't raise my head anymore! And I realized you were forcing my head downwards: you know, with your hands you were pressing, so my head kept going down and down and down. Finally I saw your feet¹ – I was very close to your feet – and what lovely feet they were, Mother! All white and... wonderful. Translucent almost.

(Mother smiles and caresses Sujata's cheek)

 

¹ The feet are the symbol of matter.

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