The Mother’s Writings: Insights into Auroville’s Quest

Auroville, a name that resonates with seekers of inner and outer peace, stands as a unique experiment in human unity and consciousness. The vision and writings of The Mother, the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, provide profound insights into the essence of Auroville and its purpose. This article delves into The Mother’s writings, exploring the core principles of Auroville’s Charter and her vision for this remarkable endeavor.

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Time for invitation

Surely most of us have noticed the action of the new consciousness that is emerging, how it is getting more and more accelerated, and how some great changes are becoming not only necessary but unavoidable: changes on Societies, changes on the way we see spirituality, changes on the Environment, changes on ourselves. And all along there is a radical and effective revaluation of ideas and things.

One clear sign of such changes is that in more recent times the perception of an oneness underlying the whole humanity is no more foreign to the human psyche, and in spite of the difficulty in manifesting it on a material level, this truth is taking roots on a growing number of individuals and organizations all around the planet.

The apparently strong opposition, seen everywhere, can not deter the Force pushing towards a more concrete realization, because the ideal of human unity surely contains in itself its own power, and this power is awakening everywhere, bringing with it new possibilities of realization, both at individual and at collective levels.

The project of Auroville, even if it is still under construction and far from being complete, has been a living and inspiring example of efforts towards this ideal. Now, we do think that the time is ripe to invite people from different places to know more about it and to find new ways of participating in the Auroville experiment. To join in our forces, aspirations and dreams.

Maybe this will help us, the residents of Auroville, to enlarge ourselves and to look at the world with new eyes. Maybe a sense of a golden thread, invisible and yet tangible, will permeate the new contacts, the new relationships that will be created, and will grow and spread…. Maybe we will learn to dream together, and make Mother`s dream our collective dream, and be able to believe in our dreams. And maybe one day, the big dream of being one and universal, will become true. And this will only be the beginning of a far greater adventure…

Notes on the works of Sri Aurobindo


Life Divine:

“Sri Aurobindo’s monumental work, ‘Life Divine,’ is divided into two volumes. The first volume, titled ‘Omnipresent Reality and the Universe,’ delves into the enigma of Ultimate Reality and its relationship to our universe composed of Matter, Life, and Mind. Sri Aurobindo critically examines various theories of Reality, harmonizing partial truths into a comprehensive perspective. He expounds on the nature of Matter, Life, and Mind, drawing from ancient wisdom and modern scientific discoveries to demonstrate their connection to the Omnipresent Reality. This connection, referred to as the Supermind, is elaborated in detail.

The second volume consists of two parts. The first part, ‘The Infinite Consciousness and the Ignorance,’ delves deeper into the nature of the Ultimate Reality as the Infinite Consciousness. A new epistemological approach, the Logic of the Infinite, is introduced and applied. The discussion extends to the nature of Ignorance, its boundaries, and its relation to Knowledge, addressing the origin of Ignorance and its connection to Infinite Consciousness through the concept of Tapas. The volume concludes by analyzing Evil, Error, and Falsehood as products of Ignorance, suggesting their potential remedy and eventual eradication.

The final part, ‘The Knowledge and The Spiritual Evolution,’ leads us to the culmination of Sri Aurobindo’s reasoning, illustrating how obscured Integral Truth can become manifest. He outlines the evolution of consciousness as a self-unfolding process, from the Inconscient to Matter, and discusses the Theory of Rebirth. This theory, along with the concept of supraphysical worlds, is explained as a mechanism for spiritual evolution. The work then envisions the further ascent from Mind to Supermind and the nature of the supramental or Gnostic Being. The final chapter anticipates the realization of a Divine life on Earth and explores possibilities for building a future ideal humanity.”

The Synthesis Of Yoga:

“Sri Aurobindo’s ‘The Synthesis of Yoga’ is organized into four parts, with an introductory section. The introduction, spanning five chapters, explores the conditions required for the synthesis of Yoga. It establishes that Yoga is aligned with Life and Nature, illustrating how Yoga optimally utilizes the energies of life. The introduction briefly touches on various yoga systems, highlighting their common principles and dynamic forces. This, in turn, leads to the development of a synthesis of Yoga.

The remainder of the book focuses on defining Integral Yoga and the necessary aids for the Integral Yoga practitioner. Each of the three paths of Yoga—Work, Knowledge, and Love—are examined within the framework of Integral Yoga. The first part, ‘The Yoga of the Divine Works,’ emphasizes the principle of self-consecration and Surrender in Works, progressing through stages of sacrifice in different aspects of life. It traces the transformation of the practitioner into a Divine Worker.

The second part, ‘The Yoga of the Integral Knowledge,’ delves into knowledge and its purification, concentration, and renunciation. It integrates the Disciplines of Knowledge into a realization of both the Transcendent and the Cosmic Self, leading to a description of the Gnosis of the Supermind and Ananda. The section briefly touches on Samadhi, Hatha Yoga, and Raja Yoga.

The third part, ‘The Yoga of Divine Love,’ discusses the role of Love in the Integral Yoga. It covers the Motives of Devotion and how they are employed in the Way of Devotion. The section also delves into the nature of Divine Delight and the Divine Personality, concluding with a profound exploration of the Mystery of Love.

The fourth part, ‘The Yoga of Self-Perfection,’ offers a detailed psychological examination of the Divine Life and integral perfection. It defines methods for perfecting each aspect of the being and the instrument of the Spirit. The Supramental faculties, Supermind, Supramental Thought, and Knowledge are elaborated upon, along with the path to Supramental Time Vision.”

Essays On The Gita:

“Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Essays On The Gita’ is presented in two series, aiming to elucidate the profound concepts found within the Bhagavad Gita and the true intentions of Lord Krishna as its Divine Teacher. The first series centers on Karma Yoga, discussing the challenges faced by individuals in the battlefield of life, the significance of Sacrifice, and the concept of Avatarhood. It emphasizes the role of renunciation and the sacrifice of desire in works as a means to attain spiritual heights, ending with a chapter summarizing the ‘Gist of Karmayoga.’

The second series, in two parts, delves into the Gita’s integral theory of Reality, which forms the foundation for the Synthetic Yoga. It explores intricate concepts such as the Two Natures of the Divine, Vibhuti, Swabhava, and Swadharma. This series reveals the secret teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and concludes with an inspiring essay titled ‘The Message of the Gita.'”

The Human Cycle:

“‘The Human Cycle’ is a work examining the psychology of social development. It presents a cyclical perspective on social progress, tracing humanity’s history from the barbaric age to the present Age of Reason and envisioning a future Spiritual Age. The book discusses concepts such as Individualism, Objectivism, and Subjectivism in Social Thought, Nationalism, and contrasts Civilization with Barbarism and Culture. It emphasizes the need for suprarational spirituality to overcome the conflicts between Aesthetic and Ethical cultures. The text also analyzes the psychology of contemporary times, pointing out the end of the Curve of Reason and the necessity of spiritual transformation. It outlines the conditions for the emergence of a Spiritual Age and how humanity will transition toward it.”

The Ideal Of Human Unity:

“‘The Ideal Of Human Unity’ is a study of communal and collective life, exploring the driving force behind it and its ultimate purpose. The book argues that nature propels humanity toward larger agglomerations, ultimately aiming for a world union. It assesses past aggregates, discusses the relationship between the individual and the group, and addresses the significance of the urge for empire-building. The text suggests the possibility of a World-State in the context of growing Nationalism and Internationalism trends. It establishes the concept of Nature’s Law of Unity in Diversity and proposes a free grouping of humanity. The book concludes by envisioning a World-State as a federation of free nationalities and includes a post-script chapter to bring the text up to date.”

The Riddle Of This World:

“‘The Riddle Of This World’ compiles Sri Aurobindo’s responses to questions regarding occult truths related to Yoga. These writings shed light on topics like Supernals, Graded Worlds, Rebirth, False Lights, and more. Some letters address matters concerning Yoga, Western Metaphysics, Agnosticism, Doubt, and Faith.”

On The Veda: “‘On The Veda’ is divided into four parts. The first part, ‘The Secret of the Veda,’ explores the hidden meaning of Vedic hymns, critiques Sayana’s theory, and examines interpretations by European Scholars. It concludes that Vedic Mantras possess esoteric meanings and spiritual knowledge, revealing the inner significance of Vedic symbols.

The second part, ‘Selected Hymns,’ provides translations of specific hymns with interpretative commentaries. The third part further elucidates the doctrine of the Mystics and includes translations of additional hymns to Agni and other deities. The fourth part presents more hymns

to the God of the Mystic Fire, Thought, Gods, and the Vedic Fire. Additionally, an appendix contains an essay addressing the origins of Aryan speech, shedding light on its historical context and development.

The Problem Of Rebirth: ‘The Problem Of Rebirth’ is a concise volume comprising three sections. The first section addresses the concept of Rebirth, examining its relationship with theories of Evolution, Heredity, Karma, and Free Will, while emphasizing its significance.

The second section delves into the complex aspects of Karma, touching on the Terrestrial Law and Mind Nature. It explores the intricate web of cause and effect in the context of human existence.

The third section extends the discussion to higher dimensions of Karma and Truth, exploring the spiritual aspects of this fundamental concept. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the broader implications of Karma within the context of human experience and spiritual growth.

In summary, these works by Sri Aurobindo offer profound insights into various facets of human existence, spirituality, and the path to self-realization. Each work provides a unique perspective and guidance for individuals seeking a deeper understanding of life’s complexities and spiritual evolution.

Extract from a letter of Sri Aurobindo to the Mother

The whole earth is now under one law and answers to the
same vibrations and I am sceptical of finding any place where
the clash of the struggle will not pursue us. I must remain
in touch with the world until I have either mastered adverse
circumstances or succumbed or carried on the struggle
between the spiritual and physical so far as I am destined to
carry it on. This is how I have always seen things and still see
them. As for failure, difficulty and apparent impossibility I am
too much habituated to them to be much impressed by their
constant self-presentation except for passing moments…
One needs to have a calm heart, a settled will, entire self
abnegation and the eyes constantly fixed on the beyond to live
undiscouraged in times like these which are truly a period of
universal decomposition. For myself, I follow the Voice and
look neither to right nor to left of me. The result is not mine
and hardly at all now even the labour.

The earliest preoccupation of man in his awakened thoughts
and, as it seems, his inevitable and ultimate preoccupation, —
for it survives the longest periods of scepticism and returns
after every banishment, — is also the highest which his thought
can envisage. It manifests itself in the divination of Godhead,
the impulse towards perfection, the search after pure Truth
and unmixed Bliss, the sense of a secret immortality. The
ancient dawns of human knowledge have left us their witness
to this constant aspiration; today we see a humanity satiated
but not satisfied by victorious analysis of the externalities
of Nature preparing to return to its primeval longings. The
earliest formula of Wisdom promises to be its last, — God,
Light, Freedom, Immortality

The first step is Karmayoga, the selfless sacrifice of works,
and here the Gita’s insistence is on action. The second is
Jnanayoga, the self-realisation and knowledge of the true
nature of the self and the world, and here the insistence is
on knowledge; but the sacrifice of works continues and the
path of Works becomes one with but does not disappear into
the path of Knowledge. The last step is Bhaktiyoga, adoration
and seeking of the supreme Self as the Divine Being, and
here the insistence is on devotion; but the knowledge is not
subordinated, only raised, vitalised and fulfilled, and still the
sacrifice of works continues; the double path becomes the
triune way of knowledge, works and devotion. And the fruit of
the sacrifice, the one fruit placed before the seeker, is attained,
union with the divine Being and oneness with the supreme
divine Nature.

The spirit and ideals of our civilisation need no defence for in
their best parts and in their essence they were of eternal value.
India’s internal and individual seeking of them was earnest,
powerful, effective. But the application in the collective
life of society was subjected to serious reserves… And now
survival itself has become impossible without expansion. If
we are to live at all we must resume India’s great interrupted
endeavour; we must take up boldly and execute thoroughly
in the individual and in the society, in the spiritual and in the
mundane life, in philosophy and religion, in art and literature,
in thought, in political and economic and social formulation the
full and unlimited sense of her highest spirit and knowledge.

The integral Yoga takes up the essence and many processes of
the old Yogas — its newness is in its aim, standpoint and the
totality of its method.
It is new as compared with old Yogas…

  1. Because it aims not at a departure out of world and life into
    Heaven or Nirvana, but at a change of life and existence, not
    as something subordinate or incidental, but as a distinct and
    central object.
  2. Because the object sought after is not an individual
    achievement of divine realisation for the sake of the individual,
    but something to be gained for the earth consciousness here,
    a cosmic, not solely a supracosmic achievement. The thing to
    be gained also is a bringing in of a Power of Consciousness
    — the Supramental.
  3. Because a method has been preconised for achieving this
    purpose which is as total and integral as the aim set before it,
    viz., the total and integral change of the consciousness and
    nature, taking up old methods but only as a part action and
    present aid to others that are distinctive… Our Yoga is not a
    retreading of old walks, but a spiritual adventure.

The Teaching of Sri Aurobindo

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 this One Being and
Consciousness is involved here in Matter. Evolution is the
method by which it liberates itself; consciousness appears in
what seems to be inconscient and once having appeared is self
impelled to grow higher and higher and at the same time to
enlarge and develop towards a greater and greater perfection.
Life is the first step of this release of consciousness; mind
is the second; but the evolution does not finish with mind, it
awaits a release into something greater, a consciousness which
is spiritual and supramental. The next step of the evolution
must be towards the development of Supermind and Spirit as
the dominant power in the conscious being. For only then will
the involved Divinity in things release itself entirely and it
become possible for life to manifest perfection.
But while the former steps in evolution were taken by
Nature without a conscious will in the plant and animal life, in
man Nature becomes able to evolve by a conscious will in the
instrument. It is not, however, by the mental will in man that
this can be wholly done, for the mind goes only to a certain
point and after that can only move in a circle. A conversion

has to be made, a turning of the consciousness by which
mind has to change into the higher principle. This method
is to be found through the ancient psychological discipline
and practice of Yoga. In the past, it has been attempted by
a drawing away from the world and a disappearance into
the height of the Self or Spirit. Sri Aurobindo teaches that
a descent of the higher principle is possible which will not
merely release the spiritual Self out of the world, but release it
in the world, replace the mind’s ignorance or its very limited
knowledge by a supramental Truth-Consciousness which
will be a sufficient instrument of the inner Self and make it
possible for the human being to find himself dynamically as
well as inwardly and grow out of his still animal humanity
into a diviner race. The psychological discipline of Yoga can
be used to that end by opening all the parts of the being to a
conversion or transformation through the descent and working
of the higher still concealed supramental principle.
This, however, cannot be done at once or in a short time or
by any rapid or miraculous transformation. Many steps have
to be taken by the seeker before the supramental descent is
possible. Man lives mostly in his surface mind, life and body
but there is an inner being within him with greater possibilities
to which he has to awake — for it is only a very restricted
influence from it that he receives now and that pushes him
to a constant pursuit of a greater beauty, harmony, power and
knowledge. The first process of Yoga is therefore to open the
ranges of this inner being and to live from there outward,
governing his outward life by an inner light and force. In doing
so he discovers in himself his true soul which is not this outer
mixture of mental, vital and physical elements but something
of the Reality behind them, a spark from the one Divine Fire.
He has to learn to live in his soul and purify and orientate by
its drive towards the Truth the rest of the nature. There can
follow afterwards an opening upward and descent of a higher
principle of the Being. But even then it is not at once the full
supramental Light and Force. For there are several ranges
of consciousness between the ordinary human mind and the
supramental Truth-Consciousness. These intervening ranges
have to be opened up and their power brought down into the
mind, life and body. Only afterwards can the full power of
the Truth-Consciousness work in the nature. The process of
this self-discipline or sadhana is therefore long and difficult,
but even a little of it is so much gained because it makes the
ultimate release and perfection more possible.
There are many things belonging to older systems that are
necessary on the way — an opening of the mind to a greater
wideness and to the sense of the Self and the Infinite, an
emergence into what has been called the cosmic consciousness,
mastery over the desires and passions; an outward asceticism
is not essential, but the conquest of desire and attachment and
a control over the body and its needs, greeds and instincts
are indispensable. There is a combination of the principles of
the old systems, the way of knowledge through the mind’s
discernment between Reality and the appearance, the heart’s
way of devotion, love and surrender and the way of works
turning the will away from motives of self-interest to the
Truth and the service of a greater Reality than the ego. For
the whole being has to be trained so that it can respond and
be transformed when it is possible for that greater Light and
Force to work in the nature.
In this discipline the inspiration of the Master and, in the
difficult stages, his control and his presence are indispensable
— for it would be impossible otherwise to go through it
without much stumbling and error which would prevent
all chance of success. The Master is one who has risen to a
higher consciousness and being and he is often regarded as
its manifestation or representative. He not only helps by his
teaching and still more by his influence and example but by a
power to communicate his own experience to others.
This is Sri Aurobindo’s teaching and method of practice. It
is not his object to develop any one religion or to amalgamate
the older religions or to found any new religion — for any of
these things would lead away from his central purpose. The
one aim of his Yoga is an inner self-development by which
each one who follows it can in time discover the One Self
in all and evolve a higher consciousness than the mental, a
spiritual and supramental consciousness which will transform
and divinise human nature.

Something has been shown to you in this year of seclusion,
something about which you had your doubts and it is the truth
of the Hindu religion. …I am raising up this nation to send
forth my word. This is the Sanatana Dharma, this is the eternal
religion which you did not really know before, but which I
have now revealed to you. …What is this religion which we
call Sanatana, eternal? It is the Hindu religion only because the
Hindu nation has kept it, because in this Peninsula it grew up
in the seclusion of the sea and the Himalayas, because in this
sacred and ancient land it was given as a charge to the Aryan
race to preserve through the Ages. But it is not circumscribed
by the confines of a single country, it does not belong peculiarly
and for ever to a bounded part of the world. That which we call
the Hindu religion is really the eternal religion, because it is the
universal religion which embraces all others. If a religion is not
universal, it cannot be eternal. A narrow religion, a sectarian
religion, an exclusive religion can live only for a limited time
and a limited purpose. …It is the one religion which shows
the world what the world is, that it is the Lila of Vasudeva. It
is the one religion which shows us how we can best play our
part in that Lila, its subtlest laws and its noblest rules. It is the
one religion which does not separate life in any smallest detail
from religion, which knows what immortality is and has utterly
removed from us the reality of death.

What is needed now is a band of spiritual workers whose
tapasya will be devoted to the liberation of India for the
service of humanity.
…We need an institution in which under the guidance of highly
spiritual men workers will be trained for every field, workers
for self-defence, workers for arbitration, for sanitation, for
famine relief, for every species of work which is needed to
bring about the necessary conditions for the organisation
of Swaraj. If the country is to be free, it must first organise
itself so as to be able to maintain its freedom. The winning of
freedom is an easy task, the keeping of it is less easy. The first
needs only one tremendous effort in which all the energies
of the country must be concentrated; the second requires a
united, organised and settled strength. If these two conditions
are satisfied, nothing more is needed, for all else is detail and
will inevitably follow.

Her mission is to point back humanity to the true source of
human liberty, human equality, human brotherhood. When
man is free in spirit, all other freedom is at his command;
for the Free is the Lord who cannot be bound. When he is
liberated from delusion, he perceives the divine equality of
the world which fulfils itself through love and justice,… When
he has perceived this divine equality, he is brother to the whole
world, and in whatever position he is placed he serves all men
as his brothers by the law of love, by the law of justice. When
this perception becomes the basis of religion, of philosophy,
of social speculation and political aspiration, then will liberty,
equality and fraternity take their place in the structure of
society and the Satya Yuga return. This is the Asiatic reading
of democracy, which India must rediscover for herself before
she can give it to the world.