Religion and Spirituality – Do the Two Ever Meet?
What is the nature of religion? And how is it connected with spirituality or yoga? This issue explores these and many other related questions.
Sri Aurobindo on Religion as the Law of Life
This selection from Sri Aurobindo’s book ‘The Human Cycle’ explores why in human history religion has not been a sufficient guide for conducting individual and collective life. He also tells us that this need not be so if we understand the true nature of religion, which is its spiritual core.
The Mother on the Origin and Social Crystallization of Religion
The Mother explains that religion may be divine in its ultimate origin; in its actual nature it is not divine but human.
Religion – Helper or an Obstacle to Spiritual Life?
The Mother explains that religion can actually be a helper to those with spiritual destiny and sincerity of inner effort to realise the Divine.
Religion, Yoga of Bhakti and the Conception of the Divine
Sri Aurobindo explains the commonalities and differences between popular religion and Yoga of Devotion. Fear of God, he says, has no place in true Bhakti.
On Morality, Religion and Spirituality
We feature here a few selections from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother highlighting the important differences between a moral life, religious life and spiritual life.
Indian View on Religion, Dharma and Life – 1
Indian culture tried to turn the whole of life towards spirituality by a persistent filling of every circumstance of life with the religious sense.
Indian View on Religion, Dharma and Life – 2
A summary of some fundamentals of Sanatana Dharma as explained by Sri Aurobindo is presented here. The necessity for outer forms of religious practices is also briefly described.
Attitude Toward Religion When You Come to Yoga
When one enters yoga, one must leave all the bondage and clingings of the past life. For a yogin, Divine alone is one’s religion, country, family, everything.
Heaven and Hell Created by Religions
The Mother explains that heaven and hell were invented by religions to control people and also to make them wise. She adds that the creative power of human thought gives an illusory existence of heaven and hell to people who believe in them but only the psychic world can be a true paradise.
Champaklal – The Epitome of Self-giving
In our Book of the Month, we feature Nirodbaran’s book titled ‘Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo’ and zoom in on a special excerpt where he describes some delightful aspects of Champaklal’s ‘bhakta’ personality. Reading these excerpts is an entire education in what it means to truly serve the Divine.
Stilling the Mind and Tuning into Inner Silences
The author highlights the necessity of silencing the thoughts and vital movements as an essential foundation of the sadhana in the path of Integral Yoga.
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
Pointing out the nature of religion, the author highlights how religion while being a means of social cohesion can also become a source of conflict. He emphasises that because most religious oriented people tend to focus only on the external aspects, religion as such does not help in inner transformation. For that one must go on an inner search, the path of yoga.
Sri Aurobindo’s Interpretation of Indian Culture: The Mahabharata – 5
Sri Aurobindo was fascinated with the legend of Savitri in the Mahabharata. With a sage’s vision he saw Savitri as the redeemer of the entire humanity.
