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.
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.
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.
The Yogic Attitude Towards Money
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother say that an ideal sadhaka must neither turn with an ascetic shrinking from the money power nor hold a rajasic attachment to it.
On Economic Barbarism, Business and Dharma
Indian spiritual tradition reminds that business like all other work when done as per dharma does not interfere with pursuit of a spiritual life.
Nature’s Abundance and Conquering the Money Power
The Mother narrates her trance experience when she concretely ‘saw’ how the money-power which is under the control of Asuric forces can be conquered.
Rhythm of Money Power and the Vaishya Soul-Force
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother explain that to control money one must follow a certain rhythm of the money-power, which includes not hoarding it.
Pondicherry Yatra, an Inner Journey – 2
In this part, the author begins with some misperceptions people have about Yoga and describes beautifully the practice of Integral Yoga at Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Money was the helper; Money is the bar
The author presents his evolving understanding of the nature of money and developing a yogic approach to engaging with money. Also read about the ideals set by the Mother regarding attitude toward personal possession, especially in the context of Auroville.
Artha Sādhana as a Spiritual Pursuit
What is sādhana of wealth? How does a householder’s purusharthā of earning money take the form of a sādhana? What is the role of inner purification in this?
The Stairway of Yoga
The view which separates ordinary life — and its related goal of pursuit of money — from spiritual life is inconsistent with the declaration of Isha Upanishad – Isha vasyam idam sarvam.
Mother’s Answers on Sadhana and Life
The Mother answers to Tara Jauhar’s questions on a range of subjects such as psychic growth, eliminating the ego, connecting with the Mother in the dreams and Overmind.
The Mother on Love Divine and Human
Divine love is a universal force which descends in even the densest matter. Deeper yearning behind all human love is to unite with the Divine.
Relations between Men and Women in Integral Yoga
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother give important guidance on the complexity of man-woman relationship in the path of Integral Yoga.
Sri Aurobindo on Family Relations in Yoga
Sri Aurobindo elucidates that one of the aims in Integral Yoga is to purify and transform the usual egoistic human love into a purer love towards the Divine at all levels of the being. He also explains that after one enters the spiritual life, the relationship with the Divine take precedence over the ordinary social relations. Either the family relations naturally fall off or become the ground for karmayoga based on the soul’s need.
Friendship and Affection in the Path of Sadhana
Sri Aurobindo guides us on the right place of friendship and affection Integral Yoga. His words about the nature of human love are a must-read.
