In presenting a reflective account of his personal journey, the author shares that patience, acceptance, appreciation, perseverance, determination and self-awareness are some of the qualities essential to cultivate if one aspires for developing greater concentration.
True restorative rest in sleep happens only during a few minutes which is a sort of Sachchidananda experience. One can consciously prepare oneself to experience such refreshing sleep.
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.
Champaklal shares an incident of how Mother educated a boy to hold a right attitude, without speaking to him even a single word.
Given that different inner attitudes and aspirations motivate individuals to work, the author speaks of five evolutionary stages, with ‘Work as Worship’ as the highest stage.
This article highlights a new dimension of consciousness that deeply effects the quality of interaction between the teacher and pupil.
What does it mean to be receptive? How to increase one’s receptivity to the Divine Force? Is Sri Aurobindo’s Force and the Mother’s Force which is essentially One Divine Force working only in the Ashram or for those who are turned to Them? How can we become receptive to the Divine’s healing force? And to creative inspiration? These and many other aspects are explored through various features, including our section on Divine Humour. An insightful conversation with an artist, excerpts from Barin Ghose’s book, a sweet story about a little girl’s love for Ganesha, and an essay from Sri Aurobindo Circle archives complete the issue.
A few selections from the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother which highlight some key ideas – what does it mean to be receptive, on what does receptivity depend, how is receptivity connected to aspiration and sincerity, what is the significance of becoming collectively more receptive, and a few more.
Two short stories written by a young author and artist whose work is primarily inspired by her devotion and adoration for Gampu bhai, the name she uses to lovingly call her ishta devata, Lord Ganesha.
The Mother explains the tremendous receptive capacity of flowers, stones and ornaments and how they can be used as transmitter of the divine forces.
Aspiration is like an arrow, or like a flame rising upward. But it has to be tended, constantly rekindled. Its direction also needs to be reset when it tends to go here and there. It has to be purified so that no desire or demand gets mixed up with it. Its goal has to be kept in front, always. And what happens when it goes into hiding somewhere? How to light the fire again? And what about the Grace? Will Divine Grace help me rekindle my aspiration? These and many other questions have been explored in the variety of selections featured in this issue.
These selections from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother emphasise that a single-minded effort is needed to keep awake the aspiration.
We highlight a few gems from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother which offer some practical guidance for the aspirant on the path of Integral Yoga.
The Mothers explains what it means to become conscious of one’s psychic being, and how the contact with psychic consciousness gives intensity and joy to the aspiration.
Agni, the Vedic godhead is the seer-will in the universe, the immortal worker in man, the primordial aspiration, the secret inhabitant of Matter and its forms.
Nolini Kanta Gupta’s summary of the Triple Agni described in several Upanishads is followed by the Mother’s explanation of the triple aspiration.
What is the symbolism of a Rig Vedic parable about Agni hiding in the Inconscience and only coming out when gods descend from above?
From Dr. Ananda Reddy’s multi-volume series ‘Deliberations on The Life Divine’, we feature his contemplation on the first chapter, ‘The Human Aspiration’.
In this first chapter, we get an overview of the eternal human aspiration that has been there since the beginning and promises to remain until the end. This is followed by a review of the apparent contradictions in present human life at present, which Sri Aurobindo explains are Nature’s own method of moving towards a harmony that will fructify ultimately in the transformation of mind, life and body through the light and power of a new consciousness, the emerging Supermind.