February 2018 Newsletter

February 2018 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 32.02 Singapore Permit No. MCI (P) 071/01/2017 NEWSLETTER Love Love in the wilderness met Savitri.Botanical Name: PunicaceaCommon Name: PomegranateSpiritual Significance: Divine Love The white crane stood, a vivid motionless streak, Peacock and parrot jewelled soil and tree, The dove’s soft moan enriched the enamoured air And fire-winged wild-drakes swam in silvery pools. - Savitri, Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. Guiding Light of the MonthLet Thy Light be in me like a Fire that makes all alive; let Thy divine Love penetrate me. I aspire with all my being for Thy reign as sovereign and master of my mind and heart and body; let them be Thy docile instruments and Thy faithful servitors. The Mother, ‘Prayers and Meditations’ November 3, 1912 From the Editor’s DeskWe are once again riding on the most anticipated Who was this woman who could look right within and recognize her soul mate? Of what stuff and substancemonth of February. The Mother’s 140th BirthAnniversary falls on the 21st. In addition, The was she made of? What was her psychological state?Mother’s dream on the road to realization, The These are some questions we can start with beforeCity of Dawn, celebrates its 50th Birthday on the28th. This auspicious month, the theme that taking a glimpse at the theme of Love emerging in the environment and atmosphere of Savitri the epicdecorates the pages of our newsletter edition is,simply, Love. We explore Love in Savitri in its poem. Instinctively we feel drawn to higher worlds within our own being as we confront thesemost romantic as well as sublime. possibilities and enter into that of what is presented in Savitri. Who is this man, Satyavan, who likewiseSavitri sets off to find her soul mate in another recognizes his soul support in her and takes her as his,clime. Love meets her in the wilderness. Destiny within those short moments of chancing upon eachbrings her face to face with this being named other? What stuff is he made of, what substance andSatyavan, whom she immediately recognizes as what psychological make up? Sri Aurobindo paints athe one made and meant for her, to walk the vivid portrait of him in these lines (to be visited withhighroad of destiny, in doing a work decreed by deep concentration) that show us of signs of a livingthe Divine. in higher vastitudes:In the previous edition of the newsletter, we His look was a wide daybreak of the gods, examined the roles of Savitri and Satyavan His head was a youthful Rishi’s touched with light, His body was a lover’s and a king’s……..together with Aswapathy. It will be pertinent to Out of the ignorant eager toil of the yearsrevisit the significance of Savitri and Satyavan as Abandoning man’s loud drama he had comesymbols before exploring further this idea of Led by the wisdom of an adverse FateLove. Savitri is the daughter of the Sun, Light To meet the ancient Mother in her groves.Supreme and Satyavan is the soul carrying thedivine truth of being but descended into death and The two souls meet and mingle, and Love standsignorance. Divine in his origin, bearer of divinity, crowned. Sri Aurobindo lashes out swift lines into ourthere is in him a Divine seed waiting to manifest midst, arresting movements of the mind, drawingitself in all its splendour in this human body upon attention inwards:this material earth. Savitri is the Light who To live, to love are signs of infinite things,subsequently confronts the darkness, shadow and Love is a glory from eternity’s spheres.ignorance in the guise of Death. She stands Abased, disfigured, mocked by baser mightssteadfast in saving the human soul from its That steal his name and shape and ecstasy,clutches so that God may reveal Himself. This He is still the godhead by which all can change.then is the poignant relationship between Savitriand Satyavan, far elevated from the mere May we know and worship Love at Its highest.romantic, though celebrated.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. Savitri, a journey of Love and Light A crowd of mountainous heads assailed the sky Pushing towards rival shoulders nearer heaven, The armoured leaders of an iron line; Earth prostrate lay beneath their feet of stone. (Savitri)(Photo: picture of Kanchenjunga mountains at Sikkim)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 3

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. To a space she came of soft and delicate airThe \"destined spot and hour\", however, draw close. Naught happens but has its time and setting inthe preordained cosmic play. Savitri now approaches a region, .. .of soft and delicate air That seemed a sanctuary of youth and joy, A highland world of free and green delight Where spring and summer lay together and strove In indolent and amicable debate, Inarmed, disputing with laughter who should rule.179Sri Aurobindo's description of the 'other Eden', this 'demi-Paradise', recalls Milton's description ofParadise before the Fall. Man, bird and beast are at peace with themselves and with circumambientNature. Sri Aurobindo's fancy takes wings and snaps a scene of almost other-world felicity: Pale waters ran like glimmering threads of pearl. A sigh was straying among happy leaves; Cool-perfumed with slow pleasure-burdened feet Faint stumbling breezes faltered among flowers. The white crane stood, a vivid motionless streak, Peacock and parrot jeweled soil and tree, The dove's soft moan enriched the enamoured air And fire-winged wild-drakes swam in silvery pools. Earth couched alone with her great lover Heaven, Uncovered to her consort's azure eye...180A space sanctified, a meeting-place of earth and heaven, a home for the profession of love andbeauty, a primeval realm for the reign of peace, a retreat for solitude and fresh creation, This was the scene which the ambiguous Mother Had chosen for her brief felicitous hour;...181Here love will confront Savitri, and her quest—so long pursued and so often renewed—will end inthe glory of the recognition and acceptance of love.(“Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri – A study of the cosmic epic”, Dr. Premanandakumar, Sri AurobindoAshram Trust, Puducherry)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. Flowers Speak…. Beauty of Supramental Love (Flower of Auroville) It invites us to live at its height Man, the deep-browed artificer, had not come To lay his hand on happy inconscient things, Thought was not there nor the measurer, strong- eyed toil, Life had not learned its discord with its aim. The mighty Mother lay outstretched at ease. (Savitri) Aspiration in the Physical for the Divine Love Manifold, ecstatic, difficult to satisfy. In her luxurious ecstasy of joy She squandered the love-music of her notes, Wasted the passionate pattern of her blooms And festival riot of her scents and hues. (Savitri) Victorious Love Sure of itself, fearless, generous, and smiling. A stranger on the sorrowful roads of Time, Immortal under the yoke of death and fate, A sacrificant of the bliss and pain of the spheres, Love in the wilderness met Savitri. (Savitri)(Flowers and messages, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Puducherry)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. The Mother says… On LoveIn the Divine’s love we always find all support and all consolation. ***When you reach the contact with the Divine’s love you see this love in everything and allcircumstances. ***May the Divine’s love dwell as the sovereign Master of our hearts and the Divine’s knowledge neverleave our thoughts. ***When the baker wants to make the dough of his bread rise, he puts some leaven into it, and it is fromwithin that the transformation takes place.When the Divine wanted to rouse Matter, awaken it and make it rise towards God, He threw Himselfinto Matter under the form of love, and it is from within that the transformation takes place.So it is by living from within an organisation that one can help it to become enlightened and risetowards the Truth. - The Mother A Song of LoveAs in a small seed awaits the huge tree,In the bud of Love resides the flower of creation.It is the current moving vast rivers,The shine blossoming beautiful flowers.It is the glory at dawn and dusk,And the moon protective through the night.It is the nectar the world yearns for,An emollient to soothe the wounds of heart.It is the very beauty of the soul,And the essence of all compassion.She carries an ocean of LoveIn the depths of her being,She is the Mother, embracing allAs a child to her breasts.Her acts, a way of Love,Her smile, an essence of Love,He speech, an expression of Love,Her heart, an embodiment of Love.A manifestation of the eternal Love is SheHer hands alight the lamp of TruthUrging the world to progress towards glorious Light.Love blossoms the flower of all heartsLove unites the world in an eternal oneness. Sandhyawww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. Bonne Fete, Douce Mere February 21st, 2018 Always she drives the souls to new attempt; Always her magical infinitude Forces to aspire the inert brute elements; As one who has all infinity to waste, She scatters the seed of the Eternal’s strength On a half-animate and crumbling mould, Plants heaven’s delight in the heart’s passionate mire, Pours godhead’s seekings into a bare beast frame, Hides immortality in a mask of death. Once more that Will put on an earthly shape. A Mind empowered from Truth’s immutable seat Was framed for vision and interpreting act And instruments were sovereignly designed To express divinity in terrestrial signs. (Savitri)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. Auroville, 50th Birth Anniversary Febraury 28th, 2018. A seed shall be sown in Death’s tremendous hour, A branch of heaven transplant to human soil; Nature shall overleap her mortal step; Fate shall be changed by an unchanging will. (Savitri) December – January Sunday Activities at the Centre - A glimpseDecember 24th – Self-Dynamising Meditation using Savitri and Huta PaintingsWe meditated on the essence of Future Poetry (based on Jared’s sessions on the Dec 10th and 17th)using some snippets of Savitri, the corresponding Huta paintings and the Mantric Mother’s voice.The essence of poetic vision of our Master inspired a deep aspiration to search in Savitri for thehidden transcendent Truth, the Truth in Nature, the Truth in Life and the Truth in Matter. It was adynamic delight exploring the Mantric Sound along with the sheath of Light together forming thecosmic seed of all the creation in the universe; we are perhaps witnessing a microcosm of thismiracle, this Divine Creation of involution-evolution. We rejoiced meditating about howAswapathy’s Yogic vision was able to hear the Mantra behind the rays from the eternal heights andwww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 8

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018.Savitri appearing in the place of the retreating sound. We voyaged beyond the limits of cantos, storyline and passages to get closer to the transcendent Truth beauty and the beauty of Truth involved.December 31st – Meditations on the Psychic BeingJayanthy conducted this session which brought our attention to the Psychic Being. There was amention of how this Psychic Being was a very central theme occurring in Sri Aurobindo and TheMother’s Integral Yoga, with a recognition that one may not be able to speak much about it since itwas something to be experienced and known by each aspirant or sadhak at his own time and space.This brief introduction was followed by a deeply meditative session on a power point presentationwith vivid picture clues, rhythmic music and words of wisdom to meditate upon. It was truly aremarkable and unique experience beyond what words can describe. Our Mother Earth and Man areuniquely endowed with the rare Psychic Flame to partake in this Divine multiplicity of Delight inour own unique ways – Man is God in the making.January 14th – The Future PoetryWe continued our exploration of Rhythm and Movement. THE MANTRA, poetic expression of thedeepest spiritual reality, is only possible when three highest intensities of poetic speech meet andbecome indissolubly one, a highest intensity of rhythmic movement, a highest intensity ofinterwoven verbal form and thought-substance, of style, and a highest intensity of the soul’s visionof truth. All great poetry comes about by the unison of these three elements. Jared explained metre(Matra) with examples and video with lots of examples for us to practice through reading aloud. - Ramadoss PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2018 DATE TIME DETAILS 8 AM4 Feb 2018 6 PM Monthly Morning Walk * Sunday 5.30 PM Meditation and Concentration with Mother’s Organ Music4 Feb 2018 6 PM Sunday Musical Offering by devotee Ramanan on the Hansaveena Thematic Study Circle11 Feb 2018 The Future Poetry Sunday 7 PM Mother’s Birthday: Darshan Programme18 Feb 2018 Sunday 4 PM Youth Programme: 6 PM Sri Aurobindo and Science Fiction21 Feb 2018 Wed Savitri Circle25 Feb 2018 Sunday25 Feb 2018 Sunday* Please see below for details.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. February 2018 Morning Walk – NO. 390Date: Sunday, 4th February 2018Time: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise. We shall proceed with the walk by 8.20Walk Venue: AM without waiting for anyone. East Coast ParkMeeting Point: Big Splash Car Park (along East Coast Park Service Road)Contact No: Mr S.Ramanathan (9138 5130)Hosts Mrs. Nisha Maheshwary and Family, 12, Amber Gardens, # 12-07, King’s Mansion, Block B, Singapore 439959 Tel: 64408443 (Res), 90229005, 90939505 (Mobile) RSVP Email ID: [email protected]: All are encouraged to attend the Walk. Those, however, who are not able to join the Walk,the hosts would be very happy that they directly come and join in the brunch by 10:15 AM. Prayersand meditation will commence sharp at 10.30 A.M. All are requested to be punctual. PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING SUNDAY MORNING WALKSWALK NO DATE PLACE HOST 391 04/3/18 Pasir Ris Park Mr Anand K Venkat and Family 392 1/4/18 393 6/5/18 TBA Mr C Krishnamurthy and Family 394 3/6/18 East Coast Park Mr Ashok Patel & Family To be announced Mr Anand Patel & Family Along the Way… January Walk Review (walk no 389)The morning walk of January, just at the start of a fresh New Year, was hosted by Mr Ramanathan at WestCoast Park. It was very heartening to see that we were a group of 30, young and adults, who enjoyed the walk.Themed as the \"Play Centre in the West\", West Coast Park is a large regional park located in the southwest ofSingapore. A linear park comprising 50 hectares of park land, the park runs parallel to West Coast Highway.The Park caters to people of different age groups, from toddlers to adults. The Western part of the Park is formore adventurous activities, whereas the eastern part of the park is for those who like a quiet and peacefulenvironment.We ourselves, living in the Western part of Singapore, visited West Coast park after a very long time and it wasa pleasant surprise for me to see so many changes that had taken place. It was only then we realised that all ofus were moving forward in time, with so many changes the nature has undergone. Did we find our magic key?www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 10

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. “Always we bear in us a magic key Concealed in life's hermetic envelope. A burning Witness in the sanctuary Regards through Time and the blind walls of Form; A timeless Light is in his hidden eyes; He sees the secret things no words can speak And knows the goal of the unconscious world And the heart of the mystery of the journeying years”. Savitri, Book I, Canto IVThe park is set next to the sea. Along with enjoying the sea breeze and appreciating the flora and fauna, wemarched our way with our mind as blank as a clean slate, getting closer with the nature.We realise that Savitri is always with us, all the time, wherever we go. Looking at the sea adjoining the park, afew lines from Savitri came to my mind: “When earth was built in the unconscious Void And nothing was save a material scene, Identified with sea and sky and stone Her young gods yearned for the release of souls Asleep in objects, vague, inanimate.” Savitri Book II, Canto IIIAs we walked in the park, we noticed that there was a path where the branches of the trees were seen bendinginwards, forming a shelter for the humans. It looked more like that the trees were welcoming the big group thathad joined the walk.A little further, we came across some sandy patch. No doubt we saw the sand on the sea, but it was a purposefulpatch of sand that was provided for in the Park.I found it to be very symbolic as regards sand, time and the course of the Earth, “Along a path of aeons serpentine In the coiled blackness of her nascient course The earth Goddess toils across the sands of time” Savitri, Book I, Canto IVAfter a good stroll in the park, we all went to Mr Ramanathan’s new house. We all, as a big group, meditatedand the lines from Mother’s work were read out.The first one started with“Ignorance and excuse are two separate patterns that can be dissolved”And ended with“Anandamayi, Chaitanyamayi, Satyamai Parame”As always, it was awesome to listen to Mother’s words.The birthdays and the anniversaries were read out and everybody joined in the joy of the birthday andanniversary celebrities. The wonderful cake was cut by two wonderful girls, Sophia and Ananya.We were then treated to not a brunch but a delicious lunch. Enjoying the view at the 34th storey, we were quiteliberal with our appetite and enjoyed the “Brunch” along with the dessert. “On a height he stood that looked towards greater heights” The beginning line of Book I, Canto IV—Savitri. “A prayer, a master act, a king idea can link man's strength to a transcendent Force”. Savitri Book I, Canto II Kiranchandra Vasant Sulewww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 11

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2018. ANNOUNCEMENTS Membership Renewal for 2018 & Subscription to AIMFor 2018, Annual Members need to pay SGD 60 as their membership subscription to the Society. Thosesubscribing to the All India Magazine will need to pay an additional SGD 30 for the magazine.Please send a cheque payable to \"Sri Aurobindo Society\" and post it to the Treasurer, Anand Patel at thefollowing address:Anand PatelTreasurer – Sri Aurobindo SocietyBlock 3, Tanah Merah Kechil Road,# 02-05, The Tanah Merah,Singapore 466664You may also physically pay it to him in cash or by passing a cheque to a committee member and lettingAnand Patel know, during our activities. The Mother’s 140th Birth AnniversaryThe 140th Birth Anniversary of The Mother will be observed at our centreSri Aurobindo Society, 2A Starlight Road, #01-07, Singapore 217755 on 21st February 2018, Wednesday. Morning Meditation at 9 AM Evening Programme starts 7.00pm Meditation with Mother’s Organ Music Readings from The Mother’s ‘Prayers and Meditations’ Reading of Darshan Message from Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry Welcome AddressPerformances based on Sri Aurobindo’s poetry by Society Youth Group Closing Meditation Mahaprasad All are cordially invited Printed and Published by The Sri Aurobindo Society of Singapore 2A Starlight Road 01-07, Singapore 217755.Saurab: 86559940 or [email protected]; Sanjay: 98750767 or [email protected]; Email: [email protected] Visit our website at: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sgwww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 12