February 2016 Newsletter - Web

February 2016 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 30.02 Singapore Permit No. MCI (P) 069/01/2016 NEWSLETTER“Lo! Here are flowers and benedictions! Here is the smile ofdivine Love! It is without preferences and withoutrepulsions. It streams out towards all in a generous flowand never takes back its marvellous gifts!Her arms outstretches in a gesture of ecstasy, the EternalMother pours upon the world the unceasing dew of Herpurest love!” - The Mother

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. Guiding Light of the Month“In Peace and Silence the Eternal manifests; allow nothing to disturb you and the Eternal will manifest; have perfect equality in face of all and the Eternal will be there…” The Mother, ‘Prayers and Meditations’ December 5 1912This month’s issue of the newsletter examines the From the Editor’s Deskquality of equality. In the English dictionary, it isdefined as the state or quality of being equal. Equal clear glass would show up fuzzy images inmeans being evenly proportioned or balanced murky water. A mind ticking incessantly on its(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/equal?s=t). unending cyclic path and a heart crying out inIn the Yoga of Sri Aurobindo, equality is elaborated defiance and pain while suffering from a deficitas a quality that is when the mind and the vital are syndrome are common comrades we meet in ourquiet and unmoved in the face of all kinds of journey inwards. It is prudent to understanddisturbances that trouble one, all that is said or done these movements in one, the causes and cure andto one. It means to look at all of these without follow a rigorous discipline in nurturing the“distortions created by personal feelings” and quality of equality and see for oneself the fruits“understand what is behind them, why they happen, of one’s effort offered. Read the pages thatwhat is to be learnt from them and what is it in follow for precise insights and guidance ononeself which they are cast against and what inner cultivating or nurturing that quality of equality.profit or progress one can make out of them;” Inthese few lines, Sri Aurobindo makes the meaning of The cycle of the annual calendar wheels into ourequality in its relationship with spiritual progress, midst the month of February – a month breathingwhich is actually all about the exceeding of one’s maturity, calm, peace, silence, joy of life, joy ofsmall limited self and growing into a largeness and a action and joy of being. In its simplicity, itheight such that there is a progressive shift in one’s defeats opulence and yet stands supremestate of consciouness. By this, he means a self- amongst the many other months of the lunarmastery over vital movements, such as, “anger and calendar. The Mother’s 138th Birth Anniversarysensitiveness and pride as well as desire”. For once falls on the 21st of February, followed bythese enter into our system, they disturb inner peace, Auroville’s 48th Birthday on the 28th and lastly,and throw the being into the vortex of a turbulent sea but most gloriously appears The Golden Day, onupon which even to maneavour a raft to its the 29th of February. This was the day markingdestination becomes a herculean task. The goal in the Descent of the Supermind in 1956, sixtythis instance, is for us to reach a “calm inner poise of years ago and six years after Sri Aurobindo leftthe spirit” and to work from this centre. Sri his body to continue his divine work from anAurobindo also cautions us that to have equality in occult plane. The Mother had given a specialour possession wholly and perfectly is not easy but significance to special days such as these. Let usthat one should try and develop this quality to stand loose no time in finding out about the specialas a firm basis for spiritual progress. significances placed on these dates occurring in the month of February. These are definitely daysOnce again, self-observation becomes a great help in on which, by being part of the collectivestarting our journey towards aspiring for the quality movement of aspiration towards the divine, weof equality and establishing it firmly within. For, a can hope to elevate our state of consciousnessfirst glance and then a dive inwards, treading on the and better still, try to hold something of theperiphery of the being with well fitted goggles of brilliance, something of the Grace they bring. Let this Golden Year carry us on its golden back, its golden wings spread wide all the way through.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. Savitri The first fair life that breaks from Nature's swoon, Mounts in a line of rapture to the skies; Absorbed in its own happy urge it lives, Sufficient to itself, yet turned to all. It has no seen communion with its world, No open converse with surrounding things. There is a oneness native and occult That needs no instruments and erects no form; In unison it grows with all that is, All contacts it assumes into its trance. Laugh-tossed consents to the wind's kiss and takes Transmutingly the shocks of sun and breeze: A blissful yearning riots in its leaves, A magic passion trembles in its blooms, Its boughs aspire in hushed felicity. (Book Four, Canto One) Waking and sleep lay locked in mutual arms; Helpless and indistinct came pleasure and pain Trembling with the first faint thrills of a World-Soul. A strength of life that could not cry or move, Yet broke into beauty signing some deep delight: (Book Two, Canto Five) Question of the monthQ: What is the difference between outer equality and the equality of the soul?The Mother: The equality of the soul is a psychological thing. It is the power to bear allhappenings, good or bad, without being sad, discouraged desperate, upset. Whatever happens,you remain serene, peaceful.The other is the equality in the body. It is not psychological, it is something material; to have aphysical poise, to receive forces without being troubled.The two are equally necessary if one wants to progress on the path. And other things still. Forexample, a mental poise; such that all possible ideas, even the most contradictory, may comefrom all sides without one’s being troubled. One can see them and put each in its place. That ismental poise.(CWM, Volume 5, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Puducherry)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 3

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. The Mother's oneness with Nature (Dream-white Lotus – Painting by Sudha) The Force in her drew earth's sub human broods; And to her spirit's large and free delight She joined the ardent-hued magnificent lives Of animal and bird and flower and tree. They answered to her with a simple heart What seemed herself was an image of the Whole, She was a subconscient life of tree and flower, The outbreak of the honied buds of spring; She burned in the passion and splendour of the rose, She was the red heart of the passion-flower, The dream-white of the lotus in its pool - Sri Aurobindo, Savitri (Book seven, Canto seven)When she was about twelve, Mirra used to go for solitary walks in the woods at Fontainebleau,and she would often sit for hours at the foot of a tree losing herself in communion with Nature. Itwas a singular concatenation, the ardent young girl self-absorbed in the infinitudes, and the silentageless tree with the imperious woods around: quite an equation of the mathematics of the Spirit!The very birds and squirrels made friends with her, and would often perch on her, or crawllovingly over her. And, indeed, Mirra felt perfectly at peace there in the bosom of Nature, andexperienced a sense of identity.Some of the trees at Fontainebleau were supposed to be quite ancient - perhaps two thousandyears old or more and it was as though Mirra had captivated the heart of primordial Nature. Thetrees almost seemed to understand her, and whisper in a familiar language to her. The spirit of atree had once become aware of the talk of cutting it down, and when Mirra went to sit under itbegan soliciting her to somehow save it from the threatened destruction. In later life shewww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016.intervened in several cases and succeeded in staying the murderous axe. Her companionship withNature was thus no pose, no mere figure of speech, but a deep commitment flowing from a senseof spiritual oneness with all life, all Nature.(‘On The Mother’, Chapter 1 – “Childhood and Girlhood”, K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar, Sri AurobindoSociety, Pondicherry) Ocean OnenessSilence is round me, wideness ineffable;White birds on the ocean diving and wandering; A soundless sea on a voiceless heaven, Azure on azure, is mutely gazing.Identified with silence and boundlessnessMy spirit widens clasping the universe Till all that seemed becomes the Real, One in a mighty and single vastness.Someone broods there nameless and bodiless,Conscious and lonely, deathless and infinite, And, sole in a still eternal rapture, Gathers all things to his heart for ever. - Sri Aurobindo(CWSA, Volume 2, Collected Poems, Poems Published in On Quantitative Metre) Equality in the BodyIt is good health, a solid body, well poised when one does not have the nerves of a little girl thatare shaken by the least thing; when one sleeps well, eats well... When one is quiet calm, wellbalanced, very quiet, one has a solid basis and can receive a large number of forces.If anyone among you has received spiritual forces, forces of the Divine, Ananda, for example, heknows from experience that unless he is in good health he cannot contain them, keep them. Hebegins to weep and cry, gets restless to expend what he has received. He must laugh and talk andgesticulate, otherwise he cannot keep them, he feels stifled. And so by laughing, weeping,moving about he throws out what he has received.To be well balanced, to be able to absorb what one receives, one must be very quiet, very calm.One must have a solid basis, good health. One must have a very solid basis. That is veryimportant. - The Mother(AIM magazine Feb-Mar 2001, Yogic Equality, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. The Golden Day We aspire that its rays may illumine and transform usBotanical Name: Anthocephalus CadambaCommon Name: Kadam TreeSpiritual Significance: Supramental Sun“…by the very fact that you live upon earth at this moment – whether you are conscious of it ornot and even whether you wish it or not – you absorb with the air that you breathe this newSupramental substance which is spreading in earth’s atmosphere and it is preparing in you thingsthat will manifest all on a sudden, as soon as you have taken the decisive step” - The MotherAn account of the Golden Day at the Ashram:That day the Ashram put on a look of all gold. The balcony where the Mother used to appear at6-15 am was covered with gold satin which had Supramental-Manifestation flower embroideredon it. Visitors from all over India and abroad came to Pondicherry for the Golden Day. Thewomen were in saris with golden borders, which they had received from the Mother herself afortnight earlier.The “Service” tree above the Samadhi and other plants were illuminated with little bulbs of goldand other colours. The Mother, clad in a golden sari, was seated in a golden chair covered withorange silk in the Meditation Hall (the walls of which were also covered with orange silk). Thedome was specially made of aluminium sheets so as to reflect the golden rays of tube-lights. Thedistribution lasted till 5:30 p.m. While returning from Darshan we saw an announcement in theMother’s own handwriting in French and in English, put on a board: The Golden Day Henceforth the 29th February will be the day of the Lord.(“Life in Sri Aurobindo Ashram” by Narayan Prasad, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry)(Picture of flower sourced from 2016 flower calendar, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry)www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. Birth of New Light (Picture of Dawn – Sandhya)Like a fire from cave depthsLike a chant of hymn from silence’ selfLike a living symbol from ocean-nessAwakes the Dawn from Nature’s bosom.She leans Her hands of blessingAs fresh pink hues on blue skySecretly knocks the petals openingOn the flame-flowers of ecstasy.A welcome song for the day is Dawn,A miracle birth of light in morn. - Sandhya ***Dr. Prema Nandakumar, in her PhD thesis titled “Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri, A study of the cosmicepic”, gives a beautiful account of how Dawn is picturized in Savitri. She says:“This sublime picture of Dawn is verily infused with the symbolism of growth in consciousness:that is, Woman inconscient waking up from her stupor and becoming slowly transformed into thesuperconscient goddess”.References:  Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri, “A study of the cosmic epic”, by Dr. Prema Nandakumar.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. December - January Sunday Activities at the Centre – A glimpseDecember 20th and 27th – Meditations on Savitri and Savitri reading circle:In our final two sessions of the year, we reached the last canto of Savitri: “The Return to Earth”.On earth, though from heaven, Savitri began her life. Now returned to earth, after wrestling withDeath and God in Night and supernal Day, Savitri stands before Satyavan, and the whole earth,as the embodiment of supramental Grace and Life:“A power dwelt in her soul too great for earth,A bliss lived in her heart too large for heaven;Light too intense for thought and love too boundless”Yet the mystery of human love is not cancelled but fulfilled by their ordeal. Still is she Savitri,the sweet Madran, and the wife of Satyavan, her beloved:“Our love has grown greater by that mighty touchAnd learned its heavenly significance,Yet nothing is lost of mortal love's delight.”Hand in hand, they walked. And from far off came the cry of the human world: For Savitri hadwon many boons from Death, not least the restoration of Dyumatsena’s sight and kingship.Savitri and Satyavan rejoined the kingly party, opening up a new chapter on earth just as one hasalready opened up in heaven. In her, a priest and sage saw the embodiment of a ‘greater dawn’but she herself simply answered:“Awakened to the meaning of my heartThat to feel love and oneness is to liveAnd this the magic of our golden change,Is all the truth I know or seek, O sage.”Thus, the final word, and perhaps the first, is Love.We meditated on this canto through listening to the Mother’s readings, full of the power of hervoice. We concentrated on Huta’s paintings and we read the mantric verses. Each time we readSavitri, the Truth grows in us, bringing understanding, peace and every blessing.January 3rd - Readings from AIM Magazine The Mother’s Yoga:In this session we delved into the incredible details of the Mother’s Yoga after the supramentaldescent in 1956. We read various passages detailing the yoga the Mother was performing for theearth – opening her body and being up totally – as a representative and example for all of us - tothe Supreme.We also read about the descent of the Overman consciousness in 1969 – which has broughtpowerful new possibilities to humanity, and further accelerated the spiritual evolution of theearth. - Jaredwww.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 8

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2016DATE TIME DETAILS7th Feb 2016 8:00 AM Monthly Morning Walk * 6:00 PM Sunday 6:00 PM Reading from AIM Magazine7th Feb 2016 6:00 PM Q&A from Mother Complete works Volume 8 Sunday Followed by Om Choir14th Feb 2016 Darshan Day – Special Programme ** Sunday The Mothers Birthday21st Feb 2016 Savitri – An unending journey Sunday Darshan Day – Special Meditation The Supramental Manifestation Day28th Feb 2016 6:00 PM Sunday29th Feb 2016 7:00 PM Monday* Please see below for details.** Please refer to page 12 for details. FEBRUARY 2016 MORNING WALK – NO. 366Date: Sunday, 7th February 2016Time: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise Please note that after warm up exercise we shall proceed with the walk by 8.20 AM.Meeting Point: East Coast Park (Car Park near Big Splash)Contact No: S.Ramanathan (91385130)Hosts: Mrs. Nisha Maheswary & Family 12, Amber Gardens, # 12-07, King's Mansion, Block B Singapore 439959. Telephone: 64408443 (Residence), 90229005, 90939505 (Mobile) Email: [email protected] to Bus:Host’s Residence 10, 12, 31, 32, 31, 32, 36, 40, 43, 48, 76, 135, 196, 197, 401Note: 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 to their residence latest by 10.15 A.M. andjoin in the brunch. Prayers and meditation will commence sharp at 10.30 A.M. All are requestedto be punctual.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING SUNDAY MORNING WALKSWALK DATE PLACE HOST NO 367 06/03/2016 Sungei Buloh Wetland M/s V Anuvrat & Auropriya 03/04/2016 Reserve Mr C.Krishnamurthy & Family 368 01/05/2016 369 05/06/2016 McRitchie Reservoir Mr. Ashok Patel & Family 370 Mr. Anand Patel & Family East Coast Park TBA Along the Way… January 2016 Morning Walk – A ReviewThe first walk for the Golden Year 2016 hosted by Kirthika and Adrian was held at Bukit TimahNatue Reserve on 3rd January 2016. Despite the possibility of a wet weather, ten of us includingtwo children gathered at the car park eagerly looking forward to the walk, as the Reserve is ahome to thousands of species of plants, some very visible and some not so visible to an untrainedeye. (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Photos by Ramanathan)Instead of taking one of the tracks to the top of the Bukit Timah hill, we had to explore adifferent route, due to some work that was happening in the Nature Reserve. Adrian led the wayforward through some parts of the old rail track leading towards one of the Quarries. Due to therains for the past few days, we expected the track to be slightly muddy. Fellow trackers returningto the base, warned us of muddy tracks ahead, and we plodded on with care hoping to save ourshoes from the mud. The greenery surrounding us was refreshing and at the same time beautifuland they kept re-inforcing the fact that we need to protect and sustain the forest, if we want toexperience the joy of being with nature.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 10

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. (Bukit Timah Nature reserve. Photos by Rama)We reached the Quarry after making a short and difficult climb towards one of the old railwaybridges. The view at the Quarry Site was breadth taking, like you see in some old Chinesepaintings. We spent a few minutes at the spot, enjoying the view and also took some groupphotos, after which we started the return journey. I took the return journey to the hosts' homethrough Hill View road which had broad side walks with lots of greenery. Some of us tookanother track, back to where we started.We reached the hosts home at about 10.10 am and met some of our fellow members who hadcome directly to the home for the collective meditation. We started the meditation shortlyafter 10.30 am. It was a simple and meaningful session with some beautiful prayers being readby some of those celebrating their birthdays in January. We had a good brunch with lots ofvariety. We would like to thank Adrian, Kirthika, their two children, together with Kirthika'sparents Mr and Mrs Ramanathan for hosting the walk and the meditation followed by the brunch.Best Wishes for the New Year!! - Ramachandran ANNOUNCEMENTS Membership Renewal for 2016 & Subscription to AIMFor 2016, 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, Sanjay Mehta at thefollowing address: Blk 720 Tampines Street 72 #03-31 Singapore 520720.You may also physically pay it to him in cash or by passing a cheque to a committee member and letting Sanjayknow, during our activities.www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 11

Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2016. Centre CleaningIn conjunction with The Mother’s birth anniversary celebrations on February 21st, we will be cleaning ourcentre on Saturday, 13th February 2016 from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM.The cleaning will be followed by lunch.All are welcome to come along and take part in this special offering. The Mother’s 138th Birth Anniversary The 138th Birth Anniversary of The Mother will be observed at our centre Sri Aurobindo Society, 2A Starlight Road, # 01-07, Singapore 217755 on 21st February 2016, Sunday. Morning Meditation at 10:00 AM Evening Programme at 6:00 PM Meditation with Sunil’s Music Readings from The Mother’s ‘Prayers and Meditations’ Reading of Darshan Message from Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puthucherry Musical Offering by Members of the Society Closing Meditation Mahaprasad All are cordially invited to be part of 138th Mother’s Birth Anniversary Observance 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