January 2020 Newsletter

January 2020 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 34.01 Singapore NEWSLETTER Mind Part V: The Spiritual Mind Power of Spirituality True spirituality transforms life. Sansevieria Bowstring hemp, Snake plant, Mother-in-law's tongue Small white to dusty white scented tubular flowers with a narrow corolla tube, six narrow recurved lobes and six erect exserted stamens; borne in dense clusters on a very long stalk. A perennial herb with thick cylindrical leaves marked with very thin dark green stripes. At last he wakes into spiritual mind; A high liberty begins and luminous room: He glimpses eternity, touches the infinite, He meets the gods in great and sudden hours, He feels the universe as his larger self, Makes Space and Time his opportunity To join the heights and depths of being in light, In the heart’s cave speaks secretly with God. (Savitri Book X; Canto IV)

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Guiding Light of the Month “Thou hast placed me amidst abundance, and abundance seems to me as natural as scarcity and does not bring me a greater joy, for often in poverty the spiritual life was more intense and conscious for me; but I see this abundance very clearly, and my individual being on whom Thou heapest Thy boons thus, prostrates itself before Thee in inexpressible gratitude.” January 4, 1917 Prayers and Meditations, The Mother From the Editor’s Desk We are reaching the conclusion of our look at the Mind in exists now. The next must be an aspiration to transcend its many aspects. Having considered the physical, vital, the limitations of the mind as it is. Sri Aurobindo writes: mental and psychic mind, we enter into the realm of the Spiritual Mind in this issue of our newsletter. In or last “When this ordinary mind opens within to inner mind issue, we looked at the Psychic Mind as the mind turned and psychic and above to higher mind and higher “towards the Divine and the Truth and feels and responds consciousness generally, then it begins to be spiritualised to that only or mainly.” What then is the Spiritual mind? and its highest ranges merge into the spiritual mind- consciousness of which this higher mind can be a It would be pertinent here to draw a distinction between beginning. This merging is part of the spiritual the psychic and the spiritual. The psychic holds in it a transformation.” sense of “immortality, a complete receptivity to the divine influence..” This psychic belongs to the earth plane, When will the ordinary mind decide to open to according to The Mother. All other planes above the influences beyond it or above, is the crucial question. mind, belong to the Spiritual order or are domains of the Behind it lies stages of aspiration and struggle and spirit. It is this spirit that “little by little, progressively endless self-observation and reflection, seeking after the materialises itself to arrive at Matter…” It is to be noted knowledge of parts and planes of the being in some and that the beings of these spiritual planes have no Psychic in others, it may just be a swift unravelling and up- Being. The Mother also says that “the psychic being in the surging. Above all, in matters of the spiritual evolution, human being is the manifestation of spiritual aspiration..” as in all other matters truly, the Grace of the Divine paramount. In the following pages, you will find some material on the Spiritual Mind. Sri Aurobindo, in his Letters of Yoga Knowing the parts and planes of the being and processes writes of the Spiritual mind thus: “The spiritual mind is a involved and the stages in this way may be a mental mind which, in its fullness, is aware of the Self, reflecting exercise and can be but a very first, preliminary, tiny step the Divine, seeing and understanding the nature of the Self in this path it seems. However, the promise is that all the and its relations with the manifestation, living in that or in superior planes of consciousness are there for one who contact with it, calm, wide and awake to higher aspires towards them. May we all be set on the path at knowledge, not perturbed by the play of the Forces. When least in our aspiration unalloyed, to begin with. it gets its full liberated movement, its central station is very usually felt above the head, though its influence can A brand new year 2020 and decade draws in. We wish extend downward through all the being and outward one and all a very Happy, Progressive New Year. The through space.” Mother’s New Year Message of 1933 resounds thus: The promise here is that the ordinary human mind is liable Let the birth of the new year be the new birth to be spiritualized and play its part in a life divine. How of our consciousness. could this be made possible? How does one work towards this? The first point perhaps has to be that one sees the Leaving the past far behind us, let us run human mind as limited in its views and functions as it towards a luminous future. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Savitri A deep of compassion, a hushed sanctuary, Her inward help unbarred a gate in heaven; Love in her was wider than the universe, The whole world could take refuge in her single heart. The great unsatisfied godhead here could dwell: Vacant of the dwarf self’s imprisoned air, Her mood could harbour his sublimer breath Spiritual that can make all things divine. For even her gulfs were secrecies of light. At once she was the stillness and the word, A continent of self-diffusing peace, An ocean of untrembling virgin fire; The strength, the silence of the gods were hers. In her he found a vastness like his own, His high warm subtle ether he refound And moved in her as in his natural home. In her he met his own eternity. Savitri, Sri Aurobindo www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg Questions & Answers Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind 3

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Then we come to the spiritual life with an aspiration, can the adverse forces attack us? Everybody, without exception. Even though they look very nice? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes these are the most dangerous. But how can we know? Ah! The easiest way, when you have a Guru, is to go and ask him. It is within the reach of everyone. It is enough to have faith in one’s Guru, to go and find him and ask him; he will tell you, for he indeed knows. (Questions and Answers 1953) * “Take, for example, the very universal superstition, prevalent all over the world, that asceticism and spirituality are one and the same thing. If you describe someone as a spiritual man or a spiritual woman, people at once think of one who does not eat or sits all day without moving, one who lives in a hut in great poverty, one who has given away all he had and keeps nothing for himself. This is the picture that immediately arises in the minds of ninety-nine people out of a hundred, when you speak of a spiritual man; the one proof of spirituality for them is poverty and abstinence from everything that is pleasant or comfortable. This is a mental construction which must be thrown down if you are to be free to see and follow the spiritual truth.... Once it is gone, you find something that is much higher than your narrow ascetic rule, a complete openness that leaves the being free. If you are to get something, you accept it, and if you are to give up the very same thing, you with an equal willingness leave it. Things come and you take them up; things go and you let them pass, with the same smile of equanimity in the taking or the leaving.” (Questions and Answers 1929 – 1931 (19 May 1929)) * “Sweet Mother, it is said that always the good and the true triumph, but we see that often in life it is otherwise. The wicked win, seem somehow to be protected from suffering.” (Mother laughs, then remains silent.) People always confuse two ideas. It is from the universal and spiritual point of view that, not positively the “good” as men understand it, but the True, the Truth, will have the last word; it goes without saying. That is to say, finally the Divine will be victorious. That is what is said, what all who have lived a spiritual life have said — it is an absolute fact. Men, in translating it, say, “I am a good boy, I live in accordance with what I think to be true, therefore, all existence should be good for me.” (Mother laughs) First of all, one’s own appreciation of oneself is always doubtful, and then, in the world as it is now, all is mixed, it is not the Law of Truth that openly manifests itself to the half-blind human consciousness — it will not even understand it. I mean, to be more exact, that it is the supreme vision that is realising itself constantly, but its realisation in the mixed material world does not appear to the ignorant human sight as the triumph of good, what men call good and true. But (to say it in a joking way) it is not the fault of the Lord, it is the fault of men! That is to say, the Lord knows what he is doing, and men do not understand it. (Notes on the Way, 26 August 1967) www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Spiritual Mind The spiritual mind is a mind which, in its fullness, is aware of the Self, reflecting the Divine, seeing and understanding the nature of the Self and its relations with the manifestation, living in that or in contact with it, calm, wide and awake to higher knowledge, not perturbed by the play of the Forces. When it gets its full liberated movement, its central station is very usually felt above the head, though its influence can extend downward through all the being and outward through space. * Higher Mind is one of the planes of the spiritual mind, the first and lowest of them; it is above the normal mental level. Inner mind is that which lies behind the surface mind (our ordinary mentality) and can only be directly experienced (apart from its vrittis in the surface mind such as philosophy, poetry, idealism etc.) by sadhana, by breaking down the habit of being on the surface and by going deeper within. Larger mind is a general term to cover the realms of mind which become our field whether by going within or widening into the cosmic consciousness. The true mental being is not the same as the inner mental — true mental, true vital, true physical being means the Purusha of that level freed from the error and ignorant thought and will of the lower Prakriti and directly open to the knowledge and guidance from above. Higher vital usually refers to the vital mind and emotive being as opposed to the middle vital which has its seat in the navel and is dynamic, sensational and passionate and the lower which is made up of the smaller movements of human life-desire and life-reactions. * In the ordinary life, people accept the vital movements, anger, desire, greed, sex etc. as natural, allowable and legitimate things, part of the human nature. Only so far as society discourages them or wishes to keep them within fixed limits or subject to a decent restraint or measure, people try to control them so as to conform to the social standard of morality or rule of conduct. Here on the contrary as in all spiritual life, the conquest and complete mastery of these things is demanded. That is why the struggle is more felt, not because these things rise more strongly in sadhaks than in ordinary men, but because of the intensity of the struggle between the spiritual mind which demands control and the vital movements which rebel and wish to continue in the new as they did in the old life. The Mind Centres This must be the psychicised higher mental being — the position above the head points to that. In other words, you have become aware of your higher mental being which is in contact at once with the Divine above and with the psychic behind the heart and is aware of the Truth and has the psychic and spiritual insight and view into things. Above the head extends the higher consciousness centre, sahasradala padma. But usually there is partial working of the forehead centre also when the sahasradala opens. The ordinary mind is at the highest the free intelligence, receiving perhaps intuitions and intimations from above which it intellectualises. It is on the surface and sees things from outside except in so far as it is www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. helped by intuition and other powers to see a little deeper. When this ordinary mind opens within to inner mind and psychic and above to higher mind and higher consciousness generally, then it begins to be spiritualised and its highest ranges merge into the spiritual mind-consciousness of which this higher mind can be a beginning. This merging is part of the spiritual transformation. For the mind there are many centres: (1) the sahasradala which centralises spiritual mind, higher mind, intuitive mind and acts as a receiving station for the intuition proper and overmind, (2) the centre in the forehead for inner thought, will and vision, (3) the throat centre for the externalising or physical mind. Words of Long Ago At the Union de Pensee F´eminine´, we shall be more modest, if you agree. Women, by their very nature, are more capable of taking the spiritual or, in the deepest sense of the word, moral standpoint. We are essentially realistic and formative in this spiritual domain; we want to know how to live well, and for this we must learn how to think well. To realise the primary importance of thought, we must know it as it is, that is, as a living being; and so that you may be convinced of the autonomous existence of thought, I shall ask you only to ascertain this for yourselves, which is an easy thing to do. A little observation will enable us to realise that very often, for example, we receive thoughts which come to us from outside, although we have not been brought into contact with them either by speech or reading. Who has not also observed this phenomenon: a thought which is “in the air”, as we say, and which several inventors, several scientists, several literary men receive simultaneously without having been in physical communication on this matter? One could go on giving examples indefinitely. I leave each one to reflect and find the examples which seem most conclusive to her (Words of Long Ago, On Thought III) * There is, without doubt, an almost ineradicable difference between individuals, the one arising from their special role, their place, their status in the infinite hierarchy of beings; but whatever this role or status may be, within it each one can develop his own qualities to perfection, each one can and must aspire to gain the perfect purity, the perfect sincerity, the deep harmony which bring us into accord with the laws of order in the universe. I knew an old sage who used to compare men to minerals that were more or less crude, more or less rich, but all containing gold. Let this ore undergo the purifying flames of spiritualisation and at the bottom of the crucible will be found an ingot which is more or less heavy, but always of pure gold. We must therefore seek to release from its matrix the pure gold that is within us. (Words of Long Ago, Introduction to a Talk) * What a true meeting should be. Mr. Ber talked to us last Friday about mantras. 2 kinds of masters according to Ramakrishna: The master who gives the mantra and who is thus an indirect means of spiritualisation. The master who has had the deep experience of divine union and who by his presence alone transmits spirituality — Abdul Baha. What a single man can do by his spiritual power can be achieved by a group if it unites in a thought of goodwill: Chaldean initiation: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. “When you are twelve united in righteousness, you will manifest the Ineffable.” Groups are subject to the same laws as individuals. More favourable moments due to collective suggestions. Renewals: the beginning of each new year, whatever date is chosen as a starting-point. An opportunity is given to awaken in oneself the idea that all things can be new and the resolution to make them so. Consequently, the usefulness of meeting at fixed times to make favourable resolutions together. Reading. (Words of Long Ago, Notes for a meeting, 3 January 1913) November – December Sunday Activitiesat the Centre - A glimpse November 24th – Siddhi day. Jared took the lead and the members present read a few passages from Savitri and The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo with his intense sadhana brought “Overmind Consciousness “ into the Physical World. Right now our Consciousness is arrested in the Sub- conscient and Inconscient should be released to enter the higher field of Light escaping the instrumentation of the Ego. The 24th of November should be given an importance equal to that of the birthdays of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother because on that day the descent of the Higher Power symbolic of the victory of their mission took place. The Delight consciousness in the Overmind which Sri Krishna incarnated -as Avatar- descended on this day into the physical, rendering possible the descent of the Supermind into Matter. So it is for us to tap into this Overmind Consciousness to bring into the body a higher spiritual power and a greater life force unified with the universal life force and able to draw the luminous harmony with the material Nature which converts all pain into Ananda. Radha is the personification of the absolute love for the Divine, total and integral in all parts of the being from the highest spiritual to the physical, bringing the absolute self-giving and total consecration of all the being and calling down into the body and the most material nature the supreme Ananda. SRI AUROBINDO www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Krishna is the divine Flute-player, the immanent and universal Divine who is the supreme power of attraction; and the soul, the psychic personality, [is] Radha, who answers to the call of the Flute-player. THE. MOTHER December 8th – Random Passages from Savitri As the Synthesis of Yoga could not be scheduled, Jared initiated Savitri passages from Book I, Canto IV: The Secret Knowledge. As part of the discussions, our Savitri readings also moved into passages from Book I, Canto V: The Yoga of the King: The Yoga of the Spirit’s Freedom and Greatness as well as Book III, Canto III: The House of the Spirit and the New Creation December 15th – Savitri Summary from Invocations As the Synthesis of Yoga could not be scheduled, we read the summary of Savitri Book I from the Special 50th issue of Invocations. This text has been compiled by Shraddhavan, based on work by Shri M.P.Pandit and members of the Gruppo Germoglio of Modena, Italy - Jayalakshmi and Ramadoss PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2020 DATE TIME DETAILS 8 AM Monthly Morning Walk * 5 Jan 2020 Sunday 6 PM AIM Magazine Reading and Discussion 12 Jan 2020 6 PM Thematic Study Circle by Rakesh: Sunday 6 PM The Synthesis of Yoga 19 Jan 2020 Thematic Study Circle by Rakesh: Sunday The Synthesis of Yoga 26 Jan 2020 4 PM Youth Programme Sunday 6 PM Savitri Circle by Mr. Ramadoss * Please see below for details. 8 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Date: January 2020 MORNING WALK – NO. 413 Time: Walk Venue: Sunday, 5th January 2020 Meeting Point: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise. Directions to Windsor Nature Park meeting point Car Park of Windsor Nature Park ; 30 Venus Drive, Singapore 573858 (Located close to Singapore Island Country Club) By Public Transport: 132, 163, 165, 166, 167, 855, 980; Alight at Upper Thomson Road (Opp Flame Tree Pk, Bus stop ID: 53071; Flame Tree Pk, Bus stop ID: 53069) By Car: Via Upper Thompson Road ; turn into Venus Drive and take the first left into the car park Contact No: Mr Ramanathan (9138 5130) Hosts: Mr Kiran Krishnamurthy & Swati Kiran 15 Canberra Drive (One Canberra); #11-30 Singapore – 768073 RSVP Swati (81982100); Kiran (97861646) Directions to Hosts’ residence: By Public Transport: Host’s Residence is a 10 min walk from Canberra MRT (NS 12) By Car: Heading on CTE ; exit on Lentor Avenue , proceed straight on to Yishun Ave 2, turn left onto Yishun Ave 7 and right on to Canberra Drive. One Canberra is the first condominium on the left. Note: 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. Prayers and meditation will commence sharp at 10.30 A.M. All are requested to be punctual. PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING SUNDAY MORNING WALKS WALK NO DATE PLACE HOST 414 02/02/20 East Coast Park Mrs Nisha Maheswary & Family 415 01/03/20 416 05/04/20 Pasir Ris Mr Anand K Venkat & Family West Coast Park Mr S. Ramanathan& Family www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. Along the Way… December Walk Review (walk no 412) I was very happy when Ramanathan maama asked me to join for the walk this month at Coney Islands. It is usually my practise to attend walks during school holidays and it had been a year since I was last able to join one. Along with Ramanathan maama and Jayanthi maami we arrived at the starting point quite early. On the way to Coney islands, I noticed the developmental works being undertaken in Punggol and Sengkang with many housing estates and buildings under construction. Unfortunately, there was not much greenery around. I last visited Coney Islands over 3 years ago and explored it on a bike. Last Sunday, we explored Coney Islands on foot and I had the opportunity of visiting other beautiful spots on the Island that I did not get to visit the previous time. There was a sense of serenity, peace and tranquillity throughout the walk. The beautiful views and the greenery around me were spell-bounding. I could hear the cheerful sounds of waves crashing, wind blowing and nature calling. I truly enjoyed the walk. It was good to see many familiar faces attending the walk. I had a good time catching up with all and truly enjoyed their great company. It was once again an enjoyable experience. I hope to go for more walks in the future. Last but not the least my thanks to the hosts Mr Ritesh & Mrs Upali for the delicious & sumptuous brunch. - Dheeraj Jothilingam Coney Island has always been a very scenic and attractive walk. The children always love going there and they also manage to rope in their friends to do the walk with them. This year was no different. However, we were late for the walk. By the time we reached, our morning group exercise was over and our landmark photo taking was done. Our walkers were already on their way to the island. We too started after them hoping to catch up with them. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 10 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind

Mind Part V: Spiritual Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. January 2020. The sun was at its best today. The sky was cloudless and so there was no constraints for the sun-rays to shine in their glory. Not Long after, the heat of the sun started to melt my skin. Within 5 minutes, we were perspiring. Looking for shade from the young trees growing alongside the walkway, we moved onto the boardwalk, closer to the sea. As we walked on, we were greeted by a pungent aroma of sea life washed ashore. Here we hastily walked past as the scent was too strong for us. A short way later, we reached the main gate of Coney Island. We went inside. Immediately, the trees cool shade left my wet skin with goosebumps. The walk around the island was generally shady. We completed 1 round and then headed back to the carpark where we met others from our group who had gathered and were waiting to go to the prayer and brunch site. The prayer and brunch was hosted by Ritesh and Upali. When we reached their home, we were warmly greeted by them. The altar of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo was beautifully decorated with flowers and coloured lights. The prayers that followed were absolutely mesmerising with readings from The Prayers. Uncle Krishnamurthy and Uncle Ramanathan chanted Dasa Shanthi verses. Dr Aditya and his wife Anju Aditya sang a beautiful Bhajan and finally the Om Choir filled each and every corner of the home and our being with its vibrations. A vote of thanks to the host and hostess for intending such a beautiful environment and a sumptuous meal. - Vrunda Patel 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.sg www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 11 Mind Part IV: Psychic Mind