September 2019 Newsletter

September 2019 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 33.09 Singapore NEWSLETTER Mind Part 1: The Physical Mind Mind Its true value depends on its surrender to the Divine. Ruellia lorentziana [Ruellia ciliatiflora] Medium-sized pale lavender salverform flower with a flattened corolla tube, a violet throat and a limb divided into five somewhat crinkled lobes; borne in few-flowered axillary cymes or terminal panicles. A perennial herb with long pendant flexuous branches. Atman, the Self, represents itself differently in the movement of Nature according to the dominant principle of consciousness in the individual being. In the physical consciousness Atman becomes the material annamaya purusa. In the vital or nervous consciousness Atman becomes the vital or dynamic being, pranamaya purusa. In the mental consciousness Atman becomes the mental being, manomaya purusa. Sri Aurobindo

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. Guiding Light of the Month LET 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. November 3, 1912 Prayers and Meditations, The Mother From the Editor’s Desk In the last issue of our newsletter, we took up the the external, physical things, always busy with them, subject of the Mind, it being one aspect of Prakriti. We and casting its action on them. In its ordinary or natural gave a rough introduction to Mind as a whole. We state, it is said be obscure, working in ignorance, dedicate the next few issues of the newsletter to the fumbling, since it does not know. Do we know this various aspects of the Mind in Light of Integral mind in us? The mind which is constantly revolving Psychology. We take a closer look first at what is called round and round, in a random fashion, always around the Physical Mind in this issue. We found that the mind physical things and happenings – to make sense of of man in general is able to look at everything around them and to cast its own influence on them, which are itself and make sense of these according to its own usually suggestions of disturbance. It is the mind in us limitations and then negotiates a larger life with the which believes to be true only physical things and limited instrument. The inevitable results would be the evidences. It refuses to accept supra-physical things or creation of problems before us – for problems they are happenings since these are beyond its comprehension. if we cannot understand them against a larger existence This mind in us reveres the habitual thoughts and of co-relations and problem they become when a ready actions. There is an inclination to be tamasic. It is solution is not at hand. We surmised that the solution satisfied with its own ways of perceptions which may can only arise from an aspect of the mind – say the be based on its own whims. higher mind - which is beyond the limited, problem creating lower mind. It would be pertinent to consider Sri Aurobindo further differentiates the Physical the aspects of the mind so that we understand the larger Mind, also known as the Physical Mental from the constituents of the mind and their functions and their Mental Physical, also known as the Mechanical Mind. mode of operation. This could open up the way for us The Physical mind, as described above is a part of the to know the working of our own mind so that we may mental consciousness and is an externalising mind. grow in awareness and be able to discern how the mind Though it is concerned with the external physical can help in the making of a higher life for us and the objects and events, it deals with them with an world at large. intelligence unknown to the mental physical or mechanical mind. The mental physical mind “simply Sri Aurobindo has mentioned five kinds of minds or stores, associates, repeats, gives reflexes and five level of their operation, namely, the physical, the reactions.” However, this physical mind works vital, the mental, the psychic and the spiritual mind. In closely with the mental physical and hence are closely this issue, we take a closer look at the physical mind, connected. Find out more as you flip the pages of this which is something quite discernible to us, as most of issue of our newsletter. us spend a considerable time engaged with or engaging this mind. Let us get glimpses of what Sri Aurobindo We also include in this issue Part 2 of an article written explains as the Physical Mind. by Jared Quek on The Human Cycle: The Imminent Revolution. This article examines mind as a possible The physical mind is the one which is in contact with gateway to world’s beyond or above. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. Savitri And art and beauty sprang from the human depths; Nature and soul vied in nobility. Ethics the human keyed to imitate heaven; The harmony of a rich culture’s tones Refined the sense and magnified its reach To hear the unheard and glimpse the invisible And taught the soul to soar beyond things known, Inspiring life to greaten and break its bounds, Aspiring to the Immortals’ unseen world. Leaving earth’s safety daring wings of Mind Bore her above the trodden fields of thought Crossing the mystic seas of the Beyond To live on eagle heights near to the Sun. Savitri, Sri Aurobindo Questions & Answers The Supermind had descended long ago—very long ago—into the mind and even into the vital: it was working in the physical also but indirectly through those intermediaries. The question was about the direct action of the Supermind in the physical. Sri Aurobindo said it could be possible only if the physical mind received the supramental light: the physical mind was the instrument for direct action upon the most material. This physical mind receiving the supramental light Sri Aurobindo called the Mind of Light. Source: 20 June 1953, Collected Works of the Mother, Words of the Mother - I Our body and mind tend to get paralyzed sometimes by laziness and inertia. What are the inner causes of laziness and how to overcome it? Laziness is a disease. It is a dangerous illness: laziness. * When you feel tired or fatigued that is lack of will for progress. * Fatigue comes from doing without interest the things you do. Whatever you do you can find interest in it, provided you take it as the means of progressing; you must try to do better and better what you are doing, the will for progress must always be there and then you take interest in what you do, whatever it is. The most insignificant occupation can prove interesting if you take it that way. Source: CWM2, 14:248 www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 3 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. The Physical Mind It [the true physical mind] is the instrument of understanding and ordered action on physical things. Only instead of being obscure and ignorant and fumbling as now or else guided only by an external knowledge it has to become conscious of the Divine and to act in accordance with an inner light, will and knowledge putting itself into contact and an understanding unity with the physical world. * It [the true physical mind] can press upon it [the physical vital] the true attitude and feeling, make the incoming of the wrong suggestions and impulsions more difficult and give full force to the true movements. This action of the physical mind is indispensable for the change of the whole physical consciousness even to the most material, though for that the enlightening of the sub-conscient is indispensable. * It is the function of the outward physical mind to deal with external things — that is why it wants always to be busy with them. What it has to learn is to be quiet and to act only when the Will wants to use it, when it is really needed — and also to act only on what the Will wants to deal with, not run about in a random manner. When it becomes quiet, it can then go inside and come into contact and unity with the inner physical consciousness. The wideness and peace as it grows can do much to quiet the physical mind and give it an inward source of deeper action. * In the human physical mind there is always a tendency not to understand or to misunderstand and to interpret according to its own notions. That can only be removed by the Light in the mind and the power everywhere which refuses to accept suggestions of disturbance. * It is the physical mind that finds it difficult to believe in the reality of supraphysical things — that is due to its ignorance and its belief that only physical things are real. * Yes, it [the physical mind] reasons, but on the basis of external data mostly — on things as they appear to the outer mind and senses or the habitual ideas to which it is accustomed or to a purely external knowledge. * That part of the being [the physical mind] has no reason except its whims, its habits or an inclination to be tamasic. * The physical mind is in the habit of observing things with or without use Source: Letters on Yoga, Part 1, by Sri Aurobindo www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. The Physical Mental or Physical Mind and the Mental Physical or Mechanical Mind The physical mental or externalising mind is part of the mental consciousness, not part of the physical consciousness. But it is The Mind 183 closely connected with the mental physical — so that the two usually act together. * The automatic or mechanical mind is called by us the mental physical — and distinguished from the physical mind which is that which deals intelligently with physical things. The other simply stores, associates, repeats, gives reflexes and reactions etc. * Repetition is the habit of the mental physical — it is not the true thinking mind that behaves like this, it is the mental physical or else the lowest part of the physical mind. * But the main error here is in your description of the physical part of the mind — what you have described there is the mechanical mental physical or body-mind which when left to itself simply goes on repeating the past customary thoughts and movements or at the most adds to them such further mechanical reactions to things and reflexes as are in the round of life. The true physical mind is the receiving and externalising intelligence which has two functions — first, to work upon external things and give them a mental order with a way of practically dealing with them and, secondly, to be the channel of materialising and putting into effect whatever the thinking and dynamic mind sends down to it for the purpose. * The vital mind is usually energetic and creative even in its more mechanical rounds, so it must be the physical that is turning. It is that and the mechanical that last longest, but these too fall silent when the peace and silence become massive and complete. Afterwards knowledge begins to come from the higher planes — the Higher Mind to begin with, and this creates a new action of thought and perception which replaces the ordinary mental. 184 Letters on Yoga — I It does that first in the thinking mind, but afterwards also in the vital mind and physical mind, so that all these begin to go through a transformation. This kind of thought is not random and restless, but precise and purposeful — it comes only when needed or called for and does not disturb the silence. Moreover the element of what we call thought there is secondary and what might be called a seeing perception (intuition) takes its place. But so long as the mind does not become capable of a complete silence, this higher knowledge, thought, perception either does not come down or, if partially it does, it is liable to get mixed up with or imitated by the lower, and that is a bother and a hindrance. So the silence is necessary. * The automatic mind is a part of the lower action, it can only stop by the acquirement of mental silence or the descent of a higher consciousness. Source: Letters on Yoga, Part 1, by Sri Aurobindo www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. The Human Cycle: The Imminent Revolution By Jared Quek Part 2 The ‘Atlantean Arc’ With these conclusions in mind, it is now possible to consider the few hints left by Sri Aurobindo on the legend, if we may call it that, of Atlantis, and its relevance to the coming of the age of mental subjectivism. In fact, I shall argue that the recovery of the earlier gains of the ‘Atlantean cycle’ is indispensable to the full blossoming of mental subjectivism. Perhaps Sri Aurobindo’s earliest reference is in 1910 in ‘The National Value of Art’: For man intellectually developed, mighty in scientific knowledge and the mastery of gross and subtle nature, using the elements as his servants and the world as his footstool, but undeveloped in heart and spirit, becomes only an inferior kind of asura using the powers of a demigod to satisfy the nature of an animal. According to dim traditions and memories of the old world, of such a nature was the civilization of old Atlantis, submerged beneath the Ocean when its greatness and its wickedness became too heavy a load for the earth to bear, and our own legends of the asuras represent a similar consciousness of a great but abortive development in humanity. In one of his later Letters on Yoga, he left us further clues: Along with the mental evolution of man there has been going forward the early process of another evolution which prepares the spiritual and supramental being. This has had two lines, one the discovery of the occult forces secret in Nature and of the hidden planes and worlds concealed from us by the world of Matter and the other the discovery of man's soul and spiritual self. If the tradition of Atlantis is correct, it is that of a progress which went to the extreme of occult knowledge, but could go no farther. In the India of Vedic times we have the record left of the other line of achievement, that of spiritual self-discovery; occult knowledge was there but kept subordinate. (4) He also mentioned in the same letter that: A small minority (of humanity) has pushed beyond the barriers, opening the doors to occult and spiritual knowledge and preparing the ascent of the evolution beyond mental man into spiritual and supramental being. Sometimes this minority has exercised an enormous influence as in Vedic India, Egypt or, according to tradition, in Atlantis, and determined the civilisation of the race, giving it a strong stamp of the spiritual or the occult (Letters on Yoga, 3) In these cases, he qualifies his statements with a conditional reference to ‘tradition’ (of Plato, theosophy and so on). Yet, we know from the Evening Talks, that in private, he uses much stronger language when speaking of Atlantis: DISCIPLE: Their theory is that there was a great civilisation on the continent of Atlantis. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, there is every possibility that it is true. …. SRI AUROBINDO: There is always some truth at the bottom. For instance, there is every likelihood that the continent of Atlantis had a great civilisation. Thus, it is plausible that Sri Aurobindo’s qualifications in his published works is a concession to the possible skepticism of readers, and in truth, he is basing his assertions on something he has directly seen with his yogic vision. Indeed, in that same dialogue, he tantalisingly added: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. SRI AUROBINDO: ...On the vital plane there is nothing that you cannot see: you can recast the whole history of the world. It is not the mental plane — really speaking it is the mental-vital. I was in that condition for ten days and any number of things came at that time. If so, then Sri Aurobindo gives a vague but intriguing outline of a precocious and ancient civilisation that went far beyond its peers in the direction of the occult, taking it to the very extreme. And while those Atlanteans who were fully fledged occultists were a minority, they exercised an enormous impact on their civilisation, possibly generalizing their capacities, inventions and knowledge to some extent – analogous to our modern world, where there are only a small number of trained scientists and engineers, yet humanity as a whole has some understanding of scientific concepts, and the ability to apply and benefit from ubiquitous technological devices. Crucially, if Atlantean civilisation has attained a generalized and extremely developed inner knowledge, then it has in fact attained to a degree the stage of mental subjectivism. While Sri Aurobindo does not say so directly, a holistic consideration of his writings indicate that mental subjectivism is a stage that humanity is recovering instead of attaining for the first time. And in line with Sri Aurobindo’s outline of mental subjectivism, we can infer that the Atlantean arts and sciences, both physical and psychical, and their degree of social harmony, likely reached heights unattained by any civilisation since. Atlantis, at its peak, well deserved its traditional reputation as a glorious ‘isle of the gods’. Atlantis was also likely to have lasted a long time. Sri Aurobindo writes that ‘this mental and psychic subjectivism would have its dangers, greater dangers even than those that attend a vitalistic subjectivism, because its powers of action also would be greater’, though he adds that ‘it would have what vitalistic subjectivism has not and cannot easily have, the chance of a detecting discernment, strong safeguards and a powerful liberating light.’ (P.252-3). Presumably the safeguards and enlightened guardianship of the ‘elite’ of Atlantis allowed the civilisation to persist for a long time, not unlike India or Israel or Egypt. Sadly, in the end, Atlantis clearly failed to progress further beyond the stage of mental subjectivism. There was no breakthrough to a generalized spirituality that Sri Aurobindo writes of as a capital necessity. Perhaps the mass of humanity was unready, and Atlantis was a precocious achievement too far ahead of its time. The grave dangers of mental subjectivism were in any case always present, and at some point, the balance was lost. Concerning the destruction of Atlantis, Sri Aurobindo or the Mother do not offer many clues. All traditions, however, whether from Plato, the Bible, or those modern psychic ‘readings’ such as those from Edgar Cayce, are quite unanimous that the land of Atlantis was lost and had sunk beneath the waves. The exact cause of that varies – though some form of severe corruption had set in, and ‘the earth was full of violence’, to quote the well-known tradition of the great flood in the book of Genesis. Probably there was widespread warfare caused by the corruption and technology of the Atlanteans. The result was the destruction of their civilisation and much of the earth. Certainly, archaeological evidence finds little on Atlantis, but plenty on the birth or rebirth of civilisation following the traditional Atlantean period given by the Greek philosopher Plato (around 11,000 years ago). If the above suppositions are correct, the first importance of Atlantis for the coming age is that the earth is recovering the mental subjectivism first attained by Atlantean civilisation. We are, in other words, re- entering a new Atlantean age, and the next decades represent an ‘Atlantean arc’, where a small number of communities re-attain the mental subjectivism that raised and doomed Atlantis. The various futures expected by our intellectual and political leaders for the future—whether dystopian, plebeian or utopian— are likely to be very mistaken. Instead of space colonies and giant robots, genetically engineered creatures and cybernetic humans, we should be expecting an inconceivable eruption of a forgotten past into the present. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7 …. to be continued. Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. July-August Sunday Activities at the Centre - A glimpse July 21st – Talk by Mr. Vijay Bhat and Mrs. Nilima Bhat Topic: From Illness to Wholeness - An Integral Path We were shown a very unique way of seeing how cancer patients can be helped. Mr Vijay Bhat with his own personal experience with cancer and Nilima being a strong support for her husband and a devotee of the Mother have developed a Program called SHERPA program to help the cancer patients braving through the experience to be a Thriver instead of Survivor. They give training to people who want to become SHERPAS ( S-Shift their mindset, H- Harness their resources, E- enable their focus, R- reframe their approach, P-power up their determination, A-affirm their progress) to heal cancer patients holistically. Nilima has also created “Cellular Healing Meditation for Cancer” which helps the patients to become calm, positive and helpful. July 28th – Meditation on Savitri We continued our exploration of Book 1, Canto 2 'The Issue' covering Pictures 1 to 12. These 12 pictures portray the 12 aspects of the Known, Unknown and The Unknowable as viewed from the Flame: The ungarbed entity within. We reviewed and related to these pictures, The Mother's words in the chapter \"Four Austerities and Four Liberations\" in the Book 'On Education'. Our Yoga is about transformation and not just austerity or just liberation. Our human journey evolves slowly learning from crisis after crisis; by making our journey conscious, we can progress faster and better by turning our road blocks into opportunities. To the 'All-Wisdom', 'All-Knowledge' and 'All-Consciousness' view, 'The Absolute Supernatural Darkness' is, in fact, 'The Occult Clay' ('The Unknowable who can transmute the Spirit into anything'), thus overcoming fate, circumstances and chance. Sri Aurobindo and The Mother have done this difficult Yoga and have brought the Supramental Light, Force and Consciousness for our benefit. August 4th - Passages from All India Magazine – The Cycles of Time The Dance of Krishna and Kali and Shiva ‘Two are the measures of the cosmic Dance’. The dance of Krishna, the dance that accompanies and brings with it the Delight of creation, and the dance of Kali, the dance that brings the delight of destruction, the passing away of all that has outlived its purpose. They are two facets of the One Reality, the former prepares us for the latter and again the latter prepares us for the former. Destruction paves the way for a New creation. Each Godhead is an aspect or power of the One Divine and we must be able to see the Godhead in its universal action. We should also be able to integrate the action of these Godheads with the greater Truth of the Transcendent Divine from whom they emerge, in whom they are established, by whom and for whom they exist. Such is the grand synthetic and integral vision of Sri Aurobindo where each thing finds its true place. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 8 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. Vasudevah Sarvam Iti The above phrase puts in a nutshell that the Godhead is all that is universe and all that is in the universe and all that is more than the universe! That Godhead is the Time –Spirit, Divine inhabitant in all the existences. All that is in the universe is the derivation from Nature, Power and Light of the one Godhead. Our mind should not restrict to a partial experience of the Divine in the cosmos. Our goal must be to realise the Supracosmic existence, that is remoulding our mentality and will into the type of God-action, transcendent in initiation, cosmic in motive, transmitted through the individual Jiva. August 11th – Read from Q&A - 1955 – The Mother Mother answers the questions: 1) Whether intellectual reasoning to understand religion be a good help? Sri Aurobindo defines religion as the seeking after the spiritual, which is the Supermind, which cannot be reached by reasoning. According to Sri Aurobindo, every man is a complete individual with infrarational, rational and suprarational parts of being. The infrarational in man consists of his instincts, impulses, emotions and drives. The dominant faculty of the rational part is reason. The religious instinct and aspiration constitute the stuff of the suprarational. Each level of our being is endowed with a consciousness of its own. Reason is the principal source of rational consciousness in man to lead a life of ethics, morality and self- control while intuition is the instrument of the suprarational consciousness. 2) What is Cosmic Spirit and cosmic Nature? Mother answers there is only one Spirit and Consciousness which is Universal! Each cell in our body has its own consciousness and all of them put together gives us the individual consciousness. So it extends to national consciousness which forms the Earth consciousness and Earth part of Solar system which is part of all systems of the universe. Ultimately this realisation brings in us Universal love and Unity. 3) What should be the attitude of a true politician? Mother answers, it is very difficult to be a true politician since he is ruled by the circumstances. Politics and finance are the most difficult things to get transformed. If a true politician cannot comprise he has no place there but to quit. Mahabharata war is a very good example of how leaders are influenced by the circumstances. August 15th – Sri Aurobindo’s 147th Birth Anniversary and Darshan Day. During the evening program we were really immersed in a peaceful and devotional atmosphere with the reading of Darshan Day Message, Mr Rao’s speaking on Sri Aurobindo’s hard times before landing in Pondicherry on 4th April 1910. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. Our young youths took up certain aspects of The Mother’s symbol like Humility, Perseverance, Courage and Sincerity and shared their experience how these values have helped them progress in their studying. Anand Venkat with his family members, Anuvrat and Auropriya showered us with Bhakti Rasa singing songs on the Mother and Anand chanting Guru Stotrams ! Mr Kiran Sule chanted some Savitri lines and gave the gist that Savitri’s birth in this world was in response to the aspiration of the Earth voiced through Aswapathy leader of men and Lord of Life. It was he who embodied the call of humanity and succeeded in bringing down the Saviour Grace in the form of his daughter Savitri. Last but not least, Popat Bhai had arranged a delicious dinner for all of us. We are really blessed to have enjoyed the lively program in spiritual light put up by our society members. August 18th – Synthesis of Yoga by Sri Aurobindo Read 2 passages from Life and Yoga, Chapter 1 Mr Rakesh, our new member took the lead in getting us started off in this path. In summary it is the communion of the petty self with the Higher self. Right now mankind is being tossed and turned in the material consciousness which renews itself over the times and never allows it to unite with the Higher truth which is embedded deep within. Indian Yoga, now rediscovering itself with profoundest reason of its being will enter more easily into the most secret penetralia of the human race and with larger synthesis raise their consciousness to the highest altitudes. - Jayalakshmi and Ramadoss PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2019 DATE TIME DETAILS 8 AM Monthly Morning Walk * 1 Sep 2019 6 PM AIM Magazine Reading and Discussion Sunday 8 Sep 2019 6 PM Thematic Study Circle Part I : Sunday The Human Cycle www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 10 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. 15 Sep 2019 6 PM Thematic Study Circle Part II : Sunday The Human Cycle 22 Sep 2019 4 PM Youth Programme Sunday 6 PM Savitri Circle 29 Sep 2019 6 PM TBC Sunday * Please see below for details. September 2019 MORNING WALK – NO. 409 Date: Sunday, 1st September 2019 Time: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise. Walk Venue: Macritchie Reservoir Meeting Point: Macritchie Reservoir Car Park (Off Lornie Road) Nearest MRT: Caldecott MRT (CC17). Public transport Nearest Bus Stop 51071 (Bus 52, 74, 93, 157,130, 132, 156, 157, 162, 162M, 165, 166, 167, 852 and 855, 980) Contact No: Mr SN Venkat (9668 3658) Hosts: Mr K.V.Rao & Mrs Shailaja, 45, Mandalay Road, # 17-01, Mandalay Heights, Singapore 3082245 Directions to Host’ Residence: Driving: If coming via Balestier Road (from Moulmein Road End) left turn opposite to Shaw Plaza into Mandalay Road. Bus: 21,130,131,145,186 Alight near HMI Balestier Hospital on Balestier Road. Telephone: Mobile: 96815466 (Shailaja), 97846435 (K V Rao) 62434563 (Home) (RSVP Email ID: [email protected]; [email protected]) 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. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 11 Nature of the being: Mind

Mind Part I: The Physical Mind Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. September 2019. PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING SUNDAY MORNING WALKS WALK NO DATE PLACE HOST 410 06/10/19 Gardens by the Bay Family of Uncle Shashi Lal Kashyap 411 3/11/19 412 1/12/19 TBC TBC TBC TBC Along the Way… August Walk Review (walk no 408) Our member S. N. Venkat being the leader of the walk this time received all the enthusiastic members who assembled for the morning walk at 8.15am. Singapore, now gives an image as though it is a sudden appearance with so many beautiful high rise buildings and sightseeing places imbued with latest technology! But Fort Canning Hill, according to Archaeologist John Miksic has served as a center of Singapore society in many ways tracing back to 14th century. Many artefacts found tells the story of the place being in the holds of royalty from Malacca and East Java. Then the place became a military base through British, and the Japanese and later, the Singapore armed forces. In 1972, it became a recreation center. Yesterday, we saw the latest avatar of Fort Canning Park being the host of the Bicentennial Experience. All of us were more interested to read the information about the history of the place and the walk trail with awesome heritage trees, than just walking! After an exhilarating walk, we proceeded to Sri Aurobindo Centre at Starlight Road. Ami lead the Meditation, prayer and reading of birthdays this month. Arjun took us to a greater pleasure by hosting this walk with a lovely brunch. Every item was so delicious. Thank you Arjun, for being such a loving host! - Jayalakshmi 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 12 Nature of the being: Mind