July 2019 Newsletter compiled_v2 - Edited

July 2019 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 33.07 Singapore NEWSLETTER The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Spontaneous Aspiration of Nature towards the Divine Wide open, spontaneous, irrevocable in its spontaneous power. Leucanthemum vulgare [Chrysanthemum leucanthemum] Ox-eye daisy, Moon daisy, Marguerite Medium-sized single white compositae flower with a yellow centre, borne singly on a long stalk. A slender erect rhizomatous perennial. \"Lo! here are flowers and benedictions! here is the smile of divine Love! It is without preferences and without repulsions. It streams towards all in a generous flow and never takes back its marvellous gifts!\" Her arms outstretched in a gesture of ecstasy, the Eternal Mother pours upon the world the unceasing dew of Her purest love! (Mother's Prayers and Meditations April 28, 1917)

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. Guiding Light of the Month All Nature hails Thee, O Lord, and with arms lifted and hands outstretched she implores Thee. Not that she doubts Thy infinite generosity and thinks she must ask in order to have; but that is her way of bowing to Thee and giving herself to Thee, for is this giving anything else than being ready to receive? She delights in thus offering a prayer to Thee though she knows that this prayer is superfluous. June 28, 1914 Prayers and Meditations, The Mother From the Editor’s Desk This month’s edition of the newsletter continues with we call Nature or Prakriti.” the theme, ‘The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature’. In the last issue we considered the meaning of Nature, he continues, “is an universal intelligence ‘Nature’ in the English tradition and then also in the and she has to attend, not only in the sum, but in each Indian outlook. The concept of Nature as “a play of detail, to the universal as well as to the particular unconscious and mechanical forces and that, behind the effect; she has to work out each detail with her eye apparent is “the ever present living Consciousness and on the group and not only on the group but the whole Force of the Divine” or the Divine Shakti is the outlook kind and not only on the whole kind but the whole of the integral philosophy. We learnt that Nature is said world of species.” to be only “the outer or executive aspect of the Shakti or Conscious Force that forms and moves the worlds.” Nature is therefore an Intelligence at work with his Sri Aurobindo defines Nature as “Force of aim, and means of executing that aim. Consciousness in Infinite Being” in an essay on Nature compiled in Essays Divine and Human. The These two lines from Savitri add a brilliant colour to our perception of what Nature is: proposition that looks at nature as a mechanical world, with consciousness as figuring only exceptionally in things “is a hasty conclusion drawn from imperfect A spirit wandered happily in the wind, data.” What is “force of Consciousness?” Sri Aurobindo A spirit brooded in the leaf and stone; refers to Consciousness as “not only power of And so Nature is, as Divine as the Consciousness that awareness of self and things, it is or has also a dynamic put Her forth. It is a given that The Mother, Chit Shakti or Consciousness Force Herself expresses a special and creative energy.” He further elaborates, “We mean intimacy with this supreme Nature. In another entry in [by planes of consciousness, planes of existence] a The Prayers and Meditation, she marvels at the cherry blossoms of Japan: general settled poise or world of relations between Purusha and Prakriti, between the Soul and Nature. For anything that we can call world is and can be nothing “Once more, everywhere I see cherry trees; Thou hast else than the working out of a general relation which a put a magical power in these flowers: they seem to universal existence has created or established between speak of Thy sole Presence; they bring with them the itself, or let us say its eternal fact or potentiality and the smile of the Divine. powers of its becoming. That existence in its relations with and its experience of the becoming is what we call My body is at rest and my soul blossoms in light: what soul or Purusha, individual soul in the individual, universal soul in the cosmos; the principle and the kind of a charm hast Thou put into these trees in powers of the becoming are what flower?” www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. Savitri Immortal fragrance packed the quivering breeze, In groves that seemed moved bosoms and trembling depths The million children of the undying spring Bloomed, pure unnumbered stars of hued delight Nestling for shelter in their emerald sky: Faery flower-masses looked with laughing ear; A spirit wandered happily in the wind, A spirit brooded in the leaf and stone; Questions & Answers Sweet Mother, How do you give a significance to a flower? By entering into contact with it and giving a more or less precise meaning to what I feel. What will be the role of flowers in the new world? Verbally: We shall see! What effect will the light of the new creation have upon flowers and plants? The whole creation will become more conscious ; the vegetal kingdom will participate in this progress according to its nature. (Tara Jauhar, Growing up with The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram - Delhi Branch Trust, New Delhi) www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 3 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. At this blessed hours all Earth.. Looking out, sitting in her small armchair, Mirra the child saw things steadily, saw through them and beyond them, and felt the flow of Prakriti’s currents, the unfailing protective aura of a beneficent Power, and the ineffable thrill of the Rasa of world-existence An invisible sunlight ran within her veins And flooded her brain with heavenly brilliances That woke a wider sight than earth could know. Outlined in the sincerity of that ray Her springing childlike thoughts were richly turned Into luminous patterns of her soul’s deep truth, And from her eyes she cast another look On all around her than man’s ignorant view” And in her tender years, Mirra was already in tune with the rhythm of Nature, establishing a friendly relationship with trees and flowers and deers and squirrels and birds and the movement of the hours and the vicissitudes of the seasons: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. Again, there was renewed, again revealed The ancient closeness by earth-vision veiled, The secret contact broken off in Time, A consanguinity of earth and heaven, Between the human portion toiling here And an as yet unborn and limitless Force” The world without, the world within, the sensory and the supraphysical worlds, the vivid waking hours and the even vivider hours of dreaming – there was often an overlapping of experience, there was sometimes a confusion of the dual categories, and often one didn’t know which was which, for all was part of the cosmic phantasmagoria At these blessed hours all Earth sings a hymn of gladness Three days later, on 30th March, Mirra presents forcefully the case for “taking no thought for oneself”. To hanker after things is to court misery and enact folly. All the riches of the universe are within our reach provided we can break out of the cages of our “egoistic limits”. In a universe ruled by a regal Benevolence, where is the room for bridges and barricades and human contrivances? The entry for 31 March is a paean of gratitude on behalf of the earth: ..an atom of Thy joy is sufficient to efface so much darkness, so many sorrows... …At these blessed hours all earth sings a hymn of gladness, the grasses shudder with pleasure, the air is vibrant with light, the trees lift towards heaven their most ardent prayer, the chant of the birds becomes a canticle, the waves of the sea billow with love, the smile of children tells of the infinite and the souls of men appear in their eyes Serenity and happiness are hers, hers are the hours of rest before the reveille, hers the rich apparel of goodwill that friendly Japan and the courteous Japanese have offered her. In a mood of self-absorbed concentration – a mood that has now become second nature to her – Mirra comprehends Infinity in a grain of sand, and gathers Eternity in the thimble of the moment. Thus, for example, she records on 7th April: A deep concentration seized on me, and I perceived that I was identifying myself with a single cherry- blossom, then through it with all cherry-blossoms, and, as I descended deeper in the consciousness, following a stream of bluish force, I became suddenly the cherry-tree itself, stretching towards the sky like so many arms its innumerable branches laden with their sacrifice of flowers… www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. …What difference is there between the human body and body of a tree? In truth, there is none: the consciousness that animates them is identically the same. This readiness to identify herself with a cherry-blossom, or a cherry-tree, the sharing of its pulse-beats and the mingling in its flowing sap, all this is but symptomatic of Mirra’s expansion of consciousness defying all change, exceeding all limits, careering up to the Silence, and returning at will too from it – for Consciousness is a ladder ! On 28 April, Mirra has a vision of the divine Master again, and she receives gifts of Grace from the Eternal Mother: Lo! Here are flowers and benedictions! Here is the smile of divine Love ! It is without preferences and without repulsions. It streams out towards all in a generous flow and never takes back its marvellous gifts ! And thus, in Mirra’s vision, the Eternal Mother, “her arms outstretched in a gesture of ecstasy…pours upon the world the unceasing dew of her purest love.” (extracted from On the Mother : The Chronicle of a Manifestation and Ministry, by K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar Dr, publisher – Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education) Prayers and Meditation April 1, 1917 THOU hast shown to my mute and expectant soul all the splendour of fairy landscapes: trees at festival and lonely paths that seem to scale the sky. But of my destiny Thou didst not speak to me. Must it be so veiled from me?... Once more, everywhere I see cherry trees; Thou hast put a magical power in these flowers: they seem to speak of Thy sole Presence; they bring with them the smile of the Divine. My body is at rest and my soul blossoms in light: what kind of a charm hast Thou put into these trees in flower? O Japan, it is thy festive adorning, expression of thy goodwill, it is thy purest offering, the pledge of thy fidelity; it is thy way of saying that thou dost mirror the sky. And now here is a magnificent country, of high mountains all covered with pines and richly tilled valleys. And the little pink roses this Chinese brings, are they a promise of the near future? (Collected works of the Mother in 17 volumes) www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. May - June Sunday Activities at the Centre - A glimpse May 26th – Savitri Circle In the Savitri Circle, we first watched the 17 pictures from the Mediations on Savitri with the Mother herself reading the passages from Book one, Canto two of Savitri – The Issue. Mr Ramadoss went through a summary of Pic 1 to Pic 6 which was covered in earlier sessions for the benefit of members who missed it. Through these pictures, the Mother has helped us in understanding the message conveyed by Sri Aurobindo in a way that is comprehensible to the ordinary mind. This canto conveys not only the problems of humans but also their solution. Mr Ramadoss again emphasized that in the present times, wherever we are, we can directly receive help from the Mother and Sri Aurobindo who have brought down the supramental light. This help is readily available to all who can apply the motto \"Enthusiastic Good Will for Enduring Progress\" in their lives. June 2nd – readings from AIM We read passages from the AIM magazine (Feb 2015). This edition contained excerpts from the Mother’s Prayers and Meditations. We read some prayers which are not only beautiful but carry profound messages to mankind. We actively discussed the prayer on consecration. The Mother says that consecration does not depend upon outer circumstances but on one’s state of being and its greater or lesser degree of illumination. Those who consecrate their lives to the divine achieve happy peace June 9th – AGM and Prayers and Meditations Due to the AGM, we had time only to read a couple of prayers from the Mother’s Prayers and Meditations. June 16th We were led by Jayanthy who asked to us to go inward. We concentrated within for some time after which she asked us to reflect on two important questions. These were “What does this life mean to me?” and “What is the aim of my life?” Each of us shared our reflections to these most relevant questions of life and we also shared how we think we are progressing with time. We then read a couple of passages from the “Science of Living” which is a part of “On Education” from the collected works of our Mother. - Ramachandran B PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2019 DATE TIME DETAILS 8 AM Monthly Morning Walk * 7 July 2019 Sunday www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. 6 PM Antar Yatra – a journey within self. A talk given by Mr Jha 14 July 2019 6 PM Thematic Study Circle Part I : Sunday The Human Cycle 21 July 2019 6 PM Thematic Study Circle Part II : Sunday The Human Cycle 28 July 2019 4 PM Youth Programme Sunday 6 PM Savitri Circle • Please see below for details. Date: July 2019 MORNING WALK – NO. 407 Time: Walk Venue: Sunday, 7th July 2019 Meeting Point: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise. Contact No: Hosts: Pasir Ris Town Park and Park Connector to Pasir Ris beach Entrance to Pasir Ris Town Park Car Park on Pasir Ris Central across from White Sands Shopping Mall. Cars may be parked here. Mrs. Vrundah Anand Patel (HP 98206389) Mr. & Mrs. Sanjay & Ami Mehta Block 720, Tampines Street 72, # 03-31 Singapore 520720. Telephone: 6544 3252, Mobile: 98750767, 91446105 (RSVP Email ID: [email protected]) Directions to Driving: hosts residence: From TPE turn into Tampines Avenue 10 (Exit 5). Turn left into Tampines Avenue 9 and make the next right into Tampines Street 72. Make an immediate left into the Car Park. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 8 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. From PIE towards Changi Airport, exit at Bedok Reservoir (Exit 8B) and drive along the road (Bedok North Road) which becomes Tampines Avenue 10. Make a right on Tampines Avenue 9 and take the next right into Tampines Street 72. Make an immediate left into the Car Park. Nearest MRT: Tampines Interchange Bus: 72 (from Tampines Interchange) or 168 (from Bedok Interchange) or 27 (Hougang Interchange or Changi Airport). Stop at Bus Stop in front of Block 721 along Avenue 9. 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 408 04/08/19 Fort Canning Park Mr Arjun Madan 409 01/09/19 Macrtichie Reservoir Mr K V Rao & Family 410 06/10/19 Gardens by the Bay Family of Uncle Shashi Lal Kashyap Along the Way… June Walk Review (walk no 406) Along a path of aeons serpentine In the coiled blackness of her nescient course The Earth-Goddess toils across the sands of Time. A Being is in her whom she hopes to know, A Word speaks to her heart she cannot hear, A Fate compels whose form she cannot see.—Savitri Book 1, Canto 4 This was the feeling when we walked along the long straight pathway of the East Coast Park. We always realise that Savitri is with us all the time, wherever we go. Looking at the sand next to the pathway, the above lines from Savitri did come to our mind: A beautiful Sunday morning, well spent with our dear friends, a group of eleven people marching along the pathway of the East Coast Park. We all missed Mr Ramanathan very much and pray for his speedy recovery. Mr Venkat has shouldered the difficult task with great zeal. While walking along the way, enjoying the pleasant weather in the early hours, the walk was quite a refreshing one. There were a few tents on the beach and we could see the joy on the face of the campers having enjoyed a beautiful night in the camps on the beach. www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature

The Mother’s intimate relationship with Nature Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. July 2019. At a distance in the waters, there was as if a display of ships anchored in the sea, a regular feature at East Coast Park, but definitely a view to wonder at. In the clear skies, we could see the planes taking off and landing at the nearby Changi airport. Sea and sky and sand…. 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 III Not only did we walk. I, for one, got some knowledge on banking, thanks to Shirish who was accompanying me. He was quite passionate in sharing his work. After a good stroll in the park, we all went to Mr Anand Patel’s house. We were warmly greeted by all the members of the family. We all, as a big group meditated together and enjoyed the Bliss. The birthdays and the anniversaries were read out and everybody joined in the joy of the birthday and anniversary celebrities. The wonderful cake was cut by the birthday boys and girls. We were then treated to not a brunch but a sumptuous lunch. Needless to say, we were quite liberal with our appetite and enjoyed the “Brunch” along with the dessert. After having spent a wonderful time with our dear friends, we left for home, definitely looking forward to the next month’s walk. - Kiran Sule 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 10 The Mother’s intimate relationship with Natur