Work - an offering

Collaboration and reciprocal goodwill are indispensible for good work. The Mother

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Co-workers

Sympathy and help

Only those who sympathise can help  -  surely also one should be able to see the faults of others without hatred. Hatred injures both parties, it helps none.

Sri Aurobindo

To grow in the spirit

To grow in the spirit is the greatest help one can give to others, for then something flows out naturally to those around that helps them.

Sri Aurobindo

Collaboration

So bear this in mind: no collaboration, no right working.

The Mother

Point of harmony

It is only in harmonious collaboration that effective work can be done.

    The important thing is to find the point on which you can all agree  -  and after this is firmly established, each one must be ready to yield his personal will in order to keep intact this point of harmony.

The Mother

Quarrels

You must never forget that I disapprove of quarrels

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and always consider that both sides are equally wrong. To surmount one's feelings, preferences, dislikes and impulses, is an indispensable discipline here.

The Mother

Combined and patient effort

It is by combined and patient effort that all good work is done.

The Mother

Not to intervene

As a general rule it is better not to intervene in things that do not fall within one's own work.

The Mother

Goodwill

Collaboration and reciprocal goodwill are indispensable for good work.

The Mother

Things that unite

We must give importance to the things that unite and ignore, as much as possible, those that separate.

The Mother

Generous understanding

With our own perfection grows in us a generous understanding of others.

The Mother

Do not worry

Do not worry about the reactions of people, however

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unpleasant they may be - the vital is everywhere and in everybody full of impurities and the physical full of unconsciousness. These two imperfections have to be cured, however long it may take, and we have only to work at it patiently and courageously.

The Mother

Not to judge

Do not trouble yourselves with what others do, I can- not repeat it to you too often. Do not judge, do not criticise, do not compare. That is not your lookout.

The Mother

Be severe to yourself

Be severe to yourself before being severe to others.

The Mother

The right spirit

It [disciplining the subordinates] has to be done in the right spirit and the subordinates must be able to feel that it is so - that they are being dealt with in all uprightness and by a man who has sympathy and in- sight and not only severity and energy. It is a question of vital tact and a strong and large vital finding always the right way to deal with the others.

Sri Aurobindo

The other's point of view

There is another practice which can be very helpful to the progress of the consciousness. Whenever there is

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a disagreement on any matter, such as a decision to be taken, or an action to be carried out, one must never remain closed up in one's own conception or point of view. On the contrary, one must make an effort to understand the other's point of View, to put oneself in his place and, instead of quarrelling or even fighting, find the solution which can reasonably satisfy both parties; there always is one for men of goodwill.

The Mother

A true leader

To forget oneself, one's own likings and preferences, is indispensable in order to be a true leader.

The Mother

Remaining perfectly calm

Never get excited, nervous or agitated. Remain perfectly calm in the face of all circumstances.

The Mother

What others do

Unless you are responsible for certain people, as a guardian, a teacher or a departmental head, what others do or do not do is no concern of yours and you must refrain from talking about them, from giving your opinion about them and what they do, and from repeating what others may think or say about them.

The Mother

Outer silence

If you are not alone and live with others, cultivate the

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habit of not externalising yourself constantly by speaking aloud, and you will notice that little by little an inner understanding is established between yourself and others; you will then be able to communicate among yourselves with a minimum of words or even without any words at all. This outer silence is most favourable to inner peace, and with goodwill and a steadfast aspiration, you will be able to create a harmonious atmosphere which is very conducive to progress.

The Mother

Changing yourself first

You can do nothing for others unless you are able to do it for yourself. You can never give a good advice to anyone unless you are able to give it to yourself first, and to follow it. And if you see a difficulty somewhere, the best way of changing this difficulty is to change it in yourself first. If you see a defect in anyone, you may be sure it is in you, and you begin to change it in yourself. And when you will have changed it in yourself, you will be strong enough to change it in others.

The Mother

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