A collection of short prose pieces on the Mother and her four great Aspects - Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, along with 'Letters on the Mother'.
Integral Yoga
This volume consists of two separate but related works: 'The Mother', a collection of short prose pieces on the Mother, and 'Letters on the Mother', a selection of letters by Sri Aurobindo in which he referred to the Mother in her transcendent, universal and individual aspects. In addition, the volume contains Sri Aurobindo's translations of selections from the Mother's 'Prières et Méditations' as well as his translation of 'Radha's Prayer'.
THEME/S
What is real opening?
It is the receptivity to the Mother's presence and her forces.
What is the right and perfect rule of opening?
Aspiration, quietude, widening of oneself to receive, rejection of all that tries to shut you to the Divine.
How shall I know that I am opening to the Mother and not to other forces?
You have to be vigilant and see that there is no movement of disturbance, desire, ego.
What are the signs of a real opening to the Mother?
That shows itself at once—when you feel the divine peace, equality, wideness, light, Ananda, Knowledge, strength, when you are aware of the Mother's nearness or presence or the working of her Force, etc., etc. If any of these things are felt, it is the opening—the more are felt, the more complete the opening.
What is the way to open all the knots of the being?
By aspiration, by consent of the being to the workings of the Divine Force, by the descent and working of that Force.
25 April 1933
What does "opening" mean? Is it "not to keep anything secret from the Mother"?
Page 150
That is the first step towards opening.
17 June 1933
How does one "open"?
By faith and surrender in a quiet mind.
18 June 1933
To be open is simply to be so turned to the Mother that her Force can work in you without anything refusing or obstructing her action. If the mind is shut up in its own ideas and refuses to allow her to bring in the Light and the Truth, if the vital clings to its desires and does not admit the true initiative and impulsions that the Mother's power brings, if the physical is shut up in its desire, habits and inertia and does not allow the Light and Force to enter in it and work, then one is not open. It is not possible to be entirely open all at once in all the movements, but there must be a central opening in each part and a dominant aspiration or will in each part (not in the mind alone) to admit only the Mother's workings, the rest will then be progressively done.
28 October 1934
To remain open to the Mother is to remain always quiet and happy and confident, not restless, not grieving or desponding, to let her force work in you, guide you, give you knowledge, give you peace and Ananda. If you cannot keep yourself open, then aspire constantly but quietly that you may be open.
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