The Mother's brief written statements on various aspects of spiritual life including some spoken comments.
This volume consists primarily of brief written statements by the Mother on various aspects of spiritual life. Written between the late 1920s and the early 1970s, the statements have been compiled from her public messages, private notes, and correspondence with disciples. About two-thirds of them were written in English; the rest were written in French and appear here in English translation. The volume also contains a small number of spoken comments, most of them in English. Some are tape-recorded messages; others are reports by disciples that were later approved by the Mother for publication.
How to avoid attacks of depression?
Do not pay attention to the depression and act as if it was not there.
31 March 1934
My heart feels arid, sad and gloomy, Mother.
Why don't you try to read something beautiful and interesting and turn your attention away from yourself? That is the best remedy.
6 September 1935
Page 244
Do not indulge in such ridiculous ideas. "Madness" and "hell" and "dark cell" are all in your imagination.
You had better replace them by the sense of my love and blessings.
9 October 1937
My dear child, I hope your poem is only a poem and that you are not truly suffering from depression. Indeed, depression is the worst of all illnesses and we must reject it with as much energy as we use to get rid of a disease.
With my love and blessings always.
30 January 1946
It is the devil of depression and despondency that we shall slay tonight―so that all those who have the sincere will to get rid of this disease will receive the necessary help to conquer.
20 October 1950
A depression is always unreasonable as it leads nowhere. It is the most subtle enemy of the Yoga.
31 May 1955
I have only one thing to say: Depression is a bad adviser.
My love is always with you. Have faith and you will be all right.
It is the depression that gives you bad health.
Blessings.
28 October 1967
Page 245
It is the ego that gets depressed.
Do not mind it. Go on quietly with your work and the depression will disappear.
18 August 1971
At these moments of depression or of revolt, no fresh decision must be taken under the impulse of the wrong movement, but practically one must go on with the usual routine, quiet and undisturbed.
When you feel unhappy like that, it means that you have a progress to make. You can say that we always need to progress, it is true. But at times our nature gives its consent to the needed change and then everything goes smoothly, even happily. On the contrary sometimes the part that has to progress refuses to move and clings to its old habits through inertia, ignorance, attachment or desire. Then, under the pressure of the perfecting force, the struggle starts translating itself into unhappiness or revolt or both together.
The only remedy is to keep quiet, look within oneself honestly to find out what is wrong and set to work courageously to put it right.
The Divine Consciousness will always be there to help you if your endeavour is sincere; and the more sincere your endeavour the more the Divine Consciousness will help and assist you.
19 May 1952
Periods of obscuration are frequent and common; generally, it is enough to keep quiet without worrying, knowing that these are spiritual nights which alternate with the full light of the days.
Page 246
But to be able to remain in peace you must keep in your heart gratitude towards the Divine for all the help He gives. If gratitude also is veiled, the obscure periods last much longer. There is, however, a swift and effective remedy: it is to keep always burning in your heart the flame of purification, the aspiration for progress, the intensity, the ardour of consecration. This flame is kindled in the heart of all who are sincere; you must not let ingratitude cover it up with its ashes.
You must remember one thing: the dark periods are inevitable. When your psychic is active, you feel a delight without any apparent reason. It continues for some time and again the same mental or vital reactions come in and you go back to the darkness. This will continue. The brighter days will become longer and the dark periods will come after longer intervals and for shorter duration till they finally disappear. Till then you must know that the sun is there behind the clouds and you need not worry. You must have the confidence of a child―a confidence that there is someone who takes care of you and you can entirely depend on him.1
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