The Mother's brief statements on various aspects of spiritual life including some conversations.
Part One consists primarily of brief written statements by the Mother on various aspects of spiritual life. Written between the early 1930s 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. There are also 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. These reports are identified by the symbol § placed at the end. Part Two consists of thirty-two conversations not included elsewhere in the Collected Works. The first six conversations are the earliest recorded conversations of the 1950s' period. About three-fourths of these conversations were spoken in French and appear here in English translation.
Message to America
Stop thinking that you are of the West and others of the East. All human beings are of the same divine origin and meant to manifest upon earth the unity of this origin.
4 August 1949
The earth will enjoy a lasting and living peace only when men understand that they must be truthful and sincere even in their international dealings.
For the Governments honesty lies not only in saying what they are doing but also in doing what they say.
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If diplomacy could become the instrument of the Truth and the Divine Grace, instead of being based on duplicity and falsehood, a big step would be taken towards human unity and harmony.
15 April 1955
About Peace
It is only by the growth and establishment of the consciousness of human unity, that a true and lasting peace can be achieved upon earth. All means leading towards this goal are welcome, although the external ones have a very limited effect; however, the most important, urgent and indispensable of all, is a transformation of the human consciousness itself, an enlightenment of and conversion in its working.
Meanwhile some exterior steps may be taken usefully, and the acceptance of the principle of double nationality is one of them. The main objection to it has always been the awkward position in which those who have adopted a double nationality would be in case the two countries were at war.
But all those who sincerely want peace must understand that to think of war, to speak of war, to foresee war is to open the door to it.
On the contrary, the larger the number of people who have a vital interest in the abolition of war, the more effective the chances towards a stable peace, until the advent of a new consciousness in man makes of war an impossibility.
24 April 1955
Shake off all narrowness, selfishness, limitations, and wake up to the consciousness of Human Unity. This is the only way to achieve peace and harmony.
May 1955
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Speak to us at the level of the nations.
Alas! If I did it would not be from a very high level!
The nations, as yet, do not seem ready to listen to any true spiritual message.
11 May 1957
On the ingratitude of nations:
It takes nobility of character not to resent someone who does you good.
(Message for the First World Conference of the Sri Aurobindo Society)
The future of the earth depends on a change of consciousness.
The only hope for the future is in a change of man's consciousness and the change is bound to come.
But it is left to men to decide if they will collaborate for this change or if it will have to be enforced upon them by the power of crashing circumstances.
So, wake up and collaborate!
Blessings.
August 1964
(Mother gave the following questions for discussion by the Conference participants, and her own answers.)
How can humanity become one?
By becoming conscious of its origin.
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What is the way of making the consciousness of human unity grow in man?
Spiritual education, that is to say an education which gives more importance to the growth of the spirit than to any religious or moral teaching or to the material so-called knowledge.
What is a change of consciousness?
A change of consciousness is equivalent to a new birth, a birth into a higher sphere of existence.
How can a change of consciousness change the life upon earth?
A change in human consciousness will make possible the manifestation upon earth of a higher Force, a purer Light, a more total Truth.
Nothing but a radical change of consciousness can save humanity from the terrible plight into which it is plunged.
All the so-called "practical" means are a childishness by which men blind themselves so as not to see the true need and sole remedy.
What is the right way of achieving lasting world unity?
To realise the Consciousness of the ONE.
13 October 1965
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(Message for the Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary set of photographs and messages, issued by the Sri Aurobindo Society and sent to the embassies of many nations)
A new world, based on Truth and refusing the old slavery to falsehood, wants to take birth.
In all countries there are people who know it, at least feel it.
To them we call:
"Will you collaborate?"1
1972
MESSAGES TO WORLD UNION2
The World is a unity—it has always been, and it is always so, even now it is so—it is not that it has not got the unity and the unity has to be brought in from outside and imposed upon it.
Only the world is not conscious of its unity. It has to be made conscious.
We consider now is the time most propitious for the endeavor.
For, a new Force or Consciousness or Light—whatever you call the new element—has manifested into the world and the world has now the capacity to become conscious of its own unity.
25 March 1960
You are quite right. Old methods cannot do for this new work. Not only a new consciousness must be firmly established but
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also a new process must be found before anything truly effective can be done.
15 January 1961
To those concerned with World Union work
All your differences are purely mental, and, in spite of the great importance you seem to give to them, they are, in fact, of very little importance, and could easily be overcome if each one made a broadening effort and understood that what he thinks is only one point of view of the question, and that any attempt for effectivity must admit the other points of view as well and try to make a synthesis of them all.
Otherwise, whatever is the quality of your intellect, you are hopelessly narrow and limited. This applies to everybody who has not realised the supramental consciousness and crossed to the upper hemisphere.
You will all work together harmoniously and happily, forgetting your differences, and each one thinking only of doing his own work as well as he can and according to his own conception, but tacitly recognising the validity of the others' conceptions and accepting the necessity of a synthesis.
6 April 1961
Do not divide what is one. Both science and spirituality have the same goal—the Supreme Divinity. The only difference between them is that the latter knows it and the other not.
December 1962
As I told you already World Union is an outward movement for those who need an outward activity and organisation to give a more concrete reality to their faith.
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It is an ideal activity for those who want to harmonise humanity as it is, in order to make it ready for a future integral progress.
Some others—a few—lay more stress on the inner individual preparation and progress—they are the forerunners who show the way to the world. These must not be pulled out of their concentration and must remain sympathetic witnesses of World Union, but not active participants.
1 July 1963
Gracious Mother, we need Your guidance which will enable us to remain faithful to our aspiration while we work with people whose way of work may not necessarily be consistent with our aspiration and on occasions may be divergent from it. Kindly give us a guiding principle.
Here is my definition, which can serve also as a motto and a programme.
A world union based on the fact of human unity realizing the truth of the Spirit.
With blessings.
April 1964
I want to tell you that from the higher vision, the whole world is advancing rapidly towards a radical change, and, if properly conducted, the World Union may have a special place in this change.
24 July 1964
Unity does not come from any exterior disposition, but by becoming conscious of the eternal Oneness.
12 August 1964
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There is some truth behind all these theories, but none is perfect in itself.
A broad synthesis supple and progressive ought to be elaborated not in an arbitrary mental way, but by a living experience and an inner progress.
We start from what is existing at present with the will to advance towards a more perfect realisation.
October 1964
(Students of the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education were invited to participate in a local symposium on "1965—International Cooperation Year".)
I have no objections to World Union, yourself and X joining the demonstration. I simply refused the participation of our students, because I do not believe in the usefulness of words spoken or written, when the world's problems are concerned.
I insist on the fact that an inner effort to acquire oneself the consciousness of Unity and the consequent transformation of one's action is infinitely more effective than speeches and articles.
January 1965
The message written for Christmas was blocked for that very purpose. You must utilise it.
If you want peace upon earth, first establish peace in your heart. If you want union in the world, first unify the different parts of your own being.
February 1965
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Do not attach too much importance to what is said. Words are only words and in each mind they take a different colouring.
February 1966
Prove to the World the possibility of Union by being united among yourselves.
19 February 1966
The unity of humanity is an underlying and existing fact.
But the external union of mankind depends on man's goodwill and sincerity.
12 August 1967
The power of division is unsteady and impermanent.
Union works for a steady power and a harmonious future.
25 April 1969
When men will be disgusted with the falsehood in which they live, then the world will be ready for the reign of the Truth.
14 August 1971
If you want union in the world, first unify the different parts of your own being.
17 December 1971
If you abolish in yourself the things that are wrong in the world, the world will no longer be wrong.
23 April 1972
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