Visions of Champaklal

Passing through the Workshop

1935-03-16

On the 15th instant (at night), I dreamt as follows: There was a huge place where a lot of people were working. The road leading to my destination was very long, but there was a short-cut through the workshop. Hence, I asked the owner of the workshop to allow me to go through his workshop. He told me that there was absolutely no room inside, as a lot of persons were working there and the passage was full of gunny bags etc. It seemed, to be a mere excuse for not letting me in. Finally, in response to my persistent efforts, despite much reluctance, he allowed, me in. He sent a man to accompany me to show the way. After a long walk inside the workshop, we reached its end where there was a secret exit. Facing us there was something looking like a wall which seemed to block the road. Yet, to my utter surprise, a road could be seen, going through two or three walls, one after another. Right then, from across, I saw a woman approaching us, which surprised me as to how the woman could get inside when we could not even see the road. The man accompanying me, hid himself as soon as he saw her. I felt that he wanted to arrest her, so I explained to her through signs in such a way that it would not be noticed by him. So, the woman climbed up a tree and started breaking something, which was disliked by that man and hence he asked me to go back. I requested him to let me go further to which he agreed and asked me to go with him. He led me along a secret passage through a couple of walls and asked me to be seated at a place. I felt that it was his last secret way, so he did not want to show me, and I remained seated there. I thought it to be the last wall as I could hear the noise of people from the other side of the wall and also the movements on the road there. I sat there for a while and when I looked up, I saw a man turning a key. The ceiling which was too huge, got separated into two parts. Slowly, the ceiling began to shake, also the flooring below seemed to be hollow. I felt that it was some mechanical arrangement. What would be my fate if it were to break? This, though, somewhat scared me. Right then, the whole ceiling came down enveloping me like a magic dome leaving no way out for me. I was trapped inside. I found myself in deep trouble and was terribly frightened. This did not last even for a moment and immediately a type of attitude developed in me which may be described in the following words.

I prayed to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo that, “If I am sincere and if I have faith in you, may this collapse.” Immediately, within a moment, with a big sound, a way opened for me. And when I got out, I found myself surrounded by many people, who on seeing me, said, “Wonderful change! Wonderful change!”

It appeared to me that my whole body had undergone some transformation and had become God-like. I experienced enormous tranquillity and ananda. Although I was very calm and steady, I was overjoyed.

What does all this mean?

The workshop is probably a symbol of the activity of the ordinary nature which is so full of formations and activities of the ordinary kind that it is difficult to pass through it to the inner or the inmost being.

The walls with the spaces between indicate the different parts of the being to which the outer mind has no access,—possibly, the inner vital (the woman may be the occult vital nature), emotional etc. The ceiling (yellow) may be the intellect or thinking mind which walls one in and prevents from getting into the open spaces of the higher Consciousness. But through all a way lies to the open way of the higher Consciousness full of peace, light and Ananda.

Sri Aurobindo