Guidance from Sri Aurobindo - Volume 2

OPENING OF THE INNER SENSES

      At pranam while putting my head in the Mothers lap I heard a voice. It was felt to be the Mothers. Did she really say something to me inwardly or was it a mere illusion?

      It may have been that the Mother conveyed something to yon. At this moment she does not remember.

      Can one rely solely on the voice from within and be thus guided by the Mother?

      If it is the Mother's voice; but you have to be sure of that.

      During yesterday's meditation, I perceived first only the pistils of the flower whose significance is given by the Mother as 'Psychic Prayer' (Habranthus robustus Zephy-ranthes). They were all moving and playing into each other harmoniously and joyfully. Afterwards the petals also appeared. What does this vision mean?

      I suppose it meant simply a happy activity of the force represented by the flower.

      Here is another vision: the flower meaning 'Consciousness turned towards the light' (Sunflower) is supporting an enormous weight which is frying to press it down but which it yet bears.

      It signifies, I suppose, the pressure of the work for the transformation which the consciousness is able to bear because it is turned to the Light.

      In the evening just before the Mother came down for a

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collective Meditation I saw the flower signifying 'Fire in the Mind' (Poinciana pulcherrima). At first it appeared as a bud and then slowly it opened out. Has the vision any connection with my sadhana?

      It means, I suppose, what is intended to happen — what was preparing before this inertia came — the opening of the dynamic light and force in the Mind.

      Standing before your photo in the Reception room, the flower named by the Mother as 'Peace in the Cells' (Ixora thwaitesii), came to me as if floating before my inner sight. Why are so many flowers being seen these days?

      It is usually when the psychic is active that this seeing of flowers becomes abundant.

SUBTLE SOUNDS

      My sadhana is at a standstill. And yet I hear some subtle sounds with the same force and frequency as when it was in fall movement. Have they then no connection with the sadhana?

      It depends on the nature of the sounds. Some have a connection, others are merely sounds of the other planes.

      Naik told me, "This subtle faculty is perhaps something like an occult thing opening in the consciousness, similar to seeing visions." Is it true?

      Yes.

      Visions help sadhana; does this faculty also help me?

If it is accompanied with knowledge.

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      I don't know if knowledge of subtle sounds also can come by itself.

      All knowledge can come by itself.

      Why should those subtle sounds which have no connection with my sadhana be heard at all? And what are the 'other planes'?

      Supraphysical planes. When the inner senses open, or any of them, one sees or hears things belonging to the other planes automatically. What one sees or hears depends on the development of the inner sense. It depends on what you hear whether these are the symbol sounds only which have a connection with the sadhana or simply other plane sounds of an ordinary character.

      A subtle sound like a peal of bells is heard constantly and loudly. What does it denote?

      That is considered to be a sound closely connected with the sadhana.

      In what way are such sounds connected with the sadhana?

      They are the signs of a working going on to prepare something — but as that is a general thing, it cannot be said from the sounds themselves what the preparation is.

      Along with the bells, there are at times sounds of a hammer striking on the Brahmic centre on the top of the head. Have they also a significance?

      Yes. The same, but here a working to remove some obstacle which prevents the higher consciousness from coming down into the physical.

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      If the sadhana were to be judged by the inner states and experiences, it is obviously suspended. But the subtle sounds of bells and hammers are rather increasing in force and frequency.

      I suppose they are trying to keep up the connection or something is being prepared.

SUBTLE

      My consciousness feels a sweet juice in the mouth and the feeling goes so far that I am not aware any more of teeth or tongue or any flesh in the mouth.

      It happens sometimes when the force is flowing down from the Brahmarandhra.

      The above experience of the sweet juice was repeated. I would like to know what that sweet flow is and from where it comes into my mouth.

      It is a form of the flow of Ananda from above — when it takes a quite physical form the Yogins call it Amrita.

      The subtle tastes in my mouth are changing in quality. In place of the Amrita (the divine nectar) there is a bitter taste sometimes. Why so?

      It is not certain. It may be either something in the physical conflicting with the Amrita that comes up — or the opening of the subtle taste. When that comes there comes often a salt or a bitter as well as a sweet taste in the mouth. In the end the sweet taste swallows up the others.

      How many tastes are there in the subtle worlds in addition

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to those above mentioned? Are there other ones than those known on this earth?

      There are sour, pungent and astringent tastes — but also others that do not come under any classification.¹

      1 The faculty of subtle taste and other such faculties ceased a short time after their purpose had been served — that is, to open the being to occult knowledge and powers. All sorts of tastes, some combined in form, and at times even opposite, like bitter and sweet, were actually swallowed up in the end by the Amrita.

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