Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo

JANUARY 1941

4th January, 1941

Sri Aurobindo : Inconscient, what is inconscient? There is nothing below the Inconscient. It is from the Inconscient that Matter takes form. Everything has its basis in the Inconscient. As the work is going on in the Inconscient the difficulties from there arise, – various diseases, etc.

It is the stuff of all material world. Inconscient has its own power. It has concrete thoughts and ideas of its ignorance and in order to combat them, one has to bring down concrete higher Force.

Disciple : What about "In tune with the Infinite" in which he says : "I am infinite power. It is pouring and pouring in me."

Sri Aurobindo : What about it? You tried?

Disciple : Yes, I am as I was.

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Sri Aurobindo : It looks very much like Coue's method.

Disciple : Can it work?

Sri Aurobindo : It is one way of opening the consciousness to the Force. I don't know if it can be successful all throughout.

Disciple : You said to D that his keeping the attitude that "I am the child of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo –  nothing can oppose me" was quite proper.

Sri Aurobindo : That is the central faith which one is required to have in this Yoga. If one can make that faith living in all parts of the being then it would be quite alright. But the body says, 'I have pain – I am suffering.' It has that power of Ignorant idea from the Inconscient. After completing the work in the Inconscient, the higher ranges of the Supramental consciousness would be brought down.

Disciple : There is a proposal for introducing a course in Indian Philosophy as a subject in the University.

Sri Aurobindo : There is no objection to their doing that but it should not be compulsory. It should not be called a course in Metaphysics and Theology. Life Divine is not a Theology! Further, it should be kept optional. Religious instructions should not be made compulsory. It does not necessarily develop spiritually; many people come to spiritual life through atheism. Religious instruction makes man narrow, sectarian, etc. The objection to this scheme is that it is academic. It would lose all its like and become dry.

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