Rijuta

Brief Note

Anurag Banerjee (2009)

While reading the Mother’s Agenda, at several places we find the reference of Rijuta, an American disciple of the Mother. It is a normal trend to ignore the reference of the disciples or followers as the reader is much more interested to know about the Mother only so often Rijuta has been sidelined. But what we cannot ignore are the realizations that the Mother had had in her presence as Rijuta was one of the few persons whose psychic being seems to have been fully developed. This was indeed a rare and great achievement in yoga. So, let’s know and learn more about Rijuta and her life.

Rijuta was born as Patricia Noonan. She hailed from the United States of America where she was quite well-known. She came to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1956 with her husband Michael and when she met the Mother, she caught ‘something’ and she declared to her husband that she would not return. Eventually she became the Mother’s secretary and also received the name of ‘Rijuta’ (meaning ‘straightforward’) from her on 21 May 1960. Rijuta acted as a liaison between the Mother and her American followers and disciples. They used to write letters to the Mother through Rijuta who would reply to them after getting the answers orally from the Mother. She was quite good at writing. The Ashramites remember her as a “very fine”, “wonderful”, “friendly”, “cultured”, “soft-spoken”, “kind and delightful” and “very sweet person”. She was quite pretty, slim and was of short height but whoever met her could never forget the solid tranquility that radiated from her personality and her lovely smile with which she used to greet others. She was quite close to Udar and Mona Pinto, Vishwanath Lahiri, Vasudha and Sujata Nahar. Apart from being the Mother’s secretary, Rijuta also did her manicure. In fact, it was the Mother who had chosen her for the said job.

We find the reference of Rijuta in the book Abismaraniyo Muhurto (Unforgettable Moments) by Priti Das Gupta where the author writes about an incident. Every day in the evening in the Playground in front of the map of India, the Mother used to distribute toffees prepared by Ganapatram to the inmates. Rijuta used to go to the Mother and take the toffees with her left hand. Priti considered Rijuta’s way of taking toffees from the Mother improper and unfair (since normally gifts are received either with the right hand or with both the hands). One day, she asked the Mother: “Why does Rijuta take toffees from you with her left hand? It doesn’t look good.” The Mother looked at her with astonishment. She placed both of her hands in front of Priti and asked her: “What’s the difference between these two hands?” Through this act, the Mother explained that it was necessary to be free from unnecessary customs.

Initially Rijuta stayed in Golconde, the oldest guest house of the Ashram. Later, her husband Michael who was an air-conditioning expert (he was the President of Carrier Air Conditioning Company in Midwest, probably Ohio) built a beautiful house for her just in front of Golconde and Rijuta shifted there. Her house was inaugurated by the Mother. Presently, Manoj Das, the famous litterateur resides there.

Anie Nunnally recalls her contacts with Rijuta to the author: “We would always see each other on the street and she would stop and smile and say a few words but that was the extent of my outer connection with her…She always wore white shorts and a white shirt and walked with a brisk, lively walk… She stayed very much to herself. For a time, early on, Rijuta opened her beautiful home (one of the few that were air-conditioned at that time) for talks given by ashram lecturers on Sri Aurobindo but that ended soon after my arrival and I attended only about two or three of those sessions during the late sixties.”

Michael was extremely fond of Rijuta and loved her dearly. When he understood that Rijuta had no plans of returning to the United States, he built her that house. He was deeply devoted to her and wanted to have children from her. But Rijuta, who had by the time immersed herself completely in the practice of the Integral Yoga, had no such intention. She had consecrated all that she had to the Mother only. She would meet Michael every day at 5 o’clock in the evening for only half an hour though they stayed in the same building; Michael stayed in the ground-floor while Rijuta lived in the first floor. Apart from this brief meeting, she had no other contacts with her husband as his worldly cravings didn’t quite mix with her spiritual ones. (This reminds us of an advice which the Mother had given to Kailas Jhaveri: “There is a stage for human beings when they need to love the Divine through a human being because they are not ready for a direct relation with the Divine. But when the body consciousness progresses and it becomes possible for the cells to enter in constant relation with the Divine without needing the visible presence of another person, the love for another person becomes superfluous and may stop.”) Michael was unhappy with Rijuta’s decision and eventually they parted. He also worked for the Ashram. He constructed the Fruit Room (where Anu Purani worked) and Ravindra Khanna’s Cold Room. He was quite affluent but he speculated with his money in the stock market and lost a great deal of it. He later died in Vellore when Rijuta was still an inmate of the Ashram. When the dead body of Michael came to the Ashram, Rijuta had sent for Udar Pinto who took charge of his burial. Kittu Reddy recalls to the author that Michael used to give away his things outright to others as gifts and the former remembers having received some jeans which were almost brand-new from him.

Meanwhile Rijuta remained intensely engrossed in yoga and books. She hardly came out of her house. The Mother had instructed the staffs of Golconde to take her laundry and food to her in case she didn’t come to collect them. “She was full of enthusiasm and idealism,” recalls Gauri Pinto to the author and adds that her eyes were “full of sparkle.” Bani Mutsuddi corroborates it and informs the author that there was “a wonderful expression of joy” in her eyes. Anie Nunnally informs the author in a personal communication: “Rijuta had the most extraordinary ‘other worldly’ and very intense blue eyes. She definitely had the look of one who was doing a deep and intense sadhana.” She didn’t speak much but her eyes conveyed how deep her inner contact with the Mother was.

Though she was friendly by nature but towards the end of her life in the Ashram Rijuta became isolated. The more her inner contact with the Mother grew the less social she became. This was quite normal because when one accepts the Divine as his/her constant companion, he/she interacts more with the Divine directly than with others. She never had the sense of being lonely because she was always immersed in the Mother. She also faced certain problems with her health, especially her legs as she contracted and suffered from severe arthritis. In the Ashram she was given medical assistance by Dr. Jagannath. Gauri Pinto remembers seeing Rijuta once running round and round in the Sportsground and that had appeared to be quite strange to the former. But in fact she was trying to fight against her illness. Then a time came when Rijuta could hardly move. She was compelled to leave the Ashram and go back to the United States in February 1986 after spending thirty years in the Ashram. Suprabha Nahar remembers Rijuta going out of the ‘Rosary Gate’ of the Ashram main building on the day she was supposed to leave the Ashram; she had gone to offer her pranāms at the Samadhi by taking the short-cut route through the ‘Rosary Gate.’ Eventually she suffered a lot due to the arthritis of the hip and knees as a result of which she remained confined to her apartment at Eau Claire (the address was 1025 MacArthur Avenue, # 116 Eau Claire, WI 54701) where she breathed her last probably in 1987. She was in her sixties when she left her body. She was helped a little by her brother about whom nothing much is known.

In a personal communication to the author, Eric Hughes of Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Centre who corresponded with Rijuta right from the time when she was the Mother’s secretary till November 1986 writes about her:

“She spoke of nothing about her life, [she wrote] only of her sadhana. She wrote very encouraging letters about Matagiri and our work here and spoke about things that Mother told her—about Matagiri, about yoga and other things…Her letters were full of her devotion to Mother and to her discipline as well as great affection and encouragement to us at Matagiri. She was very optimistic and a true sadhak [sadhika].”

Apparently Rijuta’s life seemed very ordinary. But she was one of those advanced yogis of the Ashram who never let others have a glimpse at their inner lives. She had a unique relationship with the Mother; in the Mother’s Agenda, the reference of Rijuta would come up at several places.

[Written with inputs about Rijuta’s life from Chitra Sen, Vasanti Rao, Suprabha Nahar, Robi Ganguli, Bani Mutsuddi, Gauri Pinto, Kittu Reddy, Eric Hughes, and Anie Nunnally. Photograph: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives.]

From Mother's Agenda

May 22, 1968

.... And then, there is in the consciousness the very strong feeling—very strong—that the time has come.

I said this to Rijuta the other day: there are immense periods during which things are prepared—the past wears out and the future is prepared—and those are immense periods... neutral, drab, during which things keep repeating themselves over and over, and look as if they will always remain that way. Then, all of a sudden, between two such periods, the change takes place. Like the moment when man appeared on earth—now it's something else, another being.

In any case, it is certain that we shall see the signs, or rather that we are now seeing the precursory signs.... I said that to Rijuta while announcing to her (she didn't know it) that the U.S. president would go to Moscow to sign a peace treaty with Vietnam. There were three wars, one of which had stopped but wasn't resolved: that was the war between Egypt and Israel, over which they have reached an agreement. I forget the third. And all three wars at the same time. But the most serious of the three was the war between America and Vietnam. So I said that to her; I told her, "This is a sign."

And it isn't a mental conception, it's not ideas: at the time of saying it I SAW it, I saw.

Yes, something is really changing.

Those are still the precursory signs, the forerunner movements, so it's scattered, not combined, but for one who can see, it's obvious.

September 11, 1968

For me, only one thing has happened.... A very interesting fact that I noted. I forget the occasion and how it took place, but it was the day before yesterday, and the fact I noted was the presence of the psychic being—that the psychic being hasn't gone at all. I said [on August 28], "The vital and the mind have gone," but the psychic being hasn't.

I think it was in relation to someone I saw (I don't remember), and I noticed that a very great power was there; and the PHYSICAL being, the body, was conscious of the presence of the psychic being, which was constantly there, behind. It hasn't gone. Conscious.

It was a day when someone had come (I forget who) [Ed: It was Rijuta], and the whole Force which was there before concentrated on that person—it was the same thing: the Force, the Presence, with the same Pressure on the person. And then, it was the psychic being which said, "But I haven't gone, I've remained here!" With its full consciousness, you understand. It's the intermediaries [i.e., the mind and the vital] that have gone.

It's difficult to explain.... There is the impression of a lack—a lack from the active point of view, the point of view of everyday action.

But the contact with people, for example (the contact with people present and even when they're not there), the relationship has remained the same, exactly the same. It's even more constant: this state is more constant than it used to be.

It's very difficult to explain.

Here, we could put it like this: any action (occult action, I mean) seems to be at least as strong at a distance as in the presence—in certain cases, stronger. Any need of activity (there already wasn't much of it previously) has considerably lessened. And there is a sort of difference in the outward relationship, it has changed. These last few days I have observed (and it's obviously the psychic consciousness that observes; when I say "I," it's not—that's what struck me—it's not the body: it's the psychic consciousness), and for example, the habit of keeping my eyes closed has increased, and it doesn't hamper the psychic being in any way. It goes on with its action, its relationship.

It may be (I am not saying anything because there's nothing very... nothing definite, at any rate), there may be a new relationship or new intermediary being built between the psychic being and the material, the physical. It seems to be something now developing.

We'll see.

But the Force that expresses itself, does it express itself directly or through the psychic being—this descending Force?

The psychic being is perfectly transparent, it doesn't cause any change.

It must depend on the case, yes, on the kind of action: on people, circumstances. Because the psychic being doesn't in any way alter either the quality or the nature or the action of the Force. It's like something absolutely transparent.

It varies rather according to the cases in which the Force wants to apply itself: cases, people, circumstances. When the action is general, it seems to be direct. But I am not absolutely sure. And the presence of the psychic being makes itself felt only in the case of certain people.

It strikes me as a kind of beacon—a beacon projecting the Light—and at the same time, a sort of receiving set that receives the vibrations.... It's very, very accurate—very accurate—as regards the quality of the vibrations of everything around it. Oh, it's become far more accurate than before. A slight movement here, there, or there, or a wave—all that is perceived very clearly, very clearly, with a consciousness which is highly receptive and at the same time without any reactions. There are no reactions, it's like an extremely delicate (that is, sensitive) receiving set, but without any reaction. No reaction. Things come into a vast, immense, luminous movement.

The consciousness is constantly like this: something very vast—very vast—VERY peaceful, very luminous, like that, and everything gets registered in it.

The Power comes from above. And the Power is something... (what should I say?) as if warm, golden. And it gives the impression of being... (smiling) more compact.

April 16, 1969

(To Satprem:) Oh, you know, I asked this Consciousness what was needed to receive it without distorting it, and it answered me (Mother reads out a note):

"One must be able to stand in the light of the Supreme Consciousness without casting a shadow."

(Satprem:) Without casting a shadow, yes.

That's what it replied.

(F.B.:) That is, forgetting oneself completely?

(Satprem:) Being totally transparent.

But that's all the way up! (Mother laughs)

.....

This (pointing to her note), mon petit, it was magnificent; it means this Consciousness is working and working... working and teaching—night and day it's teaching the body From that point of view, it's marvelous. And it goes about like that (gesture everywhere). So naturally, some people imagine that all their fancies are the result of this Consciousness....

One day, I received someone here (it was Rijuta, in fact), and the body asked this Consciousness, like that, it asked, "How, how to make sure there is no mixture of all the lower movements with this light?" Then (I was sitting here), there came down a sort of column wide like this (gesture of about five feet), here (gesture in front of Mother), like a column of light. But it came down IN THE ROOM, mon petit! It wasn't "elsewhere"—it was here. To such a point that I saw it with my own eyes. A light... indefinable, dazzling, but... I don't know, so tranquil! I can't say, I don't know how to explain... so steady, so tranquil. Dazzling. And without any vibrations. And its color... indefinable, in the sense that it was neither white nor golden nor... It was... as if EVERYTHING were there. It can't be described. Wonderful. Then this Consciousness took my consciousness and went like this (gesture in a circle starting from Mother on her left, going through the column of light, then returning to Mother on her right).... I felt it [the column of light, when Mother's consciousness went through it]. I felt it, but I didn't see anything [i.e., no shadow]. I didn't see anything, I only saw a slight movement, but... It was like a slight movement, but it was the same light.² Then it went through the column, and came back [into Mother]. And then it took Rijuta's consciousness (same gesture in a circle starting from Rijuta, taking her consciousness through the column, and coming back to Rijuta), it went through, and there was an outline [while crossing through the column of light], an outline, and in the place of the head, it was blue, it had become blue [i.e., a shadow in the light]. That was Rijuta's effect: an outline. Then it said something to me (wordlessly, but it was instantly translated into words, in English):

"When you stand in the light of the Supreme Consciousness you must not make a shadow."

And with that experience, it was so real and intense!... It said, "That's the condition—the condition." Then, half an hour later, it said it to me in French; it was translated into French.

I gave the text to the person. It can't be published as it is, because it requires a whole explanation (and I think it's better not to publish it, I don't know). It requires a whole explanation. Or else, we could put:

"To be able to receive the new consciousness without deforming it...

Then the text:

"...One must be able to stand in the light of the Supreme Consciousness without casting a shadow."

Words... if one hasn't had the experience, words are... They don't have what the experience gave—that power. It was so intense, you know! Since then, the body has been constantly "thinking" of that: "Don't cast a shadow, don't cast a shadow...." And the transformation of the body's consciousness is taking place at a tremendous speed.

But my eyes were open, I wasn't in trance, I was talking with Rijuta. I saw it like that: it took my consciousness... (same gesture in a circle).

Did it envelop you or...?

No: it [the column of light] was in front of me, like that, between me and Rijuta. In front of me, like a layer. Between me and the window. And then, my consciousness was as if seized and taken through it (same gesture). I looked and didn't see anything [i.e. any shadow or trace], but I felt. I felt: there was a slight quiver [while going through]. Then, to give a demonstration, it took Rijuta's consciousness inside the column, and there was an outline of the head: the outline was seen, just an outline; overall it had become somewhat gray, but not dark at all. And at the place of the head, it was more blue; it was blue, opaque: the head, the shape of a head, like that—an outline. So I wholly understood what it meant: "When you stand in the light of the Supreme Consciousness, you must not make a shadow."

It was an experience given TO THE BODY—L tell you, my eyes were open. I felt the consciousness... (same gesture in a circle). It can't be described, can't be expressed.

Since then, the body has been full of an intensity of vibration, of aspiration, of... And a tremendous will to get rid of all possible falsehood, all of it.

(silence)

It remained for a long time. It remained for at least a quarter of an hour—a long time. And I felt like doing this (Mother rubs her eyes as if in disbelief). It's the first time the physical body has had an experience of that sort, with the eyes wide open. I saw it come down, come down like that, settle down and stay there. And all the cells seemed to be thirsting and thirsting for that—it was wonderful! Inexpressible.

No shadow, that is, no ego.

Yes, it's precisely that. It means no ego.

July 1, 1970

I had an experience which I found interesting, because it was the first time. It was yesterday or the day before (I forget), Rijuta was here, just in front of me, kneeling, and I saw her psychic being towering above by this much (gesture about eight inches), taller. It's the first time. Her physical being was short, and the psychic being was tall, like this. And it was a sexless being: neither man nor woman. So I said to myself (it may be always that way, I don't know, but at that time I noticed it very clearly), I said to myself, "But the psychic being is the one that will materialize and become the supramental being!"

I saw it, it was like that. There were distinctive features, but not very pronounced, and it was clearly a being that was neither male nor female, that had features of both combined. And it was taller than her, it exceeded her on every side by about this much (gesture extending beyond the physical being by about eight inches). She was here, and it was like this (gesture). Its color was... this color that, if it became very material, would be Auroville's color [orange]. It was softer, as if behind a veil, it wasn't absolutely precise, but it was this color. And there was hair, but... it was something else.

Another time maybe I'll see better.

But I found it very interesting, because that being seemed to tell me, "You're wondering what the supramental being will be—here it is! Here it is, this is it." And it was there. It was her psychic being.

Then one understands. One understands: the psychic being will materialize... and it gives a continuity to evolution.

This creation gives you a clear impression that nothing is arbitrary, that there is a sort of divine logic behind, which isn't like our human logic, but highly superior to our logic (but it exists), and that logic was fully satisfied when I saw that.

It's odd, it was also when Rijuta was here that I had that experience of the supramental light going through within [Mother] without causing any shadow.¹ Rijuta has something like that, I don't know.... And this time, it's really interesting. I was quite interested. It was there, tranquil, and saying to me, "But you're after... well, here it is, this is it!"

So then, I understood why the mind and the vital were sent away from this body, and the psychic being was left (naturally, it was the psychic being that governed all movements earlier, so it was nothing new, but there were no more difficulties: all the complications coming from the vital and the mind, which add their imprints, their tendencies, it was all gone). So I understood: "Ah, that's it, it's this psychic being that is to become the supramental being."

I had never bothered to know what it looked like. But when I saw that, I understood. And I see it, I still see it, I have kept the memory. Its hair almost looked red, strangely (it wasn't like red hair, but it looked like it). And its expression! Such a fine expression, gently ironical... oh, extraordinary, extraordinary!

You understand, my eyes were open, it was an almost material vision.

Then one understands! All at once, all questions vanished, it became very clear, very simple.

(silence)

And the psychic is precisely what lives on. So if it materialized, it means doing away with death. But "doing away"... what's done away with is only what's not according to the Truth, that's what goes away—all that's incapable of being transformed in the image of the psychic, of being part of the psychic.

That's really interesting.