Guiding Light of The Month

O Lord, how ardently do I call and implore Thy love! Grant that my aspiration may be intense enough to awaken the same aspiration everywhere: oh, may good- ness, justice and peace reign as supreme masters, may ignorant egoism be overcome, darkness be suddenly illu- minated by Thy pure Light; may the blind see, the deaf hear, may Thy law be proclaimed in every place and, in a constantly progressive union, in an ever more perfect harmony, may all, like one single being, stretch out their arms towards Thee to identify themselves with Thee and manifest Thee upon earth. - The Mother

July - August Sunday Activities at the Centre – A glimpse

August 3rd: Readings from Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Bases of Yoga’, pages 90-94.

The passages talk about the several layers of subconscient in our human nature. It lies between the Inconscient and conscious mind, life and body. When I read this I  get the picture of layers of soil which influence the type of plants. Most of our thoughts, actions, feelings spring forth repeatedly because of our samskaras and heredity which are embedded in our subconscient and shape our character. Sri Aurobindo talks about three occult forces behind our action-the superconscient, the subliminal and the subconscient which we are not in control of, and are not even aware of. We are just tossed between the forces of this nature or caught in their waves invading us every second in some form. These inferior forces try to perpetuate their action in individual, to rebuild what he has unbuilt. Unless we are established in the Inner Self and try to get rid of the influences of these forces, they may lie in seed form and come up to take us by surprise! These readings  give a glimpse of our own nature and its origin!


August 10th : Readings from the book “On Himself” by Sri Aurobindo.

We read a few passages from the section “His Path and Other Paths”. In this chapter, Sri Aurobindo gives the essence of all his teachings. It starts from the knowledge the ancient sages got from their yogic capacity that all appearances of the Universe form the ONE REALITY OF BEING AND CONSCIOUSNESS. This ONE BEING involved in matter becomes inconscient and there is a separateness and ignorance in the mind, life and body. Life is the first step of this release of consciousness through matter. Mind is the next step. Now the consciousness awaits its release from mind into greater heights through the conscious will of the individual. For that conversion, the method is found in our ancient psychological discipline and practice of yoga. Of course this doesn’t come easy! The first step is to find the INNER BEING and fix himself there, from where the pursuit is possible to orient towards the “TRUE SOUL.” When an individual tries to bring the Truth–Consciousness into his actions in outer life, he experiences his unity in every form and life, which is the first step towards the success of sadhana.


August 17th: Readings from Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Bases of Yoga’

We continue to read in “Bases of Yoga” about the nature of the subconscious. We discussed in detail the Vedic “cavern of the Panis” and its significance: that the subconscious is like a cave holding treasure that has been obscured by the forces of ignorance and darkness. It is only when the light and fire of the higher consciousness penetrate this cavern that the hidden Truth within can be released. We related this to how Sri Aurobindo has always focused on opening up our inner centres from top down – ensuring that the higher consciousness has already been established in the upper parts, and preferably with the psychic already prominent, before opening up the lower centres. This is a secure procedure that allows us to attack the “cave of the Panis” with success, and not end up drawing out the forces of ignorance instead.


More Information

The most significant change that happened in our Centre this year, physically, was an overhaul of the room. With the collective effort of everyone in the Centre, the changes were brought about immediately after the proposal was made during our Annual General Meeting in June. The room was ready for use from the 15th of August onwards, on Sri Aurobindo’s birth Anniversary, with a special musical offering. It is also notable that this change has come about on the 42nd Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. The curtains were changed. The Mother’s and Sri Aurobindo’s portraits were brought together and placed near the row of windows overlooking the larger SIFAS compound. This arrangement created a length of space where rows of chairs could be placed before the altar with an aisle in the centre to facilitate easy movement. The left of the altar houses the study table, at which prayers and meditations could be read and speakers seated as they address the members. This table could be easily replaced with a stage for offerings made on darshan days, especially musical offerings. The new-look of our Centre is indeed refreshing, like setting the stage for things to happen in a new way.

- Jayalakshmi, Jared, Jayanthy

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