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

A Spiritual song in the midst of Nature

Dancing peacocks, singing birds, lush green trees playing with the wind, pretty geese running around, rabbits and many more beautiful nature weaved together make a cherubic little village known as Sri Aurobindo Ashram in the heart of urban Delhi. A row of pomegranate flowers welcomes one inside the campus.

Like a poem stitched together with lovely expressions, the place houses many sweet creations. At one corner is a shrine and a meditation hall dedicated to The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. The shrine is both royal and simple at the same time. Fragrance of the colorful flowers and Tulasi leaves fill the place. Evenings are musical at the meditation hall. Inmates of the Ashram sing from their heart a soft melody accompanied by harmonium and tambura that flows like a river around the place. The musical evenings end with readings from The Mother’s works.

A calm residential block is built around a flower courtyard and it houses the inmates and guests staying at the Ashram for a short time. Numerous trees adorn the block and one is awakened by the call of birds every morning. Volunteers clean the place and create a merry environment around. The dining hall serves sumptuous food and sings of a very homely atmosphere.

I have read about the Vedic schools of ancient India and wondered how it would be if it is re-created today with a modern outlook. Wise rishis are teachers and children stay with them during the initial years of their growth. There is not the procedure of studying with rules, fixed classrooms and reading textbooks. It is all about just being in the atmosphere and growing together. Learning just happens, along with everyone. During my stay at the Ashram, I was fortunate for having spent a week with the children and diyas of the garden of wisdom called Mirambika where I found glimpses of the ancient schools taking shape.

Freedom is the breeze blowing in the garden, didis stand as tall trees, diyas are glowing lamps and children are the beautiful flowers. Vedic chants reverberate in the place every morning and they mark the beginning of a beautiful day. I walked in the garden everyday breathing its oxygen of freedom and slightly touched the flowers growing there. I worked on adding some beauty to the garden with the little of what I have. The flowers spoke to me in their happy glee as I decorated a small part with pictures of sunshine, peacock and lotus. Everybody in the garden are just happy being there. That is all it is all about. Isn’t it? And Sweet Mother is there, smiling in everyone’s heart, through all the joys and sorrows.

The sunshine sparkles among the leaves every morning, squirrels run around squeaking their wishes, peacocks walk along, little chicks happily move around, even fall is filled with sweet melodies and the moon shines protectively through the night. All these and much more make up the little village of the Ashram. With sweet memories in my heart I came back home with the richness of having made a beautiful journey. Perhaps, it is the place where Savitri and Satyavan are living.

-          Sandhya

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