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

Monthly updates and newsletter articles

From Jan 2019 we will not be updating this blog.

Please refer to our website at https://sriaurobindosociety.org.sg/

For newsletters and articles, please refer to Newsletters section of our website.

The Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education

 

Supramental Influence
Innumerable and rapid in its action.
Macfadyena unguis-cati [Doxantha unguis-cati]Cat's claw.

Cat's claw trumpet, Funnel creeper.

Medium-sized deep golden yellow delicately scented campanulate-funnelform flower with a flattened corolla tube and a broad oblique limb divided into five rounded lobes; usually borne in axillary pairs. A vigorous vine with tendrils that grasp like a cat's claw.

The mind shall be God-vision's tabernacle

The body intuition's instrument,

And life a channel for God's visible power.

All earth shall be the Spirit's manifest home,

Hidden no more by the body and the life,

Hidden no more by the mind's ignorance;

An unerring Hand shall shape event and act.

-          Savitri, Sri Aurobindo

 

From the Editor’s Desk (Jan 2019)

We wish all our members and readers a very Happy New Year. In this special double-themed issue of our Newsletter, we contemplate awhile on the beginnings and existence of an institution conceptualised to actualise an important aspect  intimate to the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother - Education. The institution is none other than the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education (SAICE), the first if its kind, closely run and directed by The Mother in the early days in order to practice and experiment with that kind of education that was meant for  the man of the future; a man who is tuned to live the integral life on earth and create here centres of existence of a higher order; man aspirimg for the transformation of his nature and making it ready for the descent of the Divine in order to allow the Divine to manifest here in earthly life.
 
SAICE is a part of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and therefore integrally linked with the practices of the integral yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. The Mother opened it first on the 2nd of December 1943. In 1951, The Mother called for a convention which resolved to establish the Sri Aurobindo International University Centre, which was renamed as the Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education, in 1959. The school holds an average enrolment of 400. The children are exposed to the humanities, the sciences, Languages, Engineering Technology, and Physical Education. The centre offers facilities for drawing, painting, handiwork, music, dancing, dramatics, arts and crafts, libraries, laboratories and  practical and manual work. This array of activities serve to expose children to a wide variety of skills as well as the opportunity to excel in any skill that he or she is inclined towards, during his course of study in the centre. Since the ethos of the centre points to self-discovery and perfection in as many parts and planes of the being as possible in order to facilitate the growth of a versatile personality, there are no external pressures in the guise of examinations, nor are the courses children choose meant for career opportunities. Children also do not face the stress of specialization since there is no need for specialization in the school.  Notably, there are no degrees or diplomas or certificates. Above all, children of SAICE are led to understand that the true pursuit for them would be to discover their true purpose here and increase their perfectability through the training of all the faculties that make up the integral being. SAICE was never conceptualized as a regional or national body but an international one, where students of all cultures around the world find here their expression. There is much inspiration to be drawn from this centre of education with its multi-pronged experiments with life.
 
This newsletter edition also highlights The Mother’s words on the descent of the Superman and its significance, on the 1st of January 1969, exactly half a century ago. This is a must read for all of us who want to know even a little of the characteristics of Superman and the significance of that presence here. Through these words, let us be inspired to aspire for a progressive life as we march forward into the year of 2019.

Masters of Living


Only the Immortals on their deathless heights

Dwelling beyond the walls of Time and Space,

Masters of living, free from the bonds of Thought,

Who are overseers of Fate and Chance and Will

And experts of the theorem of world-need,

Can see the Idea, the Might that change Time’s course,

Come maned with light from undiscovered worlds,

Hear, while the world toils on with its deep blind heart,

The galloping hooves of the unforeseen event,

Bearing the superhuman Rider, near

And, impassive to earth’s din and startled cry,

Return to the silence of the hills of God;

As lightning leaps, as thunder sweeps, they pass

And leave their mark on the trampled breast of Life.

Above the world the world-creators stand,

In the phenomenon see its mystic source.

These heed not the deceiving outward play,

They turn not to the moment’s busy tramp,

But listen with the still patience of the Unborn
For the slow footsteps of far Destiny
 
Approaching through huge distances of Time,

Unmarked by the eye that sees effect and cause,

Unheard mid the clamour of the human plane.

Attentive to an unseen Truth they seize

A sound as of invisible augur wings,

Voices of an unplumbed significance,

Mutterings that brood in the core of Matter’s sleep.
 

 
 - Savitri, Sri Aurobindo

Question and Answer - On classes conducted in the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education

Sometime I would like to know, Mother, Your intentions with regard to regrouping these classes in the new year, whether with an examination or without.
 
I consider an examination as quite necessary. In any case there will be one in French.


My love and blessings.
29 October 1946

*

It is not by conventional examinations that students can be selected for a class. It is only by developing in oneself the true psychological sense.

Select children who want to learn, not those who want to push themselves forward.

29 October 1965

*

The only solution is to annul this test and all that are to come. Keep all the papers with you in a closed bundle—as something that has not been—and continue quietly your classes. At the end of the year you will give notes to the students, not based on written test-papers, but on their behaviour, their concentration, their regularity, their promptness to understand and their openness of intelligence. For yourself you will take it as a discipline to rely more on inner contact, keen observation, and impartial outlook.
For the students it will be the necessity of understanding truly what they learn and not to repeat as a parrot what they have not fully understood. And thus a true progress will have been made in the teaching.

With blessings.
21 July 1967

*

I find tests an obsolete and ineffective way of knowing if the students are intelligent, willing and attentive. A silly, mechanical mind can very well answer a test if the memory is good and these are certainly not the qualities required for a man of the future.
It is by tolerance for the old habits that I consented that those who want tests can have them.
But I hope that in future this concession will not be necessary. To know if a student is good needs, if the tests are abolished, a little more inner contact and psychological knowledge for the teacher. But our teachers are expected to do Yoga, so this ought not to be difficult for them.

22 July 1967

*

Naturally the teacher has to test the student to know if he or she has learnt something and has made a progress. But this test must be individual and adapted to each student, not the same mechanical test for all of them. It must be a spontaneous and unexpected test leaving no room for pretence and insincerity. Naturally also, this is much more difficult for the teacher but so much more living and interesting also. I enjoyed your remarks about your students. They prove that you have an individual relation with them—and that is essential for good teaching. Those who are insincere do not truly want to learn but to get good marks or compliments from the teacher—they are not interesting.

25 July 1967

*
 
The immediate impact of these events and remarks made by the Mother was a radical change in the attitude and organisation of the school.
Briefly, consequences were:
All quarterly tests were abolished once and for all.
The secondary classes were restructured as the consequence of some interaction with the Mother by some teachers
The Higher Course organisation was radically restructured.
 
Source: Kittu Reddy, published in Overman Foundation e-Newsletter in 2014.          

The History of the Ashram School by Prof. Kittu Reddy, Part 1


The history of the Ashram school – now known as the International Centre of Education – can be probably divided into four periods. The first period is from 1943 to 1950, the second one is from 1951 to 1958, the third is from 1959 to 1967 and the fourth one is the period after that.

This article will deal mainly with the third period – that is to say from 1959 to 1967. However, the first two periods will be briefly touched upon.
 
Before the 1940s children were, as a rule, not permitted to live in the Ashram. But when, during the war, a number of families were admitted, it was found necessary to initiate a course of instruction for the children. Consequently, on 2 December 1943 the Mother opened a school for about thirty children. She herself was one of the teachers. The number of children increased gradually over the years to around 150 by the year 1950.
 
The first striking feature of the school in those early days was that almost all the students were children of devotees or disciples, most of whom resided in the Ashram as sadhaks.
 
Another feature was that the Mother was in constant touch with the teachers and students, guiding the teachers and following the students’ progress. All students and teachers would meet Her at least once a day and the teachers would submit reports about their classes regularly. Sri Aurobindo too was kept informed of all the developments in the school, although he did not interact directly with the school.
 
On 2 December 1946, the Mother came for the first time to the playground to see the demonstration of Physical Education. From then onwards, the Mother started coming regularly to the Playground in the evenings.
 
 
In 1950, Sri Aurobindo left his body and from 1951 the Mother started taking classes in the playground for the children (known as the Wednesday and Friday classes).
 
On 24 April 1951 the Mother presided over a convention where it was resolved to establish an “international university centre”, and on 6 January 1952 she inaugurated the Sri Aurobindo International University Centre. In 1959 this was changed to the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education.
 
In December 1958 the Mother stopped coming to the playground on a regular basis and the classes too were stopped.
 
The first two periods from 1943 to 1958 may be called the luminous seed-time and a period of enthusiastic effort guided by the direct presence of the Mother. That was the time when most of the basic ideas and concepts on education were expounded by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. This was done through the classes, their interaction with the students and teachers and Their writings in the Bulletin. As a matter of fact, the Mother was constantly in touch with both students and teachers and intervened whenever She felt the need to do so.
 
However, the outward organisation was not too different from other schools. No doubt, the teachers and the administration were distinctly aware of what the Mother wanted but this was not translated in the organisational structure. The Mother’s direct presence and involvement obviated the need of any such organisational structure. She was there to look after everything in its smallest detail.
 
Even though, the Mother stopped coming to the playground on a regular basis from December 1958, contact with Her continued through letters or through interviews. Indeed, the Mother kept a constant watch over the school and playground activities from Her room.
 
During this period, 1959-1967, certain experiments were made which were to have a great bearing on the future development of the Centre of Education.
 
Firstly, some tentative experiments were made in organising the Free System of education with a small section of students and certain organisational structures were put in place; all these attempts were gradually evolving and were to prove very useful in arriving at the more developed and organised system that was built later on.
 
Published in Overman Foundation e-Newsletter on April 4, 2014 at 10:39

 … to be continued.

 

Bonne Année - 50th Anniversary of the coming of la conscience du surhomme 1 January 1969, Part 1

We present below the first part of a reflective article written by Jared Quek of the Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore on the 50th Anniversary of the descent of the New Consciousness or the Consciousness of the Superman. In this part appear selections of what The Mother had stated about the significance of the event of 1st January 1969, as compiled by the writer.


50 years ago, on the morning of 1 January 1969, a powerful New Consciousness descended into the earth atmosphere. The Mother described it in Notes on the Way, pp.148-160. The following are some extracts.


1 January 1969

In the night it came slowly and on waking up this morning, there was as though a golden dawn, and the atmosphere was so light. The body felt: “Well, it is truly, truly new.” A golden light, transparent and... benevolent. “Benevolent” in the sense of a certainty — a harmonious certainty. It was new.

There you are.

And when I say “Bonne année” to people, it is this which I pass on to them. And this morning, I have passed my time like this, spontaneously, saying: “Bonne année, Bonne année.” So...

4 January 1969

On the first, something truly strange happened.... And I was not the only one to feel it, some others also have felt it. It was just after midnight, but I felt it at two o’clock and the others at four o’clock in the morning…It was something very material, I mean it was very external — very external—and it was luminous, with a golden light. It was very strong, very powerful; but even so, its character was a smiling benevolence, a peaceful delight and a kind of opening out into delight and light. And it was like a “Bonne année”, like a greeting. It took me by surprise…But I told you a word or two about it and I spoke of it also to two or three persons: they all had felt it. That is to say, it was very material. They all had felt it, like this, a kind of joy, but a joy friendly, powerful and... oh! very, very gentle, very smiling, very benevolent.... I do not know what it is. I do not know what it is, but it is a kind of benevolence, therefore it was something very close to the human. And it was so concrete, so concrete!

My own impression was that of an immense personality — immense, that is to say, for it the earth was small, small like this (gesture, as though holding a small ball in her palm), like a ball — an immense personality, very, very benevolent, which came for... (Mother seems to lift this ball gently from the hollow of her hands). It gave the impression of a personal divinity (and yet it was... I do not know) who comes to help, and so strong, so strong and at the same time so gentle, so all- embracing.

And it was very external: the body felt it everywhere, everywhere (Mother touches her face, her hands), everywhere.

It was luminous, smiling, and so benevolent through powerfulness; that is to say, generally in the human being benevolence is something a little weak, in this sense that it does not like battle, it does not like fight; but this is nothing of the kind! A benevolence that imposes itself (Mother brings her fists down upon the arms of her chair).

It has interested me because it is altogether new. And so concrete! Concrete like this (Mother touches the arms of her chair), like what the physical consciousness usually considers as “others”, concrete like that. That is to say, it did not pass through an inner being, through the psychic being, it came directly upon the body.

What is it?... Yes, perhaps it is this... Since it came, the feeling of the body is a kind of certitude, a certitude as though now it was no longer in anxiety or uncertainty to know: “What will it be? What will the Supramental be like? Physically, what will it be physically?” The body used to ask itself. Now it does not think of it any more, it is contented.

Is it something that will suffuse the bodies that are ready?

Yes, I believe so, yes. I have the feeling that it is the formation which is going to enter, going to express itself — to enter and express itself — in the bodies... that will be the bodies of the supramental.

Or perhaps... perhaps the superman (surhomme), I do not know. The intermediary between the two. Perhaps the superman: it was very human, but a human in divine proportions, I must say.

A human without weaknesses and without shadows: it was all light — all light and smiling and... sweetness at the same time.

Yes, perhaps the superman.

8 January 1969

It is the descent of the superman consciousness (la conscience du surhomme) ….

It was the first of January after midnight. I woke up at two in the morning, surrounded by a consciousness, so concrete, and new in the sense that I had never felt it before. And it lasted, absolutely concrete, present, for two or three hours, and afterwards it spread out and went about to find people who could receive it. And I knew that it was the consciousness of the superman (la surhomme), that is to say, the intermediary between man and the supramental being.

18 January 1969

It came as a “mentor”, it was practical, quite practical: “This thing must be rejected, that must be accepted; this must be made general, that...”; all the inner movements. And it even becomes very material in the sense that it says with regard to some vibrations: “This you must encourage”, to others: “That must be canalised”, to others again: “This must be removed.” Little indications like that.

…Well, I have first had the experience for this body: it came like a rampart, and it was mighty! It was a mighty power! Altogether out of proportion to the apparent action.

…There is a very marked change in those who have been touched on the first of January: it is particularly... indeed a precision and a certitude that has entered into their way of thinking.

It was there (Mother looks at the region of the heart). It is curious, as though I was given the charge of putting it into contact with all those who come near me.

15 February 1969

Never, never had the body been so happy; there was the complete Presence, absolute freedom, and a certitude…During these few hours (three or four), I understood absolutely what it was to have the divine consciousness in the body…

But that state, which lasted for several hours, nothing similar to that happiness has this body ever felt during the ninety-one  years it has been here upon earth: freedom, absolute power and no limits (gesture here and there, everywhere), no limits, no impossibilities, nothing. It was... all other bodies were itself. There was no difference, it was only a play of consciousness (gesture as of a great Rhythm) going about.

That is all.

(Long silence)

…All the human excuses appear as childishness.

It is something very strange, all the qualities and all the defects of man appear as childishness — foolishness. It is curious. And it is not a thought, it is a concrete sensation. It is like a substance without life; all ordinary things are like a substance lacking life — the true life. Artificial and false. It is strange.

(Silence)

The special character of this new consciousness is: no half measures, no approximations. That is its character. The idea “Oh yes, we shall do it, and little by little we...” — no, no, not like that; it is Yes or No, either you can or you cannot.

(Silence) 

Truly it is a Grace, you see, as if: not to lose time — not to lose time. It must be done or...

But this tremendous Power, it is that above all; and it is with a compassion! a gentleness!... No, there are no words, we have no words to describe that, something... Nothing but just to be attentive and... it is blissfulness. Nothing but just to turn one’s attention towards that side, immediately there is the bliss. And I understand (that has made me understand certain things), we have heard of people who in the midst of torture enjoyed bliss — it is like that. A beatitude.

There you are, it is that (Mother hands out a white hibiscus, which she has named “Grace”).

December Sunday Activities at the Centre - A glimpse


December 2nd - Passages from All India Magazine-July 2018 issue - All Life is Yoga, by Sri Aurobindo, Selections from The Synthesis of Yoga Part II

Following Meditation and Readings from the Prayers and Meditation, we gathered in a circle and read random passages from the issue in turns. The titles of the selections were: Renunciation and Enjoyment, Detachment, Knowing and seeing God in the world and Complete surrender is the chief mainstay. The Synthesis of Yoga offers a step-by-step methodical guide to Integral Yoga complete with in-depth explanations from all angles, including and especially the psychological.

Sri Aurobindo summarises Integral Yoga into these three stages:

There must be, first the effort towards at least an initial and enabling self-transcendence and contact with the Divine; next, the reception of that which transcends, that with which we have gained communion, into ourselves for the transformation of our whole conscious being; last, the utilisation of our transformed humanity as a divine centre in the world.

December 5th – Sri Aurobindo’s Mahasamadhi Day

We gathered in our centre premises to observe the occasion of Sri Aurobindo’s Mahasamdhi Day. The main part of the programme was the reading of senior sadhak’s accounts of the last few days of Sri Aurobindo’s passing and the significance of the Mahasamdhi. We read first an excerpt from Amal Kiran’s, ‘The Passing of Sri Aurobindo – Its inner Significance and Consequence’. We read of the astrologer who predicted the year when Sri Aurobindo would see to his “self-undoing”, and Sri Aurobindo’s nonchalant response, though he did indicate that the astrologer was partialy correct in his predictions; his ‘strange’ display of affection to the attendants around him; and his sudden interest in hurrying up with Savitri, and in his own words, “I must finish Savitri soon.”  Amal Kiran accords significance to the passing of Sri Aurobindo. Here is an excerpt from the excerpt, “Everything foes to prove that what happened in the small hours of that December day was no purely physical casualty…”

Following this, we read an excerpt from Nirodbaran’s account of the passing of Sri Aurobindo titled, Sri Aurobindo “I am here, I am here!”. The events that specifically took place on the 4th of Decemebr to the 5th  and then to the 9th were graphically brought before our minds’ eye. Here are some poignant lines from this reading, “The news spread around in the early hours of the morning. The reaction of the disciples can be better imagined than described. Through the hush of night one by one they came and mounted up the stairs of Heaven to see what nobody had seen before. It was not eath they saw, not a resurrection, nor a withdrawal into Nirvana but a grand repose, a death pulsating with power, light, beauty in every limb as if death had become immortal in the body of the King of kings.”

We then read words of The Mother written on the significance of the Mhasamadhi of Sri Aurobindo. One such satatement from The Mother was:

“We stand in the Presence of Him who has sacrificed his physical life in order to help more fully his work of transformation.

He is always with us, aware of what we are doing, of all our thoughts, of all our feelings and all our actions.”

We concluded the session with readings from Savitri, from Book 1, Canto IV: The Secret Knowledge,

Pgs. 70-73, which ended thus:

To evoke a Person in the impersonal Void,


With the Truth-Light strike earth’s massive roots of trance,

Wake a dumb self in the inconscient depths

And raise a lost Power from its python sleep


That the eyes of the Timeless might look out from Time

And the world manifest the unveiled Divine.


For this he left his white infinity


And laid on the spirit the burden of the flesh,


That Godhead’s seed might flower in mindless Space.

We then spent some time in concentration in the silence that the solemn contemplation on Sri Aurobindo’s Mahasamadhi evoked.

December 9th – A Special session on Huta’s relationship with The Mother and Huta as The Mother’s instrument in the  manifestation of Beauty through Art, Part 1

December 16 - A Special session on Huta’s relationship with The Mother and Huta as The Mother’s instrument in the  manifestation of Beauty through Art, Part 2

In these two sessions, Jared brought us through the life of Huta with The Mother, especially in being Her instrument in bringing out the essence and spirit of Savitri, the epic poem by Sri Aurobindo in the Art form. Huta started her journey with The Mother into Savitri on her birthday, on 1st September 1961. The Mother herself initiated her into this journey of representing Savitri in lines and colours, making it clear to Huta that The Mother alone would do all the work and she will only be a docile instrument in the hands of The Mother. Each day, she met The Mother twice, once before noon and then in the evening to show Her the work done and receiving feedback and instructions for corrections. The Mother worked with Huta from another plane and Huta responded. She relates in the book her trials and tribulations, attacks and struggles and how The Mother kept watch over Her and brought her along the journey to complete the work She had given her on her birthday in 1961.

December 23rd – Meditations of Savitri by Huta

This evening Pictures 12 and 13 of Book 12, ‘Epilogue, The Return to Earth’ was the focus of our meditation. Mr. Ramadoss led us through the pictures and the accompanying Savitri lines as members recited the lines in turns.

Meditations on Pic. 12

Wondering at her and her too luminous words

Westward they turned in the fast-gathering night.

Drawn by white manes upon a high-roofed car


In flare of the unsteady torches went


With linked hands Satyavan and Savitri,


Hearing a marriage march and nuptial hymn,


Where waited them the many-voiced human world.
 
Meditations on Pic. 13
 
Numberless the stars swam on their shadowy field

Describing in the gloom the ways of light.


Then while they skirted yet the southward verge,


Lost in the halo of her musing brows


Night, splendid with the moon dreaming in heaven


In silver peace, possessed her luminous reign.


She brooded through her stillness on a thought

Deep-guarded by her mystic folds of light,


And in her bosom nursed a greater dawn. 

- Jayanthy

 

Along the Way… December Walk Reviews (walk no 400)

It was a beautiful cool and windy morning when we all assembled at Punggol Point for our penultimate walk of 2018 at Coney Island. It was also a very special walk as it marked our 400th walk uninterrupted over the many years we have been organizing it.
 
With all the fast development happening in Singapore, it affected our arrival at the meeting point slightly, as the original Punggol Road was closed to traffic and those driving had to take a new road to get there delaying them by 10 -15 mins. No problems with those taking the bus and taxi there as the bus routes were changed and the taxi drivers probably knew about it. How quickly change is happening here in Singapore but Punggol Point and Coney Island still look the same as before, preserving some of the memories we have of the place.
 
We started off with a decent sized group of walkers of around 17 and more joined later on making it close to 25. It was indeed gratifying for our walk commander, Uncle Ramanathan to see this given the great effort he puts into making sure these walks happen. We did some warmups led by Uncle Sheel and took the mandatory pictures and wefies.
 
As we headed out onto Coney Island, we were ably led by our walk leaders of the day, Ananya and Deepika who showed us the way to walk along the various paths. I remember Coney Island also known as Pulau Serangoon as a youth when we had to canoe from Pulau Ubin to this deserted island for a quick rest stop and then canoe back. Nothing here then but white sands to lay on and trees to give us the much needed shade from the harsh sun. Over the years, it has been transformed into a park where people can walk, run or cycle onto it through two bridges on either side of the island linking it to Singapore.
 
During the walk, Venkat interviewed Uncle Krishnamurthy about his experience with the walks, as he had been in Singapore since Walk No. 16 I believe and recorded it for all of us to hear. Something truly great to listen to his experiences and definitely one for our archives.
 
It was a good and interesting walk in the nature and we returned back to Punggol Point to assemble again for organizing the transportation to Ritesh and Upali's place for meditation and brunch.
 
The atmosphere was befitting a 400th walk. We had our normal meditation and announcements but also had added special items like a poem recitation by Kiran Sule's sister, mantrams from Sudha who was visiting from Pondicherry, Jayshree, Uncle Krishnamurthy and Uncle Ramanathan, ending with the Om Choir lead by Preethi.  Of course, not forgetting the sumptuous brunch arranged by the hosts, Ritesh and Upali for all of us.
All in all a wonderful 400th walk and we have to thank the participants on this walk and especially the hosts Ritesh and Upali for making it such a memorable one for all of us. Looking forward to our walks in 2019. Wishing one and all a happy and prosperous New Year ahead.
 
- Sanjay Mehta
 
This year’s December walk, was the 400th walk of the Sri Aurobindo Society Singapore. Despite it being the beginning of the school holidays, many people turned up for the walk. The walk started at Punggol Settlement. The weather was perfect with a breezy atmosphere during our warm up exercises. It was a great start to the 400th walk.
 
 
My sister, Deepika and I were very energetic as we were assigned leaders for the walk. Deepika led the way along the boardwalk towards Coney Island.  While taking pictures of the surroundings, I was enjoying the view of the South China Sea. Behind us, our grandfather, Mr. C. Krishnamurthy, was giving an account on his experiences on his first walk after he arrived in Singapore in 1980. This was recorded by Mr. S. Venkat and was circulated in our SAS WhatsApp group.

 

We entered Coney Island through the West Entrance . We took a group photo before entering the Island.
 
Deepika decided to take the path towards Beach Area A. The path was sandy, rocky and lined with Casuarina trees.  It was a breathtaking sight to see the sunlight filter through the trees.           

We arrived at Beach Area A, and took a few minutes to take a break and enjoy the view of Pulau Ubin.

 
After we admired the scenery, we thought of going to the Promenade to see the other end of Coney Island and we were greeted by the sight of huge ships. As I saw the beauty of nature and the calm sea, love for it engulfed over me. Coney island was so huge that we could have got lost. Luckily none of us got marooned on the Island.
 

We then headed back to our hosts’ house for meditation. There was a special offering to commemorate the 400th walk which was followed by a scrumptious brunch.

The 400th walk was a very special walk that I will always remember.
 
- Ananya Kiran

 

A Trek off the Track - The big walk review


 On the morning of 22 December 2018, an enthusiastic group of 14, with 4 bubbly children and one baby and 9 adults attempted the Big Walk, starting at MacRitchie Reservoir Park and culminating on our Bukit Timah Hill, after perhaps more than a decade. The four children, Anjali, Ananya, Sophia and Deepika have written a review on the walk. 
 
Rekindling the spirit of being fit was a big thing this December in the Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. On top of the monthly short walk, a few society members got together and did a 14 km walk through the parks and hiking trails of Singapore. The route went from Macritchie Reservoir, through the forest hiking trails and ended at the top of Bukit Timah hill where we had a picnic lunch.
 
 
Previously, the society had been doing long walks annually, but, due to a few changes, the tradition had been lost. This was the first walk after 10 years and was enjoyed by everyone who came.

 
In those who walked, I observed two different kinds of people. There were the children, who ran ahead, laughing and chatting with each other and the adults who walked slowly behind, but almost never got tired. Joining us this time, for half the walk, was even a 18 month old baby! 

As we went through fun and muddy paths and easy flat roads, we saw a variety of flora and fauna such as monkeys and squirrels. The monkeys were playing on the streets. The climb up Bukit Timah hill was challenging as we had to walk up a steep slope and we were tired from the long walk. However, we persevered and made it to the top, while taking a few breaks along the way.
 
 
We were elated that we had reached the summit. We had our delicious picnic lunch and took a photo as a remembrance to achieving our goal of walking all the way from Macritchie Reservoir to Bukit Timah Hill.
 

After being well rested and re energised, we decided to head back down. We took different paths to see if they would lead back to the same destination. While the adults took the road, the children were determined to challenge themselves and took the rocky, muddy path. 
 
In the end, when we took the rocky path, we realised that we had met a dead end. So, we had to head back and take another path leading us back to the road. We then ran down the steep slope and finally met the others at the end. 
 
In summary, we all enjoyed the trip and would like to keep up to this tradition  with even more participants to enjoy the company of our family & friends throughout our walks in the future.

~ Anjali, Sophia, Ananya & Deepika