August 1972

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02. August 1972 – Two Formations

There are two formations like this (gesture confronting each other), like two wrestlers: one formation is that I will die on Sri Aurobindo’s birthday; the other formation is that I am undergoing the necessary transformation to span humanity to the Supramental. Both formations are as… they’re like this (same gesture facing each other) and…

When this formation [of death] makes itself felt, an awareness comes that there’s hardly any difference between life and physical death, in that anything, at any time, can send you over to the other side. Then, with the other formation, there’s a feeling that… (how can I put it?) the body’s frailty is due to a need for the consciousness to change so it can manifest the Supramental.

And I am like this (gesture between the two).

But the body has learned to remain quiet in either case.

Why, but why am I not told what will happen? I don’t know…

I think it’s to insure a kind of very passive state.

05. August 1972 – Obeying only THAT

But I now feel just the opposite! The body and matter (the part of matter under my control) seem to REFUSE to obey anything but That.

Let me give you an example: I see almost… (it’s an “almost” which sometimes is beyond almost, you understand: the extreme limit of “almost”) almost as well with my eyes closed as with my eyes open. See, really SEE (Mother touches her physical eyes). When I have difficulty writing, for example, instead of peering and straining, I shut my eyes. And then… I see.

And the same for everything, for all the senses. To swallow food, if I try to swallow in the usual way, I literally choke, but when I am in a certain state… I find I’ve swallowed everything, and I didn’t even notice it! And everything is like that.

So… I seem completely impotent, yet I feel a tremendous power in me.

09. August 1972 – About Théon and Sri Aurobindo

Théon used to say that up to now there had been… that this was the seventh creation; there had been six creations before which were “reabsorbed” — just as you said. And this one was the seventh, but it wouldn’t be reabsorbed, it would transform itself. There we are. Instead of that destruction by the sun which so far has ultimately led to the disappearance of the creation, this time the creation would go on transforming itself, to manifest and become again the Supreme.

Théon and Sri Aurobindo didn’t know each other, you see, they never met each other, they didn’t even know of each other’s existence. Yet Théon proclaimed… (I don’t remember what he called the new world) what Sri Aurobindo calls the “Supramental.” What’s remarkable — interesting, you know, strikingly interesting — is that without knowing each other, with totally different approaches, they reached the same conclusion.

And we are precisely at the time when… the other creations had come to an end; but instead of coming to an end, this one will be transformed. How? I don’t know.

The interesting thing in man is that materially speaking, he is… a mere nothing, a second lost in eternity — a tangled web of weaknesses — but in terms of consciousness, he has the capacity to understand. His consciousness is capable of contacting the supreme Consciousness. So naturally there are all those who wanted to merge back into that Consciousness, but Sri Aurobindo said: the point is not to merge back into it but to make the world capable of manifesting that supreme Consciousness.

Basically, it’s that.

How did they know?… There must have been a reason for them to know the same thing at the same time, in totally different countries and without ever knowing about each other.

And I met one and the other.

Greatly interesting, obviously.

Greatly interesting, because this physical being [Mother’s] was not born in an important position, quite the contrary (gesture indicating an ordinary background)… The only thing I remember well is when I was a little girl (five or six years old, I can’t say exactly), a very little girl, seated in a little armchair made especially for me, and I would feel a GREAT Force (Mother raises a finger above her head) above my head. And already at that age Oust the way a child can think, you know) I knew “that” was sure to accomplish great things… I didn’t understand anything, I didn’t know anything.

09. August 1972 – Solar Eruptions

Of the SUBSTANCE. The consciousness came long ago, but the thing is… Because, for example, this body has the same needs it used to have; that’s the way it is built: it needs to eat, but it can’t eat. So when I was told these eruptions would affect even the human body, I thought: could it be the substance that will create the supramental body?

If the Supramental is to manifest on earth, something of it has to relate to the physical.

Imperative. Yes, it’s becoming terribly powerful, in a body which is… (gesture of being miserable). But the body does not feel weak, yet it isn’t hungry. It isn’t “hungry,” that went long ago; but now, recently, it’s become almost impossible to eat. How is one supposed to live, then?

So when I was told that this solar explosion was heading for the earth and would affect people, I thought: well, maybe that’s what is coming to replace food?

It’s wishful thinking, I can’t say it’s a knowledge. It just came to me like that.

Because, according to what Sri Aurobindo said, the supramental body will be immortal and sexless — that is, no procreation. So for those who live, if the earth is still there and they are to go on living, they will have to transform themselves constantly, otherwise they won’t be able to last. Hence something has to replace food.

Food carries in itself a seed of death, of decay. So obviously, it must be replaced by something else.

Sri Aurobindo and all the Vedic Rishis have always likened the Supermind to the sun…

30. August 1972 – Consciousness replaces Thoughts

I can clearly see that instead of thought governing life, it’s consciousness. And when the consciousness remains quietly open to the Divine, all goes well. A lot of things constantly come into the consciousness, from the whole world, it would seem (gesture of being assailed from all sides): all the things that negate or oppose the divine Action. They keep coming all the time like this (same gesture). But if I can remain quiet (gesture of offering, hands open), in an attitude of… (smiling) nonexistence, a sort of… I don’t know if it’s transparency — I don’t know if one should say “transparency” or “immobility” — but it’s something in the consciousness that’s like this (same gesture of offering, hands open). When it stays that way, all is well; but as soon as it starts stirring, that is, as soon as the individuality comes to the forefront in any way, everything becomes detestable. It’s really too much.

You see, the physical body has a millennium of past experiences that says, “Why, that blissful state is impossible!” — this stupidity is what delays everything. It’s as if the cells themselves, the cells of the body which are used to struggling and suffering, couldn’t accept that things can be like this (same gesture of surrender, hands open). But when it is… then it’s wonderful.

Only it doesn’t last. It’s not daylong. Constantly, constantly things keep coming (same gesture of being assailed from all sides).

But now I see quite well, quite clearly — it’s very clear: consciousness replaces thought.

And… (how can I put it?) the difference between the two: thought is something that goes like this (whirling, restless gesture), ever in motion… whereas consciousness is like this (gesture hands open, offered upward). I can’t explain it.

You see, my body is beginning — just beginning — to know that the divine side means a life that’s… (Mother stretches out both arms in the vastness) progressive and luminous; but there’s an accumulation of past experiences which says, “Oh, that’s impossible!” — just like that. Well, that stupid “impossible” is what delays and spoils everything.

The basis of the fact is that as soon as the body steps out of the right attitude things get painful: everything aches and is laborious — you feel death and dissolution everywhere. And that’s what reinforces… Matter’s stupidity.

So, really speaking, I’d rather not talk, unless it’s to answer a specific question.

As for me, you know, all the things I used to rely on for action seem to be PURPOSELY collapsing (everything, even the smallest things) so I can say: what You will. It’s become… it’s become my sole refuge.

I don’t remember anything, you know! For instance, somebody says to me, “You’ll say this to that person,” I sincerely answer yes, but the next minute or so I no longer remember what it was!… I remember nothing — zero.

And then, sometimes I can stay for hours in a sort of peaceful and luminous contemplation, and think it’s been only a few minutes.

To the ordinary and undiscerning eye, you must accept to look like a… I am sure that ninety-nine people out of a hundred think I am… (smiling) cracked.

Often, very often I ask the Lord: how can I help now that I can’t see so well, can’t hear so well, can’t speak clearly and need help to get around? This state is…. Yet the body doesn’t sense any decline! It is convinced that if tomorrow the Lord wanted it to resume its regular activity, it could do so. The Force is there (Mother touches her arms, her muscles), a terrible force sometimes!… So why?…

This state is intentional so that… (smiling) so that people will leave me alone!

Their problems are all futile! (Mother laughs) And how impudent: infidelity in marriage, lack of honesty at work! Things of that sort. Unbelievable — it’s unbelievable. People ask me such questions… (laughing) such improbable questions!

All the rules, you know — oh, all the moral rules seem to have been thrown to the winds. So the appearances are… I’ll give you an example: somebody [from the Ashram] opens a “Travel Agency,” and when people give him money to buy tickets, he pockets the money and doesn’t buy the tickets — what do you think of that? (laughter) What next!

Often, you know, I look… (how can I put it?)… You are in the consciousness — you see, you are IN the consciousness — and so I look to see what place you occupy in the consciousness. Well… (Mother keeps her eyes closed, smiling).

Mon petit, I don’t want you to feel… (Mother makes a gesture of strutting), I don’t mean to compliment you, that’s not my intention. But you’re always… you’re like a luminous garden… with a distinct form (Mother draws a kind of rectangle in the air), it’s luminous and ranges from vivid pink to golden light. Exactly. And that’s you — that’s how I see you. Always.

There is a vast atmosphere — a vast atmosphere…. A vast atmosphere enveloped in Sri Aurobindo’s aura: the blue, the luminous light blue which is his color. I see you in that… you’re like a distinct garden (same gesture) with colors… it goes from vivid pink to… a luminous, golden atmosphere. A lovely garden. That’s what I see — I see it eyes open (Mother touches her open eyes). And that’s very good.

There remain a few spots of rigidity, I mean… (what can I say?) fixities of a personal nature, but… gradually, gradually, they are disappearing, they are being transformed. There. That’s what I see.