Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

12. Difficulties of the Path (2)

Fragment ID: 3932

I wanted to stress two things, that is why I have written so much about them.

1. There must be no tamasic (inert, passive) surrender to the Mother – for that will bring as its reaction a passive inert helplessness before the lower or hostile forces or suggestions, an unresisting or helplessly resisting acquiescence or sufferance of these inroads. A passive condition can bring much peace, quietude, joy even, but it disperses the being instead of concentrating it in wideness and the will becomes atrophied. Surrender must be luminous, active, a willed offering to the Mother and reception of her force and support to its workings, at the same time a strong vigilant will to reject all that is not hers. Too many sadhaks cry before the attacks of their lower nature “I am helpless, I cannot react, it comes and makes me do what it wants.” This is a wrong passivity.

2. One must not get into the habit of a state in which one is always in a struggle with suggestions and forces. People very easily fall into this and make it a habit – the vital part takes a sort of glowing satisfaction in crying out “I am attacked, overborne, suffering, miserable! How tragic is my fate! Why do you not help, O Divine? There is no help, nor Divine Grace? I am left to my misery and downfall etc. etc. etc.” I do not want one more sadhak to fall into this condition – that is why I am calling Halt! before you get entangled into this kind of habit of constant struggle. It is what these forces want – to make you feel helpless, defeated, overcome. You must not allow it.