Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
4. The Mother in the Life of the Ashram
Did your remark “people withdraw into themselves” carry a suggestion that Mother’s personal touch is not necessary or essential?
It is not essential – the inner touch is the essential thing. But it can be of immense help if properly received. For certain things it is essential but these certain things nobody yet is ready for.
Some people believe that the inner touch is not essential; whatever is necessary can be had through meditation or otherwise.
Whatever is necessary for the inner being, yes.
As a matter of fact, plenty of people are glad because now they can do whatever they please.
But there was never any necessity for such people coming to the Pranam! It is not obligatory.
I know from my own experience that we have abused the Pranam. To tell you frankly, when the morning meditation started I was glad, and I was not quite certain it was not better than Pranam, for I thought, “Now I am free from those worries about Mother’s looks.” Even then I believe that there is something great in the physical touch of the Mother, and one can’t afford to lose it under any circumstance; of course one must have the right attitude.
That is it. The Pranam (like the soup in the evening before) has been very badly misused. What is the Pranam for? That people might receive in the most direct and integral way – a way that includes the physical consciousness and makes it a channel – what the Mother could give them and they were ready for. Instead people sit as if at a court reception noting what the Mother does (and generally misobserving), making inferences, gossiping afterwards as to her attitude to this or that person, who is the more favoured, who is less favoured – as if the Mother were doling out her favour or disfavour or appreciations or disapprovals there, just as courtiers in a court might do. What an utterly unspiritual attitude. How can the Mother’s work be truly done in such an atmosphere? How can there be the right reception? Naturally it reacts on the sadhak, creates any amount of misconception, wrong feelings etc. – creates an open door for the suggestions of the Adversary who delights in falsehood and administers plenty of it to the minds of the sadhaks. This apart from the fact that many throw all sorts of undesirable things on the Mother through the Pranam. The whole thing tends to become a routine, even where there are not these reactions. Some of course profit, those who can keep something of the right attitude. If there were the right attitude in all, well by this time things would have gone very far towards the spiritual goal.
What is the right attitude for real love and devotion? Is it to be psychically depressed because Mother is not coming for pranam any more or is it to try to get her within?
Psychic depression (a queer phrase – you mean vital, I suppose) can help no one. To try to receive within is always the true thing, whether through meditation or pranam.
2 February 1937