The Mother

Agenda

Volume 8

January 14, 1967

(As she comes into her room, Mother stops in front of a tray of flowers that has just been brought and takes in her hand a strange new variety of hibiscus, gray-mauve with a bright red pistil.)

Oh, this is really my joy!

What's this flower?... (Mother takes the hibiscus) It has a strange color.

Yes, I've never seen it.

It's strange, with this red dot here.

Very strange.

It gives me a strange sensation.... How can I explain it? Oddly, it's something between deceit and perversion, yet it's divine! How do you like that!

You mean there's something false in the flower's appearance?

No, it's not the outside: it's inside.

Inside the flower?

It's inside, it's... What could we call it?... (Mother laughs) “The divine principle of duplicity.”

Not very reassuring, this flower.

Yes, that's right.

We might say, “The charm of deceitful beauty.”

Yes, it's something like that!

We have much to learn from life.... Flowers know much better than we do. It's spontaneous, not thought out, not willed: it's divine vibrations that express themselves spontaneously. And this is... There's the English word alluring. Well, we could call it “the all-powerful divine Charm of a... perfidious beauty.” Naturally, that's on the vital-physical plane. It's not up above, but there [on the vital-physical plane].

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(After the work, towards the end, Mother suddenly seems to recollect something.)

Two nights ago, I was complaining that my nights were always spent in an obscure toil in the subconscient and that, after all... (laughing) it was “no great fun”! That's how it was – a whim. I said, “I would really like to have at night the full consciousness I have when I am awake. Something is missing; what's missing is...” And I was trying to define that “something” which was the precise expression of what the physical creation has contributed to the immense Manifestation, something which is specific to the physical consciousness as nowhere else, in no other domain. So that was the problem: If it [the “something” contributed by the physical consciousness] can't be had in sleep, it means that when we lose our body, we'll lose a degree of precision, doesn't it?

Before going to sleep I was in that frame of mind, and at night there was a series of experiences to show all the various states of consciousness of the various states of being. When I got up in the morning, there was a very keen observation of the difference contributed by the physical. I saw how that difference could carry on in the new physical state once it had shed its false side. And then, for... I don't know, certainly two hours, there was a concrete Presence of what I call “the supreme Lord” (but we can call it any name, it doesn't matter at all: Truth, Consciousness, whatever we like – all words don't matter at all, it's something beyond all that). A concrete presence, there, like this (Mother clenches her two fists as if to express a palpable solidity), in all the cells, the whole being. I went on doing all the absolutely trifling and tiny little things – like washing, customary things, eating, too, speaking – and it stayed there. And it seemed to be to tell me, “This is how it will be.” A joy, a power, a blossoming – extraordinary, to such a point that I wondered how it was that this [body] didn't change.... It's because THE STATE DIDN'T LAST LONG ENOUGH. It lasted only about two hours (more or less); afterwards, back came the everyday routine, everybody with their problems, and so forth (Mother makes the familiar gesture of the “truckload” being dumped). But I am not accusing anything of having made the state go away: it went away because this [body] isn't yet capable of holding it, that's all. That is to say, at the time, while it was there, there was an intimation that I had to write a note.... That's what I wanted to tell you. I had to write a note. (Mother breaks off abruptly, then speaks as if words were being dictated to her:)

“Because of the necessities of the transformation, this body may enter a state of trance that will appear cataleptic....

Then I knew it was Sri Aurobindo speaking, because he started taking on his ironic tone, and he said:

“Above all, no doctors! This body must be left in peace.¹ Do not hasten, either, to announce my death (Mother laughs) and to give the government the right to intervene. Keep me carefully sheltered from all injuries² that may come from outside – infection, poisoning, etc. – and have UNTIRING patience: it may last days, perhaps weeks, perhaps even longer, and you will have to wait patiently for me to come naturally out of that state once the work of transformation is accomplished.”

I didn't have the time to write it down. But Sri Aurobindo himself said to me, “On Saturday, when you see Satprem.”

It's interesting.

So it's something that's going to take place.

It looks like that.... Because it came when I was fully in that state, but I was conscious that this [body] needed... it takes TIME, that's the problem. Instantaneous things are miraculous and don't have the power of duration: they don't correspond to the STATE – the vibratory state of something lasting. So then, this intimation came, and when it came the experience was over, everything stopped.

But now I know what it is. And it has left in the being a sort of certitude, but a certitude so full of joy, oh!...

There we are.

But Mother, these “instructions” should be given ...

...Should be known by everyone.

Everyone.

Which means by those who are near me, who look after me, even by people like the doctors, who might take it into their heads to go and inform the government, for instance!

Because this intimation was very... imperative, it was an imperative necessity – which to me seems to prove that it will happen. “Because of the necessities of the transformation...” That was when the experience was there and I became aware of all that needed to be changed for this body to be capable of holding the thing constantly, for it to be there all the time. So that came. And I wanted to write it down, but didn't have the time, I was already terribly late; then came very clearly from Sri Aurobindo, “On Saturday, when Satprem is here.”

I forgot to tell you at first!

You'll have to make it into a note and give it to those you think it should be given to.

Yes, first to the “trustees” [the heads of the Ashram's administration], because they are the ones who have authority here; then it will have to be translated into English and distributed.³ You understand, no one should take it into his head to go and tell the government – because they're so silly, they might go shouting about.

Yes, of course. They may go and inform the government or...

So the government will come and say, “But you can't keep this, you have to bury it.” That would be lovely! It would be a fine mess!

There will have to be some wisdom in the disciples.

Excuse me?

A little wisdom in the disciples.

Yes... yes.

Nobody should say anything except, “Mother has gone into trance.” That's all, quite simply. “She is in trance.”

But if they are prepared for the idea beforehand, they might be more reasonable?...

¹ “Surtout pas de docteurs! il faut laisser ce corps en paix.” Mother added this first sentence in a slip of paper she sent to Satprem after the conversation (see facsimile).

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² It may be noted that Mother used the French word “injure” (normally meaning “insult”) because she heard the English word “injury.” (See conversation of January 25.)

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³ This note was actually translated into English by one of the Ashram's secretaries and distributed to five people among those near Mother, including Nolini. Everyone “having authority” thus knew of it.

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