The Mother

Agenda

Volume 11

April 11, 1970

(Regarding a text of Sri Aurobindo about the difference between occult powers and the supramental realization.)

“The physical Nature does not mean the body alone but the phrase includes the transformation of the whole physical mind, vital, material nature – not by imposing Siddhis [occult powers] on them, but by creating a new physical nature which is to be the habitation of the supramental being in a new evolution. I am not aware that this has been done by any Hathayogic or other process. Mental or vital occult power can only bring Siddhis of the higher plane into the individual life – like the Sannyasi who could take any poison without harm, but he died of a poison after all when he forgot to observe the conditions of the Siddhi. The working of the supramental power envisaged is not an influence on the physical giving it abnormal faculties but an entrance and permeation changing it wholly into a supramentalised physical. I did not learn the idea from Veda or Upanishad, and I do not know if there is anything of the kind there. What I received about the Supermind was a direct, not a derived knowledge given to me; it was only afterwards that I found certain confirmatory revelations in the Upanishad and Veda.”

11 September 1936
On Himself, 26.112

Exactly what does he say will take place?

“...The working of the supramental power ...is not an influence on the physical giving it abnormal faculties ...

No, it's not that at all!

“...but an entrance and permeation ...

Oh, yes.

“...changing it wholly into a supramentalised physical.”

(silence)

At any rate, in my case (I don't know whether all cases are similar), the trouble is that... In life's ordinary condition, the body has a sort of stable base as a result of which it isn't uncomfortable, it can be quite busy with other things while remaining neutral: its existence goes unnoticed, and... it doesn't require a continuous attention in order to be in a... favorable state, let's say. In ordinary life, normally you live while being as little concerned with your body as possible; it's an automatically functioning instrument. But in this present condition [of Mother's], the minute the body's attention stops being wholly turned to the Divine, relying on the Divine, it becomes VERY miserable. That's the... So then, when it does nothing, it's concentrated; when I see people, it's also concentrated – all that's quite fine. But the whole rest of the time, if it's not ACTIVELY concentrated, it's enough to make it feel quite miserable. Then it becomes terrible.

Almost all night long, there is a concentrated rest in the Divine and that's very fine, but at times the body still slips into something resembling sleep, and then it becomes so miserable!... Dreadful.

I don't know if this is special to it, but the atmosphere (Mother feels the air around her) is full of the most absurd suggestions.... All that disappears only when it's ACTIVELY concentrated. That's the way it is most of the time, but still there are moments... For instance, at mealtimes it's very difficult, as if each mouthful had to be consciously taken as an offering, fully conscious of the Divine. Otherwise, it won't do at all – I can't eat, can't swallow.

I don't know if that's special to this body or if it will be the same thing for all bodies.... Naturally, it's fully aware that this is a transitional period, but... it's very difficult.

(long silence)

Now and then, for a few seconds, there is... perhaps a “specimen” of what is to be, what will be – when, I don't know – it lasts a few seconds. That's wonderful, but...

(long silence)

Speaking has become very, very, very difficult... (I mean the material fact of speaking).

How are your nights?... The same?

Yes... I don't know. It's quite unconscious.

But do you sleep?

I feel it's very light: the least noise instantly wakes me up.

(Mother goes into a contemplation)

It's very hard to explain. It's a very strange impression, as if one were... on the edge – but on the edge of what? I don't know. Something... (Mother shakes her head).

(Mother goes back into a contemplation till the end)

It could last all the time, you understand, there's no reason for it to change. It's all the time like that. What time is it?

Twenty past eleven.

If you want to make me talk, you must come with questions, otherwise it's not possible.

You think I should come with questions?

If you like!

My feeling, when one is in front of you, is that... [Mother laughs]... it all melts.

Yes. If it's enough for you...

It's a curious situation. The being isn't at all turned in on itself: there's nothing, it's like this (Mother stretches her arms into the infinite). It's like this. Maybe that's why: it receives forces but doesn't keep them, they hardly enter at all [into Mother], it's like this (gesture of a continuous flow through Mother and spreading outward), all the time. All the time like that. So if I am told about something, it makes a point (Mother pinches a point in space between her two fingers), a point of concentration for a moment; otherwise it's all the time like that (same gesture of continuous flow), all the time. It goes like this, like this (same gesture of “outward” flow). It feels – the body feels forces coming, but... it doesn't even feel them going through, doesn't feel it's giving them, not at all, it's like that (same gesture of spreading). It all goes through without... through what, one doesn't know... Very nonexistent. Very nonexistent. And then, if the body starts being conscious of itself or of something, it's MOST unpleasant, a discomfort....

I have noticed that with receptive people (I see people, lots of them), with receptive people, it starts flowing and flowing and flowing... like that. And nothing else: no thought, no... not even sensation. But the strange thing is that if the body becomes conscious of itself... it doesn't suffer, that's not suffering, but something which is... an inexpressible discomfort.

(Mother holds Satprem's hands for a long time, looking at him)

Tell me one thing.... Did you feel you were receiving or giving?

I felt filled!

Ah, good.... Then that's it. That's my ideal condition. At such times it's perfectly fine. That way, it's fine. Do you understand?

Yes, I think that's it: I don't feel I [exist]... it's limitless, you understand, that's the strange thing. This (Mother points to her body) is quite artificial.

Then it's good, no...

Mon petit...

Yes, it's ...

(Mother laughs)

... it's the Divine which is there!

(Mother laughs a lot)

... And the curious thing is that I don't at all feel it comes from one place. On the contrary, it's a concentration: a concentration here, as if... (laughing) as if an expanse of something were pushed through a hole! (Mother draws a small circle between two fingers). You understand, that's how it is!... Yet, it's not limited, but it's... it's a movement like this (gesture of a flow through Mother). So it's pointed [at a person or the word]. It's pointed.

But that's the ideal state! (Mother laughs)