Sri Aurobindo

Letters on Himself and the Ashram

The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo. Volume 35

Entering Sri Aurobindo’s Path

A Special Path [10]

I have been doing asanas for the last year and a half, but do not seem to have derived any benefit from this, nor do I see light while doing pranayama. I have been a devotee of Sri Dattatreya and have been given a mantra by a sannyasi whom I regard as my guru. Recently I have read your book The Mother and feel that the Mother and Dattatreya are not different but one. Still, I do not see the light that, it is said, comes to those who practise asanas and pranayama.

Please give me some instruction in asanas and pranayama.

Tell him that this is a different way of Yoga and it does not include Asanas and Pranayam. The seeing of light depends on a certain opening of the inner consciousness — it can come by pranayam or without pranayam. If he does not see, there must be some obstacle not yet removed in himself. But whatever difficulties he has, he should seek their solution from his guru.

25 June 1936