SAIEN

It is a wonderful thing that we have recordings of Mother’s voice spanning many years on a wide variety of topics such as messages, conversations, readings, and instructions. Of these what I listen to regularly are The Agenda  and the Playground talks. It is part of my morning routine to listen to each of them for a few minutes. And as both The Agenda  and Playground talks are only in French, it requires me to follow along reading the French editions of these. Although my French is good, to get the full benefit and completely understand what Mother is saying, I have the book alongside. I find the time spent listening to Mother to be quite uplifting. Because it is in French, I have to listen more closely or I miss the words. As a result, my mind becomes attentive, focused and still. And as I listen to Mother, the words in the book become alive with the added quality of her presence and personality. It is like listening to a person tell me something rather than just reading a te...

What use will all the praise and applause be, If He who I yearn for I can no longer see. What joy can achievement and acclaim bring, If the tongue can spew wonders but the heart can no longer sing. In the outer changing spaces of shadow and light, Where will I find thy loving delight? O Ancient of the Worlds who silently lifts, Give to me thy self beyond thy gifts. - Anahita Sanjana (India)

To the extent we fail to see the underlying motivations and desires that drive our thoughts and our actions, we tend to take a relatively benign view of who we are and how we respond to life. Similarly, to a great degree we tend to assign a similar motivation to others, although, it must be said, we tend to be more critical of others than of ourselves, and we do tend to project our own faults upon others. We do not actually enjoy digging into the deeper vital motivations that drive us, as we prefer to remain ‘blissfully ignorant’ and have a measure of deniability through ignorance, of what is really going on. All of this changes when we start to become conscious and can observe both our own external nature, our thoughts, feelings, desires, drives, motivations, etc. and, by extension, those of others with whom we interact in the world. What an eye-opener it is! Of course, not everything is bad or evil, and we can also observe the true movements of compassion, aspiration, consecration th...

Relationships. This seems to be the favourite area to work upon in young people. Relationship with family – especially the parents and siblings, with friends and more and more with that one special friend who acquires a special meaning as one enters the teenage years. Meeting young people, working with them, I am again and again asked for ways to work on one’s relationships. Here are some thoughts based on self-observation – simple things that can impact any relationship in a big way...... Mental Assumptions I had some work with a colleague. She said we will do it on Saturday when she comes to the office. Saturday morning – no sign of the colleague. My angst rising by the minute. “Why is she so irresponsible? She is just not interested in the work. Always tries to make things difficult for me. Why did she have to say that we will do it on Saturday?” Hold on! Did she give a particular time? No. Then why did I assume one? Why did I imagine that she will come for the morning meditation an...

The mind is a curious creature --- playful as a child, creator of imaginary fears, doubts, apprehensions. The human mind is prone to saddle one with an unending stream of irrational worries, at the slightest hint of impending crisis or unexpected turn of events in one's life. Such proclivities may snowball into hypertension, bipolar tendencies, depression, all kinds of phobia, paranoia, growing fear psychosis. Sri Aurobindo's path of integral yoga, it has been my experience, helps one to navigate the plethora of problematic situations encountered in life. The path of integral yoga is one where the growing awareness of one's shortcomings drives the inner being towards the higher consciousness. This spiritual practice seeks to integrate all aspects of life—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual—into a unified experience of higher consciousness akin to divinity. According to Sri Aurobindo the terrestrial World is not a mistake nor a vanity or illusion to be cast aside summa...

‘Tis not to you alone that I call by your name. When all of me becomes a Blessed Tongue intoning the Great Name, Overwhelmed by its puissance, Melted down by its beauty, I call to the truth that hides behind its appearance, I call to the light that rescues the darkness, I call to the Eternal Fullness that redeems the perceived lack. ‘Tis not to you alone that I call by your name. I call to that once glimpsed Deep of unfathomable sweetness, I call to the voiceless whispers forever beckoning beyond. I call to the sound of the mysterious flute Wafting through the babel of material voices. ‘Tis not to you alone that I reach out by your name. I reach out to the lost kingdoms of the spirit, I reach out to the loved one lost in the mist of compulsive thinking. - Anahita Sanjana (India)

In an audio talk given by Dr Maheshwari, a well-known seeker in Sri Aurobindo Ashram, gave a simple practice to remain connected with the Mother’s grace on 24X7 basis, and it was  “Remember and Offer ”.  Listening to his talk and contemplation on this simple practice had a good impact and resonance in my spiritual journey as a seeker on the path of Integral Yoga. I had been fortunate to listen to his talks in mid-70s during his visits to Sri Aurobindo Society center in Lucknow as a teenager. It is a reality that each one of us do have a tendency to Remember certain images, peoples whom we come across as given relationships or chosen relationships in our personal, social and professional domains of our life.     Our habitual responses to external stimuli are largely driven by most frequently remembered people who influenced us at emotional and mental levels. Our parents and Spiritual Masters are certainly most revered people whom all of us remember as they are in...