The
Science of Living
To know oneself and to control oneself
Many
other exercises of the same kind can be undertaken; some have
a beneficial effect on the character and so possess a double
advantage: that of educating the mind and that of establishing
control over the feelings and their consequences. For example,
you must never allow your mind to judge things and people,
for the mind is not an instrument of knowledge; it is incapable
of finding knowledge, but it must be moved by the knowledge.
Knowledge belongs to a much higher domain than that of the
human mind, far above the region of pure ideas. The mind has
to be silent and attentive to receive knowledge from above
and manifest it. For it is an instrument of formation, of
organisation and action, and it is in this function that it
attains its full value and real usefulness.
There
is another practice which can be very helpful to the progress
of the consciousness. Whenever there is a disagreement on
any matter, such as a decision to be taken, or an action to
be carried out, one must never remain closed up in one's own
conception or point of view. On the contrary, one must make
an effort to understand the other's point of view, to put
oneself in his place and, instead of quarrelling or even fighting,
find the solution which can reasonably satisfy both parties;
there always is one for men of goodwill.
Here
we must mention the discipline of the vital. The vital being
in us is the seat of impulses and desires, of enthusiasm and
violence, of dynamic energy and desperate depressions, of
passions and revolts. It can set everything in motion, build
and realise; but it can also destroy and mar everything. Thus
it may be the most difficult part to discipline in the human
being. It is a long and exacting labour requiring great patience
and perfect sincerity, for without sincerity you will deceive
yourself from the very outset, and all endeavour for progress
will be in vain. With the collaboration of the vital no realisation
seems impossible, no transformation impracticable. But the
difficulty lies in securing this constant collaboration. The
vital is a good worker, but most often it seeks its own satisfaction.
If that is refused, totally or even partially, the vital gets
vexed, sulks and goes on strike. Its energy disappears more
or less completely and in its place leaves disgust for people
and things, discouragement or revolt, depression and dissatisfaction.
At such moments it is good to remain quiet and refuse to act;
for these are the times when one does stupid things and in
a few moments one can destroy or spoil the progress that has
been made during months of regular effort. These crises are
shorter and less dangerous for those who has established a
contact with their psychic being which is sufficient to keep
alive in them the flame of aspiration and the consciousness
of the ideal to be realised. They can, with the help of this
consciousness, deal with their vital as one deals with a rebellious
child, with patience and perseverance, showing it the truth
and light, endeavouring to convince it and awaken in it the
goodwill which has been veiled for a time. By means of such
patient intervention each crises can be turned into a new
progress, into one more step towards the goal. Progress may
be slow, relapses may be frequent but if a courageous will
is maintained, one is sure to triumph one day and see all
difficulties melt and vanish before the radiance of the truth-consciousness.
Lastly,
by means of a rational and discerning physical education,
we must make our body strong and supple enough to become a
fit instrument in the material world for the truth-force which
wants to manifest through us.
In
fact, the body must not rule, it must obey. By its very nature
it is a docile and faithful servant. Unfortunately, it rarely
has the capacity of discernment it ought to have with regard
to its masters, the mind and the vital. It obeys them blindly,
at the cost of its own well-being. The mind with its dogmas,
its rigid and arbitrary principles, the vital with its passions,
its excesses and dissipations soon destroy the natural balance
of the body and create in it fatigue, exhaustion and disease.
It must be freed from this tyranny and this can be done only
through a constant union with the psychic centre of the being.
The body has a wonderful capacity of adaptation and endurance.
It is able to do so many more things than one usually imagines.
If, instead of the ignorant and despotic masters that now
govern it, it is ruled by the central truth of the being,
you will be amazed at what it is capable of doing. Calm and
quiet, strong and poised, at every minute it will be able
to put forth the effort that is demanded of it, for it will
have learnt to find rest in action and to recuperate, through
contact with the universal forces, the energies it expends
consciously and usefully. In this sound and balanced life
a new harmony will manifest in the body, reflecting the harmony
of the higher regions, which will give it perfect proportions
and ideal beauty of form. And this harmony will be progressive,
for the truth of the being is never static; it is a perpetual
unfolding of a growing perfection that is more and more total
and comprehensive. As soon as the body has learnt to follow
this movement of progressive harmony, it will be possible
for it to escape, through a continuous process of transformation,
from the necessity of disintegration and destruction. Thus
the irrevocable law of death will no longer have any reason
to exist.
When we reach this degree of perfection which is our goal,
we shall perceive that the truth we seek is made up of four
major aspects:
- Love,
- Knowledge,
- Power
and
- Beauty.
These four attributes of the Truth will express themselves
spontaneously in our being. The psychic will be the vehicle
of true and pure love, the mind will be the vehicle of infallible
knowledge, the vital will manifest an invincible power and
strength and the body will be the expression of a perfect
beauty and harmony.
November 1950
-The Mother
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