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ARTArticleWords of Wisdom—LaoziLaozi (translated as "Old Master"), also known as Lao Tzu, or Lao-Tze, proper name Li Er, was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer. He’s the author of the Tao Te Ching, founder of Taoism, and a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions.
He is usually portrayed as a 6th-century BCE contemporary of Confucius. Some modern historians believe he lived during the 4th century BCE.
Below we list words of wisdom by Laozi.
"For knowledge, add something every day. For wisdom...subtract."ARTArticleWords of Wisdom—Mirra AlfassaMirra Alfassa (February 21st, 1878 – November 17th, 1973), was a yoga teacher, occultist, and spiritual guru. She was known to her followers as The Mother. She founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a school, and Auroville, an experimental township dedicated to human unity and evolution.
Below we list words of wisdom by Mirra Alfassa.ARTArticleWork That Aids the Aspiration and Work That Dulls the Aspiration of the SeekerIt is a constant complaint that we have to take on boring, distasteful, mechanical or otherwise unpleasant jobs in order to survive. Then we create a bifurcation in our minds between “work time” and “personal time” or “sadhana” (if we happen to be practicing any form of yoga). We thus spend a large portion of our lives having separated our lives into the duality of what we “have to do” to survive, versus what our real aspiration or calling is.ARTArticleWork, Devotion, Meditation and the Practice of the Integral YogaWhatever the predominant aspect of the individual nature, the spiritual aspiration seizes upon that as the leading power to carry the sadhana forward. Nevertheless, at some point, it is important to recognize both the value and the necessity of the other aspects for what is after all an integral yoga, with a goal of spiritual realisation and the transformation of human nature based on that realisation. This is different than past yogic practices that focused primarily on liberation and did not conce
themselves with the exte
al life at all.ARTArticleYogic ConcentrationThe power of concentration is well-known. It is a power that we utilize daily to accomplish the various tasks set before us, or to achieve some goal that we have set for ourselves. In yoga, also, the power of concentration is required. The focus and intention behind the concentration is the primary difference between ordinary concentration and that utilized by practitioners of yoga.ARTArticleYour Greatest Weakness Identifies Your Greatest StrengthA particular propensity arises through affinity with an energetic flow through a particular energy center, or chakra. If the individual is receptive on that level, he is able to manifest the powers that are at play through that chakra centre. At the same time, it must be recognised that a propensity for the opposite also is tied to the same chakra. As the individual works to develop the positive aspect, he frequently finds that he is oppressed by the exact opposite of what he is wanting and trying to achieve.ARTArticleA Technique for Shifting the Focus of Consciousness Into a Status of Complete IdentificationPatanjali in his Yoga Sutras describes the practice of samyama which is a power of identification that results from the systematic development of dharana (holding the mind on to some particular object), dhyana (an unbroken flow of knowledge in that object) and samadhi (reflecting on the meaning, not the form of the object). Wherever the power of samyama is directed, upon whichever object or focus, a state of identification with that object takes place and direct knowledge occurs for the practitioner. (n.b. description and meaning courtesy of Swami Vivekananda in his lectures on Raja Yoga).ARTArticleBringing Harmony Between the Inner Psychic Being and the Exte
al NatureFor Sri Aurobindo, truth of the spirit is to be lived, not attained by abandonment of life in the world. He looks at the evolution of body, life and mind as steps along the evolutionary process, and each one of them represents an important stage in an ongoing development. The action of these instruments is to be uplifted and perfected as new evolutionary powers enter into the world. The developed human being can participate consciously in this process, and thereby aid in bringing forth these new powers and transforming the nature and thereby the life in the world.ARTArticleConcentration in the Mental Centre Is the Second Major Method to Achieve LiberationSome people, especially those with a naturally devotional nature, will gravitate toward concentration that is centred in the region of the heart. Others, who have a more intellectual turn, will find it easier in most instances to experience the concentration in the mental centre. This approach actually can itself take several different forms. Classically, the seeker is instructed to concentrate on the area between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra, also termed the ‘third eye’ by many. This is a centre of concentration and mental will.ARTArticleConquering Difficulties With a Positive Mind-SetThe Indian tradition relates a story of the divine singer, Narad, which emphasizes the power of a positive mind-set in the spiritual quest. He came across a yogi undertaking strenuous discipline, tapasya, This yogi inquired how much longer he would need to achieve enlightenment. Narad replied “4 more lifetimes”. The yogi became despondent and complained that after so much effort, still 4 more lifetimes would be required. Narad continued on his jou
eys and came across a seeker who was singing and dancing in ecstatic dance.ARTArticleEntering the Viewpoint of Another Person Widens the Understanding and Builds a Basis for HarmonyThere is a complex game called ‘chess’. The modern form of the game reputedly developed from a strategic game that appears to have originated in India in around the 6th or 7th century, although there were likely precursor forms that existed prior to that time. As a game of strategy, the object for the two players is to deploy their various game pieces, each having different basic powers of action, in order to gain control of the field and eventually conquer the opposing king. It is a game, simultaneously, consisting of offense and defense.ARTArticleEscaping the Little Ego-Consciousness Through Concentration on Infinite Space and Ete
al TimeWe are usually so busy focusing on the day to day lives we are living that we rarely take the time to reflect on the larger significance of the universal manifestation and what role we, as individuals play in this development. The concept of maya, the cosmic illusion, is based on our entanglement in this day to day activity without recognising the larger reality. We become attached, we are passionate about the small things that occupy us, and fail to see the ‘big picture’ of the universe.ARTArticleExperiencing the Wideness of the ConsciousnessThe Vedic Rishis sought the Truth, the Right, the Vast. (satyam, rtam, brihat). They understood that the awareness limited to the ego-personality, the individual body-life-mind complex, was incomplete and could not comprehend the truth or meaning of existence. They sought to identify with the larger reality that manifested our existence as part of its own, not simply as separate beings. What many do not recognise is that this is not some concept of pure philosophy, but an actual experience of consciousness.ARTArticleGaining Mental Understanding Through Quieting and Widening the Mental ConsciousnessMany people, over the years, have told me that reading Sri Aurobindo’s writings is difficult due to the complexity and wideness of the concepts he presents. I have heard, or experienced, similar issues reading Kant, Leibnitz, Kierkegaard, Sartre, Joyce and others.ARTArticleMaking Best Use of Our Limited TimeWhen we reflect on the time we have in our lifetime and how we utilize it, we find that after we calculate time spent in sleeping, eating, bathing, growth in childhood, earning a living, exercising, we have a very limited amount of what may be called “free time” available to us. In a culture and society that wants to keep us ‘occupied’ at all times, this free time is generally allocated to various forms of recreation or dissipation of our focus and energies. Any moment when we do not have a specific task or activity is considered empty and we deal with the feeling of boredom.ARTArticleMoving Beyond Arguments and Widening One’s ThoughtAt some time or another, every human being has the experience of having an opinion, thought or idea contradicted. The usual reaction is to defend one’s position, whether or not it is well-founded, and arguments tend to ensure. It is rare that one side of the argument is entirely right, and the other side entirely wrong, when looked at from a neutral perspective. Generally, there is something that can be appreciated or understood from any opposing or differing viewpoints, yet we tend to be so busy defending our own view that we fail to appreciate the positive aspects of other views.ARTArticleOptions and Risks in Widening the Consciousness Using Various MethodsThere are numerous ways to widen one’s consciousness to begin to incorporate the viewpoint and direction of others. Some of these methods are easier than others, in that they utilize a mood or feeling that is evoked from a natural environment, such as the starry sky, the ocean, a wide view from a mountaintop, etc. These methods also have the advantage of being safer in various ways as they do not try to directly enter and assimilate the energies or viewpoints of other individuals, who in some cases may be hostile to the thoughts and emotional process of the seeker.ARTArticleOvercoming Hopelessness and Depression by Tuning the Consciousness Towards the LightMany people, including those who are treading a spiritual path, feel depressed and hopeless when they see all the negativity, violence, and destruction taking place in the world around us. The mass media focuses on, and emphasizes, all this negativity, with the saying ‘if it bleeds, it leads’. They know they can capture the attention of more people for violent, dramatic events than with positive and harmonious issues.ARTArticleOvercoming Polarization and ArgumentWe live in a time of extreme polarization. People and even entire societies are taking fixed stands, and disputing the validity or right of anyone holding different or opposing viewpoints. In the framework of governing a nation, this leads inevitably to either a form of political gridlock if the sides are relatively equally matched, or a form of authoritarianism that attempts to control or stamp out views held by a minority who lack the immediate political power to level the playing field.ARTArticleSelf-Identification with Others — Loosening the Bonds of the Ego-ConsciousnessWith focus, over time and with dedicated effort, the power of concentrated attention, samyama, eventually bears fruit and one can escape the boundaries of the ego-consciousness and enter into an identification with others. As this occurs, we understand their motivations and the direction of their thoughts and actions. The Mother points out that this can even occur while reading a book. As the concentration deepens, it is possible to enter into the mind of the author.ARTArticleSeparating the Shadow from the Light in One’s BeinWhen we look around and see the challenges facing us on the planet, our first impulse is generally to try to find some kind of “fix” to the situation. This generally takes the form of suggesting that our current economic or political system or model is defective, deficient or broken, and thus, we need to either update it or switch to a different one. In some cases, those who have adopted a particular religious conviction believe that by making everyone else believe as they do will cure things. Thus, there may enter a missionary element to ‘convert’ others.ARTArticleThe Darkness and the Light Within Each IndividualAncient Chinese philosophy enunciated the concept of yin and yang, which represent the opposites that together form a whole, and which are constantly interacting with one another dynamically. The classical image shows a black spot in a white background and a white spot in a black background, bound together in a circle and dynamically moving within that space.
It is a common idea that light and dark are inextricably related to one another and cannot exist without each other. Our minds easily extrapolate to this viewpoint from our perception of physical day and night.ARTArticleThe Gods and the Demons in Our Inner PsychologyWe find in the ancient Indian epic, Ramayana, an interesting sub-plot which changes the very complexion of what appears to be a battle between ‘good’ personified by Rama and his family, and ‘evil’ as personified by Ravana and his kin. As we delve deeper into the tale, we find that Ravana was himself a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Yet the story goes even deeper. It turns out that Ravana in a past lifetime was a doorkeeper for Lord Vishnu, attending closely and with great devotion in Vishnu’s heavenly abode, along with his brother Kumbaka
a.ARTArticleThe Light and the Shadow in Each Individual BeingIt is easy to see the failings of others, while overlooking the issues within oneself. Jesus in his famous Sermon on the Mount, recounted in the New Testament of the Bible, exhorted his followers to not judge others but to look within, and noted ‘And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?’ARTArticleThe Parable of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeRobert Louis Stevenson wrote what is one of the classics in Western literature, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The tale is one of a scientist who experiments with potions, one of which releases the dark side of his being, the suppressed inhibitions and dark urges of murder, lust, etc., while when he returns to the state of the enlightened good doctor, he displays an educated, cultured and dedicated individual.ARTArticleThe Power of PeaceAs human beings, we are enamored of dynamic power. We want “action” and the powers of the body, the life energy and the mind are prized when they can accomplish visible results. We have proverbs such as “might makes right” which make it seem like strength in action is the most positive attribute. We carry this viewpoint into everyday interactions. If we feel challenged, we tend to respond with an aggressive, active response. The Old Testament of the Bible sets forth the idea of “an eye for an eye” as a way to respond to actions of others.ARTArticleTwo Steps to Spiritual ExperienceSpiritual experience takes ‘knowing about’ something to ‘knowing’ it. What we learn from books, what we learn in school, the facts we memorize, the procedures we learn about, are all based in the intellect and while they may open the mind to new things, do not represent actual experience. The famous proverb that one can read all the books on swimming, but will not actually know how to swim until one gets in the water and puts the theory into practice, is an appropriate one to keep in mind.ARTArticleVarious Forms of Meditation and Their Potential BenefitsMost people are confused about what meditation is. One of the causes of this confusion is the variety of forms of meditation that are recommended and practiced by various traditions. Some forms of meditation require strenuous efforts and considerable time to bear fruit. The Mother provides insight into meditation and proposes a method she finds most suitable.ARTArticleWidening the Consciousness Through Identification with Galactic SpaceThe principle Patanjali set forth for the practice of samyajma provided that one would be identified with and gain complete knowledge with the object of the practice of concentration. Those who choose to identify with the vast galactic panorama of stars and space would find their consciousness widened and they would loosen the bonds of the narrow ego personality. Since the ego-personality is the knot of what the spiritual disciplines call bondage to the world of illusions, maya, this practice provides a useful opportunity to shift the consciousness to a wider and more disinterested sphere.ARTArticleWidening the Consciousness: Practical Exercises and BenefitsIf we observe what happens to our inner psychology when we experience physical pain, we will see that we mostly tighten ourselves up, tensing the body, focusing intently on the experience of the bodily pain. By doing so, we actually intensify the pain experience through this focus and it takes over our consciousness.