This is the beginning
of a new year, an important year in many ways. In 1954 the Mother
had given a special message for the New Year.
The Mother had also said
that the situation in the world was critical at the inner and the
outer levels, that there would be many difficulties to be faced,
and she had also explained the attitude and the spirit that was
required from us.
The Mother was asked
several questions related to the message and about what she had
said. We feel that both, the message and the Mother's explanations,
are very significant and extremely relevant in today's circumstances.
"No human will
can finally prevail against the Divine's Will. Let us put ourselves
deliberately and exclusively on the side of the Divine, and the
Victory is ultimately certain."
Attitude for the New
Year
This message was written
because it is foreseen that next year will be a difficult year
and there will be many inner struggles and even outer ones perhaps.
So I tell all of you what attitude you should take in these circumstances…
you must make an effort never to lose the attitude about which
I am going to speak to you just now.
In fact, I insist that
the more difficult things are, the more you must remain quiet,
and the more should you have an unshakable faith. Of all things
this is the most important.
Usually, as soon as
things become difficult, human beings get agitated, become irritated,
get terribly excited and they make the difficulties ten times
more difficult. So I am warning you right away that this is not
to be done, that you must do the opposite; and what I am going
to read to you is precisely what you must repeat to yourself as
soon as you feel some anxiety or disquietude within you; you must
remember what I am telling you today and remember it throughout
the year. You can repeat it morning and evening profitably. Here,
then.
"No human will
can finally prevail against the Divine's Will. Let us put ourselves
deliberately and exclusively on the side of the Divine, and the
Victory is ultimately certain."
…This indeed is
a programme for next year. I hope that next year I shall be able
to say that many have tried to make their external life the expression
of their deeper aspiration…
The True Consciousness
Now, as we have spoken
about difficulties, I am going to read to you two things which
will give you just a little glimpse of what true consciousness
is, that which is free from all difficulties, that which is above
all conflicts.
The first one goes
like this - you have read it perhaps but I don't think you could
have quite understood it. It is called
ONE DAY
The Little More
One day, and all
the half-dead is done,
One day, and all the unborn begun;
A little path and the great goal,
A touch that brings the divine whole.
Hill after hill
was climbed and now,
Behold, the last tremendous brow
And the great rock that none has trod:
A step, and all is sky and God.
-
Sri Aurobindo
And then this:
Even in rags I
am a god;
Fallen, I am divine;
High I triumph when down-trod,
Long I live when slain.
-
Sri Aurobindo
(A stanza from the
Poem "Life" by Sri Aurobindo)
Victory is Certain
Question: What is
the meaning of the sentence that the Victory is ultimately certain?
It means that finally
the Victory is certain. Whatever may be the course of events and
the ups and downs and the difficulties and the different issues
of the different conflicts, at the end of the curve one is sure
of the Victory, for the Divine is sure to be victorious. It may
take a longer or shorter time. I have said that finally no human
will can prevail against the divine Will. Finally means in spite
of everything… In spite of all divine patience, there is
a given moment when human will exhausts its strength and the divine
Will prevails.
We always measure time
by our small human duration; but naturally the divine forces do
not have the same measure as ours, and what may seem to us long
or uncertain is for them the most direct way, in spite of everything,
to reach there.
A Difficult Year
Question: Will it
be a difficult year for the Ashram or also for India and the whole
world?
Generally. The world,
India, the Ashram and individuals. Everyone according to his mode,
naturally not in the same way for all. Some things will seem easier
than others. But generally speaking it is the last hope of the
adverse forces to triumph against the present Realisation. If
one holds on fast during these months, after that they will not
be able to do anything very much, it will be a crumbling resistance.
That's it: it is essentially the conflict of the adverse forces,
the anti-divine forces which are trying to push back the divine
Realisation as much as they can they hope, for thousands of years,
you see. And it is this conflict which has come to its crisis.
It is their last chance; and as those who are behind their external
action are altogether conscious beings, they know very well that
it is their last chance, and they will put all they can into it,
and what they can is much. These are not ordinary little human
consciousnesses. They are not human consciousnesses at all. They
are consciousnesses which, compared with human possibilities,
seem to be divine in their power, their strength, even their knowledge.
Therefore it is a terrific conflict and one wholly concentrated
on the earth, because they know that it is upon earth that the
first victory has to be won - the decisive victory, a victory
which will determine the course of the earth's future.
Those who are noble-hearted
and hold up their heads when things become dangerous, can be happy.
It is an opportunity to rise above oneself.
Unity with the Divine
Will
Question: How to bring
our will in line with the Divine Will?
Well, first you must
want it. Afterwards you must have a great aspiration. And then
you must continue to want it, and continue to aspire and not give
way when difficulties come, and continue until you succeed. That's
all. And then, a certain number of things are necessary, as for
example not to be selfish, not to have a small narrow-mindedness,
not to live with preferences, not to have desires, not to have
mental opinions - many things. It is a fairly long process because
you must change your ordinary nature. This is the first condition.
To break all the limits
of one's mind, break all the desires of one's vital, break all
the preferences of one's physical nature. After that one may hope
to be in contact with the Divine Will; and then, later, one must
not only be in contact with it, but live integrally this Will,
that is, be unified in all one's being: not have a single bit
which goes on this side and another bit which goes on that. You
must be entirely in one single will.
What we should do
Question: When we
are faced with a difficulty, does this mean that the Divine is trying
to make us conscious of the defects of our nature?
If you face it, yes.
That is, as soon as you are in front of a difficulty, if instead
of giving way like a coward you begin trying to conquer it, then
you may be sure that the Divine is behind you. But if you are
cowardly, the Divine will not be there. That is, your cowardice
cuts you off from the Divine. But if you resist and want to conquer,
you may be sure that the Divine will be there to help you. There's
not the shadow of a doubt about it.
A child asks: If this
year is difficult for us, what should we do?
What should you do?
Be very good, very good, very quiet, work well, be very obedient,
do what you are told, and be regular at school. All this - it
is very important.
If during these months
you make much progress, you become very good and very reasonable,
very conscious and very regular, after this it will be easier.
But if you spend your time in letting time pass without making
any progress, you will find yourself in the same position where
you now are, not better.
It is precisely a chance
given to everyone to make progress. If he doesn't use it, so much
the worse for him, he will remain where he is. And instead of
being a conscious element in the world, he will be a cork upon
the waters, tossed by circumstances. And with anything that happens,
he will be carried away without having the least control over
what is happening. Because the first thing necessary to have a
control over events is to be absolutely conscious and master of
oneself; you must make a great effort throughout this time and
manage to become a little more conscious and a little more self-controlled.
You must not think that suddenly it will be a beatific paradise
where all your defects will disappear as by magic. It is not like
that.
Your defects will disappear
if you do what is necessary for them to disappear, not otherwise.
- The
Mother
