Education

Transcription

Education

SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY
Singapore
Permit No. MICA (P) 107/11/2012
November 2013
NEWSLETTER
VOL 27.11
Education
“It is not a number we want – it is a selection; it is not brilliant students that we want, it is living souls.”
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The Mother
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The Mother
Integral Wisdom
The wisdom one obtains through union with the Divine.
Common Name: Siris tree, Lebbeck tree
Botanical Name: Leucaena leucocephala
Spiritual Name: Integral Wisdom
“Education, to be complete, must have five principal aspects
corresponding to the five principal activities of the human being: the
physical, the vital, the mental, the psychic and the spiritual.”
-
The Mother
Integral
Education
Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. November 2013.
Guiding Light of the Month
“. . . Let the pure perfume of sanctification burn always, rising higher
and higher, and straighter and straighter, like the ceaseless prayer of
the integral being, desiring to unite with Thee so as to manifest Thee.”
March 13 1913;
‘Prayers and Meditations’, The Mother
From the Editor’s Desk
collectively, some do think of the world, of
humanity and the way forward. Sri Aurobindo saw
the greater destiny of man and decisively thought of
education as a means to manifest the ideal of a
greater man on a transformed planet, a humanity that
lives on the truest principles of Truth, Beauty and
Goodness and more. His was a realisation that saw
the Spirit of Divinity shaping mind, matter and life
on earth. It is a way of being that actually challenges
and hopefully defeats the defeatist, the fatalist, the
negativist, the denouncer and the denier in us.
We know that education is dictated by the needs of
its place and time. The way it operates today, now,
in its own place is so because we have endorsed it
and we subscribe to it. We have come a long way in
mainstream education and how long more we would
go is anyone’s guess. Voices there are, raised against
its ills, even as its goodness passes by lost in the
travail of life’s challenges or championed by it.
These voices will potentially spark a small trail of
change, sometime in the future, decades maybe or
centuries later, in the way children are schooled. The
collective consciousness will certainly shape
Sri Aurobindo recognised that this would in no way
education. It is evolutionary.
be accomplished in the next many decades or even
We also know that however we educate the young centuries perhaps, but still, it was this stamp, without
shows itself up in the population decades later. Can compromises, that he laid on the educational
we turn the clock back? Probably not. But lessons framework he outlined for India and for the world at
there are to learn from. Who is the policy maker who large, in detail. It was meant for children of the
shapes the education system? Who frames the future in whose hands he confidently placed the
ideology? How and why? We do or are at least, seeds of posterity. These are the children meant to
equipped to and certainly contribute. It has always pave pathways to achieve the unexpected high, for
been that, based on collective ideology, education is all of humanity, not for one man, for a family, for
shaped and so too our young and therefore our the institute, for a community, or for a country. It
future. Maybe the question to ask is, “what is the was an education that embraced all of civilisation in
destiny I want for this country?” than “what is the its ambit. That too, not for now, or tomorrow, but for
benefit I want for my child, the family and the all of time to come, for existence here on earth. The
school or the institution?” A greater question could start point is always small, minute, so minute, so
be, “what is the destiny we want for the world?” and small and so ordinary it misses the eye, the ear. The
an even greater question, “what is the destiny we start point is this tiny dot, this tiny murmur within
want for humanity?” These questions will put into that seeks for something more perfect in the way
perspective any attempts we make at educating the things are done and then based on which the
nation. But then, who will think of the world? Who decisions we make for ourselves and those left in our
will think of humanity? It is still a world of divide charge, our children. The rest proceeds in its own
along the lines of clime, country, nation, state, steam. Reference is made here to an integral system
colour, creed, culture, conflicts. Yet something deep of education which Sri Aurobindo and The Mother
within us dreams of a better world, has glimpsed a envisaged for souls ready for the adventure of selfbeautiful one, harmonious, united; there is discovery, no matter how long it would take, no
something that hopes and watches and waits with matter where it would lead, what the discovery may
faith. In all the chaos and mayhem that confronts us be.
www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg
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Savitri
Happy are men anchored on fixed belief
In this uncertain and ambiguous world,
Or who have planted in the heart’s rich soil
One small grain of spiritual certitude.
Happiest who stand on faith as on a rock.
But I must pass leaving the ended search,
Truth’s rounded outcome firm, immutable
And this harmonic building of world-fact,
This ordered knowledge of apparent things.
Here I can stay not, for I seek my soul.
(Savitri, Book 7 Canto 3)
Question of the month
“Our aim is not a national system of education for India, but an education for the
world at large.”
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The Mother
Q: Sublime Mother, our aim is no exclusive national system of education
for India but an essential and fundamental education for all mankind.
But, is it not true, Mother, that this education, because of India’s special
fitness (by virtue of its past cultural striving and attainment),is India’s
privilege and special responsibility towards herself and the world? At
any rate, this essential education is India’s national education to my
mind. In fact, I regard this as the national education of each great
country with characteristic differentiations peculiar to each nation.
I wonder whether this is correct and Mother would endorse it?
A: The Mother: Yes, this is quite correct and part of what I would have said if I had had
time to answer your questions.
India has or rather had the knowledge of the Spirit, but she neglected matter and suffered for it.
The West has the knowledge of matter but rejected the Spirit and suffers badly for it.
An integral education which could, with some variations, be adapted to all the nations of the
world, must bring back the legitimate authority of the Spirit over a matter fully developed and
utilised.
This is in short what I wanted to say.
-
With blessings.
26 July 1965
(The Mother, ‘CWM’, Vol. 12, “On Education”, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry)
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An Introduction to Integral Education
The Education of a human being should begin at birth and continue throughout his life. Indeed,
if we want this education to have its maximum result, it should begin even before birth; in this
case it is the mother herself who proceeds with this education by means of a twofold action: first,
upon herself for her own improvement, and secondly, upon the child whom she is forming
physically. For it is certain that the nature of the child to be born depends very much upon the
mother who forms it, upon her aspiration and will as well as upon the material surroundings in
which she lives. To see that her thoughts are always beautiful and pure, her feelings always noble
and fine, her material surroundings as harmonious as possible and full of a great simplicity —
this is the part of education which should apply to the mother herself. And if she has in addition a
conscious and definite will to form the child according to the highest ideal she can conceive, then
the very best conditions will be realised so that the child can come into the world with his utmost
potentialities. How many difficult efforts and useless complications would be avoided in this
way !
Education, to be complete, must have five principal aspects corresponding to the five principal
activities of the human being: the physical, the vital, the mental, the psychic and the spiritual.
Usually, these phases of education follow chronologically the growth of the individual; this,
however, does not mean that one of them should replace another, but that all must continue,
completing one another until the end of his life.
We propose to study these five aspects of education one by one and also their interrelationships.
But before we enter into the details of the subject, I wish to make a recommendation to parents.
Most parents, for various reasons, give very little thought to the true education which should be
imparted to children. When they have brought a child into the world, provided him with food,
satisfied his various material needs and looked after his health more or less carefully, they think
they have fully discharged their duty. Later on, they will send him to school and hand over to the
teachers the responsibility for his education.
There are other parents who know that their children must be educated and who try to do what
they can. But very few, even among those who are most serious and sincere, know that the first
thing to do, in order to be able to educate a child, is to educate oneself, to become conscious and
master of oneself so that one never sets a bad example to one’s child. For it is above all through
example that education becomes effective. To speak good words and to give wise advice to a
child has very little effect if one does not oneself give him an example of what one teaches.
Sincerity, honesty, straightforwardness, courage, disinterestedness, unselfishness, patience,
endurance, perseverance, peace, calm, self-control are all things that are taught infinitely better
by example than by beautiful speeches. Parents have a high ideal and always act in accordance
with it and you will see that little by little your child will reflect this ideal in himself and
spontaneously manifest the qualities you would like to see expressed in his nature. Quite
naturally a child has respect and admiration for his parents; unless they are quite unworthy, they
will always appear to their child as demigods whom he will try to imitate as best he can.
With very few exceptions, parents are not aware of the disastrous influence that their own
defects, impulses, weaknesses and lack of self-control have on their children. If you wish to be
respected by a child, have respect for yourself and be worthy of respect at every moment. Never
be authoritarian, despotic, impatient or ill-tempered. When your child asks you a question, do not
give him a stupid or silly answer under the pretext that he cannot understand you. You can
always make yourself understood if you take enough trouble; and in spite of the popular saying
that it is not always good to tell the truth, I affirm that it is always good to tell the truth, but that
the art consists in telling it in such a way as to make it accessible to the mind of the hearer. In
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early life, until he is twelve or fourteen, the child’s mind is hardly open to abstract notions and
general ideas. And yet you can train it to understand these things by using concrete images,
symbols or parables. Up to quite an advanced age and for some who mentally always remain
children, a narrative, a story, a tale well told teach much more than any number of theoretical
explanations.
Another pitfall to avoid: do not scold your child without good reason and only when it is quite
indispensable. A child who is too often scolded gets hardened to rebuke and no longer attaches
much importance to words or severity of tone. And above all, take good care never to scold him
for a fault which you yourself commit. Children are very keen and clear-sighted observers; they
soon find out your weaknesses and note them without pity.
When a child has done something wrong, see that he confesses it to you spontaneously and
frankly; and when he has confessed, with kindness and affection make him understand what was
wrong in his movement so that he will not repeat it, but never scold him; a fault confessed must
always be forgiven. You should not allow any fear to come between you and your child; fear is a
pernicious means of education: it invariably gives birth to deceit and lying. Only a discerning
affection that is firm yet gentle and an adequate practical knowledge will create the bonds of
trust that are indispensable for you to be able to educate your child effectively. And do not forget
that you have to control yourself constantly in order to be equal to your task and truly fulfil the
duty which you owe your child by the mere fact of having brought him into the world.
(The Mother, ‘CWM’, Vol. 12, “On Education”, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry)
The Mother on Education
(contd. from the September and October 2013 issues)
“In their early years, children do have intimations of a higher consciousness which may puzzle
or even startle their parents and elders.”
As Wordsworth reminiscentially sang:
There was a time when meadow, grove and stream,
The earth and every common sight,
To me did seem
Apparelled in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a dream...
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
Shades of the prison-house begin to close
Upon the growing Boy...
Yet the Boy beholds the Light however fitfully, and even the Youth is by the “vision splendid”
attended on his way. “Every human being carries hidden within him the possibility of a greater
consciousness” wrote the Mother; “a good many children are under its influence”. The crux of
the educational problem is therefore to safeguard this light of consciousness, and make it
illumine all thoughts, all actions, all feelings and give a new direction and a new tone to our
entire life. Hence the paramount need for psychic education:
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“With psychic education we come to the problem of the true motive of existence, the purpose of
life on earth, the discovery to which this life must lead and the result of that discovery: the
consecration of the individual to his eternal principle.”
Whether this awakening comes as the result of a mystic break-through, or of a spurt of intense
religious feeling, or yet as the culmination of a course of philosophical inquiry, “the important
thing is to live the experience”.
On the one hand, unlike the body, the vital and the mind, of which we are almost constantly
aware, the psychic being or soul seems generally to elude us. On the other hand, sooner or later
we are driven to realise that this elusive thing is verily the deeper reality about ourselves, and it
profits us little to have gained the many mansions of apara vidya or phenomenal knowledge if
we have not also won the key to the psychic presence or the soul within. But, then, how does one
set upon this adventure of consciousness, this pursuit of the psychic being? The Mother talks to
us directly, and the winged words go home:
“The starting-point is to seek in yourself that which is independent of the body and the
circumstances of life, which is not born of the mental formation that you have been given, the
language you speak, the habits and customs of the environment in which you live, the country
where you are born or the age to which you belong. You must find, in the depths of your being,
that which carries in it a sense of universality, limitless expansion, unbroken continuity. Then
you decentralise, extend and widen yourself; you begin to live in all things and in all beings; the
barriers separating individuals from each other break down. You think in their thoughts, vibrate
in their sensations, feel in their feelings, live in the life of all. What seemed inert suddenly
becomes full of life, stones quicken, plants feel and will and suffer, animals speak in a language
more or less inarticulate, but clear and expressive; everything is animated by a marvellous
consciousness without time or limit. And this is only one aspect of the psychic realisation; there
are others, many others. All help you to go beyond the barriers of your egoism, the walls of your
external personality, the impotence of your reactions and the incapacity of your will.”
In another essay also, ‘Transformation’, the Mother seems to refer to the awakening of the
psychic consciousness. Though the preparation may have been long and slow there is “a
revolution in the basic poise... like turning a ball inside out... the ordinary consciousness...
ignorant of what things are in reality... sees only their shell. But the true consciousness is at the
centre, at the heart of reality and has the direct vision of the origin of all movements....
Something opens within you and all at once you find yourself in a new world.” But, she cautions,
“what is needed is to express it gradually in the details of practical life”.
Wonders are many, there have been great discoveries, but nothing is more wonderful, or is a
greater discovery, than the soul. It is not the super-subtle or marvelously resilient mind that can
run the quarry of the psychic being to its lair, it is not vital determination or physical agility that
can encompass the desired catch; “the supreme value of the discovery lies in its spontaneity, its
ingeniousness and that escapes all ordinary mental laws.” But one ceaselessly hankers after, and
one waits with infinite patience; one avoids all fever and fret, all anxiety and apprehension; one
tries to find joy in all things, one tries to cultivate equality in the face of life's phantasmagoria;
one shuns the criteria of the market weights and measures, one walks on the steep and narrow
path without sense of time or assurance of success; and one longs and waits - waits on the
Invisible - hearkening to steps unheard, turning to the unstruck melodies till at last “an inner
door will suddenly open and you will emerge into a dazzling splendour that will bring you the
certitude of immortality.... Then you will stand erect, freed from all chains... you will be able to
walk on straight and firm, conscious of your destiny, master of your life.”
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And yet the psychic opening or the seeking and the finding of the soul is but a stage in integral
education. The Mother calls these further stages steps in “spiritual education”. If the psychic
opening makes possible a purified and puissant life here and now “in the universe of forms”, a
spiritual liberation means “a return to the unmanifest”, a canter beyond the phenomenal world.
For the latter realisation - that is, the union or the losing of the soul in the Transcendent - there
are the tested paths of Knowledge (Jnana) and of Love or Devotion (Bhakti), though “the
swiftest method is total self-giving”. If we must speak in traditional terms, Atma-vicara or
inquiry into the nature of the Self can dispel cloud after cloud of Unknowing, and reveal in the
end the higher Knowledge (Para Vidya) of identity of self and Atman. The Love Divine, too, can
obliterate all distance and difference and local adhesions, and bring about the union of the river
with the ocean. But total self-surrender, atma-samarpana, brings cantering to the baby-cat the
mother's protective grasp and the resultant realisation of the bliss of oneness.
But although many have desired this supreme liberation into the Transcendent, a total escape
from all the heavy weight of this unintelligible and oppressive world of phenomena, still the
Mother feels strongly that this mere annulment of the self, this flight of the alone into the Alone,
must not be the end of the whole spiritual adventure. The Mother is certainly not for this implied
abandonment of the earth and its denizens to their present plight of “death, suffering, ignorance
and death”! On the contrary, encouraged by their own aspirations, ardours and realisations, the
Mother and Sri Aurobindo thought of the possibility of a supramental change and transformation.
Thus, the Mother, in the climactic passage in her sixth essay:
“From beyond the frontiers of form a new force can be evoked, a power of consciousness which
is as yet unexpressed and which, by its emergence, will be able to change the course of things
and give birth to a new world. For the true solution to the problem of suffering, ignorance and
death is not an individual escape from earthly miseries by self-annihilation into the unmanifest,
nor a problematical collective flight from universal suffering by an integral and final return of
the creation to its creator, thus curing the universe by abolishing it, but a transformation, a total
transfiguration of matter brought about by the logical continuation of Nature's ascending march
in her progress towards perfection, by the creation of a new species that will be to man what
man is to the animal and that will manifest upon earth a new force, a new consciousness and a
new power. And so will begin a new education which can be called the supramental education; it
will, by its all-powerful action, work not only upon the consciousness of individual beings, but
upon the very substance of which they are built and upon the environment in which they live.”
It is true that at a time when psychic and spiritual education are a mystery to most educationists,
a mere will-o'-the-wisp and a thing not to be pinned down in the curriculum, or to hold on to and
semesterise and evaluate in terms of alphabetised grades, it is perhaps premature to talk of
supramental education, which the mere mind cannot grasp at all. But the dream of today may yet
become tomorrow's actuality. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother felt convinced that the supramental
descent was no mere phantom of hope but an event decreed and inevitable. And it would be
specifically a “descent” of consciousness, and hence supramental education too will.....
“......progress from above downwards, its influence spreading from one state of being to another
until at last the physical is reached.......the supramental education will result no longer in a
progressive formation of human nature and an increasing development of its latent faculties, but
in a transformation of the nature itself, a transfiguration of the being in its entirety, a new ascent
of the species above and beyond man towards superman, leading in the end to the appearance of
a divine race upon earth.”
‘On Education’ is but a series of six brief essays, but it is also a vast arc of comprehension: from
Matter to Spirit, from the physical, vital and mental to the psychic, spiritual and supramental,
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from animal to man and from man to God! Education is a movement, an unfolding, a becoming;
what is already involved as a result of the holocaust of the Spirit in inconscient Matter awakens
and puts out its sticky leaves and bud of promise, and must end at last in the full blossoming of
the Divine potentiality.
(concluded)
(K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar in ‘On The Mother’, Chapter 37, “Mother on Education”, Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Trust, Pondicherry)
The Mirambika System of Education
During my trip to New Delhi, I had the privilege of visiting Mirambika, a school that practices a
form of education that, in its form and spirit, is the diametrical opposite of Singapore's.
In essence, and at the risk of some simplification and hasty generalization, Singapore's system is
characterized by the following : clear and fixed learning outcomes that all pupils of a given
ability group must attain by a certain age (subject to minor variations in subject combinations,
and with increasing latitude of choice as a student matures); standardized and national
assessment modes to evaluate and validate the attainment of these outcomes; packed and
challenging subject content, with an emphasis on higher level cognitive skills on the academic
side - coupled with an orientation towards tangible achievement, character development and
often intense training on the co-curricular side. In combination, these lead to a tense and intense
educational experience, with a premium placed on efficiency and professional management.
Finally, guiding the whole education system are essentially pragmatic goals of economic and
social well-being.
The results are, on the one hand, achievements in math, science and reading that are among the
best in the world; and on the other hand, a lack of the values that linger at the bottom of our
nation's collective heart: creativity, spirituality, curiosity, an appreciation for beauty and an
idealistic aspiration for excellence. And needless to say, the Education System is one that moulds
its wares with a good degree of flame and pain, and where joy of learning is often a dusty halfdead flower that could hardly breath. Continue on this path, and we will probably be a nation that
will last (for a time), but will produce nothing lasting.
In Mirambika, we get the following : 'free progress' of pupils with self-directed, interest-based
goals formulated with the help of teachers; flexible assessments varying with the goals, and (I
believe) consisting of assessments by teachers, peers and most importantly, self; spacious and
sunlit learning spaces that foster collaboration; generous time given for learning and exploration;
and finally, a sincere and single-minded aspiration to flexibly foster the potentialities of a child's
mental, vital, physical and spiritual being - arguably something impossible in a system where one
eye must always be kept simultaneously on the clock and the exam syllabus.
Having carried out several lesson observations, and having talked to many teachers, one can see
that this is not of course a 'perfect' school - as the Mirambika teachers are only too aware.
Viewed from an efficiency-driven Singaporean perspective, there would appear to be much
'waste': far too much time is devoted for pupils to explore and 'construct knowledge' through
carrying out a few projects. And for someone who is used to the careful design of 'valid
assessments', the assessment modes here would probably be lacking in rigour and too dependent
on subjective observations (where are the rubrics, the measurable learning outcomes etc.). And at
the end of the day, at age fourteen, students graduate to 'normal schools' where they end up
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preparing for, well, national exams. Finally, Mirambika is a school guided by the spiritual
philosophy of the Indian sage, philosopher, poet and independence fighter, Sri Aurobindo. From
a 'pragmatic' perspective, this focus on the 'soul' of the child, this emphasis on looking deeply
within and without to find one's true potential, might seem to be both dreamy-eyed and
impractical.
Yet even in the short time I am there, I saw many things that I could hardly ever see in
Singapore, whether in the ultra-elite enclave of Hwa Chong, or in my current more ordinary
school. First, the level of engagement and happiness while learning is quite extraordinary.
Smiling faces everywhere, and children cheerfully engaged in learning and sharing. Second,
there is a very high level of creativity and initiative displayed. Take for instance, a class of
primary five children who were engaged in producing a drama showcasing the history of
education in India. This project arose out of the children's curiosity, and its script was written
collaboratively by the children as well.
It started in the 22nd century, in a world run by artificial intelligence and without schools, where
4 bored children accidentally happened upon an exotic object (which they later realized was
something called a 'book') on the history of education. The play then flashed back to the ancient
Vedic period, moving through the Buddhist period and the Mughal period before entering the
modern world of Mirambika. In each period, the form of education, accompanied by the real
language spoken in that era, was enacted, followed by the rather insightful commentary of the
22nd century children.
The first thing that was clear was the amount of thought expended on the dynamics between
characters, the use of plot devices, the creation of suspense and so on. Indeed, the dialogue,
characterisation, setting and plot were fresh and interesting. Given their lack of creative stimulus
and training, I wonder how many of my upper Sec kids, or even the 'gifted' top one percent from
Hwa Chong, can craft something equalling the work of these eleven-year-olds.
The inter-disciplinary learning that had gone on on was also evident. Not only did the children
have to digest the bare facts of educational history and apply the conventions of drama to
transform them into striking and interesting materials, they used Sanskrit, Pali, Hindi and English
throughout the course of the play, and had to learn about Vedic Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism
and (I think) Islam as well. They also had to learn skills of collaboration and co-creation, and
practice the usual competencies for self-direction. Of course, throughout the project, they
engaged in active reflection about the purpose and practice of education - thus addressing the
original thrust of their curiosity.
I am relatively sure that despite the long time spent on the project, whatever they learn will stick
for a long time, and they will have a fund of readily transferrable skills and knowledge for their
next challenge. And most importantly, they would have done all this not because of the fear of
punishment or a greed for marks, but mostly because they want to create and learn. In this way,
Mirambika seems to be truly preparing her students for the 'test of life', and not a 'life of tests'.
indeed the method here, messy and inefficient as it may seem to one used to careful planning and
engineering, mirrors the method of Life itself. By allowing pupils to develop in line with their
nature, by trusting to the natural growth of children in a fruitful environment, and by
collaborating with a manifesting spirit within, Mirambika may well develop more complete and
creative human beings who may, in many cases, be more ready than our hyper-trained
Singaporean graduates to deal with the subtle, unforeseen and tremendous challenges of our
future.
- Jared
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September-October Sunday Activities at the Centre – A glimpse
29th September 2013 - The Upanishads in Light of Sri Aurobindo
Chants and Translations – by Krishnamurthy, Ramanathan, Sundari
This was the first time such a session was conducted in our centre by own members. Mr.
Krishnamurthy and Mr. Ramanathan conducted the session while Ms. Sundari initiated the
compilation of materials from readings from Sri Aurobindo on the Upanishads. Being an
introductory talk on this subject, a very brief background was given to the following:
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A road map from ‘Deep knowledge of ‘Veda Samhitas’, through ‘Envelopment of
strong ritualism in Brahmanas’, ‘Spiritual pursuits & subtle nature of yajnas’ in
‘Aranyakas’ to the ‘Philosophical truths and Self knowledge in ‘Upanishads’
An introduction to Upanishads – Literal & deeper meaning of the word itself and what
they deal with
List of Important Upanishads
Sri Aurobindo’s contribution towards their translations and commentaries
Importance of Shanthi mantras
An Introduction to the Isavasya Upanishad – Sri Aurobindo’s favourite, with much
relevance to his Integral Yoga
The session concluded with Mr Krishnamurthy and Mr Ramanathan chanting the 18 verses of
Isavasya Upanishad.
The session concluded on a subtle note with Mother’s music.
6th October 2013 - Readings on writings of The Mother in "Steps to Freedom and Mastery"
and OM Choir
On this evening, seven of us gathered for our 1st evening meditation cum readings for the month
of October, that too after challenging but fulfilling hours of walk at Pulau Ubin in the morning.
We read two passages this evening, one entitled "Life- a Mirror to Make One More Conscious"
and "Suppression Leads to Unconsciousness".
As usual, we read aloud the passages in about three rounds of readings and then spent a few
minutes sharing our experiences, thoughts and feelings on the point The Mother was making in
the passages.
This evening's going within pointed one towards the need for the awareness that behind the
unhappiness or irritation one feels over another's so called imperfections was an indication that
the same imperfections are within oneself. It was a reminder to look within at our own nature and
aspire for the needed change or transformation. Here is what The Mother says:
"Look upon everything with a benevolent smile. Take all the things which irritate you as a lesson
for yourself and your life will be more peaceful and more effective as well, for a great
percentage of your energy certainly goes to waste in the irritation you feel when you do not find
in others the perfection that you would like to realise in yourself."
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13th October 2013 - Bases of Yoga Reading Circle
Six of us gathered this day for readings from Sri Aurobindo's Bases of Yoga. We continued from
page 11 of the chapter Calm-Peace-Equality. Today's passages cautioned readers against
disheartening experiences along the way and being over-powered by ordinary human reactions.
Throughout, in all the passages that we read, there was a call to be based in inner tranquility, to
seek peace and calm and equality at all times. The first movement towards acquiring this strong
base was an aspiration and a prayer directed at the Mother for this and more.
The passages were very powerful and carried in them a deep and steady quietness which
engulfed everyone in the circle. Following meditation music, we made our way home, certainly
with a light and joyous and quiet heart looking forward to the week to unfold. Here is a poignant
passage that presents in a nutshell, the issue presented to us:
"First aspire and pray to the Mother for quiet in the mind, purity, calm, peace, an awakened
consciousness, intensity of devotion, strength and spiritual capacity to face all inner and outer
difficulties and go through to the end of the Yoga. If the consciousness awakens and there is
devotion and intensity of aspiration, it will be possible for the mind, provided it learns quietude
and peace, to grow in knowledge."
20th October 2013 - Bases of Yoga Reading Circle
Six of us gathered to continue from where we left off last Sunday. Our readings were from pages
14 to 18 of the book. The message for the day was to remain calm and maintain equality in the
midst of all circumstances and especially disturbances. Going deeper within was suggested in
order to see everything in perspective, with a deeper and keener sense of perception. After
readings, sharing began, this time, about relating to diseases and how best to approach them,
given our state of consciousness. The answers were in the lines we read and sharing experiences
helped us to revisit the lines and relate them to our lives from different perspectives. Here is the
quote for the day, from the passages we read:
"The inner spiritual progress does not depend on outer conditions so much as in the way we
react to them from within — that has always been the ultimate verdict of spiritual experience. It
is why we insist on taking the right attitude and persisting in it, on an inner state not dependent
on outer circumstances, a state of equality and calm, if it cannot be at once of inner happiness,
on going more and more within and looking from within outwards instead of living in the surface
mind which is always at the mercy of the shocks and blows of life. It is only from that inner state
that one can be stronger than life and its disturbing forces and hope to conquer."
- Sri Aurobindo
- Mr Krishnamurthy and Jayanthy
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PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2013
DATE
TIME
DETAILS
nd
2 Nov 2013
5.00 to 6.00
Saturday
pm
3rd Nov 2013
8.00 am
Sunday
3rd Nov 2013
6.00pm
Sunday
9th Nov2013
5.00 to 6.00
Saturday
pm
10th Nov 2013
6.00 pm
Sunday
16th Nov 2013
5.00 to 6.00
Saturday
pm
17th Nov 2013
6.00 pm
Sunday
23rd Nov 2013
5.00 to 6.00
Saturday
pm
24th Nov 2013
6.00 pm
Sunday
30th Nov 2013
5.00 to 6.00
Saturday
pm
*Please see below for details.
Silent Reading of library books
Monthly Morning Walk *
Readings of The Mother’s words from “Steps to Freedom
and Mastery” and OM Choir
Readings on Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Bases of Yoga’
The Mother left her body this day in 1973
- Silent Meditation and Reading of ‘Prayers and Meditations’
Siddhi Day - Readings of Relevant Passages from Savitri and
other writings
NOVEMBER 2013 MORNING WALK – NO. 339
Date:
Sunday, 3rd November, 2013.
Time:
8:00 A.M. sharp
Walk Venue :
NTU (Nanyang Technology University)
Meeting Point:
At the Hosts’ residence (please see below).
Contact No.:
Ramanathan: 9138 5130
Hosts:
Mr. Sheel Aditya & Family.
Residence 31 A, Nanyang Valley,
Singapore 639694
HP: 9620 2558, 9753 3451
Directions to
the Hosts’
Residence :
By Car: On PIE (towards TUAS) turn right on exit no. 38 (Pioneer Road
North). Turn left on Nanyang Crescent, continue on Nanyang Drive. After
passing Hall 4, turn right on Nanyang Circle, turn left on Student Walk, then
another left on Nanyang Valley. Free parking.
By MRT/Bus: Alight @ Pioneer MRT and take Bus no: 179. Alight @ Bus
Stop no:27291 Opposite to Hall 6 (NTU). Walk towards Canteen 1 and turn
right on Nanyang Valley to reach Host’s place approx. 350 metres away.
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PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING SUNDAY MORNING WALKS
WALK
NO
DATE
TIME
PLACE
HOST
340
01.12.13
8.00 AM
Mount Faber Walk
Mr. Ritesh & Family
341
05.01.14
8.00 AM
East Coast Park
342
02.02.14
8.00 AM
Mrs. Nisha Maheswary &
Family
Mr. Venkat & Family
343
02.03.14
8.00 AM
Changi Coastal Board
Walk
TBA
TBA
Along the Way……Reflections on the October 2013 Morning Walk
The walk for the month of October 2013, was at a special place. It was to happen at Pulau Ubin,
an island off Singapore. It was much looked forward to, as Pulau Ubin used to be one of the
regular venues for the monthly walks a decade ago. Hence, for the older members of the
Society, this walk was especially nostalgic as it was one which brought back a lot of pleasant and
fond memories from the past, of walks hosted by Mrs.Sonia Dyne, our past Chairperson.
We gathered at Changi Point Ferry
Terminal Point at 7.45am. The
weather was very pleasant, breezy
and cool as a result of the heavy rain
in Singapore the previous night. We
got into the bumboats in batches. We
were just on time to catch glimpses
of the beautiful sun rays as they
shone down from the sky, lighting up
the waves of the ocean in a sparkling
fashion, as we sailed by to the island.
At Pulau Ubin, we gathered at the
meeting point near the basketball
court. There were about 50 of us who
had gathered to form a huge circle for
the warm-up exercises. After the
warm-up session, we finished with the chanting of Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Gayatri Mantra’.
Our host for this walk was Uncle Kashyap, and
his birthday was on that same day. We wished
him all a very happy birthday and embarked on
our walk. We were to walk to the Chek Jawa
wetlands. The majority of the members walked
while some of us got onto bicycles for another
kind of exploration.
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Pulau Ubin has a very rustic look and feel about it. From the muddy roads, the tiled roof houses
with wooden fences, the tall coconut trees, the small lily ponds, the chirping of so many different
kinds of birds, to the variety of flowers and fruits growing on the plants on the way, everything
about this place is very different from the urban lifestyle in the rest of Singapore. The roads are
not just muddy, they are also extremely steep and at a slope, thus making it very challenging for
walkers and cyclists alike. As we walked towards Chek Jawa, we observed many different
species of trees, and we did spot some mudskippers as well. The Chek Jawa wetlands are unique
as several ecosystems can be observed in one area – rocky beaches, sandy beaches, seagrass lagoon, mangroves and coastal forest.
Uncle Kashyap had arranged for a few vans for the benefit members who were walking. The
return journey saw some of us back to the starting point in those vans in order to keep to the
stipulated time of meeting back at out starting point.
When all had gathered where we started, we sat for meditation, in a sheltered area. Upon return
to Changi Ferry Terminal, we walked over to the nearby Ramar
Temple, where the brunch was to be hosted.
We were about 80 of us, probably
a record attendance, at the
beautiful Changi Ramar Temple,
which was abuzz with activity
from the devotees who were there
for their worship. The deep sound
from the temple bells, the smell of
the incense sticks and flowers
offered to the deities added to the
beauty and charm of the temple. A
very hearty and delicious brunch
was lovingly served by Uncle Kashyap’s family members, after
which there was a cake cutting session for
Uncle Kashyap
Uncle Kashyap on the occasion of his birthday. Kudos to Uncle
Kashyap and his family for having taken the time and effort to meticulously plan out everything
–-- from the venue, the refreshment packets handed out to us at the start of the walk, the vans
arranged for the benefit of walking members, to the arrangement at the temple. The Pulau Ubin
walk was an experience to cherish forever.
- Preethi Saroja
Printed and Published by
The Sri Aurobindo Society of Singapore
2A Starlight Road 01-07, Singapore 217755
Jayanthy: 96522197 or [email protected]; Sanjay: 98750767 or [email protected];
Email: [email protected] our website at:www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg
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Transcription

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