Page 19 - All India Magazine Jan-2025

the secrets of Nature and life, to educate oneself in order to grow
in consciousness, to discipline oneself in order to become master
of oneself, to overcome one's weaknesses, incapacities and igno-
rance, to prepare oneself to advance in life towards a goal that is
nobler and vaster, more generous and more true... they hardly give
it a thought and consider it all very utopian. The only thing that
matters is to be practical, to prepare themselves and learn how to
earn money.
Children who are infected with this disease are out of place
at the Centre of Education of the Ashram. And it is to make this
quite clear to them that we do not prepare them for any official
examination or competition and do not give them any diplomas or
titles which they can use in the outside world.
We want here only those who aspire for a higher and better
life, who thirst for knowledge and perfection, who look forward
eagerly to a future that will be more totally true.
There is plenty of room in the world for all the others.
*
The contents of the consciousness must change, the level of
the consciousness must be raised, the quality of the conscious-
ness must progress.
Things are as you have described them, because most children
have their consciousness centred in the physical which is tamasic
and reluctant to make any effort. They want an easy life, and only
the excitement or the rivalry of a game or a competition awakens
enough interest in them so that they consent to make an effort.
For this, a vital passion has to be aroused to intensify the will.
The idea of progress belongs to the intelligent will which is ac-
tive only in very few who are in contact with their psychic being;
later on, in those who are mentally more developed and begin to
understand the need to develop and control themselves.
I said that the remedy is to raise the consciousness to a higher
level. But, naturally, one must start with the level of the conscious-

All India Magazine, January 2025 19