Page 35 - All India Magazine Jun-2025

Fire of aspiration
The fire [one feels within] is always the fire of sacrifice and
self-offering, the fire of aspiration or the fire of tapasya.
That the constant fire of aspiration has to be lit is true; but
this fire is the psychic fire and it is lit or burns up and increases
as the psychic grows within and for the psychic to grow qui-
etude is needful. That is why we have been working for the psy-
chic to grow in you and for the quietude also to grow and that
is why we want you to wait on the Mother's working in full pa-
tience and confidence. To be always remembering the Mother
and always with the equal unwavering fire within means itself
a considerable progress in sadhana and it must be prepared by
various means such as the experiences you have been having.
Keep steadfast in confidence therefore and all that has to be
done will be done.
CWSA 30: 368-69 Sri Aurobindo

Prayer and aspiration

Isn’t prayer more effective than personal effort?
Each has its utility, but aspiration and prayer are undoubtedly
more effective because of the trust they imply.

*
Do prayers and aspirations also take a form like thoughts?

Yes. At times they take even the form of the person who has
the aspiration or makes the prayer — often. That depends. As-
pirations sometimes take the form of that to which one aspires,
but most often, and specially prayers, clearly take the form of
the one who prays.

What is the difference between prayer and aspiration?
I have written this somewhere. There are several kinds of prayers.

All India Magazine, June 2025 35