Page 46 - All India Magazine Aug-2026

mind and the supramental Truth-consciousness. These interven-
ing ranges have to be opened up and their power brought down
into the mind, life and body. Only afterwards can the full power
of the Truth-consciousness work in the nature. The process of
this self-discipline or sadhana is therefore long and difficult, but
even a little of it is so much gained because it makes the ulti-
mate release and perfection more possible.
There are many things belonging to older systems that are
necessary on the way — an opening of the mind to a greater
wideness and to the sense of the Self and the Infinite, an emer-
gence into what has been called the cosmic consciousness,
mastery over the desires and passions; an outward asceticism
is not essential, but the conquest of desire and attachment and
a control over the body and its needs, greeds and instincts is
indispensable. There is a combination of the old systems: the
way of knowledge through the mind's discernment between
Reality and the appearance, the heart's way of devotion, love
and surrender and the way of works turning the will away from
motives of self interest to the Truth and the service of a greater
Reality than the ego. For the whole being has to be trained so
that it can respond and be transformed when it is possible for
that greater Light and Force to work in the nature.
In this discipline, the inspiration of the Master, and in the dif-
ficult stages his control and his presence are indispensable — for
it would be impossible otherwise to go through it without much
stumbling and error which would prevent all chance of success.
The Master is one who has risen to a higher consciousness and
being and he is often regarded as its manifestation or represen-
tative. He not only helps by his teaching and still more by his
influence and example but by a power to communicate his own
experience to others.
This is Sri Aurobindo's teaching and method of practice. It
is not his object to develop any one religion or to amalgamate

46 All India Magazine, August 2026