October 17, 1970
I have a letter from Dr. V, he asks a question about something Sri Aurobindo said.
(Satprem reads)
"In The Synthesis of Yoga, Sri Aurobindo writes
about the perfection of the lower mind, the psychic
prana …
What’s that?
I think it’s the vital substance Sri Aurobindo calls like that.
"… and its tyrannical demands that represent the
chief natural obstacle invading the whole action of
the being.
"Where does this psychic prana come from? Is it
part of the psychic as the word is understood in
India’s psychological language?…
Yes, at that time Sri Aurobindo used the phrase "psychic prana,"
but it’s not at all the psychic, the soul; I think it’s the primary
vital substance. … He asks also:
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"… Is there some relationship between this psychic
prana and the constitution of the Psyche of Western
psychologists?"
All those things, I don’t know. It’s philosophy … in English, I would say wordy. Those are psychological words that I don’t know at all.
Yes, of course! In any case, it has no relationship with the
psychic, the soul as we understand it.
There’s no use in people asking me this sort of things, I am not at all interested.
Of course!
Sri Aurobindo used a whole lot of terminologies, and only in the end did he adopt the one I brought, then we could understand each other. Before, at the beginning, when I came he used to speak of all kinds of things of this sort.
And on top of it (laughing) it doesn’t interest me!
(Mother gives Satprem soup packets)
Can’t eat.
***
(Then Satprem reads the third chapter of Supermanhood:
"The Sunlit Path." Afterwards, Mother remains looking at
him for a long time, with a charming smile.)
You’ve entered a new world…. For those who can follow you, it will be good!
Oh, it’s quite new…. (Smiling and approving) It’s extraordinary, you understand, it’s …
The impression that a new door has opened. The impression as if you had opened a new door for humanity.
You’re the one who opens it!
(silence)
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Extraordinary. It’s as if you had bidden farewell to the old world.
Yes.
Now (laughing), I’d really like to hear the sequel! How many chapters have you written?
I’ve written ten in all.
And this is the third…. Well!
(Mother goes on shaking her head
to express her delight)
Magnificent, it’s magnificent!
(silence)
How does it come?
Oh, Mother, I pray and I let it come.
That’s right…. it’s CLEARLY from another world. You mustn’t be disturbed until you have finished.
Yes, Mother. …In fact, there are many things trying to disturb me.
Yes.
Inside and outside.
Inside?
Yes, also – circumstances.
You mustn’t, you mustn’t allow that. And people mustn’t read this before it’s over.
Yes, Mother.
For the introduction, we’ll keep bur program…. Have you found a German yet?
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No, Mother, I don’t know any.
As for me, I looked for one, but I can’t find. It should be someone a bit intelligent. It should be ready for February. But the book, don’t show it to anyone until its over.
There’s only Sujata who reads and types it.
(Laughing) Sujata, that’s nobody! You know, it’s magnificent.
Oh, Mother, I have nothing to do with it, I assure you!
I’d really like to hear the continuation.
I hope it won’t disappoint you.
No, no.
Oh, I pray a lot to receive purely.
(silence)
For sure, publishers are incapable of… What we should do is to have a good edition here (we can do it; from the point of view of the work, it could be good), and then prepare quite a general publicity, all over the world…. Articles in literary newspapers: to organize a publicity campaign. I think that will be better than to leave it to an individual who … We should arrange the thing ourselves – we can do it. If we want to, we can.
The only advantage of publishers is that they have the name of
their house and the way to reach the press – and to distribute the
book. That’s their power.
But there would be a way to reach the press. There is a way.
(silence)
We will … (Mother gestures as if breaking through a wall).
(silence)
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I am waiting; I’ll tell you my idea when you have finished, when you’ve read me all of it.
I have an idea…. When you have finished.
I’ll wait till I have read the last chapter! (laughter) There.
Because, with that, we can do something.
(silence)
My impression is of going there (gesture above) and then of not coming down. It shows that… I had an extraordinary impression, you understand: I heard it THERE (same gesture above the head), and I didn’t have to come down.
(Laughing) I’m waiting for the continuation!
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