It is true that when one crosses the border of mind and lives above the head, the word “difficulty” exists no more for him. For the hostile or the lower forces cannot touch the higher planes which are the Mother’s.
From the higher mind upwards all is free from the action of the hostile forces. For they all belong to the spiritual consciousness though with varying degrees of light and power and completeness.
I think the sadhaks should be satisfied with describing what happens in their sadhana, and have no demands regarding the answers they receive from you. To ask questions urged by the vital ego will only disturb the sadhana.
It is so indeed because it is their mind and vital that put the question and the ego is always wanting to make use of the answer or the mental ignorance to distort it.
A suggestion tells me that, at least for some time, I should write to you as little, as possible and devote more time to the deeper meditations.
To write is necessary but it is not necessary to write much. A little is sufficient at present.
I am glad to know that you don’t think it necessary for me to write much, but then what about the higher knowledge? You know that it is only while writing that I open myself to its descent.
I suggest “a little” only in case you find it difficult, as you said, to write owing to the pressure of the silence. But if things come, there is no reason to stop them.
Will you please let me know why you often write, “You are right”, since it is the Mother’s knowledge?
When I say, you are right, it is understood that the “you” gets its knowledge from the Mother.
I notice that sometimes in order not to send my letters back without something of yourself, you make some remark on them through love and kindness for me even when such a remark is not really required. But I feel that you need not do this. After reading the letters if you draw a small line at the end it will be sufficient to give me the indication that they have not come back without your reading them, as sometimes happens.[1]
Very well.
When I suggested about drawing a line, I thought that it would be possible for me to impose a complete surrender on my outer being. For three days I have been trying to do it.
The outer nature is losing all interest and joy in responding to the higher knowledge. It says: “What is the use of spending time in bringing down the higher knowledge, it has now no value as Sri Aurobindo doesn’t put his comments on what I write? How am I to know that all I write is from the higher source without his written approval, for it could be a mixture of my own mind or of some non-spiritual planes?”
All these suggestions are absolutely absurd. It is the ego rising up again and wanting to be patted on the back and told how clever it is and how much knowledge it is getting.
You yourself wrote that the knowledge was not yours, but the Mother’s and objected to my writing “You are right”. If it is the Mother’s knowledge coming down in you why should I have to say “Yes, no” or “Right, wrong” to it? It is the knowledge which you need that the Mother is giving you — if there is any mixture of your own, I shall point it out to you. If there is none, why should I put in unnecessary approving comments on it? It was your own psychic that made you suggest putting the line so as to get rid of the remnant of the old ego that was secretly feeding on my comments and it was to help in that that I kept silence.
You wrote, I suppose, to help your communion with the Mother and lay what comes in you physically before her, not to get her mental approval or praise. If there is anything to say, you can trust in me to say it — if there is no remark called for, you should leave me free to keep silence. That is the rule I keep always with those who have advanced sufficiently — not to need mental encouragement or explanations at every step. It seems to me that you have advanced far enough for that also.
[1] This process continued during the rest of the correspondence. Even when Sri Aurobindo did give his written answer he continued drawing a line at the end.
