Format: EPUB
Second edition 2019

"Man lives mostly in his surface mind, life and body but there is an inner being within him with greater possibilities to which he has to awake – for it is only a very restricted influence from it that he receives now and that pushes him to a constant pursuit of a greater beauty, harmony, power and knowledge. The first process of Yoga is therefore to open the ranges of this inner being and to live from there outward, governing his outward life by an inner light and force. In doing so he discovers in himself his true soul which is not this outer mixture of mental, vital and physical elements but something of the Reality behind them, a spark from the one Divine Fire. He has to learn to live in his soul and purify and orientate by its drive towards the Truth the rest of the nature. There can follow afterwards an opening upward and descent of a higher principle of the Being." – Sri Aurobindo

"Most of you live on the surface of your being, exposed to the touch of external influences. You live almost projected, as it were, outside your own body, and when you meet some unpleasant being similarly projected you get upset. The whole trouble arises out of your not being accustomed to stepping back. You must always step back into yourself – learn to go deep within – step back and you will be safe. Do not lend yourself to the superficial forces which move in the outside world. Even if you are in a hurry to do something, step back for a while and you will discover to your surprise how much sooner and with what greater success your work can be done. If someone is angry with you, do not be caught in his vibrations but simply step back and his anger, finding no support or response, will vanish. Always keep your peace, resist all temptation to lose it. Never decide anything without stepping back, never speak a word without stepping back, never throw yourself into action without stepping back. All that belongs to the ordinary world is impermanent and fugitive, so there is nothing in it worth getting upset about.What is lasting, eternal, immortal and infinite – that indeed is worth having, worth conquering, worth possessing. It is Divine Light, Divine Love, Divine Life – it is also Supreme Peace, Perfect Joy and All-Mastery upon earth with the Complete Manifestation as the crowning. When you get the sense of the relativity of things, then whatever happens you can step back and look; you can remain quiet and call on the Divine Force and wait for an answer. Then you will know exactly what to do. Remember, therefore, that you cannot receive the answer before you are very peaceful. Practise that inner peace, make at least a small beginning and go on in your practice until it becomes a habit with you." – The Mother

Contents

• Our Outer Life
• At the Basis of Our Outward Existence
• External Personality and the Real Self
• A Fear of the Materialistic Thinker
• Reversal of Consciousness
• The Inward Movement
• An Indispensable Step for Yoga
• It leads to True Universality – Not Imprisonment in the Personal Self
• How to Develop the Inner Consciousness
• Single-pointedness
• Control
• Meditation
• Separation
• Witness consciousness
• Some Guidance
• More Guidance
• Shift of the centre
• Tranquillising purification of the outer nature
• Dangers of a vehement endeavour
• Signs of a readiness for the conversion
• Entry in the Inmost Being
• Purusha consciousness gives liberation from nature
• Entry into the inmost being, beyond Purusha, is necessary for transformation
• Awakening of the Inner Being in Sleep
• Examples of Inner Consciousness
• Results of Entry
• The first result of entry: Governance by the psychic
• The second result of entry: Inflow of spiritual experiences
• The third result of Entry: An upward opening and the descent