Chapter 4October 14, 1970

It’s magnificent! Magnificent.

(at the end of the chapter, Satprem

quotes Sri Aurobindo’s “Hour of God”)

“There are moments when the Spirit moves among men... there are others when it retires and men are left to act in the strength or the weakness of their own egoism. The first are periods when even a little effort produces great results and changes destiny....”

Is it the end?

Don’t you say that we are now at one such moment?

I could add a sentence: “In truth, we are at this moment.”

Oh, yes!

(Mother passes a few satisfied comments,

then goes into a very smiling contemplation)

It’s strange, it makes pictures....

(Mother plunges in again)

While sorting papers, I found this. I don’t know what it is.

(Satprem reads)

“My hair is not dyed. It is its natural color, except for a slight reddish hue that comes from the soapbark lotion I use to wash my head. “When I used to go out, I had to put rose juice on my lips so they would not chap, and sumo (powder of burned pearl) on my eyelids to prevent irritation by sunlight and dust. “To take care of one’s skin and hair is no more artificial than to take care of one’s teeth. “If a sadhika [a female disciple] has spare time and the inclination to make up, I see no harm in that, provided she does not do it out of vanity or affectation. “What matters in sadhana is not what one does but the spirit in which one does it.

without attaching importance to them.”

13 May 1965 (Laughing) That was when R.R. came; he said I dyed my hair! (Mother laughs) “Mother uses makeup.” I never sent him this, besides.

Along with your answer, there’s a letter from R.R. Yes, he asked you, “Why do you use such devices?...” He also asked, “Why is there in the Ashram this extreme iconolatry?”

I think the gentleman has changed a bit. Is there a date?

1965.

I think he has changed.

(Satprem reads another note)

“To calm all personal ambitions, I must declare that “If, for any reason, this body becomes unusable, the universal Mother will again start manifesting in hundreds of individualities according to their capacity and receptivity, each one being a partial manifestation of the Universal Consciousness.”

That’s important.

It’s amusing!... It’s a long time ago too.

There’s no date.

We’re finding some amusing things again.... Three or four people here, at the SAME time, had come (when I wrote this, I forget when), had come to succeed the universal Mother!... Three or four. Especially two from America. And there’s also one here (Mother laughs).

It’s futile, it’s very childish.

(Mother nods

and gives Satprem the handwritten note)

* * *

(Then Mother takes up a few extracts from Savitri that are to be set to music.)

.... A little point [shall] reveal the infinitudes.

It’s interesting.

* * * (Satprem reads the second chapter of Supermanhood, “The Great Process.” After a few satisfied

remarks, Mother adds:)

It produces a curious phenomenon of absorption: nothing existed anymore but that.113 It’s curious. And I knew it was about to end because I resumed contact with the world. It’s really interesting. Oh, it’s very good.

Where will we get it published?

Normally, it should be the publisher of “The Adventure of Consciousness.”

Yes.... But does he have the caliber?

He has... he will benefit from “The Adventure of Consciousness.”

(Mother looks at Satprem, smiling)

What time is it?

Eleven, Mother.

Don’t you have a practical little work to do?

No, Mother... except if you want to go on with the translation of “Savitri”.... But what about you, Mother, you don’t say anything?

Me, I have nothing to say.

(silence)

The body consciousness is slowly changing, in such a way that its whole former life seems foreign to it. That seems to be someone else’s consciousness, someone else’s life. Its “situation,” if you like, in the world, is changing.

With regard to its whole former life, it regards that as someone... not exactly a stranger, but the life of someone close, whom you understand well (you’re not surprised, you understand well), but... a stranger. No, it’s not “stranger,” it’s... OTHER, other. Someone other.

(long silence)

113As a matter of fact, Mother seemed to “plunge” at the start of the chapter, and Satprem even wondered if she was