Chapter 10February 16, 1972

Supreme Lord, teach us to be silent, that in this silence we may receive Your force and understand Your will.

I have a letter from P.L. [the friend in the Vatican]. Here’s what he says:

“...Thanks to Mother’s Protection, things around me had calmed down a little, when suddenly the storm broke out again. To the former intrigues have now been added slander and... a threat of expulsion (which in itself I would not mind, but they should not triumph!). This threat is in fact meant to upset me and force me to change my attitude. I feel the need to go back and see Mother – the sooner the better. But practically I cannot do it; furthermore, I am being watched; I am afraid that if they find out I am going to Pondicherry, they will try to set the Bishop against the Ashram, for, as you know, if he is now quiet, it is because of a certain intervention, which was very discreet but effective. Naturally, the others know nothing of my intercession with T.21 ...”

I have been preoccupied with him.

One day, I was very much preoccupied with him.

(silence)

Would you like us to go into silence?

(meditation)

Don’t know.

(Mother laughs and goes on looking at Satprem)

You don’t have anything, no letter?

Yes, I received a letter from A., conveying a message from my publisher B.C. (you know, the one who published “The Adventure of Consciousness”). B.C. wrote a letter [Satprem reads it to Mother] saying he’s reading “The Ideal of Human Unity,” but would like to publish “The Synthesis of Yoga.” So A. replied to him [Satprem reads the reply to Mother] that he is sending his letter to Pondicherry “for instructions,” but that in his opinion “it would be better to publish first the ‘Ideal,’ which may be accessible to a larger Western audience than the ‘Synthesis’ and might be more suitable for Sri Aurobindo’s centenary year.”

That’s not my opinion at all! I think it would be far better to publish “The Synthesis of Yoga” than “The Ideal.”

“The Synthesis” first?

Yes. There’s a difference of level between the two.

Yes, of course. But what A. means is that “The Ideal of Human Unity” is a theme with a universal appeal.

Yes, but that’s just the point, it doesn’t take them out of what they know! While “The Synthesis” (they won’t understand much of it, but...) may pull them out of their routine.

Right, Mother, understood.

Perhaps only two or three people will understand, but that’s better than the other one and having people say, “Oh, how nice! How very, very nice!” – but it won’t jolt them out of their routine.

A question of principle remains: do we give these books to B.C. and thus encourage him to publish the bulk of Sri Aurobindo’s works? After all, he’s the first publisher who seems to be interested in Sri Aurobindo.

Yes! Why not?... Good for him! (Mother laughs) Everybody, including A., always sees things from the wrong end, you know, as if WE had to gain something – well, it’s not so! It’s THEM. It’s THEIR chance....

Yes, of course! I fully agree, Mother!

The chance isn’t ours!

It’s a grace given to them.

ABSORBED in the power of Sri Aurobindo’s thought.

Those who already are have the good fortune of being the first ones, that’s all.

(silence)

It’s very interesting, you know, the greater part live in the past; a good number (they are more interesting) live in the present; and just a few, an infinitesimal number, live in the future. That’s true.

Whenever I look at people and things I always get the feeling of going backwards! (gesture of turning around and looking behind) I know (it’s not even “I know,” or “I feel,” it’s none of that), I AM – I am ahead. In consciousness, I am in the year 2000. So I know how things will be, and... (Mother laughs) it’s very interesting!

(long silence)

Three quarters of humanity are obsolete.

Yes! [Everyone laughs]

(silence)

That’s all you have?... A. needs to take a dip here again, he’s starting to... (gesture of going around in circles).

Well then, I’ll encourage this man to publish as many books of Sri Aurobindo as possible.

Yes, yes.

Starting with the “Synthesis.

The Synthesis.

Personally, of all those I have read, it’s the book that has helped me the most. It comes from a very high and very universal inspiration, in the sense that it will remain new for a long time to come.

(silence)

Did you read all the “Correspondence with Nirod”?

I’m translating it as I go along, so I haven’t read it entirely yet.

There are fabulous things in it. He seems to be constantly joking, but... it’s fabulous.22 How many years did I live with Sri Aurobindo? Thirty years, I think – thirty years, from 1920 to 1950. I thought I knew him well, but when I listen to that, I realize... (gesture as if new horizons were opening up).