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Greetings!
At
Renaissance, as we continue with our exploration of The New Ideal that Sri Aurobindo has given us, with a special focus on highlighting some perspectives relevant to the evolutionary march of our collective lives as societies and cultures, a question that is bound to come for many is -- what can I do in terms of working toward this new ideal? What can we -- each one of us individually -- do for the New India that Sri Aurobindo envisions, India that carries on her timeless Spirit in new forms? I am merely a student, or one of the millions of nameless workers in corporate India, or a bus driver or a painter or a home-maker... what can I contribute?
With this in mind, on September 5, we released a special VIDEO on the occasion of Teachers' Day. Sri Aurobindo tells us that a teacher works through three ways - Instruction, Example and Influence. In this regard, his own work as a teacher stands out as a shining example and influence for all educators, in fact, for everyone concerned with the education and upbringing of the younger generations.
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The root cause of all major problems we face today as human race can be broadly traced back to two opposing lines of thought and practice. On one side we have an approach to life which looks at the existence only from a materialistic-utilitarian perspective. For such a mindset, what is physically seen is the only reality. Also, this reality can be manipulated for making human life more pleasurable and comfortable by the use of scientific or rational mind.
In one of its extreme expressions, this led to the rejection of all religion and religious impulse. And in another way, the same mindset became the driving force for all colonial or imperialistic campaigns of Europe. This is typically considered a practical, future-oriented approach, generally identified with the Western model of development and progress.
On the other side, we have a conventional and conservative mindset typically stuck in the ways of the past. It is keener on preserving the form rather than the essential spirit of the past. In its extreme forms such a way of thinking may refuse to see value in any outer material progress, especially when an ascetic tendency becomes stronger.
Such an approach is also prone to perversion and distortion. And it can very quickly open itself to tendencies of religious obscurantism, fundamentalism, even mindless use of violence for conflict-resolution. The risk is stronger when the religion gets hijacked by lowest impulses of human nature such as greed, lust for power, and ambition.
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Editor's Note: For the Guiding Light feature we highlight selections from Sri Aurobindo's essay titled 'The Renaissance in India'. He speaks of a true understanding of the rebirth of the soul of India that is "governed by the principle of spirituality". This new ideal of integral spirituality is not about other-wordliness or asceticism or excessive religiosity, but in its fullness is an all-inclusive orientation to life which takes all human aims and endeavours and gives them a greater, diviner, more intimate sense.
We present the selections in 2 parts and have made some formatting revisions for the ease of online reading, with no alterations in the text.
PART 1
PART 2
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Editor's Note: Why is the world the way it is? When or how will things get better? Everyone says that Truth will one day win, but I don't see that happening anywhere when I look around? Why is Divine not concerned about justice? Some version of such questions have come to each one of us, at some point or another. The following conversation of the Mother dated 8 January 1951 brings to light some critical points upon which we must deeply contemplate.
Here we have an answer to why we must keep and motivate younger generations to cultivate an abiding faith in "the certitude of Truth's final victory" despite all the outer circumstances. The Mother's profound explanation of the nature of equilibrium on which the world is founded, and how this concept may be simply explained to a young child are a great resource for teachers, parents, and all those engaged in working with youngsters.
We present the conversation in 2 parts. For the ease of online reading, we have made a few minor formatting changes without altering the text in any way.
PART 1
PART 2
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'Sri Aurobindo's Work as Teacher' -
A Brief Talk by
Dr. Beloo Mehra
at Matriniketan, Pondicherry.
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