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Few words on solitude in old age

 This weekend while visiting the ashram, we again got opportunity to have lunch with one of our dearest friends from the west who has sacrificed everything in his service to the divine mother. I cannot disclose his identity (just yet) for he dislikes fame and avoids talking anything praiseworthy about himself (a quality exhibited by those truly humble). Anyways while chatting he told us that one of his friends in the west asked him if he regrets choosing a path that very few can even think to walk. Today he appears to the outer world all alone and forgotten. And he answered with a calm smile regarding how blessed he was to have the grace of the mother and being chosen by the mother herself for this most difficult mission of his.


It reminded me of Alexander Grothendieck who lived alone in solitude since 1991 until his death in the Pyrenees of France (some photos of his abode are herewith attached). No one in the scientific/mathematical community seems to have understood his state of consciousness as far as my research goes as on date. These states of consciousess have been described in the Book of Fate by Sri Aurobindo and I produce some of his lines pertaining to our discussion today. Coming back to the topic of our beloved friend it also reminded me of following words from our beloved teacher DK -


"The concrete mind hinders in another and more unusual way, and one that is not realised by the student who attempts, at first, to tread the thorny road of occult development. When the concrete mind is rampant, and dominates the entire personality the aspirant cannot cooperate with these other lives and diverse evolutions until love supersedes concrete mind (even though he may, in theory, comprehend the laws that govern the evolution of the Logoic plan and the development of other solar entities besides his own Hierarchy). Mind separates; love attracts. Mind creates a barrier betwixt a man and every suppliant deva. Love breaks down every barrier, and fuses diverse groups in union. Mind repels by a powerful, strong vibration, casting off all that is contacted, as a wheel casts off all that hinders its whirling periphery. Love gathers all to itself, and carries all on with itself, welding separated units into a unified homogeneous whole. Mind repels through its own abundant heat, scorching and burning aught that approaches it. Love soothes and heals by the similarity of its heat to the heat in that which it contacts, and blends its warmth and flame with the warmth and flame of other evolving lives. Finally, mind disrupts and destroys whilst love produces coherence and heals.


Every change, in human life, is subject to immutable laws, if such a paradoxical statement may be permitted. In the attempt to find out those laws, in order to conform to them, the occultist begins to offset karma, and thus colours not the astral light. The only method whereby these laws can as yet be apprehended by the many who are interested is by a close study of the vicissitudes of daily existence, as spread over a long period of years. By the outstanding features of a cycle of ten years, for instance, as they are contrasted with the preceding or succeeding similar period a student can approximate the trend of affairs and guide himself thereby. When the point in evolution is reached where the student can contrast preceding lives, and gain knowledge of the basic colouring of his previous life cycle, then rapid progress in adjusting the life to law is made. When succeeding lives can be likewise apprehended by the student, and their colouring seen and known, then karma (as known in the three worlds) ceases, and the adept stands master of all causes and effects as they condition and regulate his lower vehicle. He aspires to the occult path and considers changes and events in the light of all preceding events, and the longer and more accurate his memory the more he can dominate all possible situations."


In that context this old living friend of ours also told us a story how once when he was in Delhi, he heard Krishnamurthy giving lecture where he completely rejected the concept of guru/master. That instantly reminded me of Cyril Scott and his assessment of that in his initiate series. Ohh my God here I am sitting in front of a old man who knew these things without having read any of those materials through his pyschic being and choose his path wisely !    


In conclusion he indicated to us that it was the power of his love and surrender towards the Mother which was his strength. And I was shown a practical example of love and surrender overcoming the concrete mind (a challenge for the western race) as explained by DK in those paragraphs from TWM !  


Thank you dearest friend for demonstrating practically what Alice Bailey and Djwal Khul wrote !


Images: Alexander Grothendieck and Sri Aurobindo's quote describing his solitude ! His House and his books !


 






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