The Ascent towards Supermind, Part II, Chapter XXVI - The Ascent towards Supermind 201

We have done only the first paragraph last time in which, what Sri Aurobindo tells us is that the process of psychic transformation and something of spiritual transformation have been done in the past by so many that it is not difficult to put forth the results of past efforts in this direction. But as far as Supermind and Supramental transformation is concerned, not much has been done in the past, and therefore, it is quite difficult to bring forth the results from the past; and what is new is still to be described. Having said this, in the subsequent paragraphs with which we shall deal now. The initial point that Sri Aurobindo makes is that the Supermind is so radically different from the mind that to describe supermind to the mind is extremely difficult, if not impossible. But there are two features which render it somewhat easy, not easy but less difficult that there are certain elements in the mental consciousness, which are reflectors of the higher consciousness. Secondly the process by which evolution is moving forward the principles of that evolution are more or less similar in the higher evolution also. So, if you understand evolution as it has gone earlier then it will be easier for us to understand the process of evolution that will take place later.

Both the propositions are required to be understood and we shall dwell upon these two points. The first point is that there are elements in our mental consciousness, which reflect to some extent the operation of the higher consciousness. Here when I use the word higher in technical terms, it is called super-concient. As you know we have three levels of consciousness – subconcient or inconcient starting from inconcient which become subconcient that is the lowest stratum of consciousness, the middle is the concient, of which we are aware. We are aware of our physical life, vital life, mental life. This domain is the domain of the concient. When we cross the borders of the mind and move upwards that whole domain is the superconcient and that superconcient consists of first of all the silent mind. The moment mind becomes silent – you have already entered in the domain, higher than the mind because mind by nature is active, constantly in vibration. The moment you put the mind into silence already you are creating an entry into superconcient. Then through the silent mind you can have the experiences of a witness, silent witness in us, which is often call the Purusha, − the consciousness that witnesses all that is happening in the world. A further experience is the experience of Purusha as a giver of consent, giver of sanction. The witness self is called Sakshin or Sakshi, the one who gives consent is called anumanta, one who gives anumati, anumanta. Then comes the experience of even controller, not only giver of sanction but the controller, determiner, master, − experience of Ishwara, Sakshi, anumanta, Ishwara. These three experiences can be obtained, when the mind falls silent. There is also the experience possible here of a purely static silent, immobile self, not the individual self but the Self, − the self of which every thing is a movement.

When you are in the pure state of witness self, in that state of consciousness you find that the movement does not proceed from the Purusha but it is outside the Purusha, this is the specialty of Purusha consciousness that the movement or the energy, activity or what is called Prakriti is experienced as something outside Purusha, of which Purusha being away from Prakriti is a witness. Even when you experience that as anumanta as a giver of sanction, even then it is, as if Prakriti is outside but Purusha is capable of controlling something that is outside itself. It is like your self dealing with the electric gadgets, you are different from electric gadgets, but you can control and you can give orders to electric gadgets, so Prakriti is found to be still outside yourself. When Ishwara consciousness is obtained then you can still have an experience as if Ishwara is different from Prakriti, − although the master of Prakriti.

These three experiences are different from this fourth experience of which I spoke, the experience of the Self. In this experience of the Self, you find that what we call Prakriti, movement issues from the Self. Self is not separated from the movement, but the movement proceeds from the Self and yet Self is experienced as superior to all that moves out. But the essential feature of this experience is the quietude and the silence of the self from where a huge movement is moving out. But you feel in that state of consciousness as if the immobility is so real that the movement seems to be almost like cinema,− having no substance or substantial reality in it. It moves out of itself but it is experienced as if it is illusory, is unreal, it is imagination, a cosmic imagination you might say because it is so huge. The whole universe, which is in movement, seems to be a big imagination, quite different from its own immobility. So, although the Prakriti moves out of that self, the difference between immobility and mobility is so great and the reality of immobility is felt so deeply and intensely that anything that is different from immobility is felt to be imaginary or illusory. This is what is called the experience of Brahman. Self is Brahman; Self is also called Atman, not Jivatman which is different but Atman. So, Brahman and Atman is the same word you might say. This is the experience of the Self. In this experience you find that wherever you look out that immobile Self is seen everywhere. Everything is only one Self completely immobile. This seeing the Self everywhere, the same Self everywhere, not yourself everywhere but the same Self everywhere, this is the characteristic mark of this Brahman experience. When this happens, any one of these experiences that I described: Purusha consciousness, − as a witness, Purusha consciousness as anumanta, as a giver of sanction or as Ishwara or the experience of the Self, which is immobile.